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THE ARTISTRY

May 2016 Issue 1

Table of Contents Theatre: Why? How? Photo by Wikipedia

Nearly everyone knows about theatre arts, but why do actors choose to act? How can you become an actor?

The Importance of Art

Photo by Google Images

Meet the Group Photo by James Palmer

Meet the Group shows the readers who is behind The Artistry and how they are involved with the fine arts. Get to know this unlikely group of young journalists.

Which Instrument Should You Play? Photo by Pexels

Take this quiz to find out which musical instrument you should play. Based off of your personality and interests, you can find out which instrument is perfect for you.

Top 10 Memes

Photo by Andrew Martinez

The Importance of Art examines the benefits of art classes at Liberal Arts and Science Academy and around This article lists the authors top ten memes. It also the world. It also features personal interviews from provides information on their creation and use. current students.

THE TOP 10 FINE ARTS COLLEGES IN THE U.S.

Letter from the Editor

Photo by Lilo Pomerleau

A heart-felt letter from the editor to you, where you can learn the story behind the stories. Hope you enjoy.

KGSR vs. Austin Music Culture

Photo by Flickr

This explains the opinions of KGSR, a popular radio station, from teenagers and adults in Austin. It has recently changed its music choice, creating mixed feelings of how true to Austin it is.

OK Tulsa

Photo by Robert Hamilton

Photo by Wikipedia

Have you ever wondered which fine arts college would best suit you? Check out the top 10 in the US, and what they’re best known for.

Guess Austin Music Venues Photo by Google Images

Austin has many music venues, this will give you an idea of what some of the best ones are like. There are more than 250 live music venues, making it easy for anyone to go see music on any day.

Tulsa vs. Austin

Photo by Wikipedia

OK Tulsa covers the recent development of the Tulsa art scene, and how it has transformed the city’s identity. The story also looks to Tulsa’s future, using Austin (one of the Tulsa vs. Austin looks at the facts behind Tulsa’s fastest growing cities in the United States, as a point of standing against Austin, and serves to support OK Tulsa’s comparison of the two cities. comparison.

MEET THE GROUP

Photo by James Palmer

OUR FAVORITE SONGS ARE... “[S] Collide” by Various Artists

“It’s part of the soundtrack to a web comic I like.” -Andrew Martinez

“Feels So Good” by Sailors.

“It helps me feel calm and happy, and seems to suit all my teenage moods.” -Anastasia Barnett

“American Pie” by Don McLean

“Under Pressure” by Queen

“It’s easy to follow “My dad introduced it along with, and makes to me, and ever since a lot of meaningful then, it has kind of connections.” been ‘our song.’” -David Hamilton -Sumin Choi

Photo by Anastasia Barnett

MEET THE WRITERS SUMIN CHOI

DAVID HAMILTON

I have been living in Austin, the Live Music Capital of the World, for most of my life so I have noticed the impact of the culture on myself and other aspects of the city. Since music is so heavily emphasized and available, I wanted to see how music has changed the music tastes of Austin and how it helped establish Austin to become the city we all know. Out of all the fine arts, music is my personal favorite because of its ability to help me feel relaxed after a long, stressful day.

Photo by Anastasia Barnett

I was born and raised in Austin, but most of my experience with art has been through travel. As a result, I was never really in a position to seriously explore art through the medium of my own hands, and rather than becoming an artist myself, I became an observer. I did not lose interest however, and on vacations I still find myself spending long hours touring museums and art centers with my family. The idea for my story came from equal parts my art interest, and my familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tulsa heritage (my father was raised there, and much of his family still lives there or elsewhere in Oklahoma), and ultimately it has given me an excuse to revisit my art interest.

ANASTASIA BARNETT

ANDREW MARTINEZ

I grew up in Seattle, Washington, but moved to Austin when I was 9 years old. Throughout my life I have been influenced by nearly every fine art that exists. Growing up, my grandparents would take me to the Nutcracker every year, and I was always mesmerized by the dancers graceful movements. I love performing musical theatre any time that I get the chance. In my free time, I enjoy amateur painting and photography.

I have lived in Austin all my life, and have come to appreciate irregular forms of art. I am an amateur sculptor, as well as a connoisseur of the finest memes. My dream in life is to be the best memer in the universe. I wanted to see how students at LASA, and across the world, are affected by art. Of all the fine arts, my favorite is sculpture, and digital art.

THE LET TER FROM THE EDITOR BY: David Hamilton

Even then, it took a long time for us to chisel out the layout. After all we had never written a magazine before, and none of us had ever tried to decipher the laws of the Associated Press writing style, or worked with the Adobe programs we are now ohso-familiar with. And, in the meantime, we really came together as a team and as a class. There would be weeks when we were all rushing to get in a deadline, and there would be days when there was little to do at all, but going through all that with a team made each challenge special. The staff had a great time bringing it to life, and as you read this, I hope that the effort and the memories that went into The Artistry are apparent.

Photograph courtesy of Lilo Pomerleau

At the start of the semester, we were tasked with writing and publishing a full magazine by the end of the year. It seemed an impossible task, especially for our group, who had been comprised of what equated to the dregs of the selection process. Unlike other groups, which had clear-cut themes like sports, or technology, we found ourselves with a thespian, an audiophile, a graphic designer, and me, no more than a casual art enthusiast. It didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem like we were going to find common ground. But, as we started working together, we realized we shared a love of the all-encompassing fine arts, and rather than sacrifice our interests, our magazine unfolded as a collage of our ideas.

WE GOT THE BEAT! THE NEWEST HEADPHONES

BACH CHOI

LISTEN TO THE SOUND OF YOU. 7

THE TOP 10 FINE ARTS COLLEGES IN THE U.S. By: Anastasia Barnett

Check out the top ten fine arts colleges in the United States. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter if you prefer music, theatre, or art, we have an option for you! These are the top ten schools.

FINE ARTS 8

All information is according to Us News.

1 YALE BEST KNOWN FOR: STRAIGHT ACTING, GRAPHIC DESIGN, PAINTING/DRAWING, PAINTING, SCULPTURE

2 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES BEST KNOWN FOR: PAINTING/DRAWING, PHOTOGRAPHY, SCULPTURE, TIME-BASED MEDIA/NEW MEDIA

3 VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY BEST KNOWN FOR: CERAMICS, GLASS, GRAPHIC DESIGN, PAINTING/DRAWING, PRINTING, SCULPTURE

4 RHODES ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN BEST KNOWN FOR: CERAMICS, GLASS, GRAPHIC DESIGN, METALS/JEWELRY, PAINTING/DRAWING, PHOTOGRAPHY, PRINTMAKING, SCULPTURE

SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO

BEST KNOWN FOR: FIBER ARTS, PAINTING/DRAWING, PHOTOGRAPHY, PRINTMAKING, SCULPTURE, TIME-BASED MEDIA/NEW MEDIA

6 CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY BEST KNOWN FOR: MUSICAL THEATRE, GRAPHIC DESIGN, TIME-BASED MEDIA/NEW MEDIA

7 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY BEST KNOWN FOR: PAINTING/DRAWING, SCULPURE

CRANBROOK ACADEMY OF ART

BEST KNOWN FOR: CERAMICS, FIBER ARTS, GRAPHIC DESIGN, METALS/JEWELRY, PAINTING/DRAWING, PRINTMAKING, SCULPTURE

ALFRED UNIVERSITY -- NEW YORK STATE COLLEGE OF CERAMICS

BEST KNOWN FOR: CERAMICS, GLASS

CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS

BEST KNOWN FOR: GRAPHIC DESIGN, PAINTING/DRAWING, PHOTOGRAPHY, TIME-BASED MEDIA/NEW MEDIA

THEATRE WHY? HOW?

Even from the green room, singing can be heard pouring through the speakers within the girls’ dressing room. The Don J. Haynes Performing Arts Center is always filled with students chatting, acting, singing, and dancing. The green room, which is actually painted orange and purple, has saggy, rainbow bean bags roughly packed into a corner, behind a throne used in a past performance of “Phantom of The Opera.” Going through the stage door from the green room, one can see all of the backstage inner workings. Behind the curtains, there is a tight gridlock of old, reusable set pieces: chairs, flats, and various different tables. Just a few feet ahead, a black-painted stage lays. The place where the magic happens. It is the actors and techs that make the theater a magical place, but what makes acting and performing so interesting for all of these students?

By: Anastasia Barnett

MELISSA ALEXANDER-DRISCOLL Photo courtesy of Melissa Alexander-Driscoll

Melissa Alexander-Driscoll with a student on a trip to New York, at a performance of “Fun Home.”

ISABELLE DICKEY Photo by: Anastasia Barnett

Isabelle Dickey in the Don J. Haynes Performing Arts Center at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin, Texas.

RONAN MELOMO Photo courtesy of Ronan Melomo

Ronan Melomo in a college dorm.

Isabelle Dickey, a current junior and actor at LASA, the Liberal Arts and Science Academy in Austin, Texas, sits in the house of the Don J. Haynes PAC with me to speak about her involvement in theatre. Dickey is a training actor with the SELECT Company in Austin, Texas. According to her, she wishes to be a professional actor after college. When asked about her favorite memory of performing, she described a scene before any audience members were present. According to her, one of her favorite memories occurred with Antonio Skillicorn, a senior and actor at LASA. It was before one of their performances of “Fame,” around four years ago. According to Dickey, Skillicorn looked at her and asked if their environment felt like a “movie.” To Dickey, it was.

‘oh what’s your backup plan?’,” Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Dickey says in response to how she feels when people ask her if she has a backup plan for being an actor. According to Dickey, she understands that when a person asks her this question, they have her best interest at heart, but it Three men dancing during a musical from the 1960s. irritates her because it is, in a sense, illegitimizing the profession. “Theatre is the best way I know to make a

lthough acting is risky, for the people who are passionate and see nothing else that could make them as happy as performing does, there is no other way their lives’ should be. For these people, acting is a lifestyle, not just a hobby. Melomo explains his reasoning and passion

Ronan Melomo, a current theatre major at New York University through the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, as well as a graduated LASA student, explains why “If someone is like, ‘I wanna be theatre is important in his life. a doctor,’ nobody responds with,

“If someone is like, ‘I wanna be a doctor,’ nobody responds with, ‘oh what’s your backup plan?’,” 12

difference in the world,” Melomo says. “I’m not a math genius, I’m never going to discover the cure for cancer, but I can use what I am good at to affect the ways in which people view life and the world and at the very least just make them happy, or very sad, for a few hours.” for the fine arts. He tells me that he has “been performing since [he] could walk.” For some, it is that simple. They have a natural talent for being on stage and don’t worry about entertaining people, because it comes easily for them. Regardless of whether you were born to be a performer or have never been on a stage before, theatre is something that has positively influenced people in an innumerous amount of ways. Of course, as with everything, theatre may become tiring. Melissa Alexander-Driscoll, the theatre arts and technical theatre teacher at LASA and LBJ, Lyndon Banes Johnson High School, as well as director of over thirty shows, explains that even if you are completely submerged in performing arts as your occupation and lifestyle, you may not love every show. Even some of the most popular ones. Alexander-Driscoll tells me a story of how she came to realize that she did not agree with the belief that “Les Misérables” is a show that all can like.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

The Ziegfeld Theater during a grand opening of one of the first musicals, “Spud.”

ccording to her, she has seen the show over a dozen times, but even just a few days afterward, cannot even relay the plot to her friends or family. Also, when she is watching the musical, every time that she sees it, she remembers how much she “hates” it. “...Which probably means it’s good art, because if it can invoke that emotional response, I believe it’s good art,” says Alexander-Driscoll. When asked about if she preferred musicals or plays, she was not in the least hesitant to answer. In fact, she answered before I could finish my question. She is very adamant about her standpoint. Alexander-Driscoll

told me that she extremely prefers straight plays to musicals. This does not mean that she doesn’t like musicals at all, though. According to her, the music in musicals can be lovely. It is only when there are voices in it, when she begins to dislike it. “Disgustingly… musicals pay the bills,” says Alexander-Driscoll. Nevertheless, Alexander-Driscoll loves theatre arts. According to her, she loves the challenge of it. She says that when it gets easy, “that’s when [she] stops liking it.” So how does someone become an actor in the tough world that we

are surrounded with? How does someone become a successful performer when risk and competition are both so high? According to the two actors and teacher, it takes: passion, hard work, connections, commitment, training, being good with people, grounding everything in realism, being relatable and, of course, just loving it. Now, this may seem like a lot, but many of these tools go hand-in-hand. “Connections are important, but, that doesn’t mean that you get to meet a lot of people and automatically, ‘you’re it’,” says Dickey. 13

ickey explains that being an actor is more about talent than just knowing people. She says that it takes commitment, good people skills, training, and love for the art. According to her, you have to really want success. You have to be able to give every performance, every rehearsal, and every audition your all.

successful actor, only if you ground your work in realism, and you are relatable. To figure out how to be relatable, as well as real, AlexanderDriscoll gives some tips. “Stop acting,” says AlexanderDriscoll. “Stop acting, start reacting, start living, and being characters, because it’s weird, but I think that’s Melomo takes a simpler what ruins actors the most.” approach to his answer. He explains that in order to be In her explanation, she states successful, all it takes is, that young actors typically strive “hard work.” This plain answer to make the show about them, explains much more than it may and making themselves a star, seem at first glance. First, it which is not why an audience agrees with Dickey’s response wants to see a show. According of “commitment.” Although, to her, an audience comes to see they do not exactly coincide. a show, in order to see a story Commitment is a promise to be told, not to see a student completely apply yourself to outshine others. That is why the task at hand in every way Alexander-Driscoll says that she possible. Hard work is the prefers the term, “storytelling.” application of that promise. So, hard work and commitment go “I really don’t believe it’s acting, hand-in-hand to mean the bigger I believe it’s storytelling,” says picture of give everything that you can possibly have to offer. Alexander-Driscoll explains how to become successful, as a more abstract concept. According to her, you can become a 14

Alexander-Driscoll. According to her, telling a story is about all of the different parts coming together, not just someone in the limelight, overshadowing others.

Why? How? Why? From each of the three people I have spoken to, there is always something good that comes from theatre arts. It may be the feeling of euphoria, like the feeling that you’re in a movie. For others, they are just born to be performers. For a few, they find their way later on, and learn how to love what they do. How? According to Dickey, Melomo, and AlexanderDriscoll, it simply takes hard work, commitment, and being real and relatable. If you work hard and love what you do, maybe theatre is a good option for you. ◆

“I really don’t believe it’s acting, I believe it’s storytelling,”

Photo courtesy of Google Images

A photo of the Ambassador Theater in New York City on Broadway, home of one of the most famous Broadway shows, “Chicago”.

Photo courtesy of Google Images

A photo of the Hirschfield Theater in New York City on Broadway, home of one of the biggest contemporary shows, “Kinky Boots”.

WHICH INSTRUMENT By: Anastasia Barnett

FUN FACT! The first piano was invented in Florence, Italy in 1700 by Bartolomeo Cristofori

Take this quiz to find out which musical instrument you should play, due to your personality!

Q: What is your favorite color?

Q: What is your favorite food?

A. Blue B. Red C. Pastels D. Green

A. Pasta B. BBQ (all the way) C. Sushi D. Fast Food

Q: What is your ideal date?

You love the finer things in life, and take time to “smell the roses!” You prefer classy over casual, and love dresssing up at any opportunity.

A. Fall B. Summer C. Spring D. Winter

Q: Which candy do you prefer? A. Milky Way B. Pop Rocks C. None, Thank You. D. Kinder Eggs

GUITAR! You live life in the fast lane. “Wild” isn’t a crazy enough word to describe you. You love everything fun and adventurous, and never take “no”for an answer.

RIDDLE ME THIS: You can beat me and I won’t get red in the face. I come in all sizes from snare down to bass. All bands like to use me to keep a good beat. As you march me along on your two little feet. I’m a _________________. Answer: drum!

Mostly A’s:

PIANO!

Q: What is your favorite season?

Mostly B’s:

A. Picnic B. Motorcycle Ride C. Botanical Gardens D. Coffeeshop

SHOULD YOU PLAY? Q: What’s your style? Q: Which shoes are you ALWAYS wearing? A. Heels! B. Boots C. Sneakers D. Flip Flops

A. Business Casual B. A touch of leather C. Vintage “4 Lyfe” D. Sweatpants SWEATPANTS Sweatpants

Q: What is your biggest fear?

A. Free time? As if. B. Hanging with friends C. Writing Poetry D. Video games... duh.

Mostly C’s:

HARMONICA! You’re a little quirky, extremely creative, and fun. You love doing strange and unique activities, have your own style, and look at the world from a different view than most people.

A. Classical B. Rock & Roll C. Indie D. Hip Hop

FUN FACT! According to livescience.com, the first instrument ever made was the flute.

TRIANGLE! Mostly D’s:

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A. Heights B. I fear nothing. I am indestructible. C. Being trapped in a room with spiders and snakes D. Being alone

Q: What is your favorite music?

Maybe playing music isn’t your thing... try a different type of fine art! There’s dancing, acting, singing, painting, sculpting, the list goes on and on! But don’t give up!

I’m played with a mallet, that’s easy to see. And there are bars that are big and small across me. I’m made of wood and come in different sizes. My music makes lots of terrific surprises!. I’m a _______________.

Answer: Xylophone!

KGSR vs.

By: Sumin Choi

Photo by Google Images

Austin Music Culture 18

Blues on the Green Photo by KGSR

ustin is a city that likes a lot of music. There’s almost a radio station for every genre you can think of. As Austin has changed and matured, there is a new “official” genre in town: indie. Now one of the most popular stations in Austin, 93.3 KGSR, is known for playing music produced by Texans as well as releasing music from developing artists. However the question arises: Is KGSR truly representative of the music culture of Austin?

Before KGSR made all these major renovations, Dinges says, people were calling the station “KGeezer” because its playlist appealed to the old Austinites. This name had such a bad connotation because it indicated that the station was not updated; it drove KGSR to update its choices. Now young adults to adults are tuning in, making KGSR be more attractive to the younger Austinites. The new audience appreciates the new format because of the mixture of According to Gary Dinges, the Busi- music. The music the station plays is ness of Entertainment reporter for the dominant form of popular music the Austin-American Statesman, 93.3 nowadays, says Anushka Srivastava, KGSR had to make a lot ofPhoto by KGSR a Liberal Arts and Science changes in recent years. It used to appeal to the young Austinites, but that Austin crowd had gotten out of the age demographics and advertisers weren’t as interested in the music that was played. In order to get more money, KGSR added in some popular music to shift its targeted audience to younger listeners about two to three years ago. Now KGSR plays indie and mainstream music, while mixing in adult contemporary into their playlists, in order to make a point that it plays music that represents Austin and is an Austin-influenced station. Academy student. In her opinion, the ratio of popular music to popular “It’s one of those formats that doesn’t indie music is 1:4. It’s not common to really have a format name and ste- hear the same people over and over reotypical look and feel,” Dinges says. again. Each day has a unique playlist so some people like what they’re The official format of the music that hearing one day and don’t like what KGSR plays is called Triple-A, or Adult they’re hearing on other days, Dinges Album Alternative. This usually involves says. The variety of music makes genres such as indie rock, pop rock, it easy for people from out of town alternative rock, alternative country, to recognize people they already jazz, folk, and world music and blues. recognize as well as introduce Austin, It’s like a sampling of what the taste Texan, and Southwestern music. of Austin is like, Dinges says. Some of the artists in the playlists are not ones that a listener would be exposed to in other places, which encourages listeners to step out of their comfort zones and listen to more genres.

“KGSR doesn’t deliver the local part of Austin because Austin is a very, in my opinion at least... Is very ‘Do your own thing. Don’t really buy into materialistic things,’” Srivastava says. KGSR, in Srivastava’s opinion, plays music that doesn’t seem very particular to Austin and is more regional. The station is influenced by Austin because a lot its listeners are Austinites, but Austinities are also inclined to the kind of music KGSR plays, says Dinges. There are people that like the type of music that KGSR plays, but there are people in other states that also like the same music. Austinite teenagers are interested in this station because of its catchy but “different” and not “mainstream” music that it plays. But in her opinion, the station doesn’t seem to be playing a lot of music from local musicians. KGSR is supporting Austin artists, but not necessarily playing their songs. Now the station is not as much of an “Austin” station compared to what it was because of its lack of local music. Indie is becoming trendier because it has some roots of rock, not as vocalfocused as pop, and has stronger

guitar parts compared to pop. Some people, Srivastava says, listen to it because they think it’s cool but the majority that listen to it actually like indie. KGSR is playing a lot of indie, which is the new music trend of people her age. But KGSR has a lot of well-known, popular indie and alternative indie in its playlist, which are, according to Srivastava, songs that most people know. As indie is becoming more popular and recognized, KGSR’s choices aren’t exactly that unique anymore. Indie is becoming too popular for Austin.

“I would say probably if we had to pick one genre to classify the city, I would definitely go with indie or alt. indie just because we’re a city that takes pride in being so different,” says Dinges.

Austin has numerous stations, each one being totally different from one another. There has recently been a new radio station that is targeted towards the gay and lesbian community, which is the second one in the nation. KASE and KVET are two of the most well-known country stations Austin also has KISS.FM, which plays pop, and The Beat, which plays hiphop. Mix, an AC station, and KLBJ, a.

talk station, are also very well liked. There are even Hispanic stations that play Tejano or Spanish pop. Austin has a little bit of every genre in its stations, which gives the city a “Keep Austin Weird” vibe, says Dinges. The indie genre, according to Srivastava, would best represent Austin’s music interest because its tendency to be counter-culture, more so than pop music. The diversity of music is what indie and Austin’s music culture are described as. Also, the majority of Austin can be described as being weird and strange, which is why the music interests of Austin have completely changed from rock to indie. “Austin music is very traditional instruments, as in traditional in a band like guitar, bass, drums, vocals,” says Srivastava. Guitar is heavily involved in music produced in Austin. Some common characteristics of Austin music have blues or jazz influence, blues-like guitar riffs with focuses on the bass and drums. The vocals are equally as important, but are not paid as much attention to as the bass or guitar. The sound is usually unheard or innovative because it’s unique and has a special vibe. There are already many musicians that are heavily influenced by guitar that you can only find in Austin. Now that synthesizer is becoming popular, especially with indie bands, it is being used more. It’s not technically an Austin thing, says Srivastava, but it tends to have it. KGSR doesn’t play a lot of music with synthesizer besides the times Tame Impala plays. Tame Impala isn’t as popular as other indie music that plays, so their music isn’t on air too much. Austin music can be described as alternative indie music that no one has heard of, says Srivastava, than indie pop, which is what KGSR plays. In the music that KGSR plays, there is less emphasis on bass, and drums and more on

vocals, which isn’t representative of the Austin music culture. “I would suggest that Austin’s hippie, back then, and subsequently hipster town, today, was the first to discover this new form of music,” says Srivastava. Austin’s motto of “Keeping Austin Weird” with its tendency of making tie-dye shirts and housing many hipsters, says Srivastava, helped Austin to change its official genre of music to indie. It’s likely that hippies appreciated indie, but now hippies are replaced with hipsters that are continuing the liking of indie. It’s likely that hippies appreciated indie, but now hippies are replaced with hipsters that are continuing the liking of indie. Indie became dominant in the city in the early 2000s, with the The Strokes, who originated from New York, to become huge and other bands, such as Phoenix and Two Door Cinema Club, to become influenced by The Strokes’ style, causing the genre to reach Austin. The Strokes had catchy music and had music that contrasted with the music of the 90s. Hipsters like new stuff that people don’t normally hear about, so

Austin musicians typically play in the nighttime. Photo by Wikipedia

having this type of music being played Broadcast CD’s, which contain live in Austin helped the city to become performances recorded by KGSR interested and welcome to the genre. from their studio that it hosted in the past year. The musicians performed for the CDs in hopes of helping an Austin nonprofit organization, SIMS Foundation, to continue to support local musicians in Austin, for patients and doctors in the Seton Hospitals and for researchers at the Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas says KGSR.

“I would say they make a definite effort to connect with Austin’s live music scene more than a lot of the other stations in town do,” Dinges says.

KGSR hosts Blues on the Green, which is a set of concerts from well known artists in the Austin community at Zilker Park. The admission is free and has been part of the Austin tradition for 26 years. Not only does the radio station host concerts, it also has live events in various local establishments such as Stubb’s BBQ and the Bass Concert Hall, KGSR says. In March of 2016, there are already 6 planned concerts for different musicians all around Austin, most of which are already sold out. These musicians are not all Austin based, but it’s apparent that KGSR knows what type is liked among the Austin crowd. Every year the station releases

“It’s just there’s so much competition. Not just on air, but streaming and everywhere else,” Dinges says. The company that owns KGSR, MS, is trying to spread the station with an app called Next Radio because it doubles the amount of time people spend listening to the radio. The average listening time in somewhere near to 9 minutes and 30 seconds per session. The app doubles the amount to 24 to 25 minutes. While the songs are playing in the app, the user can do so many functions: push a button and call the radio station, vote a song up or die, like on Facebook or Twitter, buy the song, and get information about the song. When there are ads in the app, the user can push a button and the advertiser will offer a coupon. KGSR is finding ways to adapt and become interactive, says Dinges. KGSR needs more listeners to have better business, so it does label itself as an indie station and not a mainstream station, even though it has become mainstream. its modifications to its playlists are

to accommodate the popular songs and to gain more listeners in order to make profit. Radio is evolving with other media outlets nowadays in order to try to be ahead of everyone else. KGSR is becoming more recognized because of its new choice of its new choice of music. Although its choices are not as “Austin” sounding as it once was, it still tries to continue to be a part of the Austin music culture. The new genre of Austin, indie, has been the new pop music in Austin, which makes the song choices of the station not be as unique as it once was. The uniquely sounding music from Austin is played less than the popular indie music from artists all over the country. It’s changed format has become more diverse, and it has been successful with getting more viewers. The only problem is that it has lost its Austin touch and feels more like a radio station that could be in any state, not Austin specifically. To regular listeners, the music KGSR plays is more up to date with the music trends. To avid music listeners, KGSR has changed a bit too much into a mainstream radio station. Is KGSR truly representative of the music culture of Austin? That’s a question that depends on who you are as an Ausinite.

◆

Photo by Pixaby

Guess Austin Music Venues By: Sumin Choi

The Paramount Theater has been a go-to spot on Congress Avenue for nearly 100 years. It is the oldest surviving theater in Austin. This is the place to go to enjoy a taste of Texas and enjoy local and touring acts.

ACL Live at Moody Stubb’s Theater, which has Bar-B-Que 2700 seats, is where the Ginhosts regional and PBS music program, Austin ny’s Little national acts. It also has City Limits, is filmed. It can act Longhorn Saloon is themes for the food and as a private and public event famous for its Chicken music on certain days. This Poop Bingo, which brings venue that hosts diverse, live perrestaurant has the best food thousands of fans from formances. It is an official SXSW venue in downtown Austin in Texas with live music all the world, and perforThe mances from Austin’s best that plays all genres and a cheerful atmoMohawk is a roots country performers. of music. sphere. small venue that has chairs. Ginny’s Little the acoustics of a big Longhorn Saloon is the hall. It has been supporting center of the country The local and indie artists since music scene that Elephant 2006. The Mohawk’s goal is usually only plays Room plays nightly country. to support emerging artists, jazz with $5 shows. It original local talent, and offers a laid-back, arfind the best tourThe tistic vibe. This cozy and ing indie bands. Continenintimate basement venue R&B, and tal Club mixes has been open since rock. the Americana 1991 and features live tradition with Texan music every day. Hole tradition. Since 1957, in the Wall it has had a reputation is known for hostfor being the best muing some of Austin’s sic club in the region. greatest musical acts.. The It is a great place to find Frank Erwin local acts and touring musiCenter has served a cians each month. The large area of Austin with genres it typically Emo’s plays are fantastic live entertainment. focuses on the indie, About 51,000 University of punk rock scene. It country, Texas students and more than folk, has a great sound system 1.7 million people go to the and with complete lighting. It Frank Erwin Center. rock. kick-started the Austin music scene and encouraged notable artists to appear.

The Answers Photo by Diana Solomon

Photo by Austin City Limits

Photo by Austin Area Commision for the Arts

Ginny’s Little Longhorn Saloon

Photo by Facilities Online

Paramount Theater

ACL Live Moody Theater

Elephant Room

Stubb’s Bar-BQue

Emo’s

Photo by Ticketfly

Photo by Robert

Continental Club

Frank Erwin Center

Photo by Around Austin

Photo by Tarrah Grant

Mohawk

Hole in the Wall

Photo by Austin Charity Owl

Photo by Mohawk

Austin is known as the Music Capital of the World. These music venues allow artists to perform almost every night. There are more than 250 live music venues with each of them having a different vibe and hosting certain genres of music. This diversity makes it easy for any out-of-town people or Ausinites to find a venue that best suits them.

The

Importance Of Art

-How art affects students at LASA, and all over the world -By Andrew Martinez

Picture from Wikimedia commons

igh school can often be stressful for students, and Austin’s Liberal Arts and Science Academy is no exception, with anxiety marked as the second biggest problem faced by the student body, according to the LASA 2014 Wellness Survey. The advanced academics, high expectations, and time-consuming extracurriculars can often take quite the heavy toll on a young psyche, evidenced by the hundreds of stress-related visits LASA wellness counselor Meagan Butler receives every year. According to the LASA 2014 Wellness Survey, 45% of LASA students struggle with reducing academic stress, which, according to Butler, can be especially overwhelming when combined with other kinds of stress. Fortunately for students, fine arts classes provide opportunities for creativity, enjoyment and stress-reduction.

According to a study by the Arts Education Partnership, students enrolled in art classes will often perform far better in core classes such as math, science and English. Other organizations seem to be in agreement, with the Missouri Department of Education, and the Missouri Alliance for Arts Education even finding a link between participation in the arts and lowering disciplinary infraction rates in students. These findings would seem to support the idea that participation in the arts can yield positive results, even in high-stress academic environments, such as LASA. Students, in addition to teachers like Michlik, often share this sentiment. “They are taking away something that is really beneficial for students,” Barnett says, “[The focus on testing] is not good for them.” Barnett is not the only one who feels this way.

“I think it [art] is a great outlet for people that are really stressed-out throughout the day with their other really intense classes,” Jessica Michlik, a LASA art teacher, says. “So I think it’s a really really good way for them [students] to be creative. It just gives them a little bit of balance, and makes them well-rounded”

“Art is my life, it hasn’t just affected it.” -Anastasia Barnett

Wellness counselors seem to be in agreement, with Butler going so far as to say that art and music classes directly reduce feelings of stress. However, you do not have to be a professional to see the benefit and positive outlet that participating in fine arts present, the LASA students that were interviewed appear to agree. “I think that a lot of people rely on art as a stress reliever,” Anastasia Barnett, a student actress at LASA, says. “Or as something that can bring them joy in their day.”

Photo by Ella Castro Picture from publicdomainvectors.com

Picture from Michael Martinez

school. When asked about how art applies to her, she made it clear just how much she cares.

“It’s a really fun experience with other people.”

“Art is my life, it hasn’t just affected it. I think that it’s just very important.” Barnett says. “Whenever I’m on stage, I feel like my most comfortable self.” Barnett sees performing theater as a personal and valuable creative outlet. While she did say that different pursuits might serve as creative outlets for other people, she cherishes the arts as her own. “Through school, through learning, a lot of people have their own ways to express themselves,” Barnett says, “But the arts [are] a very simple way ... It always has the most positive effect on me.” Griffin Davis is also a LASA freshmen, and is currently enrolled in a level one art class. Griffin, though new to art on the high school level, has been positively affected by the environment nurtured in LASA’s fine art classes. “Art has been a hobby that has helped me to explore new areas,” Davis says. “Art has created a method of expression that I find to be more open to interpretation than most other methods. This has allowed me to advance the ways in which I communicate with others.”

-Michael Martinez

Another LASA student, Michael Martinez, feels the same way. Martinez is currently a senior at LASA, who has been in band since sixth grade, and has played music for twelve years. “Music helps me relieve stress,” Martinez says. “It’s a really fun experience with other people.” Appreciation for the arts, however, does not only happen at LASA, and studies have shown the many positive effects art courses can have on pupils. According to a study called “Learning In and Through the Arts”, students who took art education courses were happier at school. This study also shows that art classes supported better relationships between students and teachers, and teachers were recorded as being more pleased with their classes. Another study, “Artistic Talent Development for Urban Youth”, discovered that fine arts courses, in addition to helping students make lasting bonds with each other, also increase student resilience, foster positive states of mind and enhance focus on academic tasks. These findings are supported by the words of LASA students when asked their thoughts about the importance of the arts in their high school career. Barnett aims to become a professional actress in musical theater, and has been in LASA’s theater group, the Alleycat Players, since she started at the

Picture from Griffin Davis

“Art has been a hobby that has helped me to explore new areas.” -Griffin Davis

A report from the Rand Corporation gathered results that show the way art classes build cohesion within a community, and claims that art education can even help at-risk students to connect with the larger world. These findings are far from unique, a study entitled “Using Art Processes to Enhance Academic Self-Regulation” shows at-risk students exposed to art improve in areas such as self-regulation, positive risk-taking, thoughtful questioning, and self-initializing. Despite the positive effects of art education, there are still those who would rather focus school funds onto science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), even at the expense of art classes. According to Extracurriculars Are Central to Learning, an article on usnews.com, more than 80 percent of US schools have faced budget cuts since 2008, and arts and humanities classes are almost always the first to suffer. With the United States’ focus on standardized testing, an average student takes around 112 such tests between kindergarten and twelfth grade, so many schools must focus heavily on “learning for the test”. “I know that some people put more focus on math and science because they feel it is more valuable in the real world,” Michlik says, “But I think they are very wrong ... everything has creativity and art worked into it somehow.” Students, in addition to teachers like Michlik, often share this sentiment. “They are taking away something that is really beneficial for students,” Barnett says, “[The focus on testing] is not good for them.” Barnett is not the only one who feels this way. In support of that point, Davis says “I think that if you cut art classes, a lot of students will be unhappy with the school district.” If the creativity and stress-reduction that is fostered by participation in fine arts are not enough proof of their importance, one should consider the benefits related to STEM education. A study from the Arts Education Partnership shows children exposed to the arts, such as dance, drama, and music, tend to be more proficient in math, reading, and writing. A similar study, from the Center for Arts Education, shows art education improving graduation rates, backed up by the findings of the

“Whenever I’m on stage, I feel like my most comfortable self. -Anastasia Barnett

Picture from LASA yearbook

“Everything has art and creativity worked into it somehow.” -Jessica Michlik Missouri Alliance for Arts Education, which linked the arts to higher graduation, fewer disciplinary infractions and even heightened test scores. Finally, a study from the American Journal of Public Health found that art classes create a noticeable reduction in stress and anxiety while increasing more positive emotions. In the future, many students and teachers hope that art will be more recognized for its bounty of benefits, and that a greater concentration will be placed on art education. One can only hope that, more focus can be directed towards smarter education methods that more often, and more purposefully, incorporate art into core classes and STEM education. Fine arts classes provide an opportunity for student stress relief, creativity, and enjoyment, and should be a valued part of every high school experience. ◆

Graphic: Wikimedia.org, Pixabay.com, Wikipedia.org, Commons.wikimedia.org, Youtube.com, Flickr.com, Clipartpanda.com, Publicdomainpictures. net, Publicdomainvectors.org, Joke-battles.wikia.com Info: Knowyourmeme.com, Tvtropes.org, Mockbuster.wikia.com, Wikipedia.org, Dogecoin.com, Dogepay.com, Catster.com

By Andrew Martinez With Formatting Contributions From Anastaysia Barnett And Input From Sumin Choi And David Hamilton

THE TOP 10 MEMES For too long, memes have not been treated as the art they are. Memes have a tremendous effect on pop culture, influence media, and change the way people think. Far too often, people fail to recognize the true value of memes from a societical standpoint. In this article, I will chronicle some of my favorite memes, ranked from ten to one. 28

MEMES 9 Clipart covers

A clipart cover is a type of meme, where someone attempts to replicate the cover of an album, movie, show, or game, using only comic sans font, and clipart images. The first known clipart covers were posted in 2011.

Talk To Me Or 7 Don’tMyEver Son Ever Again This meme originated from a picture of an anime character, with a smaller version of himself. The photo was captioned “Don’t ever talk to me or my son ever again.” Since then, anything has become subject to this treatment, including stormtroopers, Daschunds, and Guy Fieri.

Doge

The doge meme consists of a Shiba Inu dog, usually either “Kabosu” or “Suki”. The picture is accompanied by comic sans font, and poor grammar. Doge is used to comment on situations, saying things such as “such impressive”, and “much wow”. An internet currency was created based on Doge, called the Dogecoin, similar to the Bitcoin.

3 Birds With Arms

Birds With Arms are a series of pictures of birds, with human arms photoshopped onto them. The first Birds With Arms were posted in 2008, but searches for them skyrocketed in 2011. Arms of a famous individual are often used, and making a bird look like a fictional character is also common.

10 Lolcatz

Most people who have ever used the internet have encountered at least one lolcat, making this one of the more well-known memes. However, many people don’t know that the first “lolcatz” (not by that name) were made in 1870, by Harry Pointer.

8 Ted “Zodiac Killer” Cruz This meme started, when people realized that Ted Cruz looks vaguely like the one sketch of the zodiac killer. In this meme, people will use any tiny bit of information to confirm Ted Cruz as the zodiac killer. This includes claiming that his speech in reverse is a confession, and that his campaign destinations, when connected, spell a confession.

6 John Cena The “John Cena” meme consists of someone unexpectedly showing pro wrestler John Cena’s 2005 intro clip. Often, it is inserted into videos, to play after someone says “and his name is”, at which point the theme begins, blasting airhorns, and the words “JOHN CENA”.

4 Rickrolling

“Rickrolling” is the practice of tricking someone into watching a video of “Never Gonna Give You Up”, sung by Rick Astley. The first known Rickroll was made in 2007, disguised as a Grand Theft Auto trailer. Rickrolling is named in part from a similar meme, Duckrolling, where a person disguises a link to a wheeled duck as something else. For more information, go to this link: http://bit.ly/1WciFpZ

2 Yee

The “yee” meme originated from an Italian film entitled “Dinosaur Adventures”, created by Dingo Pictures, to rip off “The Land Before Time” series. The meme is a clip, where an “anklyosaurus” sings himself a little song, before being interrupted by a loud “yee” from a “Tyrannosaurus Rex”. Since its introduction, many variations of the original have been made, having the “YEE” interrupt something else.

1 Rare Pepe The “Rare Pepe” meme, consists of a nartist creating a variation of the character “Pepe”, from Matt Furie’s “Boys Club”. The variation is often priced, or proclaimed to be “the rarest”. Before its removal, a collection of Rare Pepe’s reached 99,166 dollars on an online auction. The “Rare Pepe” meme often involves an economy, which users attest to having “flooded” with Pepes, decreasing all of their value. When not marked as “rare” Pepe is often used as a reaction image, with “the Feels Guy”. Pepes have been found all over, and were even submitted in a contest to design New Zealands flag.

TULSA BY: DAVID HAMILTON

Visitors tour an art exhibit on First Friday. All photographs taken by Robert Hamilton.

“They are here to stay and will grow.” W

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hen you think of Oklahoma, what comes to mind? Do you think of flat grassy plains, sprawling oak forests, nodding pump jacks or fierce tornadoes? How about art? Nestled in center of Oklahoma’s Northeast quadrant, Tulsa, Oklahoma certainly has everything from oak forests to pump jacks. However, over the last several years, Tulsa, has seen a massive boom in the fine arts thanks to investment by private donors and philanthropic organizations working along with the city government. As a result Tulsa has become a beacon of the fine arts, and, as its reputation grows, it is becoming recognized more and more as one of the next big cities.

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UNDERSTANDING TULSA When looking at Tulsa’s success, it is important to understand the unique origins of the recent development. Talking with Kathy McRuiz, a full time visual artist who lives in Tulsa, and a former director of the Hardesty Arts Center, it became immediately apparent that the growth had been well planned and designed to last. “A lot of money goes into the buildings and the programs, they are solid organizations and programs that have been there a long time and people in the community are very engaged and participate” McRuiz says. “They are here to stay and will grow.”

And while McRuiz noted that the movement had started as grassroots effort by a group of local artists working with the Arts and Humanities Council, they were soon inundated as the floodgates were opened on funds from private donors. In fact the success of Tulsa’s arts scene can largely be chalked up to this private funding, which is really what sets it apart from most other cities. “It’s happening because there is a lot of effort being put forth and there’s a strong support from the philanthropic community,” McRuiz says. “It’s really individuals and organizations that have financial wherewithal and a vision and a coordination of all those groups to make something happen – it’s pretty unusual, I think.” Not only is it an unusual situation, but it has had unusual consequences as well. Because the growth of Tulsa’s art scene has been so rapidly and artificially induced, it seems to lack the reputation of a city on the opposite end of the spectrum, e.g. Austin, Texas, the live music capitol of the world. Much of Austin’s renown as a city of the fine arts was brought on accidentally by the show Austin City Limits. So, for a city like Tulsa, part of the problem has been recreating that. “The Tulsa Artist Fellowship is new this year and we brought in twelve artists from all over the nation to stay in Tulsa for one year,” McRuiz says, “They [will] stay in Tulsa for one year and make art in the community and get involved in the community. So this is really going to help us have a national presence in the visual arts.” Even with the new initiatives, such as the one launched by the Tulsa Artist Fellowship, Tulsa seems to have a long way to go in terms of getting the word out there. And while half the war is already won (what with the art museum and galleries, the music venues and the concert halls), little can be done to avoid the fact that it takes time to gain the reputation Tulsa needs and deserves.

ROME WASN’T BUILT IN A DAY “Well we’ve got a long ways to go until we could catch up to Austin, even the Austin of thirty or forty years ago because Austin has had that incredible music scene for a long time,” Scott Hamilton, a managing attorney of the Tulsa office of the legal aid services of Oklahoma, and an off and on resident of forty years,

Art from McRuiz’s First Friday Opening. Photograph taken by Robert Hamilton.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

“We like to think that we are the next Austin, but that is a long ways off.”

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

says. “We like to think of ourselves as the next Austin, but that is a long ways off.”

Residents like Scott have a point. While Austin saw a revitalization of its own warehouse district and a similar rise in the music scene, all that has had a long time to unfold. In the meantime, Austin has attracted other industries and branched out past the fine arts, it has grown in size (according to the United States Census Bureau Austin had a population of 885400 as of 2013, whereas Tulsa’s total population numbered only 398121) and it has become known worldwide as the live music capital of the world.

FIRST FRIDAY Robert Hamilton is a retired fire lieutenant for the city of Austin, who has lived in both cities, and while it has been forty–five years since he was last a true resident of Tulsa, he travels there regularly to visit family. In fact, at the time of the interview, he had just returned home from a weekend there, having gone to see the First Friday Art Crawl. This event, which has occurred since 2007 according to the website of the Brady Arts

District, happens on the first Friday of every month and offers an opportunity for those in Tulsa to experience its rich abundance of art galleries, museums, etc. in and around the Brady Arts District. First Friday openings have really captured the essence of what Tulsa is becoming, and they do a fantastic job of showing off the town and its art, while also giving back to the community. Of course this is not the only way that the city’s art foundations and galleries have connected with the local community. Besides the obvious benefits of offering entertainment and attracting other business and growth, the Arts and Humanities Council initiated a program called Any Given Child, which allows every child in the Tulsa public school system to have an experience with art once a year through field trips and other such activities.

Piece from a First Friday art exhibit. All photographs taken by Robert Hamilton.

While talking with McRuiz she explained that the program has had a massive outreach and great success at achieving its goal (one that was originally impossible due to lack of state funding.) Now each year the children of Tulsa experience art through a different local arts center or organization. This type of program wouldn’t be possible without the effort of these local organizations, but it is also heavily dependent on the fact that Tulsa offers such a diverse list of the arts. Unlike Austin, which is primarily known for its music scene, Tulsa’s main draw would be the visual arts, but the beauty of Tulsa is that it really just covers everything. The Hardesty Arts Center alone offers studios in everything from painting, to photography, to woodworking. There are also music festivals, and with the relatively new Bank of Oklahoma (BOK) center, which is capable of hosting large concerts, more bands are touring through Tulsa. “I got to see a lot of stuff, such as woodworking in the 108 Gallery, three different furniture makers displaying their work, all handcrafted, beautiful stuff,” Robert says, “It was fun to walk around. Someone was doing a glassblowing demonstration in one of the shops there and all the artwork was different.” It seems that this new art scene has caught the eye of other development as well, what with new restaurants and housing opening up downtown and in and around the Brady District. This is one of the most obvious comparisons to Austin that the fine arts scene has attracted residents and business to a once dead area of town.

Photograph of McRuiz (Center) standing under the banner of her recent art opening. All photographs taken by Robert Hamilton.

“We’ve had restaurants, and bars, and more nightlife coming back to downtown in just the last few years, which was something that was missing for a long time when downtown was kind of a ghost town on five o’clock on a work day.” Scott says. Listening to my interviewees, it is hard to deny that life really is returning to Tulsa, and as the city continues to grow, it is more than likely that its reputation will grow with it, but whether it will become the next Austin or diverge down an entirely different path is best left for time to tell. In the meantime, I think I’ll be visiting Tulsa.

◆

T U L S A V POP 2014: 3,878,051

Growth since 2010: 126,700

Apartments to open (2015) 600+

Throughout “OK Tulsa” the two cities are compared in order to provide you, the reader, what is hoped to be a possibly more relatable reference point. But, that comparison is clearly flawed, as pointed out by multiple sources that appeared in the feature. Which has led us to the question: how similar are the two? Well, this graphic serves to answer that by taking a look beyond the art in order to see a tale of two cities. What appears are two cities on the rise, both fueled with relatively recent development. Beyond that, is a massive gap in the size and scale of the cities. This gap definitely raises concerns about a comparison between Tulsa and Austin, but the concerns should be at least slightly off set by the growing status of the cities. While residents of Tulsa very reasonably view Austin’s level of development and population as a long ways off, others (equally reasonably) make a very convincing and optimistic point regarding the city’s future.

A U S T I N S

By: David Hamilton

POP 2014:

Predicted economic growth (2011 - 2016): 6.1%

Austin growth since 2010: 1,811,397

Credit: nytimes.com - forbes.com - census.gov

26,956,958

Take George Kaiser, a philanthropist and major benefactor of Tulsa, who, according to the New York Times, says, “Portland wasn’t always cool; Seattle wasn’t always cool. One of the ways you can try to make your city cool is by attracting talented young people and hoping that a number of them stick.” Regardless of how you view the future of either of the two cities, it does at least seem that they are shaping up to be the next big something.