CREATIV 1.4

MAGAZINE

VOL1.ISSUE4.JAN15

BORDALO II GARBAGE, THE NEW STREET ART AESTHETIC

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

1

FOR THE FULL EXPERIENCE CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TODAY

2

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

A NEW KIND OF MAGAZINE global community

|

app

|

conversations

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

3

COVER STORY Garbage, The New Street Art Aesthetic Interviewed By: Ana Bustamante Photos Provided By: @b0rdalo_ii & facebook.com-BORDALOII CONTRIBUTORS Editor in Chief Blake Brinker Editor/Art Director Bryan Butvidas Creativ Director Ana Bustamante Editing Jessica Cyrell Amanda Sedillo Paige Zeigler Contributing Writers Colin Gourlay Nouman Khalid Jean Marcellin Hallie O’Reilly Tiffany Rossbach Emily Rudolph Nicco Valenzuela Connect with us CREATIV.COM FACEBOOK.COM/IAMACREATIV TWITTER.COM/IAMACREATIV YOUTUBE.COM/IAMACREATIV PLUS.GOOGLE.COM/+IAMACREATIV

COPYRIGHT 2014 BY CREATIV LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS WITHOUT PERMISSION IN WRITING FROM CREATIV LLC. THE PUBLISHER ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ARTWORK OR ADVERTISEMENTS. CREATIV LLC IS A MONTHLY ONLINE PUBLICATION. ALL INFORMATION REGARDING EDITORIAL CONTENT IS DEEMED RELIABLE. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE ACCURACY HEREOF AND IS PRINTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS AND OMISSIONS.

4

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

FOUNDERS NOTE Trash has a bad reputation. Fittingly, the dictionary defines trash as “discarded matter; refuse.” What we do not need or what cannot be used anymore is thrown away, and so it goes. But as society has moved through an unprecedented period of population growth, trash and our perception of it is changing rapidly. A new era of awareness and conversation is evolving around the accumulation of humanity’s vast trove of trash.

Creatives around the world are taking what most would consider garbage, and using it to make beautiful sculptures, cultural installations, playgrounds, fashion, and other art. They are taking things that have been culturally discarded, thrown out of sight and out of mind, only to bring them back again as something beautiful and something transcendent. Creative endeavors surrounding recycling materials for other uses have, and most certainly will be, on the rise for some time to come.

People are changing others’ perceptions about the world through creative uses for “trash.” This month we take a look into the works of Bordalo II, an amazing CREATIV who is changing urban landscapes by taking discarded materials and transforming them into sculptures of exotic animals and other worldly creatures. Taking something that others have overlooked to manifest something unique is the nature of creativity. We salute all of you for taking subject matter normally ignored and making it beautiful. Maybe trash isn’t so bad after all.

Creatively,

Blake Brinker Co-Founder of CREATIV

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

5

FEATURED AMBASSADOR:

NOUMAN KHALID LAHORE, PAKISTAN

I became part of The CREATIV Movement when it launched globally. It was a fantastic feeling when I realized that I could be an active part of something so brilliant and so inspirational. Being a part of CREATIV is one of the best things to happen to me. It’s just one of those really cool ideas that you hope happens to you, and it has happened to me! I feel honored to be part of such a positive idea, and it feels great to be one of the Ambassadors. I also feel special when people in my city recognize me for my association with CREATIV. It’s the best feeling ever!

6

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

C:CREATIVE OUTLET: GLOBAL CREATIV AMBASSADOR & INTEGRATED MARKETING

Being a global CREATIV Ambassador has opened up the world for me. It has helped me work with a team that is spread out across continents. I have met some really amazing people along the way.

CREATIV has developed me as a professional, as well as a human being. It has given me confidence and a platform to be noticed. Above all, it has given me an extended family. All the Ambassadors, the founders, the CREATIV Team, and the people using CREATIV are so connected. It’s like a global family of people from all races, ethnicities, beliefs, and moral values connected for one cause, “To help bring creativity back to the forefront of our society.” The cause is to tell the world that creativity is what unites us.

I started working as a blogger for the initial reach-out program through CREATIV. Alex Cyrell, the Managing Director at CREATIV, soon realized that the nation of 180 million people here in Pakistan needed a representative for The CREATIV Movement. That’s when I was taken onboard as the CREATIV Ambassador for Pakistan.

I started off by connecting with creative people from Pakistan via the Internet, and I informed them about CREATIV and how the global CREATIV community could help them. Reaching out online was also backed by on-the-ground activities.

I have engaged with students from various universities and colleges in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad, as well as other cities in Pakistan. Now that The CREATIV Movement has become much stronger with an audience from all over the world, the plan is to target all corners of every continent, which has shifted my focus to become more global.

One of the biggest achievements for me as a CREATIV Ambassador was the exhibition of a local CREATIV, Mahmood Hayat. This exhibition was held at the National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore. The event was like nothing ever done before by CREATIV. There was media coverage, articles published in the local newspapers here in Pakistan, and on-site registrations to the CREATIV platform. This exhibition was a great way to stamp the presence of The CREATIV Movement here in Pakistan.

The exhibition we did in Lahore was a fantastic experience. It is these types of experiences, like interacting with the community and reaching out to CREATIVs across the continents, that are so special to me. There are so many inspiring people and so much to learn from them.

LOCATION: LAHORE, PAKISTAN INTERVIEWED BY: ANA BUSTAMANTE

Another proud moment for me was when founders Blake Brinker and Brad Thomas were invited to the Web Summit in Dublin last year to represent CREATIV. When Blake came back from the Summit he contacted me and said, “Nouman, your CREATIV Movement was also there.” That felt really nice.

I think the biggest challenge for me is to invite my fellow Pakistanis to join The CREATIV Movement. We have been in a political turmoil and economic crunch for the past couple of decades and the people are too busy trying to make ends meet. The creative outlets are dying in the country of Pakistan, and even cultural powerhouse cities like Lahore have seen a decline in people wanting to pursue a career in arts, design, music, and other creative fields.

It is also a challenge encouraging people here in Pakistan to believe that creativity alone can set us free. We need to resurrect our culture and tell the world that the nation of Pakistan can create creative geniuses, like it has in the past.

What really helps me with this challenge is the youth. I have seen the desire in them. They want to change things here.

With more than half of the population being youth, I am sure we will overcome our challenges.

I plan to do something really massive as a Global CREATIV Ambassador. I would love to orchestrate a global project, with all the CREATIV Ambassadors and CREATIVs from different countries. I also plan to make a CREATIV space here in Pakistan, where people will be free to come and spread the message of creativity.

The Ambassador program has been the backbone of the social connection of The CREATIV Movement. Now that the Ambassador program is established, the people of The CREATIV Movement should expect big things. We are working on some big ideas with the help of the entire CREATIV community, and I believe we’re in for a year full of milestones in 2015.

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

7

C R E A TIVPU RSUIT INTERVIEWED BY: COLIN GOURLAY

The CREATIV Movement is all about artists on a global scale joining together not only to share inspiring artwork, but also to share their stories about how they got started as creatives. In this month’s CREATIV Pursuit, we interviewed CREATIVS who are living a life of creativity through digital art, photography, and graphic design. Creativity is within us all. Here are some artists who have realized this fact and are creating artwork that will inspire the world!

8

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

L I S A DAVIES CREATIVE OUTLET: DIGITAL ARTIST LOCATION: WALES, UNITED KINGDOM

CREATIV: How do you get inspiration for each new image that you create?

Lisa: I mainly get my inspiration from fantasy films such as Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit. I just love elves and hobbits. Music also helps inspire me, especially if I’m listening to something calm and relaxing.

CREATIV: What is it like living in North Wales as an artist?

Lisa: It can be quite challenging as I live in a small town and there aren’t many jobs in the creative industry. Having my own business has helped a lot though.

Hopefully in the future my business partners and I will be in the position to have apprenticeship schemes for people who are interested in the creative industry.

CREATIV: How have you progressed as an artist?

Lisa: Ten years ago I started using Photoshop to learn how to airbrush pictures of my friends and myself.

Then I started learning about photo manipulations from what people had uploaded on DeviantArt. I feel like I have progressed a lot since then as I now have my own style and preferences, whereas before I would just read tutorials all of the time.

CREATIV: What pieces of art are you looking forward to creating in the future?

Lisa: I’m really looking forward to creating science-fiction art, as I haven’t really done so yet. This is because I want to push myself and get out of my comfort zone. I am thinking about creating a space manipulation pretty soon, so keep a look out.

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

9

JOHN H A N COCK CREATIV: How did you begin your journey as a photographer?

CREATIVE OUTLET: PHOTOGRAPHER LOCATION: ENGLAND

John: I have always had a fascination with spiders, bugs, and insects.

For my 11th birthday I got an AGFA compact camera, which had a close-up capability, allowing me to photograph the subjects I love. From then on, I was always in the garden photographing the creatures I had found.

CREATIV: What camera kit do you use?

John: As I am now a Marine and Natural History Photography student at Falmouth, the gear I use varies. The university I attend has a plethora of Canon and Nikon equipment. My own personal equipment however, consists of a Canon 1Ds MKII, Tamron 17­-35mm f/2.8­, Sigma 120-­300mm f/2.8, Pentax K5iis, Samyang 8mm f/3.5 and a Pentax 100mm f/2.8 WR macro. My wide-angle lens, macro lens, tripod, and neutral density (ND) filters are a crucial part of my kit, which I would not be able to live without.

CREATIV: How is attending a university helping you to improve on your craft?

John: Attending a university is great.

I get to use lenses and bodies I could only dream about. Video is something I’ve been trying out since I purchased my Pentax K5iis. However, I was limited as to what I could do. With the help of the university I can do as much or as little as I like with hardly any limitations. I get to visit new locations too. I am out in the field a lot, giving me time to practice techniques, new and old.

CREATIV: What projects do you look forward to in the future?

John: For a while now I have wanted to do a year-long project documenting the life of the Raft Spider (Dolomedes Fimbriatus). For this I would incorporate video, stills, and time ­lapses. It is something I hope to achieve in the next few years.

10

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

CHRIS B E N E DETTO CREATIV: What does creativity mean to you?

C:CREATIVE OUTLET: CREATIVE ARTIST LOCATION: ENGLAND

Chris: The ability to transcend language and expectation. I think it was Queen Victoria who said, “We artists mix with all classes of society, therefore we’re the most dangerous.”

CREATIV: Do you think that community is important in order to expand your creative potential?

Chris: Definitely. I like the feedback and encouragement on the CREATIV site, in particular. It’s great that there are people with so many different forms of expression. There’s everything from culinary arts to multimedia, as well as traditional painting and drawing.

CREATIV: If you could live a day as a famous artist, who would it be and why?

Chris: It’s kind of weird in that he was alive until not too long ago, but probably Salvador Dalí. Mostly because of the Dada movement. I think it had more of an influence on me than I realize. I used to do a lot of guerrilla art. For example, if I’d get unsolicited mail like a magazine subscription offer with the postage-paid return envelope, I’d send it back to them but enclose a chain letter that read, “Dear Earthling, I am an alien disguised as this piece of paper.” I read somewhere when one is engaged in something like that, it kind of takes them off the treadmill for a moment. That’s when they’re truly aware and I get the feeling that’s at least a part of what [Dalí] was going for.

Of course I could be way off.

CREATIV: If you had unlimited funds, what piece of art would you create?

Chris: Probably something interactive. I knew someone once who said they had no imagination, and I feel that’s untrue.

I think we all do, so I’d like to set up something that people could explore that side of themselves with.

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

11

A H U M E D I SHAN CREATIV: Tell us about “Sacred Tools.”

CREATIVE OUTLET: GRAPHIC DESIGNER LOCATION: MAALE, MALDIVES

Ahumed: The idea of having sacred tools came into existence on a night when I was trying to repair my computer. While I was looking at the tools I was working with, it struck me how precious these tools were.

I thought to myself, such tools help mankind achieve so much. I also thought the tools themselves alone are not enough for a brilliant creation. The tool needed is a skilled hand to realize [humanity’s] potential. It was with these thoughts that a piece of work came to life called, ‘Sacred Tools.’ Ancient artisans have created different and unique religious works of art with the tools that they used and were available to them. Tools are sacred. That is how the name ‘Sacred Tools’ was given to one of my pieces of work.

CREATIV: How has your work progressed over the years?

Ahumed: Since childhood, it has been a passion of mine to get to know creation.

When I think about what I have learned, by seeing different art forms, stories, poems, portraits, sculptures, and monuments, that is what piqued my interest into this field. That is the root of my experiences. When I first started out, I liked to draw. I then began to experience computer works of art along with experiences with physical forms of art. At the moment I am more into computer arts and photography. The interest I have had since childhood is now earning fruition. The things I create now receive investments. I now design specialist works of art for various purposes and concepts.

CREATIV: What advice would you give to a beginner in graphic design?

Ahumed: First of all, be patient. It’s essential to seek what actually is in your mind and to make it clear in your head. If you try to create something, I found that it will bore you easily. You should respect various forms of art to be creatively inspired.

12

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

DOMI N I C C H A D WICK CREATIVE OUTLET: ARTIST LOCATION: ENGLAND

CREATIV: What first inspired you to start expressing yourself through art?

Dominic: When I first discovered freedom. The realization that I was an artist, not a student, was a big deal for me. Awed by the lack of briefs and exams to revise throughout last summer, I found an addiction that was submerged for months beforehand. The addiction of expressing myself through my art. I adopted a rigorous regime of making art through pure enjoyment and inspiration. My early expressive works were mostly focused on the beauty of the abstracted human form and the representation of this through black and white photography.

CREATIV: Is there any particular media that has really struck a chord with you so far?

Dominic: I am experimenting a lot, mainly due to the nature of conceptual studies, which are new to me. It is hard to depict a particular media as I’m discovering a new and exciting one every day, but I have developed a love for large-scale installation and sculptural work. Engagement with the theme of destruction has recently found me reducing the space around me whilst making installation works, working directly into the space.

CREATIV: How is art school treating you?

Dominic: I have never been located within a building with so many great minds. The critical discussions to the most relaxed have all been extremely inspirational. I love the atmosphere of the fine art studio at Leeds College of Art, where I now specialize. It’s just so great, especially after hours when the college is almost empty but still contains a few art g ­ eeks.

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

13

GETTING INTIMATE WITH WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY STORY BY: EMILY RUDOLPH

PHOTO CREDIT: WILL BURRARD-LUCAS

Innovation is streamlining the creative and scientific strides of photography. From drones to robotics, there’s no shortage of perspective on the horizon for techfriendly photographers out there. One such photographer, Will Burrard-Lucas, has caught the eyes of millions with his incredible wildlife images gracing the pages of publications such as National Geographic. Seeing these images, it’s no surprise his camera setup is the question of the hour. What’s Will’s secret? He is a creator of what many believe to be the most cutting-edge remote photography technology available.

Having spent much of his life traveling, Burrard-Lucas says he always enjoyed taking photos of his adventures, but was never quite satisfied with the results.

He goes on to say, “After a couple of years of general travel photography, I began upgrading my gear, and my reasons for traveling started to revolve around photography more than anything else. I have always been passionate about wildlife, and naturally I tended towards this in my traveling and my photography.

The majority of my trips are now exclusively for the purpose of wildlife photography.” (Deviant Art (kkart’s Journal) The photographer quickly set his sights on not only capturing this incredible wildlife, but also in doing so through a new perspective, with up-close-andpersonal angles. Soon after, he founded The BeetleCam Project, a unique remote photography device designed to capture exotic wildlife like never before, without the danger of going lens to nose with a wild animal. After a small incident with a family of lions, Will quickly adapted the BeetleCam to a more durable model, equipped with a hardy shell, GoPro camera, and innovative safeguards to keep large animals from penetrating the design. The incredible results can be seen in Lucas’ breathtaking images captured throughout the Serengeti, greater Tanzania, and other African wildlife venues that he frequents, with the newest version of the BeetleCam. The BeetleCam Project continues to shatter the boundaries of remote photography, having recently released the newest model of their BeetleCopter design, Nightjar.

Nightjar is a super-sized quadcopter capable of carrying a GoPro camera. This emerging technology is an example of the limitless possibilities available when we combines science and creativity. With all aspects of performance being addressed, including flight time, noise control, foldability, endurance and more, Wit will be exciting to see what emerges next will continue to be experienced in exciting new ways as innovation advances the capabilities of adventure photographers around the world. in this ever-growing industry. If there’s one thing for certain, wildlife photography just became a lot more intimate. (Nightjar (Camtraptions) 14

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

15

GETTING LOST TO FIND YOURSELF They say, “Not all who wander are lost.” What I now know to be true is that sometimes you must truly wander in order to be found. The first destination I was called to came to me in an elementary school classroom. Australia was a place I had to explore. What I couldn’t know then was that the culture, the places, the wildlife, and the people I would encounter during my time there would change my life forever.

Dreaming of something and finally booking the one-way ticket are two very different concepts. My decision to breathe life into my trip came many years after the little girl in fourth grade learned about The Great Barrier Reef, crocodiles, kangaroos, and an island that is also a country and a continent. After working a big-girl-city-job in Seattle, Washington, USA for two years, I had accepted the fact that I would only gain more responsibilities and get paid in job titles as opposed to dollar signs. I was also navigating through that whole recent breakup, broken heart thing. I was a bit lost. I was an independent, strong woman, but unhappy and lost. No better time to completely change your trajectory and start a new approach to living.

In October 2013, with few possessions and even less money, I packed what I needed strategically to fit in a 55-liter backpack. I had a renewed passport in hand but no real plan. To the land down under is where my feet traveled. With a bit of trepidation in my wobbly knees and optimism in my beating heart, I was ready to board, driven by the idea that living with less and experiencing more would bring my life new meaning.

Arriving on Australian soil, jetlagged and emotionally exhausted, I began stripping myself of the identity I had when I left the United States. I was finally here, away from the old me, cutting the anchors that held me down, rejecting the tangible things that I had bought into, forgetting the people who haunted my past. I launched myself into the beauty of the unknown, certain that as long as I kept my head up and my mind open, everything would work out fine. When you travel alone, you’re really only alone for as long as you want to be. Staying in hostels, 16

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

CREATIVE OUTLET: WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER LOCATION: WINTHROP, WASHINGTON WRITTEN BY: HALLIE O’REILLY

coordinating home stays, and working on farms brings interactions with people from all over the world. Working in the busy world of hospitality makes being antisocial an impossible task.

Connections are made, the feeling of loss begins to dissipate, and you finally start to feel like you belong in this somewhere new. You begin to establish fresh concepts of home, and you fall into pace on your road to transformation.

The longer you’re away from your old life back in your native land, the less you miss it; at least that’s what I found.

I had adopted a new timeline; a new direction, a disconnection from material things that felt natural and somehow, along this journey I was on, I had found my people. The people I had back home were my foundation in life. My incredibly loud and loving Irish family is irreplaceable, and my amazing friends who have supported me through so many different life chapters remained in my heart while I was away. But there is a different path the traveler takes.

It is the path sometimes less traveled; the one that calls you to action and changes your life and the way that you feel things. It ignites a passion in you that you’ve never known before and it’s impossible to resist.

I had set my sights on the open road in the pursuit of happiness and freedom; for out-of-the-box living. The lifestyle of the backpacker allows room for the creative parts of you to thrive, the space to dance to the beat of your own drum without the weight of four-inch heels.

It welcomes you to make your own rules and define things for yourself, breaking limits and pushing boundaries.

When you heed the calling to travel into a life of simplicity and bliss in your purest, most raw form, embrace the artist in you, the writer in your depths that wishes to tell stories. When you

allow yourself to tap into your core and pursue a dream, you go willingly down the rabbit hole and it’s easy to find your soulmates. Not on social media or in a new dating app, but in real, honest, irreplaceable time.

With my time in Australia ticking away, my goal was to head up the east coast with a mate from back home in Washington, beach bumming and camping in national parks along the way. Hoping to get as far north in Queensland as we could make it in our eccentric car named “Powla,” (purchased from two fellow dreamers from Germany, covered in colorful art, and full of stories under her hood), we hit the highway.

Life is constantly throwing trials and tribulations our way, and just when a situation occurs that might challenge us enough to make us want to close our hearts, a new opportunity for love enters. As we journeyed up the coast, we found our people. We began to grow into a family of like-minded humans, connected by a shared mission and a compass that pointed in the same direction. We had created our own version of world peace; a united front from five different countries across the globe, filled with open minds and open hearts that burst with love, that were present in every moment of every single day we were together. A tribe was formed.

Travel changed me immensely and pushed me into myself. The lessons I learned in my year away from the life I had always known came home with me in my backpack and are imprinted on my traveling spirit. I learned that an open mind and an open heart, regardless of the pain that lingers with “goodbyes” and “see you soons” is the only way to travel through life successfully. I learned that feeling the

weight of your only possessions in your backpack supported by your strong legs and your resilient back gives you a pride you’ve never known.

As a traveler you learn that the sound of your only pair of shoes hitting the pavement, the sand, the rooted trailhead is the music that your ears have always yearned for. You learn that people and places have the power to change you into the best version of yourself. As an endless dreamer, you learn that money doesn’t buy happiness, but it can buy you a plane ticket to a new experience that will bring you meaning.

When you travel with less, you learn that life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans and that plans usually fall through so that something greater can fall together. You learn that living within your means and off nothing is absolutely the only way to know the currency of living life to the fullest. I learned that I could endure physical, mental and emotional pain across continents, kilometers, miles, and oceans and still have a reason to smile everyday.

When you open your life to your tribe of fellow travelers, who live in their heart space and live in experience in order to share their souls, you learn that love is the best gift you can give and the best gift you can receive. When you create a family from around the world, you learn that peace is a way of life. A journey with an old friend, a new soul mate, with a person who makes you laugh, with someone who offers to carry your baggage along with their own. We are all travelers, the chosen ones who navigate through life as part of a whole, on the quest for peace. For sometimes when you let yourself wander, you find your missing pieces.

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

17

THE CREATIV MOVEMENT LIVES

18

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

19

WHY ISC R E A T I V I T Y I M P ORTANT INTERVIEWED BY: EMILY RUDOLPH

20

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

NAME: COLLEEN VALENTINE CREATIVE OUTLET: ARTIST LOCATION: NEW YORK, USA

“I sometimes feel that there are so many ideas, emotions, and dreams locked in my head that I must let them escape on paper or canvas. It is a great release for me. I feel that art speaks to people in a more passionate and personal way that words cannot.”

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

21

NAME: FAMADOR CREATIVE OUTLET: VISUAL ARTIST LOCATION: CALIFORNIA, USA

“Creativity is a way of living life that embraces originality and makes unique connections between seemingly disparate ideas.”

22

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

NAME: ARIANE BENEFIT CREATIVE OUTLET: LIFE COACH LOCATION: NEW JERSEY, USA

“Creativity to me is what makes life possible. It’s what enables us to solve problems, adapt, learn, improvise, express ourselves, differentiate and understand ourselves. It’s what connects us with the full spectrum of life.”

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

23

C R E A T I V W O R L D W I D E CREATIVE OUTLET: ART, THEATER & FASHION LOCATION: WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND PHOTO CREDITS: MAARTEN HOLL/DOMINION POST: WORLD OF WEARABLEART 2014 WRITTEN BY: EMILY RUDOLPH

24

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

A WORLD OF WEARABLE ART 2014 marks the 10th anniversary of one of New Zealand’s prime cultural gatherings and one of the world’s largest and most elaborate exhibitions.

WOW: The World of WearableArt Awards Show combines theater, art, and fashion to transform the human body into an interactive canvas. Upon arrival, attendees are introduced to what is described as “a new place where nothing is normal and everything is extraordinary.” (‘World of Wearable Art: About.’ http:// worldofwearableart.com/about/) The show is crossing cultural borders with a permanent WOW collection, a traveling museum tour, and an education community to provide resources on relatable exhibition topics. It doesn’t stop there. WOW is also a proud supporter of three New Zealand charities, which it funds through events, sponsorships, and direct donations. It was predicted that, in celebration of the event’s 10th anniversary, WOW organizers would be taking things to the next level in 2014, but no one could have anticipated the magnitude of the production to come.

Combining a multi-medium exhibition with cultural tradition, WOW immersed its viewers in live feature productions, music, dancing, and theatrics. Over 8,600 cast and crewmembers are needed to carry out an event of this magnitude, with an audience of over 50,000 international attendees. Spanning a mind-boggling three weeks in length, the current show requires over 100 child and adult models, 1,700 makeup artists, 42 professional dancers, plus aerialists, and Shaolin monks. With seven major award categories and four guest judges, the show provides a wealth of entertainment. (News.com.au. ‘Inside Wellington’s World of Wearable Art Awards Show’)

This year, a total of 166 entries took the stage to compete for 37 different awards in various categories.

Designs ranged from elaborate, full-body makeovers to incredible “haute couture” statement pieces.

Competitors seamlessly incorporate atypical fixtures such as lights, old cameras, ancient weapons, and even architectural constructions, while using a multitude of materials never seen in fashion. What’s even more incredible?

These unusual combinations do more than hit the runway; they are used in full theatrical productions, depicting the garment’s purpose for creation and the designer’s creative process. WOW never ceases to amaze!

Costing a staggering $22.6 million (USD) to produce, this year’s WOW production was the largest to date and is expected to push millions back into the Wellington city economy. The exhibition is a beautiful tribute to the notion of creativity as a universal language and speaks to the significance of cross-cultural expression. The World of WearableArt has truly burgeoned into a spectacular success story for arts and culture, as well as a magnificent venue for all types of live performance innovation. It certainly leaves the world wondering, what’s in store for 2015?

At WOW, the possibilities are truly endless.

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

25

CREATIVITY & SOCIETY: CUBISM The term Cubism derived its name from remarks of a French art critic, Louis Vauxcelles, who saw art composed of cubes, and described the early works as “bizarreries cubiques.� Cubism had its beginning in Paris with Picasso and Braque in 1907 and expanded its reach through many artists to Italy, England, Russia, and Germany until the early 1920s. Cubism was a response to the growing changes of the era. Modern phenomena like photography were changing the way people considered traditional art, and artists could no longer rely on painting alone as a tool for documenting the times in which they lived.

The Cubist artists believed that the old traditions which had been ruling Western art for the past four centuries had been exhausted. The limitations of using perspective representation gave only one viewpoint, which was highly restrictive, and the Cubists wanted to reach beyond two-dimensional geometry. They wanted to express how our eyes really view an object from many vantage points.

Cubist artists were attempting to represent a more realistic way of seeing.

Through their artwork they showed real people, places, and objects from a multitude of angles, instead of from one fixed viewpoint like the artists from the past. They analyzed their subject matter, broke it up, and reassembled it in an abstract form showing the front, back,

26

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

and sides at the same time, through the composition of planes, forms, and colors.

Cubism was fusing the past with the present, along with the observations and memories of the artist, into one concentrated image.

During the quest to renew and revitalize their artwork, Cubists began to draw influence and inspiration out of art from other cultures, namely African art. They did so not for religious or social symbolism, but rather in admiration of the expressive styles; they hoped it would refresh the tired traditions of Western art.

Within this revolutionary influence lay the basic material of Cubism, which can be seen in Picasso’s ‘Demoiselles d’Avignon’ (1907).

Cubism had two very distinct phases during its course, Analytical Cubism (pre1912) and Synthetic Cubism (post-1912). During the Analytical Cubism phase, artists like Picasso, Braque, Cezanne, and many other early Cubists wanted to express that illusion of perspective. They were in essence denying that the subject matter was painted on a two-dimensional object, which is represented in Picasso’s ‘Factory at Horta de Ebbo’ (1909) and Braque’s ‘Houses at L’Estaque’ (1908). They wanted to stress the difference between a painting and reality, using a reconstructed viewpoint within a geometric framework to portray the subject in a greater context.

As Cubism began to run out of steam, the work became increasingly abstract, and the subject matter represented was less recognizable, which opened the door for Synthetic Cubism. In an attempt to refrain from total abstraction and renew the original style, Picasso began a new phase with the invention of Collage. Collage integrated fragments of real physical objects along with the art painted by the artist to fully represent the total interpretation of life and art. This can be seen in Picasso’s first collage, ‘Still life with Chair Caning.’ The integration of “high” and “low” art (art designed by an artist and combined with art designed for commercial purposes) was the first form of Pop Art. While few painters remained faithful to Cubism’s tenets after World War I, many later profited from the discipline. Cubism has had an enriching effect on modern art by breaking away from the traditional use of perspective and providing a new stylistic vocabulary and technical expression that still exists today. The Cubist views and ideas have contributed to many artistic movements throughout the 20th century, including Abstract Art, Futurism, Suprematism, Dada, Constructivism, and Expressionism.

STORY BY: TIFFANY ROSSBACH

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

27

Here are a few responses from CREATIVS about their thoughts on Cubism and how it affects Creativity & Society today.

Maja Kostic

CREATIVE OUTLET: ILLUSTRATION LOCATION: MONTENEGRO Our lifestyles have changed a lot over the last hundred years, and we have almost lost our connection with nature. However, I believe this is a new era of man, one in which we are awakened trying to reconnect with nature in order to understand our own nature. Cubist artists were doing the same thing. They were trying to understand nature through geometrical shapes; they were observing and learning. I believe the neo-human is doing the same thing through art but in a more spiritual way.

We are all trying to keep up with the growing changes in technology in every way possible. The use of the internet has brought us so many opportunities to explore other art movements, plus ways to share our own art that were never possible in the past. Through these technological changes people choose to collect new inspiration to create art. A good friend of mine illustrates what people tweet about and another one was illustrating people’s Facebook statuses. People can now find their inspiration everywhere and can keep up with techniques that were unknown to them before the internet.

I am influenced by everything around me and so is my art. Expressing myself through body, soul, and mind, I am my art. I let it all in.

I tend to be influenced by things that make me curious. I enjoy watching mind-expanding documentaries, listening to music, reading books, and studying other artists and cultures, which in turn provoke emotions and influence me. When that happens, I express my own version of that emotion in the form of my artwork.

Longing to be remembered after death is foolish for me. I am already remembered in everything and everyone I have come in touch with. I’m one of the founders of a non-governmental organization, Alternative Centre for Youth Needs. Our goal is to have young people come there to spend their free time in a creative way. Instead of being on Facebook the whole day for example, there they can create art for free. We are trying to be the ones who will make an influence on society rather than to let society influence us.

28

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

Sumit Chauhan

CREATIVE OUTLET: PAINTING & DRAWING LOCATION: INDIA The Cubist artists had a very different outlook than how we today view art in our society. Nowadays it is very rare to focus on and master just one particular art form as the Cubists were doing in the past. However, technology today still has a significant influence and effect on how artists choose to represent themselves. I have seen so much famous vintage artwork from my country that has changed due to technology. Miniature paintings and Warli Art, for example, have lost their beautiful heritage value. Now artists use computers, other devices, and machines to do the same. Now the real examples of these traditional art forms are rarely seen and only in particular places of India.

Due to the drastic changes in technology, my society has seen so many significant changes over the years. For example, before the technological revolution artists used to create works by hand that were displayed on movie posters, as well as bus and shop hoardings. These are now all made through computer graphics. Another example is the increase of sketching machines at various plazas and malls, which have actually faded the old traditional method of artists using their hands to sketch. This was a very famous method used in our ancient times, as you can see in many portraits of kings that were hand drawn. The animation industry has also taken shelter under the use of computers and other electronic devices, which earlier were created by artists through very hard work.

In my country, it is the art that gains influence by society through various aspects such as political wars when general elections cartoonists make cartoons of different politicians, and social traumas when art shows gender bias or women’s empowerment. My society is also a religion-driven society and artists make art based on various Gods and Goddesses.

My art is actually very much influenced and inspired by all these factors as well as by television, exhibitions, and online platforms like CREATIV.com. I never copy any artwork; rather I believe in making something unique and original by taking references from all these varying mediums.

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

29

FEATU R E D S TORY

BORDALO II GARBAGE, THE NEW STREET ART AESTHETIC Every artist gets inspiration from different sources. We as humans are the product of our own environments, and often times we feel the need to express the feelings and visions we create from the experiences we have and the things we see in our lives. This is certainly true for street artist Bordalo II, an eclectic artist who uses the resources that his environment provides--garbage--to create street art.

“I am inspired by the world where we live, my daily routine, the consumerism, and all the bad things we are doing to Mother Earth.”

“The bad things we are doing to Mother Earth,” can be interpreted in many ways.

In Bordalo’s case, he turns a negative into a positive by using things that people throw away and turning them into pieces of art that form one big installation piece. No matter where the trash comes from, Bordalo can make a masterpiece out of it. His piece titled Dirty Aquarium is proof of that.

CREATIVE OUTLET: STREET ARTIS LOCATION: LISBON, PORTUGAL BY: ANA BUSTAMANTE

30

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

“I call it Dirty Aquarium because it is made by trash, most of it found near the seaside of Lisbon’s River. The ocean and river’s pollutions are a reality-- the reality that inspired me to make a fish installation out of trash. I just use the trash, as it is, to create my art. We live in a crazy world controlled by capitalism; the fruit of capitalism is consumerism and the fruit of consumerism is trash/ waste. In my street installations that are big animals made from trash, I am using nature’s enemy, trash and plastics, to build an image of animals. These

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

31

32

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

“Don’t give up. Open your mind.” are the victims of our trash. So I use what destroys the nature to recreate an interpretation of the victims.”

Bordalo portrays the message that we as the consumers are destroying nature by our own waste. Even things that a consumer may save up money to buy will eventually end up in the trash.

“I have used a lot of recent technological tools, like TVs, parts of computers, parts of cars, and even iPhones. For me it’s crazy that someone spent so much money on something that turned into trash so fast. I use metal sleeves, wires, and screws to affix the trash to the walls to create installations, but it mostly depends on the wall/support I am working with.”

Trash isn’t the only thing that inspires Bordalo to create. Because of his background in graffiti, he utilizes those skills to create as well. One of his favorite places to do graffiti work is on railroad tracks.

“When I was young I used to spend a lot of time on train tracks doing graffiti and having fun. Now, I like to return to these magical places with a different objective. I think that it is a location that has not been explored yet, to paint on lines-- meaning the lines of the train tracks. We are living in a world where we are spending too much time ‘online,’ so I like to paint my ideas on lines and later I share the artwork online.”

Bordalo’s multifaceted vision and execution of street art truly sets him apart from the rest. Since garbage is his medium, there are no boundaries for what he can use to create an incredible installation piece. When asked how others can have the same mentality for creative application, he responded, “Don’t give up. Open your mind.”

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

33

DOSES OFAM AZING FEATURING THE WORK OF

IAN MCGREGOR

34

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

35

36

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

37

38

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

39

40

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

41

42

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

43

WHAT BEING A CREATIV IS LIKE IN MY COUNTRY: ROMANIA

NAME: ANDREEA CHELE CREATIVE OUTLET: ILLUSTRATION & MIXED MEDIA LOCATION: ROMANIA INTERVIEWED BY: TIFFANY ROSSBACH

I never really have considered myself an artist. Maybe a maker or a creative. I love the joy creativity brings me and how it detaches me from reality. I love the fact that I, as many others, hold this very precious secret as a means of escaping reality. I know you have to struggle with yourself in order to create something, however the reward is beyond anything else. Creativity helps me feel more serene and perhaps it is because that is really where I find myself.

To me, creativity is balance. Creativity is discipline. Creativity is peace of mind, and a way of letting out your thoughts and emotions which could never be translated into words. Creativity is tenderness because you give it your full dedication.

I believe there are people that have this creative rush embedded in their genetic code and Romanians are among them.

Playful, filled with energy, vibrant, expressive, and somehow still introspective is how I would describe the new wave of creative endeavors in my country. There is, however, a very strong focus on traditions, which I believe will always be a point of focus for artists here.

Creativity here in Romania is shrouded in a lot of emotion, perhaps even intimacy. We are people who care for our legacy and who look at our elderly with pride and admiration. I have always found Romanian art to access rather deep places of one’s conscience; sheer honesty, sadness and a heightened sensitivity which has always managed to touch hidden parts in me to stir up some very powerful emotions.

I have to admit that in my country, people are extremely creative, but growing up in Romania was difficult since I was actually part of a somewhat border generation. My first years of life caught the last breaths of communism. After that, there was a significant transition we all had to experience. However, I always felt that even though there was a new era for us Romanians, we always lived -- and some of us still do live-- under a really thick shadow of control and drawback from the past regime.

Because of the communist regime, our country, as well as others, were somehow frozen when it came to cultural and spiritual development. There was never a smooth transition and that’s why I believe we are all a bit torn between tradition and desire here in Romania. Growing up in a very small town there was not a chance to try out every possibility the world had to offer, one really had to fight to find their way. I had never been able to find a place of my own, so I dedicated myself fully to my education.

44

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

I have been drawing ever since I was a little girl. I would scribble off anything a child could imagine.

I even spent a few months in a junior art program where I actually learned the basis for aesthetics and the use of materials. Things changed as I grew up and only got more serious when I left home to go to college. There I studied universal literature, and I gained a lot of inspiration from all the books I was reading.

In college I started meeting lots of people, some of them aspiring artists or just simply very talented people. This is where my need for improvement actually started to grow. I began wanting to depict something more intense than simple patterns or random figures. I wanted a better technique and more possibilities to express what I had to say. At first, there were simple graphic inquiries, but then it expanded to new materials, techniques, vision approach and mixed media. Even though I feel that mixed media is the closest to what signifies my purity of expression, I am always trying to experiment with traditional media to figure out what works better for me.

I perceive things differently as if my whole existence develops itself in a secondary reality, where things, emotions, and circumstances don’t follow the known rules. I am inspired from my dreams, books, movies, and details. The kind of details people usually fail to notice, I love those the most. This is why I lean towards the abstract. To me, it is thought, inner understanding or judgment that pushes me on this abstract path. I firmly believe that each and every one of us is bound to a certain form of expression that creates our artistic identity.

I have to admit that I did and still do have my share of insecurities, but somehow it doesn’t seem so important anymore. I guess I’ve learned to value what being an artist really means and

making something appear just from your thoughts.

Knowledge and creativity is truly wonderful.

I am certain most of us have had to deal with the frustration of not being famous enough, talented enough or appreciated enough, but The CREATIV Movement has given me the feeling that all CREATIVS are equal.

Connecting with other members on the CREATIV platform that are genuinely interested in your work, as well as inspiring you to carry on doing what you love makes a huge impact. I hold a lot of respect for The CREATIV Movement for this reason and also because it feels familiar and it gives me a reason not to stop what I love doing. It’s not exclusive or pretentious and it’s always an inspiration and a reminder of what I want to share or what I want to leave behind. As other creative minds find the courage to share their works, then I believe this Movement will simply grow into a beautiful place to enrich our world with even more creativity.

Art should be valued for what it does to your spirit and for the way in which it enriches one’s soul. The world is full of concentrated and aspiring artists, so it might seem a bit crowded to jump in, but don’t ever give up. Work hard if you really want to achieve something. Talent is not always a divine gift, but something that can be refined and improved. I know there are breathtaking works of art and considerable artists, but as long as there is a creative seed inside you, let it shine.

I believe artists should hold on to their hopes and to always remember that creation is meant to transfigure the individual into a purer state, not to pull them down into uniformity and complacency.

Nobody can take that away from you. Nobody can judge you for it. It is yours and yours alone and that should make you proud.

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

45

IN THE TUNE: W.H.A.T. WITH HONESTY AND THOUGHT THE UK HAS ALWAYS BEEN ALIVE WITH FRESH MUSICAL TALENT, AND W.H.A.T IS CERTAINLY NO EXCEPTION. W.H.A.T. STANDS FOR “WITH HONESTY AND THOUGHT,” AND THIS YORKSHIRE DUO HAS A REAL MESSAGE AND MEANING. THEY SHOW THAT BRITISH HIP-HOP IS ALIVE AND WELL AND HERE TO STAY, WITH A UNIQUE YORKSHIRE TWANG AND INSPIRING PASSION FOR THEIR CRAFT. WITH INFLUENCES FROM PUNK ROCK TO NORTHERN SOUL, THEY EMBRACE THE BRITISH CULTURE AND REALLY STAND UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN. AMBASSADOR COLIN GOURLAY CAUGHT UP WITH ONE HALF OF THE DUO, NIC MARSDEN, FOR A CHAT ABOUT BRITISH HIP-HOP CULTURE, FORMING A BAND, AND USING THEIR CREATIVITY TO HELP OTHERS. CREATIV: How did the duo for W.H.A.T formulate?

Nic: Dan, the other half of W.H.A.T. does some solo, acoustic, Pete Doherty style stuff. He came to record some acoustic stuff because I was helping out vocal artists in the area doing free recordings for them. When I did that for him he mentioned while he was there that he loved hip-hop, so I showed him loads of the hip-hop stuff I wrote. I never had anyone to work with when it came to hip-hop music because I didn’t know anyone. I was in the countryside in Huddersfield at the time, but when I moved, we started recording. Dan and I got together and I showed him some hip-hop tracks; he loved them. I showed him my rapping style, and he loved that as well. That weekend when he was there, he stayed for three days. We started recording loads of songs and came out with two songs. We’ve known each other since we were 16, small town like, but we didn’t start hanging till we were thirty.

CREATIV: What genres of music influence the music for W.H.A.T? Nic: Dan was in a hardcore punk band. He was listening to indie and I was listening to hip-hop and techno music. We developed an amalgamation of those sounds really. A bit of British indie-based stuff mixed with northern soul, as well as ‘70s and ‘60s soul music. We love the British culture that way, you know? Culture vultures.

CREATIV: How do you think British hip-hop compares to the American, more traditional hip-hop?

46

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

Nic: I think British hip-hop is more real.

It doesn’t try to be gangster or anything like that. We’re not gangsters. The scene is for skateboarders, graffiti artists, and stuff like that. You’ve got your grime and that’s got a few gangster wannabes, but I think it’s more about people who love the music. And it’s more multicultural as well. In Britannia, we got a bit more of banter. It all depends on the rapper though. You can get some British rappers who want to sound more American. It just depends on what you listen to.

CREATIV: Do you think British hip-hop is getting more popular as the years go on?

Nic: What’s happened in America is they’ve moved to southern music with crunk music. I think the British who invented the English language have overtook the Americans when it comes to ethical rapping. I think it’s a bit more intelligent, a bit more in depth.

CREATIV: Do you guys prefer to play live in front of an audience or stay in the studio and produce?

Nic: Dan loves performing. He’s been doing it since he was 16. He has performed indie music with numerous bands. I’m more of a studio person, but I still love the live stuff. I thrive more in the studio. Facebook promotion for your music is not everything people think it is these days. These studio artists don’t work. You’ve got to push yourself to go live. I think Dan’s other bands are more like that. They don’t do anything on Facebook, they don’t answer to people,

they don’t do these photoshoots or that, they just play live and they have loads of supporters. His rock band gets headlining slots and all sorts of stuff just by doing things live and ignoring the Internet.

CREATIV: So what’s the lightbulbmoment I hear you’ve had?

Nic: We’ve been going to festivals and realizing that every single rapper that wants to be in a band has that ‘go to’ sound. We wanted to do that, but we realized too many people are doing the same thing so we went back to the drawing board a little bit and really thought about stuff. Because of

our roots with northern soul, which is different from traditional soul, we are in the very early stages of trying out a new five-piece band. We are thinking that we should go for a singer to bring into our music as well.

We want to make it so we can go out and even do an acoustic gig just with a guitarist and two rappers and do hip-hop nights. To speak to a larger audience we would then integrate a live band. We hope that the diversity of the band will speak to people from 20 to 60 years of age. This will show people that rap is not just a gangster style, but you can incorporate it with loads of different styles.

CREATIV: How do you balance the reality of working life and paying the bills, and creating music?

to make art. You can’t do a full-time job like be a banker or do a 9-5 or worse.

You can’t live the life of luxury with a nice car and all that, unless you’re doing dodgy stuff. I live with my mother now at 30 years old, and so does Dan. You can’t be going out, buying clothes every weekend and living the life of luxury, and always afford to do your art at the same time. You’ve got to live to the bare minimum within your means.

CREATIV: How are you using your musical talent to spread awareness about the things you are passionate about?

Nic: Creating a piece of art, such as

music, has to mean something. You can’t just do piece after piece or song after song without having any meaning or a great idea to start with. I think every song or piece of art has to have a great meaning to start with. We will keep on doing songs that help people.

That’s what songs do, they help people.

NAME: NIC MARSDEN CREATIVE OUTLET: PRODUCER LOCATION: UNITED KINGDOM INTERVIEWED BY: COLIN GOURLAY

Nic: I think you have to make sacrifices [CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

47

ACCEPTING DIGITAL ART “A painting is a painting no matter how it is done.” Parisian digital artist Werner Hornung shares his experience as a digital artist and how he made the transition from drawing on paper to drawing on a computer.

“I became a professional in Paris in the mid-’70s running my own advertising studio. I always felt the need to fulfill myself by realizing my own artistic creations away from the constraints of the advertising world, so I developed my own creations based on collages. I continued doing my job without a computer until the mid-’90s. One day, a client asked me why I dislike computers so much. I got the message and started to get familiar with this tool. I began to scan some of my earlier handmade collages to enhance them with Photoshop. This kind of interaction had a Holy Grail effect on me that hasn’t left me since.”

There have been arguments in the past 25plus years as to whether digital art should be

considered art. If digital art is painting and drawing through software, shouldn’t it be considered a form of art? In reality, the computer is just the medium being used to create a piece of art. Hornung has also run into these kinds of questions about his works in the digital field.

“The main challenge for me is to get people to understand that art created digitally should be considered as art, in the same way as art is made in the traditional sense. I know that some old art paradigms are questioned by this working process.

However, one has to have in mind that as new technologies became available, artists have always learned to use them to develop new ways of expression. Digital art is a general term for artistic works that use digital technology as an essential part of the creative process and has been with us for over 25 years.”

Digital art is essentially the application of digital technology to physical art as we know it. When using this method, the artist still must understand the fundamentals and basics of art to create a finished piece. Since the action is painting and drawing through software, it falls under the category of visual arts.

“From my experience during exhibitions showing digital art, I can tell that nearly everybody understands the process of painting, but when it comes to digital tools many people wonder how it is done. Unfortunately calling your work digital art gives the impression that the tool is making the art. This is so wrong. It is always the artist and his imagination that creates the final result.”

NAME: WERNER HORNUNG C:CREATIVE OUTLET: DIGITAL ART LOCATION: PARIS, FRANCE STORY BY: ANA BUSTAMANTE

48

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

Regardless of what the critics use to define art, digital art is a popular form of art today. It is used in media, advertising, graphic design, visual effects, and photography. It is up to the artists to define the style and techniques that they use to set them apart from the ever-growing digital art world. Digital art is a process demanding layers of application to create something visually stimulating; it is through that process that a personal artistic style is created.

“Surrealism and advertising have this in common: the eagerness to attract the eye, to destabilize the viewer. As I come from the ad world, I’ve always been very much attracted to photos. They exist in a kind of neutral base. I use photos, or rather pieces of

photos, that come mostly out of my collection. In the end, nobody will ever recognize where I started from.

What inspires me are forms and structures that I combine to make something new. One layer from an older painting can be used as the background for a new one, and here I go again.

“The rewarding part happens once you get familiar with the digital tool and you transcend it. Then you realize that you do not play an instrument anymore, but you make music. I always liked to combine different styles, like playing some kind of ping-pong. Chasing aesthetic phantoms in the magnetic field of a hard drive is an exciting experience.

Also, as randomness plays an interesting part in the process, one has to be ready to be surprised. Or if one doesn’t like it, he can always go backwards to try another direction.

That’s what I like about digital tools.”

In the ever-evolving, technologybased society that we live in today, digital art has been and will continue to be the next level of art application. As long as media exists, digital art is here to stay. It is up to the spectator to accept whether or not it should be considered art.

“Digital art is rarely accepted in the general art world, as it is mainly a domain for hobby artists, and the artistic quality is often questionable. In this way, people are still suspicious when the term digital is used. Maybe it will take the same amount of time and energy that went into the battle for acceptance of photography as fine art. As in any domain, I believe it is up to everyone working in this field to bring his piece of contribution. Let’s say that when one looks at some piece of art, he should switch off his head and switch on his emotions. It is not about the tools used to make it.”

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

49

NAME: CHAKIB RABIA CREATIVE OUTLET: 3D ARTIST LOCATION: MOROCCO WRITTEN BY: NOUMAN KHALID

3D ART:

DESIGNED FOR LIFE What happens when you want to pursue a creative profession but are faced with limited outlets? You either give up or make things happen.

Chakib Rabia from Casablanca, Morocco has done the latter. Because of his perseverance and commitment, he has created opportunities as a three-dimensional (3D) artist in a city that is still in the infancy of its digital boom.

“I am a quiet person and that makes me focus on detail. This temperament has helped me with my creativity. Sometimes I am confronted with issues, but my patience helps me find a way out and enables me to make a move and not give up. That’s what creativity is all about. It’s a constant evolution through trial and error.

“I also believe my family and friends have had a role to play in shaping up my personality. Their love and moral support means the world to me. My family has always helped me gain self-confidence, and my father is my idol.”

Graphic design is still a relatively new career path for Moroccans, with very few professional qualifications offered in the country. Chakib is a self-taught designer with work experience spanning over seven years. He is a 3D artist

50

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

who specializes in lighting, modeling, and realistic rendering.

“I create models of furniture, interior and exterior designs, and exhibition stands. I also worked on TV ads and created many product visuals for wellknown companies. I love creating 3D food visualizations and funny character models, and I like to add a touch of my country traditions in my designs.”

it is possible to achieve your goals. Through The CREATIV Movement, Chakib inspires not only his fellow Moroccans, but also all of us, to always follow our dreams and never give up.

“I’m really proud to be a part of CREATIV. I encourage creative people to participate as much as possible in making The CREATIV Movement a success.”

While Chakib is happy with how he is making the most of the opportunities that come his way, he still believes that the citizens of this beautiful North African kingdom need to acknowledge such artists and their work. This lack of interest is hindering artists like Chakib from taking risks and expressing their true selves.

“The CREATIV platform has done a fantastic job bringing creative individuals from all around the world to feel free to express themselves and share their wonderful pieces of art that are so dear to them. This positive energy that surrounds CREATIV inspires me a lot, and I love how the CREATIV Team is actively investing in making this experience better for all of us online, on mobile, and now through this fabulous CREATIV magazine.”

Chakib shows what you can do on your own if you have the will and the desire to make it big. Even when you’re not handed the ideal situation on a platter, with passion and perseverance,

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

51

JEWELRY DESIGN: THIS IS FATAL Erika: I’m the type of person who likes to stay busy and loves to be creating, organizing, and producing. I started FATAL Jewelry three years ago with the dream of having an import-export business and began with importing hand-carved earrings from Bali.

I quickly realized that I wanted to create my own designs that were totally unique and reflected CREATIV: What do you love about my personal style, so I taught living in California? myself different techniques of jewelry making. Wanting to push Erika: I recently moved from it even further, I linked up with Oakland to Alameda, California, a very experienced and skilled USA. I have lived in Oakland for metal fabricator that helps with about 10 years and love it. It’s an amazing city full of very passionate production to create pieces that are unique, bold, and edgy. people and has an amazing artist community. I think that Oakland has some of the best graffiti artists, I like to think that FATAL breaks away from the traditional concept musicians, and creatives. of what jewelry is. It integrates industrial pieces, bullets, bones, This city is constantly producing horn, and teeth and reimagines events with great art, music, and food.The Bay Area is a very diverse them into wearable pieces of art.

I only design and create pieces place to live, with people from that I would wear personally and every walk of life. The thing that don’t copy anything that I’ve I think most people here have in seen before. If it’s already being common is their passion for what made by someone else, I will not they do and where they live. make it. I want to stay fresh with my designs, which is why many CREATIV: Tell us about FATAL. of my pieces are either one-ofIn a world where being unique is becoming more challenging each passing day, CREATIVs like Erika Warburton from California are making sure they stand out. As owner of FATAL Jewelry, Warburton is all about creating unique designs that are both appealing and anything but traditional.

52

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

NAME: ERIKA WARBURTON CREATIVE OUTLET: JEWELRY DESIGN

My message for another CREATIV would be, “Anything is possible if you have the vision to make it be so.”

a-kind or limited edition. I highly value being original and pushing the limits on traditional ideas.

CREATIV: How would you describe the unorthodox designs of FATAL Jewelry?

Erika: I like to describe FATAL Jewelry as “industrial elegance.” FATAL blends masculine and feminine, industrial and elegant, mechanical and organic.

I like using strong lines and shapes.

For example, using hex nuts to create pyramid pendants for necklaces, or using hex nuts to create asymmetric honeycomb looking designs. I really enjoy making jewelry that sparks conversation because of its bold originality.

I work mostly with stainless steel and brass. I like working with brass because it can polish up to look like gold, but still has a solid industrial feel. Stainless steel has the beautiful cool color of silver with more strength.

LOCATION: CALIFORNIA, USA INTERVIEWED BY: NOUMAN KHALID

CREATIV: What are your thoughts on the future for jewelry design?

Erika: The jewelry industry is a vast one. Currently you can find jewelry in pretty much every style and price range.

However, there are a lot of knockoffs and highly reproduced pieces that have flooded the market. The Bay Area is great because there are so many local designers creating their own style and take on jewelry design. Even so, I think that common themes can be found in the work of many different designers.

CREATIV: How has the CREATIV platform helped you in your creative pursuit?

Erika: Being a part of CREATIV is a great way to connect with other artists and be inspired by their work. It also creates a push to better my own creative ventures.

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

53

CREATIV TRAVELS

CREATIVE OUTLET: PILOT, PHOTOGRAPHER, WRITER

I’m excited to have you join me on this journey, as I travel around the continent and share my CREATIV adventures.

Welcome to CREATIV Travels.

“For once you have tasted flight, you will walk the Earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been, and there you will long to return.” - Leonardo da Vinci

54

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

LOCATION: CANADA WRITTEN BY: JEAN MARCELLIN

Although Da Vinci never truly got to experience travel by way of the sky, he certainly recognized the pure magic it expresses. Every flight is a fairy tale, and every travel experience opens the door to a new world, to new people, and to their stories.

An old Moorish proverb tells us, “He who does not travel does not know the value of men.” Despite different cultures, vast distances and even language barriers, there is one universal link that binds us all together: Creativity. Through it, we can share our stories in unique and beautiful ways.

I am fortunate enough to travel quite often and get paid for it. My work as a corporate pilot has taken me to places I’ve never even dreamed of, and opened my eyes to this enchanted place that is the world. With the wind flowing over my wings, I join the eagle on its flight high above the Earth and see the world as it truly is: beautiful in every detail, majestic in its vastness. But it is only once I land that the journey truly begins, and that I get to discover the real treasure. You. Us.

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

55

FINDING YOUR LIGHT: ‘A NIGHT IN THE CITY’ Bright cities are always picturesque but the problem in photographing them is that they never seem as grand as they do in real life. The photographs end up too dark or they don’t appear as large as they should. Here are some tips to help you capture that bright and beautiful city the next time you shoot at night.

56

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

CREATIVE OUTLET: PHOTOGRAPHY LOCATION: PHILIPPINES WRITTEN BY: NICCO VALENZUELA-

GEAR CHECK Most cameras take excellent photographs nowadays, but not all of them take great photos in dark environments. Not all lenses can capture well in these circumstances, and there are some contents of your gear bag that

the sun has set gives you a blue sky instead of a dark one so highlights of the buildings do not overpower the luminosity of the sky. It is best to start looking for your perfect location and preparing your composition about 15 to 30 minutes before sunset so when twilight comes, exposure is the only thing you have to think about.

SPRINKLE A HINT OF DYNAMISM A dynamic photo will turn out much better than a flat one. There are two main elements that add dynamism to a photograph: composition and motion. Composition is the way that you put elements into a frame. For dynamic landscapes, a good play of depth and perspective is key.

are absolutely essential to taking great night cityscape shots.

1. High Resolution Camera You want a camera that gives you the best resolution and image quality you can get your hands on, or your efforts will be pointless.

2. Wide-Angle Zoom Lens Wide-angle lenses allow you to come close to your subject. In this case, it allows you to be within your subject, the city, so you can give viewers the same perspective you had when you took the shot. Having a lens that allows you to zoom is also a must if you’re shooting from outside the city or you want to focus on a certain cluster of buildings.

Elements that add motion into the photograph are bright objects that move throughout the duration of the exposure. Clouds blowing in the wind, cars speeding down the road, and planes flying through the sky are among many examples of moving elements that you may want to include. Showing a path of moving elements or drawing a diagonal line across the frame adds dynamism to the photo.

LET THE LIGHT IN

3. Tripod You need a sturdy and stable tripod. Shooting bright cityscapes requires an extended exposure time, and a sturdy tripod assures sharpness of the photograph. Without this kind of tripod, any small movement of the camera can blur the entire image.

4. Timer Remote A timer remote isn’t a necessity, but it is great to have. Most cameras can only expose for 30 seconds without a remote, and sometimes a proper exposure requires even more time.

THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME Though night photography can be done at any time of night, shooting bright cities is best done at twilight. Shooting right after

Lastly, the biggest factor is proper exposure. Allow your exposure to take as long as necessary for the photo to show good detail. Maintain the sharpest aperture of your lens, which varies among lenses, and keep a low ISO of 100 to 200 to ensure a bright, sharp, and noiseless image.

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM

57

creativ.com 58

[CREATIV] MAGAZINE / CREATIV.COM