Slow Toast Magazine - Volume 1 - The Entropy Issue

SLOW TOAST VOLU ME

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R A M O S O W E N G A R C I A C H E R Y L

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SLOW TOAST C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R | E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F

Sa rah Elis e Abrams on DESIGNER

Joh n Bagge

COVER: ALEX CHIU “Cosmic Interconnectivity” Scanned drawing and digital coloring BACK COVER: JESSICA OWEN “Fractoons” Wa t e r c o l o r

I n q u i r i e s : S l o w To a s t M a g a z i n e @ g m a i l . c o m

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RYA N S C H U D E (3), K I R A R O E S S L E R (10), J E F F S T R AT F O R D (13), S A R A H A B R A M S O N (17), J E S S I C A O W E N (19), R I C H A R D S A J A (23), M O N I C A R A M O S (31), A H N D R AYA PA R L AT O (37), T O M Á S G A R C I A (35), M A R T I N E S C A L A N T E (49), T E T S U J I AO N O (53), S T AC Y M I C H E L S O N (58), P H L E G M (61), S H A N T Y C H E RY L (65), C R A I G I B A R R A (71), A L E X C H I U (75), M R . B A S I C (79), E D T E M P L E T O N (83)

RYA N S C H U D E

Ryan grew up outside Chicago and went to sc hool in San Francisco. He then lived in San Diego and has been in L os Angeles for seven years. His images depict scenarios that encourage you to dream up a number of different stories. The range of emotion expressed in his wor k is interestingly broad.

While some pictures bring a sense of calmness and tranquility, others suggest utter c haos and something slightly dar k. Please enjoy his ever thrilling mini stories we call photographs.

RYAN SCHUDE INTERVIEWS RYAN SCHUDE 1 How do you spend your t ime when you aren’t making photos?

2 Tourism has become a significant par t of my life lately, both at home and elsewhere. There’s so m uc h to see in LA that I could spend the entirety of my life exploring and never see it all. I just got bac k from a solo road trip through the South and had a blast, there is nothing like roaming around with no agenda or sc hedule and stopping as many times as you like without concer n for anyone else. The same goes for taking the bus or riding your bike across town. Don’t get me wrong, I love doing all this with friends too, but it’s a different experience altogether.

1 What are you trying to comm unicate with your wor k?

2 Muc h of the wor k is driven by a specific story being told and highly influenced by the aesthetic c hoices associated with the c haracters and location used to illustrate that narrative. Often, the story is left a bit ambiguous to allow the viewer to decide for themselves the events that led up to the moment they are witnessing, as well as what may happen afterwards.

1 Ok, I like that, so let’s see, what should we talk about? How about you? What have you been up to lately?

2 I dunno, well, I was in Ric hmond, Virginia, last week, that was a shoc kingly pleasant surprise.

P REVIO U S: Sven Bar th and his 198 5 GMC Suburban.

E lys ia n Va lley, Los Angeles. Januar y, 2013 H E RE : C a rol Lyn Blac k. Los Angeles. June, 2008

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1 Why? What were you doing there?

2 Like I said, I went on a solo road trip through the South.

I flew into Atlanta, rented a car, a horrifically obnoxious, red, conver tible m ustang no less, and slowly made my way along state highways to Savannah, Char leston, and Wilmington before landing in Ric hmond. I stopped a l ot to take snapshots of cars for a personal project and ate as m uc h barbeque as possible.

1 Damn, sounds amazing 2 You should know, it was your idea 1 Did you get to Wor msloe?

2 I did, so ridiculous, also, a friend who lives there tipped me off about the majestic oak just down the way from there whic h is this massive 500 year old tree bigger than anything I’ve ever seen, all around that is, not as tall as redwoods, but its this huge meatball of a tree with the Spanish moss hanging all over it just looming over you, super intense.

1 Any highlights?

2 Shit, so many, Ric hmond was suc h a pleasant surprise.

Wait, before we get there, on the way I stopped at this house in Bergaw, Nor th Carolina to take a picture of a pic kup tr uc k and the owner was in the yard. Usually I am really bad at talking to strangers and taking their picture, I hate the possibility that I am coercing someone into when they don’t want to do it since I know how m uc h I hate it myself but it was a perfect setup and it looked like he was just hanging out so I asked him to pose with his tr uc k since another one of my projects is about people and their vehicles. He was happy to and I don’t know if it will end up in the final edit of the series but I was so pumped on the process of making that photo since it was out of my comfor t zone.

1 But, you are shooting strangers all the time in those big scenes…

2 Yeah, but they have already signed up for the deal and are fully invested in the process so its completely different.

They have an equal motivation to par ticipate in the photo’s creation whereas the general citizen is opposed to the idea with good reason. Anyways, I get to Ric hmond and it’s beautiful, totally lush. My friend and his family live there and as soon as I arrive we go to the local river for sunset, wading in up to our waist to sit on some roc ks in the middle and put bac k a few, perfect welcoming.

1 Ok, marry, fuc k, kill: Mor ticia from “Addams Family”, Samantha from “Bewitc hed” and Jeannie from “I dream of Jeannie”?

2 I guess the default has to be to star t with marry whic h should be obvious in this case if you consider simply pic king the one who will keep you interested the longest.

Luc ky for us Mor ticia also happens to be the best looking.

At first memory, the c heap por n star look of Jeannie makes you think of her first on a lustful level but it only takes about 20 seconds of watc hing YouTube clips to realize how quic kly you want to kill her for her submissive stupidity and how subtly attractive Samantha can be in her humble power.

Tash i n a Hu n t er w i t h h er 2002 Jagu ar XJ8.

Pasaden a, Cal i for n i a. N ovember, 2012.

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T O P : J i m m y M a r b l e a n d h i s 1 9 9 1 J e e p C h e r o k e e . E l y s i a n Va l l ey, L o s A n g e l e s . M a r c h , 2 0 1 3 .

KIRA ROESSLER BLACK FLAG

B O T T O M : M e g a n M c I s a a c a n d J e a n - Pa u l J e n k i n s w i t h t h e i r 1 9 7 7 To y o t a D o l p h i n . K o r e a To w n , L o s A n g e l e s . A p r i l , 2 0 1 3 .

I n t er v i ew w / K I R A B y J I M (he r d o g )

J I M: S o wh y d o y o u a l w a y s m a k e so u n d s wit h t h at big inanimat e obje c t , Mom? K I RA : We l l J i m , I h a v e b e e n p l a y i n g o ne bass or t h e ot h e r sinc e I was 1 4 , wh ic h make s it 38 y ea r s n o w. I g u e ss i t i s j u st p a r t o f w h o I am.

J I M: I li k e th e so u n d s y o u ’v e b e e n m a king l at e l y but , didn’t y ou use d t o make a muc h me ane r a n d lo ude r o n e s?

K I RA : Y e s , J i m . I w a s i n a b a n d c a l l e d B l ac k Fl ag from 1 9 83 – 1 9 85 , way be fore y ou we re born.

I t wa s a ll th e i r i d e a to p l a y l o u d a n d fast and st uff. I l ike al l kinds of music as l ong as it e xp r es s es e m o ti o n . Of c o u r se a n g e r I S an e mot ion.

J I M: Did y o u l i k e m a k i n g so u n d s w i th t h e m?

K I RA : I di d . Th e y w e r e m y f a v o r i te b a nd wh e n I joine d t h e m. I got t o t rav e l t o some in t e r es t i n g p l a c e s, a n d p l a y f o r a l l sort s of diffe re nt pe opl e . O f c ourse t h at was be f o r e I l o v e d sta y i n g a t h o m e w i th my wonde rful dogs. It was re al l y h ard some t ime s, be ing a wa y f r o m h o m e , h u r ti n g f r o m o v e r d o i ng it , not ge t t ing e nough sl e e p or bat h s.

J I M: F ewe r b a th s se e m s g o o d b u t n o t l e ss sl e e p. D id y ou ge t t o e at a l ot of good food at l e ast?

K I RA : No , J i m .

J I M: S o ba si c a l l y y o u g u y s m a d e l o u d noise , didn’t t ake naps or e at y ummy food, and we re not ho m e much ?

K I RA : We l l , J i m , I g o t to m e e t o th e r b ands from t h ose day s, and some t ime s e v e n st ay at t h e ir ho us e s , lik e th e Bi g Bo y s, th e D i c k s, and t h e B ut t h ol e Surfe rs from T e xas. I me t t h e Misfit s , S o n i c Y o uth , a n d M e ta l l i c a i n N e w Yo rk. A nd our re c ord l abe l mat e s T h e Me at Puppe t s, Hus k er Du , a n d th e M i n u te m e n . An d I got t o go t o E urope for t h e first t ime . I de c ide d t o go .. o n a “ be s t c h o c o l a te q u e st” a n d a sk e d pe opl e from e ac h c ount ry t o bring me t h e ir be st - B e l gium wo n .

J I M: Cho col a te i s y u m m y , w h y w o n ’t y o u l e t me h ave any ?

K I RA : I t ’ s n o t g o o d f o r y o u , J i m .

J I M: S o wh a t w a s th e h a r d e st th i n g w h il e y ou we re t rav e l ing?

K I RA : We l l , b e c a u se o f m y sc h o o l sc h e dul e , we e nde d up doing a wint e r t our in 1 9 84 . B y t h e t i me we we r e i n C e n tr a l C a n a d a , i t w a s Ch rist mas t ime and about 4 0 de gre e s be l ow ze ro. We a r r iv ed in W i n n i p e g a n d a l l th e e q u i p m e nt was froze n sol id. We h ad t o l e t it t h aw for t wo ho ur s be f o r e w e c o u l d u n w i n d th e c a b le s and st uff. My c offe e woul d fre e ze wh il e I was driv ing.

J I M: B r r r , M o m , p l e a se d o n ’t ta k e m e t o Ce nt ral Canada for Ch rist mas - e ve r.

K I RA : Y o u g o t i t, J i m . Th e se g u y s th a t I was pl ay ing wit h we re pre t t y amazing.

No t hin g wou l d sto p th e m . G r e g c o u l d pl ay for t e n h ours a day . B il l h it t h e drums so h ard it hur t , A LL OF U S . An d H e n r y , w e l l a l o t of pe opl e don’t re al ize t h at h e c an be ve ry funny . T h e 19 8 5 t o ur , w e w e r e d o i n g so m e j a m s b e twe e n songs and He nry st art e d t o ad l ib ov e r us. D uring t he co ur s e o f th e to u r i t tu r n e d i n to t h is funny spie l about , we l l - about y our mom and wh o ha d t he 10 . Yo u w o u l d h a v e to l i ste n t o t h e re c ord.

J I M: I t s t i l l d o e sn ’t se e m w o r th g i v i ng up sl e e p and be ing at h ome .

K I RA : I t h i n k o u r m o ti v a ti o n s i n l i f e are pre t t y diffe re nt . May be in my t iny way I want e d t o be hea r d. I d o n ’t th i n k y o u a r e m o ti v at e d by suc h t h ings.

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Ph ot os: B L A CK F LAG , 1983

J I M: No p e . Fo o d , l o v e , n a p s - stu f f l ike t h at . So, now y ou make sounds at h ome more ?

K I RA : Y e s. I h a v e b e e n r e c o r d i n g stuff at h ome for a l ong t ime . I writ e bass l ine s for ot h e r p e o p le ’ s so n g s, o r w r i te m y o w n so n g s , make de mos of t h ings. I wil l pl ay in my diffe re nt p r o j e ct s . D o s h a s b e e n g o i n g o n f o r a l ong t ime , t h e n t h e re ’s SA UPG and A wkward. You know h ow Mi k e Wa t t c o m e s o v e r so m e ti m e s a n d we make sounds t oge t h e r? We c al l t h at D os. SA UPG is my v ir t ua l b a n d . Th a t o n e i s w e i r d b e c ause I am al way s pl ay ing al one and t h e n se nding t h e sounds o v e r t he i n te r n e t to o th e r p e o p l e t o add t h e ir sounds. L ast l y , A wkward is a proje c t wit h D e vin Ho f f . Do y o u r e m e m b e r h i m c o m i n g o v er l ast y e ar?

J I M: I s h e th e o n e w h o ha d t he H U G E i n a n i m a te o bj e ct a nd h e m a d e i t s quea l li k e a p i g ?

K I RA : Y e s, J i m . H e p la y s t h e sta n d u p ba s s a n d h e c a n m a k e v e r y un u su a l so u n d s wi t h it .

J I M: A t l e a st th o se g uy s le t y o u sl e e p .

Y o u s eem to a l w a y s m a k e s o u n d s i n th e m o r n i n g s a f te r o ur wa lk s.

K I RA : Y e s, th a t i s m y f a v o r it e ti m e to w r i te , be f o r e I g e t to o ti r e d f r o m t he d a y ’s a c ti v i ti e s.

J I M: A r e y o u g o i n g to l e a v e m e t o t r a v e l a n d m a k e so u n d s wi t h t ho se p e o p l e ?

M ay be in my t in y way I wan ted to be heard.

KIR A : D on’t fre t , l it t l e Jim .

If I we re t o l e ave it would not be for l ong and you woul d be we l l t ake n c are of. I woul d if t h e right opport unit y pre se nted it se l f be c aus e pl ay ing for pe opl e is kinda spe c ial.

JIM: A nd Mom, wh y d o y ou go t o work?

KIR A : We l l Jim, it woul d be c ompl ic ated t o e xpl ain t h e e ntire c onc e pt of financial se c urit y ( or t h e lack t h e re of) . L e t ’s just s ay if y ou l ike our h ou s e, and y our food, and you r c are giv e rs wh e n I am not around, t h e n I ne e d t o work .

JIM: Wh at do y ou do t h e re and do y ou l ike it?

K I R A : T h e r e I d o i t f o r TV a n d m o v i e s, y ou know l ike me and y our D ad wat c h some t ime s? I do lik e i t , I g e t to b e c r e a ti v e so m e ti me s and be around c re at ive pe opl e some t ime s and t h e n t he p r o j ect e n d s a n d I g e t to m o v e o n to t h e ne xt t h ing or h av e t ime off wit h y ou. Pl us, t h e y pay me p r et t y w e l l , to o .

J I M : Ho w m u c h d o y o u l o v e y o u r d o g , Jim? K I R A : Wor d s d o n o t e x p r e ss, sw e e t, Jim...

JE F F S T R AT F OR D

“I F YOU DO I T WHO LE H EA RT ED LY F O R T W E N T Y O R T H I RT Y O R F O RT Y Y E A R S W IT H AC KN OW L E DG E M E N T OR N OT, YOU AR E G OI NG TO MA KE SO M E R AD S H I T.”

J e f f ta lk s to u s a l i t t l e a b o u t h i s a r t , Ge l l y Ro l l s, a n d p a r a d ox e s.

W hy d o yo u d ra w ?

I d ra w b e caus e w he n I wa s a ki d t hey a l way s t o l d m e I wa s a n a r tis t b e ca u s e I wa s l e f t - ha nd e d .

W h a t ma te r i a l s d o yo u us e ?

I d ra w with p e nc i l t o s t a r t , a nd t he n a b unc h o f P r i s m a c o l o r s a n d Ge lly Ro l l s a nd a l i t t l e wa t e r c o l o r. M o s t o f t he s t uf f t ha t lo o k s like p a i nt i s t he o p a q ue G e l l y Ro l l b a l l p o i nt p e ns by S a k u ra o f Am e r i c a , “ t he M o o nl i g ht s e r i e s ” .

W h a t’s yo u r f a vo r i t e c o l o r o r c o l o r c o m b i na t i o n?

R ig h t n ow I’m l i ki ng s o m e ve r s i o n o f t he D ra w Fo ur C a r d i n U n o : b la c k , w hi t e, a nd t he ra i nb ow c o l o r s.

W h e r e d o you l i ve ?

In LA , a n d I l i ke i t a l o t . I wa s a l way s a f ra i d t ha t yo u ha ve t o d r ive in it, b ut yo u d o n’ t , t he t ra i n, b us a nd b i ke wo r k f i ne. I t ’s s o b ig a n d s o m uc h!

W h a t a r e yo u c ur r e nt l y wo r ki ng o n?

R ig h t n ow I’m wo r ki ng o n m a ki ng a c hi l d r e n’s b o o k fo r a d ul t s a n d k id s. I u s e d t o t e a c h a r t t o K - 5 t h a nd i t wa s a s t o und i ng wh a t h a p p e n e d w he n ki d s g o t t o fo ur t h g ra d e. K - 3 r d , p r e t t y m u c h e ve r yone i s my f a vo r i t e a r t i s t i n t he wo r l d . Tha t ’s t he tr u th . T h e n in fo ur t h g ra d e s o m e ki d s d e ve l o p b e t t e r r e a lis tic d ra w i ng a b i l i t i e s, a nd t hey b e c o m e t he a r t i s t s o f t he cla s s ro o m a n d e ve r yo ne e l s e s t o p s m a ki ng a r t unl e s s i t ’s s o m e p o p u la r e a s y t o m a ke d e s i g n, l i ke a s t us s y ‘ S ’ o r a b ut t e r f l y.

Like 2 o u t o f 2 5 a r e c a l l e d t he a r t i s t s a nd s o m e t i m e s a l l t hey h a ve is g o o d c o o r d i na t i o n, b ut fo r fo ur ye a r s a l l t he s e ki d s h a d p r e tty ba d c o o r d i na t i o n a nd l o ve d d ra w i ng a nd t he f r e e d o m a n d c r e a t i vi t y t ha t we nt w i t h i t . S o, I d e c i d e d I ’d s t a r t tr y in g to make i l l us t ra t i o ns I l i ke a nd m a ke a b o o k, fo r a l l a ge s. I’m s til l i n t he m i d d l e o f w r i t i ng t he s t o r y, b ut h owe ve r th e s t o r y t ur ns o ut i t w i l l b e a b o ut i n s o m e way o r a n o th e r a llow i ng yo ur s e l f t he f r e e d o m o f no t know i ng i n a d va n ce h ow s o m e t hi ng i s g o i ng t o t ur n o ut . Tha t way t he r e i s n o me s s in g up, j us t c r e a t i ng a nd p ro c e s s i ng.

W hy d o yo u s t i l l d ra w ?

I th in k I s till d ra w b e c a us e I l o ve p a ra d oxe s a nd ex p e r i m e nt i ng to cr e a te. A s i ng l e t hi ng b e i ng a b l e t o b e t wo co n tra d icto r y o r t wo d i f f e r e nt t hi ng s a t o nc e. S o, I l i ke tr y in g to le ar n t o d ra w c r e a t ur e s t ha t ha ve m ul t i p l e, d i f f e r e nt f a ce s, a n d tr e e s o r c l o ud s w he r e yo u c a n s e e d i f f e r e nt t hi ng s in th e m. I like q ue s t i o ns t ha t d o n’ t ha ve a nswe r s ye t ( o r vi c e ve r s a ). S o, yo u ge t t o m a ke up t he a nswe r s a nd t he q ue s t i o ns.

It’s win - win , m ay b e. I l i ke t o ex p e r i m e nt a nd l e a r n - a nd d o.

W ith c h a lle n ge s a nd f e e l i ng l i ke I s uc k a nd f e e l i ng l i ke I ’ m g r e a t. C o lo r s c a n d o a l o t o f t hi ng s t o hum a n eye s. L i ke, c r e a t e th e illu s io n o f m o ve m e nt . I l o ve t ha t s t uf f.

A ny a d v ice fo r a r t i s t s ?

H mm, we ll, ye a h, I ’d s ay s o m e o f b e s t a d vi c e I ’ ve e ve r g o t wa s wh e n I wa s 2 0 a nd wa nt e d t o j us t b e a n a r t i s t a nd ha ve p a r t time jo b s a nd d o my a r t f ul l - t i m e, unp a i d , a nd I wa s wo r r i e d wh a t my p a r e nt s wo ul d s ay o r t hi nk, a nd t hi s, “ p s yc hi c s t r e e t me r c h a n t” in B e r ke l ey t o l d m e no t t o wo r r y, t ha t my p a r e nt s wo u ld b e p ro ud o f m e w he n I a m 4 0 . To m e i t m e a nt , “ D o n’ t wo r r y, d o wh a t yo u d o, a nd i f yo u d o i t w ho l e he a r t e d l y fo r 2 0 o r 3 0 o r 4 0 ye a r s w i t h a c know l e d ge m e nt o r no t , yo u a r e g o i ng to ma ke s o m e ra d s hi t .”

Her e: “Looking I n t o a R ive r ” 24x 18 Next Spr ead: “Trave lin g B y Tu r t le ” 24x 18 Mediu m: mar ker s an d G e lly Ro lls

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sarah elise abramson

IMPOSSIBLE PRO JE CT I NSTAN T COLOR F I LM 600 COLOR F RA MES E DI TION

JESSICA owen

r

Buggy 16” x 20” Acrylic

Conan The Barbarian interviews Jessica Owen Hi, Conan.

Conan: Garrrghh.

I know.

Listen! Why do you spend so much time making things when you could be learning how to fight and use your mahscles?

Well, Conan, I guess it’s just something I’ve always wanted to do since I was a kid. My mom says I’ve been drawing since before I could talk. I have very vague memories of being one or two and flipping through my Dr. Seuss books with a blue marker and scribbling over every page and also my parents’ wedding album. I’m sure I thought I was making it just the prettiest wedding album ever, but they didn’t see it that way.

Some people just aren’t cultured.

You sound like you liked to make trouble.

Eh, not really. At least not on purpose. I was kind of an introverted kid. Most days I would stay inside with paints and those markers that smell like different fruits or beads and wire, making jewelry. I would take the scraps left from my stepmom’s sewing projects and try to make haphazard Barbie clothes that I thought were the most gorgeous gowns ever, even though they were poorly handstitched together and fraying everywhere. I wasn’t into using my muscles like you. Actually, my dad had to force me to learn how to ride a bike when I was way too old not to know how. I would scream and fight and cry because I didn’t want to have to go outside and do something as insanely athletic as riding a bicycle.

Ha! You cannot defeat your enemies if you can’t ride a bicycle. I crush my enemies’ bicycles like hamburger wrappers. It’s fun to crush! Listen, tell me what you like to crush.

I like to crush the seed pods on those flower plants where if you pinch them they explode. You know those ones? Impatiens? They’re fun. I like getting friends to crush them who have never done it before. It usually startles them. If you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend it.

Touching flowers is for girlymen.

You say that now.

If I start touching flowers, next I’ll be writing poems to the women instead of saving them from the danger with my weapons and strength.

Maybe they would like a poem? Or a little song? Sometimes it feels good to write songs about life. Once, the friends that I play music with wrote a song about how it hurts to eat Fritos when the chip dip is too spicy. It’s called “Frito Pain”.

Maybe I could write a song if it was about the pain of my enemies when I crush them.

Could you play lute? What do you play with your friends?

I play guitar with my, “Frito Pain” friends. We’re a band called Susan. I play keyboard in a different band called LA Takedown. You wouldn’t like that band, Conan. I think you need like a didgeridoo or something. Maybe a kazoo?

I don’t know kazoo. I know sword. Like you know making doodles on important books.

You do that still?

Kind of. I like to paint, but I don’t always have the time. I wanted to be a professional illustrator when I was younger, but I couldn’t afford schooling. I dropped out after a year at California Collge for the Arts in San Francisco and bought a van with my boyfriend at the time so we could be nomads driving around the country for a few years.

I feel like a nomad sometimes when I quest for vengeance. Where did you quest?

We lived on the East Coast for a few months painting faux finishes and murals in people’s houses and on Catalina Island selling boat tickets and firewood to tourists for a summer. In between, we kinda just wandered where we felt like going, from the Rocky Mountains, through the South, up to Maine and Montreal. We got snowed in a lot on the East Coast and through boredom got addicted to that show Deadwood. We decided we had to go to Deadwood in South Dakota after that. We turned the back of the van into a bed so we could park discreetly and sleep and then get up and drive again the next day. One time we parked in a hotel parking lot in Texas and this guy parked next to us by himself in the middle of the night and played “Nobody Does it Better,” by Carly Simon on a loop for maybe an hour straight. I thought we were gonna get murdered.

No, that’s when you should have started singing songs back to him. “Crush your enemies / Vanquish the weaklings / Pray to Crom / I love boobs!” And so on.

Boobs are cool. I see lots of boobs on a regular basis.

Ahhhh yes. What is your secret?

I design costumes and lingerie in West Hollywood. I do a lot of fittings for custom stuff and boobs just kind of come with the territory. You should apply for a job there, Conan. You would like it. And it’s also really cool to see an idea go from a drawing to a full costume in real life.

Could you make me a costume in real life?

If only I could, Conan. If only.

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Once, the friends that I play music with wrote a song about how it hurts to eat Fritos when the chip dip is too spicy. It’s called “Frito Pain”.

Top: Woods on Woods live painting 48”x 48” Acrylic Bottom: Cosmic Hamburger 8”x10” Digital for screenprint Right: Ultimate Destruction 24”x 30” Oil

RICHAR D Keds X Opening Ceremony collaboration | 2010

SA JA.

Above: Gutter | 2013 | 20” x 20” rayon floss on linen toile Right: Selected piece from Travers Series for Knoll Tulip chairs Last spread: and a half-extinguished fire is soon relit | 2011 | 18” x 24” (25)

I’ve been ducking in and out of analysis for a few years now and had been feeling super keyed in and connected to everyone and everything and especially great about not going when three different people in one week used the word “detached” to refer to me. I made an appointment soon thereafter and was interested to see how, on this return engagement, the focus had shifted away from my past and more toward the present and even more specifically, my work. This being the case, who better to come up with a line of questions for an interview than my therapist?

Therapist- How has your upbringing reflected your work?

Richard Saja- Really? Isn’t that incredibly cliché?

T- Ok, Let me rephrase that: Freaks figure very prominently in your work.

Why do you think that is? What draws you to them and how might it be related to your childhood?

I came to identif from old movie from comic misundersto marginalized. individuals out from and that’ how I

RS- It’s really only in these sessions that I think about my work in this way. From what they tell me, I was a weird, intensely imaginative and creative kid and very different than most of the others I grew up with, including my three siblings. This was a while back when there wasn’t any real awareness about accepting differences in others or preventing bullying and I was on the receiving end of a lot of torment from my peers. I suppose all the negative attention began to make me feel like a freak even though I considered myself completely normal in most every way.

As such, I came to identify with monsters from old movies and mutants from comic books.

The misunderstood and the marginalized. They were the individuals and stood out from the pack and that’s exactly how I felt.

T- Why toile then?

RS- This question has two answers: I’ve been fascinated by textiles since I was a child (the seventies was the great efflorescence of textile design!) and came up with the embellished toile concept while waking from sleep

fy with monsters es and mutants books... the ood and the . They were the and stood the pack ’s exactly I felt.

years ago. The original idea was to embroider Maori facial tattoos onto figures in the print but I soon discovered there were no toile prints available where that concept could be realized because of the relatively small scale of the prints. I thus amended the concept slightly to include any and all embellishment. Toile is a print that, through its dense repetition, becomes anonymous. It’s a blank canvas begging for context, not unlike a coloring book. The act of selectively embellishing small areas of it automatically inverts its historical usage: suddenly the anonymity of the print is broken and it evolves through its subversion. That perversion appeals greatly to me. Secondly, the more personal way to address the question is to consider the imagery I use - the freaks we’ve already discussed. I introduce freaks in settings where they interact with “normal” people in a matter-of-fact fashion.

It’s a world where they are accepted as normal, regardless of appearance.

In this way, every embellished motif contains within it a little plea for acceptance and tolerance, to challenge the idea of difference. The message isn’t necessarily a pedantic one, but it’s there whether or not you see it.

T- We’re all the freaks and we try to normalize ourselves in some way in order to make our path in the world an easier one?

RS- Something like that.

“Walk a mile in my shoes.”

We’re all fighting the same shit storm.

T- It seems that given what you’ve just said, you have a yearning to connect to the world around you, yet still not conform.

RS- That’s a lovely observation. It’s not like I have a choice either, though.

T- What about the fact that you work in a real traditionally considered to be, “women’s work”?

RS - That’s a very early 70’s query and I won’t honor it with an answer. I think our time’s up for this session, too...

(28)

MONICA RAMOS

Mo nica Ram o s

makes sensitive illustratio ns of people.

Comm un ities of lots of tiny people a nd they’re hangin’ out and talking a nd n ot talking and just being together for right now.

All of the pictures are rhyth mic ally composed and deal with the subjects’ interpersonal c onn ec tio ns and comfor t, leaving th e v iewer with a sense that the d esire for those things wasn’t c omp letely satisfied.

A few of the scenes are set in p la c es you would expect to find ga th erin gs of people, but the p la c es a r e extended to the point of non -reality, like an endless pool or a million gir ls’ bedrooms, wall-less and adjoined.

Th e others are like the painted rea lization of an overeater’s fantasy par t y loc a le: bathers soaking in maple syr up- f i l l e d waffle indentations, floating in honey-nut i nne r t ube s and o ne d ude su premely c hilling face-down on a s quar e o f but t e r.

But, even in seemingly jokey situations, yo u c an’ t he l p but f e e l a l i t t l e s ad w he n yo u’ r e lookin g at them. Sad, like you feel when yo u’ r e at a par t y wi t h yo ur f r i e nds and yo u l i ke t he m, b ut you still feel alone.

Sa d like when you feel like everything’s ni c e but i t s abo ut t o be o ve r.

Th e v ibe inspires the suspicion that the c as s e ro l e par t y i s abo ut t o be c o m e s o me mi no r de i t i e s ’ Tuesday leftovers, and the absurdity and t e nde r ne s s o f al l t hat i s what m ake s Ram o s ’ wo r k l i ke l y to reson ate strongly with pretty m uc h a ny bo dy.

Word s by Britt Pac k

E

kk kk 1s t Spr ead - L eft: “I Ha te Selfies” Rig h t: “Wa r m Wa ter 2nd Spr ead: L ef t : “Wa ffle” Top : “Ch eerios” Bottom : “Fryin g ” Above: “Ma ca ron i” Rig h t: “La d ies Hou r”

(35)

AHNDRAYA PARLATO

Ahndraya Parlato’s photographs suggest the occult just underneath the surface of everyday life. Nothing pictured is fantastical, but each image is charged with a magic which assures the viewer that meaning pervades the quotidian and access to that weight is available to any who acknowledge it.

1 _____ AHNDRAYA PARLATO “SEWN FEET” POLAROID

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AHNDRAYA PARLATO “BACK” POLAROID

2 _____

AHNDRAYA PARLATO “WATERFALL” POLAROID

3 _____

Alone Together: THE BRIEF HISTORY OF

Tomas Garcia

ACT I: DECADES PAST `Decades past in a monastery courtyard, a young boy played in the cool shade during warm Barcelona mornings with his baby brother and sister. The salty breeze flew in among flying doves as hushed priests walked through corridors covered in ancient patina. His mind filled with stories about the Saints his religious aunt who was also his godmother had painted from memory. She had told him over and over about their character stories and their incredible feats as the days and years passed, as he grew into a young man. She would paint the details of the clothing they wore, the way they carried themselves, their belongings. She showed her godchildren how to paint them with oils.

Growing up in a monastery comes through in the art he produces today. “I’m proud of giving the best product i can, not paying bills.” he says. “Everybody there took care of each other, everything was for the greater good of the group.” I could tell he longed again for those days.

ACT II: DOWN FROM SEVEN Down from seven roommates, Tomas shares the house now with his five roommates in the laguna hills above the pacific ocean. He’s been in California for a year in a half. “Orange County is bad on the brain”, Tomas likes to joke with us in a dead-stare. “One of my roommates is a total bro; He wakes up in the middle of the night and drinks a Monster and then goes back to bed.”

He knows he’s come a long way. He has been in the United States for over ten years now, at the beginning of his journey he started traveling with friends from state to state, tattooing. first landing in the Appalachians and then, exploring what the rest of the states had to offer. He ended up settling in Arlington, West Virgina first and spent ten years there, ultimately leading him out West to start anew. “I really liked Ann Arbor, Michigan. It’s like Portland, Oregon for intellectual people.”

Act III: A BUSY SHOP A busy shop door swung open at Sid’s Tattoo shop in Santa Ana, California. His happy and fulfilled clients took permanent pieces of his work with them when they left the shop, but Tomas would rather take a flight to guest at various tattoo shops. “I don’t know if i’d call it art.” He thinks more about the work. i’m asking him personal questions about his style and why his clients desire it, “I’m a poor communicatozr and needed a way to communicate and that’s why i started.”

I started listening more and more about each piece as we flipped through his work. I then lifted my arms and said, “Look, i have no tattoos.” He smiled and cooly replied, “That’s good. People used to want tattoos to be different. Now people want tattoos to not be different.”

m

“I’m a poor communicator and needed a way to communicate and that’s why i started.”

Act IV: THE DR. The Dr. and Tomas walked down the rest of the dirt road towards the ruins and the primitive homes of the Huichole people in Oaxaca, Mexico. Tomas’ mind wandered to the stories the Dr. told him about how this is the tribe that walked long distances to gather and consume peyote for religious purposes.

I noticed in Tomas’ work that he tattoos in an abundance of dots, not unlike pointillism. The dots are also the fill and a pattern at times. “My dots are like the halftone screen prints i learned as a graphic designer.” I envisioned an oversized silk cloth over the flesh and tattoo ink bleeding through the unmasked areas in a primitive display manner. “Have you heard of the Huichole?,” he asked us. We pulled out our phones and pulled up google images of tribal art that was so bright and vibrant. “I like the colors,” he said. Tomas’ tattoo style is deep and multidimensional with the patience learned from working as a graphic apprenctice for a designer, when print art was still meticulously separated by hand in the pre-press stages.

ACT V: BOXES OF BLACK & WHITE Boxes of black and white spray paint cans shouldn’t have been that easy to steal out of the dark warehouse, but they were. He didn’t need more than that anyway; his quick, stylized signatures only needed two contrasting colors, especially since very few people were bombing graffiti in barcelona, and he was out for fame.

From the early eighties (first documented in eighty-three), into the early part of this millennium, Tomas Garcia admitted he was the, “Undisputed Reigning King of Barcelona Graffiti.” I spent the better part of my teens obsessing about geting up on walls, under bridges and plastered on the sides of dumpsters and abandoned buildings. It takes decication to get to undisputed level.

It can sometimes lead to an obsessvie addiction of wanting to be seen and on top.

It’s the ultimate dream to be king. I imagined it like a wild west of street art wars, underground and only getting news from the other side, via newsprint. He abolished my wild, childhood-like dreams, declaring, “I was almost the only one doing graffiti at the time and the police would come and scare my mom, but i didn’t really get into terrible trouble.”

“I was almost the only one doing graffiti at the time and the police would come and scare my mom, but I didn’t really get into terrible trouble.”

ACT VI: BAREFEET Barefeet walk over the sands in a crsescent bay. Tomas floats out over the incoming break and lays sprawled out on his board before catching a few last late-summer waves.

“I like anything in the water. It’s how i relax,” he tells us, still sitting on the couch. “I go to the beach to feel calm. I can’t imagine living somewhere without the ocean.” He begins to drift. After some more small talk about citezenship and travel opportunities, he mentions how he wants to go back home to Spain, but knows it won’t be easy to set up a small business there. He drifts again, “I’ll probably live on the beach. That’s where i was before, back home.” He grabs his phone and pulls something up on the screen. He looks playful now and tells us, “My little brother is a tattoo artist,” grinning big. He shows us his brother’s work on his phone and jokes about him, “He lives on the beach in Barcelona and surfs all day and people hit him up for tattoos and he’s happy, he’s proud of his life.” I catch another glimpse of the far-off Mediterranean in his dark eyes. “My sister also does tattoos. She only uses black and pink,” he states even more pleased. “Do you think your brother and sister back home look up to you and want to be like you with the tattoos?” With an inquisite pause, Tomas replies, “Yeah...”

(46)

EPILOGUE tomas still resides in Orange County. Catch him while you can... @tomas_garcia, @inupie - Working on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesdays at Sid’s Tattoo Parlor in Santa Ana, Ca

Martin Escalante

What do you think of this? If you like it run with it, you can print my name with this one. I feel muc h less d i r t y t o d ay. - M a r t i n E s c a l a n t e While looking a t some of my fa vorite photos made in recent years I noticed most of them w ere taken by ama t e u r p h o t o g r a p h e rs. I g e t e n o r m o u s s a t i s fa c t i o n f ro m s e e i n g b e a u t i f u l eve r y d a y w o m e n p o s i n g, m o s t o f t e n nude or semi-nude and making an effort to convey as much sexuality as possible. Attitude goes a very long w a y, i t g o e s m u c h f u r t h e r t h a n l o o k s a n d b o d y s h a p e . I d o h a v e s t r o n g p r e f e r e n c e s w h e n i t c o m e s t o b o d y s h a p e a n d fa c e, b u t t h e r i g h t a t t i t u d e w i l l a l w a y s w i n o u t . N o t h i n g b e a t s a c o n f i d e n t w o m a n w h o l i ke s t o s h ow o f f h e r b o d y a n d g e t s a k i c k o u t o f t u r n i n g p e o p l e o n , o r fa n c i e s t h e t h o u g h t o f s o m e o n e p l e a s u r i n g t h e m s e l ve s t o h e r i m a g e. O n e o f my g o a l s w i t h M E C H E i s t o e n c o u r a g e p e o p l e t o t a ke t h e i r ow n p h o t o s - s o pick up a camera, be nice and take some photos!

MECHEMAGAZINE.COM

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TETSUJI AONO

W

h en o ne w al k s in to ce rma c is t Tet s uji Ao no ’s h o u s e / s tu d io h i g h i n t h e h il l s o v e rl o o k in g E l S er eno, i t ’s h a rd n o t to be o v er t ake n b y th e s h e e r v o lume o f ar t d is p l a y e d in ev er y no o k a n d c ra n n y o f t h e abo de.

H i s h o me i s a l m o s t a mus eum, fi lle d with a daz z li ng ar r a y o f c o nt emp o r ar y a rt th a t h e and h i s lat e pa rtn e r, Ro n Far ano v i c h, co l l e cte d o v e r t h e y ear s. H o we v e r, u n l ike many museum s, Mr. A o n o ’s h o us e and wo rk p l a c e is t eami ng w i t h l if e a s we l l.

T h er e ar e p l a n ts a n d f a u n a ev er yw h er e. T h e n th e re ar e t h e l i t t le to y s a n d a fo o d and w a te r d is h f o r h is belo v ed ki t t y, Ta ko mi. I t ’ s in t h i s c o z y s p a ce, v ib ra n t with li fe and c r ea tiv ity th a t y o u c an al s o see, in te rm in g l e d w i t h t h e w o r k s o f o th e rs, Tet s uji ’ s o w n p ie ce s ; th e fr ui t s o f i nc r e d ib l e s k il l a n d i mag i nat i o n.

W h et h er i t b e s ta c k s o f c er am i c t ed d y b e a rs, a w i ld bus t o f a h u ma n, mo u th ag ap e, w i t h h e a d p h o n e ear buds sh o v e d u p th e ir no s e, a g ent l e m a n with a do uble c h ee s e b u rg e r f o r a h ead and a b a n a n a er up t i ng fr o m h is tro u s e rs, o r a n in trica te tow er, w hi ch at i t ’s base, has a tr i o of dw ar v es ex p osi n g thei r anat o mi c ally co rre ct p o s te rio rs, Te ts u j i A o n o’s cer ami cs, m ost of w hi ch ar e p olka-dotted w i th r oun d holes, ar e s o me o f th e mo s t c a p tiv a tin g, in te re s tin g, an d str an gely beauti f ul p i eces of cer am i c w or k you ’ll see.

I w as fo r t una te to b e g iv e n a to u r o f h is h ome by the man hi m self, an d sat dow n w i th hi m f or a bi t of n i ce c o nv er sat i o n. Te ts u j i g re e te d me in c o m f o rtable, color f ul, atti r e an d, i n hi s ow n, humble, sof t-sp oken w a y, sh o w ed me m a n y o f h is wo rk s a n d tre a s u re s, an d of f er ed m e i n si ght i n to hi s method an d hi s i n sp i r ati on s.

H i s ans w er s to m y ma n y q u e s tio n s u s u a l l y came af ter a f ew secon ds of thought an d con si der ati on, an d alt h o ug h h i s E n g l is h is s til l a b it u n po l is h e d, as he’s a n ati v e of Jap an, he w or ked har d to make sur e I under st o o d h is id e a s.

S

o, c an y o u te l l me a b it a b o u t h o w y o u s tar ted getti n g i n v olv ed i n ar t an d at w hat p oi n t i t became s o met h i ng a l ittl e b it m o re s e rio u s f o r y o u ?

Tet suji : I st a rte d ta k in g a rt c l a s s e s wh e n I w as i n ki n der gar ten, but my f ami ly w as alw ays ki n d of str i ct and s o t h ey w ant e d me to g o in to mo re s cie n ce, esp eci ally p hysi cs. S o I w en t to hi gh school as a p hysi cs majo r and I t o t ally h a te d it. T h e n I c a me h e re a nd I tr i ed to be a bi ology maj or. A n d then I star ted taki n g c er ami c s an d th e f irs t ce ra mics cl a s s, j u s t made my li f e totally di f f er en t.

S: Yeah ?

T: Yeah, i t ju s t ch a n g e d. I t ’s l ike C h ris tma s ti me w hen i t ’s j ust made out of di r t, but i t comes out li ke C h r i st mas t i me a l l th e time, y o u k n o w? S o I w as j ust totally hooked, an d at that m omen t I chan ged my majo r t o ar t.

S: D i d you hav e an y ex p er i en ce w i th cer ami cs bef or e?

T: I alw ays li ked clay, but n ev er had access to cer am i cs i n Jap a n.

S: Can you tell me a bi t about your cer am i cs? Because these are al l s o beauti f ul. D o you go i n to them w i th a v i si on ? O r do you ma ke wh atev er p op s i n to your head?

T: It ’s… Thr oughout the p r ocess i t ’s chan ged. In the begi n n i n g it was j u s t a p r ocess.

S: Mmm … (p oi n ts to or n ate v ase on table w i th teddy bear head ins tead of a hole f or f low er s) You sai d thi s w as on e of your f i r st piec es, right?

T: Well, on e of the f i r st p i eces i s the Vi r gi n an d chi ld, an d I w a s po k ing a hole, ki n d of, you kn ow, somethi n g bad. A n d I di dn ’t kn ow tha t Ro b ert G o bber w as m aki n g thi s at the MO CA. H e w as show i n g thi s Vi r gin Mar y with a hole an d w ater f all. A n yw ays, that w as i n the begi n n i n g o f mak ing h oles.

S: D o the holes hav e an y sp eci f i c mean i n g to them or to you?

T: I thi n k holes ar e ki n d of v i olen t but at the same ti me i t ’s bea utiful, e sp eci ally w hen I ’m doi n g them p er f ectly r oun d an d they become a p a tter n. A t the same ti me, i t ’s j ust total n egati v e sp ace an d also, it ’s k ind of usi n g p eop le’s mem or y; li ke i f you ’r e r em ov i n g out thi s sec tio n o ur mi n d keep s f i lli n g i t. S o i t ’s ki n d of i n ter esti n g, ki n d of dyn a mic.

S: When you make these p i eces, li ke w e w er e talki n g about your “ pr eci ous balls ” theme, how much of i t do you go i n to w i th a spec ific th eme i n mi n d? Do you m ake themes of ten f or your self ?

T: Mmm m…. Yeah… The show bef or e last w as called, “A on op o l y.” So it ’s mor e li ke a tow er, or som ethi n g v er ti cally con n ected w i th a r chi tectur al elem en ts.

S: What i n sp i r ed you to bui ld those?

T: Well, because, w i th cer am i cs, gr av i ty i s n ot an easy thi n g to o verc o me, y o u k n o w, s ta ck in g u p. S o, it was an other challen ge. When I w as p utti n g the Teddy bear s to geth er, and a C h ris tma s tre e to o, u ps id e d o wn, con n ecti n g. When I tr i ed con n ecti n g i t w i th clay, then, i n just o ne s ec o nd, it j u s t we n t “ B B K KO W! ” a n d it became a p an cake. S o I j ust hav e to thi n k about m y con n e c tio ns o r jus t, y o u k n o w, th e l imita tio n s.

S: C an y o u e xp l a in a l ittl e b it a b o u t the ball stuf f ?

T: Yea h, b e ca u s e b a l l s a re j u s t k in d a, w ell you look ar oun d an d i t ’s ki n d of n atur ally i n the en v i r onment.

E v en d u rin g g ro win g u p, it wa s a l wa y s i n the house som ew her e because my D ad p layed golf, or the re were t enni s b a l l s b e c a u s e we p l a y te n n is. S o, i t ’s ki n d of comm on f ur n i tur e i n a sen se an d i t ’s v er y subtle, b ut i t ’s al wa y s th e re; k in d o f a f a m il y me mber i n a sen se, an d that ’s f un n y. S o, yeah, ther e’s thi s p i ece I made w i t h t h re e b a l l s. I t l o o k s l ike m y c a t. S o I ’d li ke to make those balls that look li ke a cat ev er yw her e. T h at ’d ki nd o f b e wh a t I ’d l ike to d o in th e f utur e.

S: T h a t ’s re a l l y co o l, h a v e y o u ma d e an y other f i gur es out of balls?

T: N o, j u s t th e ca t, a n d s h e ’s a C a l ico so she has r eally i n ter esti n g p atter n s. I tr i ed to cop y them as muc h as I c a n.

“ I t h i nk ho l e s a r e k in d o f v i o l e nt , b u t a t the s a m e tim e i t ’ s b e a u tif u l . ” (56)

S: H av e t h er e b e e n a n y o th e r th e m e s in th e past, besi des the tow er s an d the balls, that you f elt y o ur self dr aw n t o ?

T: I m ade w edd in g ch a p e l s. We l l, n o t we d d in g chap els, but j ust ki n d of the en v i r on men t. I w o r ked w i t h t h e th e me o f s pe a ke rs, s o with e a r p hon es, i f you p ut them i n to the n ostr i ls, i t ’s li ke a Bo se sp eaker. T h e in te rn a l s tru ctu re v ib ra te s the soun ds an d then soun ds come out f r om other h o les. S o I use d th a t (po in ts to l a rg e b u s t o f a p er son w i th thei r mouth op en an d ear buds sh o v ed up t h ei r n o s e ) to e xa m in e h o w s o u n d s tr av el i n ter n ally an d how they come out. S o w i th t h e c h ap el, I h a d f iv e c h a n n e l s p e a ke rs m a d e out of somethi n g li ke that. I ki n d of made masks and so me w er e o n th e wa l l s a n d s o me we re h an gi n g an d that ’s w hat I w as w or ki n g on.

S: M any o f y o u r p ie ce s a re k in d o f e y e ca tchi n g to say the least, w i th the dw ar v es ex p osi n g thei r but t s and t h e b u rg e r h e a d e d ma n with th e b an an a comi n g out of hi s p an ts, w her e do you get the i ns p i r at i o n fo r th e s e th in g s ? Do th e s e im a g e s j ust ki n d of p op i n to your head or do they come alo ng as yo u ’r e p u ttin g th in g s to g e th e r?

T: Wel l … I t h i nk it ’s … I t c o me s f ro m, l ike, te a pots an d some ki n d of er oti ci sm …

S: H av e yo u e xh ib ite d a n y o f y o u r pa in tin g s bef or e?

T: M mm h mmm.

S: Oh c o o l. D o y o u h a v e a d if f e re n t a p pro a ch w i th your p ai n ti n g than you do the cer ami cs?

I no t i c e t h at yo u d o th e h o l e s in th e pa in tin g s as w ell, but do you hav e themes f or your self i n si mi l ar w ays ?

T: Yeah, I li ke to k in d o f c o mb in e it with f o o d, a f ood theme. S o, usually I ’ll ki n d of f i gur e som et h i ng w i t h c h i c ke n l e g s o r tu rke y h e a d s, o r a tu r key body as a head, an d som ethi n g I f eel i s ki n d o f s ex y t o o … a k in d o f pe cu l ia r s e xin e s s. I t ’s not somethi n g li ke sex, but somethi n g m or e li ke, “ Wo w, t h at ’s p e cu l ia rl y s e xy. ” S: Yo u ment i o n f o o d, a n d a g a in I ca n ’t h e l p b ut thi n k of the guy w i th the double cheesebur ger fo r a h ead and th e b a n a n a c o min g o u t o f h is p an ts. Is ther e somethi n g about f ood that you enjo y i nc o r p o r a tin g in to a rt?

T: Yeah …

S: I s i t just s o me th in g k in d o f in te re s tin g to th row i n ther e or i s ther e a p ar ti cular r eason you i nc o r p o r at e fo o d a l o t, to o ?

T: I ’m no t s ur e, b u t I a l wa y s l ike f o o d s o … y e ah… It ’s f un n y, the r ef r i ger ator i n a sen se i s li ke a sh r i ne.

S: Wo w, I ’d nev e r e v e n th o u g h t abo ut t h at.

T: W h en y o u jus t co me h o m e a n d ki nd o f aut o mat ic a l l y o p e n u p th e r efr i g er at o r and s o me time s y o u ’re li ke, “ Oh, w h at a m I l o o k in g f o r? ” So fo o d i s ki nd o f a G o d d y th in g, l ike T V t o o.

Fir st S pr e ad - C e r am ics 2 0 0 9 Abov e - H appy H appy J oy J oy v ir g in r oad: panic we dding r e g istr y 2 0 0 5 - 2 0 0 7 mix e d m e dia instal l ation

S T A C Y M I C HEL S O N S T A C Y M I C H E L S O N L I V E S I N L O S A N G E L E S I N A N A PA R T M E N T F U L L O F D I S T R A C T I N G T H I N G S . S H E D R AW S , PA I N T S , S C R E E N P R I N T S , A N D H A S A C L O T H I N G C O M PA N Y. S H E S AT D OW N W I T H A F E W O F H E R C H A R AC T E R S, W H O H A D A F E W Q U E S T I O N S OF THEIR OWN...

STACY MICHELSON CHARACTER’S NAME: KIMONO JONES

W HY DO YO U S UPPO S E YO UR S T UF F LO O K S L IKE KID A RT ? ?

We l l , m o s t o f my s t uf f s t a r t s f ro m a d o o d l e i n my s ketc hbook, a d ra w i ng o n a na p ki n, o r a t o - g o c up - t ha t ki nd a t h i ng. I t’s us ua l l y d o ne w i t h a S ha r p i e i n a f ew s e c o nd s. W he n I come bac k t o i t l a t e r, I d o n’ t a d d m uc h t o i t , j us t m ay b e a f ew col or s, s o i t t e nd s t o ha ve a s i m p l e l o o k. I t hi nk i t ’s p r e t t y f un. I l i ke that ki ds a nd a d ul t s l i ke my s t uf f a nd i t ’s no t i nt i m i d a t i ng. I t ’s not the ki nd a a r t yo u ha ve t o t hi nk a b o ut o r und e r s t a nd - you l i ke i t or yo u d o n’ t .

W HE RE DO YO U G E T YO UR S T YL E F RO M , W HE RE DO YO U S T UDY, B L A H B L A H BL A H ?

B l a h, b l a h, b l a h, r e a l l y ? Yo u a r e a l way s i n s uc h a gr eat mood.

O K , s o I g r ew up d ra w i ng a l l t he t i m e, a l way s l o vi ng the ar ts y fo c us e d a s s i g nm e nt s f ro m t he f i r s t g ra d e, o n. I wa s n’ t r eal l y i nf l ue nc e d by a ny a r t i s t i n p a r t i c ul a r, j us t my i m a g i nati on. But, w he n I t o o k a s c r e e np r i nt i ng c l a s s i n hi g h s c ho o l , I real i zed that my a r t o n p o s t e r s a nd T- s hi r t s wa s a n a m a zi ng new way to make a r t . I l o ve d i t . Tha t o p e ne d t he d o o r t o g o w i l d a nd wear ar t.

P l us, t he t e a c he r, M r. I nga l l s, wa s s up p o r t i ve a nd e n couragi ng of my s t uf f a nd he ha d a huge i nf l ue nc e o n m e m o vi ng for war d. I wa s a b l e t o m a ke T- s hi r t s w i t h my a r t fo r m e a nd my f r i ends, and I t ho ug ht i t wa s p r e t t y c o o l t ha t I c o ul d d e s i g n a nd make T- s hi r ts fo r my f a vo r i t e b a nd s, t ha t no o ne e l s e ha d .

DO YO U TA KE DRUG S ? ?

W ha t ? ! N o, w hy ?

B E CAUS E I LO O K L IKE I A M A PRO DU C T O F PS YCHE DE L ICS, I M E A N LO O K AT M E N O N O RM A L B RA IN J US T DRAW S L IKE T H AT.

N o, t ha t ’s j us t my c ra zy b ra i n. I ’ m ve r y hy p e r a nd f ul l of ener gy. I p ro b a b l y j us t d r ew yo u hi g h o n s uga r o r l a t e a t ni ght and I was n’ t e ve n t hi nki ng. I f e e l l i ke t ha t ’s how my b e s t c ha ra c t er s ar e bor n.

They j us t a p p e a r o n t he p a ge. A nd I l o ve how we i r d you ar e. You a r e s o l o ve a b l e a nd s t ra nge, i n a g o o d way.

YO U A RE S UCH A CHA RM E R. .

S t a c y : I know. ( w i nks )

W HY A RE M O S T O F YO UR CHA RACT E R S MALE??

Yo u know, I t hi nk a b o ut t ha t a nd d o n’ t r e a l l y know. I ’ ve j us t ne ve r r e a l l y d ra w n f e m a l e f a c e s. I f i nd m a l e f a c e s s o i nter es ti ng t ho ug h - m us t a c he s, b e a r d s, s i d eb ur ns, l o ng ha i r, s h or t hai r, no ha i r, s e e m s l i ke t he p o s s i b i l i t i e s fo r c ha ra c t e r s a r e endl es s. But, yo u know, o ne o f my f a vo r i t e s i s f e m a l e. S o f i a t he Ll ama i s on my b a by c l o t he s a nd p e o p l e r e a l l y l o ve he r. S o, m ay b e I ’ l l have to wo r k o n t ha t .

W HAT IS YO UR M O S T PRIZE D PO S S ES S I O N O R T HE F IRS T T HIN G YO UD G RA B IF T HE R E WA S A F IRE ?

I t ’s a ne c kl a c e t ha t my G ra nd m a M i c he l s o n ga ve m e befor e s he p a s s e d a way. I LOV ED t hi s ne c kl a c e a nd s he knew that. She wor e i t e ve r y t i m e we hung o ut . S he l o ve d i t , t o o, m o s t l y becaus e s t ra nge r s wo ul d c o m p l i m e nt he r o n i t a nd s ay how beauti f ul i t was w i t ho ut r e a l l y l o o ki ng c l o s e l y a t w ha t t he c ha r m was, whi c h was a c t ua l l y q ui t e r ud e a nd hi l a r i o us — a g o l d s c r ew w i t h the l etter “ U ” a t t a c he d . S he wa s a r e a l c ha ra c t e r, my G ra m m a Mi kes. So, i f t he ho us e i s b ur ni ng d ow n, I ’d g ra b t he m o s t i m p o r t ant thi ng, my g ra nd m a ’s S c r ew - Yo u ne c kl a c e.

TO P C H A R AC T E R S - I M AG I N A RY F R I E N D S MIDDLE CHARACTERS - CASTLES AND TOTEMS BOTTOM - JAGGER

(60)

Phlegm transforms abandoned factories and buidlings that lie dormant in metropolitan cities the world over into his huge canvases. Based in the UK, his w o r k i s f o u n d i n m a n y s a t e l l i t e p l a c e s - B e l g i u m , N e w Yo r k , a n d Po l a n d h a v e b e e n b l e s s e d by h i s m u ra l s a n d a e ro s o l c a n - c o n t ro l l e d h a n d .

He is currently working on a wordless graphic novel that is sure to be just as epic as his murals.

BELGIUM

NYC

WA R S AW

SHANTY CHERYL

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Opening Photo: Spider Problems 2008, Spread: Japanther , Here: Screaming Females

Here: Steph

C ra i g m a ke s s t e n c ils.

A m a zi ng s t e nc i l s.

H e a l s o r uns a r e c ord l a b e l c a l l e d Wa t er U nd e r t he B r i d ge.

H e ha s t wo c a t s, one i s ve r y s m a l l a nd one i s ve r y b i g. H e is c ur r e nt l y wo r ki ng o n a b ook a b o ut t he p unk hi s t o r y o f S a n Pe d ro, C A .

OP P OS I T E : D U A N E P E T E R S A B OV E : JOH N N Y C A S H N E X T: JA ME S B R OW N

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NAME: “Get Freaky” 9x12 ink and color pencil

Previous: “Get Freaky” 9x12 ink and color pencil Here: “GuaGua Apocalipticas” 8x10 Ink and color pencil

ALEX

CHIU A l ex C h i u , Po r t l a n d , O R , 2 0 1 3

I DON’T LIKE ADULTS. U N F O R T U N A T E L Y, I ’ M S U P P O S E D T O B E O N E .

M y f r i e n d B e r n i e s a i d , “ We a l l b e c o m e s a d u l t s , b u t t h e hope is that we still keep the c hild inside of us.”

I am 28. Three days a week, I work as a barista at a 2 4 h o u r c o f f e e s h o p i n Po r t l a n d , O R . I a l s o t e a c h a r t classes at a community center in Hillsboro.

I T E AC H A RT TO C H I L D R E N A N D R E T I R E D F O L K S. M y w i f e i s g o i n g t o s c h o o l o n h e r c o m p u t e r. I k n o w t h a t she is in class when she puts on her headset.

M y f r i e n d Wa l l y a n d I d o a p r o j e c t c a l l e d Marsuplala. The project is the best. It makes me feel l i k e I a m s i x y e a r s o l d . To m o r r o w I h a v e t o w a k e u p a t 4am. My shift is from 5am – 11:30am. I made a giant monster outfit out of cardboard, paper mac he, and house paint. It is great.

I A M A D D I C T E D T O S U G A R F R E E RO C K S TA R .

I AM ASHAMED OF THIS. I have a Godzilla tattoo on the back of my right arm.

He has a blue laser shooting from his mouth.

O c c a s i o n a l l y, I a t t e n d a d r a w i n g n i g h t a t t h e C o s m i c M o n k e y o n M o n d a y n i g h t s . We d r i n k b e e r, s m o k e w e e d , eat junk food, listen to records, and draw comics.

I really look forward to this every week. I watc h hours o f d u m b Yo u t u b e v i d e o s . I w a t c h a l o t o f F a i l compilations, UFO sighting videos, and eating c hallenges.

THE END

mr. basic of Concave Oblivion

titles/material: Denture Bracelet: polished dental acrylic Denture Hair Combs: polished dental acrylic Denture Compacts: polished dental acrylic, magnetic closure, glass mirror P l e a s e l i s t m e a s : M r. B a s i c o f C o n c a v e O b l i v i o n .

I prefer to not answer the questions.

He doesn’t eat animals or use drugs. He enjoys riding little wooden toys with four wheels and long walks on the Huntington Beach Pier with the love of his life, fellow awesome photographer, Deanna Templeton. They have been happily married for twenty-two years and will plan a vacation around the proximity of good vegan food. He is addicted to Instagram. He has over seventy four thousand followers and counting. You may follow him @tempster_returns.

He has the largest and coolest art book collection in all of orange county. he enjoys painting, drawing and photographing tasteful nudes (he’ll correct you if you call them naked pictures). He knows how to play only one song on the accordion, but that one song is badass. He only likes one kind of coconut water, TASTE NIRVANA. He is the best person to be on your team at game night because not only can he answer trivia he can also draw with his eyes closed.

... He is Ed Templeton. - Alli & Stacy

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RICHARD S A J A (12),

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MARTIN E S C A L A N T E (18), G U A N A J U ATO, M X L A K E WO O D, C A MECHEMAGAZINE.COM

MONICA R A M O S (12),

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RYA N S C H U D E (12), LOS ANGELES, CA RYA N S C H U D E . C O M

JESSICA O W E N (12),

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LOS ANGELES, CA JESSICAOWEN.TUMBLR.COM

A H N D R AYA PA R L AT O (12), NYC A H N D R AY A PA R L AT O . C O M

en-tro-py (noun) - commonly associated with the amount of order, disorder and/or chaos in a system.

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P H L E G M (12), UNITED KINGDOM PHLEGMCOMICS.COM

ALEXDOODLES.COM

ED T E M P L E T O N (12),

STACY M I C H E L S O N 12),

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA INSTAGRAM: TEMPSTER_RETURNS

AT WAT E R V I L L A G E , C A STACYMICHELSON.COM

CRAIG I B A R R A (12), S A N P E D R O, C A WAT E R U N D E R T H E B R I D G E RECORDS.COM

TETSUJI AO N O (12),

SARAH A B R A M S O N (12),

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SHANTY C H E RY L (18),

S A N P E D R O, C A F L I C K R . C O M / P H OTO S / S H A N T YC H E RY L

S A N P E D R O, C A S A R A H E L I S E P H O T O G R A P H Y. TUMBLR.COM INSTAGRAM: SLOWTOAST

S L O W T O A S T V O L U M E I - T H E E N T R O P Y I S S U E - W I N T E R 2 0 1 3 / 2 0 1 4 D E S I G N C O N T A C T : @ B A G G E _ PA N T S