InMind Magazine by InMind Magazine

ISSUE #5

Exploration into the Mind of an Artist: Jason Leader Finding Relief in Grief Art in the Workplace InMind Magazine

ISSUE FIVE

Table of Contents Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note - 4

Finding Relief in Grief - 6

When we experience grief, it can be hard. Find out how art can relieve you during those difficult times.

Art in the Workplace- 10

Work does not have to be the most boring place ever. Explore ways you can find creativity in the work place.

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Our featured poem for this issue.

Exploration into the Mind of an Artist- 16

Embark on a journey into the intriguing mind of the painter, Jason Leader.

ISSUE FIVE

The Poetry Block: Our Featured Poem - 14

Table of Contents InMind Magazine

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note

elcome to InMind Magazine! The online art and culture magazine focused on exploring what people define as art in their own minds and worlds. Art is everywhere you look. We can make art from just about anything if you really think about it. Every individual has their own way in expressing what is being held within their hearts and minds. In this issue, we decided to look at a few places where we can find art and relief when we experience grief. We have even explored the idea of finding art in the workplace. And of course, the magazine would not be complete without shining the spotlight on a talented artist. Indulge your mind in issue #5! We have more to come so please prepare your mind for more culture and art exploration. As always, thank you all for your loving support of this magazine!

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Meet Our Team Tanisha Harrelson

Editor-in-Chief / Creative Director

Tree Herndon

Assistant Editor-in-Chief

Lauren Coffey Staff Writer

Maria White Staff Writer

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Finding Relief in Grief By Maria White

he recent passing of two close relatives less than a week apart has left me feeling both melancholy and jubilant.

Being constructive with your hardships may seem like a paradox, especially when you first receive unexpected news. The best thing to do is to not bombard yourself with questions or regrets. You do not want to let your initial reaction dictate your final impressions of this person/event. Consulting methods on how to gauge grieve can be insightful but limiting. A delicate balance of structure and trust in ones’ self is required in order to properly follow through. The most notorious approach, ‘The Five States of Grief’, elaborated upon in Death and Dying by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, was observed thirty years ago in “people living with terminal diagnoses.” (Psychology Today) While the study is fairly new compared to the origin of the word Grief (1175 – Middle English, according to Dictionary.com) it did not take into account close family members who were also impacted by the incident. The fact that there are ‘prescribed steps’ to a natural reaction falsely insinuates that there is one ‘solution’ to multiple problems. Years later, Ross was regretful that her steps were misinterpreted and mistaken as “being linear

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Finding a tactic to test your mind can help to subdue feelings of frustration. and universal.” (Psychology Today) Undergoing ‘secondhand grief’ of my own has motivated me to find objective approaches to this instinctual emotion. It is best to start off by recalling what that person enjoyed most in life. If the grief is over a firsthand experience, like an ended relationship, look to what your strengths were before the instance. This tactic is not intended for you to step back from the situation, but to feel grounded and safe. What is key here is to feel anchored and a part of reality after being shaken up. For example, my Grandfather loved to eat. He was the first and last to leave the dinner table. Giving up what they were/ are without, even if only for 24 hours, will allow you to gain empathy as well as clear your head. Second, define a coping strategy that will allow you to equally refresh and reminisce. It can be something as simple as picking up an abandoned hobby. The reasoning behind grief involves more than ones emotional capacity. Behavioral Biologist Paul Martin has found through research “that better-educated people tend to experience lower levels of unpleasant emotions” (Vision.Org). Finding a tactic to test your mind can help to subdue feelings of frustration. We must remember during hard times that suffering is inevitable and should not be seen as a purely negative state. There is a wise lesson to be learned

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from our friend Buddha that can leave us with a bit of optimism . The first of the Four Noble Truths brings a unique perspective to the table: ‘Life is Suffering.’ The only caveat to this truth is that ‘suffering’ is not the direct and only translation of the original word ‘Dukkha’. According to Buddhism.about.com, the term defines “anything temporary...such as happiness.” This goes to show that you will eventually feel joy during this time. All it takes is for you view the grief as an opportunity to heal and not a burden. Suffering is a conscious action and can be avoided with the right attitude. The third step is to make time for the strategy you wish to pursue. Incorporate it into your daily routine to allow your mind and body to recover at an even pace. Fasting is the path I have decided to embark upon in honor of my Grandfather and my future health. The Telegraph, a UK publication, boldly titled an article ‘Fasting for three days can regenerate the entire immune system.’ Feeling uneasy and imbalanced from an emotional overload can deter you from objectively understanding what you are going through. According to the article, a ‘fullfast’ miraculously ‘kick starts stem cells into producing new white blood cells, thus allowing you to fight off infection easier. There are many types of Fasts, making it adaptable to any individuals’ schedule. Another method to consider is finding relief through artistic expression. I was at a workshop recently where the topic was ‘Difficult Conversations through Art.’ One of

Edvard Munch, Melancholy, 1891, Oil on Canvas the exercises involved us choosing a character

Want to learn more? Check out these sources!

in the piece and interpreting what they were feeling. Finding artwork that can ‘speak for

Life is Suffering? What does that mean?

you’ will allow you to focus on grief from a

http://buddhism.about.com/od/

different perspective, as well as keep you from

thefournobletruths/a/dukkhaexplain.htm

feeling overwhelmed by your own situation.

The 5 Stages of Grief and Other Lies That Don’t

German Expressionist Painter Edvard Munch

Help Anyone by Megan Devine

was a master of conveying emotion through

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/megan-devine/

ambiguous and desolate scenes. Isolating

stages-of-grief_b_4414077.html

elements within a piece to understand their symbolism will get you on the right track.

Fasting for Three Days Can Regenerate Entire

Grief is an emotion that is unique to us all. It

Immune System, Study Finds by Sarah Knapton

does not have to be approached methodically.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/

Whatever approach you take, your mind will

uknews/10878625/Fasting-for-three-days-can-

thank you!

regenerate-entire-immune-system-study-finds. html

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Art in the workplace By Lauren Coffey

hen I arrive to work in the

is worse, and that is mostly my fault, I have

morning, around 8:45AM, I

nothing on the walls, and I think it messes with

somberly open the building

my creativity.

doors to find mostly blank, creamy- eggshell-

Work is a chore, no doubt about that,

ish colored walls. The walls in the building I

something we all have come to accept, but

work in are usually bare, with the occasional

what if we could make work a chore that is

motivational picture reading â&#x20AC;&#x153;successâ&#x20AC;? in bold

more enjoyable?! For example, when you

letters with a picture of a lovely mountaintop

come home from long day at work and see a

surrounded by green foliage and a soaring

sink full of dirty dishes, the last thing in the

eagle in the background. My actual office

world you want to do is clean. In those type of

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situations, you may want to improve the time

can tell you about the type of food you’re

spent on this monotonous duty, by listening to

eating and what type of vibe you want to give

music or a podcast. After a few minutes of Jedi

out to your customers. Why not expand that

Mind Tricks blasting in your ears, your hips

sense of otherness to the workplace?

may start swaying, and you get to your favorite part of the song and belt out that high soprano

Wouldn’t it be dope to go into an office that

note like you’re Aretha Franklin at the Apollo,

looked like the meanest LSD trip, ha! Or work

only to find that the dishes are mostly clean,

near a marble greek angel fountain.

and the song is still playing and you may

Imagine if you were a food worker and your

eagerly look for other things you can clean or

materials looked like something out of Willy

organize while you’re in the mood for chore-

Wonka. Every time you came to work you see

eography ha.

the “real world’s functionality”, juxtaposed

Little things, Music, posters, windows, the

with bright colors, cooky ice cream machine

color of the walls, and the placement of

handles, ridiculously colored cash registers

the furniture all makeup the feel of an

and chairs and tables that seem to grow out of

environment, which can have a major impact

the ground. How would you feel about coming

on your mood. A change in environment can

into work? Would it have an affect on how you

also change the way you perceive an event or

interacted with co-workers and customers.

think about a problem you need to solve.

What would it do to your mood? Maybe it

Sometimes, doing the same exact thing, in the

could become a bit tacky after a while, or the

same exact way all the time has an impact on

novelty would wear off quick and become

your ability to focus, and come up with novel

monotonous as well.

ideas. Blankness, or blandness can also be

O.K so maybe your work space doesn’t have to

boring!

look like the teletubbies threw up everywhere, but perhaps a few fine art pieces shrewn

Maybe it would be a good idea to make the

around the room wouldn’t do any harm. A few

places in which we work and spend so much

art pieces may be beneficial to both employers

time in, a bit more visually stimulating.

and employees. According to Brad Larsen,

Pieces of artistic design could expand far

a Standard-Examiner contributor, art in the

beyond the office environment, and bleed into

workplace:

other places of business: McDonald’s, candy shop, grocery store or an otherwise run of the

1. Makes a good first impression. Art can

mill looking place of business.

educate, enlighten and inspire visitors. Well-

Many Restaurants, eateries and cafes already

placed art can affect a customer’s initial

put a lot of thought into the decor of their

view of your business. Whether it’s through

establishment, and the art while you’re eating

a piece that captures attention or conveys

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professionalism and calm.

employees feel inspired and motivated in an office where the employer values creativity.

2. Retains your best people. Art can make

Using dynamic, changing art can inspire your

the office a destination of choice in the era of

staff to expand their thinking.

home working and wireless offices. Halls and offices flanked with great art make an office

5. Invokes pride. Art builds pride and has

come alive with character and entice the best

a profound effect on public relations. It

and brightest people.

reinforces investor, customer and client confidence by conveying your pride in your

3. Reflects your identity. Our choice of art

organization.

speaks volumes about a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s values

6. Improves communication. Art invites self-

and identity. Art can enhance your brand and

expression and communication, encouraging

communicate your style. It says something

shared opinions. Rotating the artwork keeps

synergistic happens at your company.

the workplace looking fresh and inspires dialogue, and builds associations and

4. Inspires creativity. According to research,

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relationships.

family members can show off their artwork. 7. Requires little effort. Artists can display

The employees really seem to respond

their work for show or sale, or you can rent

to the art show, and after an influx of art

or buy art. Many rental companies include

submissions, Fermilab had to limit the amount

maintenance and installation. Specific

of artwork to one piece per employee.

collection styles can evoke certain emotions,

Employees were able to get to know their

while creating a cutting-edge appearance.

coworkers on a deeper level after seeing each other’s artwork in what seems a relaxed

8. Pays for itself! Art is an investment that

and celebratory environment. Physicist Todd

gives a return every time you look at it.

Johnson, a fermilab employee, said, “Making

Also, you’ll find that your purchase of art for

art is not unconnected with doing science. In

businesses is tax deductible. Fine art is an

order to problem-solve, you have to sort of

investment in beauty and inspiration that will

maintain a playful attitude,” he said. “You have

have enduring benefits. Source

to be really imaginative.” Critical thinking, or at least thinking differently

In an art filled work environment, employees

is especially important in an ever increasing

may feel a bit more inhibited to share their

competitive global market. Employers rely on

more weird ideas, or musings. Art and color

their employees to come up with the next big

have the ability to take the onlooker to a

phone app, or a faster more efficient way of

different place, emotionally and mentally. Art

doing business.

opens the mind up to a memory or a thought,

If employers want employees who are more

that may not have emerged otherwise or was

innovative and ingenious, they should create a

deeply hidden.

space where creativity can thrive. It may even

Perhaps, if art must be limited in a work

be financially beneficial to do so! Plus what

environment, due to safety concerns, art

a view! Besides safety concerns, art in the

could be shown after hours. One such instance

workplace seems to reep only positive results.

happens annually a few miles outside of Chicago, Illinois. According to an article in the Chicago Tribune found here: Source The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory or Fermilab, a particle physics and accelerator lab located right outside Batavia, Illinois, has an annual employee art show. All staffers, IT Personnel, Engineers and administrative

Art and color have the ability to take the onlooker to a different place, emotionally and mentally.

employees showcase and or their immediate

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The Poetry Block Our Featured Poem

What River Can We Meet In? By Larissa

What river can we meet in? Seems like that’s where all the good suicides take place On the count of three we will tie rocks to our feet and jump in When our heads finally slip under What will we think? Maybe we’ll regret it at the moment They’ll never know who we were Two kids just fighting for peace No seeming end but destruction

Let’s tie flowers around our heads And thorns to our wrist Just because We want to die Doesn’t mean we can’t feel alive in the process Let’s kiss each other goodbye Sweet and bitter to the bite Just because we want to die Doesn’t mean we don’t want to love At least for one last time.

So we sink

Keep up with each issue’s featured poetry. Do you have a poem you want to share? Send it in! Submit your poetry to info@inmindmagazine.com. It could be your poem one day!

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Exploration into the Mind of an Artist: Jason Leader By Tanisha Harrelson

e all have our own way of expressing our creativity. There are an abundant of ways to express oneself and to

unlock the emotions and craziness of the mind. Sometimes we have so much going on inside our heads that we need to release some of the insanity going on inside. Some of us write, paint, sing, perform, and do many other creative activities to help release how we feel at that very moment. I decided to interview an artist who does just that and more through the world of painting. The artist goes by the name Jason Leader. I was given the opportunity to explore the mind of this artist a little more. In the Beginning Jason Leader grew up in Florida and started doodling and coloring at a young age. As a teenager, he became exposed to the punk scene and was greatly influenced in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;not caring and losing yourselfâ&#x20AC;? attitude. Later on, people

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would be seeing this portrayed more in the art he would soon be creating. As he continued his artistic journey growing up, he started to explore other avenues of creativity. Leader graduated from Valencia College in Orlando Florida with a degree in the performing arts. Despite his degree in the performing arts, Leader decided to continue exploring his artistic side through painting. Painting came to be the right path to undertake as he equipped his mind to release the demons that plagued his mind. For the past 15 years, Leader has created bright, colorful, and highly abstract paintings. Many of his works have been a part of several series that included vibrant and unforgettable characters that seem suitable to children on the surface but hold a darker story that speaks volumes for the piece. Leader’s paintings have been displayed in several art galleries along the east coast. He has admitted to being highly influenced by Tim Burton because of the shapes, colors, and unique physical characteristics of the characters that are used in the majority of his movies. Another wellknown artist that has also influenced Leader’s work is Jean-Michael Basquiat. This influence contributes to the larger than life shapes and color schemes used to bring Leader’s art pieces

Painting came to be the right path to undertake as he equipped his mind to release the demons that plagued his mind. plenty of mixed media such as acrylic paint and newspaper. This artist uses traditional and modern techniques to bring his own signature to his work. Besides the use of newspaper to create a ridged feel and look to the background, Leader sometimes reuses old canvases donated from family and friends. Supporters also contribute to his madness but giving him unused paints, sharpies, and other art mediums that can be useful in his work. The artist is fond of using large canvases. At times, he has even used smaller canvases put together to create one single work of art. He has found remarkable ways to use paint brushes to create various different strokes and textures to add to the intensity of the painting. Most of the techniques he has used were self-learned. Leader continues to be a selftaught artist and explore new ways to express his creativity and emotions through his mixed media paintings. To prepare his mind to start painting,

to life.

he surrounds himself with sentimental objects

The Artist at Work

while he works. No artist workplace is complete

When asked about what inspirations influence his work, Leader mentions that “I see art in everything I look at.” Leader’s work includes

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that help produce positive energy in the air without music to truly set the mood where it needs to be. The majority of his finished pieces have been the result of long hours put into them.

at a show where The Initiative Arts Collective Looking to the Future

was present at. The piece was entitled “Love

“I want to survive as an artist and keep pushing

is Hell.” With the use of less intense colors and

out more art” says Leader after being asked

quick brushstrokes, I never felt more connect to

what his goals were for the future. As an artist,

a piece of art work especially when I heard the

he wishes to support other starving artist like

story behind it. Every time I look at this piece,

himself. Leader is part of a group of artists called

which resides on the wall within my room, I see

The Initiative Arts Collective which collaborates

the pain that lives inside every brushstroke made

with other artists to help sell and promote

to create it. If he is not painting, you can find him

their work at local events and shows. I had the

mixing and creating music as a DJ at large music

opportunity of buying one of Leader’s pieces

events and festivals throughout the year. And if

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he is not painting, remixing music, or helping out the starving artist, you can find him as a chef by day. Jason Leader is a very talented individual who has a lot to share with the world through the paintings that he creates. You can tell so much about the artist through his work and this is very true in the case of this highly creative person. Every artist has their own story behind whatever form of art that they choose to express themselves with and I thought I would share his with you. Recently, Leader was able to paint on stage during a popular EDM show and his finished product was outstanding as usual. To see just what the excitement is, check out Jason Leaderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work on his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ l1graffix/.

Every time I look at this piece, which resides on the wall within my room, I see the pain that lives inside every brushstroke made to create it. InMind Magazine

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