THE ART ISSUE
august 2011
MUSES
Th e Fa ce s Behi nd M aj or F a s h ion Houses
Tablet-Made
MEDIA T h e
B e s t
M u s i c
MUSICIAN AND PHOTOG RAPHE R
A p p s
From the
Canvas TO THE RUNWAY google art project
OWL CITY:
MUSEUM MAYHEM
BANKSY The Allure of the British Street Artist
LA ROUX Elton John’s and David Bowie’s Love Child
MASTHEAD
Editor
in
Chief:
Assistant
to the
Jeremy Fall
Debbie Gardner
Editor
in
Chief:
P h o t o g r ap h y C o n t e n t M a n a g e r : Ashley Vied
H ea d
of
PR/Marketing:
Simone Welch
G r ap h i c D e s i g n : Christina Li Juliana Mi
H e a d P h o t o g r a ph e r : Dirk Mai
Editors:
Cynthia Almanzar Kristine Fellizar Melissa Darcey Ryan Steward
Contributing Writers: Camelle Dumo Kailan Kalina Mario Weddell Megan Portorreal Olivia Krawczyk Rachel Vincent Sarah Lorsch
P h o t o g r ap h e r s :
Toni Riales Eyeworks Photography Laura Ferreira Nicoline Patricia Sing Lo Yuliya Libkina DashDot
A u g u s t S u m m e r S h o pp i n g G u i d e the
Canvas
to the
Runway
Museum Mayhem: Google Art Project
Bansky:
The Anonymous Street Artist
Fashion Museums Art World Trends The Muses:
The Faces Behind
the
Major Fashion Houses
Owl City:
Musician
and
P h o t o g r a ph e r
La Roux The Highs
and
Lows
of
Album Artwork
The Chelsea Hotel Top Artistic Styles
in the
Cinema World
Tablet-Made Media: T h e B e s t M u s i c A pp s
Fine Arts
Artists Look
to
Social Media:
in
Further Their Strokes
Artistic Space His One
of a
Kind Sneaker Art
Van Monroe:
and its
Sprint
to
S u cc e s s
CONTENTS
From
TABLE OF
C l i ch ĂŠ P i c k s :
LETTER
FROM THE EDITOR
After getting all the amazing feedback for June/July, I’m overly excited for this August editon. Personally, summer issues aren’t necessarily my favorite because I’m an avid fan of fall/winter photography editorials and my creative juices always start to flow better as soon as September hits. However, these past two issues have been some of my favorites ever since we launched Cliché in 2009, and the new interface we’re using has challenged us in so many great ways that I cannot wait to show you what else we have in store for the future. As always, we have only you to thank an infinite amount of times. All of you who’ve stuck by us, supported us and showered us with compliments that pushed us to excel and improve every time. It’s sincerely thanks to you that we put each issue together with a huge smile on our faces. Thank you all so much for rooting for our existence in such a graceful way. Welcome to the August 2011 Art issue, the last one of this wonderful summer. I hope to give you one last opportunity to smile before the Fall. - Jeremy Fall http://www.twitter.com/jeremyfall http://www.jeremyfall.com
CLICHÉ
We are not here to save the world, but we will help reduce C02 emissions by not contributing to the thousands of magazines, who kill trees every year. We are proud to say that we’re not contributing to this worldwide issue, and we are here to encourage others to do the same. ClichÊ Magazine is also powered by Dreamhost, a hosting company that is also doing their part to be conscious of their surroundings.
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If you find yourself nostalgic for the eighties but aren’t quite into shoulder pads and trading your iPhone for a Walkman, the nice people at Proskinz have you covered. Priced at $20.00, their iPad and iPhone 4 skins come in a wide range of graphics, but our favorites are the ones that make that finely tuned piece of space age equipment look as unassuming as a tape deck. Ah, technology.
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Margo is a rising character on the music scene who has proved very tricky to categorize. Think irrepressible hooks, bubblegum pink hair and a chameleon voice, just don’t compare her to Nicki Minaj. You can snag her EP “Animal House” on iTunes.
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Recalling de possi and P pyramid arm able version
I m a g e s c o u r t e s y o f P r o s k i n z , M a r g o , W o w c h , T o p S h o p, a n d k o t o r i
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Had enough of lolcats yet? No? Never, you say? Lucky you--now you can be with your ironically amusing and grammatically confused little buddies all the time. Wowch, purveyor of t-shirts adorned with Welsh Corgis, Bosten Terriers and, of course, cats, released a spring line that is sure to satisfy anyone’s need for fuzzy critters in surreal situations.
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esigners like Gaia Reamela Love, TopShop’s mour ring is an affordof a painfully cool piece.
A bit embarrassed to wear your Sillybandz out in public? No worries-- kotori, a Japanese headphone company, release a line of earbuds with cords that snap back into everything from trees to speech bubbles. So whether you’ve been denying your need for bright, preformed plastic or you just want a really awesome pair of custom headphones, check out kotori’s website.
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$225
Strange though they may seem, the flatform is here for at least the fall. They clomped down the runways at Vena Cava, Derek Lam, Prada and dozens of other shows this past January, and though strange looking at first they’re surprisingly comfortable and not half so awkward as you may think. If you’re not ready for the full on flatform, then try a wooden and leather wedge.
Higher - Higher Platform Wedge
$
If you don’t yet own a bowtie, then for shame. I don’t care whether it’s a tshirt or a tux you’re wearing, the right neck piece can and will score you major cool points. I mean, come on--even this little guy’s with the program, and doesn’t he look excited about it? And if you’re not quite sold on wearing it the way Bogart and Dietrich did, get creative and use it to tie up a ponytail.
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We know y terly for th ing a helm still revelin whenever please. Bu right. And for some Barney, y
75 p
$119
you fought your parents bithe right to bike without wearmet, and that you’re probably ng in that victory somewhat you do ride around as you ut the truth is, they were d after you hit up Anddutch headgear sans unicorns or you won’t mind so much.
Armory Show Coal Bag
$250
Out of all the totes in all the world, this may very well be my absolute favorite. It will last you through all your beach days from now until you retire to Boca and your grandkids make fun of you for having a bag with a giant receipt from the impossibly cool Shoreditch House screened on the front. Make fun of you, and then hope you leave it to them in the will because they don’t want you to know how awesome it still is.
$37
If summer has throughly dried and fried your hair, never fear. Keratese, makers of incredibly hydrating and smelling haircare, has come out with Kerastase Soleil Huile Celeste-- a (possibly magical) spray oil that protects, moisturizes and makes your hair shimmer. Not glittery or powdery shimmer, either--just a hint that lights up your tresses in the sun like you’d worked out a lighting scheme for your beach towel. Except a bottle of this is much cheaper and requires a lot less manpower.
pounds
I m a g e s c o u rt e s y o f n e i m a n m a r c u s , Ja c k s pa d e , B r o o k s B r o t h e r s , a n d d u t c h , a n d k é r a s ta s e
Fashion Museums
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The
ULTIMATE
Window Shopping
P h o t o c o u r t e s y o f T h e L o s t Wa n d e r e r v i a f l i c k r . c o m
O M tu ta st
ny fashionista can relate o that feeling of desperaon (more like depression) when they spot that one item hey would consider givng a limb for. Ok, maybe ot that extreme, but all you now is that you would have ooked pretty darn good in it.
Of course, if you couldn’t aford it, the chance of you beng an A-lister is quite slim; which also means attending a ashion Week event is about s impossible as you ever wning that Versace dress ou’ve been pining to touch. o what do you do? Certainly ot mope - not when a cure to our deprivation exists, and ou don’t have to be Paris Hilon or Heidi Klum to attend.
ashion museums are poping up worldwide. Major and nexpected cities are thrusting pen a window to the fabulous ealm of Vogue for a wider audince. Chock-full of accessories nd clothing from numerous esigners, these exhibitions eature the styles of today, esterday, and decades past.
One of the most admired is the Museum at the Fashion Instiute of Technology in Manhatan. It boasts 50,000 items that trike the fancy of both men
and women. Rich in historical pieces of clothing, it dabbles in everything from suits circa the early 1900s to wedding apparel from the 19th century. The museum also has specialized exhibits that zone in on fashion in a variety of cultures. Some exhibits focus solely on a specific designer. The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles recognizes the unique textiles of the Rodarte sisters, Kate and Laura Mulleavy. Others have different agendas, including showing-off of costumes from Oscar nominated films during the Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design show. Kent State University’s School of Fashion and Merchandising combines the best of both worlds with collections from several renowned designers. They also embrace old Hollywood with costumes worn by famous actresses such as Katharine Hepburn. Bound for a foreign country ? Or looking for an excuse to go to one? Visit the Mode Museum in Antwerp to see garments from Schiaparelli, Chanel and Vivienne Westwood. Immerse yourself in Canada’s Montreal Museum of Fine Arts with Jean Paul Gaultier’s innovative, avant-garde flair. This ex-
hibit will also be moving in the year 2012 to the Dallas Museum of Art and the de Young Museum in San Francisco. Besides providing the opportunity to gush over the world’s most chic textiles, trends and designers, they are also cultivated with the intention of educating those with profound fashion interest. Observe and copy the proper way to style; learn how hair, makeup, accessories - the entire look itself - can pull it all together. And just like any other facet of entertainment, fashion has a story, a rich history of sensationally talented people. Fashion can be just as timeless and meaningful as any work done by painters or filmmakers. Designers use creativity and innovation to further advance as artists and push trends to become more than just clothing, but also works of art. It is an outlet to express themselves, and a chance for those people who wear pieces from their collections to do the same. By Kailan Kalina
H Y A M M U E S MU torreal
or By Megan P
I have a serious love-hate relationship with art museums. While I am guilty of marveling at a single painting for a solid ten minutes before moving onto the next, it is this very reason that makes me sad about the whole experience altogether: I can never manage to see everything in a single visit.
And as I cling to the security officers as the begin to close up and shut off the lights, be ging for just a few more minutes, I vow tha will never let this happen ever again, each every time. However, my distinct sobbing must h touched the heart of some sensitive soul, an that individual must have retold this encoun to other sensitive souls who then reported t embarrassing case to Google, because now there is something called Google Art Projec and it is the answer to my prayers. Google has teamed up with some of t world’s most famous art museums to bring virtual tours of their collections using stree view technology (think Google Maps). The site makes it easy to select a museum of yo choice, roam the halls of their exact floor p and view paintings in high definition with incredible zoom levels. These unique featu make it as realistic as possible to explore th museums as if you were really there.Variou drop-down menus are located at the top of
HEM
ey egat I and
pages so you can choose from a list of available museums and see the works in their collection by title and artist. There is also a search bar to make browsing even quicker. In order to satisfy the art history geek in have you, each painting is accompanied with background history on the artist and era, historind nter cal videos and commentary. Once you choose this your painting of interest, you can open a menu on the right by clicking the information button w ct, in the top right corner that will display all further information. Google also aims to please the the social networking fiends with an option to g you create your own personalized art gallery, save etyour favorite paintings and close-ups, add notes, start discussions and share them with e our your friends. plans What’s the best part about this whole revolution? Well, now I can run through the ures halls of the MET in NYC and the Van Gogh he Museum in Amsterdam (no plane ticket reus quired) until well after closing time. the
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Image Courtesy of Jeeheoon via flickr
T H EY CA L L H I M
BANKSY The Allure of the British Street Artist
Banksy is not the first anonymous or influential street artist, yet his work radiates an undeniable charisma unlike many artists of his time. His anti-war, anti-capitalist, and anti-establishment messages (he is also a political activist) permeates in many of his stencil works, which have appeared worldwide. True, there are critics that insist that Banksy is merely vandalizing public spaces, but each of his pieces critiques the mundanity and the injustices in contemporary society. Although a few years ago it has been confirmed that his name is Robert Banks and is said to be in his late twenties, Banksy hides his identity. He is aware that vandalism is a crime and, considering he has “vandalized” many public places, he keeps his name under wraps. However, there is more to be said about Banksy’s anonymity than he may be aware of. His art stands apart from its creator; it is a voice of many persons, manifesting the concurrent ideals of a generation. There is also much to be said about his artwork not being exhibited in galleries. His first documentary film, Exit Through the Gift Shop was nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. In the documentary, Bansky argues that graffiti is a political and artistic act, that scribbling spray paint
over an ad or a public building symbolically represents that the individual is reclaiming his place in society. The temporal nature of his work also lends to the intrigue of the elusive British artist; the obscene, blatantly offensive messages that his vandalism conveys are immediately removed or painted over. Banksy’s stencils found in metropolitan cities have garnered worldwide popularity. The non-conformist movement is dying down and has probably even become mainstream. His tongue-in-cheek messages continue to be revered by politically-driven idealists that are probably also trying to find ways to recreate society. - Camelle Dumo
VIDEO 250x217
from the canvas to the runwa
We did it once and we’ll do it again. We’re throwing back to our 2010 Art Issue where we featured various and their pieces that were inspired by artists such as Van Gogh and Picasso; but this time we took a diffe focused on the designers’ unique and personal form of art, and how they used every day encounters to set on
Label: Jeremy Scott Season: Fall 2007 Inspiration: The Art of Automotive and Construction Who says inspirational art needs to come from the canvas? Not Jeremy Scott, an American Designer from Missouri. He utilized the very common objects and scenarios we approach everyday and translated them nary fashion pieces. From street signs to garbage can hats, to wide tire belts and boot print dresses, Scott the essence of the street and made it is own art on the 2007 Fall Fashion Week in Los Angeles, California
Label: Rodarte Season: Summer 2008 Inspiration: Kaleidoscope The next time you play around with the fun kaleidoscope toys and watch the patterns, colors, and texture design to the next, think about this: this simple idea created breakthrough transformations in today’s con nine fashion. The fashion label Rodarte created by two sisters, Kate and Laura Mulleavy from Pasadena, C tated towards their playful side to create the swirls of color and patterns seen in their summer 2008 colle the next big thing is just a toy chest away.
Label: Ports 1961 Season: Winter 2009 Inspiration: Indian Aristrocracy Although classic Indian dress was a key inspiration behind this collection, Ports 1961, a fashion house fou the late Luke Tanabe, focused more on the culture-rich history of this country. The true art behind this co translation of an idea rather than a replica of a literal art piece. The beauty of the incohesive collection wa invigorating details, including fuchsia heeled shoes and woven brocade bags. Going against the season’s s bold angles and set structure, this collection showcased soft shoulders, flowing fabrics and a lack of tailor These pieces were sensual and brave with royal metallics, bright pinks and oranges. These colors are often culture but were given a contemporary twist by Tia Cibani. The translation of an idea into art is a true art 1961 is a prime example of this.
Label: Agatha Ruiz de la Prada Season: Fall 2009 Inspiration: Childhood Agatha Ruiz de la Prada is an edgy and fun Spanish designer that captured the timeline of childhood as h inspired art. With popping yellows and sassy pinks pinned together with giant playful hearts, Ruiz brings out of a mature fashion world. Sometimes art is solely a unique interpretation of a common theme, and R personal art translation successfully strut down the runway.
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P h o t o g r a ph y : E y e w o r k s P H o t o g r a ph y Jewelry Design: Evil Pawn Jewelry Hair Styling: Marty Serroque Makeup: Sierra Roberts and Dena DeMint Models: Sierra, Madison, Indica, Molly, Grace, Jack
ART WORLD 1
old is new Though photography did kill hyper-realistic portraiture for a while way back when, now that anyone can be an edgy photographer with Instagram or some Photoshop filters, incredible realism might be poised for a comeback. With his portraits of women with gauged ears and birds fluttering around their heads painted in the style of the old Dutch masters, Truls Espedal, an artist at the intersection of alternative culture and classical technique, is the movement’s poster boy.
Image courtesy of Truls Espedal
2 3
websites
With the improvements in digital imaging and memory, the web has become not only a repository and catalog of physical work but an originator of digital masterpieces. Exhibit A: The Arcade Fire and Chris Milk’s interactive web-film experience, The Wilderness Downtown. Built in HTML 5, the site turns your computer screen into a miniature art installation.
pop meets pulp Andy Warhol made it his business to evaluate culture through pop, and now a growing crop of young artists are taking it to a differ ent level of meta by evaluating pop through pulp and humor. The crossroads of these two slices of entertainment culture make for some seriously funny and surprisingly thought provoking pieces, like Josh Cooley’s Movies-RFun series:: movie scenes redrawn in the style of Golden Books. The Batman vs. The Internet series from Kevin Corrigan on CollegeHumor.com has taken some of the most well known internet meme’s and pitted them against Batman and Robin in a series of Golden Age style comic book covers featuring such nemeses as the Dramatic Chipmunk and Advice Dog.
D TRENDS
t
p
4
fairy tales
James Jean has had a bit of a corner on the fairy tale market ever since he started creating the covers for the Fables series and trippy ad campaigns for Prada, but as a visual artist he seems capable of redefining the written genre as well. His gallery show, Rebus, which ran at the Martha Otero Gallery in LA until April 30, and was a perfect demonstration of how strong Jean’s characters are--they seem to demand stories be written about them if there aren’t already. And Ally Bellissimo’s re-scalings of Disney princesses as morbidly obese rather than waifishly delicate have been making their way around the internet with good reason: they’re vaguely disturbing in a strange sort of way that makes you seriously consider why they’re disturbing at all.
55
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R A C H E L V I N C E N T
Im a g e c o u r t e s y o f J o s h C o o l e y
Image courtesy of Ally Bellissimo
street art Though some of the originators of the new street art movement may tell you that it’s on a downhill slope, their work has spawned a huge number of imitators who are keeping it alive. The secret underground graffiti installation, The Underbelly Project, which was opened and shut down in the space of a few weeks in New York City last year is proof enough that innovative, sculptural and socially significant street art will always have legs.
ART WORLD 6
8
major signage
While the internet has provided an extremely easy avenue to promote and release artwork (which is sometimes good and sometimes not-so-good for denizens of the web), a handful of artists are taking to large-scale, often illegally erected installations in the streets, creating pieces with serious impact. LA based artist Patrick Martinez uses neon signs with words like “Sleep Is The Baby Mama Of Death” and “Selling Out Is The New Keeping It Real”, while Brit Robert Montgomery creates huge paste ups, bus stop signs and billboards of passages about life and consumerism he authored himself.
Image courtesy of Robert Montgomery
major part and thankfu Julian Meag tattoo relate aestheticall
Image courtesy of Eri Wakiyama
7
fashion illustrators
Fashion illustration, aside from a few exceptions like Antonio Lopez and Rene Grau, is often seen as a technical skill in the repertoire of an artist rather than a singular art form to be pursued on its own. A group of young artists, promoting themselves through blogs and the web, has joined the leagues of major fashion illustrators like Magda Antoniuk, providing a very modern and loose interpretation to collections and garnering huge fan bases in the process. Eri Wakiyama, with her jagged, bright, re-definition-of-modernpunk illustrations of Comme des Garcons and Junya Watanabe, and Cedric Rivrain, whose striking portraits of bandaged models in the most elaborate couture seem to disintegrate into the page, are two of the most interesting hands in the game.
99 Image courtesy
D TRENDS
8
stewed,screwed
9
10 Japan
and tattooed
Okay, so, admittedly, the tattoo thing has been done. Maybe it’s not news persay but it’s always going to be a of who we are as a generation, fully there are a few artists like agher and Brian Viveros directing ted art towards less campy, more ly awesome pastures.
collage If viral art is the child of tumblr and flickr, then the resurgence of collage art is its half sister from tumblr’s affair with folk art. At the risk of making the internet sound like a giant creepy Jerry Springer episode, I’ll stop at that.
y of Chrissie Abbott
Check out the work of Chrissie Abbot and Hanneke Treffers if you want to see some collages that are far more inspired than that description up there.
R A C H E L V I N C E N T
Image courtesy of Juliana Meagher
for the
win
For such a small island, Japan’s contributions to the art world are immense, and nearly all of them, from anime to traditional screen printing, are iconic. So it’s really no surprise that some of the most innovative and groundbreaking new artists today are Japanese. On one side of the spectrum is Takashi Murakami, who creates statuettes of nude, often ejaculating animecharacters that push the enve lope (and it’s the art world; that’s not a very easy envelope to push) and adorably innocent technicolor prints of flowers and chibis tweaked to his rounded, slightly off kilter style. Yamamoto Takato, on the other hand, produces gorgeously detailed paintings in the style of folding screens and wall murals with touches of modern and baroque influence. In the middle is Audrey Kawasaki, a new artist who is definitely worth a second and third look--her spare Image courtesy of Audrey Kawasaki drawings and paintings of sleepy eyed girls are gorgeously studied and stunningly original.
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BLAKE LIVELY You may remember her as the bold, blonde soccer player from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, or a teenager with sophisticated Upper East Side sensibilities in Gossip Girl. However, her latest role as the ambassador of Chanel took her to the top of the fashion world and launched her as a Grade A muse. The 23-year-old blonde belle said it was “a dream come true,” especially since Chanel usually chooses European women as their muses. Chanel and Blake are a lovely pairing indeed.
VIDEO
Images
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n who instills the essence of the creative and artistic elements of an artist’s
ese three women are the faces of the world’s fore-running fashion houses.
NATALIE PORTMAN
LARA STONE
This modern day Audrey Hepburn is the film industry’s and fashion world’s It Girl. Known for being graceful and adorable, she is one of the few who made a baby bump look cute in a fulllength gown. Portman’s got it all—talent, charm, brains, and an Oscar that she won earlier in the year for Best Actress in the ballet thriller, Black Swan. It’s no wonder that the charming and petite Natalie is the inspiration for Dior’s sweet fragrance, Miss Dior Cherie.
VIDEO
strikingly beautiful Dutch model e face of Calvin Klein. Her most ble feature is a wide gap between ont teeth, which spawned a trend e fashion world and launched a sand dentist appointments by els begging for the gapped look. uncommon beauty has landed many front covers and spreads numerous leaders of the fashndustry. She is featured in CalKlein’s video ad for Spring/Sum11 embodying the brand’s motto, dern Elegance, Timeless Luxury.”
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SHE IS ME VIDEO P h o t o g r ap h e r : J e n n y B r o u g h Models: Anna @Premie r, Mihaela @Oxygen M U A / H a i r S t y l i s t : T a m a r a R a m s e y - C r o c k e tt S t y l i s t : L a u r e n E va Set Designe r: Harry Riley R e t o u c h e r : M o n i ca C h a m o r r o A s s i s ta n t s : S a r a h B i r d
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E m i ly H a l l
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Anna Wears: C ap e : A r a J o , B r a T o p : F l o r e n c i a Kozuch, Shorts and Tights: Sty lists Own, Earrings: Je remy Hoye Mihaela wears: D r e s s : I s ab e l l a V i n i c i u s , H e a d p i e c e : Ara Jo, Jewelle ry: Je remy Hoye
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Designe r: Ara Jo Ear-rings: Je remy Hoye
Designe r: Florencia Kozuch Earrings: Je remy Hoye
Designe r: Florencia Kozuch Earrings: Je remy Hoye
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Hey Rachel how are ya? Hey! I’m good, how are you? I’m good, thank you! So what’s going on, where are you? I’m good, I’m sitting in Orlando, Florida right now, it’s really hot but it’s really nice. Are you outside? I’m actually inside, on a tour bus, which is really really weird for me because like 2 years ago i was working in a warehouse and that was kind of what i did for a living and now I’m sitting in this huge tour bus and it’s still so surreal and I’m kind of uh, extremely, extremely grateful for that, it’s so crazy. Yeah, you were unloading trucks, right? Correct. Yeah, listening to your music that’s the least likely career I would think you’d have next to army sniper. (Laughs) Yeah, it’s pretty close. Why did you start unloading trucks? Was it just like a summer job? Yeah, basically--I was in a pretty depressing, dire sort of life circumstances at the time. I was out of high school and didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I was going to this little community college in my little home town of about 15,000 people. Going to school for nothing, didn’t know what I wanted to do, couldn’t really motivate myself to do the work. So I got this job at the time just to help pay the bills and I hated it, hated it so much. But I’m a really shy, introverted guy so I was really scared of doing like cashier work or people person jobs, so warehouse work was really the only thing I was quote-unquote in to, so yeah, it was horrible. But looking back now I’m so, so grateful to have had those couple years of memories because it makes sitting in this bus right now so much more beautiful. It’s kind of funny too, you said that you were afraid of people work and now you’re on tour playing for thousands of people every night! How’s that? It’s, yeah, it’s kind of ironic because I’m a shy guy and like parties and big groups of people are always really intimidating to me. So everyone will go out and hang out and I’ll be the one back on the bus making music on my laptop or something. But yeah, ironically when we first started touring I was not sure if I could actually walk out on stage and play music for an hour. I just didn’t think I could do it. And the rest of the band was like “Whatever, just do it! It’ll be fun!” And I did it, and it was so fun that I couldn’t stop. So here we are, two years later and I can’t get enough of it. It’s a beautiful thing. There’s some kind of crazy moment, this weird, bizarre moment right where I’m like so petrified before I go on stage for a show, and then I take that first step and the first song begins and all the butterflies go away. And it’s just me and the music, and the rest of the band and the crew, and the people are just kind of floating there--but in a good way--it’s really beautiful. That’s awesome. And what’s it like playing with Unwed Sailor? It’s so sick! They’re my favorite band for forever, I’ve been listening to them since 9th grade. Everyone was like, “But they don’t have words, they don’t have lyrics!”, and I was like “Don’t worry about it!” For me they just speak the same language. It’s a huge dream come true to play with them. I know every song, I know every drum part, I know every guitar riff. Are you air guitaring backstage when they play? Yes. I was doing that yesterday. It’s not that you’re so much lyrics heavy, but it seems like you put a lot of time in to writing your lyrics. I was actually listening to Deer In The Headlights a little while ago and I was laughing out loud just because it’s so different from Fireflies or Vanilla Twilight; and it’s really funny. Were you maced prior to writing it? Have you ever been sprayed with pepper spray? Yeah, thankfully no, it’s just kind of a cheeky song written from the imagination more than anything else. I guess completely more than anything else, because I’ve never been sprayed or anything like that. I don’t even have enough courage to ask a girl out, let alone be bold enough to get maced so thankfully no. It made me feel bad for carrying pepper spray for a minute. Because if I sprayed somebody with that and they wrote a song afterwards, I would feel horrible. But I’m glad you never got hit with it. All of your videos are very visual, and they’re very forward too in the look of them. And your newest, the Alligator Sky video is really great--I read an interview where you talked about the concept sort of being how the end of our time on earth not being something such a heavy, dark thing, and I was interested in how that video came about? Yeah, that was a full idea that myself and the director had. He’s one of my best friends in the world from Pittsburgh and he and I sat down and just started brainstorming about what it would be like being a part of humanity and knowing that the end of the world was coming, and rather than the whole vibe be this sort of super heavy, like you
Images
dark post-apocalyptic vibe, what if it was really exciting, and what if people were like “Yes, let’s move on to bigger and brighter things!” You know, what would that be like and what would that feel like? It was a cool sort of challenge to capture the barren, devastated look of the world as if things really had come to an end and then really try to capture that excitement of yes, we’re about to blast off, and who knows what’s really out there--it’s probably so bright and so beautiful. That really is one of the main vibes of the song as well, despite the quirky title, that’s the message of the song. What does that title mean, Alligator Sky? The title in and of itself is truly just two sort of disconnected words connected together. To really say a lot with only two words, which ultimately comes down to: there’s a lot of crazy things in life, a lot of crazy things that are going to happen to you, and I guess rather than sort of, rather than just stay in bed and forget about that fact I’d rather just wake up every morning and take what’s coming,be it bizarre or sad or happy or crazy, just take it head on. And really reshape that sort of outlook on life. Because even though there’s a million things you can’t control, a million weird things--like, what’s an alligator sky, what is that? I’d rather jump out of bed like Yes! and take whatever’s coming head on. Haha, yeah, I feel you. I live in New York City so I have to deal with that every day, and you just have to keep walking sometimes when there’s a guy tap dancing down the street in a feather boa and you don’t know what’s going on. (Laughs) I hear ya. Well, that’s why you have your pepper spray, that’s good. Haha, yeah, I’d still feel bad for a second. But back to the video, the look of it kind of reminded me--you have some photography
courtesy of
Adam Y
up on your website and your blog, and it sort of reminded me of the way your pictures look. Do you have any favorite places to go photograph? Not really, I guess I’d never really been anywhere until I started touring so everywhere was like Candyland, it was always something to capture. So yeah, the same with the music videos--they were like “Well, do you have any ideas or anything,” and I was like “I haven’t been anywhere ever besides on tour and then I only ever see the inside of the bus or hotel room and the venue! Let’s just go somewhere and I’ll be so excited!” And I’m just as excited in the middle of a cornfield in Iowa or the Salt Sea the in California where we shot Alligator Sky. The world is just so crazy big to me because I haven’t seen a lot of it. And I’ve gotten a glimpse of it over the past year, but taking photos has quickly become a higher pursuit of mine. Have you ever thought of pursuing it further? Maybe after the music thing, when you’re old and grizzled and bitter, becoming a visual artist? You know, kind of yeah--I love the idea of photojournalism and working the idea of writing in with it, because I do love writing as well. The idea of writing a novel would be so sweet for me. One day, I guess yeah, when I’m grizzled and bitter it would be a great way to spend my evenings. But yeah, photos or books. Do you have a favorite writer? Yeah, there’s this book I feel like every 11th grader is forced to read in English literature called Watership Down, and everyone’s either like “I hate this book!” or they’re like “I love this book it’s the greatest book I’ve ever read!” It’s a big inspiration. Anyway, it’s written by a guy named Richard Adams, who was really into the talking animals. And it’s not a kid’s book, which I love, you know, they’re anthropomorphic novels in that they’re animals
Young,
view all work here
that have human characteristics but they’re crammed full of imagery and metaphors and there’s a lot to them. C.S. Lewis as well, same kind of thing. I love C.S. Lewis. Yeah, I remember in class when we got Watership Down all the guys were like “This is about bunnies? We don’t want to read this, are you kidding me?” But by the end they were all talking about it like “This is really good!” because it’s sort of a war novel, too. Yeah, exactly. Oh, and I wanted to know--do you have a favorite instrument? What did you learn how to play first? Guitar was the first kind of obsession for me. I feel like everyone’s uncle played guitar in the ‘70s and my uncle retired ‘cause it didn’t work out for him so he gave me his old acoustic guitar when I was 15 years old. I was like cool, guitar! I’ll probably play this for five days and then get bored with it and go skateboard and play Nintendo. But I couldn’t put it down, and I kept seeing it as a tool to create rather than a tool to learn Blink 182 songs or whatever I was in to at the time. So I got the guitar and I couldn’t stop playing, and then I was like well, I could get recordings and I could write a guitar track and play it twice, and I could play one left and one right, and I could write a bass line and get a bass guitar, I can play that and put it in, and I could get a drum set and play that and put it in. But guitar was the first. Oh, technology! You played Nintendo a lot when you were a kid? Haha, yeah, there was one game called Wave Race. I was always really into the ocean and just water, because I’m so far from the ocean in Minnesota. Except for Lake Superior, it’s kind of like the ocean in the Midwest. So I played this jet ski game called Wave
Race, it was huge in my life. I remember that one. What’s the first ocean you saw? The Pacific! Yeah, the one on the left--it was beautiful, amazing. (The connection cut out here, but Adam was kind enough to call back) Hi Rachel! I’m sorry about that. I was talking for like five minutes and I was like “Wow, she’s a really good listener.” Sorry about that! No, it’s fine! Phone’s are kind of crazy these days, it’s okay. What were you talking about for those five minutes that I missed? Haha, nothing much, I kind of went off on tangents on a million things so nothing very awesome. No, your tangents aren’t bad. I just wanted to ask you really quick, because I know you have to run to sound check, about the future of Owl City. Your new album’s out now and it’s doing really well, but what do you see for yourself in 5 and 10 years down the line? You know, I guess ultimately if I can keep just going down to my basement and writing music and creating whatever is dying to come out I’ll be as happy as a clam just as long as I can keep creating art. So long as I can keep creating records and writing songs this dream come true will just continue on. It feels so surreal that I’m not going to the warehouse every day loading trucks. That’s really sort of my goal is to keep this sort of machine, if you can call it that, sort of grinding away. It’s such a beautiful honor to be able to do what I love most. I feel like it’s kind of rare to be able to do what you’re most passionate about and so every day I’m so grateful to be able to do it.
Elton John's and David Bowie's Fashion Love Child
The Artistic Styling of the Voice Behind La Roux
Whether you're listening to her music or watching her music videos in sheer awe of her artistic quality, Eleanor "Elly" Jackson, singer for La Roux, is the woman to watch. From England, La Roux is an electro-pop band made up of two parts. Jackson is the face of the band. She is the singer, keyboardist and co-writer of hit songs like "Bulletproof." The second (and invisible) half of the group is Ben Langmaid. He is a keyboardist and co-writer but does not appear in music videos or performances. Unlike most female vocalists of this day and age, Jackson's outfits don't scream "sex." Instead, they are filled with creative colors and blazers, almost with a hint of Elton John. Sex may sell, but in Jackson's case, her raw talent and original ensembles send sex into the garbage along with the stripper poles and stilettos of the average singer. In an interview with The Quietus she discussed her choice to not "patronize" women by dressing the way she does. "[Dressing this way] was more just about being who I am. Of course it's slightly exaggerated, to fight back against [how other women dress] in a way. Thinking
that if I'm going to do it, I'm going to go all the way the other way." Jackson's makeup, hair, outfits and videos all have a consistently geometric feel that one might expect to view in a museum as opposed to on a stage or in a YouTube video. Although her music is considered electro-pop, Jackson doesn't affiliate her style with the 80s, nor has the band tried to recreate that genre of music in their album; "I'm not into legwarmers and shoulder pads and bouffant hair, stuff like that, no. This is a fifties-inspired quiff!� Aside from her Grammy winning album, La Roux, for best electronic/dance album, Jackson is also a role model for girls who aren't looking to be the sexiest girl next door. I was in a pub and these two girls followed me into the toilet and said 'we think it's really cool that there's someone out there who's a role model for people like us, because there's no one for us to look up to any more since David Bowie.' Even if my music is retro, or whatever, even if it's shit, at least there's someone out there for girls to look up to who doesn't have boobs and tan and high heels." - Sarah Lorsch
video Image courtesy of Stuart Sevastos via flickr
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Hey Ma - James (2008) Seeing a baby in the same room as a gun is upsetting enough, so imagine how controversial it was when James released their album Hey Ma with a baby reaching for a gun on the cover. After the album cover was banned from being on billboards, an alternative cover was released for the American market, gun-free.
Mother’s Milk - The Red Hot Chili Peppers (1989) As if the partially nude model on the cover wasn’t risqué enough (a rose bud barely covers one of her breasts, and an admiring Anthony Kiedis conceals the other), the woman this artwork was modeled after claimed that The Red Hot Chili Peppers never notified her that she was chosen for the cover. She later won a lawsuit against them for $50,000 when promotional posters completely exposed her breasts.
Is This It - The Strokes (2001) The Strokes’ debut album Is This It caused quite the controversy with the US market as complaints arose the obvious sexual context of the cover photograph. An alternative cover was released instead with intricate detailing of yellow and blue brushes and, well, a lot less skin. An alternative track also replaced a former one titled “New York City Cops,” due to he fact that it might have been offensive after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Celebration- Madonna (2009) Say thank you to the street pop artist named “Mr Brainwash” for the artistic flare of Madonna’s 2009 Greatest Hits album. A portrait of Madonna’s face, tailored to mimic the classic diva Marilyn Monroe, is spiced up with vibrant colors for a more contemporary and sassy approach to a classic theme. With just a simple swipe of a paint brush, a basic portrait is quickly transformed into a work of art.
Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends - Coldplay (2008) This alternative rock band not only throws a modern twist into their music, but into their graphic design as well. Coldplay reached back to the 1800s to retrieve the perfect inspiration for their 2008 album cover. The ancient painting, “Liberty Leading the People” by artist Eugene Delacroix graced millions of shelves around the world with the words “Viva La Vida” gently airbrushed in white letters over this vintage painting. We can see that aged art is starting to jump off the walls of museums and onto more contemporary canvases.
good, the bad, and the ugly:
the highs and lows of album artwork // by Megan Portorreal and Olivia Krawczyk
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Even if we don’t always want to admit it, sometimes it’s impossible not to judge a book by its cover; or in this case, a CD by its cover art. These eyecatching album covers have definitely snatched our attention, but not for all the same reasons. While some deserve to be framed in gold, others might be better off at the bottom of a shoebox (or, in some cases, under our mattress). The choice is yours. Blue Print 3 - Jay Z Sometimes art doesn’t involve renaissance paintings or a paint brush. Sometimes it just needs a brave statement. The cover of this album piles multiple instruments on top of one another with three bold stripes going across this image. As Jay-Z explains, “Those things are piled in the corner. These are the forgotten things about music... The three stripes that everybody is asking about is made from the original [number] three. The first three they made on the wall was someone carving. If you look at [the number] three, all they did was connect lines. The whole thing about this album, how I approached it, is that I wanted to make a new classic to start that all over again -- to go back to making classic albums like the ones we grew up listening to.”
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy - Kanye West (2010) We all know that no list of controversies is complete without Kanye West on it somewhere. Artist George Condo created several different options for Kanye’s latest album and the one that was officially chosen (a painting of Kanye being mounted by a nude phoenix) was by far the most questionable of the bunch. Were you at all surprised?
For Your Entertainment - Adam Lambert (2009) Already receiving a lot of attention for his racy and self-expressive performances and music videos, the cover for Adam Lambert’s album, For Your Entertainment, was the cherry on top. While some deemed it to be one of the most unappealing album covers of all time, others called it glamorous and unique. You decide. Photos courtesy of d-q and Shelling Ford
CHELS The Chelsea is a symbol of the celebration of nonconformity so inseparable from New York City--more so than perhaps any other landmark. It is where On The Road was written, where Bob Dylan composed songs, where Warhol went to see his superstars and build inspiration, and where Jackson Pollack puked on the carpet in drunkenly passive protest of the cuts to arts funding resulting from McCarthyism in the 1940s. It was the center of the new guard of artists and writers for generations, a hold out for the likes of Twain and Hendrix. It’s a gut reaction of many to bristle when the status of an icon is jeopardized, and the idea of changing the Chelsea Hotel in downtown Manhattan is no different. However, the threat to the Chelsea isn’t so much an outside, immediate one as it is a growing distance from what the Chelsea was and what it has become. “When I was a college student in the last years of the 1970s my friends and I would prowl the streets of Chelsea, sometimes stopping by the Chelsea Hotel and dare each other to go into the lobby, thinking we might see somebody famous,
SEA HOTEL maybe a Ramone,” says Marlene, who is now a designer uptown. When younger New Yorkers were questioned, however, the answers ranged from “Wasn’t that where Sid Vicious died?” (Katie, 20, a student at New York University), to “That’s still open, right?” (Josh, 23, a graphic designer). And as it happened to CBGB a few years ago, The Chelsea has become a place of nostalgia rather than action as the heart of New York expanded away from the 20s into the Village and the Broadway theater district. The Chelsea’s long time owner, Stanley Bard, was ousted in 2007 and has been trying desperately to regain control of the hotel as the resident’s fears of a business face lift on the Chelsea that may not do justice to its history grow. The building itself is stunning both outside and in--wrought iron balustrades and open, light filled indoor balconies and it’s famous red facade are timeless and speak to the fact that it is at its core a home for artists. The thing is, perhaps it isn’t up to the owners or the current residents
or any number of consulting firms to ‘fix’ the Chelsea. Perhaps the question is not whether it is right or wrong to change places like the Chelsea, but a question of where the Leonhard Cohens and Frida Kahlos of the present are living and creating. The current generation of artists has found homes in different places, and as long as this is true the Chelsea will be a museum and a shrine to the artists who called it home decades ago.
- R A C H E L
V I N C E N T
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Photos courtsey of Jessica Earnshaw, Lastsunday, crazykira-resources
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MUSIC APPS
Tablet-Made Media by Mario Weddell
The release of Garageband on the iPad 2 has left both music enthusiasts and tech-junkies shaking in their boots-- the good, excited kind of shaking. At the iPad 2 unveiling on March 2nd in San Francisco, even Steve Jobs was left speechless by the Garageband app presentation, until he boyishly declared, “I’m blown away with this stuff.” With good reason, too. I got my hands on the iPad 2 and did a little Garageband experimentation of my own. After tuning up my fingers, I found the app to be incredibly intuitive, and a few minutes later I was well on my way to making a quick song (listen below). The controls were responsive, the sounds were clear, and (as strange as it sounds) I had a really good time. While the app is not as precise or complex as its non-tablet counterpart, it is perfect for putting together a quick idea on the spot. I produced a song while lying in bed with a fever. That probably didn’t do much for my physical health, but just the thought of having a piano, a synthesizer, and a drum set all on top of my pillow made me feel pretty good. We’ve entered the age of the backpack musician-- the artist who can sit on the bus, reach into a bag, and produce a symphony without touching a single instrument. Apps like Garageband enable professional musicians and hobbyists to stand on the same stage. In addition to Garageband, there are countless other music apps that deliver a great phonic experience, but it’s not always easy to find the right ones to use. I asked Alex Mitchell, a New York musician, sound engineer, and the founder of Phrase Media, to give us a list of his favorite music apps. 1. KORG iMS-20 “This was Korg’s second iPad app-- a synthesizer and drum machine. Even though it’s a little complicated at first, the sounds it makes are varied and usable, and the drum machine’s sequencer is very powerful. I wouldn’t recommend it if you don’t understand how to use synthesizers, but it’s probably the best synth for advanced users.” 2. Beatwave “Beatwave is a really simple and graphically pleasing sequencer that has a lot of cool features, but is still stupidly easy to use, even if you know nothing about music. What it lacks in advanced features, it makes up for with an impressive user interface and interesting sound.” 3. ThumbJam “The problem with a lot of music apps on the iPad is that they’re either super simple and lack advanced features, or they’re too complicated for the average person. ThumJam is the best of both worlds-- a synth with a super easy interface and extensive control over sound. Many of its instruments are based on samples so they sound great, and it’s fun for people who don’t know music very well.” 4. Soundrop “Part game, part noisemaker, Soundrop is a unique way to make chance music. Little balls drop and hit platforms that you draw, and every time the ball hits a platform, it makes a tone. By combining platforms in cool ways, you can get some nifty sounds out of it.” 5. Cat Piano Jr. “Cat piano. It’s a cat piano. It’s a piano that makes cat sounds. It is a must-have, because when you’re playing on an otherwise normal piano and toned cat meows come out of it, you get to think, ‘Wow, I’m doing this with a $500 device.’”
Im ag e s c o u rt e s y o f Te m a ri 0 9 a n d S u s a n G i t t i n s
Fine Arts in Social Media: Artists Look
to
Further Their Strokes
We have already seen how social media can promote the arts. The use of these devices is growing exponentially by the minute, as their potential opportunities can be beneficial in the professional world. Video sharing sites with the power to make your average teen into an overnight celebrity. Writers make their stories heard through blogs. Photographers use flickr.com and Photobucket to create portfolios and make them public. So it was only a matter of time before the fine arts hopped on the bandwagon. Artists whose skills pour out of pencils and paint brushes have long relied on showrooms and museums to display and sell their work. Sure, this is a more intimate way of putting your name out in the professional world, but they are limited to only those who are on or near location. The masters of the fine arts are taking advantage of reaches of social media and are posting work online for the purposes of sharing and also profit. Heidi Lewis Coleman, an artist based in Stamford, Connecticut, has had her work on display and in galleries since 1999 when she had her first solo show. With such a variety of work— from still life to abstract, from weaving painted paper to designing hand woven fabrics— it only made sense for her to turn to the aid of the Internet to extend her boundaries. “I used to create multiple copies of my portfolio which I would send to people or galleries who were interested, but this was expensive,” she explained. “Having a website where I could present all of my artistic ventures in a logical way helped not only me, but my clients who wanted immediate access to my inventory.” Coleman has since immersed her business in Facebook and LinkedIn to spread the word. Using digital cameras, she photographs and uploads her pieces herself, as opposed to the previous methods of tedious scanning and pricey professional photography. This transition has included working with art reps who share her websites with clients. These, along with contacts that have found her themselves, have led to increased sales. But Coleman is pleased with the benefits that this transition has brought aside from profits. “The great thing about social networks, particularly if you are an artist who tends to work alone in your home or studio, is that you can get immediate feedback from others in response to your posts.” She stated.” I feel much more connected with my community.” Aside from merely networking sites, blogging is becoming an asset to artists as well. For example, sites like Ning.com (which appeal mostly to marketers, people who aim to influence, and activists) and Tumblr.com (a short-form blogging site). While it may seem less traditional compared to showrooms and galleries as the main method of promoting and selling, artists, much like other businesses, must do what is necessary to keep up with the times and flourish throughout the second world that is social media. - Kailan Kalina
Artistic
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Theme it. Color It. Access This is your guide on how
Art can be painted on an place you detox, the place space. So make it your ow Theme it. Color it. Access
by Olivia Krawczyk
Photo so n y o f L yn d i& J a P h o to co u rt es
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< Bohemian Dazzle > Can’t seem to find a cool balance between bright neon colors and bland earthy tones? Good news, we’ve found it for you. Dive into the dazzling yet mellow Bohemian style that will have you sparkling in tangy colors while simultaneously relaxing in a one of a kind pad. Color: Orange, pinks, and reds. But wait! There’s more. Instead of matching your accessories to your walls, match your walls to your accessories. Choose one bold color and paint just one or two walls that color. That way you have diversity but still have a nice harmonious setting.
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< Asian
Craving a taste of oriental...Feng Shu miniature sized furniture? Well, with on your way to indulging in the peace
Color: A balance between neutral c tool in Asian decorating. Try an earth
Accessories: Rely on deep red or vases and candles to contrast the neu Accessories: Vintage shops. Flea Markets. Crafts. One of a kind pieces ing your furniture, lean more towar that will be mismatched, special and have true meaning. Just like a true dark base color to balance out the pai to take it a step further, kick the bed f bohemian. bed relax on the floor. You’ll feel mo newly decorated abode. Flair: Metallic and jewels. With just a touch of sparkle your organic style room spiced with a glimmer on your decor or comforter will add Flair: Switch to satin. The Asian feel that extra special pop you are looking for. the fabric the closer to the look and t
sorize It. w to turn your room into a masterpiece.
n easel, designed on a computer or sang through a microphone, but it can also be bigger than that. It’s the e you unwind as you lay in your bed and rethink the day. This place, your room, is your own personal artistic wn. Make it special, make it your art. With just four easy steps, you’ll take your room disaster to spectacular. sorize it. Flair it. Here are 3 examples to get you started.
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Temptation >
ui? Want the relaxed spa feeling minus the h a few minor adjustments you’ll be well eful nature of the Asian decor in no time.
colors with a splash of bold is a common hy green or beige for the walls colors.
black with accents such as pillow cases, utral tones on the walls. Also, when choosrds dark wood. This will allow for a nice int colors you’ve chosen. If you really want frame to curb and let your box spring and ore harmonious and immersed with your
el is a very “smooth” theme. The smoother tradition you’ll feel!
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< Modern Chic >
Feel outdated? Still have the same pictures up since high school? Find yourself lounging on your parents furniture they passed down to you...years ago? Think a successful update to your room will cost at least two paychecks to get there? Think again. With these quick tips, you can turn your room into the sleek and modern bachelor/ bachelorette pad you’ve always wanted. Color: Paint your walls white and let your accessories steal the show. Think of the white walls as a blank canvas and your accessories as the tools to make your contemporary abode just a little more personal. Accessories: Toss the old photos or case them in a strong angular frame. Also, a painting with a strong presence will really glow on a white wall and add to the pristine you’re trying to achieve. Flair: Focus on bold colors, simple decorations and minimal clutter. Asymmetrical decor as well as decor with sharp angles also add to the twenty-first century aura.
dutch ancestors shoot
photographer/ mua&hair/ model/ styling/ Šwww.dashdot.nl
Marjolein Banis Michela de Simone Melissa Houben staphorst, rooster feathers
Van monroe His One
of
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Kind Sneaker Art
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What originally began in a congested dorm room ended up as a full-blown art business. 28-year-old Cleveland native Van Monroe, a charismatic, humble and talented shoe artist, found himself sprucing up an old pair of his friend’s sneakers one day. Only a few short years later, he found himself designing shoes for big named people such as Pres-ident Obama, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs and Hugh Jackman. Now his booming sneaker design business keeps him busier than ever as he hand paints each and every one of his highdemand, prideful creations. However, he never forgets his art before his busi-ness and uses various forms of inspiration to help the designing process, “I listen to a lot of music while I work, it inspires me. They paint pictures with words and notes, while I only use paint. It motivates me in a way.” Cliche Magazine sat down with Monroe to find out where it all began and what we can expect from this rising star. Q. What inspired you to start this business? A. This brand started in my college dorm room when one of my football team- mates asked me to paint his old dirty white shoes black so he could wear them a few more times around campus. I then started refurbishing classmates’ shoes for 30 dollars a piece. Later that school year, I began to incorporate designs, images and messages on the sneakers.And like they say, the rest is history. Q. Why do you enjoy this business so much? A. I enjoy this business and everything it brings because it combines a God given gift of art with my love for sneakers. So I look at it like a marriage of my two passions that produce offspring (custom sneakers). This business also allows me to travel and not only showcase my work but only showcase my work but speak to others in hopes of encouraging them to pursue their passions in life. I definitely get more out of inspiring others through my work and words than I do making the work. Inspiration is the greatest gift you can give someone because its the gift that keeps on giving. Somebody inspired me, now I can inspire others. Q. What are you most proud of in pursuing this career? A. First I would say my proudest moment started with my decision to pursue my art full time in the fall of 2007. Leaving a corporate office job for the unknown. Walking out on faith and not giving up on my dream of becoming a success story and inspirational artist of my genera-
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tion. The first 5 months were very difficult. It included me going grocery shopping with only 8 dollars to spend, and later in January of 2008 coming home to an eviction notice on my door. But even with facing the threat of becoming homeless, through prayer I stayed on path and did not waiver. I was also inspired by the story of a Senator from Illinois with a funny name. So the night I paid off my eviction with only a week to spare, I had a dream about a sneaker, so I woke up and painted it. The birth of the Obama Sneaker was February 2008. I painted the shoe to remind myself that through perseverance and hard work I too can achieve my dreams. Since that night, the Obama sneakers have been submitted in the Smithsonian and I have given two sneakers to the President including the original pair. So I’m most proud of the fact I didnt give up when the road was rough and uncertain. Because had I quit, a month , week or an hour before I painted the Obama sneaker, none of what I just mentioned would have ever happened. Q. Who have you made sneakers for? A. I’m very humbled by this list, and honored they would support my art. President Obama, Peggy Cooper Cafritz, Spike Lee, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Hugh Jackman, Hill Harper, Will.I.Am, Kirk Franklin, Gayle King,Fat Joe, Carmelo Anthony, Charles Barkley, Laz Alonso, and Josh Hutcherson to name a few. Q. How would you describe you art style? A. My style is overall urban. But I’m definitely not trying to stay within a box.This year I will push my limits and see what else I can create. Q. Approximately how long does it take you to design each pair of shoes? A. About 8- 35 hours depending on the design and details Q. What is your message in your art? A. I love to use social conscience issues in my work, because it’s a way to get a message across to an audience (with some substances) on a vehicle thats already accepted, SNEAKERS! It’s the same mentality of flavored medicine, using something appeasing to the taste buds to deliver the substance.
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Q. How have you and your company grown since the start of your business? A. I would say I have grown a lot as an artist. The maturation process is never promised, it takes dedication to your craft to grow within it. Understanding there is still so much to learn and you can always execute better or convey your message more effectively. Another aspect of growth comes in the content of your work. Being an artist gives you a voice of influence, no matter the genre of art you have to respect that power and decided how you will effect your audience. Q. How would you describe your company to someone? A. Simple, it’s wearable art. Q. Who would you love to see wear your designs? A. Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Nas and Oprah, TD Jakes. Q. What does art mean to you? A. It’s a universal language with a familiar accent that is understood or appreciated by all walks of life who choose to allow it to speak to them. I’m blessed to have the ability to communicate in that language. I do not take art for granted, the Lord gave it and he can take it away. I’m humbled by art because it chose me, I did not choose it....and for that I’m so thankful.
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