FASHION.CULTURE.TECHNOLOGY
VOL 24
QUARTERLY
COUSTEAU THE FAMILY LEGACY LIVES ON
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FA S H I O N TO L I V E F O R
MATT ACTON
AT T H E T O P O F H I S G A M E
WRITTEN BY: JASON JASKOT
Society is fitness-obsessed now more than ever. Even as obesity rises, there are more and more people driven to take better care of themselves. You might say it’s the house that Arnold built, as Arnold Schwarzenneger is idolized in the bodybuilding world. However, the culture was always around, from the old Hercules movies of the 1960s, to comic book ads with brawny men kicking sand in the face of scrawny nerds. Which brings us up to the current crop of fitness models and advisors. Matt Acton is one of those guys and can boast something that no one else can: he was the first ever NPC (National Physique Committee) men’s physique pro! A seasoned competitor, sponsored athlete and published fitness model, Matt talks to us a bit about how he got started and how to begin your own path to better health. RAINE: First question is the obvious one: you’re in amazing shape, how did you get started? Did it happen organically or was there a catalyst? ACTON: It happened organically. I’m a lifetime athlete and was involved in basically every sport growing up. At the end of baseball in college, I took up MMA to keep myself active. Training for my first fight, I severely bruised a rib and transitioned into bodybuilding as I was already rather lean from MMA. I also had a gym class in school while studying bioscience and used that as my morning cardio which made things very manageable with my work load. For my first competition, I was only19. I’m now on my 32nd show, with 5 IFBB wins and a top 3 Mr. Olympia debut.
RAINE: There’s no shortage of fitness advice and articles out there, and so much of it seems contradictory. How can people sort out the truth from the nonsense? ACTON: I think everyone needs to approach fitness with an open mind. There’s different routes for everyone and what works for one, might not work for another. Or what is comfortable to one, might not be comfortable to the other. You can try to read and educate yourself from books and online articles. You can then see what works best for you but the most important thing to do is educate yourself before you start and try to SOAK in as much knowledge as possible. RAINE: Raine magazine is all about creative entrepreneurs. How have you been able to successfully brand yourself in the fitness world? ACTON: Yes and I think it’s amazing how one can do so nowadays. It’s crazy thinking of yourself as a “brand” but it’s amazing where life can take you. I still just feel like a regular kid. They call me the ninja. I have a custom dog tag from my sponsor, “NS” No Surrender, with the ninja emblem. There are four values I choose to live by which are honor, humility, bravery and courage. I also have a move on stage called the “ninja twist”. Like I said this is all funny to me! 20
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Photo Credit: Jason Jaskot
RAINE: You were the first ever National Physique Champion. Yet in the bodybuilding world, physique still seems to take some criticism from people who don’t consider physique competitors on the same level as bodybuilders. For example, at one show someone from the audience shouted, “the physique guys are glorified Abercrombie models.” What do you say to that? ACTON: I have nothing bad to say about that because I know who I am and I know how I train. When I train, I beat up the weights just as hard and with as much heart and brain as any bodybuilder. I just chose this route because this is a route of overall health and fitness. Having a fine tuned aesthetic athletic body is for me! Bodybuilding is a little more of an extreme sport when it comes to dieting, putting on size and eating in the off-season. I train for athletic performance, density and detail and live a balanced healthy life all year around. My routine has few weight fluctuations and I’m perfectly fine with that.
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FRE SH FAC E S | F ILM & T V You may recognize her from her reoccurring role on the hit HBO show Entourage, or alongside Will Ferrell in the comedy Old School. Perry Reeves has fulfilled a remarkable career as an actress. This year she has reprised the role as Ari Gold’s better half in Warner Brother’s film, Entourage. Reeves is also known for some memorable arcs on the crime
PERRY REEVES
shows Covert Affairs and Perception, where she shows a more dramatic side of her theatric talents. Aside from acting, it seems that Perry enjoys a much more relaxing hobby. She also owns and operates a sustainable yoga retreat in Costa Rica. The Sanctuary at Two Rivers is a unique, boutique eco-conscious yoga retreat. It also serves as a yoga teacher’s training certification and wellness center in Costa Rica. The retreat is designed by yogis with the intention to commune with nature, practice yoga, contemplate, meditate, detox, and become balanced through a health and wellness yoga retreat vacation. Perry takes a moment to catch up with Raine. RAINE: You’ve played many diverse characters, what has been your favorite role and why? REEVES: Honestly, every time I have a job I think it’s my favorite role I’ve ever had! But I have to say, it’s a tie between Marisa in the movie Old School, and Mrs. Ari on the television show Entourage. I loved the subtle comedy that both those characters got to play. RAINE: Is there a creative process you undergo that helps you to develop your characters? REEVES: The preparation is one of the most fun parts of the whole process. I love to imagine their full lives, things they did in their past; little details like who was their first kiss or what did they wear to the prom. I love using my imagination to literally make up a person’s life. RAINE: Seeing as how your parents are academicians, were they surprised when you decided to not follow in their footsteps? REEVES: I have three other siblings and we all have freelance, creative jobs. I think my parents never really told us what direction our lives should go in. We had to figure i t o ut for ourselves! RAINE: What’s one piece of advice that has served you best in REEVES: There’s no such thing as an overnight success. RAINE: Aside from acting, you are very passionate about yoga and operating your own yoga studio in Costa Rica. Any plans to open your doors here in the States? REEVES: The Sanctuary at Two Rivers is a yoga retreat center in Costa Rica. It’s a 40-acre, totally off t he g rid eco-vacation, with week-long programs that includes all meals, lodging and yoga classes. It’s like camp for adults. We are doing very well and who knows maybe one day we will find another location for a second Sanctuary.
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Photo Credit: Bryan Randall
your career?
FRE SH FAC E S | FA S H ION
PAVING THE WAY TO HER OWN SUCCESS PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN GOVE RAINE MAGAZINE - VOLUME 24
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CU LT U R E | A RT
A PA R K W E S T GALLERY FEATU R E D ARTIST LINDA LE KINFF
Photo Credit: Parkwest Gallery Linda Le Kinff
French artist Linda Le Kinff has traveled the world to expand her artistic horizons, so it’s no surprise that her works are exhibited everywhere from London, Tokyo and Hong Kong to Dubai and Berlin. Born in Paris to French and Brazilian parents, Le Kinff began her career as a professional artist at the age of 20. She traveled the world to learn different techniques, including lithography, wood engraving, oil, casein, watercolor, collage, sculpture and acrylic airbrush painting. She also studied restoration and worked on several ancient restoration projects as a student. Since then, Le Kinff has established studios in Rambouillet and Paris in France and in Rishon LeZion, Israel. Le Kinff’s work appeals to diverse audiences. She has served as the official artist for the 1998 World Cup and the 2010 Kentucky Derby, where her work was featured on posters, tickets, programs and officially licensed products. In fact, a painting for the World Cup was minted into a commemorative coin by the French government, an honor never before bestowed upon a living French artist. She has worked with Park West Gallery for more than 25 years, enjoying the opportunities to spend time with collectors and other artists. As Le Kinff’s artwork continues to grow in popularity, so does her impressive collection of techniques and sources of inspiration, all of which will undoubtedly lead to many more colorful works of art seen around the world. Le Kinff graciously pauses to take Raine on a brief journey into her creative world. French translations courtesy of Loredana Ispas.
RAINE: What inspires your art? LE KINFF: My inspiration is everyday life and the spectacle of everything – culture, travels, concerts, going to the theater and movies. For example, I am inspired by Cirque De Soleil. I don’t listen to music when I paint, but after I go to concerts, I paint. I like classic music and jazz, but I am very open to other types of music, especially traditional music from other countries. RAINE: What travels or events have inspired you lately? LE KINFF: My last excursion in Holland will allow me to make works in my studios for the next two years. The same thing with Japan – it inspires me because of the colors, landscapes, the culture and background of the country. For three to four years I have worked a lot in India and continue to do so. I’ve also been to South Korea and Vietnam. Every time I go I have new ideas and see new colors and people. RAINE: Are there any places that stand out in your mind? LE KINFF: In particular, Jaipur in India and Kyotoin, Japan. I travel all around Japan and have seen a lot of places, and now they’re very familiar to me. It’s like a second home! RAINE: How do you decide on what colors to use? LE KINFF: I love the powerful colors – the reds, the blacks, the purples – and I like to go over them with black lines to make the outlines. I love for the works to be expressive, so I like all colors. Every single color has its own reason and has its own place on the work. I love the happy colors because it reflects my RAINE MAGAZINE - VOLUME 24
character, the way I am. When I speak with collectors, they like to see a positive image in front of them. I had one collector buy one of my paintings because of what it made her daughter feel! RAINE: What techniques do you like to use? LE KINFF: I like casein on wood. It’s a very ancient technique I learned in Italy with a master restorer who has restored museum works of art in Florence. At the same time, I use another classic technique that uses oil and acrylic on canvas. Sumi (ink wash painting) is also a very good technique. You have to concentrate, and with very fast movements you make a drawing. I also do painting, drawings, engravings, serigraphs and collage. RAINE: You have also experimented with abstract style, right? LE KINFF: I’ve done a lot of abstract works, but I haven’t exhibited them before because I would like to have a complete collection. It’s parallel to the figurative work. I want to try abstract because it replaces the features, the lines. RAINE: What was it like to create artwork for the 2010 Kentucky Derby? LE KINFF: It was a very interesting story. When I got to my studio, there was a phone call, and the lady said: “You are Linda Le Kinff?” “Yes I am.” “Do you want to paint for the Derby?” “Oh yes, but what is the Derby?” (Laughs) She explained it to me… and for me I was very proud because I was the first French artist for the Derby. It was a good experience because it challenged my imagination. 85