Tarnished Magazine Spring 2025

TO THE READERS

I am beyond grateful to be privileged to work with such a talented and passionate team for my last issue of TARNISHED Magazine. Working with Aaliyah, Bella, Atllas, Lindsay, Joslyn, Chloe, and Amelia has truly been a highlight of my college years. Much like a collage, our different areas of speciality all come together to create a beautiful mix of perspective and passion for design, art, and writing. Leading a design team has always been a goal of mine, and I am so proud to have completed this goal for two consecutive years now as Art Director. TARNISHED has taught me an insane amount about art direction, but also project management, publication design, printing processes, Adobe InDesign, and how to work with over 70+ contributors some years.

It’s been such a whirlwind experience that I had the honor to be swept up in and take charge of, and I am delighted that I was able to get this opportunity at Lasell. I am extremely grateful to our advisor Yvette Perullo for her hard work and guidance towards making this happen. Thank you very much to the Photography for Design class for their continued collaboration in designing TARNISHED covers. I cannot wait to see the future issues of TARNISHED, and I am so thankful to have been involved throughout all four years of my education here at Lasell.

ERIN TILLEY

I’m so proud of all the hard work we’ve put in as a team. Thank you to all those who contributed to creating this year’s issue. This issue really embodies tarnished and our cover’s aesthetic, “not your mother’s collage,” focusing on a modern, futuristic spin of the traditional medium. I’m happy to know I’m leaving TARNISHED in the capable hands of Atllas, Bella, Lindsay, Chloe and Joslyn. I’m grateful to Erin for trusting me in my abilities as Art Editor to highlight artists from all over the world. I will miss working with her and being her classwork buddy. Being a part of TARNISHED for the past four years has been the best, challenging me in my knowledge of publication design, team management and my overall growth as a creator. Through countless late nights, collaborative brainstorming sessions, and the thrill of seeing each issue come to life, I’ve strengthened my skills and developed a deeper appreciation for the power of storytelling.

Thank you to our advisor, Professor Yvette Perullo, who helped make this magazine come to life, with her guidance throughout the process and service to getting the magazine printed. I can’t wait to see what she, as well as the rest of the team, does for future issues.

Tarnished forever <3

AALIYAH WYMAN

An art-centric, edgy, and alternative magazine caught my eye the moment I came to Lasell—and I’m grateful for it. The creativity and individuality was present from the moment I looked at the cover of the 12th volume, and hearing that I could be part of something so inspiring left me feeling excited for a new opportunity.

Navigating creating a magazine from scratch sounded like a fascinating experience when I first heard of TARNISHED almost two years ago. I never expected to be part of the EBoard this year alongside the lively rest of this creation’s members. This edition of TARNISHED required lots of navigating and consideration. It was a different experience than what I’m used to, but it was made possible thanks to my peers. I want to give a special thank you to Erin and Aaliyah for guiding me through this entire process. Without them and their unwavering dedication, this magazine would not be in front of you right now. I also want to thank Chloe and Amelia for their clever and creative social media work. Atllas, Lindsay, and Joslyn, our associates, were incredible help as well. Without their input and assistance, this magazine would have gone much slower. Lastly, thank you to Yvette for being our advisor. Without her input and knowledge, none of this would be possible. This magazine is more than just a publication—it’s a collection of the ideas of us, past students and faculty, and the current students here at Lasell. Thank you to everyone who took their time to participate in creating this hodgepodge of our ideas and inspirations.

BELLA SCHLIM

MISSION STATEMENT

TARNISHED Magazine is dedicated to discovering beauty in unexpected places. It strives to build a creative community by offering opportunities for learning in the visual and literary arts, while providing a professional venue for student work.

MEET THE TEAM

ERIN TILLEY

ART DIRECTOR

BELLA SCHLIM

MANAGING EDITOR

LINDSAY SCALESE

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR

JOSLYN BARGER-NIEMZ

ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR

AALIYAH WYMAN

ART EDITOR

CHLOE GALIPEAU

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

ATLLAS STONE

ASSOCIATE ART EDITOR

YVETTE PERULLO FACULTY ADVISOR

CONTRIBUTORS

Mandy Brochhausen

Sydney Brundage

Salem Carpenter

Julie Carpentier

Olivia Chura

Jade Durkee

Angely Estrada

Amelia Farrin

Nick Fernandes

Aidan Freimuth

Hugo Hawes

Bob Hsiung

Dora Hsiung

Jay Katzen

Key Loken

Janellys Martinez

Paige Mesropian

Caroline Morrell

Colleen Newcomb

Emma Quinn

Eliara Rodriguez

Jocelyn Salcedo

Talia Salls

Allison Schuberg

Bill Sloane

Natasha Steiner

MacKenzie Transue

Ella Upton

Liam Watson

Emma White

Jenna Wildman

THE COVER

The collage overlaying the city of Boston displays vibrance and grit, mirroring the city’s own layered history and energy. It reflects how Boston thrives with an everchanging blend of old and new—historic brownstones clashing against modern glass towers. The cover splits and merges imagery in a way that is chaotic yet unified, just like the city itself. Its torn edges and overlapping textures represent the city’s resilience, where tradition and rebellion coexist.

Designed by Anthony Stancato for the Photography for Design course

Salem Carpenter 07

Behind the Shot: The Inspiration and Technique of Jenny Bergman

John Gonnella’s World of Pop Art

Erin Tilley

A Work of Many Mediums

Amelia Farrin

Izabalien Rising

Aaliyah Wyman

Kalle Hellzén: Through the Lens of a Colorblind Artist

Joslyn Barger-Niemz

Between the Lines with Watercolor Artist Varia Fedotova

Joslyn Barger-Niemz

Impermanent Objects by Lisa Wicka

Joslyn Barger-Niemz

Owen Korzec: Songs from Scratch

Amelia Farrin

Behind the Shot: The Inspiration and Technique of Jenny Bergman

HOW DID YOU FIND THE MEDIUM YOU LIKE BEST?

I’ve been doing photography since my grandmother gave me a Kodak Instamatic 110 in the 5th grade. I felt very important—powerful perhaps—taking pictures with my very own camera because it seemed to be something that only grown-ups did. This was in the 80s, when you had to send color film cartridges off in the mail to be developed, and then endure the wait for your prints to return one, maybe two weeks later. Both my mother and father had their own interest in photography, so I had access to a 35mm SLR as well as photography books to pore over when I was a teenager. I was lucky to attend a high school with a decent darkroom, so I started developing my own black-and-white film and prints. I spent endless hours in that darkroom. That was my safe cocoon.

Despite having access to the tools, no one specifically gave me a formal photography education until I reached college, and even then, I kind of stumbled through it. Once I had collected a respectable portfolio, I was able to transfer to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, where I had the freedom to explore more ways of making art.

I guess you could say that photography was my gateway medium into the multidisciplinary practice that I have today. But photography is and always will be my weapon of choice.

HOW DO YOU GET INTO A CREATIVE MINDSET? DO YOU HAVE A RITUAL BEFORE CREATING OR ANOTHER SORT OF MOODSETTING?

I wish I could tell you that I have a ritual, but I have none. My creative process is simply honoring the instinct to document and understand my life or indulge in the sensory pleasure of exploring new ideas or materials, trusting that the work has value beyond my own experience of making it. Having a great playlist helps, too.

WHAT DOES PHOTOGRAPHY DO FOR YOU? DOES IT BRING YOU JOY OR A SENSE OF CALM?

Nope! Certainly not in the moment of creating. I tend to get wrapped up in the labor of making it “perfect.” That can be rather draining. But at this point, my photographic practice is so fully integrated within me that to not do it would be like losing one of my senses or a limb. So I introduce novelty or say yes to things I’ve never done before to make it feel just scary enough to light a spark.

Novelty can be a new camera, an unfamiliar process, or a new workflow I’ve never used before. For example, I knew I wanted to cultivate a body of photographic work centered on my family during the pandemic, but lugging my DSLR around would be impractical. My phone camera, while convenient, wasn’t going to provide the quality I wanted, so I bought a pocket-sized used mirrorless camera and committed to only editing photos on my phone so I couldn’t get too precious about it. This gave me a lot of freedom and flexibility and allowed for experimentation without a lot of fuss or expense.

Also, I am a big fan of imposing limitations in one’s creative practice. Just because you have all the best gear, or all the colors, all the fonts, etc., doesn’t mean you should use them. It’s more likely that one can become paralyzed by choice or become so dependent on having the right tools that you never get started. The best tool is the one you have right now, and any choice is the right one. Creativity can come alive when you have to make something work with limited time and materials.

HOW DOES YOUR FAMILY OR COMMUNITY SHOW SUPPORT FOR YOU AND YOUR ARTWORK?

My family is very generous and trusting of the fact that a camera is always around. They know by now to pretend it’s not there. I also have an incredible community of friends and fellow creative people who show up for me, literally and figuratively.

The best kind of support that I receive is trust. I love it when music clients come back to me for promotional work because we’ve developed a rapport over time, and they trust me to connect to the most beautiful and honest versions of themselves. That’s the good stuff.

TAKE US THROUGH WHAT A SET LOOKS LIKE AND YOUR CAMERA SETUP.

My first professional photo shoot ever was on location at a Gilded Age mansion, with a technical assistant, a prop stylist, a wardrobe stylist, two hair and makeup stylists, a set coordinator, and a baby wrangler. This was for a rock band that had, at the time, about a dozen members, and I had to achieve 10-12 final shots. In four hours. Including a load-in and loadout. I did this with a prosumer DSLR and two underpowered no-name strobes that I got from Amazon Warehouse.

I want to say, “I don’t know how I did it, but by golly, I did!” As if it came together by magic or luck. But I know how I did it: I had a strong and clear vision, planned everything down to the minute, and trusted that short of the building burning down, there was no problem we couldn’t manage on set.

I’ve done all kinds of shoots since then, but never one as big or ambitious. When I was diagnosed with Long Covid, I shifted to less intense work. My current camera, a Canon 6D MkI, is a dinosaur, but it does the job. Really good lenses make a big difference. I use a Sigma 24-70mm Art lens and

a Sigma 70-200mm Sport lens. I also have a FujiFilm X100f, which is a lovely compact mirrorless camera. Then I have various toy cameras to experiment with.

For lighting, I pared my gear down to a tiny but powerful Profoto B2 strobe kit with a few basic modifiers. I also have an LED light wand that I can use as a continuous light source in a pinch. With what I have, I can do a professional portrait shoot with gear that fits into two small bags.

WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST ARTISTIC INFLUENCES?

My biggest single influence as a photographer is Annie Leibovitz, but I am more influenced by every art instructor and art history lecturer I ever had. They opened up a passion and love for art and critical thinking that informs everything I do.

HOW DOES YOUR BACKGROUND AND UPBRINGING INFLUENCE YOUR ART?

I would say that my artistic career is an attempt to slowly dismantle my white, heteronormative, suburban, middle-class upbringing and everything I learned about what was “right” and “appropriate” while surviving late-stage capitalism.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED TO EXPLORE IN YOUR ART NEXT?

I am most excited about exploring community-building and supporting other artists as part of my creative practice. I am currently sketching out an idea of what that might look like. Until then, I’m experimenting with fiber art and writing.

WRITTEN BY Salem Carpenter

EDITED BY Colleen Newcomb

DESIGNED BY

Aaliyah Wyman

PHOTOS BY JENNY BERGMAN

Locally based in South Boston’s SoWa Artist studios, pop artist and previous advertising creative director, John Gonnella’s large-scale paintings incorporate nostalgic advertising clip art from the 40s and 50s and bright cartoon subjects.

“I knew when I was three years old…” is what John Gonnella responded when I asked him when he knew that he wanted to pursue art as a career. His early elementary school years in experimenting with art only helped solidify his passion. In high school in Nantucket, Massachusetts, Gonnella would often skip classes to find peace and freedom of expression in the art room. After being reprimanded many times by the principal,

he cut Gonnella an intriguing deal. The terms were that Gonnella would graduate high school if he worked with local artist S. Warren Krebs, create an art portfolio, and apply to art schools for college. Gonnella agreed wholeheartedly, a true win-win situation. Before he knew it, he was accepted into MassArt and New England School of Art and continued his journey into the art world.

When given a choice between fine art and advertising in art school, Gonnella chose the advertising route for better exposure for his art. Rising through the ranks in the advertising world, Gonnella’s hard work and talent brought him to the Executive Creative Director position.

Throughout working in advertising, his outlet when he went home at night was always painting. Inspired by advertising clip art from the 1930s and 40s, Gonnella began to select his favorites and contemporized them into his own stylized pop art. “I found that imagery to be so fascinating; it was so simple, it was so basic, so recognizable.” He deemed it a perfect starting point for bright and nostalgic art.

“My advertising world really influenced my art throughout my career because I was always painting at the same time as I was going into the office.”

Throughout his advertising career, he learned the skills used for his art process. By directing photography, Gonnella subsequently worked with digital collage. His involvement in design informed his painting process of choosing fonts, kerning, leading, composition, creating halftones, duotones, color grading, and so much more. “All of those things come together as background skills that inform my execution, and I love that I have those skills because it makes my work so much faster…I know exactly what I want to do.”

“It’s been a really interesting…intersection of fine art and advertising.”

Gonnella takes a lot of inspiration from the old masters of traditional art. He includes French impressionists Edgar Degas, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, and contemporary artists including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Julian Schnabel in his list of influential artists. Through the voices of the younger generations, he also is inspired by expressive meme culture, new AI technology, and creative social media content he sees daily.

Like how many artists work with the creative flow, “peaks and valleys” is how Gonnella describes his art process. “I am one of those artists that can…not do anything for a month or two and then come in here [studio] and work around the clock for three months…it’s atypical, very atypical.”

something Gonnella loves. Needless to say, he now paints when he feels inspired and motivated, not with a set, rigid schedule. However, even when feeling less motivated, he still takes time to go into the studio and soak up the creative energy. Gonnella’s sprints in the studio are brought on by his ADHD. He can spend hours, days, and weeks leading up to show in a “tunnel focus” on his art. He usually gets into the studio at 10AM and works but then has the flexibility to leave, run errands, or grab a bite to eat. “I like to be able to come and go.” He also loves working at night; using his new indoor lighting of different color balances provides him with different perspectives.

Over the years, the art process has evolved for Gonnella.

Xerox onto an acetate and project it onto his canvas as a basis. Now he uses more prints and digital rough sketches, using an equation to print them scaled up at Staples to use for his art. Using these images, he creates a sort of découpage and then embellishes and paints over the top to further stylize his imagery.

With Gonnella’s background in advertising and daily exposure to ads, he was introduced to Artificial Intelligence. Like many, he views AI as a tool you either embrace or avoid but something that will only become more popular. After using and contemporizing existing advertising clip art imagery for so many years, Gonnella began to explore AI to create images that avoid appropriation of existing

“I use it as a major element in my work, and I think it’s a very evolutionary part of the artistic process that I think everybody’s going to be embracing in some way, shape, or form soon enough” is what Gonnella says about AI and its ability to be used as a tool for art.

When asked about his message to his viewers, Gonnella says, “In my case, I want art to feel happy… that’s me…that’s my hope.” He wishes his upbeat, bright colors and smiley subjects bring a sense of joy and emotional connection to his viewers. Icons from his childhood series include beloved characters such as Magilla Gorilla and other Hanna-Barbera studio cartoon creations. When deciding which characters to portray in his art, Gonnella highlights happy characters that represent good or characters that have an interesting perspective on life. He wants his art to be fun and interesting to paint and look at with a sense of nostalgia in a new light at its core. And let me tell you, Gonnella’s genuinely cheerful and witty personality really reflects onto his work!

Even though it’s a bit harder to sell to the small walls of Massachusetts residents, his focus on spreading joy is reflected in his large-scale paintings. It allows him to paint with greater detail and have a bigger impact. “I love big art. It’s provocative; I think it…removes restrictions and limits…of scale. I think that there’s something fun about seeing big, colorful, poppy pieces.”

Gonnella’s advice to up-and-coming artists is to commit yourselves to “nothing but freaking hard work…you’ve got to be applying yourself 24/7.” He

advises being educated on current social media trends to use in advertising or art. Stay up to date on technology, current events, politics, and everything people are talking about globally. Whether it’s to make art to speak about it or to advertise something, being young gives students an upper hand on how to capture an audience. “Some people would argue with that, but I think even the old masters in many ways were influenced by current events…,” Gonnella remarked about the importance of relevancy.

Lastly, Gonnella advises to “explore endlessly.” Always experiment with new mediums. Gonnella’s studio presents this with oils, acrylics, enamels, rustoleums, resin, spray paints, and many more diverse materials at his disposal. Try everything.

Be sure to visit his studio and many other fantastic artists during SoWa’s First Fridays, every first Friday of each month from 5-9PM, at 450 and 460 Harrison Ave, Boston! First Fridays are free and a wonderful opportunity for students to get to chat with talented artists, including John Gonnella.

WRITTEN BY Erin

Tilley

EDITED BY Isabella Schlim

DESIGNED BY Lindsay Scalese

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY JOHN GONNELLA

Amelia Capron is a multi-medium artist based in Connecticut.

While photography is her primary form of expression today, she has mastered a variety of mediums that shape the art she creates. From acrylic painting to self-portrait photoshoots, Amelia has explored and learned different art forms, acquiring the skills that have helped her become the incredible artist she is today.

It’s hard for Amelia to pinpoint the exact moment she discovered her love for art. It wasn’t a sudden revelation but rather something that was always present in her life. From a young age, she was drawn to various artistic pursuits. She remembers fingerpainting with her mom and receiving a new sketchbook every year to fill it with drawings. Art was always around her, either through the influence of her parents or her own curiosity. For Amelia, creating art has simply always been second nature.

Amelia’s passion for art blossomed in an artistic household. Her mother is an art teacher, her father is a graphic designer and illustrator, and her grandfather had a background in music. With such an environment, it’s no surprise that Amelia has embraced every form of art. Over the years, she’s mastered everything from painting to graphic design to photography.

When Amelia creates, she wears many hats. In her initial photoshoots, she serves as the model, director, editor, and photographer. She even handles the lighting. Beyond photography, her artistic range extends to graphic design, printmaking, collaging, and fashion design. It’s hard to think of an art form she doesn’t explore. “I treat all of them as tools in my belt or outlets to express myself,” she says.

That said, she does have her preferences. Though she’s gone through many artistic phases, photography has emerged as a dominant focus. “That’s where I fell in love with photography because I realized it was kind of like painting,” she explains.

Amelia draws inspiration from many sources. Tyler, The Creator stands out for her because of his diverse creative pursuits—music, fashion, film, and marketing. She admires how he’s involved in every aspect of his creative

world, rather than relying on others to craft his brand. Other influences include Petra Collins, whose aesthetic aligns with Amelia’s own and whose use of film photography sets her work apart. Despite their differences, both Tyler and Petra share one trait Amelia deeply admires: authenticity.

“Their motivations are purely intrinsic,” she says. “They do it for themselves, and that’s something I really respect.”

While Amelia has created art in many forms, certain projects stand out. One notable experience was her work for POLISHED magazine, a student-run fashion publication at Lasell University. During her time at Lasell, Amelia served as the Art Director for the magazine, which initially drew her to the school. At POLISHED, she found a team she connected with and a leadership role where her ideas could come to life. She was able to take an initial concept and develop it into a polished, professional product. This experience ultimately shaped her long-term goals: “I want to be the person who gets the idea and makes it happen,” she remarks.

Amelia’s creative process is fastpaced. When an idea strikes, she feels compelled to act immediately. “I have to

figure out how to make this happen right now,” she says. This urgency is when she feels most eager and ambitious, and she channels that energy to keep her art from ever feeling like a chore.

The clients Amelia works with vary widely. During her time at Lasell, she primarily worked with students to create content for the magazine. Since then, her client base has expanded to include musicians, fashion designers, and close friends. She credits Lasell with providing her a space to collaborate with diverse teams and work with stylists, models, and set designers—all while creating captivating art and offering opportunities to fellow students.

Working with clients requires a delicate balance of her own creative vision and theirs. She must navigate different ideas, timelines, and expectations. “It’s a game of, ‘Did I read their mind, or were they thinking of something

else?’” she laughs. While some clients know exactly what they want, others need more guidance to shape their vision. Amelia enjoys helping them develop their ideas into something they can be proud of. “The most satisfying part is knowing you made this person happy and brought their ideas to life,” she exclaims. Amelia has built her artistic skills from the ground up. Her artwork is bold, unrestricted by technical limitations. What stands out most, however, is her commitment to developing ideas. “This person trusts me with their idea, and I’m going to bring it to life and make it happen,” she says—a philosophy that encapsulates her approach to every project.

WRITTEN BY Amelia Farrin

EDITED BY

Isabella Schlim

DESIGNED BY

Chloe Galipeau

PHOTOS BY AMELIA CAPRON

FEATURE FEATURE

Izabel, a rising Bulgarian musician, began her career at the age of five. It all started when she was watching a kids singing competition show, and she begged her mom to be a part of it.

Her mom eventually signed her up; she auditioned and ended up winning the whole thing. After winning, she got to be a part of the biggest vocal group in Bulgaria, Bon-Bon. From there, she knew she wanted to pursue a career in music.

After graduating high school, she decided to move to

majestic presence; exactly as she views herself! She went on to release her first song in 2020 called “Sunset,” followed by two more songs that year. Five years later, she is still living in London, where she found her people and decided the overall vibes of the city were for her.

Outside of music, Izabel looks for influence through watching old Hollywood movies, looking at old magazines from the 60s, and she even goes to the park sometimes to listen to other people’s conversations. She said, “That sounds kind of creepy, but sometimes I like to tell other people’s stories in my songs. For example, my latest EP, “Scenarios,” is based on my closest friends’ love stories.”

“Scenarios” was released last year on May 30th, consisting of four songs: “take 7,” “trust,” “no notification,” and “keep.” Following her release, she did a live session, which was recorded and filmed at a historic building in her hometown, before releasing her newest single called “Discipline” weeks later on Halloween. As she is growing as an artist, she dreams of one day touring and waking up in a different city every day. But for now, she is focused on doing performances at festivals in London and surrounding festivals in Europe.

Her most recent release, “Discipline,” is one of her favorite songs she’s ever written. She recalls the moment she started to make the song: she was in the tube (using the London Underground) walking to one of her sessions and listening to different reference tracks. She suddenly stopped the music and started singing “D-i-i-i-i-i-i-iscipline” and thought to herself that’s a dope sound with a great beat. “Discipline” is about people wasting your time and people who are just in your life because they need something from you, yet you’re not here for it anymore. When asked about why she released it on Halloween and if there was any significance to it, Izabel had this to say: “There is literally no meaning behind that. I actually didn’t realize it until someone mentioned it to me. But one of my friends was like, “Oh, is that

why you’re wearing that blonde Marilyn wig, because it’s a Halloween release?” And I was like, no, but I’ll take it.”

“Discipline” isn’t her only favorite piece of music she’s worked on. She recalls working with a friend, a producer named Joe who goes by “Jofis Beats,” on a track she has yet to release the name of. They first met online when she was browsing for Inso tracks on YouTube and stumbled upon him and fell in love with his sound and vibes. They eventually ended up doing an in-person session and created one of her favorite tracks; it’s unknown if she will be releasing it anytime soon.

Meanwhile, she decided to release a new song called “Tattoo” on Valentine’s Day. The song is a fun, cute, and

obsessive type of love song. She explores with a cleaner sound while keeping her usual dark R&B sound all in one.

“I

don’t think I am the right person to ask for advice, because most of the times I don’t know what I’m doing, but I would say, put yourself out there; go out and talk to people. If a if somebody believes in you and genuinely wants to collaborate with you, they won’t ask you for money.”

PHOTO BY EVA DOBREVA

WRITTEN BY Aaliyah Wyman

EDITED BY Isabella Schlim

DESIGNED BY Angela Murray

PHOTO BY ANGEL ZAHARINOV

PHOTO BY ALEXANDER STOEV

KALLE HELLZÉN: KALLE HELLZÉN: THROUGH THE LENS OF A COLORBLIND ARTIST

WHAT DID THE START OF YOUR CAREER LOOK LIKE?

I started painting at 43 while I was still working in the advertising industry. I had spent years as a creative director and film director, telling stories visually, but painting was something deeply personal—an experiment in color, emotion, and light. Initially, oil painting was my way of making sense of color, especially as someone who is colorblind. Over time, I expanded into other mediums and was constantly exploring new ways to push my work forward. What started as a curiosity became something immersive, evolving beyond just paint into generative AI, collage, pigment transfers, and large-scale modular works. My career didn’t begin with a singular moment—it’s been an ongoing process of discovery, each step opening doors to the next.

HOW DID BEING COLORBLIND AFFECT YOUR JOURNEY? HOW DOES IT AFFECT OTHERS AND YOUR OWN PERCEPTION OF YOUR WORK?

Being colorblind is less of a limitation and more of a lens through which I see the world. I have deutan color blindness, which means reds stand out, greens fade, and mid-spectrum colors blur together. Early on, oil painting forced me to confront this—mixing colors felt chaotic and unpredictable. But through that chaos, I started to understand color in a different way, focusing on contrast, depth, and structure rather than traditional color relationships.

My printer plays a crucial role in my process now, almost like a collaborator. Instead of layering pigments as traditional paint does—where one color can cancel out another—my printer places pigments side by side, similar to pointillism, amplifying chromatic contrast in a way that feels more alive to me.

For others, my work might appear more vibrant than I perceive it, or certain color shifts may stand out in ways I don’t fully register. But I don’t see that as a disconnect—it’s part of what makes the process interesting. I’m constantly exploring how I can push chromatic energy, not despite my colorblindness but because of it.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO YOUR CHOSEN MEDIUMS?

Curiosity. I never set out to master a single medium—I’m more interested in how different tools, techniques, and materials interact. Oil painting was my starting point, but over time, I moved into acrylics, pastels, oil sticks, and ink. Then came digital tools, generative AI, and fine art printing, which opened up new ways to work with color and composition. I also experiment with pigment transfers, layering printed elements onto boards, and continuing by hand before sometimes bringing the work back into digital form again.

For me, it’s not about choosing a medium—it’s about exploring what I can do with them. Each process informs the next, and I often cycle through analog, digital, and physical methods to push a piece forward.

WHERE DOES THE EMOTIONAL THEME FOR YOUR ART COME FROM?

I think it’s a mix of personal experience and a broader exploration of the human condition. My work is often described as ‘melancholy dipped in sunshine’—there’s always a sense of contrast, light meeting dark, stillness meeting movement. I’m drawn to moments of pause, those in-between states where we’re neither here nor there—falling, reaching, searching.

There’s also a lot of reflection in my work. Pieces like I Wish I Knew Back Then What I Know Now tap into the idea of self-dialogue—who we were versus who we’ve become. I don’t necessarily set out with a theme in mind, but as I work, certain emotions emerge, and I follow where they lead.

PHOTOS BY ATELIER KALLE HELLZÉN

WHAT ARE THE DECISIONS/INSPIRATIONS BEHIND SOME OF YOUR ARTWORKS’ RETURNING MOTIFS? (RETURNING CHARACTERS, BODIES OF WATER, SHARP DIVIDING LINES, GRADIENTS, ETC.)

A lot of my work revolves around movement and suspension— figures caught mid-motion, bodies floating or falling, water as both a barrier and a passage. There’s something poetic about those states, where you’re neither grounded nor fully lost. Sharp dividing lines and gradients often symbolize that transition—where one thing becomes another, or where separation and connection coexist. I’m fascinated by contrast, not just in color but in meaning. I like the tension between things that don’t quite resolve, between clarity and uncertainty. Certain figures or forms return because they feel like ongoing conversations—characters caught in different moments of the same journey. Each time they reappear, they’re slightly changed, just like we are.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR FUTURE AS AN ARTIST? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TO EXPLORE?

I don’t think in terms of fixed goals—I’m more interested in where the work takes me. Right now, I’m drawn to pushing the physicality of my pieces further, playing with scale, modular structures, and layering techniques that blend digital precision with human imperfection. I’d like to explore more sculptural and immersive experiences, building on the interplay of color, light, and space.

At the same time, I’m always experimenting. My process is cyclical—I revisit old works, remix them with new ideas, and see what emerges. The curiosity that brought me here is the same thing that keeps me moving forward.

WRITTEN BY

Joslyn Barger-Niemz

EDITED BY

Isabella Schlim

DESIGNED BY Lindsay

Scalese

WHAT DID YOUR JOURNEY AS AN ARTIST LOOK LIKE? HOW DID YOU START YOUR SMALL BUSINESSES, AND WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES YOU FACED AS AN ENTREPRENEUR AND ARTIST?

Before creating my art business, I was painting here and there but not consistently. My dream was to share my art with other people and inspire them to start painting. I took a business art class that helped me figure out where and how to start. I found a topic that was my most favorite, which is architecture, especially vintage or old-fashioned. I started painting consistently and posting on social media. My art got attention from people, which made me decide to start selling my art on Etsy, and later I created my own website. Besides creating art, the challenges that I faced as an entrepreneur and an artist included that I had to learn editing skills, how to create and manage a website, and I had to understand the legal side of business. It was very overwhelming at first, and I had doubts that I could actually pull it off.

WHAT ARE SOME SPECIFIC CHALLENGES AND CREATIVE LIBERTIES THAT COME WITH CREATING COLORING PAGES? HOW DID COLORING PAGES BECOME YOUR CHOSEN MEDIUM?

Creating coloring pages doesn’t really have challenges, but it’s definitely timeconsuming, and I create a coloring guide for every coloring page. What inspired me to start creating coloring pages was my followers asking me to create them. I thought that this is a great way to inspire people to paint with watercolors without having to sketch first.

WHERE DOES YOUR INSPIRATION FOR THE AESTHETIC OF YOUR COLORING PAGES COME FROM? HAVE YOU TOYED WITH ANY OTHER AESTHETICS FOR THE COLORING PAGES?

I create paintings with my own style that I found in myself. I believe every artist has their own unique style. Though recently I acquired gouache, and that’s where I want to experiment and find a new style specifically for that medium.

THERE IS A CONSISTENT BRAND BETWEEN ALL OF YOUR COLORING PAGES WITH THE PERSPECTIVE AND MANY OF THE PIECES BEING OF STORE FRONTS. WHAT DID THE CREATIVE CHOICES BEHIND THIS THEME LOOK LIKE?

I absolutely love architecture, but specifically vintage shop fronts just really catch my attention. I can spend a lot of time just observing all the details and the beauty of old-fashioned designs wherever I find them. What also attracts me is when the shops are lit up inside, creating a warm atmosphere that makes you just want to go inside. I try to portray that in my paintings. I’m also going to be adding more fairy-themed paintings like castles and fairy houses. That is another topic I would love to paint more; and maybe in gouache.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER ARTISTIC PROJECTS YOU ARE WORKING ON BESIDES YOUR BUSINESS? IF SO, WHERE DO YOU SEE THESE PROJECTS GOING? WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR BUSINESS AND YOUR ART GOING IN THE FUTURE? DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER BUSINESS VENTURES OR EXPANSIONS TO YOUR COLORING PAGE BUSINESS THAT YOU ARE PLANNING?

Besides just painting my own ideas, I do take commissions sometimes. Also, I’m planning on offering prints and originals of my paintings very soon.

WRITTEN BY

Joslyn Barger-Niemz

EDITED BY Isabella Schlim

DESIGNED BY Victoria El-Azem

PHOTOS BY VARIA FEDOTOVA

“Art

ended up winning in the end; I tried to fight it for a while.” This is how Lisa Wicka described her eventual decision to pursue art. Her parents, however, said it happened at the start of a family vacation in an airport. Wicka, a little kid, saw a fashion designer dressed in business attire carrying their portfolio in a suitcase, making Wicka realize you could do something like that as a career. Following Wicka’s graduation from the University of Central Florida, where she received her BFA, art eventually won. Wicka then followed in the broad direction of the airport fashion designer. She packed a U-Haul and went to New York to work in visual merchandising.

Navigating the process of creating art, however, takes time. Wicka has dedicated much of this time to experimenting with different patterns, materials, positions, and ideas. Through her education, experience, and personal purposes to create, she has evolved into creating rather ambiguous pieces. She uses the struggles and successes of her journey in her art to raise questions for the viewer: What is the truth? What can we interpret? Who am I?

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY LISA WICKA

Wicka’s vision in her art revolves around the process of uncertainty eventually becoming clear to oneself. She plays with the dimensions and angles of her pieces to create different views; typically, one side of a piece will reflect a clear image, while the other shows her art dissected and even destroyed. It all depends on the perspective. Wicka has grown to make her art center around the stories of her evolving self. Nobody succeeds without failure and exploration, so neither does the viewer of Wicka’s transforming pieces. Her art makes it so that the viewer has to explore; they have to see the art from different angles in order to see its full message. One of her ongoing series, Merge, highlights these angels through its exploration of Wicka’s surroundings.

In Merge, Wicka utilized a series of collages made up of various fabrics and patterns to represent the many places she has been throughout her journey of self-identity. Her travels have had a lasting impact on her as an artist, and Merge represents these inspirations. Wicka uses different patterns, shapes, and textures that she has discovered in her surroundings to create mixed-media pieces of artwork that highlight her analysis of self in a space. She describes this series as “a tangible record of my dialogue with my surroundings.” Architectural spaces play an important part in this series as she explores with different dimensions and wallpapers.

Many of Wicka’s other pieces also draw from her surroundings, especially from areas unfamiliar to her. When she makes work specific to a location, she uses the “creation of those works as an attempt for me to find comfort in a new place; what colors am I seeing around me, what textures am I seeing around me, and how can I digest them in a way that I can start to understand this new place; to find comfort in this new place?” Through this lens, Wicka, in new environments, pays close attention to how she reacts to that location, questioning her reactions. By looking at her surroundings in this manner, she is forced to think and be more aware. She tries to put herself on location for these types of pieces. For example, in another one of her series, Shape, Wicka explores and adapts to the different environments as she travels through Italy during her residency.

Wicka’s art pieces often explore her personal evolution. Her use of collage, which she felt was “a game changer,” allowed her to include aspects of herself that carried weight in her pieces. One of her exhibits, Gather (made in 2023), is a great example of this use of self-expression through collaging. Wicka explores herself and her memories deeper by looking at the construction of self through the lens of “scrappiness,” leaning on the strengths of collaging. She uses collages to her advantage by layering different pieces of art that represent versions of herself. However, Gather more than just a collage; it is a reflection on loss and grief.

Wicka explores the difficulties of trying to hold onto memories of the past in Gather. It is a reflection on how it feels to try and hold onto certain parts of our lives and selves when the reality is that some things are out of our control. She uses colors and patterns once again to represent certain locations and moments in her life. Mausoleum altars, reliquaries, and wall shrines are paralleled in this series to represent this notion of trying to hold onto a piece of herself. Every last detail is representative of a memory, feeling, or reflection. Through the use of worn and wrinkled handmade paper, Wicka shows the fragility of this piece. In her statement about Gather, Wicka says, “The ephemeral nature of the materials is highlighted by the fragile presentation as if to accept its eventual fate. By focusing on these memories, I can remember, grieve, and try to come to terms with that which is out of my control.” Gather is a reflection on memories of loss and how she can accept that these moments of grievances are going to occur whether she is ready or not. It is a piece of memory and reflecting on what is out of her personal control.

Wicka continues to use art as a way to explore and digest new emotions in another series, To Myself. Wicka made these pieces during the pandemic as she explored the sense of lost control and mourning that the pandemic brought about as a way to process these hard experiences and negative self-talk. By impressing words upon plaster, she represents her feelings through the words she uses when talking to herself. This series is parallel to one of her previous series, Merge, and a landmark for her maturing philosophy for approaching art. In Merge, one of her prepandemic series, Wicka attempts to have as much control as possible in collages referencing wallpaper. Through Merge, she applied the philosophy of “I’m making all these decisions; I choose this, I choose that.” As Wicka has gotten older, and through the challenges of thepandemic, she has become more aware that she is not as in control as she thought.

In her new work, following and including the series To Myself, she approaches art with a more ephemeral nature in mind, making delicate pieces that she knows and embraces will fall apart. Her plan is to make more installation pieces in the future, reflecting this new philosophy and acknowledging that they will be bumped into, deteriorate, and fade. With these installations, Wicka is also able to better include the movement that she has incorporated in all her pieces. She has done this by tucking away elements behind one another and positioning other elements in a way that encourages the audience to move around the pieces to see different perspectives. In one of Wicka’s installations that she made in graduate school, she painted in a way that by standing in certain positions, the image lines up, but when you move, it falls apart. This immersive nature of installations is something she plans to explore more going into the future.

Both of these elements are seen in a few of Wicka’s newer pieces that she has done on roofing paper, a very nonpermanent material. Light is the most prominent aspect of these pieces as she explores light being cast

through windows with the philosophy, “What if the only thing left is the light?” At the time of interviewing Wicka, she noted that these pieces are falling apart and fading, but she continues to embrace that aspect.

Wicka continues to work through her ever-evolving self by creating art. Her mixedmedia pieces reflect her journey of self-discovery and the challenges she faced. Her pieces continue to challenge the notion of what is reality because she knows firsthand that we are ever changing and growing.

WRITTEN BY

Joslyn Barger-Niemz

Isabella Schlim

DESIGNED BY

Erin Tilley

EDITED BY

SONGS FROM SCRATCH

Owen Korzec is a Boston-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer who’s mastered the process of putting a song together from the beginning to the end.

With a focus on indie music, Owen uses live instrumentation to bring out the best in every song he works on, working with a variety of solo artists to bring their vision to life. In his years as a producer, he has racked up a catalogue of emotionally impactful, original songs from artists all around the world, all while working out of his home studio just outside of Boston, MA.

Owen’s musical journey started at a young age with influences coming from those closest to him. He grew up in a household full of musicians; from his parents to his siblings, everyone seemed to have an instrument around the house. He was easily drawn to these instruments and quickly began learning to play. “There are so many sounds on it,” he says; “it was just the perfect toy.”

One evening, while his family was watching the movie ‘Rocky,’ the proof of his natural talent came to the surface. Owen wandered over to the piano and, out of the blue, began

to play bits and pieces of the theme song unprompted. That’s when his family knew this was a talent to be invested in. He signed up for drum lessons, guitar lessons, and piano lessons, bouncing from instrument to instrument as he built his knowledge. What began as a childlike interest turned him into a multi-instrumentalist, which grew into the business he has today.

Owen is not only a multi-instrumentalist but also a songwriter. Though he grew up focusing on learning every instrument he could get his hands on, this interest quickly morphed into the desire to create music himself. With a bit of practice and some work with vocal training, Owen began creating his own songs, a skill he uses to assist artists he works with today. He learned how to write, perform, collaborate, and record – all the stepping stones that allow him to be the well-rounded producer he is today.

With childhood influences such as Oasis, Radiohead, and the Foo Fighters, it’s clear that Owen has always been interested in the alternative music scene. It’s what his parents played, what his siblings played, and where he himself drew inspiration from as a budding musician. More recently, Owen has found himself drawn to “do-it-yourself” artists, musicians with total creative control of their songs from start to finish. One example is Kerrin Connolly,

a Boston-based musician featured in our twelfth volume of TARNISHED. This genre of artists reminds him not to limit himself to one avenue or instrument. “I saw her (Connolly) making a video playing all these different instruments in the same arrangement,” he says. “And it really inspired me to lean into my multi-instrumental side.” Artists like these prove to Owen that it is more than possible to strive and put care into more than one instrument, rather than limiting yourself to a single avenue.

After studying at Berklee College of Music, Owen decided he wanted to make music professionally. Though he was earning money from playing live shows and contributing to local bands, the studio is mainly what drew his interest. “I wanted to work with other people, and I started just, like, getting in the reps, as they say,” Owen says. Building off his work in live performances, multiinstrumentation, and self-production, he began to work with other artists, using his skillset to bring their ideas to life.

The creative process begins with a song. Whether it’s a sudden melody strung together into verses or a messy recording of a slightly out-of-tune guitar, Owen knows how to bring the best out of any idea. He starts from scratch, layering instrument after instrument until the song

begins to feel full. Although they often start with drums, bass, and guitar, there is no particular order that works every time. Every song is a new discussion based on the artist’s influences and preferences, and from there a song is built from the ground up.

While working on a song, Owen meets with the artist weekly. Whether over Zoom or in person at his studio, he values having regular check-ins to exchange input and collaborate. This practice helps to foster a back-and-forth conversation where nothing feels rushed or forced.

Once the instrumentation is done, it’s time to add vocals. “This is where I like to really help artists with their delivery on the vocals and anything to just really help them shine,” he says. With his experience as a vocal student, Owen can coach his artists to bring out their best vocal product. This is a vital part of the process. “Everybody connects with a great singing performance,” Owen reminds me.

From there, the songs go to the mixing stage, where everything is put together, a stage that hinges on collaboration. “I like to take some input from the artist,” he says. “A lot of artists don’t have as much input for that, so I kinda get a little bit freer rein, but I’m still going after things they are influenced by and taking that into account and checking in with them throughout the process.” From there, the songs are sent out to a separate mastering engineer to get a separate perspective and polish them off. Owen describes this as “the last 2% to the finish line.”

PHOTOS BY LEXI LABOY

Although Owen mainly works to produce music for solo artists, he also plans to work on his own original music in the future. “I’m very intrigued by possibly making a newer collection of songs that helps tell the story of newer things I’m going through,” he says. “And then, the last thing would be trying to take all this music stuff and connect it into something even bigger or more impactful. I don’t know if activism is the right word, but something to help people on a deeper level.”

When asked what advice he’d give upcoming artists, Owen left me with this. “When you see creative people you are inspired by, don’t feel like that is impossible for you. It’s very possible. If you can believe in yourself, have a passion, and follow it, then you’ll be able to get through hard challenges along the way.”

WRITTEN BY Amelia Farrin

EDITED BY Isabella Schlim

DESIGNED BY Jay Katzen

DESIGN EDITED BY Erin Tilley

LISTEN YOURSELFFOR

PHOTOS BY ERIN GAFFNEY

OF PRECISION P IE CE S P IE CE S

Originally beginning in dotwork a little over a decade ago, David Nott has been creating captivating textile pieces in his studio outside of Boston, MA, for the world to enjoy ever since. Nott made the transition from dotwork to textiles about three and a half years ago, after being introduced to it through a project where he was creating a rug for a brand at the time.

The process of his pieces, which generally take between 70 and 100 hours to complete depending on size and complexity, is shown in satisfying time-lapse videos on his Instagram. Although both satisfying and mesmerizing to watch, there is always more to the artistic process and journey than what is shown on screen.

David Nott has been a full-time artist for the past seven years. Prior to his full-time art career, Nott said, “I worked a day job and created at night for the first few years of my

creative journey, which I think was really helpful.” Nott said that when introduced to both of his art styles, they were “very natural transitions where I picked it up and just didn’t want to put it down.” Nott said that when he finds a medium, he will “generally work in it obsessively until I feel like I’ve accomplished what I’m looking to achieve.”

Although Nott tends to have more of an abstract style in his textile pieces, he originally started with a focus on realism in the beginning of his career, which shows through in his dotwork pieces. During his time creating dotwork pieces,

Nott said his inspiration would come from a few places: “When I was focusing on dotwork, there would be three main variables I’d work within: subject, composition, and distortion of some sort. I mostly focused on individuals that inspired me during the time; it’s always a plus if you can implement an ideal or concept that reflects the subject.” Now, after switching to textiles, Nott’s inspiration tends to look a little different.

When working with his textile pieces that range from colorful abstract works of art to a realistic Nuptse Jacket piece, Nott’s inspirations are “different with every piece. Sometimes it’ll start with a title or emotion that I’ll build out into a piece. Sometimes the visual elements are the guide, and it all comes together in the end.” Nott describes

Nott showcases his pieces largely through his Instagram page, so TARNISHED Magazine asked him if he ever caught himself working for content rather than himself or for enjoyment; to which he responded, “I think I did at first; now it’s very structured how I display my pieces on social media. I try not to chase trends and just make entertaining content that people want to see.” Nott mentioned that for a while, “I worked for a handful of years

his creative process as going from thought to design to creation. He said that his creative process for his textile pieces “usually starts with a sketch either on paper or digitally. From there I solidify the design and color palette. Most of the creative decisions are made before the piece is physically created, but there’s generally a fair amount of adjustments when I’m working through it.” Although he has a set process now, Nott explained that it took about a year of working with rugs for his career to take off, and about two years of him working with them to really understand textiles as a medium.

without knowing where it would take me.” Now Nott gets the chance to enjoy the “flow state” during his creation process: “I love the flow state. I think a mix of ADHD and the ability to get totally engulfed in a project is what centers me. It’s almost meditative in a way.”

For all the artists out there reading this article, Nott leaves this piece of advice: “Have faith, obsess, and make sure you love what you are doing. Don’t be afraid to pivot when it feels right; you never know what’s on the other side.”

If you are interested in seeing more of David Nott’s work, you can find him on his Instagram @davidnott or view his artwork on his website www.davidnottdesign.com

PHOTOS BY RAXXAN AND DAVID NOTT

WRITTEN BY

Atllas Stone

EDITED BY Isabella Schlim

DESIGNED BY Cameron Villnave

with Patrick Masson Sculpting Vitality

Being surrounded by a family of artists at a young age, Patrick Masson was acquainted with the artistic process and conditioned with an environment that reflected creativity. His grandparents, with their paintings hung around Patrick’s house early on, introduced him to the idea of 2D renderings of creative ideas. With him dabbling in sketching due to this and his older brother sketching from time to time, Patrick participated in creating rather odd sculptures or drawings. Up until the age of fifteen, he hadn’t actively practiced until he came across Fimo Polymer Clay, which fully ignited his passion for 3D art and led to his calling as a professional sculptor. Not being able to fully juggle his craft with his academics and later his career as a mechanical engineer, he dropped his art almost completely, favoring his pursuit of the latter. Eventually, struggling with a job he found unfulfilling, Patrick debated a return to his old passion of sculpting. He had trouble making the decision, and he was still not entirely sure if it was the correct choice at the time, having to keep his family in mind; but looking back, he now says with confidence that “it was a great decision. It really changed my life despite the ups and downs, and it left a real positive impact on my mind.”

Reflection

Medium: Bronze

Size: 17 x 13,5 x 6 in.

Due to his adept work with Fimo, a material great for small sculptures, Patrick has taken up many commissions for various board games where he will create incredibly small miniature figurines for use in gameplay. An interesting issue he faces with the nature of this work, however, is the translation of 2D concepts that he is giving to a 3D piece of art that stays as true to the concept as possible. He speaks on this issue in our interview: “You have to invent the things you don’t see while keeping the spirit. You have to make decisions about changes to the original art because they don’t work directly in three dimensions. Because of all those little things that I have to adjust and change, part of my own personal style starts to reveal itself in the final piece.”

As he mentions, part of his distinct style inevitably peaks through in these works from the process of converting a piece of art into one of higher dimension. He mentions that this is in part due to his fascination and skill with anatomy and attempting to bring as much feeling of accuracy as possible to any given piece. “About the example of Tinkerbell, I remember having to change the position of the bird legs to make it more realistic and

accurate in the real world. I guess my personal style starts to reflect in the final piece when I bring my love for anatomical realism into the creation. It is an intellectual and physical game to bring my own perception and knowledge into the representation of someone else’s 2D creation into a 3D piece while keeping as much as possible of what makes the 2D original art a unique and beautiful one.” This passion especially shows true when Patrick sculpts animals. Patrick describes why he puts his passion into his work by stating, “I find peace in nature and observing animals. I like to make animals and humans interact in my sculptures because I think our bond is essential to humankind.”

In Patrick Masson’s personal work, he gravitates to one of his personal obsessions and fears that he grapples with: death and its inevitability. He shows this complicated personal relationship to death in his piece The Blind Death. It is a representation of his obsession with death by depicting a woman alluring the audience to ascend up a set of osseous stairs to meet her, juxtaposed with his fear of death shown in the deception of her form. Patrick describes his work by saying, “Something is hidden. From

Bastet / Ankh : Gods of Egypt

Medium: Polymer clay (Fimo) and Epoxy (Magic Sculpt)

Size: 2.95 x 2.36 x 2.3 in.

Client: CMoN for “ANKH : Gods of Egypt ” The Board Game

Art Director: Mike McVey

From an original illustration by Adrian Smith

the front you cannot discern her true identity, and it is only when you see the back of the sculpture that you discover her completely emaciated back, revealing her skeleton, and at the same time, her condition.” This further solidifies the metaphor by depicting the figure that carries a scythe additionally with a blindfold “because she doesn’t choose who she takes.”

In another deeply personal piece, Reflection, Patrick grapples with the idea of aging, as we all gradually do, yet paired with the approach of finality in his work. In this piece, a woman stares at a two-way reflection that peers both forward and backwards in time. Patrick describes this piece by saying, “The young woman looks at herself at an advanced age, weeping as she sees her beauty and her life disappearing,” and in turn, “The old woman smiles at her younger version because she knows how beautiful life has been, how much it was worth living, and that each stage was worthwhile.” By creating this dialogue between the aging and the aged, specifically with the conclusive smile, Patrick attempts to “exorcise his fear of growing old” as he further grapples with death. He reassures himself through his piece “about this coming end.”

The Blind Death Medium: Polymer clay (Fimo) Size: 2 x 4 x 9 in.

Art Director: Thierry Masson and Patrick Masson Corset inspired by Nika Danielska Design

But, of course, one cannot talk about death without seeing both sides of the same coin. Patrick explores just that in his piece Life and Death by blurring the lines between the two as a skull represents death, and a face, in turn, represents life. Both are interlocked above each other–the skull being a part of the base to represent the ground: “the earth to which we will all return.” Patrick then describes how he wants the other half of the sculpture to be interpreted by saying, “without knowing whether the face is created from the skull or disintegrates.” Patrick also uses two different materials, bronze and marble, to further accentuate the contrast between the two.

Divinity Medium: Polymer clay (Fimo) and Epoxy (Magic Sculpt)

Size: 3.15 x 3.15 x 3.15 in.

From an original illustration by

Jianing HU

From an original illustration by Adrian Smith

Additionally, one of his more visually innocent sculptures, Autumn, is beautifully painted by one of Patrick’s friends, Martin Goumaz, to help animate its spirit. In this piece, depicting youth and innocence is the beginning of an intended quadruplet that Patrick is working on. This piece intends to further explore life, aging, and death as the young girl frolicking with the spirit of autumn grows old with the seasons.

Patrick continues to look forward by still creating art to this day, always pushing himself to do better, further mastering his anatomical knowledge, and by aiming to recreate older pieces finished in bronze. Patrick makes these choices with the hope of further exploring complicated ideas in a 3D space in more of his personal works.

WRITTEN BY Joslyn Barger-Niemz

EDITED BY Isabella Schlim

DESIGNED BY MacKenzie Transue

Tinkerbell Medium: Polymer clay (Fimo)

Size: 1.3 x 3.5 x 5 in.

Client: Blacksmith Miniatures

From an original illustration by Jean-Baptiste Monge

PHOTOS BY PATRICK MASSON

A DOWNWARD SPIRAL OF CHEMICAL ILLUSIONS

UNTITLED

SPLINTER

BOB HSIUNG

DANCING HANDS

DORA HSIUNG

NATASHA STEINER

OLIVIA CHURA

HUNTED HABITAT ANGELA MURRAY

SATURN KEY LOKEN

RACCOON’S TERRARIUM

EMMA QUINN

COLORFUL BONES PAIGE MESROPIAN

VOLCANO VASE JENNA WILDMAN

DONKEY HEAD MACKENZIE TRANSUE

MR. GREED JAY KATZEN

UNTITLED

LIAM WATSON

TEXTURED PORTRAIT

ELIARA RODRIGUEZ

UNTITLED

JULIE CARPENTIER

FORESHORTENING PRACTICE AIDAN FREIMUTH

CALAVERA BILL SLOAN

SITTING FROM BEHIND TALIA SALLS

FINGERS OF THE VOID JANELLYS MARTINEZ

FLESH AND BONE JOCELYN SALCEDO

DONNIE DARKO SYDNEY BRUNDAGE

BOYS THE COW KIND (COWBOYS) SALEM CARPENTER

LINOCUT #3 HUGO HAWES

FUNKY FELLOWS ATLLAS STONE

for my Mother

i stem from the wonders of a kind womb. my Mother built my heart and lungs, and kept them safe and sound inside Her belly.

My sweet Mother created a life; and She endured indescribable pain to welcome Her beautiful creation.

i come from a long line of chubby, stubborn Latina women. my great-great-grandmother had 13 children, just one being a boy. from that point, there was no escaping the feminine standards of our ancestors.

i am welcomed by buffets of food at every family gathering. yet, one aunt would scrunch her eyes and nose if there were more than three things on my plate.

But my Mother, with Her kind glance and gentle hands, would serve me more in spite.

i grew up wanting to be like my Mother.

Resilient. Fearless. Compassionate. i learned to love the body i am in because my Mother molded it Herself all those years ago.

Just as Her Mother did for Her. and Her Mother. and so on.

i come from a long line of beautiful, robust Latina women.

And nothing will compare to my Mother’s belly pressed against mine when She holds me tight. i can feel Her heartbeat, and i am at peace.

i know that i am one with my Home. i know that i am one with my Mother who formed me from the wonders of Her kind womb.

WRITTEN BY

Mandy Brochhausen

EDITED BY Isabella

Schlim

ILLUSTRATED AND DESIGNED BY

Paige Mesropian

NO MORE HIDING

I picked up graphic design as a fun hobby during the pandemic. I wanted to dive into a new field outside of drawing circles on a sketchbook and making funny little comics about them. Honestly, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made because I learned new techniques, gained more inspiration, and networked with cool people along the way.

Fast-forward to 2024, and I’ve hit a mental roadblock. I’m halfway done with my undergrad years and have made a name for myself on campus, whether it’s a graphic I made or something else outside of that, but often I notice my creative spark fizzling out day by day. Focusing too much on client work has stifled my creativity and made me lose the joy of making art, as I’ve become overly concerned with validation rather than self-expression.

Throughout the years, I’ve used different aliases in my art. My creative journey has given me many names: the OGs know me as Legacy, high school friends call me Nicky Boy, and others simply know me as Nick. But “Makai” resonates with me deeply—even though I’m not a beach person, Makai means “towards the sea” in Hawaiian; it feels like the perfect name for my creative persona and artistic brand. Yet I keep wondering: how can I embrace Makai with pride instead of treating it like a secret identity?

I’ve kept my worlds separate—Makai from my reallife connections and Nick from my creative presence. The fear of judgment has held me back from merging these two identities. While I’m no Peter Parker, I’ve watched others reveal their “secret identities” only to have doubt and insecurity. But I’ve also seen people thrive when they embrace their alter egos as integral parts of themselves, growing both artistically and personally. It’s about time that I do the same.

I’m done hiding. I’m done choosing one side or the other. Whether you see me as an artist, graphic designer, or friend, I’m simply just a chill guy trying to make the most of life. I don’t have all the answers, but I’ll keep working toward my goals to get where I want to be. It’s only up from here!

WRITTEN BY Nick Fernandes

EDITED BY Isabella Schlim

ILLUSTRATED AND DESIGNED BY Chloe Galipeau

Now It’s December, And I Have Green Eyes

My favorite month often varies from time to time. For a long time, probably the majority of my childhood, it was June. It’s obvious. With June came summer, and with summer came liberty. Or perhaps it was July, as it was a full month of respite. However, something about June feels sweeter than July. The morning air is still a bit brisk, and the scent of spring lingers on dew that glazes the renewed grass. Going to school as a child during this time was different and more convivial, as everyone knew what was coming.

Come to think of it, it was May. May felt different. There was nothing like it. Similarly to June, everyone knew what was coming; but this was the first taste. The appetizer, the finger sandwich, the primer, the sunscreen, the seed. Walking home without a jacket for the first time in months. Bugs show themselves once again. A ladybug on the windowsill. An ant in the kitchen. Life is more present. Plants and flowers awaken from a deep winter’s sleep. I awaken from the same profound rest.

If I had a daughter, I have a list of names to sort through and choose from, ultimately making one of the biggest, longest-lasting decisions of my life. I’ve thought about June or May. Except it would be Mae. I couldn’t name her July. Julie. Julia. Juliana. Juliette. Juniper. Jude. Although it begins to morph into June, and then you can understand.

One day in May, I swam in a lake. Though the lake wasn’t ready to swim in. It was cold and quiet. Not expecting visitors quite yet. May makes you want to jump in. Face first into the warm glow of summer. I went all the way under, trying to throw myself into it. It was so cold I lost my breath. It wasn’t pleasant like I’d envisioned, so I climbed out of the water, pulling myself up onto the dock and rolling over to my back, spread out upon the wood. I sat there barefoot with my belly out. Next to my bag of grapes. Red ones. I bit one in half, sucked the juice, and ate the guts. Leaving nothing but the skin, soggy and frail. That’s why I like May. It’s unpredictable, aimless.

One day in June, I went strawberry picking with my aunt. I wore thin jeans that bled a deep red. My fingertips were the same color. I was picky about which ones I threw into my bucket. I understand if it were now, I wouldn’t be so selective. I stared down long rows of little bushes that went only to my shins. I imagined running through it all. Berries squished between my toes. Naked feet slamming against the earth, landing on small rocks or sticks or weeds. Unable to tell the difference between blood and juice. I went home and washed them. The berries. They jumped under the pressure. I laid them out in a large dish and began smashing. The juice went everywhere. I pushed hard. It was the Summer Solstice. That night we ate strawberry shortcake beneath the moon.

One day in July (hot, muggy, fleeting) was like all the rest, and I realized my favorite month could never be July. There’s nothing new about it. The end of June flows effortlessly into it; if you didn’t have a calendar, you wouldn’t know the difference. Everyone is eating fruit barefoot. Everyone is swallowed by the thickness of the water. And I, I am hot and resentful. Jealous of the time before.

WRITTEN

BY

Emma White

EDITED

BY

Colleen Newcomb

ILLUSTRATED AND DESIGNED BY

Emma Quinn

The WithinSeasons Us

Love me until it’s autumn when my roots are stripped bare from top to bottom. My colors faded and my leaves are gone–summer’s warmth, nature’s biggest con. The sun rays have chosen to flourish elsewhere and until their return, I’m locked in despair. Am I still lovely?

Or were my thorny vines too harsh of a discovery? This skeletal structure you once adored–now a brittle, disheartened variant that leaves you bored.

AND

WRITTEN BY Caroline Morrell

EDITED BY Ella Upton

ILLUSTRATED

DESIGNED BY Chloe Galipeau

THE SMALL SUN

THE SMALL SUN

Drip, drip, drip. The sound echoes throughout the small and barren room: the sound of wax dripping from a candle. The candle is the only source of light in the room, aside from the small amount that comes from underneath the door and between the planks of wood on the window.

The door is always locked; food is slid in through a locked doggie door. He’s not a dog though; at least he doesn’t think he is. He looks human from what he can see, although his hair is getting really long. He can talk, although he’s been starting to forget words.

It’s been so long since he’s been near another person. If they have to come inside the room, they always do it when he’s asleep, with the slightly cleaner room being the only evidence of their presence when he wakes. It’s been so long since he’s felt the warmth of the sun. The candle’s flame makes him so desperate that sometimes he can’t help but touch it despite the pain. He can’t see his hands very well, but when he touches it, he can feel the charred flesh.

Drip, drip, drip. It’s almost finished. Almost burnt down to the wick. Drip, drip, drip. The globs of melted wax spill down the side like...like...what is the name of the water that fell from the sky? He remembers feeling it on his face a lot, streaming down his cheeks. Ah, tears. Like tears that fell from the sky.

The doggie door opened, and a tray was slid in. No words were uttered from the outside, just the sound of the small door’s lock clicking. Mush. That’s what was on the tray, what was always on the tray. He crawled over to the food on hands and knees. Why get up and walk in a room so small? He ate with his mouth. His hands were always on the ground and were dirty, so he couldn’t use them. That’s why.

The lights on the other side of the door were turned off, and the sun had already set, so the only light came from the candle. Sometimes he wondered if they would stop giving him a candle; if they would stop giving him food. Would that be a bad or a good thing? As he thought and ate, the candle dripped and dripped and dripped until the room was plunged into an encompassing darkness. To others this darkness would seem suffocating, but to him it felt freeing, as now he couldn’t see the walls trapping him. He then let the darkness lull him to sleep.

In the morning he was woken up by a knock. “That’s weird,” he thought, “no one’s ever knocked on my door.” But then he realized something that made it even stranger. It was coming from the window.

“Hello,” the person on the other side said, “I know you’re in there.” He was startled at first but then became curious as it’s been so long since he’s heard a clear voice; the closest he’s gotten being the muffled conversations he heard when they passed by his door. This sounded so clear to him though, and they were talking to him.

He crawled over to the window and placed his hand where two of the wooden boards met. The wood was cold and rough; if he moved his palm across it, he’d probably get a splinter. The light that seeped in from in between the boards was warm, a fragile warmth that he cherished. “Hello.” He whispered. His voice was so rarely used that the feeling of speaking felt foreign, the sound small and raspy like a thirsty whisper.

“My name is Ravi,” the person outside says. “What’s your name?” Such a simple question, yet it made him fall silent as if he had been asked to solve an impossible equation. “...I don’t remember,” he eventually said. “Why?” Ravi asked. “I haven’t heard it for a very long time,” he answered; “I haven’t heard a clear voice in a long time.” “Is it because of the boards? Can you not leave?” Ravi asks. “Yes. The door is locked too,” he said, and he didn’t know why, but he kept talking. “They slide food and water through a dog door. Here there are no names and no voices, just a candle and matches.” “I can get help,” Ravi says, “I can get you out.”

He thinks. He wants to feel the sun. He wants to see and hear people. But is he capable of living out there? He had thought that he was still a person, but now he began to question it. ‘How do regular people act?’ he asks himself. “I...I don’t know.” He admits. There is silence on the other side, and he begins to fear that the other boy has left until Ravi speaks up. “Can I keep coming back to talk? Maybe I can help you decide.” “...Ok...what is your life like?” Ravi then proceeded to tell him many things: school, the town, his favorite restaurant, his friends, the park, and his family. It all fascinated him, especially the last one. Ravi described

his family as fun, kind, and loving, words that he couldn’t find the definitions for in his fractured mind. He opened his mouth to ask what they meant but stopped. Once again he was reminded of how little he knew, which made his cheeks feel like they did when he put his face close to the candle; his stomach felt how his hands had when he had gotten splinters; and his head was filled with the sound of cruel laughter. He kept his mouth closed until Ravi said that he had to leave. The two boys said goodbye, with one promising to come back tomorrow. The sound of footsteps came from outside, becoming fainter and fainter till there was silence.

He sat there for a minute, just sitting in silence, nothing new to him. He then crawled away and picked up a match. He struck it, and the small thing erupted with light, so small but such a big part of his world. After lighting his new candle and blowing out the match, he noticed the color of his candle; he couldn’t remember the name of this color from long ago. An image flashes inside of his mind, a memory, a memory from before the room. The color’s name appears too...blood.

The days go by, and he measures how many by the number of times he’s talked to Ravi. 6 times. 6 days. Each day he learns new things about the world, and while he was very interested by the other boy’s delightful words, the bad feeling in his stomach continued. Every day before Ravi left, he would ask the same question, “Do you want me to get help?” And his answer was always the same, “I don’t know.” Ravi was always silent for a second before saying ok and leaving with a promise that he’d be back.

Later he drank water from the bowl that was slid into his room. He didn’t hold the bowl in his hands; instead, he lowered his head to the bowl on the ground. As he drank, he began to think: think about why he hadn’t accepted the offers of help, think about what these feelings were, what they meant. He lifted his head and looked at his candle, watching the blood-colored wax drip and the flame, the flame that was his sun, glow.

Then it hit him. Hit him with the force of something he didn’t even know the name of, which only further proved the truth of the answer he’d come to. The bowl of water; this is drinking to him. Eating without his hands; that is eating to him. The flame; that is the sun to him. The room. This is the world to him. He doesn’t know anything about the world outside. A memory appears inside his head: screaming, crying, clawing at the door, begging to know why, and a voice, “You belong in here. This is where you will always belong.” He knew his answer.

When Ravi arrived the next day, he said his answer before the other could even utter a word. “No. Don’t get help. Leave and never come back. Please.” Ravi tried to protest, but his mind was made up. Eventually the boy

outside gave in, sighed heavily, and left, never to return. ‘It was the right thing to do,’ he thought as he sat in silence. ‘This is where I belong.’

Four years later, red and blue lights flashed as a couple was led out of their small suburban home by the police, their hands cuffed. Several officers walked through the house to a door at the very back. The white door had a dog door at the bottom with a lock on it. There were multiple locks on the actual door as well, rusted and clearly rarely unlocked. They struggled to unlock and open it for a bit before finally managing to get it open. The sound of the creaking wood and squeaky hinges echoed throughout the house. They shone their flashlights inside the pitch-black room, searching and moving the lights around until one

beam shone on a figure huddled in the corner. The figure hissed as the beam hit their eyes. The officer lowered the flashlight and approached the figure slowly, stopping when a growl was heard. There was no frightened child like they had been expecting...only an animal.

ILLISTRATED AND DESIGNED BY MacKenzie Transue

WRITTEN BY Allison Schuberg

EDITED BY Isabella Schlim

FLEETING FEELINGS

If I tell you what I hold in my heart, will you run away?

Will my thoughts scare you so deeply, or will you meet me halfway? Will your only thought be of fleeing? Or will those thoughts be fleeting?

How much should I tell? How little should I say? How much should I hide?

The truth is my heart hurts. It aches, and it burns, and it prods. It shatters me.

How do I tell you that, just how deep my pain goes?

Will you run away? Or will you stay? How can I trust you not to go?

ILLISTRATED AND DESIGNED BY

WRITTEN BY

Jade Durkee

EDITED BY

Angely Estrada

Erin Tilley

SPONSORS

The Tarnished team would like to thank our sponsors that made the production of this issue possible. Their generosity and collaboration makes it so our readers can hold this volume in their hands. We deeply appreciate their partnerships and look forward to many more successful collaborations.

MONADNOCK PAPER MILLS. INC.

Crafting Extraordinary Solutions for a Sustainable Future

mpm.com

Bennington, NH (603) 588 3311

Established in 1819, Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc. is the oldest continuously operating paper mill in the United States. Monadnock prides itself on environmental stewardship and sustainable manufacturing. From premium uncoated and coated papers to specialty packaging and technical products, Monadnock delivers exceptional quality and performance. Their commitment to sustainability coupled with a collaborative approach to product development makes Monadnock a trusted partner for designers, printers and brands seeking environmentally responsible paper solutions.

SUPERIOR PACKAGING & FINISHING

superiorpackagingandfinishing.com

Braintree, MA (781) 303 0022

Superior Packaging & Finishing is a leader in the digital print, trade finishing, and bindery industries through constant investments in the latest technologies, redefining the way organizations view printed materials. Superior’s experience across the printing, binding, technology, packaging and finishing ensures unrivaled service and expertise. Superior is dedicated to encouraging and supporting emerging designers entering the publication design industry.

A special thank you to donors Maddie Young, Ray Karaczun, and Nick Fernandes!

PRINTER

Superior Packaging & Finishing

Braintree, MA

PAPER

Monadnock Paper Mills

Stock:

Astrolite PC 100 Smooth

Interior:

100 lb. text uncoated

Cover:

100 lb. cover velvet coated

TYPEFACES

Header/Subheader: Veneer Regular by Ryan Martinson Yellow Design Studio

Body: Stevie Sans Book by Marconi Lima Typefolio Foundry

SUSTAINABILITY COLOPHON

TARNISHED ABOUT A NOTE FROM THE FACULTY ADVISOR

As you reach the final pages of this year’s edition of Tarnished, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible work that brought it to life. This magazine is entirely student-led, from the development of its theme to graphic design, curation of art, creative writing, and indepth interviews with creatives. Every year, it takes shape through the hard work and collaboration of our talented students, who find beauty in unexpected places and push the boundaries of traditional media.

This year’s theme reflects a modern, forward-thinking take on artistic composition which layers ideas, disciplines, and techniques to create something fresh, thoughtprovoking, and bold. In many ways, this mirrors the spirit of Tarnished itself. What began as a vision years ago, continues to evolve, shaped by new perspectives and the creativity of its contributors.

As the faculty advisor, now in my second year, I have the privilege of carrying forward the vision set by my predecessor, Professor Emeritus Stephen Fischer; he built and nurtured this magazine into what it is today. The students continue to elevate it, making my role both easy and incredibly rewarding.

My deepest gratitude goes to the executive board, whose dedication and leadership make this publication

Tarnished Magazine started as idea in the vibrant mind of Professor Stephen Fischer (now retired) in 2012. Known as PF to his students, he sought to create a counterpoint to Polished Magazine, covering visual and literary arts, as well as arts culture. He wanted the magazine to be a place celebrating unexpected beauty—or, rather, beauty found in unexpected places. Over the years, the scope may have widened, but the spirit of PF’s early charge lives on.

Perhaps it’s ironic that the magazine itself can be expected to deliver beauty to its readers, including the jurors of the Columbia Scholastic Press’ annual student publication contest. They have awarded the publication its Gold Crown, as well as Gold, Silver, Bronze, Circle awards, several years in a row, which is a credit to both its originator and to the many talented students who have carried forth the mission with such award-winning quality and style.

possible. Art Director Erin Tilley, whose diligence and guidance shape the magazine’s visual voice and keep the wheels moving; Aaliyah Wyman, our Art Editor, whose sharp eye ensures quality; and our Social Media Manager Chloe Galipeau, who amplifies our presence beyond the page. A special thank you to goes out to Atllas Stone, our Associate Art Editor; Isabella Schlim, our Managing Editor; and Joslyn Barger-Niemz, our Associate Managing Editor.

Additionally, many thanks go out to our printing partner, Superior Packaging and Finishing, who has worked with us for the second year in a row to bring this magazine to life, and to our generous paper sponsor, Monadnock Paper. The luxurious paper you hold in your hands is produced locally and comprised of 100% post-consumer recycled fiber, significantly reducing the environmental footprint of production.

This magazine is a labor of love, an ever-evolving collage of voices, visions, and ideas. I couldn’t be prouder of the students who pour their creativity and energy into it. They make this happen—my job is simply to support, guide, and admire their incredible work.

Enjoy the issue.

PROFESSOR YVETTE PERULLO