Issue 3 | Canvas Magazine

CANVAS

May 20, 2015 Issue #3

May 30 2015

Behold your canvas, paint with caution.

P editor

in chief Patrick Kiel @patrickkiel

P head

writer Precious Kirby @preciouskirby

D editor

W

Danny Kataw @dannykataw website canvasmagazine.tk

T tumblr

tumblr

I instagram

Instagram

thanks for making this issue possible: Addie Briggs, Jessica Olm, Michelle Lorduy, Ariana Soriano, Hayley Purvis, Ashley Purvis, Breanna Copes

Cover photo by Addie Briggs

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Writers Notes

As the school year begins to close and the stress of everyday life begins to disappear, don’t forget to explore your talents. This summer, Canvas Magazine has a lot of things in store and we cannot wait to share our summer stories with you. But remember that we want to hear your story! You guys make the magazine what it is, and we want to see what you guys are up to. Submissions are always open, so submit whenever. I will personally be doing a lot of amazing things this summer and I cannot wait to share my adventures with you. I hope you all have an amazing summer and remember to be safe.

- Precious Kirby, head writer

About Project Canvas

We are the kids our parents warned us about. We’re self-reliant, ambitious, and a whole new breed of doers. We are the generation of experiments, losses and tragedies. We live in a time where change is needed, and we are the change. We have too much ambition, too much pride, too many opinions. This magazine is for us to share our ideas and thoughts about what’s going on around is. Here at Canvas our mission is to bolster and intertwine knowledge and creativity into a single format that young adults will enjoy. This magazine is written by teens, for teens, and is free of adult suppression. This magazine is our place to vent, this is our canvas. Let’s paint it with stories of tragedy, triumph and happiness. Behold your canvas, paint with caution.

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Contents 06

5 Ways to Help the Environment

08

Nature Photographers’ Insights

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Living a Healthy Lifestyle

20

Letter to a Girl

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Artists to Watch: Mumford & Sons

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When you’re lonely, press play

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A 21st Century Creator: The Purvis Twins

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As Primavera, Nature’s Prelude to the Boring Summer of Creation

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Reader Submitted Art

5 WAYS TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT

by Patrick Kiel

One month ago, Google changed its banner to celebrate Earth day. April 22nd for many is the only day of the year they think about human impact on our precious environment. The sole body which supports our living, which we excessively take from, only has a day of reflection, yet it continuously sees devastating blows. From unseen oil spills and overfishing of fisheries to deforestation and excess nitrogen in our waters, our Earth is being abused.

Although the tides are changing and most of the population acknowledges the existence of climate change, most are hesitant to do anything. No one is expecting for you to buy a zero emissions car, invest in solar power, and do countless other beneficial yet expensive green lifestyles. But we, as teenagers, have the ability to make small impacts that collectively add together to make a huge wave of change. We should all take small steps to lessen our carbon footprint and to lessen the burden our existence has on Earth. Here is a list of five things you can do to cheaply and easily become a more green person.

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“I have creative control and my soul is mine. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.” ~ Ben Haggerty

1. Use a reusable water bottle. 70% of water bottles end up not being recycled and many end up in landfills and the ocean. Even if you recycle, parts of the plastic are not recycled and energy is wasted in the recycling process.

2. Eat less meat. The meat industry (chicken, beef, pork, etc.) has a larger carbon footprint than all transportation industries combined. Additionally, a single pound of beef requires 1,800 gallons of water to produce. This is one of the worst water used to food produced ratios. Excess meat in one’s diet can also increase the risk of heart disease.

3.Unplug electronics when not in use. Even when not using your electronics, these power hungry devices still drain electricity. To prevent wasteful energy use, turn off lights when not in room. Also, unplug phone chargers, gaming devices, and computers when not in use.

4.Pick up trash. Trash that is not picked up ends up in bodies of water which hurt us in the end. By polluting our drinking water or damaging the oceans, trash is a deadly problem with an easy solution.

5.Make or buy reusable bags. As with all one time use products, they are terrible for the environment. Sew or buy your own reusable bags, some stores may give you a discount as well.

Helping the environment is not hard. You don’t have to be an activist and stop poaching, but you have to take small steps to better the world in which we live in. As the inhabitants of the planet of today and tomorrow, we as teens need to step up and take control of the environmental issues which will be present throughout our lifetime. Try to implement these five easy steps into your daily life and you can start living a healthier and greener life.

Story by Patrick Kiel.

Nature Photographers’ Insights

The wilderness is beautifully divine and provides the perfect setting for creativity to flow. Her beauty is widespread and can be found in all corners of the globe which has attracted adventurers since the beginning of time. Explorers have documented the beauty they observe through different mediums over time.

From painting on caves and canvases, crafting descriptive poems, and more popular today, photographing jaw-dropping vistas, art has always been used to share the beauty that Earth presents.

To go along with this issue’s theme, we asked two photographers from different sides of the United States to share their photography and a story about themselves connecting to nature. Without further ado, I’d like to introduce Addie Briggs and Jessica Olm.

Addie Briggs is a 14 year old photographer from Laguna Beach, California. Addie received her first camera as a christmas gift in 2013, and has been photographing everything and anything since then.

Her inspiration comes from her dad who taught her camera basics and photo composition. Addie enjoys portrait, travel, and concert photography and someday hopes to be a photographer for National Geographic or some other type of travel magazine.

No Man’s Land by Addie Briggs

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Last December, during a sudden burst of inspiration, two of my closest friends and I decided to go on a spontaneous road trip to the Salton Sea and Bombay Beach. The Salton Sea lies in California’s Imperial and Coachella valleys, about 20 miles from Niland, California, in literal no man’s land. The area is so far from civilization, that the government has left the settlement

near the Saline Lake alone. It originates from the Colorado River and was once a booming tourist attraction before the rising salt-to-water ratio caused the sea to become toxic.

Bombay Beach was a tourist town on the Salton Sea before a flood destroyed most of the houses and ran the residents away. What’s left is an eerie and abandoned clump of RV’s and graffiti covered houses. The vibe of Bombay Beach is indescribable; no cars roam the streets, and everything is completely silent except for the occasional bark of a pitbull. It seems surreal, almost like a horror movie.

All of these aspects make Bombay Beach one of the most interesting photography destinations that I have ever encountered. With my bulky camera bag on my shoulder, I wandered around and attempted to thoroughly capture the mood of the town, as well as create interesting portraits of my two friends whom I was instructing to pose in various ways.

We started our day at sunrise on a beach that reeked of dead fish and stagnant water, and from here we walked the perimeter of the town and explored abandoned houses and wooden structures. It was almost like being a detective and stepping back in time. Most of the houses still contained personal items like family photos and clothing that were sprawled along the floor along with broken window panes and glass bottles.

The population of Bombay Beach is about 500, and the very few people I encountered that day were so incredibly kind and compassionate. They seemed proud of their town and happy that we had come to visit.

By the end of the trip, there were about 1000 photos on my camera and to this day, those photographs are some the best I have ever taken. I have returned to Bombay Beach twice since then for service projects to help clean up the town, and I hope to return soon. Visiting this place is an experience that everyone should have at some point in their life.

@ADDIE.B

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Jessica Olm is a photographer from NYC who has attended art school. Jessica loves nature and photographing people in their environments. She believes people look their best at places they are comfortable with, and for many this place is Nature.

theghostgirls.tumblr.com/

Q&A Why photography? How did it all begin?

Photography as an art form has always been important to me. Growing up, I did NOT think I would end up studying or pursuing it, but I have always believed in creating art. For me, photography is the easiest way to express myself. I can see the image in my head first, and without consciously thinking of it, know how to manipulate the landscape or camera to achieve that initial idea. So far, this is the only media that gives that kind of satisfaction.

My dad was the one who originally introduced me to photography. He studied it in college, too, and my first camera was his old 35mm.

In the midst of websites where we can be inspired by others, find tutorials on Youtube, and read a lot of books about photography, do you feel the experience of a photography school was beneficial? Why? In all honesty, art is a “to each his own” kind of pursuit. I knew that I wanted to go to school, because I didn’t feel comfortable from a technical standpoint. I also was very adamant about studying art history. It has always been important to me to be able to draw inspiration and be inspired by multiple mediums.

However, I know that school is not for everyone. Two of my very close friends, Natalie Kucken and Lissy Laricchia, are young photographers who never pursued training in school. It’s so easy in today’s society of Instagram and iPhone photographers to feel like that education is unnecessary. I think if you are driven enough to work at it constantly and really have a passion for it, schooling doesn’t have to be a priority.

What topics does photography school teach that would otherwise be lost by a learning photographer?

For me, being in an art school in the city was in itself its own reward. The art community here is so small and connected, and most of my professors were working artists. The School of Visual Arts is very involved in the local arts community, and I felt that many of my experiences in school were a direct result of that. When I was a junior, I interned at Capricious Gallery, which gave me my first chance to show my work to the public. I later worked with that gallery, and SVA, on a Photo Festival in Brooklyn. It was so exciting to see that kind of full circle established, and without being in school, I don’t believe I would have had that opportunity.

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Any tips for new photographers?

Shoot OFTEN and try new things. I’m still always trying new filters, films, or effects when I go out. It’s easy to find your comfort zone and stay rooted there. If you’re constantly trying new techniques, you can find ways to elevate your work while figuring out an aesthetic.

What is your favorite image and the story behind it?

I honestly don’t have one favorite image. I try to shoot every week, and I feel that as my tastes evolve, my favorite imagery does, as well. I do know that when I have a certain goal in mind, I’ll shoot until I feel like I’ve got it. Then going through those photographs, and seeing that ONE that works, that’s the kind of satisfaction I strive for. When you see that final image conceptualized, it’s a good feeling.

Is there a central theme in your images you are searching for?

My photography has always centered around the female form and its relationship with nature. Coming from a background in fashion, there is definitely a certain “beauty” aspect that I try to achieve in my work. Throughout the years, I have drawn on inspiration from fairy tales, horror films, novels, and even dreams. But my central theme has always included a connection to nature, and how that relates to us in a modern setting. No matter if it’s personal or commissioned work, I try to stay as true to that aesthetic as possible.

Where is your favorite place to photograph over and over again?

Hands down, the Adirondacks in Upstate New York. From the moment I was born, I have had a connection with this place. No matter the time of year, who I am shooting with, or if I’ve visited the location a dozen times before, I will always come out with a unique and exciting image.

Why NYC? New York City has been my home base for almost a decade. It’s where I draw most of my inspiration, and develop ideas. When I’m not shooting, I work in an art gallery. And when I’m not working there, I’m going to museums, or studios, or collaborating with other artists. It’s important to me to always be surrounded by the things I love. This city has such a deep, rich, culture of art that it’s easy to find that undercurrent of inspiration. Since most of my photo projects are based so heavily in the natural landscape, the city provides a kind of balance in my life. I like to live in that chaotic “GO GO GO” environment, but I also like to escape it for the quite forests I shoot in.

Personal Narative There is something incredibly liberating that comes from spending time in nature. It’s easy to revert back to a simpler way of being, to feel the bare earth beneath your feet and the sun’s rays peaking through the trees. You can breath easier when you’re surrounded by the calm and quiet life of the woods.

Growing up in the Northeast meant I had the fortune to live in a climate with four distinguished seasons. Watching the forest go through an annual transformation was something I could always count on. Each season brought its own set of traditions, and a sense of nostalgia with it. Summers were saved for camping in the Adirondacks and swimming in its dozens of lakes. Building bonfires and picking bouquets of wildflowers became ritual acts that were carried out with excitement and determination. Fall was a time for hiking the mountains and exploring along streambeds.

The vibrant colors of the changing leaves marked the end of longer, carefree days. Winters were cold and beautiful, and gave me a chance to view the landscape in a starker way. The snow was a welcome sight, as it meant the return of skiing, sledding, and ice skating. And then as quickly as it came, it would be gone. While Winter blanketed everything with white, Spring blossomed with color. New growth would unleash a dormant wanderlust, and be met with plans for road trips and traveling to parts of the map unexplored.

This is the cycle that has molded my life since childhood. To revisit the forests is in a sense a homecoming. Photography has given me a chance to share those seasonal traditions and landscapes with a new audience. In return, it has also led me to explore new territory and learn of other’s versions of nature. Although the term is easily definable, it means something different to everyone. Nature to me is to be embedded in the mountains of my youth. As I’ve grown, and explored the different environments of the county, it’s easy to understand how that definition can change. For some, it’s the Pacific coastline of the Northwest. For others, it’s the vast canyons and deserts of the Southwest. Whatever vision that is unleashed when you think of nature, at least it’s something that we all have in common. Nature is omnipresent, and its many variations will be waiting wherever you choose to explore.

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LIVING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE Story by Precious Kirby

As the weather outside begins to get nicer, once again the temptations of summer and all the delicious food creeps back in. Living a healthy lifestyle in a society where there are more unhealthy choices than there are healthy ones may be a bit of a challenge. However, there are countless, easy ways to maintain a healthy and benign lifestyle this summer. When you feel good, everything around you starts to seem a little better. So the first step to living healthy is to learn to feel good about yourself. Be confident in who you are, learn to love the skin you’re in. This step leads into the second step, which is to give your body good stuff to nourish. Eat lots of fruit and drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water is a natural cleanser for your body and provides lasting nourishment. You can also add fruit to your water to flavor up the traditionally bland beverage.

To truly live a healthy lifestyle, you must be active. Summer provides endless opportunities to be active and get out of the house. Instead of getting a ride to a friend’s house, ride a bike or walk to their house. You can go to a pool and swim laps, run in the morning and night when its cooler, or play sports with your friends. If you’re not much of an outside person, you can always make your room more springy. Living a healthy lifestyle means that you are open to change, so change it up a bit! Open some windows to let in the fresh air, and add flowers to add some color and smell to your room. Switching things up means more positive energy in your space, which in turn gives you more energy. More energy often lends to being a happier person and having a better aura.

As a creative teen, you must be healthy to be at your full, creative potential. This doesn’t mean you have to go to the gym everyday, but just get out there and enjoy time outside. Take advantage of the beautiful weather and the lack of a fixed schedule.

Explore and Create.

“Take care of your body. It is the only place you have to live in.”

- Jim Rohn

Berries are Healthy and Delicious!

Letter to a girl Breanna Copes Let your story flow through your veins and let every decision made be a lesson. Don’t hold out on life, because one day, some day, life will hold out on you, Sometimes, life throws things your way you haven’t had the ability to begin to train yourself to catch. My pain is on my shoulders, I carry my virtues on my back, my life is centered and death is equally matched. I’ve battled with many Devils I’ve committed many sins, and in the end I’ve always learned my fight is from within. I am my worst enemy and my biggest critic too, whenever I turn to face the mirror, I turn back to look at you. I see many years of pain, of sadness, and of joy. I see all these smiling faces and never once see yours anymore. Do you smile because your happy? Is it because you know it’s true? or do you smile because you have to, you’ve Grown up, and this is what you’ve trained yourself to do?

Will you ever look in that mirror and see what I see? Do you see that beautiful soul girl that’s reaching out to me? Will you battle all your demons and search for what’s within because even tho you are your worst enemy you still are your greatest friend.

ARTIST TO WATCH Mumford & Sons With their third album under belt, Mumford and Sons has defined themselves as a sustain British rock band.

This band continues to produce music that is different yet has familiar pieces that define the band’s style. Top songs on this album include, “Monster“, “The Wolf“, “Topkins Square Park“, and “Just Smoke“. These songs all complement each other and fit perfectly on the album. Marcus Mumford’s beautiful voice never fails to be beautifully paired with the music that the rest of the band crafts.

When you’re lonely, press play Spotify: canvasmagazine

// LONELY PRESS PLAY - DAMON ALBARN // ALL OF ME WANTS ALL OF YOU- SUFJAN STEVENS // GREENEYES - COLDPLAY // YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I WANT - LO FANG // COSMIC LOVE - FLORENCE + THE MACHINE // HEART SKIPPED A BEAT- THE XX // FIRST DAY OF MY LIFE - BRIGHT EYES // THINKIN BOUT YOU - FRANK OCEAN

please check out this Spotify playlist.

21st CENTURY CREATORS: THE PURVIS TWINS

Ashley and Hayley Purvis are writers, artists, filmmakers, actresses, and all round storytellers. Their passions in life revolve around the arts and they are happiest when they surround themselves with it. At a young age they knew that art was their calling in life. They began to write short stories and draw all kinds of different pictures using computer paper and simple colored pencils and crayons. It wasn’t until later that they realized they also had a love for films. They began to study as many films and read as many books they could on filmmaking and its process. They graduated from high school just last summer in the hopes to continue onto their artistic journey, wherever that leads them.

Currently, the duo is working on a blog to express and connect with other writers and artists in the hope to help showcase their art and passions as well. The blog is entitled ‘Ohthosetwins’ and will be up and ready to go in mid-June.

Q&A Why work with your sister?

H- We’ve always been close so it’s very easy for us to work together, and I think we do it well. Ever since we were babies we have always understood each other.

A- We also have the same passions so it makes it easier for us to come together and be a team. It’s really fun.

How do you help each other creatively?

H- We love to brainstorm. If one of us is stuck on an illustration or writing piece we are always willing to help each other along and it’s been really helpful. Sometimes I just give her a word or an image and then Ashley goes from there. We ask

each other questions too to help the other just so they can delve a little deeper into the art and the message they are trying to convey.

A- Music helps a lot. At times we are so bogged down with writing or we have a creative block. At that point, we just get together and show each other music that we have discovered or listen to things that could inspire our art. We are always together so it’s very easy to be inspired.

Have you guys always been a creative team?

H- Yes. For as long as we can remember we have always been drawing, acting scenes out in our backyard, writing short stories or taking pictures.

Telling stories is so important and at a young age we recognized the effect it can have on us and others.

A- Yeah, we are always looking for something artistic and creative to keep us busy. We’ve always wondered what to call ourselves; “Artists”, “filmmakers”, “writers”? We finally just called ourselves storytellers. It’s very broad but we like it that way.

What were your earliest creative endeavors?

H- Our earliest creative endeavors were probably drawing. We drew all that time.

A- We drew pictures for our parents, teachers, each other. We just wanted our art out there. The very next thing came down to writing short stories.

Where does the passion of writing come from?

H- From an early age I remember always wanting a reaction from somebody. It I was telling a scary story to a friend I would watch for their reactions. Even now I want to write stories that are adventurous, mysterious, or even fantastical just to see interpretations of it.

A- Like before, we love to tell stories and if it can evoke a certain emotion or change someone’s perspective and way of thinking or the way they see a certain group of people or creativity. We want to be able to do that.

What do you like to write about?

H- I love to write fantasy and science fiction but putting a human twist on it. I want readers or viewers to be able to relate to the things we write even if it is fantastical or mystical or strange.

A- Exactly. I think we both want people to be surprised or inspired when they read something of ours and to feel things about the characters or situations. I want readers to be invested. But at this point if I want to write a drama then I will. It’s anything I feel like at the time.

What can we expect from the blog?

H- We didn’t want to single out one passion of ours from the blog. We wanted it to be a place where artists and storytellers of all kinds can come together and just hang out.

A- We want our blog to accept people of all kinds of all arts. I want people to be able to feel comfortable talking about their opinion and sharing their stories with one another. The blog will consist of book, film, and art talks and recommendations. But, we will also talk about equality and issues we think are relevant to speak about.

Watch the Purvis Sisters’ Short Film

PLAY

Here is a short story by Hayley Purvis called, “Feeling Blue in the Summertime“

I wait under the archway of the sushi parlor five blocks from where I watched that one kid kill himself, and by the time the parlor closes and the neon lights buzz off, I am already digging through their garbage.

For weeks I live like this, waiting for some miracle to catch up with me, but it doesn’t, you know? Most of the time I’m okay with it. I spend my days staying out of eyesight of the police and reassuring myself that the back alleys of Lightham are good enough a friend for me to stay.

Honestly. It’s not bad. Sometimes it’s really something special. Others would argue that when the kid next to you steals your shoes it’s all over from there. Even the guy who shot himself hated it so much to do himself in. I guess they just don’t see the beauty in it.

You know, the thought still scares me; the sound of the gunshot, the body on the pavement, the blood. We all remember what we did when it happened, too. One girl cried. Another fainted. His best friend got so pissed off that he kicked his limp body. All I did was run away because I just got so scared I didn’t know what to do.

When I think back to it I know I hadn’t seen him before in my life, but apparently he knew me.

He knew me very well and his friends made sure that I knew that.

Before he shot himself, his eyes met mine and whenever I go to sleep, I see his eyes. No face, or body, or head; just a pair of floating eyes.

One of his friends asked me if I’m really who I am.

I told them, yes, I am.

The guy who kicked the kid’s body sulked in the corner of the alley and grunted whenever I talked. They told me he really liked me, even if it was hard for him to show it. I didn’t know what to say, so I didn’t.

One of the girls gave me a blue post card with a drawing of a frowny-face. It had an address, too. Yori’s Sushi Parlor, 7th Street, Lightham.

The rest is history.

I’ve made my home behind Yori’s waiting for something really special to happen to me, but nothing has. No, not yet. But I can feel it coming on whenever I feel for the blue post card inside my jacket pocket.

They just said wait for the blue.

I guess that’s what I’m doing.

Waiting for the blue.

Why am I doing this? Well, I said yes because I have nothing better to do with my time. So, here I am under the parlor’s back entrance looking for dinner in their garbage cans.

Waiting for the blue.

Waiting for the blue.

Waiting for the blue…

Once, I thought I had found it, but when I told the suicide kid’s friends, they couldn’t help but laugh in my face. “That’s just a blue candy wrapper.” They said.

I thought it was pretty significant. For a couple days blue was all I really saw; in the eyes of strangers, in cars, buses, and in chipped paint. I noticed it more. But, it all changed when I saw the boy looking at me from across the street with blue skin and a black coat.

It was midnight when I decided to pack up and leave Yori’s; that’s when I saw the boy with blue skin appear beneath a street lamp with his stereotypical cool-kid’s hoodie. And here we are.

We share a sushi roll and split a cookie I found at the bottom of a black trash bag and sit in awkward silence.

The boy with the blue face wipes crumbs from his lips and asks, “have you thought about it yet?”

“Thought about what?”

“Leaving this place.”

“No.”

“No?”

“They only told me to wait for the blue. Are you the blue?”

“No.” “No?

He shakes his head. “…” “…”

“Leave where?” I ask, picking at my ingrown fingernail that throbs on the outskirts of my thumb.

“To a place better.” He says.

His voice burs low and careless with a hint of sadness and it’s almost four in the morning before we speak again.

A bird squawks.

“So…?”

“I don’t know.” I say, eying a flickering light reflect against his blue hand. It dances and dances and dances until he sees me watching, then he just tugs at his sleeve. “…” “…”

“I like it here.”

His face scrunches up. “You like it here?”

“Yes I do.” I say. “Very much.”

“Why?”

“The stories. Everyone has one.”

He scoffs. “You should hear mine.”

“I’d love to.”

“Maybe when we leave this place. Then, I’ll tell you all about me. But not now.”

A cat screeches.

The boy tugs at his hood.

The wind whistles.

I shiver against it.

I lean in to kiss him...

He pulls back. “You don’t want to do that.”

“Why not?” I ask. I can tell I’m blushing, so I lay a cold palm on my cheek. It doesn’t help much.

His cheeks are purple and for the second I think he may be blushing too, he just turns away.

“You just don’t, okay? Not until you’ve made up your mind. Have you thought about leaving this place yet?” And then it hits me. “Are you death?”

I laugh because even my own voice seems ridiculous and I shake my head, though he just looks at me with his dark eyes and fading purple cheeks.

“Oh.” I say.

“Yeah....”

“Where would I go?”

“We call it the Docks.” He says.

“Is it heaven?”

He shakes his head.

“Is it hell?”

He shakes his head.

“Well, what is it, then?”

“We just call it the Docks, but you can call it whatever you like. It’s nice there; you’d like it. You can eat all the sweets you want. There are markets just for us there and you don’t have to get a job because there isn’t any currency. If you want to help out the market, you do it. If another day you want to stay in bed, you do it. Oh, yeah. There’s beds too. All you gotta do is pass out those blue postcards to people and you’re set for life. It’s a bigger story than all this, if you want to know the truth.”

“That… sounds…”

The blue boy smiles.

“You’ll be able to meet that kid who did himself in.” He says.

“He knows me?”

“He claims he does.”

I lick my lips. “How?”

“You’d have to ask him.”

He smiles.

“Let me pack my stuff.” I say without really thinking. I motion toward the pack that leans against the wall next to us.

“You won’t need any of that.”

“Oh…”

“How do you want to go?” He asks. “If you look at it, that kid was into the theatrics. He shot himself to make the headlines.”

“I don’t want it to hurt and I don’t want anybody to see me.” I say.

“Okay.” He says, really soft-like, “Kiss me now.”

I do. His lips are colder than I expect but it’s quick, and that’s all I really care about, you know? My next adventure begins after. I had nothing better to do with my time. Might as well, right?

As Primavera, Nature’s Prelude to the Boring Summer of Creation

by Michelle Lorduy

It overshadows the bleak days in early April when the snow begins to melt the patches of lethargic dirty sheeps lounging lazily on the side of the road .

It’s long awaited after a miserable winter and you don’t realize how soon it arrives until one day you step out of school and feel a familiar tingling warmth on your bravely exposed forearms.

And this is where it starts. The advent of warmth sparks sudden changes in our minds, just as within nature the grass turns green with excitement as the sun nurtures it alongside the blooming flower buds, when the streams are ripe and swelled with the melting ice and first cool rains.

Stimulated by light and heat, the mind begins to awaken once again as the sun shines brighter and longer, enticing the brain with the prospect of summer Pupils are contracted, beholding the bright birth of this familiar world, yet life has changed so much since the last geniture the cyclical interchange of seasons molds the mind to different moods, shifting the dismal attitude to one of newfound radiance.

Here is where you must take action, where the plans made inside your bedroom in winter must be placed into fruition. Once Nature starts creating, it’s a signal you must start creating as well. Art, poetry, music, love, food, work, yourself, your brain is alighted again, now is the point where you gather your winter blueprints and begin to assemble the materials necessary to create yourself over the free summer. Let dedication and unoccupation lead the way, it’s the only real time we have for ourselves.

Teen Art: A Place For Your Art

Canvas Magazine would love to showcase our readers work. Within the next couple of pages are various pieces of art work that were made by teenagers. If you would like your work featured within these pages, please contact us here.

Photo and drawing by Ariana Soriano

Twigs and Flowers

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Canvas Magazine May 30 , 2015 Issue#3