The Artist Mystique (Summer 2012)

issue one. summer 2012.

The Artist Mystique Issue No. 1 July, 2012 http://www.theartistmystique.com The Artist Mystique (TAM) ( aims to promote fresh and new artists that are particularly skilled in the craft of instantaneous beauty. Poetry, flash fiction, photography, and anything without a label is welcome here. We do not discriminate on subject matter, but a theme for each issue will be decided upon after receiving submissions.

Brittany Clark, Writing Editor Kaitlynn Slaughter, Photography Editor

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 444 Castro Street, Suite 900, Mountain View, California, 94041, USA.

. t o g e v e w What A Few Words from the Editors...................................2 About Our Cover........................................................3 “Portland” by Forrest Miller........................................4 “Liminality” by Laura Sorrells.....................................5 “Hands, an Archaic Language” by Ivan Garzon.........6 “Fight for Life” by Meysarah Goffi...............................8 “Ad Hominem” by Matthew Gasda.............................9 “Alone” by Alfonso Rodriguez....................................10 “I Take Scissors to Newspaper” by Ben Nardolilli......12 “Portraits” by Jesse Adwar.........................................13 “Different Perspective” by Bryan Winter.....................14 “The Loft Apartment” by Matthew Gasda...................15 “Look at Me” by Elaine Hargrove...............................16 Biographies................................................................17

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A few words from the editors.

Since Spring of 2012, we1ve gotten over 100 poems, 50 photographs, and 30 flash fiction pieces. We accepted about 9% of these, put them together, and this is the result.

Unfortunately, we didn1t accept any flash fiction pieces, but the poems and photographs presented in this issue are what we feel captures the essence of instant beauty, artful craft, and raw talent.

Brittany Clark (cofounder and writing editor) is currently attending Longwood University for a Masters in Creative Writing. She graduated from George Mason University in 2006 with a degree in Poetry and a teaching certificate that didn't work out so well. She enjoys sushi and figure skating.

Kaitlynn Slaughter (cofounder, photography editor, and webmaster) is currently attending Longwood University for a BFA in Photography. Kaitlynn has a dog named Puppy, which is confusing on many levels.

Enjoy!

--TAM Team

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About our cover.

Kerry McDonnell, Hayley Kerry is a graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BFA in Photography. She currently runs her own photography business based out of her home in Virginia.

Visit her website at www.graffitiskiesphotography.com -3-

Portland Forrest Miller In coffee houses strangers survey the rain puddling in Pioneer Square. Pigeons flutter out of the mist in front of the MAX like waves before the Santa Maria lurching through fog.

Over the steam of our lattes we dream as pioneers leaving geography, favoring the soul, searching our private Atlantics.

Was it failure for Columbus, so far west of known civilization, not to find his India?

Without the ship of an unlimited heart and an ocean to define us, we are merely gazing upon the beaches of puddles.

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Laura Sorrells, Liminality -5-

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Ivan Garzon, Hands, an Archaic Language -7-

Meysarah Goffi, Fight for Life

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Ad Hominem Matthew Gasda

The best days were those walks home From elementary school in the rain, Before we d hide under the covers and describe our dreams.

I d like to believe it meant something To have listened to the rain like that, And cried, and been so happy. happ

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Alfonso Rodriguez, Alone -11-

I Take Scissors to Newspaper Ben Nardolilli And cut out the friendly busts Of wonderful and magic men, Avoiding the seedy ones And those baggy events That do not help history fly.

Only the important things hang In this skeleton, the air quality And the cartoons are sacrificed, Along with the chains of numbers, Redundant words, clumsy punctuations.

There is not much left, But what there is hangs so well, In a checked pattern of significance, I hold it over my window, windo It helps me see my neighbors better.

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Jesse Adwar, Portraits

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Bryan Winter, Different Perspective -14-

The Loft Apartme n

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Matthew Gasda Empty the rain of thunderstorms. Or Just kiss me now, finally. The nights Here have always been strange. Full of A longing that wakes you up terrified.

Mandrakes crying for blood. Birds that Suddenly stop singing.

Memories are rooted in the deep of you, Like butterflies that will not Dust off their wings.

How could so much life rush out of us?

You set the alarm for later in the morning.

All these days are like falling out of love.

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Elaine Hargrove, Look at Me

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Biographies Jesse Adwar is currently a student at New York University studying studio art. Jesse s future is a mystery.

Ivan Garzon is a young photographer who works on portraying pure, graceful messages in his artwork for a better world.

Matthew Gasda is a poet living in New York City. His first book The Humanist is available through Literary Laundry Press.

Meysarah Goffi is a 20-year-old, left-brained photographer.

Elaine Hargrove has shot photography for the Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, TRACE Magazine, and numerous commercial campaigns. She has a deep interest in social issues and human rights, and these are themes that permeate her work. Because of her work in both her art and her community, she will also be featured on the upcoming reality show pilot "Born This Way.�

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Biographies continued Forrest Miller lives in Portland, Oregon but is originally from Vermont. He graduated from the University of Vermont in 2010. Since then he has been fulfilling the sterotype about English majors by moving to the city and becoming a starving artist with no idea what to do with his life. You can contact him or read all about some of his fascinating musings at Fojam12@gmail.com or http://www.thegreatfires.blogspot.com/ http://ww Ben Nardolilli currently lives in Arlington, Virginia. His work has appeared in Perigee Magazine, Red Fez, Quail Bell Magazine, Elimae, fwriction, RePrint Poetry, Pear Noir, Rabbit Catastrophe Review, and Yes Poetry. His chapbook Common Symptoms of an Enduring Chill Explained, has been published by Folded Word Press. He maintains a blog at mirrorsponge.blogspot.com and is looking to publish his first novel.

Alfonso M. Rodriguez juggles his time as a filmmaker, photographer, musician, and writer. Hailing from NYC, he graduated the School of Visual Arts in 2011 with a BFA in Film and Video. He currently spends his time freelancing and playing shows with his band.

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Laura Sorrells is a writer, photographer, and middle school English teacher who currently lives in the mountains of north Georgia. She grew up in Monroe, Georgia and has a B.A.in English education from Kennesaw State University. She is currently working on a book about family and spirituality.

Bryan Winter is a Brooklyn based photographer. He is devoted to tracking down the moments that change and inspire us. There is so much wonderment in the world and most people don't get the chance to get out and see it. Bryan wants to make sure everyone gets to experience the amazing.

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summer 2012.