DIG Winter 2023 by Beach Media

LONG BEACH

COMMUNITY

INSPIRATION

LIFESTYLE

WINTER 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INSIDERS

3 4 6

EDITOR’S NOTE BY OLIVIA PEAY

DIG IN: A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR

BY ABIGAIL WALL

8 11

Q&A: SWEET SIPPIN’ AT SHIRLEY’S TEMPLE

BY CAITLIN MELGAR

FRESH FINDS: TURNING BACK THE SOUNDS OF TIME

BY EMILY CAIN

WHERE TO NEXT: UNLEASH YOUR INNER ARTIST BY JAYLEN MINNICH

FEATURES

REOPENING MY IRREPRESIBLE PAST

OBJECTS OF AFFECTION

BY ANA SOPHIA PAPA

One writer opens her time capsule and discovers fond memories.

BY ANI GUTIERREZ

A mere glance at a childhood object often takes us back to the days when the world was more colorful, reminding us how our inner child never truly disappears.

24 28

YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO BE YOUNG

BY HAYLE SALAZAR

From battle-ready action figurines to rosy-cheeked plushies, toys of all kinds appeal to people of all ages.

CHASING CHILDHOOD DREAMS

BY WINSTON TRAN

Digital artist and student Cheska Odulio talks about memories of passion, hobby-made careers and the risk of hating what is loved.

ABOUT US

DIG is a student-produced arts and culture magazine published by CSULB’s Department of Journalism and Public Relations. We inspire readers to immerse themselves in the Long Beach lifestyle through photography, videography, design, illustration and the written word.

EDITOR IN CHIEF

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

SENIOR EDITOR

VIDEO EDITOR

OLIVIA PEAY

DUY MAI

WINSTON TRAN

MORGAN KHOE

FEATURES EDITOR

PODCAST EDITOR

ART DIRECTOR

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

ANI GUTIERREZ

MORGAN BARELA

HANNA PIERINI

EMILY BROWN

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITORS

ANJALI KNIGHT BRYNNA LANING

ILLUSTRATOR ALEX HEIDMAN

ALYSSA GERVACIO SABRINA GOBATON GENEVIE NGUYEN PHOEBE SEGALES KOBE TAKEDA

@digmaglb

PHOTO EDITOR

PR & PROMOTIONS MANAGER NICOLLETTE COMBRE

www.digmaglb.com

DIGITAL DIRECTOR

ADVERTISING MANAGER

digmagazinelb@gmail.com

ONLINE EDITORS

WEB & TECHNOLOGY MASTER

GOPI VADSAK KATE HIZON

IZHAN AHMED

EMILY CAIN GRACE HUGHES

LEILA NUNEZ

NEWSLETTER EDITOR

ROBIN JONES JENNIFER NEWTON

KALYNE TOUCH

FACULTY ADVISORS

DEAR READER, I have three shoeboxes from my younger years, their contents made up of paper, plastic and smudged ink. One’s lost in my mother’s attic, the other two are gently placed in my parent’s homes: one at mom’s, one at dad’s.

I am a sentimental person. I may no longer keep an army of Little Pets on my dresser, or stacks of Now That’s What I Call Music CDs on my nightstand, but I still have a stuffed dog – brown, matted, and worn by years of play – that I received before I could form words, and somewhere someplace there’s a glass jar of all the teeth I’ve ever lost (even if I unwillingly chose to keep them, they somehow remained with me). Sometimes we can’t help but place something in a box. Even If we never open it up again, just the reminder that it’s still there is comforting. Youth is not solely composed of the things we had received or kept, but the meaning behind them pulls us to revisit the past. I like to think that keeping such memories alive allows us to treasure our youth. They keep us innocent, curious, and eager to discover the unknown. They remind us of when responsibilities didn’t overshadow our interests and anxiety was just a big word we couldn’t pronounce correctly. I love romanticizing life — treating myself to ice cream, rewatching cartoons, buying a picture book — because it allows me to reconnect with the little girl who secretly indulged in sweets, watched her brother’s favorite shows from the hallway, and read every animal kingdom book there was available. It’s a pleasant feeling to let yourself love open-heartedly and be unashamed of your interests, especially when you couldn’t have, or allow yourself, that privilege when you were younger. There’s something enchanting about learning about people’s lives and the stories from what keepsakes they’ve saved over the years. Even when worn by time, the melodies of memories never age, and I find myself always leaning in to hear their tunes. I hope when you read these stories, you, too, get a chance to reflect on the days of your youth and honor your younger self by revisiting their interests or exploring something new. Dream big and vibrantly – you’re never too old to believe in magic! Peace,

INSIDER • DIG IN

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Kathleen Shir Photos by o

Nothing reminds us more of our youth than those sweet treats we couldn’t wait to get our hands on. Whether your favorite guilty pleasure is covered in sprinkles, chocolatefilled or covered in crushed candy, here are four sugar-sweet places in Long Beach to satisfy those childhood hankerings – because there’s always room for dessert.

3rd & Lo ma

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301 Loma Ave., Long Beach Open Mon day - Satu rd ay from 10 Sunday fr a.m. to 8 om 10 a.m p.m. and . to 5 p.m.

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INSIDER • DIG IN

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Unleash Your

INSIDER • WHERE TO NEXT?

r A e rtist n In n Minnich

Story by Jayle

Illustratio

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Long Beach honors its local artists through mural-walled streets and eclectic shop windows. But the art scene doesn’t stop at simply viewing or buying a piece. The city is home to many businesses that offer hands-on art classes to encourage individuals of all ages to express themselves, focusing on creativity, not perfection. Clay on First

Brushstrokes + Beverages

Clay on First is a full-service ceramics studio that offers a wide range of pottery classes, services and specialty workshops. Since its establishment in 2009, Clay on First’s goal has been to cultivate a “welcoming environment for the exploration and manifestation of the creative inner workings inherent in everybody.” At Clay, would-be ceramicists can try their hand at the pottery wheel and learn to mold rustic decor and dishware from a lump of wet clay. Decoration classes are also offered to allow customization before the pottery is glazed and fired. Beginners can take part in a onetime intro class or delve into the art of pottery through a multi-class series ranging from six to 12 weeks. Private classes are open to groups interested in getting their hands dirty together. For experienced artists, the space is available to master their craft and store their art through a paid membership. Past workshops have included beginner-friendly mug and pumpkin creations, and upcoming classes will focus on ornament making for the holiday season.

For those looking to liven up their evening or make art classes feel more like a social affair, a painting session hosted by Brushstrokes + Beverages might be just the thing. Established in 2012, Brushstrokes + Beverages began as Long Beach’s first paint-andsip through collaborations with local restaurants and wine bars. The workshops are led by seasoned artists who teach painting basics to patrons. The studio changes their class theme and paints subjects every day so visitors can visit daily without getting bored. Guests are welcome to bring their favorite snacks and non-alcoholic beverages to savor as they color their canvases. Brushstrokes + Beverages also partners with District Wine and Trademark Brewing on select dates, just in case you want to get your creative buzz on. Brushstrokes + Beverages offers multiple weekly classes inside and out of their studio space. Individuals can locate the time, location of the classes and collaborations through their event calendar on their website.

408 E 1st St. Unit B Long Beach Open Thursday - Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Visionary Artware Gallery & Studio If you want a pop of color in your garden or outdoor space, take a mosaic-making class at Visionary Artware Gallery & Studio. Open to all ages and skill levels, their classes teach individuals how to make mosaic pieces with hand-glazed tiles. Apart from learning mosaics, customers can take a glass-cutting course to create stained-glass suncatchers or window treatments. The studio also sells handmade art and mosaic supplies and offers studio space for advanced mosaic artists. Until the end of the year, artists can enroll in “Taste of Mosaic with a Sip of Wine,” a workshop where they can learn the basics of mosaic-making while enjoying a glass of something bubbly. 2915 E. Broadway Long Beach Open Wednesday - Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. visionaryartware.com

431 E. Broadway Long Beach brushstrokesandbevs.com

clayonfirst.com

INSIDER • Q&A

Story by Caitlin Melgar Photos by Bowie De La Peña Growing up, nothing sated our curiosity better than a bubbly, sugary beverage that looked akin to the “adult drinks” our parents would sip at the dinner table. Former bartender turned entrepreneur, Stephanie “Essie” Evans, shares why she opened Shirley’s Temple, the first and only mocktail bar in Long Beach, and what to expect as her business grows.

What inspired you to create a space with elaborate, alcohol-free drinks? I think a lot of people are limiting their consumption of alcohol, but they still want to have the experience of drinking – going out, being with their friends, listening to music and having something in a cute glass that tastes good. I just wanted to provide a safe space for that. What was the inspiration behind the names of the mocktails on the menu? I came up with the name of our bar as a double entendre.It [Shirley’s Temple] is an iconic non-alcoholic drink, but also a “temple”, or safe haven where non-drinkers can be themselves and not feel any pressure to consume alcohol. Then, I decided to develop the theme of the drinks and decor to showcase the 1940s Hollywood era that Shirley is from, which is why we have names like Vintage Violet and Retro Rose. What are some challenges you faced when starting your business? Finding a location. So, you know, being able to find a space and having all the money to start it, but I made it work and saved up my own money… I also had a lot of resources and people that helped me. 08

INSIDER • Q&A

Nobody has ever opened a mocktail bar in Long Beach before. Did that create any doubts or nerves when opening the business? Yeah, definitely. I mean, it’s the first in L.A. county overall, and seeing that nobody else had done it before in all of L.A. was a little bit odd to me. I thought “Oh my god, there must be such a risk or maybe nobody’s into it,” but then I was really inspired because I came across so many different people who were looking forward to it... A lot of places don’t have a full mocktail menu, so there were very limited options before this. How has your background as a bartender helped you? I definitely took my experience from bartending. I had to know what flavors work well together, what type of measurements and things like that. Being able to get creative and take the alcohol out and realizing that you can still have a great, amazing tasting drink… or something that’s unique and different without having the alcohol there. Since opening Shirley’s Temple in September, what have you learned about sobriety? Everybody is different. You don’t have to be 100% fully committed to not drinking just to come and have a mocktail. Maybe you just want to take a break for a weekend, or maybe you’re pregnant, or maybe you have health complications, or maybe you’re focused on, you know, feeling better in the morning. There are so many different reasons that people could not be drinking and I want to be the space for them. Are there any new plans you’re working on? I’m working on having more events here. Now that we’re open and we see what the flow is like, we’re definitely going to have music and DJs, themed nights giveaways and things like that. There will be lots of events in the books.

Where do you see your business in the future? I’m really hoping to expand. Right now we’re just in Long Beach and we’re small, but I’m hoping to get a bigger space and maybe move into other cities, even outside the state if we need to. Do you want to shoutout anyone in particular that supported you along the way? I had an amazing group of people that have supported me: Anthony Santos (in recovery), Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, my mom and many friends and family who still continue to be MY temple. Thank you.

INSIDER• •FRESH FRESHFINDS FINDS INSIDER

Story by Emily Cain Through carefully crafted melodies and lyrics, music can transport listeners into a world that evokes emotions shared by artist and audience—namely, feelings of nostalgia. Here are three artists who play with old sounds in a new way.

Bringing Back the Blues with Cedric Burnside Cedric Burnside is an electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter who propels the blues rock n’ roll revival scene with modern releases and shows across the United States. His entire discography is injected with traditional blues characteristics from the whining electric lead guitar to his soulful lead vocals and lyrics that speak of trials and tribulations. Many of his tracks, including “We Made It”, featured on his 2018 album “Benton County Relic”, make use of classic blues chord progressions evocative of the delta blues of the early 20th century. His music is not only nostalgic of this long-standing genre, but also of his grandfather R.L. Burnside’s contribution to the tradition of the blues in Mississippi.

Fresh Folk with Allegra Krieger In her 2023 album, “I Keep My Feet on the Fragile Plane”, Allegra Krieger compiles a beautiful body of work that is nostalgic of the alluring and wistful lyricism and acoustic sound of folk music popular in the past. On this album, the track “Nothing In This World Ever Stays Still,” is reminiscent of folk legend Joni Mitchell. Krieger’s lyrics on this track maintain a conversational rhythm backed by a loose melody, redolent of Mitchell’s iconic style. Throughout her music career, beginning with releases in 2020, Krieger implements characteristics that are staples of folk music, bringing fresh releases to the long-standing genre.

Catch Disco Fever with Wild & Free In 2019, Los Angeles-based duo Wild & Free released a single titled “Paradise” that brings back the sound of the ‘70s and ‘80s. On this single, Wild & Free lays down a steady beat that will get you grooving. The group’s use of synthesizers and spacy vocals on this track is reminiscent of the same sounds popular at the height of the disco era. These stylistic techniques help the duo create music that is nostalgic of that time. This sound is consistent throughout their entire discography and most recently can be heard in their tracks released this year, “Inside Your Mind” and “Traffic (Dub),” where listeners can hear the duo’s modern take on the groove of decades past. 11

You’re Never Too Old To Be Young Photo by Olivia Peay

Photos and story by Ana Sophia Papa

Illustrations by Alex Heideman

When I was little, I created a time capsule for my future self to revisit to see how far I’d come. It was a little red fabric box labeled “FUTURE ME” on the lid containing various items that 7-year-old me thought was worth holding onto and looking back on once I was older.

essay

I’m 21 now.

At this point, I’ve forgotten the contents of the box and I’m just itching to find out what I thought was so important. The moment of truth came when I grabbed it out of the garage it’s been sitting in for countless years. A heavy scent of the ocean wafted out of the box the second I lifted the lid. Already, the memories came flooding back as if the Hoover Dam collapsed and the water came rushing down the canyon. Almost immediately, I recall choosing two white clam shells along with one hollow crab shell where its body once was for my box. I was pleasantly surprised by the condition they were in considering this box has been through hell and back over the past decade. That goes for everything else inside, too. I was big on collecting as a kid, so this made me extremely nostalgic for the things I used to put so much value behind. There were tons of different commodities. The other items occupying the empty spaces were very random. 14

FEATURE • REOPENING MY IRREPRESSIBLE PAST

A Disneyland keychain with a plethora of charms in correspondence to the core Mickey Mouse characters.

A DVD of “Robots” (2005) outside of its original packaging and in a red transparent case instead.

A pink and blue bouncy ball I had taken from a jar meant for actual prize winners at the Redondo Beach Fun Factory while it was still open.

A band-aid for before I grew into my limbs and was infamous for always losing my balance, tripping on nothing and ultimately never having control of my body. (I know my mom would vouch for me saying it was always a necessity, so if someone told me it was her who threw it in here, I wouldn’t bat an eye.)

A deck of cards I tossed inside for my older sister who taught me how to play Speed, which became our mutual obsession for a couple years.

An “A” keychain from San Francisco that used to be attached to the keys of our old 2002 Toyota Camry for my name. A red Guitar Center guitar pick I chose when I first got my acoustic Rogue Starter.

Finally, a red $5 poker chip, possibly from one of the several Las Vegas trips my family took where I wandered casinos when I definitely shouldn’t have been allowed to.

A loose WiiSports disc alongside the manual for the Wii remote (as opposed to the remote itself). 15

FEATURE • PERSONAL ESSAY

The wave of nostalgia was rather bittersweet as I didn’t know if I should be sad that a portion of my life is long gone or happy considering I get to look back on it and recognize the memories I’ve made that make me miss it in the first place.

The circumstances in which I grew up didn’t allow me to go about my days without worry or free of desolation. But as a kid, you think it’s normal because you have nothing to compare it to. Being much older, now I do.

I knew reopening this box would be a chance for me to tap into the inner child I never got to bring out when I was The one item that got under younger. I still have a lot of healing to my skin a little bit was the do, but the first major step of going into letter I wrote addressed to adulthood is recognizing where I came the older version of myself. from. I never want to forget what used Don’t get me wrong, it’s to make me happy or very evident how old I excited, fulfilling the was when I wrote it, considering the child at heart that I penmanship, sentence structure and still uphold. overall carelessness of using USPS notepad paper as my medium. “I want to be happy forever and ever… I hope I am happy and super nice. Always nice.”

essay

I really drilled in the fact I wanted to be kind and content when I was older. I doubt it was a remark on how I wasn’t either of those things at the time I wrote it, but more so a reminder to never lose that part of who I was.

I hope I would make her proud if she saw me now. The way I see it, I was forced to grow up and become an “adult” at a young age due to a rather long series of unfortunate events at the time. I wouldn’t change anything about how I grew up, but I don’t think I was allowed to be the kid I wanted to be. Like any other person, my family is rather dysfunctional. We’re not perfect, nor have we ever strived to be. If I’m going to take anything from my childhood, it’s that “perfect” doesn’t exist and that goes for just about anything, but especially us.

Objects of Affection Story by Ani Gutierrez Photos by Sungbin Moon

Sunny afternoons adorned with laughter sit alongside the memories created in the colorful lens we looked through as children, filling our minds with nostalgia. Lying on the ground looking up at the fluffy white bunnies in the sky, not a single thing entered our minds except who we would play with at recess, or what outfit we would choose to dress our dolls in that day. Glancing over at the stuffed animals now hidden in the corner covered in cobwebs, reminiscing about the days when they had their own seats at the dinner table, recollections of childhood floods our minds. Certain memories tend to be attached to specific objects from our youth. The mere thought of these things instantly takes us back to our childhood, serving as a reminder that the spark of one’s inner child will never truly fizzle out. We asked five CSULB students to share their objects of affection with us.

Daisy A

gebs

The love we have for our stuffed animals often goes astray as we grow older, but Ginger is one of Daisy Agebsar’s dearest friends to this day. Adopted from a garage sale when Daisy was 5 years old, Ginger has been alongside Daisy through nearly every stage of her life. One of Daisy’s most memorable instances with Ginger is when he would bravely participate on the front lines of the teddy bear wars Daisy and her siblings would have. “We would just throw a bunch of stuffed animals at each other,” Daisy fondly recalled with a chuckle. “Ginger was the main one they would try to throw at me. It’s like an evil, but fond memory.”

Tran s i u o L

FEATURE • OBJECTS OF AFFECTION

As a child, Louis Tran often found himself diving head-first into the literary ocean that would leak from the pages of his vast book collection. Reminiscing on the days when he would read about two books in one sitting, he explains how reading was his escape from reality. “Nothing else mattered when I was reading,” he says. “I remember when school was out and everyone would go play sports or hang out with friends, I would just stick to myself and read.” The quiet curiosity he radiated as a child followed him throughout life, as he thinks back to how peaceful he’d feel immersed in the pages of his favorite books, something he carries to this day. “I like to think of humans as onions, like we have layers,” Louis says, noting that the interests and characteristics we had in childhood are still be present as we grow older. We just have to peel back a few layers to find them.

FEATURE • OBJECTS OF AFFECTION

Brian Magbanua A little porcelain angel has watched over Brian Magbanua his whole life. Unaware at the time that this fragile angelic jewelry box would hold such significance in Brian’s life, his mother gave it to him the day he was brought into the world. Throughout his childhood, the angel would simply sit in his room, acting as a reminder of his mother’s love. “It reminds me of my mom and how much she cares for me,” Brian says. This beloved object, however, was grew in meaning alongside Brian, as it transformed from merely a pretty object to look at to one of the most sentimental items of his adolescence. He reminisces on the time when he was too young to assign meaning to an object, as he once recklessly played with the angel to the point of dropping and nearly shattering it. “I thought, Oh my God, I nearly broke it, so I just put it back and left it there,” he said, recalling the moment he realized how important the angel was to him.

Olivia Parmar Olivia Parmar’s passion for fashion first struck when she was a little girl making clothes for her Barbies. Inspired by her mother, who had a wedding gown business where she would make the dresses herself, she decided to test out her own designing abilities. “I would go to the tailor with my mom and pick up all the scraps and use them to make Barbie clothes,” she says. Wanting to be just like her mother, she’d even sell her Barbie clothes to her classmates. “I would take orders and make new clothes, little purses and even shoes,” she recalls, giggling at the 8-year-old businesswoman she was. “One time I even had a whole bridal shower for my Barbies,” she says, explaining how she and her friend once threw a bridal party for their dolls, decking them out in one-of-a-kind outfits she made. This passion continued to grow, following her into adulthood as she is now a fashion design major who still makes clothes. 22

FEATURE • PHOTO STORY

A y sle

go u m

Goofy, adventurous, and happy: the three words that narrate Kingsley Amugo’s childhood. From the plastic fast food kid’s meal watches filled with nostalgic memories of running through the Burger King play area with his sisters, to the “Captain Underpants” books he enjoyed reading as a child, these objects are symbolic of who he was, and turned out to be. “I think those personalities we have as kids definitely carry on. We’re just a bit more refined now,” he says. His love for the “Captain Underpants” series began to grow in elementary school, as he often found himself struggling with reading. “These books were comforting to me because they were easy to digest and let me use my imagination,” Kingsley says. He recalls a time when he bought a new “Captain Underpants” book at his school’s book fair, upsetting his parents by not buying any “real” books. “They were so mad, but it was honestly the best day in the world because I had the new ‘Captain Underpants’ book.”

From battle-ready action figurines to rosy-cheeked plushies, toys of all kinds appeal to people of all ages. Collecting such trinkets allows these CSULB students to reconnect with their inner child. 24

Story by Hayle Salazar Photos by Olivia Peay

FEATURE • YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO BE YOUNG

When 6-year-old Nani Morales Kalaw would see her father leave for the Philippines, her eyes would well up with tears, but that sadness dissipated as soon as she saw a Sanrio character in his hands when he returned. Trinkets commonly given as carnival game prizes or found lined up in the children’s section at department stores may seem just for kids, but the truth is anything but that. The rise of “kidults,” adults whose interests align with what’s traditionally more suitable for children, has become quite common in recent years. Veteran and novice collectors looking to fill empty gaps in their childhood gravitate toward the little objects they played with in years past.

“To me, collecting is like I’m letting my younger self finally get the toys I wanted.”

store, Kalaw was ecstatic. However, Kalaw’s parents would not always want to buy the cutest character for her, even when her love for Sanrio developed into a passion. “Hello Kitty has a really strong message since she doesn’t have a mouth — it’s supposed to be that your actions are more important than your words,” Kalaw says. “Each character has a specific personality: Hello Kitty likes to bake, My Melody likes really sweet

drinks, Pochacco likes to work out… I think the difference in the characters made Sanrio stand out to me.” Amid Kalow’s current living space, there lies a collection of Sanrio-inspired plushies, stationery, beauty products, figurines, Legos and even cutlery. Karlow believes there are over a hundred unique Sanrio items in her collection, and she aims to continue her collection in the coming years.

“Growing up, I knew my parents had more important stuff to spend their money on, like groceries and other expenses,” says Kalaw, now 21, a fourth-year film major at CSULB. “To me, collecting is like I’m letting my younger self finally get the toys I wanted.” Kalaw was introduced to Sanrio by her dad and aunt at a young age. She was mesmerized by the many pastel-colored characters, and when her aunt would allow her to choose one to go home with them from the Sanrio 25

FEATURE • YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO BE YOUNG

Not getting something you always wanted as a child can stick with you as you enter adulthood. Certain toys may have been discontinued or become very rare, leading now-collectors to spend their funds on the objects they once yearned for. According to the NPD Group, a data-driven market research company, “kidults” bought 24% of all toys from June 2021 to June 2022 and

“Collecting is just a really cool thing that speaks to me...It’s something I can still connect to even after so many years of doing this.” contributed about two-thirds of the revenue growth in the toy market. Action figures in particular are known for their collectability, according to 20-year-old Denzel Paz, a third-year film major and Transformer collector.

“I actually did the math with my girlfriend, and she’s spent almost $300, almost $400 on the ones [Transformers] I’ve gotten from her, which are like nine or 10 of them,” Paz says. “Over the years, I’ve probably spent over $1,000 on building up my collection.” Since the first Transformers movie hit the box office in 2007, Paz has collected the battle-ready cybertronians. He spends a few hours each day searching for new Transformers to add to his platoon of over 300 figurines.

“Collecting is just a really cool thing that speaks to me,” Paz says. “It’s something I can still connect to even after so many years of doing this.” As he nears his last year of college, Paz plans to continue to collect as the Transformers franchise continues to make more movies and shows. Paz looks forward to finding a rare Transformers T-Rex edition released a few years ago, now that he has the funds to buy it.

FEATURE • YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO BE YOUNG

Apart from looming childhood memories, the trinket fad on social media contributes to the rise of “kidults” and bolsters their online niche. As adults post and share their own interests, like intricate Lego builds and prolific Squishmallow hauls, those eager to emulate such astounding assemblages promptly follow in their footsteps. For people like Hannah Levin, a fourth-year film and electronic arts and creative nonfiction major, her infatuation with the viral Sonny Angel dolls was conceived when someone she followed online shared their own collection. Since October 2021, Levin, 23, has collected over 40 of the costumeadorned plastic dolls. “There’s just something about them that’s really cute and weird,” Levin says. “The whole aspect of not knowing which one you’re going to get when you open their box is really fun to me. It’s kind of like Christmas where you’re not

expecting to get anything.” During elementary and middle school, Levin loved stockpiling plastic figures like Polly Pockets, Littlest Pet Shops and Barbies, and in high school, she scavenged for troll dolls from antique malls. The eclectic and quirky always appealed to Levin, and she believes that may be a reason behind her fascination with Sonny Angels. Levin has has spent about $500 on the dolls, which cost around $12 per box. Her current collection focuses on special editions, like the Sonny Angel

“Cat Life” series she received in Paris, and her TikTok-exclusive Sonny Angel she won during a giveaway on the brand’s TikTok account. Regardless of the reason they began their collections, Kalaw, Paz and Levin find peace in collecting objects of youthful recollection. As time moves forward and we age, small objects and knick-knacks remind us that we’re never too old for the little things. “It’s always fun to have little knickknacks in your house,” Levin says. “It’s kind of like feeding your inner child in a way. You’re just making yourself feel like life is worth living a bit more.” 27

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FEATURE • CHASING CHILDHOOD DREAMS

Digital artist and student Cheska Odulio talks about memories of passion, hobby-made careers and the risk of hating what is loved.

idn’t the idea of pursuing a career path seem daunting growing up? Were we supposed to settle based on income? Do we stick close to our hobbies and skills? Or do we let our parents decide what’s best for us? “I was originally going to go into computer science for college,” says Francesca “Cheska” Odulio, laughing. “My dad really wanted me to go into it, and I was like, ‘I want to do art!’” Odulio is a 20-year-old digital artist and pre-production animation major who stands firm for her love of animated television and nostalgic art, with her eyes set on professional opportunities that can channel her fascination with creating. “Have you watched ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’?” Odulio asks. “It was then when I thought, ‘Oh my god, there’s a girl that looks like me on TV!’ I needed to see more representation of Asian culture, especially for Southeast Asians. I want to create that inspiration again for other people.” While cartoons laid the foundation for Odulio’s craft, she never viewed it as more than a commodity for children’s entertainment. Animated shows like “Harley Quinn,” which spun the notorious villainess into a relatable person with real-life problems and relationships, helped her realize that there was truly no age limit for enjoying animated works—the animation industry is evermoving with time and worldly themes, and that prospect excited her for her future.

series, Odulio aspires to work in that supplementary beat to “reinvent them for the older version of those children [viewers].” As Odulio and I raved over the animated series we grew up binging, I realized that art was more than just a career choice bred from interest and skill for her. The pursuit of honoring her youth and the mission to help those like her feel seen is what breathes purpose into her path. Reminding people of their fond childhoods is the essence behind her creations.

Odulio began sketching “pretty inconsistently” throughout her upbringing. She recalls constantly analyzing small-screen characters to replicate them in her mom’s old sketchbooks out of innocent fun. It wasn’t until her teenage years that she started to consider drawing as a worthwhile hobby that required nurture.

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“ I s h o u l d e a p pr e c i “I started ’v [drawing] in sophomore year of Her epiphany helped solidify her sentimental goals for her career path as well. Much like how the sequel shows “The Legend of Korra” and “Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake” expand on the setting and ideas of their preceding

The uncertainty of the pandemic placed a timer on her life. Vexed over the state of limbo that consumed her, she wanted to rediscover the resolve that was taken from her during the precarious era of quarantine. Now, she is running a public art account on Instagram (@chellioh) with 43,500 followers and an Etsy shop (@Chellioh) where she sells clay-made phone accessories and pen holders, digitally drawn prints and sticker packs with callbacks to her personal life and the universal Asian American upbringing. Odulio said, “I wanted to incorporate that nostalgic but appreciative feelings for those moments and experiences. Once you’re older, you might forget or you’ll miss them because you can’t just go back.” Despite operating public platforms as an active artist, she admits to not being the most eloquent person, especially when it comes to verbalizing her feelings. “I found art as an outlet for that,” she says. “I was debating if this was really what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Is this a reliable source [of income]? I wanted to test that out with my Etsy shop to see if I could do it, and I’m still doing it today.”

high school and it really just took off during COVID,” Odulio says. “I was stuck in my room all day. Every time I had the chance to go outside, it made me look back to my childhood and think, ‘I should’ve appreciated those small things back then, too.’”

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FEATURE • CHASING CHILDHOOD DREAMS

One of Odulio’s biggest challenges as a novice in the art business is finding the balance between creating for herself and creating for her clients.

“I got really burned out,” Odulio says. “I was making it for other people and not for myself, and it feels limiting if I have to think about what other people like all the time. Drawing what I liked is what got those people to me in the first place!” Though her personal art has undergone profound changes in style and purpose, Odulio is still laser-focused on breaking into the animation industry where her passion is rooted. According to her, working in animation requires flexibility and technical practice that can only be learned through discipline. She credits her collegiate experience to her evolution and assurance in art, especially since she made the move to publicize her work for the world to see. Being self-taught has its perks in creative liberty and personal amusement, but Odulio realized adapting foundational skills was just as vital as her imagination.

When asked about the most influential courses she has taken at CSULB, Odulio replies, “Character design and painting! I don’t like painting at all. But when I took that class, it changed my perspective on how to see objects.” The few art classes she took in high school didn’t feel so perceptive to her as she thought the curriculum was too rigid and redundant. The insides of the art industry weren’t explored then as thoroughly as she had hoped, at least not to the level of insight she has now. Her college experience cemented her aspirations as tangible goals through its arduous, yet motivating teachings that honed her artistic methods and determination. While many regard hobby-turnedcareers as the ideal path to strive for, is it possible to avoid falling out of love with what we cherish? How do we maintain that adoration when it becomes a tool of survival? The means to eat and live? Odulio pondered the same, particularly when it came to tackling the contemporary culture of career preparation. “Now I feel like I’m in a time crunch,” Odulio says. “I’m nearing my fourth year and I have to find an internship, I have to network with people. As an introvert, that’s hard! I feel like there’s so many people ahead of me that I need to catch up to.” She mentioned a moment when she curiously looked through students’ portfolios from the California Institute of the Arts and “got so sad.” The submission expectations and project quality were so high that it made Odulio consider taking a gap year just to improve her own portfolio. Despite feeling deterred by the capable students accepted into the acclaimed institution, Odulio understands that comparison is the thief of joy, even when she can’t help it. “I want to get to their level,” she says. “But it constantly stresses me out. What should I do? Should I try to copy what they’re doing?”

Another concern of Odulio’s was becoming too wary of how art should be properly executed instead of leaning on her artistic instincts—the instincts that conceived her original love for art. Suddenly, the practice of creativity had constraints that weren’t there when she was a kid, where Odulio struggled to draw freely without looking at references and felt like she was breaking under the pressure to be perfect. In an effort to relearn the creative spontaneity she had forgotten and combat burnout, Odulio is actively exploring alternative mediums of art besides digital illustration and animation. “I am doing what I love, and that’s why I feel like I need to have other hobbies, too,” Odulio says. “Now I’m trying to work with clay—the traditional art I’ve been working on. I just remember thinking, ‘Do I want to risk hating what I love in the future?’”

The likes of creative comparison, art block, burnout and putting work out for the world to perceive can turn a simple joy into a grudging chore, even outside of creative industries. Odulio’s strength to confront it all stems from her fervent childhood and her profound captivation with art and empathetic storytelling. “Just trust yourself,” says Odulio, upon reflecting on a message to tell her younger self. “You’re doing a good job, and you’ll get to where you need to be. Every step you take will be necessary, no matter if it’s wrong or a failure.”

FEATURE • CHASING CHILDHOOD DREAMS

Illustrations by Cheska Odulio (@chellioh)

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