ISSUE 1 | SPECIAL ISSUE
Dig In Magazine Exploring Popular Culture
www.DigInMag.com
WELCOME TO DIG IN MAGAZINE’S FIRST PRINT EDITION! THIS ISSUE FEATURES ART, FILM, MUSIC, & FASHION PROFILES FROM DIGINMAG.COM. FROM LOS ANGELES TO SAN FRANCISCO TO NEW YORK, DIG DESIRES TO GIVE YOU AN INSIDE GLIMPSE INTO THE WORLD OF OUR ARTISTS, DESIGNERS, MUSICIANS, AND ACTORS. THANKS TO ALL OF THOSE THAT CONTRIBUTED THEIR TIME, TALENTS & ENERGY TO HELP MAKE DIG IN MAGAZINE AS DIGGITY AS IT HAS BEEN SINCE ITS ONLINE LAUNCH IN 2010! ENJOY A GLIMPSE INTO THE WORLD OF DIG CULTURE! FOLLOW US AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/DIGINMAG & @DIGINMAG ON TWITTER! FOR SUBMISSIONS & ADVERTISING EMAIL: DIGINMAG@GMAIL.COM - CINDY MARAM, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Featuring:
Fashion: Amber Patton Music: Richard Morales - Chachi Art: Brett Amory, Robert Bowen, Brian Leo, Carly Ivan Garcia, Fred Aquino, & Allison Green Film: Lynn Chen, Betty Ouyang, & George Nguyen © 2012 Dig In Magazine/Constant Soul All Rights Reserved.
AMBER PATTON Fashion Designer NYC
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Amber Patton
Dig Profiler:
is
a fashion designer based out of New York City. Her fashions are created with the real, dynamic woman in mind, who is seeking more value for her money, is smart, busy, successful, active, sexy, confident and fun-loving. She finds inspiration from her memories, vintage fashion, and the interesting people all around New York City. The inspiration for her new collection is of a young woman who travels the world, and is charmed by the beauty of Asia. Memories of San Francisco, where she used to live in Nob Hill, right above Chinatown all helped in creating the mood for her collection. One of Patton’s dresses was just worn by Paula Patton on E Network’s “Chelsea Lately Show.” Patton participated in New York Fashion Week events in Spring 2011. And she was recently featured in Essence.com’s Street Style Photo Gallery. The Amber Patton collection is sold online and in select boutiques, with expansion to Asia, Europe, and the Middle East on the horizon.
Occupation: Fashion designer Hometown: I was born in Nashville, Tennessee Current Town: New York City Zodiac Sign: Aries Fav Designers: Miuccia Prada, Malene Birger, Ivan Grundahl, Donna Karan, Oscar de la Renta, Isabel Toledo, Sofia Sizzi, Dolce and Gabana, Gianni Versace, Alber Elbaz, Monique Lhuillier (and more!) Muse or Inspiration: Nature is my favorite muse Hot Spot: Anywhere in New Orleans, LA Fav Thing to Wear: I love to wear silk Goals/Dreams: I dream of growing my business and sustaining a long-term career doing what I love.
Read Amber Patton’s interview:
www.diginmag.com/amber-patton.php
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THE BAND, CHACHI www.chachi.us
Richard Morales
Randy Garcia Chachi is an indie rock
Dig Profiler:
band based in the Southern California area. I sat down to talk to Chachi’s singer/songwriter/ guitarist, Richard Morales, on new year’s eve 2009 and he talked about his musical influences, where he finds inspiration and I finally found out how the band, Chachi, got it’s name. Morales currently serves as Dig In Magazine’s Music Editor.
Band Members: Richard Morales, Randy Garcia, Jennifer Ng, and Jason Smith Occupation: Whatever makes us money Hometown: Azusa, CA Current Town: West Hollywood, Pasadena, Fullerton, and Corona
Read Richard Morales’ interview and check out his music reviews:
Zodiac Sign: Libra
www.diginmag.com/chachi.php www.diginmag.com/music-reviews.php
Fav Musician: Any innovative songwriter 7
Fav Type of Music: Indie Rock and Hard Bop
Fav Thing to Wear: T-Shirt, Jeans, and Flip-Flops
Muse/Source of Inspiration: Tragedy and Urgency
Goals/Dreams: I’ll let you know as soon as they are achieved.
Fav Form of Creativity: Words and Music Hotspot: The Old Shippe: Fullerton, CA. Vesuvio’s Bar: San Francisco, CA Home Away From Home: San Francisco Fav Food/Drink: Seafood/Ales Fav Movie: The Big Lebowski 8
ARTIST BRETT AMORY
Waiting Series
www.brettamory.com
Brett Amory
Dig Profiler:
is a formally trained artist based out of Oakland, California. Drawing inspiration from his surroudings, he paints places and people that he sees everyday. Amory states that the places he paints have similar emotions to the people he paints. Amory had a solo exhibition, “Dark Light,” at Jonathan LeVine Gallery in New York from June 30th - July 30th, 2011. And his new collection “Waiting 101” debuted at Outsiders Gallery in Newcastle, UK on April 19th, 2012.
Occupation: Artist Hometown: Chesapeake, VA Current Town: West Oakland, CA Zodiac Sign: Cancer Muse or Inspiration: My surroundings Fav Form of Creativity: Painting and playing music Hot Spot: In-N-Out
Read Brett Amory’s interview:
Fav Sport: Skateboarding
www.diginmag.com/brett-amory.php
Fav Thing to Wear: Clothes without paint on them
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ARTIST ROBERT BOWEN: Candy Coated www.robertbowenart.com
Corpus Hare-Percubus
Jelly Bean Viper San Francisco-based artist, Robert Bowen is inspired by the pop culture and television characters that he grew up watching. His collection of many things, such as Entomology (Bugs), Natural History (skulls, bones, anatomical charts, Audubon Society renderings), WWII era things, old toys, and art inspire his paintings. In 2011, Bowen exhibited at Lopo Gallery for “Candy Coated: A Collection of New Works by Robert Bowen.” Most recently, Bowen exhibited at ArtPadSF from May 17th 20th, 2012. Read Robert Bowen’s interview: www.diginmag.com/robert-bowen.php 13
An Alliterative Nightmare
Goals/Dreams: Although I’m not that short, I have a Napoleon complex
Dig Profiler: Occupation: Artist/professional worry wart
Interview/profiler goes here
Hometown: Antioch, CA Current Town: San Fransisco, CA Zodiac Sign: Capricorn Muse/Inspiration: Life Fav Form of Creativity: Visual art Fav Band/Music: Cocorosie/Early Wu Tang, it varies. Fav Hobby/Sport: Bocce Ball Fav Food/Drink: Absinthe, Macaroni & Cheese Fav Thing to Wear: Fresh new socks
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ARTIST BRIAN LEO NYC Cat In Pink
www.brianleo.com
New Idea
Electric Cigarette
Dig Profiler: Occupation: Artist, DJ, Part-time Instructor, Online Stock Trader Hometown: Near Giant’s and Jet’s Stadium, New Jersey Current Town: NYC Zodiac Sign: Dragon Fav Artists: Modernist painters (Males): Schiele, Kokoshka, Tanguy, Ernst, Beuys, Beckman, Motherwell, Newman, Man Ray, Dali, Picasso, Rothko, Schwitters, Warhol, Johns, Rauchenberg, Guston, Pollock...
Abe Brian Leo, a New
York-based artist, studied art at Rutgers University/Mason Gross School of the Arts in New Jersey. He is known for his Pop, Surrealist, Expressionist and sometimes Minimalist artistic expressions, which often communicate political and cultural turmoil and senarios. Further, Leo’s solo show, “The Post Ironic,” at Christina Ray Gallery took place from March 19th April 17th, 2011. He also exhibited at Pulse Los Angeles from Sept. 30th - Oct. 3rd, 2011. Leo is a veteran to Fountain Art Fair - New York, Los Angeles, and Miami.
Fav Genre: Pop Surrealism Muse/Inspiration: Media, Exploration of The Self, Technology, History, Opinions.... Fav Form of Creativity: Visual Art, DJ-ing noise music, making creampies, BBQ-ing Goals/Dreams: Freedom
Read Brian Leo’s interview: www.diginmag.com/brian-leo.php 16
Ancient Shades
Nobel Peace Prize
ARTIST/CURATOR CARLY IVAN GARCIA
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Carly Ivan Garcia
ing Home.” Further, Driftwood Art Salon hosted “Citizen Garcia,” Garcia’s first solo show in San Francisco from May 14th – June 11th, 2011. Garcia also exhibited at Beethoven Festival 2011 with Art Director Catinca Tabacaru of Tinca Art.
is a Neo-Abstract artist, who participated in Fountain Art Fair 2010, 2011 & 2012. Fountain is an exhibition of avant-garde artwork in New York during Armory week and Miami during Art Basel Miami Read Carly Ivan Garcia’s Beach. In 2009, he participated in interviews: two Miami art shows. One of which www.diginmag.com/carly-ivan-garcia.php he showed with the amazingly talented Lawrence Gartel, the famous digital art computer legend and another within Miami’s Art Basel at Graffiti Gone Global. His artwork was featured in the 2010 Miller Brothers and Ed Harris film “Touch- 19
Dig Profiler:
Fav Artists: Cy Twombly or Van Gough or me
Occupation: Artist
Muse/Inspiration: Music
Hometown: Fairfax, CA
Fav Form of Creativity: Freestyle
Current Town: San Rafael, CA Zodiac Sign: Gemini 20
ARTIST FRED AQUINO
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Fred Aquino is a painter, digital illustrator and concept artist currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a digital illustrator he has worked for well known companies such as Sony, Microsoft Games and Electronic Arts. Video games that he has worked on include The Legend of Alan Dar, Microsoft’s Blood Wake, a Dungeons and Dragons game called Pool of Radiance, and
environmental design work on a game called Hydro Thunder 2 for XBOX 360, which came out in late summer of 2010. Read Fred Aquino’s interview:
www.diginmag.com/artist-fred-aquino.php
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Red Head Zombie Fav Music: Roots Reggae and Dub from 1967 to 1978
Dig Profiler: Occupation: Artist Current Town: San Rafael, CA
Fav Food: Trader Joe’s Garlic Naan
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Fav TV Show: Twilight Zone
Fav Artists: Diego Velasquez, Zdzisław Beksiński
Fav Thing to Wear: T-shirt Goals/Dreams: To get people to buy more art (doesn’t necessarily mean my work, but it would be appreciated...)
Fav Genre: Science Fiction Muse or Inspiration: Women Fav Form of Creativity: Drawing Hot Spot: Mojay’s
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Lightnin
Killer
ARTIST ALLISON GREEN
www.allisongreen.net
Aline
Andrea
Lovers Allison Green,
Lana Santorelli Gallery in Chelsea, The Angel Orensanz Center, The Jersey City Art Fair at the Beacon, and with Salon Ciel to just name a few. She showcased her arboreal portraits in a series called “Deeply Rooted” at Susan Eley Fine Art from March 2nd - April 14th, 2011. Green’s series “Deeply Rooted” was featured in the June 2011 issue of ARTnews magazine. And “Aline” is included in the 2012 edition Where GuestBook New York.
an artist who was fascinated by the forest at an early age grew up in a rural suburb of Media, Pennsylvania & found inspiration from the trees surrounding her. Graduating with a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Maryland, and at Studio Art Centers International in Florence, Italy in 1995 with colleagues such as Guillermo Calzadilla and Jennifer Allora, who represented the U.S. in 2011’s Read Allison Green’s interview: Venice Biennale, she has built up www.diginmag.com/allison-green.php a large body of work. Green has shown artwork at galleries such as 25
Eve Fav Form of Creativity: Painting, singing and dancing
Dig Profiler: Occupation: Artist
Hot Spot: My studio!
Hometown: Media, PA
Fav Musician: Bob Dylan and Bob Marley
Current Town: Jersey City, NJ Zodiac Sign: Cancer
Fav Food/Drink: Dark Chocolate and Red Wine
Fav Artists: Frida Kahlo, Inka Essenhigh, Anselm Kiefer, Kiki Smith, William Kentridge, Georgia O’Keefe, Faith Riggold, and many more...
Goals/Dreams: To always be as happy as I am right now... and one day, to have a retrospective at the MOMA!
Muse/Inspiration: Wonder Woman and my sister, Andi Green 26
ACTRESS/BLOGGER LYNN CHEN ww www.lynn w.th
che n tors .com diet .com
Photo by Chopper Platt
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Photo by Chopper Platt
Actress Lynn Chen’s recent films,
“White on Rice” (2009), as well as acted in a number of television shows, such as “Law and Order,” “NCIS: LA,” “Numb3rs,” and “All My Children.” Chen also starred in director Richard Wong’s recent film “Yes We’re Open” (2012). Her desire to combat women’s body image and eating disorders that plague so many young women in the acting world and beyond has fueled her passion to blog about food and that very subject matter.
“Surrogate Valentine 2: Daylight Savings” (2012) and “Surrogate Valentine” (2011), directed by Dave Boyle and starring musician and actor, Goh Nakamura, premiered at SXSW Festival and was shown at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF), as well as the Los Angeles Asian Paicific Film Festival (LAAPFF). When I met Lynn in 2011 at SFIAAFF, we disRead Lynn Chen’s interview: cussed her new film and her food www.diginmag.com/lynn-chen.php blog, “The Actor’s Diet.” Lynn is best known for her role as “Vivian Shing” in Sony Pictures Classic’s feature film “Saving Face” (2004). She has also starred in “The People I’ve Slept With” (2009), 28
Photo by Chopper Platt
Dig Profiler:
Fav Food: Sandwiches, cakes, soups, and anything with pumpkin and dried fruit.
Occupation: Actor
Fav Form of Creativity: Acting and Karaoke
Hometown: Cresskill, NJ Current Town: Los Angeles, CA
Home Away From Home: Hotels with really nice sheets and 24hour room service
Asian Zodiac: Dragon Fav TV Show: Mad Men
Fav Thing to Wear: Navy blue zip up hoodie
Fav Director: Richard Linklater and Woody Allen
Goals/Dreams: To quote a line from one of my favorite films, Dazed and Confused – “L-I-V-I-N”
Fav Role: Vivian Shing in “Saving Face.” That was my first feature film 29
www.BettyOuyang.com
Photo by Arthur Cohen 2010
ACTRESS BETTY OUYANG
Betty with Melissa Leo “Working with the über-talented, Oscar-winning actress, Melissa Leo” Article by
Betty Ouyang It was just another gorgeous, sunny day in Los Angeles when I got a call from one of the producers of the film “Frozen River”.
the camera on—that kind of cold! She also mentioned that my character would be doing chase scenes at night, and that at one point, my character would be locked in the trunk of a car, which was slowly sinking into a river of melted ice. After hearing about the part about being locked in a trunk, I suppose I could have mentioned to the producer that I suffer from mild claustrophobia. But being the optimistic actor that I am, I figured that we would solve all these problems later…with the help of a fantastic crew. “Sure, sounds great. Sign me up!” I exclaimed enthusiastically to the producer, accepting the role.
The producer asked me if I would be interested in working as an actress on a low-budget feature that they had already started shooting. She wanted to warn me about a few things first, though. First, they were shooting in upstate New York, near the Canadian border. (It was February…brrrrrrrr!) She told The producer went on to exme that they already had a day or plain that although my character two when they couldn’t even turn 31
Photo by 8 Days A Week LA 2010
Betty in "POP-U-larity!"
Dig Profiler:
would not have officially scripted dialogue, there would be a scene where I would be expected to improvise dialogue…in Chinese, no less!
Occupation: Actress & Voiceover Artist Hometown: Gotham City
And finally, she mentioned some of the awesome actors that were already involved in the project. One of the stars was Melissa Leo. (cont.)
Current Town: City of Angels Asian Zodiac: Doggie Fav Movie/TV Show: “Black Swan”; “Project Runway”
Read Betty’s full article: www.diginmag.com/blog/2011/05/ working-with-the-uber-talentedoscar-winning-actress-melissa-leo/
Fav Director: Stanley Kubrick Fav Food: Anything w/ CHEESE!
* Ouyang’s recent film “The Last War Crime“ premiered at Festival Du Cannes in France from May 16th - 25th, 2012.
Goals/Dreams: Surviving each day is a a huge accomplishment. 32
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www.sites.google.com/site/geogenes
George Q. Nguyen is an actor based
Dig Profiler: Occupation: Actor
in San Francisco, California. With a passion for acting and films at a very young age, Nguyen studied acting at The American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. He has acted in independent films, which have screened at the San Diego Asian American Film Festival, the Damah Film Festival, the Hawaii International Film Festival and the LA Asian Pacific Film Festival. His recent film “The Last War Crime“ premiered at Festival Du Cannes in France from May 16th - 25th, 2012. Read George Q. Nguyen’s interview: www.diginmag.com/actor-george-qnguyen.php
Hometown: San Francisco, CA Current Town: San Francisco, CA Asian Zodiac: Dog Fav Movie/TV Show: “Inception” & ”Breaking Bad” Fav Director: Steven Spielberg Fav Role: Skelly from “The Rimers of Eldridge” Fav Food/Drink: Beef Pho/Sugar cane drink 34
2011 San Francisco Int’l Asian American Film Festival
Matthew Abaya, Cindy Maram, George Nguyen, Chris Cojuangco Fav Musician/Band: Michael Jackson/The Police Fav Hobby/Sport: Wing Chun/ Basketball
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Fav Form of Creativity: Photography
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Home Away From Home: Hawaii Fav Thing to Wear: Blue jeans Goals/Dreams: To be a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
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Š 2012 Dig In Magazine/Constant Soul All Rights Reserved.