Times Are Changing Magazine by Darius Frank

FOREWORD Times Are Changing magazine stands behind its name. Created to shed light on the talent of tomorrow, TAC Magazine is fully aware of itself and what can be done to better the creative scope of the world. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not looking to become the biggest publication ever, or even marginal fame. This magazine is a labor of love and is in place to showcase the talents of indiviuals not yet discovered. Talent that, though gets praise, is overlooked by whatever circumstances. We want the magazine to act as a catalog of talented creatives and provide nothing more than stimulating content for both readers and those featured. TAC magazine began as a class project. Issue one was a university assignment, that of all things, was created to be different from what was usually offered in the course. The shared sentiment was a magazine by a student, showcasing students. Of course back then it was just myself so content was a bit rudimentary and the design was modest, but it resonated and it reached the right people to spark this opportunity. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m proud of what we were able to accomplishe here and I can only hope many of you enjoy it as I have. Hopefully we will become something large, large enough to own the accolade of being the exposure that got some kid their dream job, or sky rocket an illustrator to stardom. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to hoping for the best.

Regards, TAC Magazine Staff

COLOPHON TAC Magazine Issue 1 Inauguration September 2012 Editors

Darius Frank Kasha Reavis

Design

Darius Frank Karla Ramirez Donovan Kelly

Contributing Writers

Isabelle Ofume Darius Frank Kasha Reavis

Contributing Photographers Contributing Artists

DiAngela Payne Akil Ransome Sirui Ma

Contributing Models

Eboni Charese

Advertising and Inquiries

The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the respective author and should not necessarily be considered to represent the opinion of the publisher or its employees.

Feline Zegers Just Jah

CONTENTS 8 19 26 30 34

Quiet On the Set Pictorial Story of Student Film Maker

Guest Correspondent Half A World Away Pictorial by Sirui Ma In His Image Interview with CEO Nickeeliah Freeman Just Cause Interview with Rapper Just Jah

Music to Create To Editor Picks Top 5 CDs to Inspire

14 22 28 32

Beautifully Macabre Interview with Artist Feline Zegers Style Sense Gossip on 23rd Fashion Preview Fall/Winter Trend Forecast

Opinon Block

QUIET ON THE SET Witnessing true talent is a remarkable feat, watching that talent develop from beginning to end is life changing. Kawan Jones, a student filmmaker, has done that very thing and I was there to witness it all. His dedication to his work and attention to detail rival some of the largest names in filmmaking out today and can be seen through his productions. Here we get an inside look into one of his productions and get to see how much he puts into every piece.

I enjoy surrounding myself with other artists of different art forms. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where inspiration is born.

I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just want to make films, I want to make life-changing experiences. I dont think film is good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet.

I think all my work is not worthy anything. I’m always telling myself that it can be better. We can always see improvement in something. I’m one to stay up all hours of the night to fix one problem or something that just doesn’t seem to feel right. So that push alone drives me to be the best I can be for myself, not anyone else. Also the people I love; God, my family, friends, people I’ve had encounters over the years with. My support makes me smile with courage, they share such optimistic words, thoughts, and talents that myself only have half of. Without them I wouldn’t be the artist you see today.

Why film, was it always your first choice? Well I want to say no, cause I always had thing for music. Music has always been a friend of mine; it has so much emotion, depth, and meaning. A natural feeling I thought didn’t exist anywhere else. But when I think back about my past I see all the signs pointing towards my future in film. I was in fact a Disney kid; I loved, and still do today, a good Disney movie. When I was little I actually wanted to draw the characters and do voice-overs for the characters like robin Williams in Aladdin. Its funny cause I use to dress up as the characters and sing the songs loud and sometimes not so clear (haha). I remember watching the behind the scene on how the movie was created, and I thought to my self “wow, that’s really cool I want to do something like that.” I felt like Disney made movies for people’s enjoyment.

Are there any influences you look to for inspiration? Yes, my peers I enjoy surrounding myself around other artist, and just different types of art forms. That’s where inspiration is born… I feel like art makes up the world. I get so motivated when I see one of my friends planning on a next big project. Just to see the beginning stage of something that’s really nothing, then to see the finished product is so gratifying to me. It makes me so happy and believe it or not it makes me think about projects and things I can do to reinvent my work and myself.

What drives you to be good at what you do? Mmmmmmmmm, good question. Well two things, I want to say me. As cocky it may be it’s really not. As a person, I’m really hard on myself about the total package of life, I’m my own worst critic. To be honest

BEAUTIFULLY MACABRE Interview with Feline Zegers

Darius Frank

It was my distinct pleasure to have met and befriend the talented Feline Zegers. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actually a little easier to conduct interviews under those kinds of circumstances. Feline is a talented young artist hailing from The Netherlands. With some time in school and a knack for using a camera as well, Feline has this style about her work that is parallel to the kind of person she actually is. Sweet, open, and rather candid at times, her work is bold, dark, and eerie. Her subject matter ranges, and the end result is always wonderous, it makes you wonder what goes through her mind, her everyday life for that matter. I spoke with feline and we had more of a conversation on her, work, growing up, missing friends, musical muses, and school. Aside from being beautiful, this girl has a real zeal for the story her life tells.

Feline Zegers

“I always think that there’s a place for every style, and the people we think are amazing, started out the same way we did.” I do kinda believe the ‘home is where the heart is’ thing, so I might just follow the heart. I like traveling so if I wouldn’t have to worry about making money and could do whatever, then I’d probably travel a lot too.

TAC: The current issue has a subdued sense of fashion and an affinity for musical inclination. How much does music and fashion influence your work? Feline Zegers: Aw thank you. They both do. I don’t draw without listening to music and I’m always looking for something new. It changes what I draw in terms of moods and atmosphere I guess. I’m not really into fashion when it comes to how I dress personally but I love looking at what other people create. I’m especially a big fan of patterns and textile design, as you probably know, and also costume design, so I do look at those a lot and find them very inspirational.

Why do you draw... I mean you have other talents and I’m sure you could’ve pursued those for loads of money, why are you a part time artist? I draw because it makes me happier. I need it to focus I guess, it’s a way to deal with emotions. Most people that know me really well can see what I’m dealing with through my drawings. I’m not a very open person normally so drawing helps with that. It’s always been a part of my life and calms me down, helps me think.

I have a question I would love to know, if you could be anywhere to end your days making art in peace, where would that be?

Noble, quite envious... when did you start drawing if you don’t mind me asking?

Nice one.... I would be in either the south of the UK or North America, preferably near a forest or mountains. I’d want to live in an old stone house or one of those wooden houses with porches, I love those so incredibly much. I like the landscapes in both countries so that’s why I picked those, also because somehow both countries feel like home to me. I’m not a big fan of really warm weather so I’d choose a place that was ‘mild’ haha. That’s just for me personally though, but

Very early, always been a creative kid really. Was always building things or drawing, painting. Helps that my parents and grandparents were and are creative too so there was always stuff around to have fun with. But I guess I really started to consciously work on drawings from 12 onwards. I had a religion class in high school were we had to hand in drawings every week so I practiced a lot there haha. 17

I’ve always known I wanted to go to art school but was never sure about which direction. I wanted to be a fashion designer at first, then interior design, then painting lol. Eventually chose fine art because I couldn’t deal with all the rules in the illustration department, I needed the space and freedom to do my own thing. Used to only draw with markers and ink but taught myself working digital after I graduated. I was such a fan of game art I just had to learn how to paint in Photoshop. I didn’t go to a traditional art school so I haven’t learned much when it comes to techniques but I did learn a lot about myself. My parents are both pretty good at drawing though they don’t do anything with it. I do prefer art over photography. I enjoy retouching a lot more than making the actual photo, because it’s like painting in a way...I did an internship for high level retouching, retouched photos for playboy

magazine and stuff. Was hilarious, I’m now a master at spotting fake boobs because I had to retouch so many of them. Wow... you used to make boobs look better. You’re my hero. Yeah I’m someone’s hero now. Mission accomplished. I was gonna add this before but I forgot. I don’t necessarily want to be successful or make a lot of money from my work. I think it’s most important that you’re happy with how you live your life and that you feel you accomplished things for yourself and not for others. To never stop learning and experimenting as an artist and to always try and be better than the last piece you made. 18

GUEST CORRESPONDENT Here we feature a talent that isn’t quite ready to be sold to the world but has a knack and eye for a creative position that caught our eye. With the world finding its creative voice again, the younger generation is finding its talents younger and younger and it would be a crime to miss out on these talented young individuals because they aren’t allowed to occupy a 9—5 just yet or are still dealing with high school drama. So enjoy the work and take note.

The RUNDOWN Sirui Ma Age 16 Nickname Don’t really think I ever had any... although one boy from school calls me “hundred” because of my average. Area of Expertise/Talent? I take interest in a wide range of things — music, fashion, photography, literature and so on. I’d really like to turn my interest in fashion or photography into expertise in the (hopefully near) future. What would you like to make of your talent? Mostly I just want to be able to provide for myself with it. Nothing beats making a living doing something you love. But if along with it comes recognition then I’d be even happier. Where do you see yourself 5—10 years from now? In art school, in either New York or London most likely. Hopefully at the same time I’ll be making a name for myself. Also I want to travel for a year or so some time after graduating, just to see the world a bit more. Is there anything you would like to say for yourself/ anything extra you’d like to add? I’d very much like this opportunity here to be somewhat of a testimony for my goals. Not just for myself either, but for those around me, you know, to really see this girl develop and hopefully turn into the person she’s always wanted to be, and do what she’s always wanted to do. Cheesy, haha.

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IN HIS IMAGE Interview with Nickeeliah Freeman

Wardrobe was provided by Critique Boutique by Toni Foster TAC: As with all interviews, could you tell the readers your name?

So you’re almost as much a purveyor of fresh talent as we claim to be. What made you get into this, what about molding new faces attracted you to this line of work?

Nickeeliah Freeman: My name is Nickeeliah Freeman, CEO and Founder of In His Image Modeling Agency.

I love to impact people, seeing unique faces encourages me to make a difference in someone’s life; oftentimes models don’t know how to pursue their dreams. I have come to realize that the fashion industry is not always positive, so creating a positive atmosphere here at IHI Modeling Agency will allow those who we work with to feel comfortable to express their talents.

TAC is a catalogue of creative talent and offers the up comers a stage to present themselves to the world. Could you tell us what it is you do? We’re a new and innovative Christian modeling agency, we specialize in event planning, model management, teach model training classes and self esteem development. Our goal is based on reconstructing the personal images of young women and men.

Is there any type of person or personality you can’t work with? I love to work with positive people who understand and respect our company values. Generally is not always that way, I have worked with people with different personalities but at times you have to stay grounded and understand why people may think/act the way they do and knowing that relationship may just be for a season. But, generally, I can work with anyone, because you never know who God has placed in your life, whether that person is positive or negative. I’m always learning so I try my best to learn from every situation.

We encourage all people of the world no matter race or ethnic background. We are all beautiful in God’s eyes and In His image we can express our true beauty through fashion. We present our models in a positive light by showing that beauty comes in all shades and colors thus perpetuate the self esteem of everyone involved in this process and our viewers.

Nickeeliah Freeman

What are the pros and cons to what you do, also the pros and cons to the people you work with?

Success, I mean you are quite accomplished as we speak of such things. What would constitute success for you and your business?

The pros to what I do, the opportunity to be creative and use the gifts that God has given me as well as making a difference in the overall state of society.

Success can mean many things for a lot of people, I would say success is accomplishing the goals you have set for yourself and seeing the desired results.

The cons, sometimes people can be very difficult to work with, in this industry you always have to use wisdom because there are those people who are very unprofessional.

You’ve provided some of the modeling talent for the magazine, is there anything you look for in the talent you chose to represent? All the models I selected for this magazine have a unique talent and are very beautiful; those images display their creative side of modeling. Plus I wanted to highlight some of the new talents who recently graduated from our modeling development workshop classes Alice Fan and Jessica Ciecwierz, as well as one of the first female models to sign a contract with In His Image Modeling Agency Precious Chifunyise who has been committed to our agency from the very beginning.

So “In His Image Modeling” obvious implications with a name like that, could you give us a real account as to the meaning behind the name also how you came to the name? One night my friend (who has a marketing background) and I were brainstorming and we came up with the name, it all derives from the bible that says we were made in the image of God. Due to this, the motto of this agency is to display the diversity and variety of his image. “Simply Beautiful”

Well after doing the research I cannot help but feel like your venture is everything to you; could I ask where do you see yourself 5—10 years from now?

Religion very rarely plays a part in fashion other than aesthetically. Tell us why has it taken precedence with your effort and do you find success in its inclusion?

I see myself as a full time participant in pushing this agency beyond measure, spreading the word of truth all over the world through fashion, living life to the fullest and staying true to where I’ve been all while looking forward to where I am going.

I must admit it’s not always easy, but I love to help people, I believe this industry needs an organization like IHI Modeling. It takes precedence in my efforts because I believe beauty starts from within, therefore every human ought to know their Creator and become one with goodness. I find my efforts very successful. It’s very fulfilling. 27

CHAOS OF FALL Fall Trend Report

Kasha Reavis

A recent graduate herself, Kasha is a Fashion and Retail Management major with a focus in fashion styling. Here she demonstrates her talent by providing a look into some of her favorites for the Fall season. Garish Leather jackets The intended use of motorcycle jackets were to be used as protective gear for cyclists. Now the motorcycle jacket or motorcycle style jacket is worn as a fashion statement. It’s edgy and fashion forward. Designers have revamped the motorcycle jacket by adding textures, color, and the closures. Overall the silhouettes continue to be the same throughout designers. Peplum The modern peplum, as we now know it, became popular as a design in women’s wear in the 1940’s. It is a short section resembling a skirt attached to a fitted jacket, dress or blouse. It was used to create an hourglass figure with a cinched waist and wide hips. Also: Metallic Color Oxfords, Plaid Pants, and Contrast Collars

AUDIO/VISUAL

Interview with

JUST JAH

a big city like Chicago or New York. I’m working towards being at your favorite rapper’s level. I want their spot. I’m studying them. One day the student will become the teacher. #DRREAM

As with all interviews, could you tell the readers your name? First and foremost I’d like to thank you for giving me an opportunity to be featured in your magazine. My name is Just Jah. I’m an up and coming rap artist from Virginia; by way of the 434 and 757.

Who are some of your mainstream favorites? Do they influence your work at all?

Big music and distribution is a fickle beast, what are your thoughts on the current state of hip-hop music and can you see yourself doing it at that level?

My all time favorite rapper is Biggie. He dropped two albums with his latest being in the late 90s. It’s almost 2013.

I think hip-hop is still thriving. I think it still has a pulse. It’s changing though, as it should. It’s growing. Maybe it’s in its puberty stage now. You know, all awkward looking and such. Doing things just to be doing it not knowing or caring about an outcome. It’s flourishing as a business and at the same time a lot of new things are being introduced. The music is good and diverse. It’s like going to a buffet. An all you can eat. There’s so many different styles and artists that there’s no way you can’t find what you want. The people that say hiphop’s dead are just too lazy to get up and go find what they want to listen to. They’re waiting for the labels to deliver it to them. I’m from a small town and I can name five rappers that can give your favorite rapper a run for his money. That’s just in a small town. Imagine

All or at least most hip-hop artists, the prevalent ones, have influences and knowledge of hip-hop’s past. What would you contribute to this belief and would you consider yourself a true student of the craft? I wouldn’t say a true student. I studied the greats but I skipped some classes. I cut a couple courses to chill so I can’t admit to being a true student. I will say that

without a past there is no present or future. I mean you still have some greats from the past still here steering the art form forward. You have to give respect where respect is due.

Just Jah

Well ultimately we all want to be successful and define our own level of success. Where do you see yourself 5-10 years from now? Five years from now hopefully on your television set. I hope to be on stage somewhere doing music on a wider scale. 10 years? God willing maybe, through the success of my music, I’ll transcend into the business aspect of the game and become a music mogul. Drream Ent. is my label so maybe merchandising with DRREAM shirts, DRREAM games and books, shoes, DRREAM iPad cases etc. Is there anything else you would like to be said about yourself, anything else you would love to let the world know? I wish I could thank each and everyone for taking time out of their lives to listen to my music and follow my career. There’s no word to explain the feeling of working hard at something and have people accept it. I’m gravely appreciative for the love. Again thank you. And I would like to thank you all at TAC magazine for allowing me to be in your magazine. It’s been an honor. Lastly, I’d like to give a big shoutout to my hometown of Palmer Springs, VA and the entire 434, the 757 where I currently reside, the entire state of Virginia and everyone else worldwide. Salute to the Drream Team and all the Drreamers out there. Stay in touch with me and my music at my website www.JustJahMusic.com.

OPINIONATED POVs on Current Issues

Isabelle Ofume

The Females Take on Men’s Fashion DOs and DON’Ts As the cold weather seeps in (rather slowly on the eastcoast) and we transition from statuses honoring the great summer atmosphere to the cold fall air. “Can’t wait till Fall, so tired of summer!” We may be getting a head start on the latest fall trends; but lets be real: its a good idea to know what is or is not the go-to dos and don’ts.

And that cool dude in a suit, paired with Nike Airmaxs, has got to be the look of the summer. Do not over do it. Wear one, less likely two, sporty pieces at once to assure that you do not look like you’re heading to the gym as oppose to an event or casual outing. Hit and misses are cool. But the major question is whether you are guilty of a fashion no-no.

But when the dos are spot on, avoiding the don’ts become one of our highest concerns. We usually know, face value, what’s acceptable and just plain ol’ disrespectful: paying homage to the fashion Gods. But heres a collective of things to keep in mind while you go out to revamp your closet for the chilly months. We find that some men can go above and beyond with matching: stick to plain tops. Add a pop of color here and there, for a slightly more toned-down look. But do not be scared to mix the rustic sweaters with the funky bottoms. I am aware that it does seem a “little” overwhelming — pardon me, like torture to the eyes — to see a full one color outfit, here’s an alternative: head to toe in one texture. It seems a bit too much but I’ve seen the trendsetters on Jak&Jil pull it off, so you might too. The little things do matter. A huge tip to keep in mind: update your stash of socks, basic tees, and under garments, usually every 6 months or less. Keeps your outfits looking in tip-top shape and a lot more expensive.

Isabelle Ofume is a magnificiently opinionated young writer hailing from the DC/Metropolitian area. To read more of what she wrote, or to give your own opinion, check out tacmagazine.com

Pieces that don’t ever go out of style are the true “stylish staples.” Splurge on some key pieces: the peacoat, leather jacket, and the all-black suit. 32

OPINIONATED POVs on Current Issues

Isabelle Ofume

What’s the Effect of Sexual Preference and its Influence in Popular Music? With the LGBT at the forefront of the elections and in turn the media; a lot of topics, positions, opinions, so on and so forth arise on the outcome of our society’s level of conformity, for this not so modern occurrence.

I’ve heard almost all the reactions to his open letter. Some a bit cynical and others with a good moral lining but who am I to judge? The more conservative Christian followers might strictly follow the literal biblical angle would be against same-sex love because it is considered a “sin” and the Bible speaks against it. The Bible is not the only supporter of the antiLGBT movement: we have the older generation speaking against it, the Mormons, conservatives, and others that don’t feel it is necessary to conform to society. But there’s a position that usually gets ignored. Most of these people are not against it in the terms that they should get shipped off to another country or exiled but more so that they believe it’s not the right thing. They do not hate them and want to do horrible things to them but would rather just not come in support of something they do not believe in; like, I don’t like peanut butter but that does not mean that I’ll ban it in order to forbid others from experiencing it.

From Church discussions on the biblical perspective to a more liberal point of view of the acceptance (to say the least) of various sexual orientations. We come to a standstill within our moral values: what is the right thing to do or believe? With the singer and songwriter, Frank Ocean’s very recent public open letter to his fans on his first love with a guy, as according to the media, contributed to the most recent public topic on the LGBT community. Although, he isn’t the first to announce his love for the same-sex but he is a modern character to take example or reference too. The burden that it creates (from a psychological viewpoint) can be questioned. But this article is centered on the music industry perspective.

But there are those who fully support the LGBT community. Not much to say about that position: they believe they are just like any other person entitled to the natural rights of every human being.

Frank Ocean stated, “about my own sanity and my ability to feel like I’m living a life where … I’m happy when I wake up in the morning, and not with this freakin’ boulder on my chest.” He spoke about the confusion, turmoil, and excitement it caused.

It’s hard to say whether music will have an effect on the sexual preference on the direction of music. There are the obvious pros and cons: the conservative supporters against the LGBT community (the music, art, etc) and the further support from the same-sex community of these artists who proclaim their sexual orientation. Will the lyrics in the music give us a different perspective of the “real” meaning or will we just apply it to our situation?

Most people jumped on the bandwagon that he was “gay”. But all he basically did was express an experience he had with the same-sex, nothing less or more. “I was 19 years old. He was too. We spent that summer, and the summer after, together … And on the days we were together, time would glide. Most of the day I’d see him, and his smile. I’d hear his conversation and his silence.” He did not put a label on the situation: “Hey Guys, I got something to tell you... I’m GAY!! Exclamation points. 33

MUSIC TO CREATE TO Editor Picks: 5 CDs That Inspire

Sometimes it takes a great song to inspire a work of art. I am an artist and the music I listen to, to get inspired, is an eclectic mix of old and new. Ranging from instrumentals to hardcore. So here is my current top 5.

Tokyo Police Club

Bloc Party

Clams Casino

A Lesson in Crime

Four

Rainforest EP

A recent acquisition, I have been a fan of Bloc Party since Silent Alarm. Oh, and I mean a FAN! Since high school I have been catching all of their offerings. Not near missing a beat, this one takes you back and beats at you like Silent Alarm once did. Oh and get Silent Alarm as well.

Out of left field comes producer Clams Casino with this ingenious mix of self produced instrumentals that will have your mind on cloud nine. I couldn’t say enough about this one. Do yourself a favor and have it.

A fave growing up, it’s the far out tales and built up intensity that makes this one. At 7 songs, it gets you there faster than a Maxim countdown. Aesop Rock

Little People

Skelethon

Mickey Mouse Operation

Aesop Rock is beyond veteran stats in hip-hop. Suffice it to say a lot of people choose not to know of him. Well you’re missing out. His new one “Skelethon” is his classical banter to intelligent beat mechanics telling stories that by your third or fourth listen resonate stronger than the time you walked in on your parents. Classic Aesop Rock stuff.

Classical music for the current age. Simple and crisp, the production is orchestral and the music sounds like a soundtrack to a film. Every song is nothing short of catching, the one song with lyrics does more to make you realize why music should be lyricless. Not saying that Racheal Roberts didn’t do her thing though.

To read more of what she wrote, or to give your own opinion, check out tacmagazine.com

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