01 - Young People by FEMMELDEHYDE Magazine

0718 2012

art fashion & young people

FEMMELDEHYDE 1

all photography by andrew cooper unless otherwise credited

trend blog: flying high sans wings/airplane/ hot air balloon/ amphetimines

art feature a hot day in galapagos: alex sheriff

from the editors: welcome to issue01

fashion feature adolescent renaissance: crystal yeomans 2

gallery review: tomorrow gallery

music feature on his way: tfhouse

83 ossington by kimberley wilson

budding by kimberley wilson

good-bye words: whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next?

from the editors Welcome to issue01 of FEMMELDEHYDE: ‘young people.’

So, when we started all of this, we were sitting in a park (Lindsey and I), talking about how we weren’t doing anything. We had with us a blanket, a bottle of wine, some sunchips, and most importantly a little blue notebook and some colourful pens. We talked loudly, wrote furiously, and made a series of word maps and diagrams of how it was all going to come together: and this is what we produced. The subject of “young people” is one that’s close to home, and a great point of departure, I think. I got to work with my friends, make new ones along the way, and most importantly, share with other people some of the great things that are happening with our own city’s twenty-somethings.

A little over a year ago, I was awoken from my mid-day catnap by my own utterance of the word “femmeldehyde.” Startled by this strange sleep conception, I ran to tell my boyfriend who simply said “I like it.” I didn’t know where it came from, why I said it, or how for that matter, but it must have been the start of something... Well, it began as something little but is now evolving into something, well, else. Something that is honest and appreciative, avoiding massmagazine-inspired marketing terms such as “how to lose 10lbs in a week” or “know what he really means”. Something that is understanding of the crisis in niche-followings, providing an arena for artists of different genres to cross paths.

I didn’t really know what I was doing, and still don’t, but I’m really excited about how this idea has manifested, and how it will continue to evolve as we proceed.

It is very exciting to see all of this [starting to] come to life, as my sleep-thought would have likely remained as just that if not for the help of my P.I.C., homemade sangria and plenty of ‘snacks’ [which you will learn about later]. Oh, and most importantly, Toronto’s very inspiring young people.

Please enjoy! Erika

Truly, Lindsey

flying high sans wings/air plane/hot air balloon/amphetimines

trend blog

h, mon amour! How you make me go from feeling as fly and high as Jay-z to feeling as bad as those prisoners did in episode 4 season 2 of Game of Thrones (re: medieval rat torture devices). You are as powerful in building me [way] up as you are in making me come crashing [way] down. You have taught me the true meaning of the phrase “it’s a long fall from the top”. Actually, it almost seems that in your sadistic ways you yearn to see me fall, fall, fall from the top, yes, you want to make me drop, drop...but as the great Ja Rule once put it, “pain is love.” My beloved Lita’s, I understand you now, oh holy ones. After a few trial-and-errors, I do grasp the unique power Jeffery Campbell has bestowed upon us lowly consumerites. What we have been provided with is a battle of chance versus choice: chance being that you manage to walk a night without falling and the choice to look [or not] like a night-walker. It is important that we understand our right to choose; that only we hold the 9 PM [or AM] decision to either wh*** down - or up - the beloved Lita shoes. As a party-going-or-daytime-fashionita twentysomething, you are entitled with the choice to trot, or to not. Bonne chance mes amis. by lindsey omelon

adolescent renaissance

photography. Heather Manning, asst stylist. Jenny Gregor, model. Crystal Yeomans, accessories. ddavis objets

fashion feature

C RY S TA L YEOMANS

rystal Yeomans, the 20-something year-old, wide-eyed, jill-of-all-trades moved to Toronto in the summer of 2010 from British Columbia to expand on her brand. Cyeoms – pronounced c-yomes, as I so ignorantly had learned – is something more than a clothing line – it is a picture which is painted from beginning to end, and the young Yeomans (with the help of her hottie boyfriend, David Innanen) is the artist. It is the birthchild of “music and leopard” (as described on cyeoms.com) ranging from nipple-bearing tops, to ‘slitty maxi skirts’, to floral print bathing suits. We met up at The Mascot at Queen and Dufferin (as she “loves their coffee!”) to discuss cyeoms designs, working where you live, hairy guys and everything in between (the different topics, that is). by lindsey omelon LO: Let’s cut to the chase: what were the goals/ vision for cyeoms and how did you, or are you, achieving them? CY: Ha! What were the goals? Wow… umm… it was a very, like, small goal at first, just to build up a portfolio to get an actual job. I had a whole bunch of pieces and, um, it came about together very organically. I just kept making clothes out of this fabric I got when I was in school and I thought ‘well, why don’t I do a shoot?’ because I love doing photoshoots. And, I feel like the photoshoots carry the brand forward, because I just love styling and designing around it. LO: So when you say photoshoot, are you directing them? Because I know that you model a lot of your designs too. CY: Yeah, I style it as well, I choose the locations; I pretty much choose the kind of look it’s going to be. I like David because I pretty much have full control over the photos. He just gives them to me and I edit them the way I like hahaha!

LO: That’s funny, I actually had a question written down here about that! That you have your very own photographer… CY: Hahaha, yeah…

I feel like the photoshoots carry the brand because I just love styling and designing around it LO: You and your boyfriend – David Innanen – certainly make a smoking-hot, power-house, creative-mind couple. How would you say you two work together? CY: Oh! Umm…Well, it was really rocky at first. Obviously because I had a very strong vision and he likes to have his as own as well. But, now we have reached an agreement. We enjoy doing the work together and we have more of an idea of we like and I trust more of what he thinks as a photographer. I think before it was more me….

LO: And he was around to bring the equipment… CY: Yeah! No, I trust his vision more now. I always wanted to be like ‘what am I doing wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything?’ you know? But now, I just go with it and it definitely seems to flow much better now just because there is more trust between each other. I know he’s not trying to make me look bad. So yeah, we do work together really well, but obviously it’s good to branch out a little bit. I am trying to branch out to more photographers because I think David wants to focus on his writing a little more. But, he’s free! LO: Well, that must be a plus for sure! CY: Hahaha...but yeah, right now I am in the trade for print business as well. So, this summer is going to be the summer of one-offs and photoshoots for me. LO: I guess it is always good to use different photographers to be, like, more versatile? CY: Yeah of course. Well, that will mostly be because I won’t have all of the control over everything so much! But, no that is a good thing in a way. I am looking forward to this summer because I am going to take a break from the whole collection thing. There won’t be a spring/summer 2013 but there will be a lot of pieces that are not related to each other and will be for sale. And that way each one can have its own photoshoot inspiration. LO: So when you’re designing, are you mostly designing for the photoshoot, like what you want it to look like, or are you designing the clothes and the photoshoot concept manifests? CY: Um, it’s a little bit of both. Obviously it is limited by the locations we can get, which is just like, the hardest part it seems like. But, yeah, I definitely have an idea beforehand when I design… I think of silhouettes. And I wanted things that were oversized for this one so I just wrote a list of everything I wanted to see in this collection. Like, oh I love big sheer stuff ’ so I just add that to a list and design around my limitations. And when you have a collection, it’s like, what can I do…there’s just so many options. So it is good to have little limitations and you just have to choose what you like. LO: You said this summer, it’s going to be a

lot of one-offs, you want to try out different photographers and what not, was this part of the reason that you came to Toronto? CY: Yeah, definitely! We moved to Toronto because there is a lot more opportunity in the industry than there is in Vancouver. Vancouver is a lot smaller… and I hate to say it but, um, a lot of my classmates were getting internships at the only two places in town that I really wanted to work at and I thought ‘Well I don’t want to work where they work,” so I was like, let’s go east and see what we can get! LO: And quite east you went… CY: Yeah we’re definitely still making some adjustments… LO: I guess you probably spend a lot of time in your studio? CY: Yeah, it’s hard to separate work from living because it’s all in one space right now, so you always feel like you have to work. Like sometimes, David and I after we finish dinner we start working from like 9-2 am again. So it turns into these weird, freeform shifts. And there’s a lot of different stuff we do. But because it’s such a variety in activities it doesn’t really feel like a lot of work. And it’s like almost relaxing in a way. It’s like, oh I am done sewing so maybe I’ll do a blog post now. LO: So you’re pretty much always going… CY: Yeah, yeah, I don’t like to brag about it because it doesn’t seem like a lot of work but it is. LO: Brag away! Thanks to W-W-W, you have to keep going or you get forgotten about it seems. CY: Yeah, yeah, that is true. LO: It becomes like the entrepreneur’s best frenemy…Now, I saw that you used hottie-aussie Sam Leishman in your latest shoot for your mensline Male Heir, was there a reason you chose him [although I believe it is the wordplay on heir/ hair re: Leishman’s head and chest]? CY: Yeah, actually! I saw him at one of the Mansion parties. Actually, I saw him a few times and his style was so amazing. Like, I wanted someone with longer

Yeomanster’s eyes light up at this question].

hair and he’s hair was perfect actually. I wanted something with more of an edge, I suppose. And he just absolutely suited the look I wanted. LO: It was fate!

CY: Oh! Um, I don’t know if they could really fit in with this store, but one of my favourite stores is Fawn on [967] Queen West. But I am sure they want more risky, avant-garde stuff. And if I was a bigger brand, I’d say, you know, Jonathan + Olivia haha. But they only take on like the Alexander Wangs and what not.

CY: And even before I was at the apartment, Alex’s place, where I shot it... Even before I was there I knew I wanted a place that looked exactly like that. I was just so lucky I was able to get it. LO: I guess it was a good thing you met Mansion [ahem, Toronto party-masters] then, eh!

LO: Maybe one day! CY: Yeah, hahaha. And if I really had my choice, I guess like, Fresh Collective!

CY: Yeah, definitely! I mean, I don’t really have a regular job right now so, it’s actually amazing I met anyone. ans

LO: So, right now your designs are only available online. But, if you could have them in a store, what kind of store would you like to see them in? [the

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sebastian black exhibit, img. www.tomorrowgallery.info

10 joshua abelow exhibit, img. www.tomorrowgallery.info

gallery review

TOMORROW GALLERY

by erika balint

o, we all know that if we want to go ‘see some art’ in Toronto, we’re likely going to end up in the west end. This nook of the city, with Ossington situated at its core, is thriving with galleries: some that we’ve known and loved for a long time, and many that we’ve never ventured into because of that ominous, unidentifiable entity on display in their window. But if you venture a little further to the Bloor and Lansdowne area, there’s another spot that you’ve likely never visited, simply because its tucked away in a jumble of parking lots and warehouses. Inside of one of these warehouses is the Tomorrow Gallery, where three young people are doing something really incredible. Hugh Scott-Douglas, Aleksander Hardashnakov and Tara Downs have taken their old studio space, scraped together their money to rent out an adjacent room, and transformed it into a great exhibition space. Here, they work to exhibit work by international artists that we likely wouldn’t encounter in Toronto otherwise. At my first visit, when they had a retrospective of artist Joshua Abelow, a group of us got to poke around, drink some beer, and have a really interesting chat about the artist’s work. What I immediately loved, and what made me want to return, was the very relaxed nature of it all. Hugh even got the artist on speakerphone for us. And what these three are doing is no easy thing. They got this space up and running entirely on their own, and they’re getting their hustle on to bring us really unique and engaging artwork

that we’ve probably never even heard of before. Starting July 20, they’ll be exhibiting works by artists Brad Tromel (New York) and Parker Ito (California), which will be up for about a month. Even if you can’t make the opening reception, it’s definitely worth going to check out. They’re located at (again, Bloor and Lansdowne) inside of the warehouse.

Right Here!

Also, give their website a gander (tomorrowgallery.info) and check out their past exhibitions, and see that I’m not lying about how awesome they are.

hot day in galapagos

art featuree

ALEX SHERIFF

ver find yourself trying to tap into your childhood thought process? That very bare-bones, completely care-free mode of being, when your greatest concern was how to emerge victorious in your long-running game of Grounders? Alex Sheriff – a recent OCAD Drawing and Painting graduate – is a master of channeling that childhood mentality that we all seem to yearn for. His body of work situates itself on the border between childhood and adulthood; fictitious landscapes and characters that embody his boyhood imagination through a more refined artist’s rendering. I met with him to try and coax him to share some of his secrets with the rest of us, and after turning down his rap music (which made my knock at his door inaudible), and hospitably offering me some Gatorade, we had a pretty great conversation about his thesis, his work process, future plans, and our shared love of ‘snacks.’ by erika balint

EB: Okay okay, let’s begin. Um, do you wanna talk about your thesis? How was it derived, and then how did it develop? AS: I guess I started my thesis in the way I had been working all through OCAD. I’ve got a lot of motifs and characters that I include in my work, like prehistoric animals and like, tribal figures, and thatI’ve realized - has come from all sorts of parts of my childhood. I guess everyone can draw from personal experiences, but from my childhood, from ages 5-10 I guess, I had a jungle-themed room. The walls were all painted in murals [my room as a kid pales in comparison…] all that stuff plays into my work. Now, I have a brother who’s 6, and for my thesis what I did was, first I tried to take his drawings, and his work, and – not trying to copy him, cause that’s impossible to do, you can’t really translate that – but I tried to take elements: like for example, he would paint the sky at the very top of the page in this like, one little block of colour, and then leave the rest white [his brother and I have that in common], so I try to maybe incorporate certain elements like that into my work and then, abstract it and abstract it and turn it into a sort of conversation between him and I. And just like, painting about some experiences that we’d share. And then I’ve used things just from my own childhood, so they became these weird stories that hadn’t happened in reality. That’s like, I guess the most conceptual way to talk about my thesis but, other than that, I use a lot of bright colours… cause, I’m a pretty happy dude… and the works exist on white paper which, for me, I wanted to allude to a sort of vacuum space, again the space that doesn’t really exist. EB: How do you feel that you relate to that sort of mentality now though? Like, do you still see elements of your childhood self, and your little brother, in the way you think now at all? AS: For sure, I guess, you don’t ever really lose who you are, like, I’ve always been the same kind of person, however now, I can infuse more mature thoughts into that work. So the work is really trying to tie back into that time, but it’s impossible not to get my 23-year-old self into that as well. But I can’t really think of any specific examples of like, the way

I think like that, that’s just... self-analyzing too hard. EB: Haha, that’s okay, we don’t have to tap into that. So have you always been working in this way? From when you started at OCAD in your first year to your thesis year, has it changed a lot? AS: Well like I said, I’ve been working with a lot of the same motifs, but, I guess it has changed in that I’ve learned a lot of techniques and stuff and like, how to do more tricks with my paintings. And I guess what’s happened is I’ve come closer to being able to express what’s in my head on paper. You always seem to have to make a sacrifice - you never totally get what’s there. But I guess in the four years, in terms of like, concept, I guess I’ve gone from making less pure stupid stoner art, you know, like what every high school kid is doing, and I’ve given the work more concept and context and, I don’t know. It’s like a natural maturing. I guess that’s what’s supposed to happen in art school. So… I guess I got my moneys worth. [Thank you, OCAD].

But on the streetcar I think of like, art stuff cause I have my sketchbook, but when I’m walking places I think of raps cause I have my headphones in my ears. EB: Yeah, on a conceptual level, OCAD has changed the way I think a lot. Just in theory, and seeing other people’s work. I do things now that I never would have thought to do. So then, what’s your ideal work setting? What are three things that you need around you to produce work? AS: Oh, a nice, big, clean table. Music for sure, and uh… ‘snacks’ [As you may have guessed, ‘snacks’ also refers to something else. I’ll leave it up to you to infer]. With music, mostly I just get into a zone where I can just meditate, and I work through the whole night without stopping. Pretty much every assignment I had handed in for Suzy’s class [a class on collage that we both shared, with a professor we both have a small crush on], I had not slept the whole night. It becomes sort of fun, like this weird mentality. You

EB: Ooooh, like a joural? AS: Yeah, I just don’t wanna call it a journal, it’ll sound soft… [He shouldn’t have told me that, because now, I just want to raid it…] EB: Is there one that you just have on the go with you all the time? AS: Yeah, this one right here [standard artist’s black moleskine]. EB: Where do you find that you get most of your random inspiration? Where do you find you’re always just thinking? AS: Well in the shower... I think everyone does. Um, on the streetcar, walking with headphones. But on the streetcar I think of like, art stuff cause I have my sketchbook, but when I’m walking places I think of raps cause I have my headphones in my ears. EB: Okay, well I guess that’s pretty much it! So what are your plans after OCAD now? get into a sort of delusional state, and I kind of like getting into that state. You can be more honest. You know how you always think of the best things to say at night? [I think we can all relate…] That’s why I like working through the night. Cause you get all that stuff out. EB: Yeah, I don’t think I have any coherent thoughts in the morning. So, what do you listen to when you’re working, then? AS: Mostly like, rap music. Sometimes I listen to Panda Bear, his album Person Pitch, but mostly rap. EB: Do you rap along? AS: Sometimes, yeah… EB: Hahaha, good! What about your sketchbook? How do you keep your sketchbook, or your notebook? AS: I have a few sketchbooks. I have my easy going just free ideas sketchbook, then I have my school sketchbook, which I guess I don’t use anymore, for assignment work, and then I have a secret sketchbook.

AS: Um, just anything that lets me do art. And that lets me be in charge of my own things. I don’t wanna be a… EB: You don’t wanna answer to anyone? AS: No [And then his friend added: yeah, I could never see Alex in a “real job”... like ever]. EB: Do you wanna stay in this city? Move around? AS: I hope to go to New York. That’s like, the eventual dream goal, but, I’ll probably be here the next two years. EB: Yeah, I feel like Toronto’s kind of a little New York, and if there’s anywhere you’re gonna be, this is an alright place. AS: Yeah, it’s a good training city. When I’m super confident in Toronto , I’ll be ready to be super scared in New York. To see more of his work, check out: alexsheriff.com And if you wanna see a medley of Alex’s work and other things that he likes, check out his tumblr: alexsheriff.tumblr.com

music feature

way on his

o, two years ago, Lindsey introduced me to ‘her friend Teddy,’ a young, kind of shy guy who would just laugh and roll his eyes every time his friends

made a bad joke at his expense. He had seemed pretty modest and soft spoken, so when Lindsey had first played me one of his songs, I was surprised to learn that the guy rapping was actually him. That was his track “On My Way,” back in 2010; it was very current, and very catchy. Since then, he’s come a long way, playing alongside names like Wiz Khalifa, The Weeknd and Mac Miller. He’s got two mixtapes (“On My Way” 2010 and “Superior Taste” 2011), and another one in the works. But at only 23, this young Toronto native has established his sound, put a ton of good music out there, and shows no sign of stopping. And so, to satisfy your curiosity [as well as our own], we asked him a couple of questions to get a more intimate glimpse at Teddy Fantu: or Teddy F House. by erika balint

TFHOUSE EB: How long have you been making music, and how did you get started?

TF: I’ve been making music for about four years, but seriously for the last two. I started making beats and eventually began rapping over my own production but didn’t release anything until I felt comfortable with music I was making.

hotography. Red Ventura, model. Teddy ‘TeddyHouse’ Fantu

EB: Who were your big musical inspirations when you were starting to shape your sound? TF: From a hip-hop stand point... Kanye West & Andre 3000/Outkast. Red Hot Chili Peppers have also been significantly inspiring, specifically Anthony Kiedis because of his ability to mesh singing, rapping, melodies and lyrics so well. EB: How would you describe your music? To what extent has your music evolved? TF: I guess it technically classifies under Progressive Hip-Hop. I try to incorporate unique samples and take different approaches to what’s been done in Hip-Hop already. I think since my production is very experimental my style continues to evolve with every release. EB: Who are you listening to now? What are your three favourite albums at the moment? TF: What I’m currently listening to and are also my three favourite albums at the moment are: TV Girl - The Wild, The Innocent, The TV Shuffle, Ab-Soul - Control System, Meek Mill Dreamchasers 2 EB: Are there any Toronto shows or musical festivals you’ll be going to see this summer?

My style continues to evolve with every release TF: Only thing I have planned thus far is a band called Bravestation’s release party. You can give his mixtape “Superior Taste” a listen at: tfhouse.bandcamp.com And if you wanna stay current with what Teddy’s up to (or perhaps you just wanna show him some love), do the twitter thing: twitter.com/TFHOUSE

by: kimberley wilson

63 ossington

as i am minding my own damn business as i am trying to cram into as little space as possible on this crowded bus where i have never felt so alone (except for maybe yesterday) you waltz on unexpected like the sweet-sour waft of rotting fruit you waltz on talking about your latest suburban superstar smash-hit success you waltz on laughing with some interchangeable cog in your precious little clockwork life as i feel my heart leap into my mouth as it hits the ground with a wet slimy splat! i study my nails fuss with my hat count paper cups on the floor count all the stops until bloor count anything I can eyes frantically averted for fear you might look at me smile warmly asking â&#x20AC;&#x153;how have you beenâ&#x20AC;? and you talk and laugh harder eyes averted with frantic nonchalance making sure not to notice me for fear I might look at you smile warmly and tell you

literaturee

cast off your jackets stuff inhibitions with your winter boots deep in the closet to be visited another day it is spring and we are young and we are beautiful spring and the slow creeping heat is not yet ominous itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spring and in this hot damp air reduced to little more than a wayward tangle of climbing limbs and temperate zones we pulsate, chrysalis-tender feelers groping blindly into warmth

BUDDING by: kimberley wilson

good-bye words

whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next? 22

EMMELDEHYDE will be released as an online publication on the third Wednesday of every other month (don’t worry, we’ll remind you as the release date approaches). Each issue will be entirely constructed upon its own significant theme in order to amalgamate artists from opposite spectrums who are actually not-so different after all. Please do come back on September 19, 2012 for issue02 “the nature issue,” where we take a look at artists who find their inspiration out in the wild.