FOOD
FILM 7
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So, You Want to Be a Filmmaker
Filmmaking in Austin
Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies
Latino Restaurants in Austin
ART
FASHION
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25
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The Creative Process
Painting a Colorful Future
Don’t Let Your Tees Be Dreams
Sustainable Fashion in Austin
contributors Alena Worhatch
Somaya Jimenez-Haham
Alena Worhatch is a bright young individual who has a fascination with the creative arts. From writing to visual arts to baking, she spends her free time pursuing various aspects of the creative industry. She has been drawing ever since she was ten years old and is excited to see where her practicing will lead her skills in the future. She has enjoyed reading as long as she can remember, with a specific inclination towards science fiction and fantasy. Alena also has grown up on playing video games, especially of the role-playing and platformer genres. Due to these two interests, fictional worlds are an integral part of her experiences of the world; she loves to spend her time thinking about the possibilities and hidden potentials buried within her favorite stories. However, she projects herself going into the food business when she enters the workforce, as she sees it as the most interesting and enjoyable career path she could pursue.
Somaya is a freshman at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy. She was born and raised in Austin, Texas. Since she learned her first recipe, Somaya has enjoyed making food, although it has rarely been a complicated dish. Somaya is both Guatemalan and French, and visits these countries often. She appreciates the diverse array of restaurants available in Austin from almost every country and culture. Among her favorite restaurants are Paco’s Tacos, Titaya’s, and La Fonda San Miguel. Somaya also likes to try new places in Austin to add to her list, which is one of the main reasons that Somaya decided to write a section about food. Somaya’s favorite foods include gingersnap cookies, pasta, and flan. In her free time, Somaya likes to travel, swim, volunteer, and spend time with her friends and her dog. Somaya aspires to become an engineer and go to Stanford.
Quynh-Lan Pham Quynh-Lan Pham was born in Austin and has lived there for nearly all of her life. Her interests include drawing and Japan, particularly its language, anime, and manga. When not reading manga or studying Japanese, she can be found trying to improve her art skills or playing video games with diverse characters, specifically Fire Emblem and Kantai Collection. She chose to write about art due to her appreciation for Austin’s open support for its artists and of course, because she herself is an artist. She mainly draws using her graphics tablet, though she will occasionally switch to graphite. She doesn’t have a favorite artist, but she prefers to look at digitally drawn art and watercolor paintings. She believes the best part of Austin is how peaceful yet unusual it is. Quynh-Lan hopes to become a translator for Japanese in the future.
Koios Davis Koios was born in Los Angeles, California, but has been raised in Austin since kindergarten. Hobbies of his include playing role-playing games and listening to music. Koios plays classical guitar with the University of Texas String Project and has been playing the instrument since the beginning of eighth grade. He took piano lessons from first through sixth grades and currently takes electric guitar lessons, but prefers the classical guitar. Koios is an avid fan of the video game series PokĂŠmon and Ace Attorney. His favorite animals are cats, birds, and foxes, and he plans to volunteer at a local animal shelter during the summer. Koios is currently a member of the Alley Cat Players of LASA, partaking in their musical theatre class. He also finds fashion design interesting and has taken a fashion design class in middle school, and he appreciates companies with a cause rather than those existing solely to make money. He aspires to become a researcher to study the brain and its disorders.
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Editors’ Letter Dear Reader, Welcome to Flux, a magazine which strives to provide insight on various aspects of Austin culture. Within, we have provided just a glimpse into pieces of what exactly make the capital city of Texas just so notable. Together, we have combined our interests in different forms of art to form this magazine. We have each grown to love
this city, and wanted to create a tribute to Austin. We have created an arrangement of insights on film, art, food, and fashion with traits unique to the capital city. From magnificent statues of longhorns to unique food creations, Austin’s culture is ever changing and draws the attention of people all over the world. The city itself is a melting
pot of cultures from diverse backgrounds, and it has plentiful attractions appealing to locals and tourists alike. With activities ranging from catching a movie at Alamo Drafthouse to water cycling on Lady Bird Lake, one can never run out of things to do in the capital city of Texas.
Sincerely, Alena, Quynh-Lan, Somaya, and Koios
“There’s a freedom you begin to feel the closer you get to Austin, Texas.” –Willie Nelson Flux 4
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Film
Shoot for the Stars The starter kit regarding movie creation. By: Alena Worhatch
As with any creative effort, the road to the final product starts with one, sometimes misleadingly simple, step. For a good result you must start with a good and investing idea. This is where most projects fall to a stop, as coming up with The Idea is certainly not the simplest effort, but it is quite worth it afterwards. If you find yourself floundering, consider looking out to the world surrounding you. What’s the first thing that catches your eye? Are there any issues that find themselves at the front of their mind often? If you still are stuck, think of your favorite book or movie. Why do you like it? Write the story you want to read.
Now equipped with the direction of what you want your story to be, you have to start considering how to bring the idea to life. Will it be liveaction, animated, or somewhere inbetween? From there you can start to plan what equipment will you need to make your dream a reality. A camera, a microphone, or perhaps something more obscure? Consider looking into more off-the-wall methods of expressing your ideas so you can find new inspirations. After all, the creative process is never truly complete! Ingenuity rides hand-in-hand with the peculiar.
No less important than the hardware you make use of is its intangible partner, software. This is the twenty-first century and we live in the age of computers. These modern inventions are by no means necessary for a good movie, take the original Star Wars or Gone With the Wind as two famous examples of movies who made no use of the machines we rely on so much today. This is not to say you should avoid the machines as they are a wonderful tool to make the world of creativity far more accessible to the general populace. The point is that although making a movie is no cheap feat, generally, don’t just find the most expensive software for your application. Sometimes a cheaper one works just as well. Necessity is the mother of invention.
At some point in the creation of your project, you will have to work with others, whether it be in the brainstorming of your piece or the talents brouht in to bring your characters to life. If you are an extrovert, then this step will likely seem less of a chore. though there will always be clashes in opinion. But for all the introverts out there, this may be a major block on the road. Start with those you’re closest to and work outward from there. Interactions will always be awkward at first, as you try to figure out how to work with each other, but don’t let that discourage you! By finding someone you can work with easily now, the future will be far simpler. Always seek another perspective.
Where is the place where your story unfolds? Is it some mythical utopia, or a scientific distopia? Perhaps your story takes place right here among the general populace. Now is when you have to consider the large parts of how to bring your story to life, such as the time, the place. This is especially important if your film is live-action, as although special effects are becoming more convincing every day it will be exponentially easier upon yourself if you can find a site for your story to take place. And, in the end, limitations push you to make better than you had before. Do not discount the wonders of the real world.
Very few people truly take in and count the minor parts of life. How a place lived in is never perfectly tidy, how every cloth has little wrinkles along it. The world is full of these little imperfections that make it seem real, and if they’re missing the audience will feel that something is out of place and not be able to pay attention until they figure it out. Additionally, do research to find what little things will make a world feel more alive if you don’t already know. After all, little things that apply at one time may not remain relevant. Though there are always some oddities that stay with humans throughout time and space. Without imperfections the world would seem foreign.
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Left, DeGennaro meets with his actors to discuss the scene. Below, An actor practices for her upcoming appearance by inspecting the equipment. Circle, Group shot of all who worked on the film.
When the Shutter Closes Exploring the hidden world of film production. Story written by Alena Worhatch. Photos courtesy of Studio 42.
“Making movies is hard. It’s really hard,” said Steven DeGennaro, director and producer of the horror film Found Footage 3D. DeGennaro said he has wanted to direct film for as long as he can remember, but the production of his recent feature release has brought unexpected challenges to the forefront of his attention. “So there’s a motto in the film industry that you will hear many, many, many times if you get in or go into the industry, which is: pain is temporary, film is forever,” DeGennaro said.
According to DeGennaro, viewers only care about what gets on the screen. But cheaper and more accessible equipment has resulted in a low ratio of quality productions. “In a lot of ways it’s a lot easier to get a movie made,” said DeGennaro, “But making a good movie is probably just as hard as it ever has been.” Which is to say, very hard. Particularly the fundraising stage of the movie, before any of the actual production starts. “It’s like trying to win the lottery,”
said DeGennaro, “like trying to make a movie and win the lottery at the same time.” Terrible odds, and chances that people are not often willing to take on someone they barely know. Thus, one of the undisclosed secrets of the world of film. “The film industry thrives on networking, on people knowing people,” said DeGennaro. One of the two main pros to film festivals, such as South by Southwest, Austin Film Festival, and Fantastic Fest in the Austin area is that
Left, DeGennaro directs while on the set. Above, DeGennaro reviews the footage with his team. Right, DeGennaro and his actor prepare for the upcoming scenes while outside the set.
filmmakers are able to show people an already-made movie, according to DeGennaro. The other part is meeting people who will help make a movie in the future. “The less you have to just sort of send your script out cold into the ether and hope that somebody that you don’t know will read it, and then also like it, the easier it is to get things done,” DeGennaro said. Ultimately, making movies takes four main things: talent, drive, networking, and luck. Only three of those things are remotely controllable, but they are all fundamental. “You have to have all four things if you want to if you’re going to, succeed,” DeGennaro said. The vast majority of movies do not get made, and the ones that do are a long time in the making. The average time from script to screen is eight years. “You always hope that you’re going to beat that average,” said DeGennaro.
So movie writers have to try a lot of times, or wait and keep trying with the same script. Most people are discouraged, according to DeGennaro. Despite this, there is hope every time a writer sits down to create. “Every time you write a script, it’s your baby,” said DeGennaro. “You write it for a reason because you have something that you want to say.” Throughout the lifespan of a script, it faces change after change until it has evolved into more than was ever envisioned for it. “It’s exciting because every step of the way, it’s not like it’s the same thing the whole way through,” said DeGennaro. Which begs the question of what exactly the phases of a film’s production are. There are three main phases: pre, film, and postproduction. Of the three, the most intensive are pre and post, according to DeGennaro. “The actual making the movie part is actually fairly easy and
straightforward,” said DeGennaro. Despite the fact, the being on set and filming is what people think of when they say “filmmaking,” according to DeGennaro. “You spent two years raising the money and you spent 15 days spending almost all of it,” said DeGennaro. The filming time for most smaller productions is quite short; Found Footage 3D was filmed within two weeks. During this time, he got to change gears into a director role. “It’s a lot like being a CEO of a company,” said DeGennaro. Directors have a bit of management in all departments at once and only really step into one when there is trouble. Drew, DeGennaro’s camera director, is one example. “My job is to tell Drew what I want it to look like. Drew’s job is to make it look better than what I told him I want it to look like and to tell everybody else on his team and the camera operator and the lighting Flux 10
people like how to achieve that,” said DeGennaro. So really it matters which people are chosen. They are professionals for a reason, after all, a director does not just get to tell them what to do when they are the experts. “You rely on them a lot to take that into their craft and make it good.” said DeGennaro, “there’s a lot of trust and it’s really about hiring the right people.” Which takes it back to networking, the secret backbone of film production. It is essential to get the right people for the job so that they can be trusted to have the movie’s best interests at heart when conflicts arise.
“People have different visions and you know, occasionally, very occasionally you’re wrong and they’re right and you either listen to them or you regret it later. And other times you have to learn how to stick to your guns,” said DeGennaro.
“Pain is temporary, film is forever.” The entire filmmaking process is really situation-dependant and practice is necessary to get the hang of how to effectively deal with situations. There is one note
Left, Stunt workers workon finishing up the supports for the upcoming shots. Above, DeGennaro works with the actors to clarifythe scenes.
of general advice to be taken from DeGennaro, though. “Measure twice, cut once, especially on any decision that’s not reversible,” said DeGennaro, “It’s better to take an extra second, think it through.” Filmmaking is a far more deep and complex process than it may seem to any casual watcher at a glance, as is the case with most creative endeavors. That said, pushing through and getting a production made and onto the screen, whether it be big or small, is a fulfilling achievement with few parallels, according to DeGennaro.
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Food
“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.� -Ernestine Ulmer
e g n a
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Chip
Chocolate
s e i k Coo
Chewy, irresistible chocolate chip cookies with orange and a sprinkle of sea salt from “Two Peas and a Pod.” Mix the ingredients, pop ‘em in the oven, and have a tasty snack ready to impress your friends in thirty minutes!
By Somaya Jiene
z-Haham
Yield: 3 dozen cookies Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10-12 minutes
Ingredients
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1 teaspoon Morton Coarse Sea Salt • 1/2 cup granulated sugar • Zest of 1 medium orange • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar • 2 large eggs • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract • 2 1/2 cups chocolate chips • Extra sea salt for sprinkling on cookies • Extra orange zest for sprinkling on cookies, if desired
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set aside. 3. In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar and orange zest. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant.
4. Using a stand mixer, cream butter and sugars together for about 3 minutes. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips. 5. Form the cookie dough into balls, about 2 tbsps of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with sea salt.
6. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with a little bit of fresh orange zest, if desired. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool.
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¡Ay! Que Rico Exploring Austin’s Latin American Restaurants
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All pictures taken by Somaya Jimenez-Haham.
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wooden tables scattered about. Lively music streams out of the food truck, and the scent of sauces, meats, fruits, and vegetables is in the air. Luddecke is in charge of the cooking, the business management, and marketing. She went to culinary school and said she decided that it was a great avenue for creativity. Luddecke said she was always interested in creating her own business, and that is how she began to do food.
Killa Wasi’s “Berries and Cream” dish. Includes gingered strawberries, Cara Cara oranges, dried golden berries (a fruit eaten in ancient Inca times and is still pretty prominent in their culture”), all placed in lemoned yogurt with honey.
“I went down to Peru about five years ago and just fell in love with the culture, fell in love with the food,” Luddecke said. “I got to meet a ton of really interesting chefs, and it’s nothing like what’s in Austin.” According to Ludecke, having a Peruvian restaurant can be hard at times.
“A lot of people have never had Peruvian food. Around 25% of Austin’s population speaks So it’s this interesting thing of trying to get Spanish at home, and 45% of the Texas people to come here if they haven’t had it.” population is of Hispanic descent. From El Salvador to Venezuela, Peru to Argentina, The restaurant Killa Wasi was named after restaurants are scattered far and wide across Texas and celebrate the complexities of Hispanic mama Killa, an Inca deity from Peru. culture. When combined with local Texas ingredients and dishes, restaurants are capable of“She is a representative of defender of women, she’s very feminist deity. We’re a womencreating unique, delicious food. owned and operated business,” Luddecke said. “The industry is often hard to work in as a Kati Luddecke is the owner and chef of Killa Wasi, a local Peruvian food truck in Austin. She woman, as is any industry, so it was just really says Killa Wasi tries to “give a more fusion take representative of what we wanted, and our on the food, more Texas ingredients, and Texas practices as the business goes.”
style.” Killa Wasi is located in a secluded, shaded patio In an effort to get their inspiration and become on Airport Boulevard with colorful chairs and re-integrated, Luddecke takes her staff to Peru
Killa Wasi’s Iquito Salad: Kale and greens, citrus, pistachios, and quinoa paired with their Aji Panca and Beet Vinaigrette. Photo taken by Killa Wasi. (Left) Killa Wasi’s “Boar Benedicto”, adapted for a vegetarian customer. Includes a fried yuca cake with huancaina queso with poached eggs at the top. “The pork is confit, ...we take the pork out after it’s done and shred it, and fry so it has a nice crunch,” said Luddecke. Has a side of : Chili-lime apples with aji-amarillo chile with lime on it and put on top of the fruits. Also has a “salsa criolla”, a red onion with cilantro and lime juice. (Far left) Kati Luddecke, owner and chef of Killa Wasi stands in front of her business. (Above)
“I think that’s the cool thing about this business, we could do whatever we wanted, and just roll with it. I go to work everyday and I am happy to be here.” -Kati Luddecke Flux 18
every year and attend Mistura, the largest culinary food festival in South America. “What they do is they bring in all different cultures that make up Peruvian food since Peruvian food is already a fusion. They have Moorish culture, Spanish culture, Brazilian culture, everything. They set up tents that represent each culture and you can go try the different influences. It’s so cool. It takes up around a mile of beach, maybe two, and you just get tickets and walk around and eat all day,” Luddecke said. The school bus that is now Killa Wasi had once belonged to a friend of Luddecke. “It used to be his RV home,” she said. “We totally stripped it down and rebuilt it to have a kitchen and everything like that.”
Karen preparing a pupusa.
“When I came to the United States, I had to start working and always in the food business. I didn’t know too much According to Luddecke, there is “absolutely” a connection English at that time but I learned,” said Karen. “And then when I moved to Austin I started working in a cafeteria, between Killa Wasi and other Peruvian restaurants. on the grill, cooking burgers, sandwiches, breakfast.” Joaquin said that since he was 12, he observed his mother “They have been very supportive and very receptive to as she took him to work, which led to him becoming a having more Peruvian food in Austin,” Luddecke said. salesperson. Luddecke said that she is the most passionate about her employees. “You can have great food all day long, but if you don’t have a great team, it is really hard to do your job,” Luddecke said. “I have really great employees who work really, really hard and they love being here.” Luddecke plans on planting a full garden on top of the bus with edible plants and hopes to eventually expand into a small, intimate, brick-and-mortar style restaurant. “It’ll be like a very nice, cute place to hang out,” she said. Joaquin and Karen co-own The Originals Salva-Tex Cuisine, a Salvadoran food truck in Austin. Joaquin bought a food truck in 2006 for his wife to fulfill her dream of owning a food business. They serve pupusas, tamales, and many other Salvadoran dishes. Joaquin said they aim to make the best food in Austin and making the customer happy. “And doing things right as well,” said Karen. “You feel good when people recommend your food because they know it’s good.” Karen has been cooking for 13 years and can remember working in the kitchen since when she was little.
“Since then, I’ve been working with people and you have to have a way to talk to the people. You have to talk to them with respect and you have to listen,” said Joaquin.
“We have a lot of dishes, but the one that you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, is a pupusa.”
-Karen
“This is how you learn so you can have more chances to have more business and people.” Karen said they wanted to have a business for themselves, rather than do it for someone else. “I worked in the kitchen before,3 and it’s really hard to work with somebody else because they don’t appreciate what you do,” said Karen. “If you really want to be successful in this business, you have to work hard and do the right thing.”
Karen and Joaquin, coowners of The Originals, in front of their food truck.
According to her, sometimes people won’t always know what a specific Salvadoran dish is. “Some people don’t know what a pupusa is and you have to explain,” said Karen. “So we explain how we do it, how we cook it, the process, the ingredients. It’s good because you have the chance to teach a lot of people about your food, your culture. The pupusa is its own main dish in El Salvador.” A pupusa is a traditional Salvadoran dish that uses a thick corn tortilla stuffed with meat or another filling. Karen said that she is glad she was able to walk away from her last job and start The Originals with Joaquin.
doing something good and if they like the food they’re going to bring more people over,” she said. “We always greet customers with warmness, even if they’re having a bad day, you always greet them: ‘good morning, good afternoon.’” Joaquin likes that he is doing something good. “I think that’s the number one goal,” said Joaquin. Karen and Joaquin hope to expand into a restaurant in the future to continue to serve their traditional Salvadoran dishes. “We have a lot of dishes,” said Karen, “but the one that you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, is a pupusa.”
“It is hard when you work hard and people don’t appreciate what you’re doing. I don’t like that because I believe that everybody deserves respect and we all have the ability to grow and with the right people you grow,” said Karen. “We work together as a team and I think that’s the key to the visit that you have the right person beside you to support you. It is really had just with one person. It has to be two to support each other when you have a goal.” Karen said her goal in life is that their customers enjoy their food, and come back. “Because if they come back then that means that we’re
The Originals Salva Tex Cuisine food truck. Flux 20
“It’s inspirational to have all the other artists in Austin at the same time,” -Ethan Azarian
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Art
Making Art
A guide through the creative process By: Quynh-Lan Pham
Looking for artist advice? This guide will be one of your best resources. Just remember that you don’t have to strictly follow the steps. Treat it as one of your references instead.
Imagine
Decide what medium you want to use, and what you want to create. Plan it out in your head and write it down. Draw a rough sketch of it. Anything that helps you keep your goal in mind. You don’t need to completely define what you want, because things will often change while you are making your piece. But at least know what you’re trying to do.
Inspiration
Take a look at the world around you. What interests you? What amazes you? You don’t have to go to an art museum, taking a walk around or browsing through creative works online is enough. Save the things you like, you might want to refer back to them later.
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Create
Get to work, but remember to have fun! If you’re just doing it for money, you may end up hating it. Typically, it will show in your piece if you enjoyed creating it, and vice versa. Step back and look at what you’ve made periodically. Be careful not to work too much on it, or you might end up ruining it. Know when to stop.
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Review
Look back at your piece and criticize it as if you were someone else. This may feel a bit unusual, but it’s a skill that will help you even outside of art. After all, how are you going to get better if you don’t know what part of you can improve? Another option is to have someone you don’t know well to take look at it. That way, you can get a less biased and more honest opinion than having someone such as a parent look at it.
4 5
Repeat
The greatest artists weren’t born with talent. If you want to get better, you’re going to have to keep practicing. Each piece you make is a step on the long path of an artist. Remember that no matter how good you think you are, there is always room for improvement.
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Painting a Colorful Future
A challenging yet entertaining career Written by: Quynh-Lan Pham
Inside the home of Ethan Azarian, a local artist participating in EAST. He and his son Francis can be seen lounging on their couch in front of one of Azarian’s paintings. (Photo taken by Quynh-Lan Pham)
Hundreds of artists across Austin open the doors to their studios, galleries, and exhibitions on November 11. It is the beginning of the first of the two weekends of the East Austin Studio Tour, also known as EAST. EAST offers the people and visitors of Austin an opportunity to meet, converse with, and support its artists. More than 300 artists participate on average. Together with its counterpart, the West Austin Studio Tour (WEST), they drive Austin’s ever-growing art industry.
Art is an integral part of Austin’s culture. More than 100 murals and over 50 galleries featuring work from local artists can be found throughout the city. The industry, while quickly growing, can be difficult to succeed in. However, thanks to the influence of EAST and WEST, as well as numerous art organizations, becoming an artist in Austin is not only enjoyable, it can also be profitable. The East Austin Studio Tour and the corresponding West Austin Studio
“It’s inspirational to have all the other artists in Austin at the same time.” Tour are programs of Big Medium, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting contemporary artists in Austin. EAST takes place on the weekends of November 11 and 18, while WEST takes place on the weekends of May 12 and 19. Both studio tours provide a free, self guided opportunity to visit, support, and converse with the artists of Austin in their creative spaces.
Top: Various pieces of artwork displayed in a shared studio during EAST. (Top photo taken by Quynh-Lan Pham)
According to its official website, EAST had 505 participants, including 241 artist studios, 66 galleries, 155 temporary exhibitions, and 26 time-based events, 10 libraries, and seven schools in 2017. True to its name, all of EAST’s locations are found east of I-35, a major interstate highway that runs through Austin. It also includes “pit stops”, which are local restaurants that support Big Medium by donating 10% of their sales. These pit stops are places where visitors may take a break and sometimes view artwork of participants while still supporting Big Medium. “It’s inspirational to have all the other artists in Austin at the same time,” Ethan Azarian, an EAST participant who has painted many murals around Austin, said. In addition to giving visitors an opportunity to view and enjoy art, EAST also gives Austin artists a chance to meet and learn from others. According to Rebecca Borrelli, the creator of several Austin-inspired coloring books, artists in Austin look to collaborate and
Left: One of the many paintings inside Azarian’s house. Right: Graffiti that was shown in the SXSW HOPE Outdoor Gallery. (Left photo taken by Quynh-Lan Pham; Right photo from Flickr)
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“Most people don’t want it to feel like a job.” connect with others. The mindsets of these artists, combined with EAST and WEST, contribute greatly to Austin’s art industry. The city itself is very supportive of artists, especially when they start community projects.
Various paintings by Ayla Erdener displayed during EAST in a shared studio. (Photo taken by Quynh-Lan Pham)
“It gets more people involved and the city is willing to give help financing it. The city loves the fact that the community’s doing something, especially schools,” Azarian said.
According to Azarian, who will soon be working with Kealing Middle School students to paint a mural on the back of their school, it is a great experience for both parties. Despite the helpful opportunities, artists in Austin still face the same problems that others face. Creative blocks are a typical, but major issue. “It’s just hard. You can’t make great art all the time,” Azarian said. They are devastating to artists who work
full-time, as they rely heavily on artmaking for a living. Fortunately, most of them have their own specific ways to overcome blocks. Their methods vary greatly, as each artist’s mind works differently from others.
they’ve overworked it and it becomes flat and dull.”
Just becoming a full-time artist can be especially difficult.
“If you have sort of the essence of what you wanted, you should stop,” Cheers stated.
“Learning how to make art for money can be difficult. Most people do it for fun, but jobs pressure you to do what you want. It takes motivation away,” Borrelli said. “Most people don’t want it to feel like a job.” Another common issue is not knowing when to stop working on a piece. “I think a lot of artists do go too far,” said Robin Cheers, a full-time artist in Austin who specializes in impressionism. “They’ll take a beautiful sketch, or the beginning of a work, and they’ll keep pushing it until
The solution that Cheers provided is for the artist to trust themselves, and step back to see what they have so far.
She warned that this may not satisfy viewers and may lead to them thinking the work is unfinished, but she strongly stressed that the artist should trust their own judgement. According to Cheers, the artist must trust that what they’ve judged to be good and what they’ve said is enough is right. Though the job of an artist is difficul , it also has benefits. Cheers finds it fun and interesting when people come and talk to her while she is working on site. People passing by will often compliment Cheers, which
she said can be very encouraging. According to Cheers, downtown Austin is always amusing and there is always a variety of people and activities going on. For Austin artists, this makes the job very enjoyable. Being an artist in Austin can be very difficult, but for those willing to take on the challenge, it proves itself to be a fun job. The diverse community is connected by their common goal to do better, and thanks to the many events hosted in the city, it is very easy for them to learn and share ideas with others. For the Austin art industry, the combination of a challenging yet interesting career, an eccentric city, and an abundance of support leaves a bright future. Top: Graffiti on a bridge over Lady Bird Lake. It is one of Austin’s many signature sights. (Photo taken by Quynh-Lan Pham) Flux 28
Fashion
Don’t Let Your Tees be Dreams By Koios Davis
Austin’s all about being unique, so here are some easy ways to stand out by making a custom shirt design at home. Two methods for printing on t-shirts are given in this tutorial: the stencil method (best for simple designs) and the transfer sheet method (best for printing a specific image onto a shirt). Materials Needed for Stencil Method:
Materials Needed for Transfer Sheet Method:
• Premade stencil OR cardboard and utility knife • Tape (preferably masking tape) • Acrylic fabric paint OR fabric ink • Small roller OR wide paint brush • Small paint tray OR disposable plate and of course... • T-shirt OR other fabric garment Optional: • Clothing dryer
•
Iron-on fabric transfer sheet for light fabric OR dark fabric* • Inkjet printer • Iron and of course... • T-shirt OR other heat-resistant fabric garment *Light fabric transfer sheets do not work on dark fabric, but dark fabric transfer sheets work on light fabric. Dark fabric transfer sheets leave a thicker layer of print than light transfer sheets. Additionally, dark fabric transfer sheets leave a white border where no image is printed, so it is advised that you cut as close to the edge of the design as possible.
Stencil Method:
Transfer sheet Method:
If stencil premade, skip steps 1 and 2 1. Find an image of the design you want to print onto the t-shirt and print it out OR draw a simple design on the cardboard 2. Use the utility knife to cut out the design from the cardboard, making the stencil 3. Use the tape to secure the stencil to the shirt, making sure the shirt has no wrinkles and the design is aligned with where you’d like it to print 4. Put the paint in the paint tray 5. Use the roller to apply the paint to the stencil, pushing the paint from the edge of the design inwards to avoid pushing paint under the stencil and ruining the edges 6. Carefully remove the stencil 7. Allow 24 hours for the paint to dry 8. (Optional) Put the shirt in the dryer on a normal cycle to set the paint and help improve durability
1. Find an image you want to transfer onto the shirt IF USING LIGHT TRANSFER PAPER: Reverse the image before printing. 2. Print the image onto the transfer paper, making sure to print on the coated side of the sheet (follow guidelines given by the transfer sheet manufacturer) 3. Place the transfer paper on the shirt, making sure the shirt is wrinkle-free and that the design is where you desire the final placement to be IF USING DARK TRANSFER PAPER: Trim the paper as close to the image as possible to avoid a white border around the design. Place the image face up. IF USING LIGHT TRANSFER PAPER: Place the image face-down. 4. Follow ironing and application instructions instructions as outlined by the paper manufacturer IMPORTANT: Allow the shirt and paper to cool fully before attempting to remove the transfer paper.
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Fashion with a Purpose ios Ko By
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Sheila Hawkins-Bucklew, founder and lead designer of Hawkins-Bucklew Jewellery Designs. Image to the right provided by Sheila Hawkins-Bucklew.
Sustainable fashion in Austin.
A necklace and earrings designed by Sheila Hawkins-Bucklew. Image above by Koios Davis.
Fashion companies who exist for the sole purpose of making money often use unethical means to keep production costs low, such as child labor and worker exploitation. In a 2017 report, the International Labour Organization estimated that women make up 58% of exploited workers, and in the fashion industry, the percentage rises due to the disproportionate amount of women in the industry. In the womandominated industry, workers often receive poverty wages and have to work hours of overtime to sustain themselves. In retaliation to these poor working conditions, some companies have revolutionized the fashion industry and started a new branch: sustainable fashion and Austin’s sociopolitical climate is the perfect place for such companies to thrive. One company in Austin making a difference is Hawkins-Bucklew Handcrafted Jewelry Designs, founded by Sheila Hawkins-Bucklew.
Through her company, she has a foundation called the HawkinsBucklew Foundation, through which they impact underserved women.
“We really try to focus and do work in the community to empower underserved women.”
-Sheila HawkinsBucklew Sheila Hawkins-Bucklew, founder and lead designer of HawkinsBucklew Handcrafted Jewelry Designs, gave insight about her
experience in the sustainable fashion industry. Hawkins-Bucklew Handcrafted Jewelry Designs was founded in 2013. Before creating her company, she began her entrepreneurship career in real-estate. “I started working more in the leadership capacity in real-estate and I began to find out that I took more joy in having other people succeed than my own personal accomplishment,” Hawkins-Bucklew said. Due to that realization, her passion for creating, and business expertise, she created her company. HawkinsBucklew says she has always been passionate about equality and women’s rights and wanted to find out how she could continue to give back to her community. Through her company’s foundation, she created opportunities for women in the global community. “My focus is to empower underserved
A necklace and pair of earrings from HawkinsBucklew Jewelry Designs’s “From Lagos Wth Love” collection. Photo to the left by Koios Davis.
women, young women; to share my story in order for them to have a leg up, in order for them to not make some of the mistakes I made, and in order for them to recognize when something just isn’t right and that they are worth more and they deserve more,” said Hawkins-Bucklew. Her mission to empower women to realize their worth was well-received in corporate America, where women
“What we do here in the United States impacts every other country, every other continent.”
-Sheila HawkinsBucklew earn 20% less than men overall, according to a 2017 Fact Sheet from the National Partnership for Women and Families. “We could do the same exact job as a male counterpart and the male counterpart is making more money than we are,” said Hawkins-Bucklew. To help achieve her goal, HawkinsBucklew worked with the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program, where young entrepreneurs from Africa come to the United States to learn more about improving their business. Through the program, she
mentored Halima, a clothing designer from Nigeria. “Working as, let’s say, a mentor, it’s a two-way street because as much as I’m able to share, I’m receiving back, with people sharing with me,” she said. Making an impact on a global scale is one of Hawkins-Bucklew’s goals, and the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program allows her to achieve it. She wants to make a global impact because she thinks that each community is globally connected. “What we do here in the United States impacts every other country, every other continent,” HawkinsBucklew said. With the United States being one of the most powerful countries in the world, this belief is vital in making a positive impact. She offered some advice to others who want to help make a positive impact. “Just do it,” she said. “Live your passion.” According to Hawkins-Bucklew, people often get in their own way when it comes to acting on their dreams. They tell themselves that they won’t be able to succeed. “We actually come here with everything we need, we have our innate skills,” Hawkins-Bucklew said. When a person does something they enjoy, they are able to tap into their innate skills and authentic self. “[When] you tap into your authentic self,” Hawkins-Bucklew said, “you’re going to be able to succeed in whatever it is that you dream for yourself to do.” To truly attain success, one needs
to set themselves aside from their competition. In order to do that, one needs to be innovative and have a plan for what they’re doing. “If you have a good enough dream or idea, your money will come,” Hawkins-Bucklew said.
“If you have a good enough dream or idea, your money will come.”
-Sheila HawkinsBucklew In following one’s aspiration, she again said to go for it and to just do it. “What’s the difference between someone who starts a business and someone who doesn’t? A lot of the time it’s taking that dream and putting it into action,” HawkinsBucklew said. Fashion companies, especially those which must rapidly produce new designs, are often detrimental to the global community, but companies like Hawkins-Bucklew Handcrafted Jewelry Designs are helping to strengthen communities and show hope for the sustainability of fashion in the future. These kinds of companies in Austin are showing that in achieving seemingly unrelated goals it is possible to positively impact the world.
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