UIN MAG RUIN MAG RUINWHAT MAGS RUIN?MAG RUIN MAG RUIN MAG RUIN MAG RUIN MAG RUIN MAG RUIN MAG RUIN MAG RUIN MAG RUIN MAG RUIN MAG RUIN MAG RUIN MAG RUIN MAG RUIN MAG Dissatisfied with the way the magazine industry was going, Madison Paloski and Raegan Cleary wanted to do something about it. Tired of the generational gap between who was making magazines and who was reading them they wanted something for young adults, by young adults.
Think of Ruin Mag as your neighborhood zine with a twist. We are here to report on all the fashion, art, music and lifestyle news that other magazines are afraid of. We wanna hear what you, the readers, have to say. And most of all, we’re here to shatter your expectations.
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Meet the Team EMILY GARCIA GRAPHIC DESIGNER
RAEGAN CLEARY EDITOR IN CHIEF
Emily Garcia is an incoming senior at Lasell University studying Fashion Communication & Promotion with a minor in Graphic Design. She has experience in visual arts, visual merchandising, and styling. Emily has also been an editorial fashion stylist for POLISHED Magazine since February 2020. Her favorite snack combo is buffalo cauliflower with an iced matcha! She also loves cuddling with her 6 year old cat, Lola.
Raegan Cleary graduated from Lasell University with a degree in fashion media. She has five years of published writing experience and has had her styling work featured in Vogue Italia’s PhotoVogue. She likes long walks to Chipotle and French Bulldogs. In the future she’d love to become the next Miranda Priestly or the frontwoman in a girl-punk band
ASHLEY BURKE GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ashley Burke is a graduate of Lasell University where she studied Fashion Communication & Promotion and minored in Graphic Design and Photography. Since a young age, Ashley has always had a passion for both fashion and creativity. When she’s not working on building her portfolio, you will most likely find her searching through the racks at thrift stores or on her way to get her guilty pleasure which is basically any kind of fast food.
EMMA INGENOHL SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Emma Ingenohl is going into her senior year at Lasell University where she will begin her role as Lead Stylist for POLISHED Magazine. Emma is a Fashion Communications major and spends most of her days designing, altering, and styling clothes. She someday aspires to own a company that supplies other fashion brands all over the world with sustainable resources.
MADISON PALOSKI CREATIVE DIRECTOR Madison Paloski is a recent graduate from Lasell University where she studied fashion media and graphic design. She has had her writing published in Her Campus, College Fashionista, and Harness Magazine, and her photography, styling, and creative direction featured in numerous online and print publications. When she’s not drowning herself in various creative endeavors you’ll probably find her begging to go to Savers.
GREGG CASAZZA CONTRIBUTING LAYOUT DESIGNER, GRAPHIC DESIGNER Gregg Casazza is a recent Communication Journalism graduate, currently working in copyediting in MA. He has worked for a number of magazines in Boston and Florence, as well as several online publications. You can often find Gregg working on his Celine Dion impression, singing to his dog Izzy, or some combination of both. He is also famously single, but feels confident that “this will be his year.”
004. Press Play
005. Savannah Monrreal
011. Look at Me
006. Control
007. Funky Little People
009. Sad Pop for Dad Bods
013. Self- Love
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038. I Know You
019. 021. 023. 030. 034. Rowan Draper
032. The Vagarious Man
018. God is a Woman Posters for Protest: BLM Telfar Is for the People Day Dreamin’ at Home Creations by A.D
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Creative Director: Madison Paloski; Editor-in-Chief: Raegan Cleary; Contributing Layout Designers- Gregg Casazza, Ashley Burke, Emily Garcia, and Madison Paloski; Cover Photographer: Madison Paloski; Cover Models: Bryn Elizabeth Martin and Olivia Virkler; Cover Stylists: Madison Paloski, Raegan Cleary, Emma Ingenohl, and Emma Pereira; Contributors: Savannah Monrreal, Maya Swift, Helene Wotruba, Raegan Cleary, Flora Nwakobi, Gregg Casazza, Hannah Meyers, Emily Garcia, Noor Lobad, Emma Pereira, A.D. Astra, Koyuki Aker, Rowan Draper, Amy Larsen, and DARKRECONSTRUCTION; All overlays from free PNG websites, PNGwing, CleanPNG, and Pixel Budda.
Music, makes the people, come together, yeah. All of us here at Ruin Mag. are passionate about music, and although we won’t be going to any live shows for quite a while, we can always have a mini-concert right in our own bedrooms. We wanted to share with you (our reader of impeccable taste) a few of our favorite songs right now. We hope they make you dance, scream, cry, and vibe while you listen. Enjoy!
Evergreen – Ryan Beatty IPHONE- Rico Nasty Frank Ocean – Kash Paige Sauce- Remi Wolf Breathe Deeper – Tame Impala May – Loopin I DON’T KNOW ABOUT HIM – Roy Blair I Wanna Get Better - Bleachers Saturdays (feat. HAIM) – Twin Shadow Good Zone - Diners Ghost Adventure Spirit Orb – Chloe Moriondo party 4 u – Charli XCX
art courtesy of Gregg Casazza
PRESS PLAY
FALL 2020 PLAYLIST
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SAVANNAH MONRREAL H
ey! My name is ah Monrreal and nn va Sa t. I’m an LA-based artis g in jor ma y tl en I’m curr d an ion at str lu il in e minoring in creativ time, an me e th In writing. g in rk wo en be ve I ha mic as an emerging co ting ea cr , ter artist/wri g in ak rt pa d an zines al in other experiment nt wa u yo If endeavors. n ca u yo , me t or to supp am (@ gr sta In on me d fin eck out samonrreal) and ch larts)! ea rr on am (@s my Etsy u yo Hopefully, I’ll see around! :) This illustration was made specifically for Ruin Mag’s second issue and is heavily inspired by their ball and chain design. In approaching how I would incorporate the design, I began thinking about the initial concept of the ball and chain. That concept is often associated with a burden, a weight placed upon someone, or the feeling of being trapped. However, I twisted those symbolic attachments by illustrating the ball and chain as a fashion accessory. In that way it becomes a movement of regaining the control that often gets lost with the feeling of being weighed down. The character themselves expresses no feeling of struggle but instead the likeness of defiance and rebellion. Thus, as is praised by Ruin Mag, it works to emulate shattering expectations and using the ball and chain to one’s own accord!
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by: Maya Swift @ mayaisabelaswift
ARTIST STATEMENT:
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his piece is especially important to me because it’s how I discovered my love for collaging. I wasn’t sure what point I was trying to make with this piece until the end when everything tied together. Though I have my own ideas on what it means, I think it’s really important to give everyone the opportunity to decipher art for themselves.
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Funky Little PEOPLE from sketchbooks to out of this world characters Helene Woturda creates her own “Funky Little People”
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uring lockdown with not much to look at, apart from the bits and bobs in my house, I started to have a little play with making these random bits and bobs in to funky little people,” said Helene Wotruba. These “funky little people” as she puts it, are each unique colorful creatures not quite alien and yet not quite human. Trophies for bodies, and lightbulbs for chests, these characters are utterly out of this world. And yet, for all their absurdities, there is something so recognizable about each one, in the emotions that they convey and the stories that tell. To see more of her work check out her Instagram page @ helenewotruba_art
art courtesy of Helene Wotruba
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SAD POP Sad Pop
DAD BODS Yard Arms Talks About Creating an Accidental Quarantine Anthem
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ormed in 2018, Bristol, UK based Yard Arms have been playing music together longer than they haven’t. The duo, consisting of Noah Villeneuve and Billy Golding, began making music together in 2007, despite not being old enough to get into the bars they played at. By 2014, their first project fell apart naturally although Villeneuve and Golding kept playing music whenever they could. In 2017, Villeneuve began working on some songs and eventually wrote an album. However, he and Golding weren’t in a good place at the time and it didn’t feel right. Then a year later, Villeneuve and Golding sat down together and wrote a few songs together which eventually lead to songs that were on their first EP Maiden. Not sure if anything would become of this, they recorded the tracks with the help of a mutual friend. Out of all the projects the duo worked on, Yard Arms has always felt the most natural. “It was like the best experience we’d ever had in the studio. It was, um, it was just something about it, there was this real energy that we couldn’t ignore,” Villeneuve said. “And we just kept on doing that. And we got some guys to come and play in a room with us. And we got a couple of shows, and it just kind of has been a very natural process since then.” Authenticity has always been a big part of Yard Arms, so not being transparent was never an option. “We’re not trying to be something we’re not; we’re not pandering to people, we’re definitely not trying to be cool because we’re not... It’s a very natural organic process. And I think everyone we enjoy listening to, or respect, and our peers are all the same. People see through the dishonesty pretty quickly.” Flash forward to 2020, the band was finishing up their third EP when COVID-19 hit. Villeneuve describes Yard Arms sound as “transatlantic
melancholic bops” which he sums up as “sad pop for dad bods” and their latest single is no exception. “These Four Walls” centers around honeymoon periods of relationships and the struggle of knowing that might not be the reality of the situation, while also touching upon the idea that this person must crazy to be with you. Initially, the band had “Mantra” as their lead single but soon realized that “These Four Walls” had taken on a deeper meaning. Villeneuve recognizes that songs can have different meanings for different people, but wants everyone to know this was written before the pandemic even started. Like almost everyone else right now, Yard Arms had to put their plans for the rest of 2020 on hold, but are currently focusing on writing and rehearsing. Villeneuve realizes that while this can be an inspiring time for some, but also a difficult, noting that he’s been stuck somewhere in the middle. Despite all the pressure to be productive, his biggest hope is to get out of this healthy and sane. Raegan Cleary, @raegarific Photos courtesy of @GLKmedia
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art courtesy of Flora Nwakobi
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lora Nwakobi is an 18-year-old artist from Tkarón:to (Toronto) with ambitious goals, including exploring and vocalizing their individuality through the arts. Their unique perspective can be seen through all of their creative endeavors, but it is their fine art pieces that especially grabbed our attention, for their ability to effectively “vocalize” to the viewer. We selected these pieces of Flora’s art because of their strong sense of urgency, and for their ability to speak through the medium. When looking at pieces like “Spike Ass N*” the viewer can almost hear the surrealist scream coming from the vibrant red and contrasting phthalo blue background. In the kaleidoscopic piece, “Egotistical,” the subject looks directly at the viewer almost as if to say, “can you hear me?” The colors they select are dynamic, animated, and for lack of a better word— loud. So, is it any wonder that Flora concerns themselves with the concept of being heard through their art? They take this concept and heighten it and (if you’ll excuse the pun) turns the volume up, exaggerating lips and open mouths to force the viewer to hear their message.
art courtesy of Flora Nwakobi
This comes through in all of Flora’s work, they are passionate about sharing their life experiences in whichever medium necessary in order to best tell their story. They are a director, a writer, a visual artist, activist, and overall a creator. Looking at their Instagram (@flosbigtoes) you can see all of these passions at their point of convergence. They share not only their fine art but also their portraiture, some video projects, and their political activism in action. They say that even during this difficult time, with Covid-19, the global Black Lives Matter protests, and everything else, they are actually inspired to create more. This drive to create art stems from their demand to be seen and heard through their art. They have taken this time to reflect on their feelings and thoughts as well as critique and challenge themself. They note in online interviews “Art has the ability to make social commentary in a way that news outlets cannot, and documenting moments like this through art is just crucial.” For this reason, they have recently decided to focus on selling their art alongside their other creative ventures. For more information on the artist, you can visit their website: https://www.floranwakobi. com/ or follow their Instagram @flosbigtoes.
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and learning to take care of yourself during a pandemic
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photos courtesy of Francelle Papailler
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amara, you need to get yourself together, you need to do something, for you.� These were the words that Tamara Filsaime told herself when she was at her lowest and most unmotivated moments during this quarantine. I interviewed Filsaime through a glitchy video-call, pausing every few moments to allow the words to catch up with the video— this is journalism during a pandemic. But for the many drawbacks that this interview format had, the lag also allowed for a greater focus on her words and her inspiring story: a story of finding value in everything you do.
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“Part of the reason that I picked up roller skating,” said Filsaime, “was I started seeing a lot of roller skaters on places like TikTok and Instagram, but it was just a lot of white roller skaters.” If you look up “roller skating girl” the first hit will likely be the videos of Ana Coto, a young and highly skilled roller-skater. She rose to internet fame on TikTok where she posted videos of her dancing on her skates to songs like “Jenny From The Block” and Beyoncé’s “Check on it.” Many cite her as there “skate-inspo,” and share comments on her videos like, “This girl single-handedly saved the roller-skating industry. We all love her, we all want to be her, or both.” Though the history of roller skating, and especially its cultural significance to the Black community, may be lost on many who presume that Coto invented the sport, Filsaime has done her research. She explained that during the Civil Rights Movement, roller skating had a lot of “political and social influence on the Black community,” with skaters protesting for desegre-
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These behaviors, or activities, are not meant to be productive in the traditional sense, they were specifically chosen for their value in self-care, rather than productivity. Filsaime stressed the importance of finding several small things that can foster positive change in your life, and not just tethering your selfworth to your work output. Her first step, was taking care of her skin. The seemingly simple act of washing her face served as a launching point for a series of unrelated “unproductive” activities. Activities like yoga, social distance hikes, finding moments of mindfulness in the outdoors, and of course—rollerskating.
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Living in isolation is a dangerous thing for human beings, according to Julianne Holt-Lunstad of Health Affairs, there have already been some immediate observable effects of social isolation related to this pandemic. A few effects have been surges in mental health concerns, substance abuse, and domestic violence, as well as an increase in a number of problematic health behaviors— including substance use, poorer sleep, and emotional or overeating. “This is a stressful time for all of us; it is overwhelming in ways that we do not realize, and we are feeling a lot of things that we may not even recognize we are feeling,” said Filsaime. While there may be an increase in the number of “problematic health behaviors,” Filsaime is trying to foster a few more positive behaviors.
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Filsaime, like many during the pandemic, has seen massive shifts in her work-home balance, in that there is no balance at all, work has entered the home in an unprecedented way—shattering any such separation. “It got to the point that I was waking up, logging on, and not doing anything more with myself,” said Filsaime. She noted that this felt specifically hypocritical as she was often working in virtual workshop programs, encouraging other young people to stay motivated and active. Meanwhile, she remarked that she was doing nothing to care for herself and that “getting up was hard” and “just taking care of herself” was a challenge. What had once become a place for relaxation and decompression, had quickly become a “round-the-clock” office space, and the lack of separation was taking its toll on Filsaime. “The first step was acknowledging that something was even wrong— acknowledging that I was feeling like I was in shambles,” said Filsaime.
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history, check out the 2019 documentary “United Skates.” In a time that so eerily echoes the social upheaval of the 1960s, the activities Filsaime has embraced are, of course, colored by the effects of the Black Lives Matter movement. This movement, initially founded in 2013 as a response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer, has once more gained widespread cultural significance after the 2020 murder of George Floyd. As such, the act of a Black woman caring for her own skin takes on a different level of relevance and inherent politicism, and so too does the seemingly benign sport of roller skating, which is actually steeped in a rich tradition and cultural significance. “While taking care of Black lives,” said Filsaime, “we have to acknowledge that while there are a lot of traumatic things happening, there are also beautiful things that have come out from the Black community.” This trauma affects the Black community differently than other groups of people, and the stress and anxiety they feel during this pandemic are only heightened every time they turn on the daily news or use social media. Filsaime suggests that one way to heal this trauma is to practice these acts of self-love and self-care. She also notes that while she has the luxury and privilege of taking time to care for herself through these activities, it is something that anyone anywhere can and should do. “Self-care looks different to everyone,” she said. It could be practicing mindful eating habits, or taking time in the shower to check in on yourself, there are countless activities that you can do throughout the day that takes no additional time, that everyone should try. So how then do you stay impassioned in a time that has been so draining for so many? Just because everyone can practice self-care does not mean
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photos courtesy of Francelle Papailler
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Tamara Filsaime has recontextualized her own notion of productivity and success. For too long, work has dictated that “you are what you produce”— your time is only valuable if it is used to make something. It is exactly this feeling like a “robot” that disillusioned Filsaime to this mindset so much, and brought her to buck against what society thinks is an “acceptable use of time.” This is not the only form of success. “If I am not taking care of myself, I will not be successful, no matter how good I am at my job, or how much I accomplish,” said Filsaime, “none of that matters if I, myself,
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they necessarily have the determination to see it through. “We have an amazing skill to learn new skills. I feel like a kid again, when you learn how to do something and get really excited about it,” said Filsaime. This is how she remains activated and motivated to stick with her activities, she treats the time as something to look forward to. She is also careful to add that if she doesn’t feel like the time is going to contribute to how she wants to feel, then she will do something else, it is all about “encouraging” rather than “forcing.”
don’t feel good.” If success is only measured by what one does in their job, then this pandemic and quarantine have had no effect on Filsaime. But, if you can broaden your own notion of success you may find that the journey of trauma and anxiety to self-care and self-love is indeed nothing short of extraordinary. And you may also find that the potential for productivity is already within you, and dependent on your ability to take care of yourself. Gregg Casazza, @ greggariously photos courtesy of Francelle Papailler
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photos courtesy of Francelle Papailler
God is a Woman
This shoot was done completely sustainable and is 100% thrift. Clothing and accessories were made by Hannah Meyers by items found at Savers. Fashion Sustainability is an important part of keeping our ecosystem and Mother Gaia healthy and thriving. It is both our ethical and moral duties to preserve the world around us.
Models: Hannah Meyers & Bex Chieng Instagram: @the_notorious_bbg_ & @Cardi.bex Photographer: Chris Yacino Instagram: @Chriscanonimages Designer & Artistic Director: Hannah Meyers
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y name is Emily Jeanette Garcia, and I am a designer from the Boston area. I honestly don’t really have a design style. I tend to go with the flow and create whatever comes to mind for the project at hand. This poster was created in reaction to the Black Lives Matter movement that has escalated these past few months. My poster reads “staying silent during times of injustice is privilege,� which I believe to be true. For someone to stay silent while others are in pain not only shows their lack of values but also reveals their privilege. @ emgarcia__
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Did you see her Telfar bag? Not the “Bushwick Birkin”! - @xyarachel
TELFAR IS FOR THE PEOPLE “F ashion for all” has long been one of the most widely used yet laughably untrue expressions coined by the fashion industry, which notoriously thrives off of elusiveness masked by the guise of inclusivity. For decades, any semblance of diversification displayed by fashion brands has been no more than a thinly-veiled attempt to save face and ward off potential criticism as consumers become increasingly demanding of diverse representation from the companies they support. When creative director Hedi Slimane’s first Spring 2019 show at the helm of Celine faced heavy criticism for 87 of the show’s 96-model casting being white, Slimane moved the needle back in his favor by supplementing his subsequent shows with more models of color until public scrutiny shifted elsewhere. Celine’s most recent Fall 2020 show reportedly involved 19% models of color; enough for Slimane to avoid going under fire for a lack of diversity, but still few enough that he did not have to divert fully from his signature rail-thin, white model aesthetic. In 2018, Dolce and Gabbana released a not-so-subtle racist video as part of their “DG Loves China” campaign that mocked Chinese culture and portrayed a Chinese model struggling to use chopsticks to eat Italian dishes. The video had been intended to build hype for D&G’s first-ever fashion show in China meant to take place the following week, which unsurprisingly ended up being canceled in the midst of public outrage over the incident, the final straw in a long-running string of problematic D&G moments that have left consumers in anger and utter confusion
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at how a brand headed by two gay minorities can so consistently exemplify such awe-inspiring tone-deafness. Time and time again, the message has been made loud and clear: to those at the forefront of the industry, inclusivity is a tool— not a value. Brooklynbased, black-owned fashion brand Telfar, however, is leading with actions rather than words. Founded in 2005 by Telfar Clemens, the designer’s eponymous brand has had a slow but steady rise to the top. Having garnered a loyal consumer base for being an affordable luxury brand and winning the 2017 CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund, Telfar’s rise to eminence popped off when its unisex, vegan leather Shopping Bag was released that same year. With different sizes
“Time and time again, the message has been made loud and clear: to those at the forefront of the industry, inclusivity is a tool not a value.” costing between $150 to $257, the bag has since become the It bag of 2020, reaching almost Birkin-level status at a fraction of the famed bag’s retail price. When Telfar was unexpectedly dumped by GAP during the planning of an upcoming collaboration between the two brands last March, the public was left confused until the reason for the dub became apparent in July, when GAP announced an upcoming collection and 10-yeardeal with Kanye West’s Yeezy brand. The move felt underhanded to many, and even raised questions about why there is seemingly only one spot for a reigning
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successful black designer when white designers rarely ever have to compete over the same collaborations. Nevertheless, Telfar has continued to sell out its bag at astonishing rates. With restocks routinely selling out within mere minutes, Telfar bags have quickly become the new object of apparel resellers’ attention. One of the bag’s July restocks even reportedly had a whopping 60% of its product cleaned out by reseller bots. Following restocks have similarly had their inventory eaten up by resellers eager to swindle already-agitated consumers, who have long since resigned to paying botched resell prices for their sneakers and, now apparently, their Telfar bags as well. The enemies of accessibility, resellers are an unfortunate, direct consequence of fashion having been reduced to a form of social currency in recent years. However, modern problems require modern solutions. To Telfar Clemens, that meant taking to twitter to announce that all Telfar bags were to be made available for pre-order on August 19th for 24 hours to an unlimited number of customers, in a bid to aid them in securing themselves a bag without having to take their chances during upcoming restocks.
and StockX has become the 21st-century equivalent. “We are not about hype and scarcity. We didn’t set out to make an impossible- to-get product. The whole point of our bag is accessibility and community,” read a statement on the brand’s website. Hype and fashion have been so often conflated that brands and consumers alike have grown to consider the scarcity of a product to be a necessary prerequisite to its success. However, the catastrophic events of 2020 have simply left no room for anything other than undisputable, what-you-see-is-what-youget-level authenticity. The reciprocated loyalty Telfar has demonstrated to its customers has propped the company up at a time in which other businesses are drowning in COVID-19-induced uncertainties. Telfar’s disinterest in being an aspirational brand, but rather, a brand of the people, has established Noor Lobad, @ noorlobaddie
It was the tweet heard around the world. Such an unheardof gesture by a luxury fashion house, the simplicity of Clemens’ solution left many scratching their heads wondering, why hasn’t this happened sooner? Prior to now, crooked resell prices have never been the enemy in the eyes of designers— they have been the goal. If getting one’s designs to be sold at Bergdorf Goodman’s was the designer benchmark for success in the ‘90s, having one’s products be desired widely enough for them to end up on resell platforms such as Grailed
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ith everyday schedules wiped clean and life feeling flipped upside down, the public is anything but shy to announce 2020 should be “cancelled.” The fall season offers the fashion calendar some of its most important events. Fashion Week, back to school, and let’s not forget the September issue. Fashion professionals globally use these events as times of inspiration and opportunities to grow. Not being able to do their jobs the way they have for years makes this frustrating “cancel” culture even more draining to the individuals working from within. But hold up... industry creatives are here to say 2020 isn’t cancelled just yet. What sets the fashion industry apart from others out there is the persistent personalities of the people who work in it. No matter the circumstances, creatives now more than ever have been trialing unique ways to innovate non-traditional spins on traditional fashion events, like runways and photoshoots. Our world has been forced to move from half digital to entirely digital basically overnight, so how have designers, models, stylists, and photographers been adapting? Live Streams, masks, and social distancing are only minor roadblocks. Ruin Mag’s latest issue touches on trends that combine the way people connect their feelings about the world we live in today with the clothing they wear. Between a global pandemic, a country burning to flames in racial injustices, and a presidential election, our minds are scattered, and mix-matched, print-layered outfits have been reflecting that more and more. Shooting in a local neighborhood, this issue defines what can truly be done using personal resources and working from home. Similarly to Prada’s Fall 2020 RTW collection, Ruin Mag’s issue played with shapes and layering. Offering some looks with shapeless silhouettes and others with synched-in waists, the images let women identify that they have a choice in how to express their femininity with what they are wearing this season. Different style blazers gave the models a sense of being strong and powerful, but other more feminine touches give the images a dreamy contrast, which was also a huge underlying message and trend in the Prada show as well. This fall, we are continuing to see an almost “old is new” view on clothing, too. The more prevalent thrifting closet staples become, the more sustainable the industry becomes. This has been a huge trend that trickled-up from the streets to the runway this year. Now we are seeing every design house create head to toe looks that could have very well come out of our grandma’s closet (and we mean that in the best way possible). Many items in the shoot were thrifted or reworked, which shows the capability secondhand clothing has to be high-end and editorial. The standout for the editorial was behind the color story. The falls looks were bold with head to toe color and pastels, which is typically uncommon for the season. Toning brighter colors down with shades of neutrals added a balance to each look that allowed every component involved to shine in its own way. Sometimes bright colors and prints are all you need to add a glimmer of hope during the times we find ourselves in today and a much-needed change to your boring fall outfits. Written by Emma Pereira @emmapereirayo Styling by Emma Pereira, Emma Ingenohl @ emmaingss, Raegan Cleary @raegarific, and Madison Paloski @maddiiiooyx Photography by Madison Paloski Modeling by Bryn Elizabeth Martin @brynelizabethmartin and Olivia Virkler @oliviavirkler
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The Vagarious Man The Vagarious Man The Vagarious Man
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his piece was made with gouache and acrylic paint. I rarely do abstract work therefore this project was very challenging for me. The Vagarious man is a depiction of the capricious part of my personality. From a young age I was taught to live by the rules: be quiet, be nice, be lady-like, and so on. Because I followed these rules, people often commented on how I was “mature for my age”. I am an incoming 11th grader now. The people I surround myself with have taught me many amazing things that have made me the person I am today. They taught me the true meaning of “acting my age”. Constantly having to fit the standards of a perfect child was extremely detrimental to my mental health. I realize now that I don’t have to be mature all of the time. I can be mature and I can also be vagarious. Koyuki Aker @skye.acre
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Rowan Draper Crowding space; aching to esca p e
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owan Draper is an emerging artist born in Montreal, raised in the Laurentian region of Quebec. His work consists of dystopian collages and spray-paint infused cartoons, inspired by visual artists Gary Panter, Salvador Dali, and Hieronymus Bosch.
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Psychedellic travellers; further down the
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Rowan Drap
The Wanderer travels acr o ss the d e s e r t e d land, over the millions of mushrooms; searching. 36
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teeth ! Teeth to Kill!
When I start out I’m always just creating for fun, following my intuition. Only after the piece is finished do I begin to find meaning in my artwork, whether it was there from the beginning or was created afterward to fit the piece, I can’t say. I believe that for the most part my artwork is created from my own personal fears; fear of being alone, of being lost, both physically and emotionally, of not having a voice in a crowded, oversaturated world. Fear of the apocalypse. I take these fears and convert them into something productive, something positive. But that’s just my current interpretation, in a year these same pieces could represent the things I love in life. That’s why artwork, in any medium, is so fascinating, it is a living, breathing thing brought to life by our ever-changing perception of it. @rowd.art
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his poem and artwork focus on vulnerability. Often when we are young we are taught not to cry and we carry this with us into adulthood. This poem explores the difficulties that we can face when expressing
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our emotions. The poem “I Know You� is dedicated to my younger self and the advice I wish I could give her now. I run an Etsy shop with my sister where we sell poetry and art prints similar to these. The link to
i s www.etsy. com/shop/ larsenstudios and we can be found on Instagram @larsenstudios and on Facebook @larsenstudios. I also run a separate poetry account @amylarsen_poetry.
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2020 acrylic painting on paper
“I
am an emerging nonbinary queer artist working in acrylic and watercolor paints, creating abstract expressionist paintings, and a graphic designer with over a decade of experience. I currently live and create art in Queens, NY. My work focuses on the contrast between urban life and nature. I am inspired by concrete walls overgrown by ivy and tree branches, train underpasses covered in graffiti and grass, a strong New York summer rainstorm beating against my window, the decaying Red Hook warehouses, tiny alleys, and the way the air smells on the first few days of September. It is my aim to create paintings that bring a moment of serenity and calm to the viewer” - DARKRECONSTRUCTION Website darkreconstructionart.com Instagram @darkreconstruction
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