Guided Magazine (Issue 4)

GUIDEDMAG.COM

ISSUE NO. 4

guided

ANNAH HUGHES // DAVID RODGRIGUEZ // THE MESS INSIDE // BLACK LIVES MATTER

cover photos: jakob lydford

issue 04

contents january 2018

01 FROM THE EDITOR "forget the glamour magazines, I'm interested in art."

9-10A ANNAH HUGHES witness the style of annah hughe's photography; vibrant colors, beautiful model and good styling.

11-13 DAVID RODRIGUEZ a never before seen exclusive interview with photographer, david rodriguez from spain, provides his in depth explanation on his inpirations, his works, and more.

19-20 THE MESS INSIDE interview with indie lofi band, the mess inside. from inspirations to how it started; by kari lau.

22-23 APRIL DOUGLASSinterview with young black fashion GREENE designer, april douglass-greene; by morgan hearn.

25-26 BLACK LIVES MATTER a social justice article by anthony senecal discusses "our role in a progressive struggle".

ISSUE 4

I was hardly ever tempted to pick up a magazine off a table in the dentist's office or doctor's office. The hundreds of fonts, spectacular colors, thousands of ads, seemingly perfect models and recipes to foods I know I'm not going to make don't interest me. What interests me is what you're going to indulge in right now.

Visual/literary arts, and the in depth conversations between people spark inspiration. The layout of modern, minimalist, and monochrome and even bright schemes influence me and you'll catch a hint of that in this issue.

FROM THE EDITOR

This issue was honestly quite troublesome. We planned to release it during the busiest last few months of the year but released it Jan 2018.

But, this year calls for new energy and new steps to be taken for us at Guided. We already developed so many new plans and changes, like GVMedia and the wave of new, talented individuals to help with Guided.

Let the photos and writings speak for you and excite you for more issues.

EIC, Shelby Brown

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NOMADIC

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photography

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photo source: alex comeau

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photo source: owen barber/noisostudios

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photo source: nada ibrahim

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Photographer and Art Director – Annah Hughes Styling – Jennifer Kate Duckett Model – Amy Engelke represented by 2morrow Image Milan

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Photographer and Art Director – Annah Hughes Styling – Jennifer Kate Duckett Model – Amy Engelke represented by 2morrow Image Milan

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FEATURE

"MY PHOTOGRAPHY IS NOT A REFLECTION OF REALITY. SO I RUN AWAY FROM IT." AN INTERVIEW WITH DAVID RODRIGUEZ BY SHELBY BROWN Who is David Rodriguez? How do you

You mentioned you're interested in Pop Art, do you have any favorite local or famous artists?

I believe that art must be something popular that is within the reach of the whole world.

This idea is taken from Pop Art. For me, it is important to connect with the viewer. I may sound selfish, but I have a need for the photos I do. First, I believe in my works, so when I think I got something good, the feeling of sharing it with everyone else invades me. I love Andy Warhol. I think he's one of the most complete artists in history. But what I like most about him is his philosophy and the way he perceived the art world. I love David Hockney and his Pool series. There is a Spanish pop art artist that I like very much, his name is Antonio de Felipe and I think he's incredible.

describe yourself?

I am a psychologist and lover of photography based in Spain. I have always considered myself a very creative person and although, not always take my camera with me, my eyes and my brain never stop. I started in the world of photography about the year 2013, at first; I made self-portraits and took pictures of my friends and family. One day, a friend told me why I did not show my work. So, I decided to do it and since then I have not stopped creating.

Does being a psychologist play any roles into your photography? Does it create a new perspective or helps you learn more about people (i.e. body language, emotions, etc.)

I like to transmit emotions with my art and to observe how spectators conceive it. A photograph, like a movie, or a novel has to convey some meaning, and that is why I seek to transmit emotions.

Is living in Spain as great as it sounds?!

I like many things of Spain, for example, the weather, the character of people, food and safety. Spain has an incredible cultural legacy and I feel very proud of Spanish artists. I love the work of painters like Velazquez, Goya, Picasso, Sorolla, DalĂ­ or the photographs of Chema Madoz.

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photos by D.R. from "Pool" (2017) series.

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FEATURE Do you have any plans to visit America and experience what art means here, compared to Spain?

I love the idea of the American dream.

America always will be the land of opportunity, where dreams really come true.

Someday, I would like to visit the United States. One of my dreams is to visit the MoMA in New York, because my favorite artworks are exhibited there.

Reality is harsh, agree or disagree (you mentioned to stray away from it)?

I totally agree. My photography is not a reflection of reality. So I run away from it. I like to offer the viewer the opportunity to see something different, another perspective.

Where would you be if you didn't discover and pursue photography, especially since it was recently?

From an early age, I have always been attracted to art. Photography is just a means to express myself. If I had not chosen this path, I probably would have chosen a different art genre. One possibility would be to compose music. Some years ago, I used to create music with my computer.

What's a place, and a food, that people should visit and eat if one were to visit?

Anyone who comes to Spain must visit Barcelona. It's my favorite Spanish city. If I had to choose a food, it would be paella.

photos by D.R. from "Pool" (2017) series.

"The series "Pool" (2017) is the logical continuation of the series "Fresh" (2016). About a year after, "Pool" moves us to one of those summer days in which the sun and the heat reign."

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art

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photo source: marte lindholm

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Oh, my beloved one!

The cause of my agony, The shadow behind my eyes.

Where did you go?

What kinds of nightmares haunt your vigil hours?

Who bore you away from me?

Who pushed me aside?

I want you back!

I need my holy ghost to be true, Oh dear lord, forbid me and have mercy!

I know I’ve sinned, but no living creature deserves such torment!

How long will it be until your heart ceases beating?

How long will it be until I can hold you with the strength that is left in my brittle body?

How long will my soul still ache for your bloody bones?

Three knocks on the door,

All hope is now lost.

Dry blood by the road, Sweet memories burn.

The fire of my life is gone,The warmth that kept me alive, Vanished within the midnight fear.

The candles that I held for you are ashes now.

All that is left are my tears that won’t dry.

The wound opens every night.

My body crumbles under the thunder's call.

I know that no human being, Nor any kind of god or monster, Not even death herself, Will ever be able to bring you back to me.

My beloved one!

Oh, the one I love the most!

How do I break this deadly curse?

Will I ever find your rotten corpse?

How does it feel to be dead and gone?

maia r. becerra

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trouble getting out of bed ELODIE GRAF

Your brilliance lies Draped around you in white ruins, Its arms warm.

If only they knew the price, For waking up with the columns still standing, For unfolding glowing hearts, For standing temples earnest, bodies uncloaked, Lingering, lonely lines Traced by the mute sunrise. Now Every dawn brings deep damnation The sky red as hell and Red lips, brimming with sin; It’s mouth opens, and sings But now you won’t let it in The pale dark cloaks you, and Your heart sleeps safely.

The devil laughs at you, in grey, at This bed, this bed you made.

You blink, and the morning sinks Into night’s languid embrace.

The mad love song gone by without a trace.

There are sonnets written underneath your eyelids In slight green lines, over purple Speechless as infants.

That spell was so delicate Now it is broken, and you can’t reach.

They are only in theory now, anyhow: The words strewn across the floor Underneath the sheets, in the face of Every lone figure you’ve passed on the street, They were of this world, and you can’t reach Anymore. The angels sink like sheets to silence’s floor, Blazing eyes obscured by white lullabies.

If you could only leave yourself, be yourself again.

See yourself, and the outside, as it is.

You’ve tried, but Touching the world, to you, Is as impossible as touching the sky, All around you in its blue, gaseous glory But as remote as God. And you cast yourself out.

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face down Forced down and face to Your soft finger tips You Smacked me Clear into the duvet And with the crack of your knuckles Beat me into submission In that old halfway place we used to live in Named the room of misunderstanding My mouth remained tied with ziplocks And no morning coffee, or evening dinner Could soothe your acquisition What man had I spoken to that day in the summer of ‘09?

Whose bed was I sleeping in when I told you my girls were staying in a distant city that night? Why was my hair the same - why did it change?

Whose car was carrying the loads of shopping bags I broke my back to bring home to you? And the where’s and the: we’ll talk about it now’s and not later.

laura hackshaw

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THE MESS INSIDE AN INTERVIEW

By Kari Lau

T

 he Mess Inside, an alternative, lofi indie musical group: Levi Hopler and Tyler Toddre.

How did you guys come together (as a band and as friends)?

Both our friendship and partnership arose out of us meeting at our local School of Rock in Las Vegas. Levi was walking past one of the practice rooms for guitarists and heard someone playing a beautiful rendition of Hallelujah.

He peeked his head in and met Tyler and began to sing along. With that instant connection, we immediately felt very comfortable with each other. It didn't take long after for us to begin to put together a band.

This explains why magazine publications share the word root with gunpowder magazines, artillery magazines, firearms magazines, and, in various languages although not English, retail stores such as department stores.

Do you guys collaborate in the beat and lyric making process? If not, could you tell me who handles what?

We do collaborate closely with the instrumentals. On our debut album, Doublethink, Tyler was responsible for all the guitars, bass, and most of the keys. Levi handled the lyrics, vocals, drums, and some keys. Even on songs where i'm the only one playing, or Tyler's just playing, we still influence each other and have input to make sure the songs are the best they can be.Â

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TO BE A LOFI BAND IS NOT ONLY TO ACCEPT YOUR LIMITATIONS, BUT EMBRACE THEM...

Could you explain to me your music making process?

So typically, Levi writes the lyrics before anything else. maybe he has a specific melody and structure in mind, but oftentimes it's flexible. tyler will come up with some stellar guitar ideas and we keep going back and forth as we flesh out all of the instrumentals and vocal melodies.

new album "nothing will come of nothing" out on itunes, bandcamp and spotify.

What compelled you guys to use altlofi for The Mess Inside?

The alternative aspect is simply an amalgamation of our musical tastes like indie, classic rock, punk, and folk.

Lofi is an embrace of technical limitations. Many artists try to hide their lack of professional recording resources and end up with a really muddy sound that makes it all too obvious they didn't have a big budget, if any. To be a lofi band is not only to accept your limitations, but embrace them so the songs have a distinct aesthetic appeal.

In your album Doublethink you guys discuss various struggles, could you elaborate on how it influenced the album?

Doublethink was created during some very formative years for us. While we didn’t exactly sit down to craft some big message for our songs, our experiences and struggles influenced and informed our music. Now looking back on it, we can see how the things we went through, both positive and negative, affected the music we made and how we made it.

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What do you hope listeners will get from your music?

We hope listeners might experience the same kind and level of catharsis we were able to achieve in the making of our songs. We also hope that listeners will be inspired by our DIY lofi style and be encouraged to make their own art to express themselves.

What is the overlying message Doublethink expresses?

Overall, Doublethink has to do with personal growth through adversity.

Songs like “Lonely Hearts Parade”, “Just Say When”, and “Slit” deal with angst and frustrations stemming from insecurities. “To The Moon” idealizes a person romantically, knowing they’re unattainable. “Someday” and “Bloom” deal with dark emotions and a nihilistic sense of hopelessness.

Can you explain to us what you’ll guys be expressing in your upcoming album Nothing Will Come of Nothing?

Nothing Will Come of Nothing is more or less picking up where we left off at the end of Doublethink. With greater technical and musical skills, as well as a more mature outlook on life and towards ourselves, we’re continuing our explorations of themes of isolation and loneliness. Sure, we’re older and have more freedom, but this new phase in life is daunting and can lead to downward spirals of feeling lost and abandoned.

If you can describe The Mess Inside as an aesthetic, what would it be?

Sad psychedelic noir. Screaming into the abyss, hoping to hear something echo back.

Favorite songs at the moment?

Levi: The new Mountain Goats record Goths, “Carnival” by Kevin Devine, and “I Hope I Think of Bike Riding When I Die” by Neat Beats.

Tyler: “Hotel California” - Eagles, “Just Another Face” and “Your Graduation” by Modern Baseball, and the Doors’ legendary “Riders of the Storm”.

Okay, this might be a bit too random but… what is your favorite meme and food?

Levi: Any remix of “We Are Number One” (i.e., “We Are Number One, But Every Time They Say ‘One’, A Clip of Someone Reading the Entire Bee Movie Script Plays”) Levi: Buffalo chicken, my own tears Tyler: That creepy Jack Nicholson gif where it slowly zooms in on him nodding with a sadistic grin.

Tyler: Fettuccine Alfredo, all other answers are wrong.

photo source: the mess inside

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An interview with

April Douglass-Greene

by Morgan Hearn Morgan - “What’s your name and how old are you?”

April - “Hi, my name is April Douglass-Greene, I’m eighteen years old.”

Morgan - “What inspired you or led you to start fashion design?”

April - “I was heavily inspired by my grandmothers, Bertha and Jean. They have always had such a timeless and effortless sense of style. Although they grew up in a much different time than I have, it’s interesting to witness the same trends and styles come back around and be enjoyed by my generation. I grew up shopping almost exclusively in thrift stores, in high school I would buy gently used clothing and upcycle it by taking some inches off the hem, completely deconstructing a dress and putting it back together in a different way, or adding some decorative trim to a neckline and completely making it my own.”

Morgan - “How old were you when you started pursuing fashion design?”

April - “Believe it or not, I was seven years old when I started pursuing fashion design. I didn’t know there was a technical name for it. But I always enjoyed rummaging through my older sisters closets and putting together different outfits and sketching my “looks”. I was also very inspired by my childhood toys from the early 2000s. I loved Polly Pockets, Bratz dolls, My Scene dolls, and Groovy Girls dolls. Oh and Betty Spaghetty dolls, I almost forgot about them too. My favorite thing to do was line them all up and have little fashion shows. I started sewing at ten years old, the first thing I made on my own was an elastic waist skirt and I was soooooo elated with the results. By middle school I was designing and making my own clothing along with studying numerous design and fashion textbooks, making my own spec flats, cost sheets, and sewing patterns.

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Morgan - “Would you ever consider designing men’s apparel?”

April - “I would love to design menswear. For this collection, I have some unisex pieces including a jacket and a shirt. I undoubtedly think it’s a market that I need to further explore. When I was in middle school I sewed bowties for my dad and brother, and through the years I’ve sewn boxer shorts and pocket front shirts for close friends.”

Morgan - “Would you ever consider doing a show for Greene A/W 2017?”

April - “I am actually in the works of producing a show for Greene A/W 2017. It’s coming in November 2017 and I’ve been anticipating this event for months. It's been a really challenging process this time around but it’s also been really exciting and satisfying to see everything fall into place perfectly. My main focus right now has been working on making the show embody the collection so well.”

Morgan - “What is your favorite piece you have made from your most recent collection?”

Morgan - “What can we expect out of the collection?”

April - “My absolute favorite piece I’ve designed for Greene A/W 2017 is a faux snake skin vinyl skirt named James II. It’s a variation of my original mini skirt James I, but this version features large pockets at the side. She’s a really electrifying skirt, she pairs perfectly with an oversized sweater tucked into the waist and oxfords for a chill campus look, or with a bodysuit and wood stacked heeled booties for a night on the town.”

April - “With this collection, expect lots of teenage girl influence. Growing up, I was always so fascinated by black girls and women that I saw in film and television. It’s kinda been a mixture of if Dionne Davenport from Clueless, Jodie Landon from Daria, or Vanessa Tompkins from The Bernie Mac Show were all living in today’s world as teenage girls. I want to embody the effortless confidence that those characters possessed.”

Morgan - “What inspired your most recent collection?”

Morgan - “Who is your favorite designer or piece featured in fashion week?”

April - “I was heavily inspired by teen hood for this collection. As I am braving my last two years of being a teenager, this collection is kind my memoir looking back.

I'm revisiting a lot of the styles and fads that I ventured into over the years and saw in film and television. In high school I loved 70s trends like mini skirts and cropped jackets, and materials like vinyl and suede.”

Morgan - “Do you have any advice for the people who may be looking into starting fashion design?”

April - “I was absolutely in awe of the spring summer 2018 collections I’ve seen thus far. Almost every night before going to bed, I watch two or three runway shows simply because there are soooooo many to keep up with. I’m a huge Valentino stan haha, and I loved the color scheme of the menswear and resort collections. I was really impressed by Fenty x Puma SS18, I really loved the versatility of each look. But by far, my absolute favorite piece was from Tom Ford SS18 RTW. It was a statement, shoulder padded, jewel encrusted shift dress modeled by Binx Walton. I loved how simple it was, with silver jewels from the neck down to the waist, and then waves of bright blue jewels engulf the hips and lower sleeves.”

April - “I do have some advice for those who are looking into starting fashion design. One, sketch every single day and never throw away old sketches. While setting up my new studio space I found so many old designs from early middle school and it’s so inspiring to see my growth and how my aesthetic and skills have evolved over the years.

The most growth I’ve seen in myself is when I was either sewing or sketching every single day for weeks. It’s also helped shape me into the designer I am today by seeing the common themes and styles I am still designing with today. Two, learn as many ways to insert closures (zippers, buttons, hook and eyes, etc.) as possible. You never know when it’ll come in handy. Three, the most important skill to have as a designer is confidence. Be proud of everything you produce, regardless if it's a quick sketch, a detailed spec sheet, or a full scale fashion show. Take pride in your passion and push yourself every single day.”

www.aprilgreeneapparel.com/

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aliya evans Hungry, aren't we all?

For something more, or just to explore

Stranger OH NO DANGER! as we are taught our loving feelings are fought.

Travel the world with your heart and desire like the burning fire is touching your back.

It's your instinct to run forward as fast as you can!

We are morphed into this separation no matter the location our own neighbors suffer from this formation.

A brief glance shared as if compassion isn't there!

DON'T be afraid of unity this is your opportunity.

Wouldn't it be great if the fear of the unexpected was like that too, AND IT CAN! But, you must go the water tells you, manifest.

The burning fire that's inside your head has the ability to eat.you.alive. don't let it. the only way to manifest is with water, so be water.

A simple smile can go miles.

We are all one & some in search for happiness.

Yet, we are not taught that it is no destination.

We must plant before we seek, & it will grow more and more it will flow.

L O V E is the answer, it's all we need.

So take off your shaded glasses and you will see masses of flowing opportunities indeed.

Fulfilling all your passions in life.

Or the only regrets you'll have are the chances you did not take.

Hungry, aren't we all?

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OUR ROLE IN A PROGRESSIVE STRUGGLE WRITTEN BY ANTHONY SENECAL Martin Luther King Jr. Malcolm X. Assata Shakur. Medgar Evers.

Angela Davis.

Five of the most influential American Civil Rights activists in history, each of whom have been discredited, attacked, or murdered. All five were intelligent, adaptive, charismatic leaders who rallied the people against a common cause -- American systemic racism. Each had their own talents and respective groups who stood behind them, but together they served one purpose.

What each leader understood that made them so effective was the importance of the everyday man and woman being knowledgeable and involved in progressive societal struggle. As time has passed since the struggle of the 50’s and 60’s, and so many have been falsely lead to believe the push for progressive causes has been rendered obsolete, it’s more important than ever for young generations to recognize the importance of their ability to use their voice in modern issues.

BLACK LIVES MATTER. 25

A foundational tenant in Black Lives Matter

Because of the ordinary person’s willingness

is the idea of multilateral, universal

to step up and step out in an environment

leadership, not driven by a single

that screamed for brutal silence, American

charismatic leader, but by the people

history was irrevocably changed for the

involved. While Alicia Garza, Opal Temetti,

better. Nearly every major moment in the

and Patrisse Cullors are identified as the

history of various civil rights movements has

founders of BLM, they describe themselves

been formulated and carried out by groups

as a movement that is “leader-full”, not

of “normal,” everyday men and women.

leaderless. Emphasizing the importance of

Today, we must recognize the importance

collective movement, rather than centering

of our individual role in shaping a

around a single leader, has empowered

progressive American future. So many

countless activists across the country who

young adults are led away from “politics” by

otherwise might feel intimidated by a social

a lack of knowledge, by an intimidation that

justice “hierarchy” that feels inaccessible.

comes out of its importance, by not feeling

This also drives home a sad, but valid point -

intelligent enough... But so many also need

- if there is no single leader who defines the

to understand that it wasn’t the extremely

movement, that leader cannot be killed,

knowledgeable, it wasn’t the men and

discredited, or removed. The postmodern

women in the spotlight, and it wasn’t the

shift in approach to contemporary issues

outspoken and intelligent who were the

has enabled a wider study of

driving force behind the civil rights

interconnections between oppression, and

movement. Of course, these leaders were

the understanding of the importance that

incredibly important and powerful, and

lies in the “average” person. Angela Davis, in

shaped the movement itself in it’s most

her book Freedom is a Constant Struggle,

pivotal moments, but their power came out

discusses how it was the men and women

of the people’s willingness to follow.

of Montgomery, Alabama who drove the power of the Montgomery Bus Boycotts.

Today, by creating activists who recognize

While being the event that pushed names

their own agency, their own importance,

like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks

and their own eloquence as an everyday

into the spotlight, if it weren’t for the men

human being and member of American

and women who risked their jobs, their

society, we enable a generation to speak

financial security, their families, and their

against oppression in all forms. We have the

lives by participating in the boycotts, none

technology today that allows us to hold a

Change could only come when the everyday

mirror up to our country harshly and often --

collective decided to independently step

we also have a generation evolving to

up. To quote Ms. Davis, “Regimes of racial

address what they see in that mirror, and

segregation were not disestablished

the ugliness it reveals.

because of the work of leaders and presidents and legislators, but rather because of the fact that ordinary people adopted a critical stance in the way in which they perceive their relationship to reality.” of it would have impacted their community.

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