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Aremenian Youth Federation OUR MISSION The AYF is committed to the moral, social and intellectual advancement of Armenian youth in order that they may gain a better understanding of themselves. It is guided in these aims through its five long standing pillars of Political, Cultural, Educational, Athletic, and Social activity.
To learn more or donate visit: https://m.facebook. com/ayfwest
IN THIS ISSUE P.3
LA CALAVERA CATRINA
ETCHING EXPRESSION INTO OUR PORES
Photographed and Written By: Noah Garcia
Roy twochrists
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THE Art of cosplay
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THE DIMENSION TRAVELING ARTIST
Photographed and Written By: Charles Flores
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Robot Stress Relievers Photographed and Written By: Estevan Macias
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PENELOPE’S CUPCAKERY Where there is a whisk There is a way Penelope Garvery Owner penelopescupcakery@gmail.com IG: @penelopescupcakery
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La Catrina
Photography by: Noah Garcia Written by: Noah Garcia
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Dandole vida a la muerte Life is a dance, and many consider death to be its end but in Mexican culture, it’s simply the encore. The art of Catrin is one that brings to life the complex meaning of death in mexican culture. The trend arose from a cartoon illustrator and lithographer JosÊ Guadalupe Posada, who used said imagery to mock those native Mexicans who tried to mimic european style. Since its incarnation, the design has taken on its own life and has seeped into the soul of Mexico. Photos via Dia De Los Muertos, Whittier California 2018 P.4
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Etching Individuality into our Pores June 21. Marco Gomez, a tattoo artist at Black Umbrella Tattoo and Art Gallery, dedicating the afternoon to a client’s design. Society has a powerful tool and thugs being depicted with tattoos, judgements every person has heard, through the use of language that the thought that everyone with a whether tattooed or not. helps in altering and cementing tattoo must align along that radical “They’re going to struggle in thoughts and opinions as truth. spectrum is wrong and uninformed. finding a job with all those tattoos.” The shared beliefs among groups They are students in college working The synonymous statement every of people will always rise to the to become a programmer, doctor, or person has heard when the topic of surface and will generally be widely artist, parents with nine to five jobs tattoos is discussed. Similar to the believed without any second or critical who take their children to practice, previous idea of tattoos being attached thought. Biases, misconceptions, and or homeless shelter coordinators to an unconventional life, this phrase is misunderstandings can form a hugely who form events to clothe, feed, and the instantaneous response by people’s negative perception of any topic, bathe the less fortunate. They are just lack of appreciation and understanding especially tattooing. everyday people in everyday life. They of the art form. As unfortunate as it Throughout the years, the did not get tattoos based on the idea sounds, though, this statement holds perception around tattoos and people that they are gang affiliated nor were some merit. It holds merit, not because with them has become so demonized once incarcerated. They did it because tattoos are objectively bad, but because that the art form has suffered in being they love the idea and passion around employers carry the same view that seen as an artful medium, but what are the art. has been reinforced about tattoos over the negative and false misconceptions Tattoos do not insinuate the the years. associated with it? fantastical idea that anyone with a Imagine there is a gigantic ten For most, the general idea tattoo leads an eccentric life; it is that foot thick stone wall set in front of you around tattoos plays a role in idea that depicts the lifestyle that is and the only way passed it is by hitting establishing the belief that those commonly assoicated and believed it with a pickaxe, over and over you individuals have lives that are and not the other way around, but strike at it, but it feels like there is no eccentric, strange, or unconventional— the misconception continues and progress. That is how this statement is something that is not of a standard its persistence has resulted in one seen: a gigantic wall set in front of you, norm. With the view of criminals of the most famous statements and not because of who you are,
Photography by: Charles Flores Written by: Charles Flores
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June 21. Blake Aiken, an american traditional style tatttoo artist at Back Umbrella Tattoo and Art Gallery, researching a future client’s tattoo design/concept. but by the decision to demonize the medium and meaningful art depicted on your body. Luckily, there have been others picking at their own spot on the wall that have come together to break through and change that narrative. The narrative of tattoos leading to unconventional lives is proven false by so many influential people who live what are painted as conventional lives, but who dawn their own pieces of art on their body: lawyers, teachers, athletes, actors, public servants, and even doctors are tattoo enthusiasts who have a tattoo of their own and lead a life with a good job. As a freshman at Santa Fe High School, there was a teacher whose arms were decorated in colorful tattoo sleeves that rose up from their wrist and to their shoulder. A teacher—an educator, one of the most underrated, unappreciated, and influential professions, had visible tattoos in a respected institution that parents send their children to learn and grow. Such institutions and professions hire tattooed individuals because of their hard work, education, and ability to do the job proficiently rather than focus on a part of them that has been associated with stereotypes. This memory and teacher has always
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to collaborations with tattoo artists to immortalize a person or a time in their lives that they want to remember. Portrait tattoos and names of people serve as personal remembrance of someone who affected their lives in a positive way. Anyone can pinpoint a time where they feel a drift from the passing loved one. The familiarity of their face, the excitement of their name being spoken and their voice being projected. Those aspects of that person slowly shift as days move on and the world continues spinning. Getting their name or portrait tattooed onto a person’s skin creates a bond that cannot be diluted as time progresses. Their memory sticks with you. They are a part of you, both before and after their passing.
June 21. Kurtis Gibson, a Garden Grove native, opened the Black Umbrella Tattoo and Art Gallery as an inspiring art studio that establishes a community for artists and art enthusiasts to show appreciation to the craft and talent through mediums of tattoos, paintings, and photography. stayed with me because it showed how I can still attain the career I strive for while still being able to express myself. Finding a path in the world comes with difficulties. The unpredictability of the world is intimidating to individuals coming to the age of independence. Along the way, tragedies could happen that leave an unshakeable feeling and mark on a person. The loss of a loved one or a moment in time that was riddled with hardship are two instances that lead
A major form of loss also comes in losing oneself and fighting through life to reclaim what is yours. Tattoos can serve as a second chance for people who have struggled to continue in life. From mental illness and its crippling power, to scars on a person’s body from surgery or low and dark times in their life, the chance to resurrect their life comes through change. A change that comes in remembering the triumphs of their life through artwork on their body.
Whether people tattoo a semicolon on their body to signify the continuation of their sentence—their life, or receiving a tattoo to cover up their post-surgery scars after fighting breast cancer, they turn to this artful medium to create a piece of art that speaks to their character, struggles, and message to endure and thrive in a new stage of their life. They take back their bodies from the horrific times they went
decide to get a tattoo to remember the night. These types of tattoos are highly common and come in a variety of quality and ideas. Getting each other’s names, drawing each other’s tattoo idea, or just getting tattoos together, a story is usually tied to the tattoo—deep or not. Tattoos are like a bookmark set in between the pages of your favorite book. They mark moments in a person’s life that they
to how the tree will lose its flowers, I will have moments in my life where I am barren, but, in time, those flowers will bloom again and so will I. As deep and personal as the Jacaranda tree is to me, not all of my tattoos will be as deep. I plan to have sleeves with literature, writing, comics, graphic novel, and gaming themed tattoos. From Matthew Arnold’s closing lines of Dover Beach, Ray Bradbury’s Farenheit
June 19. (Left) In honor of her sister, Jasmine’s design depcits the heartbeat displayed on a heart monitor while incorpotating her sister’s name in the middle. (Right) Containing a strong sibling bond, Melissa received matching tattoos with her two brothers. Her roman numerals indicate her being the second oldest of the three. through. As personal as these tattoos are, not all tattoos contain deep significance that is commonly believed. Sometimes they align along the idea of fun, memorable moments in a person’s life. A night out with friends sets an atmosphere of feeling infinite and unbounded as the memory of the night fills you with what feels like a movie moment. Moments that rise from genuine love and respect for the relationship among friends. As the night begins fleeting, you all
want to remember and revisit from time to time. Adding tattoos to your body creates a feeling of uniqueness, individuality, and a way to sprout out the qualities of your character with pride and openness. They make up who you are. As a tattoo enthusiast myself, I have planned a variety of tattoos I want to get throughout my life. I have plans for a rib piece of a Jacaranda tree that stood outside of my school that I looked upon to remember that this moment of distress, depression, and loneliness is not permanent. Similar
451, Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Bryan Lee O’ Malley’s Scott Pilgrim graphic novels, and the swallow and the prince statue from Oscar Wilde’s The Happy Prince fairytale, to the firefly symbol from Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us. As big of a pivot it was going from the Jacaranda tree to poetry to novels and a video game, they all personify my character: a lover of storytelling, writing, and poetics that captures the essence of human life. They help me express who I am and acknowledge the aspects of life that have left a
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significant mark on me. I cannot tell what the future holds for me, whether they’re moments of bliss or sorrow. I cannot see who or what will leave impressions on me that will change or add to my character: friends coming or going or personal and career aspirations coming true. It’s unknown what will occur, but I know that if I persevere through it, or it changes me for the better, I want to immortalize them. The fluctuation of interpretations behind tattoos have persisted throughout history, from the Qing’s Dynasty’s usage of labeling criminals to warn people within their society, to the Philippines use of displaying forms of ranks and accomplishments that were heavily intuned with their culture prior to being diminished by Europeans during European explorations who viewed the practice as being heathenish. There is no one interpretation of tattoos, and there will hardly ever be a consensus over the topic. Contemporarily, there are still struggles to explain the meaning of people’s tattoos. Throughout history, society is faster to judge
than listen. The ideology of tattoos being criminalistic comes from society’s subjective perception and histroical context. Now, it has become a celebrated art form that synchronizes with self-expression, individuality, recapturing of oneself, and memorializing aspects of life. Being on the outside looking in, the understanding of the industry and practice will always be seen as eccentric and misunderstood. The quick judgements from society keeps diminishing the multifaceted definitions of the art, but its evolution and continued practices will celebrate the art form and, potentially, eclispse the false and harmful misconceptions that have latched onto it over the years.
March 2015. The Jacaranda tree lies in the middle of campus and around the hallways of Whittier Union High School District in Whittier, California.
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June 21. The various stages of a flower tattoo that Cynthia Flores designed for a woman who received her first tattoo with her sister and mother.
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3305 Tyler Ave, El Monte, CA 91731 Store Phone Number: (626)672-0383 Fax Number: (626)672-0396
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Store Hours: Sunday to Thursday 11:00am to 9:00pm Friday & Saturday 11:00am to 10:00pm
ROY TWO CHRISTS
Photography by: Estevan Macias Written by: Estevan Macias
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Morning cartoons
From doodling in a sketchbook during class to selling that same piece of art in a gallery in New York called The Hole, this sudden form of success may take four to five years for others, but for Roy Jiminez, it only took one. Jiminez, also known by his artist name, TwoChrists, has created a brand for himself in a very short amount of time. The roots of his artistic vision started at a young age. His middle school years were filled with his obsession of cartoons, which inspired him to draw his own. His artistry wouldn’t truly start until much later. Seeing his high school years as a time of repression to what he truly wanted to do, it wouldn’t be until college that he truly practiced creating art. From then on, Jiminez would try all sorts of mediums for painting what was in his mind from simple sketches to full oil paintings on canvas. He feels this is important for any artist as you won’t ever know what is your favorite way to create unless you try them all. Every piece
Jiminez showing off some of the older drawings that are in his sketchbook
“The main difference was that I honestly was consistent with drawing. Where everyday something new had to be in my sketchbook.” - Roy TwoChrists P.20
Creating a career
for him feels like progress, and from flipping through his books, you can truly see that. So after about half a year of creating and simply showing off his sketchbook to some friends and artists in galleries, he was confident enough to share it to the world. He began advertising and promoting his work on social media, and, to his surprise, people were fans of it. The request to get prints or work done began to flow in and that’s when he knew that he could make a career out of this. So he began his journey by creating an online store twochrists.com. The feeling of making a profit off his own work felt good to Jiminez, but seeing people post about the prints they received felt even better. He has now began to venture into the clothing world as
well with his first product being his signature TwoChrists trucker hat. He was able to sell out his entire stock in a day and already has more ideas for products to sell. “As for the future, I would like to have had a lot of clothes created and maybe someday have a cartoon of my own.” As ambitious as this is it’s all anyone really needs to start turning a simple hobby into a career. Even though Jiminez had people he looked up to, no one helped him to create a store or sell the hats, he just took it upon himself to look up how. That’s why anyone can turn their dreams into a career.
“A major part of wanting to go into the art industry, I feel like it’s being comfortable with going with the flow, as staying calm and content. It’s better for you to draw out what you want to express on the canvas” - Roy TwoChrist
Starting to paint with oils on canvas Jiminez began to feel a sense of progress in his art when this piece was finished
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Cynthia Flores Art
Cynthia Flores Black Umbrella Tattoo and ARt Gallery 12951 Main Street Garden Grove, CA 92840 Sunday: 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Monday: Closed Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Thursday: 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m Friday: 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m Saturday: 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m Squareup.com/store/cynthiafloresart Cynnerrr cynnerart@gmail.com
My objective for my artwork is to capture the concept that dimensional universes exist. I am very attracted by the potential of what our subconscious can provide to our consciousness, the unconscious can provide to our consciousness, the unconscious and concealed is too raw to not want to reveal. Most of my artwork centralizes to the idea of the unknown, which unravels to the direction of death, dimensional worlds, and the unlimited potential that our subconscious provides for ourselves.
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We Love What We Do! Estate Liquidation ?
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liability. We are insured and bonded to give you added peace of mind when we are in your home.
www.grasons.com Grasons Co. in Los Angeles Valley 556 S Fair Oaks Ave.#101 Suite 538 Pasadena, CA 91105
626-861-5830 P.25
THE ART Of
COSPLAY
AT
Alhambras SuperHero Summer Fest Bravery, artistry, creativity and simplicity; One of these things is not like the others, as the complexity of Cosplay is and ever growing performance art which continues to help people express themselves.
Photography by: Noah Garica Written by: Noah Garcia
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On a tempered summer afternoon, at Alhambras Renaissance square, the second SuperHero Summer Fest brought together the community, June 15, 2019. From 11-Five p.m. the event hosted several vendors, cosplayers, bands, Dj’s, performances as well as a Mayoral award ceremony. DJ Provoke opened the event building up the crowd until the performance of Dj Lance Rock and the Awesome Band from Yo Gabba Gabba. Then RagnaRock : Rock Band for the Universe, delighted the crowd with a set compiled with several rock classics as well as hits from popular cartoon/ tv shows. After that, Jay Holiday(founder and president of Kids Can Cosplay) was awarded the Mayor’s Superhero Award for his works with local hospitals, shelters, schools and the community overall. Then Poprock Super Summer Music and Dance Performance took the stage, followed by Saber Guild’s Lightsaber demonstration. The cosplay contest and a live performance by the Komeje Collective closed the event. The square was littered with booths, selling products ranging from art pieces, toys, costumes, clothes and games. With the maze like structure centered around a large stage where all of the performances took place.
Several of the booths also featured local interest groups, community associations, actors/voice actors and local artists. Dozens of coplayers visted the event, meeting with associates and fans alike. Characters came to life that day, ranging from Anime, comicbooks, film and more. Each actor there put their heart and soul into their character, an effort which the audience there delighted in. The free city event is not only designed to bring community together, and promote business , but also benefited the organization Music Saves Lives. A non-profit which specializes in blood donation. During the entirety of the event the Sponsor Nerdbot Media, was sending patrons around the area, to finish a scavenger hunt in order to win free merchandise. This way the event promoted the integration of local business, encouraging those who had arrived to check out what was in the area. This event, organized by the community for the community, works on the principle that anyone can be a hero. That we can all put on a cape, rise to the occasion and come together to work on our problems together.
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Cosplay is essentially this: a performance art where participants role play and wear costumes/fashion which(or that) represent a specific character from various mediums. It varies from concept, but the cosplay style of different cosplayers all depend on what they want. Depending on what character they are trying to bring to life, the cosplayer can have an infinitesimal amount of ideas to explore and develop. While the art has always been around, with the term first being coined back in 1984 Japan.
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Interview -Danny Carlos Castellanos Cosplayer/actor/media personality, spoke on the art of Cosplay and his career
Q: Your name, Primary occupation A:My name is Danny Carlos Castellanos I'm a YouTuber influencer. Q: would you consider Cosplay an Art form ? why or why not A:Cosplay is an art form. You are creating either parts or creating the character you are portraying. This is from painting to sewing to acting. It's an art all around. Q: When your doing cosplay, would you consider it a performance ? Could you consider it acting, or is it a separate mental state. A:When I'm in cosplay I'm definitely performing. I become the characters I'm portraying. I infact do consider it acting. From dialogue to the actions the characters do on TV or film. When I'm in a power ranger suit I even refuse to take of my helmet. It actually depends on the event I'm doing. When it's charity events I never take off my helmet and I stay in character for the kids. Q: When did you start cosplaying ? what inspires you to perform / act ? A:I started cosplaying like over eight years ago? I attended Stan Lee’s Comic Con as Cyclops ahahah. What inspires me to perform and act are these characters we see on TV. The heroes and villains. They inspire us and we love them for what we see them do. Q: How would you describe the community of cosplayers ; the relationships the performers have to the craft as well as to each other A:The community is amazing! I've met a lot of people that don't only cosplay but help in a lot of charity events. The organizers of cons the actor's the leads of charities. I've met community from here to texas, New York Florida and even the UK. They are all very helpful and always offer to help. Q: To expand on the last question, how do everyday people respond cosplay. Any memorable interactions while you were in character ? A:It depends on everyday people. I've met people that just don't understand what cosplay is and why people get in character, but Instagram I've met everyday people that are very amazed on your cosplay & Youtube and from that moment of interaction they think you are the @surreal deal. The laughs and hugs and pictures. The moment is frattsurfer just amazing. I think these moments outweigh the negative everyday people. My favorite memory interaction while in cosplay was going to the hospital. We visited the children and one specific child wasn't doing very good. The doctor said he didn't want to get up to us. As the door was closing he saw me in my red ranger costume and this kid jumped out of his bed and ran to hug me! I was in shock. I'll never forget that moment. It's as if he completely forgot he was sick. Q: For your cosplaying do you build your own costumes, props etc ? Does it depend on the character? A:I don't completely build my cosplays. For example. I can't make helmets. At least not yet. Ahahah I do Q: any upcoming projects your paint and customize my props. It really does dereally excited for ? And what current pend on the characters. There's stuff you can put organizations / series are you apart of now? together but then there's (acting /performing wise) props or costume pieces that are too comA: I’m constantly making videos with my cosplicated to make. That's when I rely on either plays. So I’m always excited to work on the next video ideas. friends or the online stores. I’m currently working on a Men in Black and power rangers crossover. I’m currently in another YouTube project called reverse flash origins and first Ninja. So be on the lookout for those. And my YouTube work
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“Surrealism was a means of reuniting conscious and unconscious realms of The Dimension Traveling Artist experience so completely that the world of dream and fantasy would be joined to the everyday rational world in ‘an absolute reality, a surreality.’” – Andre Breton. June 21. Cynthia Flores is an apprentice at Black Umbrella Tattoo and Art Gallery located in Garden Grove, California. Surrealism bloomed in the early 1920’s as a literary and artistic movement that championed qualities of the unconscious mind and irrational concepts buried deep within life. Surrealists aimed to delve deep into the confines of the mind to produce unexpected and staggering images that epitomize the imaginative nature that the subconscious holds. Creating such imagery helped in deconstructing the structured walls of rationalism as the surrealist movement encouraged and liberated independent thought, language, and moral experiences that had previously become oppressed by rational, reason, and the limitations of society. Distinguishable qualities of surrealist art came in two different characteristics that would lure out the untapped realms of creativity and imagination harbored in the unconscious and subconscious. The first lies within a viewer encountering a piece of art whose
Photography by: Charles Flores Written by: Charles Flores
world is completed with great and profound artistic detail but made no rational sense as the painting eliminated any source of realism and substituted realistic images with a structure and framework that proved to be paradoxical and gnomic. The second, called organic surrealism, contains abstract images that were suggestive in nature yet still held some ambiguity to that of the beholder. The unconscious is multifaceted as it possesses innate and untapped realms of life and potential that humans possess but do not completely understand or use. Venturing into the unknown is the strongest attribute to the movement, and although the movement ended in the 1930’s, its journey, philosophy, and influence has continued to today. One artist that personifies the movement by implementing its themes into her own artwork is located in California.
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June 21. “Do You Ever Witness Yourself” is the newest painting by Cynthia Flores that questions the integrity of one’s character.
Cynthia Flores is an inspiring tattoo artist, painter, and a university student who works and paints at the Black Umbrella Tattoo and Art Gallery in Garden Grove, California. She has been in the tattoo industry since September 2017 and a painter for a majority of her life. Her artistic focus comes through her objective to portray the intricacies of the universe and capture the essence of dimensional universes, the influence behind the subconscious and unconscious mind, and the undepictable concepts of the unknown. Cynthia went into depth about her view and philosophy about the expansion of dimensional universes and how they are born through a person’s actions in life: “You had a choice today to come out here or not. I feel like you split realities when you make decisions. For instance, I woke up and one dimension was ‘Oh, I’m going to get up right now,’ and another was ‘I’m gonna sleep in a little bit.’ I like to think our reality is that delicate. Our reality is completely shifting. We’re literally creating our own path and because of that idea, I want to live in the best possible reality, which is kind
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“It is centralized to the idea of witnessing yourself and your character. Most of the time we are not truly aware of our own reflection.” -Cynthia Flores
of impossible, but because I apply that idea that’s how I like to live.” An analogy that helps in defining the breakdown of the splitting of realities and dimensions is comparable to a layer of ice cracking. The point of pressure is an event, whether major or minor, that produces potential realities that spawn from the possible decisions a person has. Once the pressure shatters the ice and expands out, the veins split into
different corners and paths on the ice’s surface. Each vein that ruptures into existence symbolizes a different dimensional universe--a different reality that is based on the decisions a person has made or did not make. A person’s decision continues to spread as the veins, dimensions, and realities diverge into a multitude of possible outcomes.
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“This one is centralized to the different perspectives and dimensions and powers we are capable of possessing.”
it makes no sense, yet in the dream it made so much sense? I want to acknowledge and analyze that since they make up a portion of your life.” Understanding the mechanics and knowledge of the unconscious and the dreams that come from it is difficult for any person, but leaving that form of knowledge that springs forth during a dormant stage is unfortunate. The mystified depictions ‘Existential Crisis’ by Cynthia Flores that come through the universe and how it works, dreams may hold potential knowledge what activates the brain, and the that can be deciphered and being able
meaning of existence. Tapping into
During the 1920’s, those existential surrealists focused on ideas and questions unlocking the potential is the current creativity and imagination motivational design behind the subconscious and to her ways as an unconscious that resided in artist and what her their minds to emit it through artwork projects their artwork. Capturing into reality. and projecting themes, Cynthia’s concepts, and obscure admiration and imagery to the general public celebration of art brought about questions of comes through the the unexplored that many hosted art shows at disregarded. The pioneers the Black Umbrella of the surrealist movement Tattoo and Art laid the foundations for the Gallery as the movement’s philosophy public and artists and objective to prosper, June 21. Cynthia’s ‘Existential Crisis’ painting makes its way from the walls of her attend to discover grow, and inspire. Cynthia’s university to the walls of Garden Grove’s Black Umbrella Tattoo and Art Gallery. and experience attraction and fascination the varying styles, to combine the different stages of to the potential influence the inspirations, and depictions of beauty consciousness is a possible way. This subconscious and unconscious has and utter creativity. Her dreamlike idea is what Cynthia practices in her in relation to our consciousness is an paintings and encourages others to do. aesthetic and inspired surrealistic style abstraction that her paintings convey: captivates visitors as her work entices Depicting the unseen and “The consciousness is, like, a form of focus people should have unknown is an impossible task to me knowing I exist, me living, talking when it comes to society, the world, or take on, but also letting it continue to you and knowing what I’m talking unnoticed or unaddressed is something objects. A deep, critical, and in-depth about. Unconscious is when your mind observations of what is around us. some people can’t do. For Cynthia, is doing its thing when you’re asleep. she enjoys diving into and talking To make those two coexist is what I’m about the undepictable concepts of the trying to portray. Your mind is a crazy world that remain a mystery and are place. Have you ever had wild dreams not fully comprehensible yet: death, and wake up and try to explain it but
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Gundams Robot Stress Relievers
Photography by: Estevan Macias Written by: Estevan Macias
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Model making for the soul
The process of building gundams can be more than just a simple hobby. It can be something that you can go to after a long day of school or work and unlike other obligations it doesn’t have to be done in an instant. It can take as long as you need it because the sense of accomplishment you feel when it’s finished will always come around. P.43
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Editors note La Cima’s summer art magazine, GRIT, captures and publishes the creative nuances within the ever growing art community. Here at GRIT, we celebrate the impressions left throughout history and modern day; from documenting and honoring the influential, cultural celebration of Catrin, to the feature of rising artists Roy TwoChrists and Cynthia Flores, who carry the mantle of artists long since passed and the artists who have yet to come. They epitomize the artistic aesthetics of the world. Discovering a form of self-expression and accomplishment runs through the veins of this community, whether as an artist or enthusiast. For some, this comes through mediums that are not just attached to a wooden canvas, but through the crafting and stitching of cosplay, the assembling of pieces of models and statues, and the etching of significance onto the bodies of tattoo artists and enthusiasts. Throughout all the mediums, no matter how intricate, deep, simple, small or large, whether it is a hobby or potential career, it is all creative and self-accomplishing. Our goal for this magazine is to capture the pure essence of artistry, self-expression, and accomplishment of the varying art forms of the past, present, and with your continued support, the future. As a request from the editors at GRIT, we hope you will act upon the burning sensation you feel within yourself to create. Seeing how far these artists have come and provided for the community, we felt that same sensation. Take that sensation and apply it to your creative projects, whether continued or new. Pour, stroke, draw, etch, stitch, or assemble your imagination onto your canvas and create the piece that calls to you, similar to the pieces that called to all of these artists.
Charles Flores Main Proofreader
Estevan Macias Main Layout Editor
Noah Garcia Main Photo Editor P.47
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