www.artnois.com
No.10 May / June 2014
Robert Farkas Ana Maria Darryll Schiff Just Chris La MIsa Negra Joy St Claire
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artnois.com
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A note from the Team
Happy Spring& summer! Here we are again bringing you fresh new artists for you to discover and share. From London to Puerto RIco, from Cumbia to fine art, here are six new amazing artist from different walks of life who are waking up each day doing what they love most. Enjoy the work, their interviews and don’t forget to share your support! Sincerely, -The Artnois Team
Catch up past issues!
Artnois Team Magda Becerra Artnois Co-Founder, loves anything creative, manages all artwork, and final editing. magda@artnois.com Jesenia Meraz Artnois Co-Founder, brings music to your ears. Always looking for new music and artists to share with the world. jessy@artnois.com Carlos Rubio Journalist/ Photographer Tells it like it is. carlos@artnois.com Patty Nunez Design Assistant Thank her creative mind.
Visit us at Artnois.com Questions, comments or suggestions? Email us! If you have any ideas on how we can improve Artnois please contact us, we’d love to hear your feedback. Also, feel free to send us samples of your work (or if you want to send us token of appreciation we don’t mind that either.) PO BOX 923082 SYLMAR,CA 9134 tel. 818.584.1868 magazine@artnois.com
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contents
Issue 10 May/ june 2014
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Fine art nature photographer from Ohio.
Your dose of Cumbia and Afro-columbian music.
Fine art photography capturing beautiful periods of time.
Joy St Claire
La Misa Negra
Darryl Schiff
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40
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Puerto Rican muralist gives insight to her eerie creatures.
Listen to this guy! Just 99% honest music
3D animator, designer & illustrator from Budapest
Ana Marietta
Just Chris
Robert Farkas
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Joy St Claire The Sound of Fod Coming Down Pink
Poetic Life
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Inner Peace
Don’t Think Too Much
Field of Dreams
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Joy StClaire is a fine art photographer from Central Ohio. Recently Joy’s work appeared on fine art calendars featured in the 2012 Golden Globes Gift Lounge. Joy’s passion for gardening and the magic of time spent on her grandfather’s farm, woods and seashore are evident in her work. Her unique imagery combines her lifelong passion for photography with her dream of being a painter. Joy’s greyhound lab, Maggie May, is her sometimes model a la William Wegman. Inspiration is drawn from nature, old faded photographs, wandering back roads, flowers and Story People. Her creations have been described as a lovely blending of photography and painting, appearing in Artful Blogging, TRAVERSE and Lake Superior magazines and on many websites. It is Joy’s desire to not only capture the magic she sees in the world, but to engage a viewer in a journey, a story, a moment. Traveling between Ohio and Michigan, StClaire resides with her dog Maggie May, Kitty Harrison and dozens of vintage cameras. Laughter and life’s simple things warm her heart. Joy’s art is showcased in homes and businesses around the world. Photographer, friend, dog mom, happy, genuine, green, dreamer & believer in karma and goodness.
“ Give Peas a Chance
Daybreak in the Meadow
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Beauty with Age
“I want people to feel uncomfortable.”
Three Carrots
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Single Dip
Artist Statement After reading Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, I was inspired to turn my passion for photographing the beauty of the world into a business.
had to pair a passion with your photographic ability. And so, my photography is a combination of my love for gardening and being in nature splashed with a touch of my glass half full way of looking at life.
With endings come beginnings. My business started when part of my world came to an end, and I had to redefine myself and how I made my living. Someone once told me that to become a phenomenal photographer you
My work and products are constantly evolving and I enjoy learning new things and being inspired by new people I meet! I hope you find a little happiness and beauty in my work!
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Walk to the Light
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Never Stop Exploring
Adventure is Out There
Crash
www.ohjoyphotography.com 12 ARTNOIS No 10, MAY 2014
...my photography is a combination of my love for gardening and being in nature splashed with a touch of my glass half full way of looking at life.
Summer at the Beach She Had Flowers in Her Hair
Sea of Happiness
Sea Grass
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Don’t listen to music alon “the mars volta”
1 bottle 2 Buck Chuck Serve at room temperature. Garnish with cocktail monkey.
“crystal castles”
4 oz. Absolut Vodka Serve neat. Garnish with shrimp.
“yuna”
1 bottle Pinot Noir Serve at room temperature.
“M.I.A.”
VIA
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8 oz. Red Bull 8 oz. Żubrówka Vodka 8 oz. Rose’s lime juice 4 oz. Plum Brandy Combine in shaker and strain into cocktail glass. Serve.
ne, Drinkify suggests... “bad brains”
4 oz. Marijuana Serve on rocks. Stir vigorously. Garnish with cocktail onions
“tlc”
8 oz. Vodka 8 oz. Ice Cream Combine in highball glass and serve.
“xxyyxx”
12 oz. Absinthe 12 oz. Monster Energy Drink Combine in highball glass and serve.
“clap your hands say yeah” 1 Red Stripe Serve cold. Garnish with olive.
“quasimoto”
10 oz. Marijuana Serve neat. Stir slowly.
“cults”
1 PBR Serve cold. Garnish with sugar.
“violent femmes”
10 oz. Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon 10 oz. 7-up 6 oz. Glenmorangie Scotch Combine in shaker and strain into cocktail glass.
“brother ali”
8 oz. Bottled water Serve neat. Stir
“tanya morgan”
4 oz. Cherry Brandy Serve neat. Garnish with wedge of watermelon
“The cactus channel”
8 oz. Jägermeister 8 oz. Grenadine Combine in highball glass and serve.
“miguel”
1 bottle Marijuana 1 bottle Sweetened lime juice 4 oz. Talisker Scotch Combine in shaker and strain into cocktail glass.
“shlomo”
1 bottle Ouzo 1 bottle Lime juice 4 oz. Coconut milk Combine in highball glass. Garnish with nutmeg.
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your dose of CUmbia & Afro-Colombian Music
La Misa Negra An interview with Marco of La Misa Negra
Band members: Marco Polo Santiago (guitar, jarana, accordion), Diana Trujillo (lead vocals), Saday Cordoba (backup vocals, choreography), Justin Chin aka El Chino Sonidero (tenor sax), Charles Yoshio Granich (clarinet, tenor sax, alto sax), Shaun Wargowsky (upright bass), Craig Miller (drums, percussion), Aaron Kierbel (drums)
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Where are you at the moment?
Where did you all grow up?
At a sandwich spot in Emeryville, smelling soups and bread, with my headphones on and listening to Death Metal (Six Feet Under at the moment). I’m hoping the battery on my laptop doesn’t die before I finish this interview.
Aaron and I grew up in LA, Diana and Saday grew up in Colombia, Justin in San Francisco, Charles in Oakland/Berkeley, Shaun in Ohio/Michigan, and Craig in Milwaukee. (At the moment) most of us live in the East Bay. Justin lives in San Francisco.
Think of a favorite place you retrieved to in difficult moments as a child. Now please describe it. What made this place comforting? Music. I didn’t have a physical place where I turned to. As long as I put my headphones on, I was there. Music just makes everything better.
How do you all know each other? Craig and Saday were friends prior to joining La Misa Negra, but the rest of us didn’t know each other. I met Justin, Shaun, and Aaron through an ad I posted on Craig’s List when I first started looking for musicians to join the band. Charles
lives in my neighborhood, in the Lake Merritt area of Oakland, and he was practicing the saxophone on the street the first time I met him. We met Saday at one of our shows and based on her personality, energy, and style, I thought she might be a good addition to the band. She eventually introduced us to Craig. Diana was a discovery by our old percussionist. He had heard, through the grapevine, that there was a Colombian singer performing with a couple of Salsa bands in the Bay. We tracked her down on Facebook and invited her to audition for La Misa Negra. Who decided to make the band and how did you all come together?
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I was so inspired by her that I immediately came up with the idea of writing “La Cumbia Cura,” which means Cumbia cures. 18 ARTNOIS No 10, MAY 2014
d I y e g a h a .
I started La Misa Negra after relocating to Oakland (from Los Angeles). In LA I had been doing Hip Hop and Heavy Metal but had always been a huge fan of Cumbia. I grew up listening to Cumbia but it was much later when I pursued a deeper interest in exploring its Colombian roots. In 2011, I spent 3 months living in Oaxaca, Mexico, where my parents are from, and was exposed to a vibrant musical scene that re-ignited my passion for Cumbia. I returned to Oakland that summer, and started auditioning musicians. My goal was to capture the sound of the old Colombian big bands of the 1950’s and 60’s, so I looked for people who played clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, accordion, upright bass, and percussion. I never found a trombone player and have only recently added a trumpet player to the mix. I also never found an accordion player, so I went out and bought an accordion and taught myself how to play. From the very beginning I wanted the lead singer to be a woman, and one who was preferably Colombian. It was crucial for me to have La Misa Negra fronted by a woman because female musicians have always been underrepresented in this style of music. I heard a rumor—which might not be a rumor—that on your first show you did not have a singer and invited your current lead vocalist on the road at the last minute. Is this true? Yes! Our singer at the time flaked on us at the last minute and we had 4 gigs lined up in LA. When we found out we didn’t have a singer for LA, we contacted Diana. She auditioned on a Tuesday and that Friday she was in LA with us, opening for Very Be Careful. The following night we played in front of several thousand people, at a festival in Santa Ana. It was a trial by fire for her, but she earned her stripes that weekend. La Misa Negra literally means black mass or black ritual; according to your website, it is so to pay a tribute to the African roots and Caribbean heritage. Do you feel a strong connection to these nations? Diana and Saday definitely have a con-
nection with Caribbean culture, being from Colombia. For the rest of us, it’s more about the music and being true to the music and its roots. Craig spent a couple of years in Colombia, learning traditional Afro-Colombian percussion, and most recently traveled to Ghana to learn more about percussion from that part of
the world. After me, Shaun is probably the most knowledgeable about Cumbia and even spent some time in Colombia studying music and also possesses a deep understanding of Africa’s influence on Western music. When certain genres are labeled as “Latin” it’s easy for people to forget (or not realize) that the backbone of some of these styles of music are rooted in African rhythms. Cumbia is a genre that has become severely watered down over the past few decades, to the point where it often times loses its essence. La Misa Negra is about reminding everyone where this music comes from. You have opened up for quite a few acts (i.e. Ozomatli, Celso Piña, Nortec Collective, La Santa Cecilia, Chico Trujillo, Sergent Garcia, Souls of Mischief, Jarabe de Palo, and Meshell Ndegeocello); which has been your most memorable experience?
Ozomatli. I’ve seen them a bunch of times, since back when they first started to blow up in LA, and I’ve always been impressed by the energy of their shows and their ability to share bills with a variety of bands. For me in particular, it was significant to open for them years later in
Oakland, 12 blocks from where I live. What does your album Misa de Medianoche mean to you? It’s a personal achievement for everyone in the band. We didn’t know what the band was even capable of doing before we began working on the album, so the entire thing was an experiment in many ways. By the time we started recording, we had only been performing as a band for 10 months, so La Misa Negra was still very new for all of us. Diana started recording vocals for the album only a month after she joined the band. Saday had no prior singing experience, so recording vocals was foreign to her. Charles and I wrote all of the originals on the album, yet neither of us had written this type of music before. It was also my first time writing parts for horn players. I’d also only been playing accordion for 10 months, so arranging and recording
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those parts for the album was intimidating at first. For being our first attempt at doing this, we’re all quite happy with the end result. Can you explain the differences between cumbia, porro, and gaita, all of which are on your album? Cumbia is the main genre. There are many other sub-genres, many of them obsolete, that are closely related to Cumbia, like Puya, Bullerengue, Porro, and Gaita. Puya and Bullerengue are defined by a particular rhythm, but the line between Cumbia, Porro, and Gaita gets kind of blurred. Porro is a slower style of Cumbia. Some people say it has a seductive quality to it. On the album, “Por la
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Bahia” is our take on a Porro. If you compare that to “Cumbia Milagrosa,” which has a straight-ahead traditional feel, you can hear (and feel) a difference between the two styles. The nuances between Gaita and Cumbia might be even harder to distinguish, but we mainly focus on the faster style of Gaita. So when we play those super fast songs on stage, chances are it’s a Gaita. The title track on the album is a modern take on this particular style, though I wouldn’t consider it a pure Gaita. “La Boquillera” is probably a better example of a traditional up-tempo Gaita. Do you feel these styles of music are gaining popularity in the US—more specifically California—most recently? If so, why do you think that is and
what are your attitudes toward the increase in popularity? For Latinos on the West Coast, in particular, Cumbia has always been part of the musical landscape, even through the 80’s and 90’s, but within the past decade it’s definitely started to cross over the way Salsa has. Now there are DJ’s who specialize in Cumbia and venues who host weekly or monthly Cumbia parties for seasoned cumbiamberos and newbies alike. You have people discovering this style of music for the first time but you also have people who grew up listening to Cumbia being exposed to stuff they’ve never heard before, whether it’s the classic Colombian bands from the 1950’s and 60’s or the new stuff being
put out by the new crop of bands and producers. Its current rise in popularity has opened many doors for us and we’ve been able to play festivals and venues that don’t necessarily cater to the typical Cumbia crowd. Our album is currently ranked #11 on the CMJ New World Music chart, so it’s getting more airplay on radio stations that don’t have dedicated Cumbia or Spanish-language programming than on Spanish-language stations that do have dedicated Cumbia programming. We’re on the charts right now with Thievery Corporation, Caetano Veloso, Ziggy Marley, Ana Tijoux, Tinariwen, and our homies from Las Cafeteras, who we’ve shared the stage with a couple of times. 25 years ago, I’m not sure La Sonora Dinamita or Fito Olivares would have gotten love on a college station in Richmond, Virginia, so it’s great for us to be crossing over like this.
What is your major goal with this album?
mances, what are some supportive reactions from your fans/audience?
Our goal was to make an album that captured the essence of our sound and the energy of our shows, so old school and rowdy is what we were aiming for. We wanted it to sound similar to the old Colombian recordings that inspire our music but at the same time maintain some of the qualities people expect from a modern recording, like having a respectable amount of bass, for example. We really did a lot with the mixing and mastering process in order to achieve the aesthetic we were going for without sacrificing the quality of the mixes. Ultimately, we wanted listeners to be transported to 1955 when they put the album on.
When we’ve played for 2 hours, non-stop and the crowd still wants more, that’s a pretty good sign that they’ve had a good time. People always have very encouraging things to say, but seeing them go crazy on the dance floor and erupt into spontaneous conga lines is the best. Young women have also expressed feeling a sense of empowerment, seeing two strong women on the stage, and have seemed to develop a connection with Diana and Saday.
I’m sure you all get much praise for your vibrant and enthusiastic perfor-
What is your favorite thing about performing? We’re a live band first and foremost, so performing is everything to us. There’s an exchange of energy that occurs between the people on the dance floor
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and the people on the stage and we can never tell if we’re having more fun than the dancers or if the dancers are having more fun than us. Performing in La Misa Negra is truly a religious experience. I’ve noticed you come to Los Angeles quite often, where else do you tour?
the color of their skin. There is nothing offensive or controversial in our music and we make everyone feel welcome. 5 year-olds and 75 year-olds have as much fun at our shows as the twenty and thirty year-olds. Who would you say are your most influential bands/singers/philosophers,
physical challenges that made it difficult for her to just get up and dance. To see that she was able to stand up from her wheel chair and move around, even if only for a moment, reminded us of how powerful music can be. I was so inspired by her that I immediately came up with the idea of writing “La Cumbia Cura,” which means Cumbia cures. The song talks about the healing power of music and its ability to help people through a tough day or a difficult time in their life. The song is dedicated to her.
We’re a live band first and
foremost,
is
so performing This year we started playing gigs outside of California. We just returned from Arizona and last month we played in Nevada. We’re all over California though. We’re playing in Santa Cruz with El Gran Silencio in May. We’re back in Fresno for the fourth time in June as part of a three-city run that includes Riverside and Pasadena. We return to LA in July to play at La Cita and Dodger Stadium and will likely hit up San Diego on that trip. We also want to hit Seattle and Portland this year. Has there ever been a time when you have gotten negative remarks? There has been some resistance to us because of the name of the band. I know promoters who refuse to book us because they take offense to the name or are afraid it might alienate certain people from coming to a show. Mainly they’re people who don’t really know anything about the band or our music. Our whole thing is about sharing a fun, positive experience with whoever wants to come and get down with us, regardless of their age, the language they speak, or 22 ARTNOIS No 10, MAY 2014
etcetera when it comes to creating your music? The original cumbia makers, like Pedro Laza, Lucho Bermudez, Pacho Galan, Los Corraleros de Majagual, and Andres Landero but we get inspiration from everything we listen to, from Jazz to Metal. Justin is big on 60’s Soul and Bossa Nova. Shaun is the biggest jazz junkie in the band. Charles plays the clarinet, so he’s particularly fond of Klezmer music. In general, we listen to a ton of old stuff, so it’s no surprise that we all gravitated towards playing this type of music. What has been the most meaningful moment as a band? We played a festival in San Jose in September 2012, when we had just started working on the album, and an older lady in a wheelchair came up to us after the show and told us that she hadn’t stood up in a very long time but that she loved the band so much, she couldn’t help but get up and dance. Our goal is always to make everyone dance, jump around, and have a good time, but this woman had
everything
to us.
Upcoming Tour Dates: May 03 May 23 Jun 06 Jun 07 Jun 08 Jun 28 Jul 12 Jul 13 Aug 01
Brick & Mortar Music Hall Moe’s Alley Fulton 55 Mission Tobacco Lounge Toro Sushi Bar & Lounge Ashkenaz La Cita Dodger Stadium Elbo Room
San Francisco, CA Santa Cruz, CA Fresno, CA Riverside, CA Pasadena, CA Berkeley, CA Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles, CA San Francisco, CA
Listen 23 ARTNOIS No 10, MAY 2014
Darryll schiff
“...Each finished piece of my artwork must be as perfect and complete as I can make it, and say what I want it to say.”
America Del Sur 40” x 115”
Darryll, can you tell us a bit about your journey to fine art photography? I took a very indirect route to get to where I now find myself artistically. Looking back, there must be some kind of dominant creative gene that runs through certain members of my family. Out of the six people, my parents and three other siblings, three of us, my mother, the older of my two sisters, and myself are accomplished artists. When I was quite young, maybe 8 years old and for the next few years, I started spending Saturdays taking classes at the Art Institute in Chicago. But after that I 24 ARTNOIS No 10, MAY 2014
didn’t do much artistically until I was in my third year of college. It was transferring to the Institute of Design, where photography was part of the mandatory curriculum, that I found my mentor, Arthur Siegel, and fell in love with fine art photography. Upon reading your bio we learned you have given up commercial work and celebrity assignments for fine art. What has been the most gratifying and why? At the time I graduated from the Institute of Design, you really couldn’t make a living as a fine art photographer. The choice pretty much was to do your art on the
side, maybe teaching, doing commercial work, or something else to make a living. I opted for commercial work, moving to Los Angeles. Being a young photographer there was very exciting, extremely competitive, and actually lots of fun. I fortunately had a lot of success, but as time went on there wasn’t the artistic fulfillment I needed, that I can achieve doing fine art. As far as creative challenges go, what are some of the differences you have between commercial photography and fine art?
With commercial work there is always a “problem” to be solved. You are selling something, whether it’s a product, or the image/brand of a celebrity, sometimes both. There were occasions where I could get a celebrity to stay longer and do some more artistic shots and, as good and as happy as I was with those, I don’t think they can compare with my most successful fine art pieces. Of course I hope that people are interested, that they want to see my art, but that’s not the primary motivation for me. Your style is very much representative of todays fast paced society, at least in the U.S., yet it’s
Red V 57” x 85”
“...my pictures make him think of a Mahler symphony. Mahler’s Seventh symphony does seem to be an extraordinary “soundtrack” to my Descending to Heaven series.”
Evanescence 4 58” x 91”
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Buenos Aires 1 32” x 80”
Chicago Untitled 12 40” x 109”
apparent that each composition required patience and time to create. On average, how long does it take for you to create each piece?
The Parade Commences 57” x 134”
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Each finished piece of my artwork must be as perfect and complete as I can make it, and say what I want it to say. The challenge and degree of difficulty for me to do this is at times immense but anything less is
unacceptable. For example, the series I recently completed, Descending to Heaven, about 17 pictures, took me over 18 months to do. Some of the pieces only took a couple of weeks. Some literally took months. Can you tell us what your process is like from start to finish and how you decide when the current work is finished? My process has certainly evolved over the years, from early on going out and capturing images and finding a theme in what I was shooting. On rare occasions I will still do that, but now I always have a project or two I am working on and formulate my ideas before I even consider how to get the desired results with my cameras. Most everything in my pictures is done in the camera, the multiple layers, the movement, etc. From there I spend a long time looking at the images on the computer, making my selections, and then hours on each picture trying different things to enhance my original idea. This varies with each image, from things like less or more color saturation, tiny areas of more or less contrast, etc. Sometimes I have to let a picture sit and not look at it for a while, then go back to it until I’ve figured out what isn’t quite right. Almost all of this work I do, as opposed to my assistants. I remember early on, when I first started editing on the computer, that I was falling into what I called the “tyranny of Photoshop”. That’s because the program is so extensive you can just keep going and going, trying to make each shot “perfect”. What is so interesting to me is that for one of my current projects, that type of “perfection” actually detracts from what I need the
picture to say. Your work has a romantic feel in the way it shows multiple states of a subject as if one were watching thing for a period of time. What is it like to capture people over a period a time? Are the subjects aware of you and have any of them ever reacted with hostile behavior towards you and your camera?
Optimism 58” x 76”
Because I can have multiple images of people and objects in a picture, there are multiple “Decisive Moments” in reference to Cartier Bresson’s “Decisive Moment”, where he would, better than anyone else, freeze that one moment in time. However, for me, one thing I want to show is time and the movement and crazy pace of modern life. How I work, when I’m shooting, I might get the shot in a couple of seconds, but it might take even a few hours. Sometimes the subjects are aware of me. Usually if I explain
what I am doing, maybe show them a couple of frames on the camera they are fine. There have been a couple of occasions where someone has been quite unhappy but I’ve been able to calm them down. There’s something about looking through the camera that can make you feel a bit invincible. I’m not sure, but I could see how war photographers can get like that, with sometimes fatal results. One thing that has been changing over time is that I now am doing more posing and directing of people in my
Mirage? 56” x 80”
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Nick 59” x 91”
“ i listen to all kinds of music. A lot of Spanish music, Estrella Morente to Mala Rodriguez and Nelly Furtado (in Spanish). A lot of American and English music, for example, St. Vincent and David Byrne, Ellie Goulding and Lana Del Rey.”
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Parade 1 38” x 60”
Ascension 58” x 77”
artwork, where previously it was all letting things happen. Is there anything major that has jumped out at you from doing such type of artwork? For example, have you learned anything about people or acquired any new theories that perhaps you didn’t have before? Since a lot of my work is concerned with how we interact in modern times, it seems that this digital lifestyle, as pervasive as it is, is becoming even more ubiquitous as time goes on. But despite that, we all have certain timeless needs and desires. These digital “toys” can only do so much in that regard. I’ve been considering doing a project to explore that. Often times music helps establish a certain mood or inspiration for
art, would you say music or sounds play an important role in your art process? Whether it does or doesn’t, what are some of your favorite musical artists? I don’t listen to music when I’m out with a camera, but it has to play an important part since it is so much a part of my/our lives. I almost always have something playing when I’m on the computer. One of my artist friends has said my pictures make him think of a Mahler symphony. Mahler’s Seventh symphony does seem to be an extraordinary “soundtrack” to my Descending to Heaven series. I listen to all kinds of music. A lot of Spanish music, Estrella Morente to Mala Rodriguez and Nelly Furtado (in Spanish). A lot of American and English music, for example, St. Vincent and
David Byrne, Ellie Goulding and Lana Del Rey. Artnois is based in Los Angeles, do you have any current or upcoming exhibits Angelenos can check out? This past January we were showing work at Photo L.A., which was very successful for me. I do have a number of collectors in the L.A. and Pasadena areas and was just out again earlier this month going over prints they are interested in. There isn’t anything scheduled right now for Southern California. I don’t get very involved in that type of scheduling. It’s in the hands of Chelsea, my main assistant/ studio manager, and I know she is working on some possibilities.
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artnois.com
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Giacomo 8’ x 16’ Acrylic on Wood
see whats inside her head
Ana Marietta A muralist from Puerto Rico
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Untitled 12”x 12” Acrylic on Canvas
On one of your recent Instagram’s said you lost everything in your apartment to a flood, sorry to hear that. Where do you reside and how did that happen? You seem to be responding positively to the loss by being resilient with your work. Keep it up. That’s inspiring! I live in a one-bedroom apartment where I use the kitchen and living room as a studio. It’s located in the suburbs of Houston. I guess I earned the right to say I have a little bit of bad luck; last weekend was full of unfortunate events. On Friday I went to see a wall at a convenience store and asked for permission to paint it. Trying to explain to the owner what my intentions were, that I wasn’t there for her money
(or to give her money) and explaining what “street art” was (in two sentences or less) dealing with the fact that we both spoke different languages and were lost in translation. I walked behind her and when she said, “ok, you can paint,” I said, “I can start right now, please show me where the sink is, because I’ll need to fill my bucket with water.”
body fell and twisted like a human tornado.
She then took me to the back of the store where I stepped on a sewer hole and half of my
The next day, woke up to a beautiful morning, ready to go to work on a commissioned mural, and stepped on my wet carpet. My apartment was flooded. I live in a rental, I have to wait for the apartment administration to take their time to fix my “vintage” apartment and it took them 2 days to go extract the water. In the meantime, all my drawings, paintings,
After that incident, I started to paint. The sun went down, I had to go back home with scratched arms and a swollen foot.
books, magazines and sketchbooks absorbed an horrible amount of humidity, leaving me with the few things I could get inside my car and take with me to my sister’s house, where I’m staying. I really had no other option than to respond positively, as you said, but honestly, drawing and drawing bigger things on materials that couldn’t get ruined by humidity that easy (like fabric) was my only therapy for the anxiety that was about to eat my brain. It always helps to draw. But my sister’s house is fancy; I can’t paint here, ha-ha. Can you tell us a bit about how you got started with art? Did you go to school, if so where? My dad has a woodwork shop in Barranquitas, where 33 ARTNOIS No 10, MAY 2014
“...College changed my life. I learned about the city, I learned to love music, I learned about art, and discovered I was good at it.”
Fed 30” x 42” Acrylic on Canvas
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Sumo 9” x 12” Acrylic on Canvas
I grew up. Barranquitas is a very small town in the center of Puerto Rico. We didn’t know what art was. My dad let me play with wood and glue and leaves since I was very little, I was like a wild girl in a private forest. I played with everything I could find in nature, always surrounded by animals and fruits and stuff. I learned from my cousins how to make houses with Plantain leaves and how to block the river’s stream and swim in natural cold water in the summer. I had everything I wanted to experiment with but I didn’t know what a canvas was. There are only few art supply stores in Puerto Rico, and they were all too far. I started using tempera on pieces of wood. My dad used to love every single thing I painted and sometimes coated it with varnish and put it as an ornament in between our photos in the living room. School was fun but I wasn’t popular or anything, just talented with weird things like crafts, acting, making jokes and writing essays. My family lived from agriculture, so my High School social worker told me that the only thing I could do with my life was to learn more about agriculture and animals. I followed my sister and got into The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, 3 hrs. from home, at the South West coast of the Island. College changed my life. I learned about the city, I learned to
I Know the Feeling 11” x 14” Graphite on Bristol Paper
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love music, I learned about art, and discovered I was good at it. So I joined lots of academic groups and at some point I was part of 4 student’s magazines, 2 Artist collectives, 3 agriculture Associations and I was about to graduate from Animal sciences and Pre-Veterinary. I created an art group with some friends, called Arte en la Plaza. We started making art public and accessible to everybody. We tried to make people learn, not necessarily purchase. I was in another group called “La Sombrilla Verde”, we met anywhere, during the night and started painting and switching canvas to make everybody paint on everybody’s work. It was pure freedom. I had many other sublime artistic experiences with music, and performance. After graduating from College, I moved to San Juan because I wanted to live closer to where the art scene was. I struggled many times to find a job and a place to stay. With a Bachelors degree on my shoulders I couldn’t do any better than a waitress, but I loved it. I met many people. I saved money and moved with a couple of friends as roommates. Those friends are now some of the best legendary Graffiti artists known in Puerto Rico. I started following and watching them paint. I never touched a spray can, but I wanted to do, just the same. I practiced my painting for a couple of years and experimented with all the materials I could find. I started to know my intellectual needs and my social concerns. I grew up, I became an adult, and I hated it. In between two jobs, responsibilities and limited materials, I tried to keep painting at home.I had some friends who owned a bar in Santurce, and I asked them to let me paint something really big on their walls. I did my first Mural there. El Local en Santurce, I think it 36 ARTNOIS No 10, MAY 2014
Like Fish on Earth 18” x 24” Acrylic on Wood
was 2008. After that, I did the same for other friends at Cafe 103, Rio Piedras. I never really thought about whether the people would like it or not. It turns out, they really liked it, and it was very fulfilling for me, to feel that I was that good at something. Overall, what has your journey been like as an artist?
I’ve worked very hard, and I’ve been very fortunate. I’ve met amazing people, very talented people; I’ve seen beautiful places. I’ve represented my Island in many very important events and I’ve inspired a lot of people to keep getting better at their art while being responsible with other aspects of life, work, family, society, nature…I can’t ask for anything else, just health
and time to keep doing it. What medium do you use and have you experimented with any others? I use acrylics, oils and watercolors. I do some sculpting, also. For murals I use acrylic flat exterior house paint and for small paintings I use acrylic and oil, on wood. I use 0.9 mm
Buzo 9” x 12” Graphite / Pastel
mechanical pencils for my drawings and smooth Bristol paper, or fabric. When first looking at your work the thought that came to mind was that it was awesome first of all, and that it was work that could be in Guillermo Del Toro’s eerie film, Pan’s Labyrinth or in District 9. Does film have a role in your influence? Oh thanks! I’ve watched many films, but I have very bad memory. I have images kept inside my head but mostly from real life scenes. I love and respect Guillermo Del Toro’s work; he is a whole different planet. I think my work has more influence from life itself, even though 90% of my life feels like a movie. How does the connection with alien like beings/ unusual creatures come into play in your work? I think I never have those in mind when I feel like drawing something. The feeling is more like a passion for just creating something that doesn’t exist. To give them a tragedy or some kind of story that you can read by looking at their faces. I enjoy ghosts / alien / monsters stories... they amuse me but what makes me want to draw is that feeling of being able to create a character, a story, that doesn’t fall under any of those categories.
Serene 15’ x 40’ Acrylic on Concrete, wood, metal
What does your work mean? What do you expect the audience to perceive from your art if anything? I really don’t think about what other people may perceive from my art. It’s not because I don’t care but because I am too distracted in turning an impulse into an image. Painting is like a battle for me. I try hard to take my ideas, traumas or even anger episodes outside of my chest. I stand in front of an empty space and try to have a real conversation in silence, with someone who is being created with the only purpose of 37 ARTNOIS No 10, MAY 2014
“Wow… never thought about it. Maybe a Masculine name like… “Marcelo” with a cello, “Cello Marcelo.” A story of a male character.” 38 ARTNOIS No 10, MAY 2014
Shared Heart 10’ x 15’ Acrylic on Concrete
Sweet Water Fish 11” x 14” Graphite on Bristol Paper
Casino Bird 30’ x 50’ + Acrylic on Concrete Mural for “Life is Beautiful” Festibal, and Rise Above, Las Vegas, NV Oct 2013
understanding what I want to say. As a result, my paintings usually show a strong character, a predator, who perhaps seems to have the ability and the patience to look me in the eyes for a long time with a sarcastic look, as if I was cruel enough to punish them and make them listen to my complains for the rest of their lives. I like when I can achieve making them look very strong and dangerous but quiet, it’s like having the power of domesticating beasts before bringing them to the light, as if they were some kind of Army of noble, exhausted, retired soldiers. If you had to choose an artist that you would most relate to whom would it be and why? I don’t think I ever had an artist who I related to, really. I admire lots of artists because they are different, because they have done great things, and that is a really loooong list! I may relate to whoever works in freedom, not based on imitations, trends or what other people wants to see, I relate to whoever works hard and make the best they can on any surface provided, I relate to whoever enjoys what he/she does. You have a lot of beaks in your work, as in strange looking birds, why is that? I feel passionate about avian anatomy and Physiology. I have many, many images in my head from Classes, Laboratories and experiences and whenever I sit with a pencil those images just pop up. I like to incorporate beaks on many Hybrid creatures because it also gives me the feeling of giving them a voice without the ability of pronouncing words. I try to imagine them wanting to speak but not being able to. It gives them another look; it turns the
whole face into an instant calamity. Can you walk us through your general process for any new piece? I think I always start with a circle, and I turn it into an eye. I give it a shape, and I start putting skin around, which defines the shape of the head. I like being very detailed and put the shades before outlining the complete silhouette. Like a spiral, I start in the center and complete shading inside out. What kind of music do you listen to and do you have any specific genre you like to listen to while working? I listen to many things, it all depends how I feel. From Chopin to The National, from Sandro de América to M83. If your artwork was brought to life in a film, what would the title be? Wow… never thought about it. Maybe Masculine names like… “Marcelo” with a cello, “Cello Marcelo,” a story of a male character. What are your long-term goals as an artist and do you see yourself facing any artistic challenges in the future? I would like to learn more, about techniques, about other people. I would like to be more helpful. I would love to paint in other cities in the USA and Europe. I dream of returning to Puerto Rico with my hands full of tools and knowledge necessary to both create as well as educate. I want to paint bigger, and like every other artist, be seen and inspire.
www.behance.com/anamarietta 39 ARTNOIS No 10, MAY 2014
Just
Chris
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“It’s basically me giving you my all; my highs and lows (more lows than highs); and just 99.9% honest music.” Is your musician name Just Chris?
there. iIs that evil? probably not (haha).
Yes it is! It used to be Tiny but then I got an email from Tinie Tempah’s cousin saying I should change it.
Who would be the first person you disclose your super power to?
What is your biggest worry at the moment? I’ve got so many worries you know... like I worry I won’t live up to people’s expectations. I worry this music thing won’t work out for me and I’ll just be a bum (haha). I worry I won’t be able to provide for my family. I worry my cousins look up to me and I’m not being a good role model for them (at the moment). I worry that I’ll fail my exams and I worry that I’ll never be happy. If you could have one super power what would it be? The power to teleport, that’d be dope. I could literally go anywhere. Whenever life is getting a bit sad I could just teleport to Costa Rica or something; somewhere with beautiful scenery.
Probably my homie Ace or I might keep it to myself (to be honest). Many lyricists are philosophers and overall wonderers, do you consider yourself a thinker/philosopher? I don’t think I’m a philosopher but I do tend to think a lot. Like as I’ve gotten older I tend observe life more than I actually live it. It’s sad really they say it’s both a blessing and a curse to feel everything so very deeply. So yeah I can quote philosophical things but I doubt I’m a philosopher. What is a thought that lingers in your head on a daily basis?
Would you use it for evil or good?
“What If I had bought that Lyle & Scott jacket from Selfridges on December 22nd 2008, I think it may (have) lead me on a different path.” Let’s just say me not buying it changed my life.
I’d use it for good but if a girl was to text me ‘’Chris, I wish you were here laying next to me right now’’ I could just teleport and BAM I’d be right
If you could teach one lesson to everyone, what would it be? Probably to help people. I feel like people don’t help (each-
other) enough. They might do it on a favour basis but that’s not genuine if you expect kindness in return. Where do you currently reside and how long have you lived there? (I currently reside in) London. I grew up in East London in a place called Wrens Park. What has been your most memorable experience growing up in Wrens Park? My most memorable experience (I hope my mum don’t read this), but It was like the last day before Summer in year 8 or something and me and my homie Presley were on the lowerdeck of the bus. We were with this girl and she was saying she wanted a threesome. So we’re on stairs right and she tells us to go look up top to see if it’s empty, and if (so) she’d give us both head. So I run up stairs (lol) and check but unfortunately it’s kinda packed. She says to my boy Presley “do you wanna see my titties?” She lifted up her jumper, showed us her small boobs and I grabbed Presley’s hand and tried put it on her boob. He pulled his hand away so fast I was cryinggg... There are other details to this but I don’t expose anyone. What is something you enjoy most about your
residence? I love the music scene. Sooooo many talented people around here! None of that manufactured stuff. Real organic talent. When did you know you wanted to create music? I remember at 9 years old my older cousins helped me write my first rap in my bedroom which went, ‘’Locker C is gonnna put you in the grave, chat shit I’ll spray you in the rave, 9 years old and I’m too damn brave...’’ I wasn’t taking it that serious back then. At like 16 I started going through some things and realized that music allowed me to vent and express myself. Tell us about your latest project. Is it dedicated to anyone special? I’m gonna be releasing a mixtape sometimes this year called Poor & Poetic It’s gonna have 12-14 songs and it’s gonna be special.
It’s not dedicated to anyone but myself (lol). It’s basically me giving you my all; my highs and lows (more lows than highs); and just 99.9% honest music. There are a few songs which talk about some particulars in my, real emotive 41 ARTNOIS No 10, MAY 2014
songs which I hope make (listeners) teary eyed. It’s gonna be my first and last project (only I don’t get signed) because I was planning to quit making music by January 1st 2015. Why? Because I’m getting tired.
I love music man, but do I think it will make me rich? I don’t have a clue. I’ve made some money off my music but my life is just filled with so many uncertainties. I would like for it to allow me to live comfortable
Kano, Lykke Li, Ghetts, Little Dragon, Asaf Avidan, Emelie Sande, Adele, James Blake, Mount Kimbie, Foals & Koreless... Are you working to collab with anyone at the moment? Yeah a few : Paces, G FrSH, Bayou, Paris Carney, The Melman, Ace Ruga, WLVS, Hollywood Tich, and a few others. Who produces your beats?
“He’s really like the Noah Shebib to my Drake”
I’ll break it up into percentages : my own production is 10% of my stuff; various producers make 40%; and my boy Hollywood Tich produces like 50% of my beats. He’s really like the Noah Shebib to my Drake. Under what situations do you find yourself most productive? I don’t really know to be honest. At 3 AM when my eyes are heavy and I’m tired as can be, I could come up with the sickest melody ever. I’ll have to voice record it in audacity or play the notes in Mixcraft or FL so I dont forget it by the time I wake up. Then again when I’m 100% rested I can write for days so it’s kinda weird. Any messages for the public?
I noticed most of your songs are about love and heartbreak, why do you think this is so? Haha. I think ‘’love’’ is very deep. There are so many types of love, I just try to manipulate the meaning of it in my songs. Most of the time I might use (romantic form of) love as a metaphor for something much more personal. What makes your music different from the immense amount of music being created with the help of technological advances these days? I get asked this question a-lot and to be honest I don’t know the answer to it. I think just being ME, just being myself makes it different. I’m not tryna be anybody so It’s just naturally different I guess. How do you feel about music in general? 42 ARTNOIS No 10, MAY 2014
Do you write all your lyrics? Yes I write everything; however, on occasion the singers I get on songs will sometimes write the hook, chorus or bridge If need be. Who would you say are your major influences? Wow nearly everything I listen to but mainly 5 people are Wretch 32, Drake, Sampha, J.Cole, and Kanye West. Who have you collaborated and who would you wish to collaborate with? I don’t really wanna say until I hear the final mix and it’s (been officially) released because you never know. I may say a name but then the track never gets heard and I might just look a bit silly. However; dream collabs: everyone I mentioned above, Diplo, Florence Welch,
Yes. If you are a poor creature, poisoned by a wretched up-bringing in some house full of vulgar jealousies and senseless quarrels; saddled, by no choice of your own, with some loathsome sexual perversion; nagged day in and day out by an inferiority complex that makes you snap at your best friends, do not despair. He knows all about it. You are one of the poor whom He blessed. He knows what a wretched machine you are trying to drive. Keep on. Do what you can. One day He will fling it on the scrap-heap and give you a new one. And then you may astonish us all - not least yourself. It’s a CS Lewis quote, I think.
Do you have any upcoming tour dates info you’d like to share with us? No tour dates yet but you can follow me on twitter: @TinyLDN. Just in case I decide to fly to your city to shut it down and stuff...
“just being myself makes it different. I’m not tryna be anybody so It’s just naturally different I guess.”
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