ISSUE 5 | VOL 1 | JUNE 2018
A MAGAZINE FOR CREATIVE PEOPLE
JAAMZIN CREATIVE PAINTING
PHOTOGRAPHY Photographers and cinematographers
Visual artists, painters
MUSIC
GRAPHIC ART Graphic artists, illustrators, cartoonists
Musicians, singers and songwriters
INTERVIEWS Interviews with artists and creative people
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 Photography Photographers,, cinematographers
9 Painting and graphic arts Painters, visual artists, cartoonists
20 Music Singers, songwriters, musicians
23 Interviews Interviews with artists and creative people
Impressum JaamZIN Creative  UXScoops Pte. Ltd. Singapore Registration No.: 201601782G
PHOTOGRAPHER
NEIL PORTER Neil is a Dartmoor and Landscape photographer who is based in South West Devon and he produces beautiful, professional photographs of the highest quality. To achieve this, he capture's his photographs using the best possible light available whilst using the highest of quality optics. Neil has always had a passion for Dartmoor and this is what inspired him to become a photographer.
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PHOTOGRAPHY
The outdated film gives a certain mood here.
Photographer Magnus Jönsson As a Swede you always got close to the nature. And I like to see the landscape in a more intimate way. I prefer a short tele lens over wide angles. I would have very hard to express any feeling in my photos if they weren’t taken on film.
In a foggy day at a deforestation.
Even when I travel my eyes are looking for the interact between urban and nature.
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PHOTOGRAPHER
UTE GERHARDT
I'm a 49-year-old amateur photographer with a penchant for astro- and macrophotography. The emphasis actually lies on amateur, as I have but one camera and two lenses so far. I work for an IT company in Dortmund, Germany, and I'm an avid astronomy and space flight fan, as well as a single mother of a daughter (13) and a son (11).
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PHOTOGRAPHY
I particularly like working on contrasts, textures while trying to make harmonious and beautiful an object or a banal food.
Photographer Charlotte Parenteau-Denoel My name is Charlotte ParenteauDenoel, I'm 31 years old and I live in France. I studied art history and architecture and then I turned to photography. I particularly like macro photography, conceptual photography and culinary photography.
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PHOTOGRAPHER
VALERY CHERNODEDOV
I am the Russian professional translator from English and French into Russian living in Siberia in Russia. I am 60 years old and photography is my hobby since I was a student in the University. I still use film SLR camera and sometimes shoot on film. I like nature a lot and most of my photos are from Siberian nature, lake Baikal, seasons on the year in Siberia, etc.
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PHOTOGRAPHY
Christoph Adams I am located in south-west Germany and kind of rediscovered photography as a hobby quite recently. Though I have been interested in photography for many years, just one year ago I started to approach it more seriously. I primarily use a digital mirrorless Olympus OM-D camera with several prime and zoom lenses and more recently started to use and experiment with an old analog Minolta SLR camera.
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PHOTOGRAPHER
NAYEEM KALAM
I am not really a photographer, never had any formal education on photography, never read any books on it as well. Until this year I've never been to a photo exhibition. All I do is take pictures of my surroundings wherever I may be and it gives me such great pleasure which I simply cannot describe. And one more thing....I like a bit of entertainment.
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PAINTING
PAINTER
CARLOS HERRERA Carlos Herrera is a self-taught Mexican artist who has just inaugurated his second solo exhibition entitled "17M", and in which he shows 32 works of his work in acrylic on canvas and mixed media.
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PAINTER
JOSEPH RYAN DERUY As a full time artist, I hope to balance a juxtaposition of inspiring contributions of art for the community and telling my personal story. Using the human experience as the common denominator. I’m inspired by unity in human interests and responsible stewardship of our fragile planet.
I was born in New Mexico, U.S.A. I spent my childhood in Kenya, Africa. I carry that adventurous spirt I gained in Africa with me and keep it alive, while traveling the United States for with work. Acquiring commissions, setting installations, and visiting museums globally along the way.
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PAINTING
Aldaerak V / Variations V Part of a serie of 5. Same image, different outcomes. Acrylic on wood and methacrylate composition. 20x20cm 2017
Oroitzapenak / Memories Studio piece based on a wallpainting. I used the same elements of the wallpainting to create a different composition. Acrylic on wood and methacrylate composition. 31x310cm 2018
Artist Xabier Anunzibai I develop my artistic practice both in the studio as outside, either making paintings, murals, installations or small animations. I like painting and building with my hands since I can remember. I enjoy experimenting and trying ideas, without getting too comfortable in the same line of work. Short sentences and single words are recurrent in my work, reflections that I have in the day to day. In summary, my work is an attempt to unite different ideas, materials and techniques.
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VISUAL ARTIST
DARYLL PEIRCE Internalizing all my interactions with the physical world, I find myself obsessively overanalyzing and examining the struggles, anxieties, and chimerical wars held within the individual mind–those formidable pressures we place upon ourselves and the imaginative journeys of escape we are capable of making without leaving our seat or opening our eyes. Outside examination of the immediate self, I’m especially curious of that unknown metaphysical connective magic that binds us all together as living beings. What unites us to our environment, to our world, our universe? What connects us to the past and future? Fascinating mysteries are these uncertain spaces between matter and energy, and the mysticism that travels betwixt the two. I was born and raised in Reno, Nevada and have been a San Francisco/Bay Area dweller since 2005 by way of San Diego, California and Denver, Colorado. I received my BFA in Visual Communication from the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design in 2000 and have steadily continued my art education with select courses and instructors at the San Francisco Art Institute, the California College of the Arts, and more.
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VISUAL ART
Mun Pook Lui I am a Los Angeles based visual artist. My images mostly serves as a documentation of my journey. They often bounce back and forth between figurative and abstraction. I also enjoy immensely the allure of both the analog and digital mediums.
This is an ink wash portrait. Chinese Calligraphy ink on Japanese Calligraphy paper. 9"x13", 2018. This is a single color hand pulled monotype print Akua Intaglio on Canson paper 18"x24", 2018.
This is a sketch of clasping hands Chinese Calligraphy ink on Japanese Calligraphy paper 9"x13", 2018.
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VISUAL ARTIST
RICHARD BACKER I was born on Long Island in a commuter suburb of New York City in 1956. I played army in my backyard and watched cartoons on television, and read a lot of comic books. I started drawing for art's sake in junior high school. If I could draw a reasonable superhero I may have pursued that but, instead, took to cartooning. It was a collection of panel drawings that made up the portfolio that got me into art school. My two favorite artists were Pablo Picasso, if only for Guernica, and Carmine Infantino, for the midcentury elegance he brought to the Flash. I started the current series of drawings a couple of years ago when I started working on an iPad. Most of my earlier work is black and white line drawing, with formal considerations of structure and balance explored using primitive, stylized body parts and symbols. I'm still doing the same exercises, but now with color, shapes, and texture. The approach isn't really Cubism so much as stand-up comedy. What makes a joke funny is when your brain makes the leap from the setup to the punchline. What makes my drawings work is when your eye makes the leap from what you're seeing to what I'm drawing. The titles are part of the equation.Â
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VISUAL ART
MARK SHEEKY My instincts are rebellious and my artistic heroes are Ludwig van Beethoven, I sympathise with his struggle and I love his music, and Ingmar Bergman, for his great intellectual insight into relationships and the human condition. Music is a strong influence in my visual art. I aim to paint symphonies of paint with universal themes, and often used recurring visual elements like a musical motif or idÊe fixe. As a pianist and composer myself, I echo in paint the processes that take place as I compose. As a child, computer programming was my obsession, and I worked in solitude on this for about two decades. I started painting as a hobby in 2004 and and realised that I had been an artist, rather than a game developer, for all of my life and devoted my life to art. From the start I immediately wanted to portray ideas rather than mere copies of things. My temperament is romantic: emotion is the root of great art, and like a Romantic composer, I want to display my feelings, skill, and imagination; make the amount of work evident, and strive to master my skills. I reject what is easy and automated. Art must always push boundaries. JAAMZIN CREATIVE | 15
VISUAL ART
As well as a painter I am active in all areas of art; I produce an arts TV show for YouTube calle ArtSwarm, and perform as a pianist and as part of music duo Fall in Green. I have founded a record label, Cornutopia Music, and have released 30 albums over the past 28 years. I founded Pentangel Books to publish my books and have published poetry, imaginative fiction and, this month, an academic book on art "21st Century Surrealism", as well as illustrated many books for others. I have also developed over 50 computer games, run a sound effects library for game developers, a curate a monthly art performance evening at a local venue.
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ARTIST
MAHWISH SHAUKAT I am a Fine Artist, and a teacher of Art and Design in Lahore, Pakistan. I received my degree in Bachelors of Fine Arts from Beaconhouse National University (BNU) Lahore. After graduation I participated in a few group shows exhibiting drawings, paintings and digital prints. I worked as a graphic designer for more than four years and have been involved in other activities such as illustrating children’s books. Recently I have returned to drawing and painting full time.
My work is realistic and detailed. I draw inspiration from all that is around me and create surrealistic compositions, bending reality to my will. I love the freedom I have as an artist and that the only limit there is to the visuals I create is my imagination. Its a real joy to see how far I can push it. That exploration is an ongoing process and I believe that I've only just scratched the surface. I love experimenting with a variety of media and their potential. My latest drawings are all self portraits of sorts (though not necessarily showing my face) . Through a combination of organic forms and geometry, they express a journey towards self-discovery, making my way through the conflicts and/or harmony of conformity and freedom. Untitled This piece talks about finding a way to balance strict discipline and conformity with freedom in order to find peace and contentment.
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ARTIST
To You I Shall Return The painting (self portrait) expresses one's relationship to the universe. How we are but just a small fragment of a much bigger picture. A piece of a giant puzzle. Â Our individual identity is only temporary, we will eventually fade into the nothingness.
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VISUAL ART
Ditamontana Ditamontana 25year old self taught abstract artist. Never attended art school but took advanced art classes through high-school, entered contests in grade school and art showcases post high-school. Took an involuntary hiatus from art from in 2011-2014 because I wanted to feed my lifestyle instead of my soul. Slipped into a depression after the ending of a bad relationship & needed a way to express myself. A good friend & a few family members encouraged me to get back into art. I pursued it again, as a young adult, and haven’t looked back since.
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MUSIC
CARIN MARI Inspired by the mountains of Colorado where she was born and raised, Carin Mari is a songwriter from the heart who is passionate about playing her own brand of music. Country/Americana Music quickly became her passion summer of 2001. After sixteen years of continued dedication, her talents as a guitarist/singer/songwriter have won her numerous awards, including 2009 Entertainer and Songwriter of the year from the NACMA, Southwest Regional Winner for the Texaco Country Showdown, Female Vocalist/Female Entertainer of the year at South Plains College, and runner-up in the 2010 Texaco Country Showdown National Final. Carin is still actively pursuing her dreams of being a professional singer, songwriter, and musician sharing her stories every chance she gets.
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MUSIC
Cherie Rain Cherie Rain (Karine Catenacci) is a singer/songwriter, multi-genre composer/arranger, and multiinstrumentalist, originally from Gaspesie, Quebec (born Karine Paquet). She currently resides in Queens, NY, and just released her new single "Stand Down", with a full album to drop later this year.Â
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MUSIC
SOPHIE ARMELLE I am a multidisciplinary French artist, singer songwriter and performer. I started very early classical and contemporary dance in conservatory. The rhythmic and musical approach goes initially by the dance I found there a real space of freedom and expression. I define my productions, music and photo creations by what I live every day and by all the inspirations that I draw from my deeply rooted influences in Pop, and rocked by rich musical styles from Rock to Classics, from Electro to Trip Hop and I take a particular interest in Sound Research, the integral part of my work. I try to push the boundaries of my productions music by incorporating art, literature and films to create a new poetic format, on a romantic approach.
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INTERVIEW
INSTRUMENTAL NU JAZZ INTERVIEW WITH HAN SINO
Han Sino is an artist of instrumental Nu Jazz musical creation and Urban Spoken Word Poetry. Blessed by the 90’s Hip Hop, groove and Electronic golden age, Han Sino has, during this today greatly prized era, quite quickly acquired, a strong culture about Afro American 70's, and 80's, and secondarily 60's music. As a young mellowman, he sees his vision of the world turned upside down by Free Jazz and Jazz Funk classics. He discovers John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, and Alice Coltrane, among others… Armed with a rich musical culture, in the second half of the years 2000, he approaches beatmaking, first, in solo, then, for a few Hip Hop artists. Essentially self-taught, Han Sino has perfected his musical training and ear with the excellent double bass player, bassist and keyboardist, Jade A.K.A JadeNacre (Jean Luc Riga), during a year and a half. This will be followed by a deep metamorphosis of his creativity, as well as a progressive development of his musical maturity. JAAMZIN CREATIVE | 23
How different do you think is being a Nu Jazz musician as compared to other music genres? Nu Jazz hasn’t really been explored… for me. That’s my impression. Nu Jazz is the name for what has been called ‘Electro Jazz’ before… It’s a mix between electronic music and jazzy tunes and chords. Nu Jazz is electronica. But Nu Jazz is also closed to Trip Hop, Abstract Hip Hop, Instrumental Hip Hop, (jazzy and soulful) Drum n’ Bass or Broken Beat… It’s also closed to jazzy and soulful Deep House, Chicago House, in a way… Lounge, Latin or Nuyorican House… Nu Jazz is linked to various type of Chill Out Music, but also to mid and up-tempo Dancefloor tracks… My understanding of Nu Jazz is very personal… And when I say Nu Jazz hasn’t been explored it means, British electronica apart, that everything is possible in terms of daring and innovative creation. I see my style as a mix of urban music and electronica plus some rare grooves styles and arrangements…
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My music is very groovy and psychedelic. It has also deep roots in what has been called ‘World Music’… I make my mix of musical culture, influences, experimentations, and real musical creation to produce original tracks… For me Nu Jazz is a part and the other side of the Nu Soul revival of the 70’s… with the difference that everything is possible in this genre, cause it has not said its last word… and its real purpose… I hope Nu Jazz will be the Jazzy Music of the 21st century, with as much colors and variations that we can find in urban and electronic music…
Can you describe your Spoken Word LPs? I’m first a composer of instrumental Nu Jazz music and tracks, but I’m also a Spoken Word artist… A performer a musical Poetry… Spoken Word is the Art to declaim Poetry, with or without music… In the Poetry Cafés, or on some experimental Opuses…
Of course, we know legendary groups like the Last Poets, Gil Scott Heron, The Watts Prophets… or Saul Williams and Ursula Rucker for the new generation, but as for Nu Jazz music, everything is possible in Spoken Word… I gave up Spoken Word as a musician, but I continue to produce Spoken Word LPs under my Author/Poet/Writer name… with a more literary and less hip hop style… My Spoken Word Projects or LPs, are made like good old ‘long play’ vinyl records… with the idea to increase the pleasure of the listeners… I try to make original, unusual and colorful cover art, to make us remind the good old days and to propose an art of listening music that pay tribute to the golden age of groove… My musical Poetry is based on metaphors and style… The meaning of my texts is not obvious but there’s always a signification somewhere… ‘Poetik Art’ is my best Spoken Word Opus… It’s a tribute to urban music, groove, and musical poetry, with an up to date and futuristic ‘Old Skool’ touch…
What is your latest solo album 'Glucose' inspired by? Why did you entitle it 'Glucose'? I entitled my album ‘Glucose’ to express the need we all have for sweetness and humanity… ‘Glucose’ is also an expression of drunkenness… that is life’s pleasure… It’s important to have pleasure in life… to enjoy life… to taste it… It enables you to stay positive and to have projects… To believe in the future, in humanity and to overcome your trials… Life’s is hard… But with music and Poetry, we can try to make it easier to live and share the good vibrations and the good times with other people… The lyrics in this Opus, are enigmatic… But there are a lot of references and thematics… It talks about suffering, struggles, origins, humanity, brotherhood and hopes… The album is sweet and colorful… There are many different flavors and styles, musically, and in terms of production.
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Do share with us more about 'A Murder In Me' and the score/soundtrack creation experience you had?
In my music there is always some delay and
‘A Murder In Me’ is a Short Film by Parth
instruments like a child but my inspiration
Patadiya, an Indian Artist and Filmmaker. He’s a
makes me very creative and I try to be as
Director, a Writer, a Painter, a Poet… ‘A Murder In
innovative as possible…
Me’ is his 3rd Short Film… It’s about a young Indian man who suffers from mental disorders… The movie is dark, nice and full of hope… Parth contacted me for some musical collaboration… In the meantime, he asked me if I could make a score for him… I said ok with enthusiasm… I was excited cause it was my 1st score and soundtrack… Parth wrote me a few sentences about the movie and sent me the film poster… I’ve worked with these elements, and I’ve made the music quite quickly… At the end, I decided and propose to Parth Patadiya to add the 1st track we’ve been working on together: ‘Barking Piegeon’…
Which is your favorite musical style and which artistic effects do you enjoy the most while making your music? Musically, I’m very open… Groove is what speaks the more to me, but I also like great standards and classical music. I like ethnic music, and I have a mini collection of ethnic instruments… I also like electric guitars and I have a Rock culture… The music that has really blown my mind is Free Jazz and Jazz Funk… There is a big part of Free Jazz and Jazz Funk influences in my music, despite my creations are more urban and electronic… I think Jazz music is more able to teach humanity than Philosophical books… It is really a deep and great music…
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reverb… I like that! This is an influence of Dub and Reggae music… This is also an influence of Jazz Funk and 70’s psychedelic music… I also like to use a phaser…I don’t like to explain how I do cause it should stay mysterious. I play
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW WITH ARTIST AND TEXTILE DESIGNER KATIE SMITH Katie Smith is an artist and textile designer based in Madrid, Spain. Katie's formal education began at school on the Isle of Bute, Scotland where she began to take interest in painting and illustration. And, though an easily distracted student herself, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Textile Design with Honours from the prestigious Heriot-Watt University where she gained experience in woven and knitted textiles before specialising in printed textiles. She is inspired by a variety of sources, chiefly the skill of drawing and painting in a detailed and exhaustive manner. Discovering all possibilities is an important aspect of her method; working closely with subject matter ensuring all qualities are captured and then translated onto paper or fabric. Katie's work is based around detail, colour and subject matter tends to be linked to nature or emotion. Katie works with variety of media although always leans towards the fluid and romantic textures created by watercolour painting.
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What inspires you to your beautiful artwork most of the time? My inspiration comes from a variety of sources. I do tend to lean towards nature including flowers and birds as I enjoy capturing the movement, colour and light but sometimes inspiration is from an unusual place. I try to consider new ideas and subject matter as I enjoy testing myself and my boundaries; this is something I think is important in art. I find birds and flowers fabric-like when I study them and paint them onto paper. For both subject matter I think they are also my link to fabric, or textiles, which has taken a back step as I focus on painting but remains an important skill for me.
How does a day which is full of inspirations look like? My day starts with my journal – what ideas have I jotted down, what am I working on and what ideas does my brain currently harbour! I think it is good to get everything down on paper no matter how big or small the current format may be, it could turn into something special. I also like to prepared and organised having all my materials to hand. From here my day is organised but a varied day. I tend to work on more than one piece at a time as I like to continue working whilst, for example, waiting for a paint area to dry. The only time I would only focus on one piece is if I am working on something which is very intricate in which case I like to apply all my focus to this.
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Which is the most detailed and exhaustive painting/drawing you have done? It actually wouldn´t be a painting or drawing but a textile piece I produced called “Tulips” based on the poem by Sylvia Plath. They are a series of textile works which are intricate and detailed because of the varied methods which were used to create them. There are around five A3/A2 pieces in the series each detailed and unique in their own way capturing various elements or topics from the poem. The fabrics which were used were all simple canvas, bandages, swabbing and papers to create a clinical feel which each presented their own difficulty when adding detail, colour or texture. I used beading, hand sewn embroidery, decoupage and other techniques to capture elements to translate onto fabric. There are also intricacies created from subtle pieces of the lines of the poem sliced throughout on delicate transparent paper.
It became an unusual and emotive piece. It was the most detailed and exhaustive as it was different from other pieces; very clinical as opposed to others which tended to be much more fluid and of a painterly style.
What is the method you use? Which are your favourite media to achieve the "fluid and romantic textures"? I'm comfortable with various mediums but I always come back to my favourite which is undoubtedly watercolour. I like the fluidity and unpredictable movement you can achieve but also how you can capture finer detail, texture and include precise aspects of your subject. I also like how with dyes you can capture the watercolour effect on natural fabrics, so my work can be translated onto material.
Where do you like to go to gain inspirations? I am inspired by where I live or my surroundings. I currently live in Madrid, Spain which has many amazing museums and galleries to peruse which means I regularly take on board new influences. I particularly enjoy visiting Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum which houses a vast collection of art in particular
Luckily I have advanced in this department and know enough Spanish to get me by and live in such a wonderful country‌..but art and new ideas continues to be a distraction to learning more!!
Impressionist and Expressionist work which holds my interest. Also as I am influenced by nature I enjoy Parque de El Retiro where I take time to gather my thoughts and new ideas.
Why do you procrastinate with regards to learning Spanish (just curious)? Haha! My creative brain challenges me when I am learning Spanish!! Because I find that learning a language isn't visual I struggle to remember the words! I associate Spanish words with pictures or English words which helps me to learn, although I'm not sure it is the most practical method of learning a language!!! JAAMZIN CREATIVE |Â 29
INTERVIEW
FACES ON THE FERRY Rachelle Meyer is an American illustrator living in Amsterdam, specializing in children's books and storytelling. In 2017, she started sketching fellow commuters on the NDSM ferry in a tiny sketchbook. It's a short but sweet trip of about 12 minutes, connecting her home in Amsterdam Noord with her studio in the center of town. Rachelle wants to launch a parallel career as an independent artist alongside her work as an illustrator for hire. We have conducted an interview with her about her Faces on the Ferry project.
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How exactly did you get inspired to start your multimedia art project? I went to the Frankfurt Book Fair in the fall of 2016.
In a few sentences, how would you describe Amsterdam as a place of inspiration?
I was meeting publishers there, and between
Amsterdam is a living fairytale. Most people think
appointments, I would draw people sitting around
immediately of the canals and seventeenth-
the wi-fi spots in the building. The people I was
century houses in the center. Two years ago I
drawing all looked like me – white, European
moved away from the center and into the
descent. I thought it seemed awfully
developing area of Amsterdam Noord (north). This
homogeneous for the largest international book
area doesn’t have the typical postcard image that
fair in the world! So I made it a project to find
is usually associated with the city, but I find it just
different kinds of faces, going into other buildings
as, or even more, inspiring than the center. It
where I didn’t have appointments and the
reminds me a lot of Brooklyn in NYC as it was
publishers weren’t familiar.
twenty years ago. Raw, emerging – full of artist studios and new ventures. The ferry connects the
When I got back to Amsterdam, I found this sweet
north to the center, and is, in itself, an experience
little sketchbook on sale at an art supply store for
worth having. It was the perfect place to find a real
€1,50. My first thought when I picked it up was, “I
cross-section of people from all walks of life that I
want to fill this with faces.” And that’s how “Faces
could observe and sketch during the twelve
on the Ferry” was born.
minute journey.
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How does the amount of 'light' (or sunshine) plays a part in your entire project? Light played a really big role in my project, but in a way that wasn’t apparent to me until after I had finished the sketchbook. I started drawing people in January, and the book ran out in May. What really struck me, as I leafed back through it afterwards, was that it told the story of the seasons changing. People were huddled in winter wraps at the beginning, and by the end they were standing on the open decks with their faces to the sun. The book started out in only black and grey tones, but I started adding little spots of color as the spring emerged. That evolution was why I felt compelled to film the sketchbook, because the scope of it was something more than the sum of its parts.
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What is your goal? When do you target to achieve it? I have a big concept for what started out as such a tiny sketchbook! I’ve already started developing silkscreen prints from my personal favorites in the sketchbook, using two separate color palettes for the winter and spring. I’d like to return to the ferry in August and fill another sketchbook with the experience of the seasons changing between summer and fall. I hope to also be able to show all of these materials together as an art exhibit – the silk-screen prints as well as the film I made of the sketchbook. The Kickstarter campaign has been a way to raise the funds necessary for realising this vision and has also proven to be a good way to connect with a receptive audience and supportive organisations in the area.
Where are you originally from? Besides this project, what else do you do? I’m originally from Texas. I work as a freelance illustrator, I play with my family, and I enjoy reading, cycling, and plotting my next great creative adventure.
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INTERVIEW
ANXIETY ARTBOOK: THE NIGHTMARES DREAMS ARE MADE OF VOL. II Brandon Stewart is a father, artist, lover of Star Wars, Star Trek, and Indiana Jones. A conscientious observer of the 80's. Brandon also likes to juggle creative projects. He currently paints in acrylic and oil, does pyrography (woodburning), writes stories, draws and writes for comics, and has been a professional tattooer since 2004. He won't sit still. Like millions of people, Brandon has anxiety. He describes anxiousness and panic like this: "In a small case, anxiety can feel like nervousness before a test. In a severe case, it feels like waiting to be executed. In both cases, art has been my salvation." We have conducted an interview with Brandon.
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In which special circumstances did you first figure out that your art book could be use as a weapon to battle anxiety? On some level, I think I’ve always dealt with anxiety through art, even when I was very young. Emotions are often complex and confusing, so making them into imagery seems to lift the veil, so to speak. Anxiety in particular is hard to identify. You feel scared and nervous, but usually for no apparent reason, which makes it particularly difficult to know how to address it. So when I draw, and it will often start making sense. In a way it’s like turning myself into a science experiment. After a hospital visit that sent me home wearing a
What are the other methods that you have tried before to battle anxiety that does not work? I am not a fan of medication. For me, it feels like simply putting on a band-aid to cover up what I don’t want to deal with. I look at anxiety as my body trying to tell me something- Maybe I’m not eating or sleeping well. Maybe I’m stressed. Maybe I’m depressed. I feel the route to getting well, or creating better coping mechanisms for anxiety and panic is by being aware of the uncomfortable feelings. I’m not judging or condemning those that take medication because I know many people that benefit from it. Medication just isn’t for me.
heart monitor for a few days, I felt out of control, and unsure what the results of my tests would be. I locked myself away in my house with nothing but my thoughts (a mistake if you know how anxiety works). I believe that the only way I made it through without succumbing to the fear and anxiety of the unknown was because of my reliance on art.
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When your anxiety is the highest, does it make you the most effective in your illustrations too? In what extend, and what kind of 'things' do you draw?
How do you feel each time after you have completed your books? Do you have an artwork of that 'feeling' too?
I find that when my anxiety is high, I’m the most
capable of dealing with anxiety than you think.”
open and honest with myself. I think this leads to
Small victories go a long way when you’re handling
more insightful (albeit often grim) imagery.
anxiety and panic; it’s proves to the subconscious
Why did you title this book "The Nightmares Dreams Are Made Of: Volume II"? Nightmares are necessary in order to fully appreciate a dream once it’s achieved. It’s accepting that anxiety is a negative part of my life, but in a positive sense, it’s also a driving force that propels me towards something better.
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Completing a book for this project is like saying to myself, “See, you survived this. You’re much more
mind that there’s no need to step in with it’s fight or flight reaction because it knows you’re in control. I do find that once I get a more serious project like “The Nightmares Dreams Are Made Of” out of my system, that I do tend to draw or paint more lighthearted things. I draw and write comic books and often go out in the rain to do watercolor paintings.
INTERVIEW
WE ARE NOT PRINCESSES Sara Maamouri is a documentary filmmaker and editor who has explored a diverse range of topics for over 15 years. Her work has touched on social, educational and political issues, from former enemies bound together through loss and discovery (In This Waiting, 2011) to rebuilding a life in a former war zone (Amal's Garden, 2012) and reinventing a country as the world watches (A Revolution in Four Seasons, Hot Docs 2016). Bridgette Auger is an artist and filmmaker strongly committed to using art for social change who has lived and worked in the Middle East for over 12 years. We have conducted an interview with them about their latest project "We Are Not Princesses".
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How do you portray "incredible strength and spirit" in filming? We Are Not Princesses is a documentary about the strength and spirit of four Syrian women living as refugees in Beirut. Our film uses intimate footage and animation to follow how this group of women find laughter and purpose as they come together to perform the ancient Greek play, Antigone. In 2014, the Open Art Foundation put together a theater workshop with Syrian women refugees in Beirut to help these women find community and to help process their trauma as a result of the ongoing conflict in Syria. This film focuses on the resilient,
Fedwa hyperventilates as she attempts to rehearse the story of her son whom she was unable to bury; Heba remembers her starving brother’s last wish for noodles and yogurt. These stories provide context for the Syrian war, and also establish the women's point of access into the story of Antigone, a story through which the women begin the work of processing their personal and national traumas. We focus not on what Syria has lost, but on what it still has—strong women picking up the pieces of their broken society and moving forward.
intelligent, articulate Syrian women who are picking up the pieces of their lives and moving forward in spite of the ever-worsening situation back home. Whether they are gossiping at a seaside café or
What is your goal for this kickstarter project? How much do you plan to raise and what it is essentially for?
engaging in long-forgotten pleasures at a night-
We are launching this campaign because we are
time fairground, these poignant scenes are where
releasing the film independently and want to make
intense discussion and transformation take place.
sure it reaches as broad an audience as possible.
Smoking cigarettes and wearing makeup become
There are two stages of making a social impact
acts of rebellion against societal and patriarchal
documentary film. One is actually producing the
authority. And never far from the surface are the
film, and the other is working tirelessly to use the
horrifying backstories which brought the women to
message of the film to affect positive change in the
Beirut. Mona tells of the death of her child;
world.
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We are looking to raise $40,000 to:
Characters: Fedwa, 60, is the mother-figure of the group.
-Promote our festival release and screenings by
Despite having lost two sons in two years, she
working with local and national stakeholder
remains determined to hold her family together.
organizations to raise visibility of the film and the
Paradoxically, she identifies with Sophocles’ flawed
issues that refugees face worldwide.
leader, Creon, because of his obstinacy and desire to keep order at all costs. After reading a line from
-Travel for filmmakers and the women in the film -
one of his speeches, she jokes to the group, “With
Travel costs alone for a few of the women who have
this speech I could rule the country!” She is the
the capacity to travel can add up to thousands of
strongest character and respectfully referred to as
dollars. But this is so important because it allows
“Auntie” by the rest of the women. The climax of
them to participate in interviews with the press
the film occurs when Fedwa finally breaks down
and in conversations that need to be had between
while rehearsing her story of the night she learned
refugees and the communities that give them
her son was martyred.
shelter. Heba, 27, Fedwa’s daughter, has, like Antigone, -Organize screenings in refugee camps or areas
gone through the pain of losing both of her
with large refugee communities.
brothers, one of whom she never had the chance to bury as he was shot by a sniper coming out of a
-Provide free tickets to communities that typically
Damascus mosque. While playing with her cat,
do not go to the theaters to watch an indie
Sushi, Heba softly tells the story of her sister
documentary. Since this film is about their
smuggling herself by boat to Sweden and of losing
community, we will partner with local and national
her brother. She is timid in the beginning of the
organizations to hold sponsored screenings.
theater workshop and sits next to her mother, too shy to speak when pushed by the director. By the
-Materials - Posters, postcards and general
final scene at the cafe, Heba is visibly more
literature creation, as well as printing and shipping
animated and daring.
costs for these materials. Isra’a, 22, believes she is Antigone through and through. She is vocal about how the war has
How long have you been working on a social impact documentary like this? What was the most challenging aspect? Our team has been working on this film for over hour years. The most challenging aspect is finding consistent funding to keep the project going.
If you can only feature two characters in the story/film, who will it be? Why did you choose them? We love all our characters and couldn’t pick just two!
offered an opportunity to liberate Syrian women. She sings a rap of her story of fleeing Yarmouk camp, along with thousands of others, while wearing 4-inch high heels. She raps, “The streets are destroyed, besieged, divided between factions, regimes and governments...Corpses of emotion lying on the ground. I, with heels, step over heaps of broken glass.” Isra’a is self-confident and the other women admire her for it. She boasts, “God, how beautiful I am!” while taking a selfie on the Corniche next to the sea. When 30-year-old Mona’s son was dying of leukemia, she was unable to get him to the hospital in time because of shelling – a story which plays over and over again in her head. Now in Beirut, Mona is racked with guilt at leaving his grave. Mona is the narrator leading the viewer through the film with her poetic reflections on life in the camps and on Antigone.
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Her reflections speak to the universal truths of the
We are interested in international broadcast
film, such as choice and how to regain a sense of
possibilities as well as a US television broadcast
self when all that you’ve known has been ripped
because we want to engage with a wide audience
away. “Every night, I go up on the roof after the
in order to engineer a change of mindset.
power is cut and watch as darkness pervades through half the camp. I watch the lights in the
Our target audiences are communities with
distance and realize that our visit will stretch on for
resettled refugees as well as refugees themselves.
years. I begin to suffocate and I want to scream, but
We are planning for a Summer / Fall 2018
I remain silent.”
international premiere at a top-tier film festival and to show the film on the international festival circuit.
Can you explain how important it is to engage with a wide audience in order to engineer a change of mindset?
After its premiere and broadcast, we are planning a
Our film cuts through the misinformation and fear
We intend to take the film on screening tours
mongering about Syrians, about Arabs, about refugees, to remind each other of our basic humanity and our shared goodness. Change takes place when affected individuals begin to change their ideas. When you finish production on a film like this, the work is not done until the outreach program has succeeded in sparking conversations and creating an open dialogue about the crisis we are facing. We are committed to being a part of this change in dialogue and and see We Are Not Princesses as a catalyst for this discussion.
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multi-faceted public outreach strategy that reaches refugees and welcomes non-refugee audiences into dialogues that aim to expand the narrow conception of refugee identity experience as painted.
around Europe and the US, while also screening the film in squats, collectives, camps and other communities that house refugees in order to inspire further solidarity initiatives. After screenings, we want to bring local refugees/immigrants from any country, as well as local people from the region, up on stage to discuss their reaction to the film. Their unprepared remarks will offer honest insight into both sides of the debate and create a space for open discussion. We already have close connections with partners in Europe and the Middle East and therefore a network exists for us to organize the tour.
INTERVIEW
ARTIST BILLY MA, THE CREATIVE GENIUS BEHIND BOODA BRAND Billy Ma is a painter, sculptor, designer and illustrator. He was born in Taiwan but raised in Canada. 2009 saw Billy growing restless with his job as an art director in innovation and so he began to flex his artistic skills via digital illustrations during his spare time. With the popularity of the first images on social media and enquiries from interested buyers, Booda Brand - the limited-edition print company - was conceived. Drawing from contemporary themes, Billy seamlessly and naturally combines eastern and western aesthetics into his artwork. Many influences come from spirituality, socio-political issues and a sardonic sense of humour.
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Is there a difference in developing your own unique set of principles whether you are in Singapore or in Canada?
Why is 'giving back' important to your Booda Brand?
Geography really had little to do with it. I
Secondly, I believe art can change the world.
essentially believed in these same principles in
Consider the Statue of Liberty. Picasso’s Guernica.
Singapore as I did in Canada. I developed the set of
Obey’s “Obama Hope” print. I try to create art that
principles, as defined on the Booda Brand website,
seduces the viewer to say, “wow that looks cool”
to help me focus my art process.
and “I get it now… that’s even cooler, I want that on
Firstly I believe artistic talent is a blessing and a gift, it should be paid forward.
my wall”. It’s about initiating a visual, emotional The Booda Brand collector has come to appreciate
and cerebral conversation.
these beliefs and is just as passionate to put Booda Brand on their walls. They care about art that is
With any luck, Booda Brand will achieve sustained
authentic and honest. The principles I stand by,
profitability sooner than later; I’ll then seek to
matter to my collectors.
donate prints to help various organisations raise funds or awareness. The Fukushima Hero series was
The Booda Brand collector is not too interested in
created to assist the Japanese Red Cross and the
pretty pictures with very little soul.
Fukushima 50 who knowingly sacrificed themselves for the greater good.
Arty-Fact: In March 2011, the world stood still and watched as the Japanese people faced extraordinary circumstances. Fukushima Hero pays homage to the unique strength and indomitable spirit of those (The Fukushima 50) who made the ultimate sacrifice to contain and clean up the aftermath despite the long-term ramifications.
“Fukushima Hero – Day and Night” by Booda Brand, Art With Purpose Series, 2011
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I also hope to support talent in developing
I adopted this Italian(ness) since there were few
communities. Booda Brand will give them a
Asian families in my hometown. Capicola sandwich
platform to show their artistry while helping
anyone?! I do identify with being Asian but also
themselves. It all comes full circle and Booda Brand
with my adopted Italian side.
deeply believes in making a difference. Booda Brand will then be an art company of “WE”.
My artistic style is never written in stone. It’s always an organic and fluid situation. I am deeply
How does your growing up days in a predominantly Italian immigrant community in Canada influence you or your art styles today? People don’t immigrate to another country because they have it so good in their own countries. They immigrate because they are struggling and wish for a better life for them and their families. They do hang on to their culture as the DNA of their existence. Canadian culture gives a nod to diversity. My friends were passionate about their heritage yet we were all in the same boat
influenced by people’s stories, love of music, nature and of course, love. I draw from my education in fine art, art history and design as a springboard to my artistic process. The visual results usually take care of themselves and develop organically. So no, I don’t directly draw visual influence from my childhood community, or else I’d have a penchant for plastic covered floral couches and crocheted white doilies. To describe the Italian side in one word….PASSION.
together.
“MUZIK ELEV8S (Special Edition - Silver)” by Booda Brand, 2017 JAAMZIN CREATIVE | 43
Arty-Fact: When Melody, Rhythm, and Soul conspire together in your favourite song, that very moment can elevate your spirit. MUZIK ELEV8S is an homage to your music that makes you love, laugh and cry.
What in particular around you (in Singapore) inspires you the most? How would you define the 'spiritual humanist' in you? The ascent of Singapore in 50 years, since 1965, is nothing short of remarkable. As much as I admire the efficiency of the big, bright, shiny city, I feel it has lost some of its humanity in its zeal. I find it to be a culture obsessed with distractions that leans
Though I started my art career in Singapore, and my first series was about Singapore, my art has grown to address more global influences. A large component of that is the human elements that grapples with stigmas, hypocrisy, hate, abuses and injustices. I try to utilise a more positive perspective; quite often the viewer will not even notice the intention, it’s subtle. It’s part of the great Canadian sardonic humour I grew up with.
towards all that is money and status. I don’t mean to generalise, it’s just part of nouveaux Asian prosperity.
“Majulah!’ by Booda Brand, Socio-Politicking Series, 2011
Arty-Fact: Majulah is Singapore’s motto, “upward and onward”. Majulah pays home to the imported foreign workers on whose back the bright, shiny city is built. Their symbol is the ubiquitous yellow rubber boots. If you look long enough, you’ll see their twisted bodies holding up the Lion City
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Arty-Fact: It had to be done… Big palm oil dollars. Impoverished farmers who have no recourse but to clear burn for this cash crop to survive. Endangered wildlife in peril and unbreathable air choking the life out of the disenfranchised. It’s always easier to complain than take action. Is our apathy killing Mother Gaia?
“Saving Gaia” by Booda Brand, Art With Purpose Series, 2015
When you say "Asians aren’t as compulsive, expressive and spontaneous on average", which Western or non-Asians are you comparing with?
I’m always inspired by art forms where you feel the very soul of the expression, it immerses you, envelopes and profoundly affects you. You’ve achieved success as an artist when you’ve touched people in that way. It’s not a comparison with any one person or culture specifically. It’s more a question of the great artistic expression from the west that I identify with
I’m afforded the innate chance to derive insights
more.
from the dichotomy of the East / West cultural divide, I’m told you can see it in the artwork. That
For example: music like Mozart, Jazz, Pop, Reggae,
chasm is getting smaller.
Rap/Hip Hop, Soul; art: Expressionism, Renaissance, Impressionism, Cubism, Surrealism. Comedy:
I am however drawn more toward western
Improvisational comedy (think Robin Williams),
expressions of art. Whether it be music,
Saturday Night Live, Russel Peters; dance: Ballet,
performance arts, comedy etc, I feel it takes more
Tap, Modern Dance; movies: Godfather, Casablanca,
chances which drives innovation and originality.
Citizen Kane, Apocalypse Now, Lawrence of Arabia.
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“Geisha Girls” by Booda Brand, 2013
Arty-Fact: Traditionally Geishas are an enduring image of Japan. Geisha Girls portrays the Geisha as a metaphor for the rapid collision of Eastern and Western influences via globalization.
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INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW WITH ARTIST ROBERT L. CANAGA Robert L. Canaga is a painter, photographer, and printmaker. His concentration is on earth, landscape, and growth, but not in a classical "normal" way. He wants to see the elements and forces that go to making wines, growing foods, and replenishing the world. His artwork is done on linen, using oils, wax, driers, and raw pigments to develop his images. We have conducted an interview with Robert.
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What kind of painting do you concentrate on creating? Abstract land forms, cross sections of the earth, and the roots growing down to find nutrients are my focus, though I often leap back to impressionist landscapes (my 15-minute paintings)
Why do you like the 'growth' elements in your artwork? I live in the Willamette Valley in Oregon, the center for wines in the region. I have worked with wineries for years and watched the grapes affected by climate, by soils, and by people caring for them. All this shows up in my work.
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How special is working on linen as compared to cotton? What kind of effects can you achieve? I use tools like bowl scrapers, painting knives, scrapers, spatulas, and just about anything else that will move paint they way I want. Linen holds up while cotton sags and stretches. This allows me to create thin passages and fill areas I have scraped back with color. I also use the finest gesso, Lascaux.
What is your favorite media/medium? I use oil and cold wax and mix paints, raw pigments, and metallic dust so I can lay in thin layers and mix the colors on the linen. I have control over how fast or slow it drys, how much
Which kind of images best suits for your usage and creativity? When did you first discovered amalgamated photography and begin incorporating it into your art?
pigment I add, and how the layers present visually. Land scape. But for the photography, I use stacked rock, rock cliffs, and tree bark as a base to overlay my figurative photos. I shoot in the studio in bright light, look for matches that place the model in the background so that each exists independently but work as a pairing.
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INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW WITH JIM HATCH Jim Hatch born in Vancouver, BC and raised in Burnaby. Â He is a professional photographer, member of CAPA, Canadian Association of Photographic Artists. Jim has been published in the Canadian Camera Magazine fifteen times and has earned 9 gold medals, 3 silver and 3 bronze to date. We have conducted an interview with him.
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When you first started photography, was it a conscious decision that you want to be an artist with a camera?
What made you set up a dark room? How relevant do you think it helped in your photography skills?
When I first started photography i was in grade 8
I lived in Kelowna area and shot for a newspaper so
and it was a great way to skip a class, I had no
I set up my own dark room so I could enhance my
further plans at the time. I think around 2005 I
photos, instead of coming from a lab (I was not
started to paint my photographs and that opened
crazy about the stinky chemicals though) , it really
up a whole new world for me I think I am related to
makes you see your mistakes close up how to fix
Van Gogh? :)
them and to learn from them, I am glad I learned
What do you like to capture with your camera? Which is your favorite gear/gadget for photography?
photography on film, but I sure love Digital.
Which magazines have your work been published in? Several newspapers, I have been published in
I have a motto when shooting if it moves shoot it, if
Canadian Camera in print about 18 times, photo
it doesn't move shoot it.which means I shoot
life, outdoor photography, and others I was
anything, I like my photo's tell a story, When you
published in a couple more magazines in the 80's I
look at my work it speaks to you, I don't really have
do not remember what mags, I have been
any gadgets so to speak of, so I am thinking the
published in a lot of online magazines which seems
tripod for best equipment it stabilizes your shot so
to be the route these days.
there is no blur and photos are tack sharp.
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What is your most memorable award? Hard question all awards are memorable, I have so many memorable awards, I think last year and this year I won Silver and Gold medal for my work because it is a top award in Canada I was on top both years and competing against hundreds of people. to say 'creme de la creme". I have sold my work internationally, it is a great feeling. when someone buys my work, it is hard to explain I just feel euphoria.
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How else would you like to share your time and knowledge with others? I belong to a camera club, we have outings 2 times a month I walk within the group and give advice on how I shoot certain ways, it gives me a lot of pleasure when I watch people in my group grow, we have a great camera club and I hope my knowledge helps them in their journey.
About JaamZIN Creative JaamZIN Creative Studio is an online social media agency established in 2017 in Singapore.
We feature artists and creative people,Â
Contact us if you want to be featured!
Submit your art to JaamZIN Creative We are seeking for talented emerging and established artists to be part of the community of thousands of people who love art. We curate the submissions and the selected artists will be featured in JaamZIN Creative Contact us at info@jaamzin.com