Lovechild Issue 2: ghosts

lovechild VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 2 • DECEMBER 2012

illustration photography fine art poetry comics

ghosts 1

editor’s letter I recently took a course in gothic literature. Which means I read a lot of ghost stories. Stories with skeletons, haunted houses, madness, death, and vampires. Ghosts appeared in many of them– but sometimes in surprising ways. Very few were actual apparitions of the floating sort. More were diembodied voices, the sensation of a touch or breath that came from nothing, or a looming, foreboding prescence. Others appeared in animated family portraits, or in an individual’s mind. I encountered many spirits that challenged our idea of what a ghost was.

So what is a ghost to you? Anna M. discusses this on page 2, while Charlit Floriano imagines how these spirits might interact with each other, animals, and humans in the natural world (page 14). Poetry by Kate Davis and Tamara De Dominicis evokes the elusive and intagible idea of ghosts in the everyday world (pages 6, 8 and 11), while Geordie McFadden catches glimses on film. Crystal Ben explores how ghosts are linked to the material world (page 9), while San Kim gives his own take on pop culture’s view of ghosts (page 12). In this issue of lovechild we share our own ghosts with you.

Boo!

Katherine Diemert

Cover Painting (detail) by Evelyn Kelch Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde by Jonathan Barker Back Cover IIllustration by Linda Yan

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in this issue WHAT DO YOU DEFINE AS A GHOST? TEXT: ANNA M. PHOTO: GEORDIE MCFADDEN

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PHOTO: GEORDIE MCFADDEN

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TONIGHT, AS ALL NIGHTS POEM: KATE DAVIS ILLUSTRATION: OLENA (LENNY) LISHCHENKO

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THE END OF DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME TAMARA DE DOMINICIS

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ILLUSTRATION: CRYSTAL BEN

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GLOWING POEM: KATHERINE DIEMERT PAINTING: EVELYN KELCH

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A HAUNTED MORNING POEM: TAMARA DE DOMINICIS PAINTING: EVELYN KELCH

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ILLUSTRATION: SAN KIM

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I AM THE GHOST AT YOUR SHOULDER POEM: KATHERINE DIEMERT ILLUST: MELISSA CHUNG

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SPIRIT THEORIES TEXT AND ILLUSTRATION: CHARLIT FLORIANO

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31 GHOSTS ILLUSTRATION: KATIE PAK ABOUT CONTRIBUTERS

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EXTRA! COMIC: EDDIE XU

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What do you define as a ghost?

We have the literal ghost. Rattling chains, the ice cold basement, the low moans in the dead of night that could probably stand to be a bit more erotic, everything you ever saw in a horror movie and all those paranormal investigation shows. All those things that made their way into your nightmares no matter how old you got.

We have the more metaphorical ghost too. A memory of sorts.

An old house you lived in years and years ago, a deciduous tree that marks the grave of a childhood pet, a song you hear that used to be a favourite of a little girl you once knew. What makes something into a ghost instead of just a memory? It’s something that used to be there once and isn’t anymore.

Your old home has been renovated until you barely recognize it, the shrubs have grown over the grave and you don’t remember what that dog’s hair felt like under your fingers anymore, and that little girl grew up hard and died from an overdose the other year. This ghost is something that you miss and cannot get back.

And then there are the ghosts you never knew, things that ceased to exist before you were even born, yet somehow you find familiarity in it. Ancient letters between strangers that brown around the edges, ruins in Rome, black and white photographs from another century. You may not understand why exactly you feel such a pull to something you’ve never known before, but there it is; an invisible string connects you when you weren’t aware there were any attached to you in the first place.

For every suggested definition of a ghost, you may be able to think of another one. Skeptics may have their place, but ghosts are here in one form or another, always walking among us.

Now: what’s haunting you?

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text by Anna M. photography by Geordie McFadden

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photography by Geordie McFadden

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tonight, as all nights Tonight, as all nights, these rambling paths beckon with Cheshire grins nobbling teeth echo sounds of public transportation in a forgotten age laughter from afar carries with delicate intentionality; a beautiful dream in trancelike unity of sound and perfect shadow orange orbs submit, their mists pull back the time to reveal presence, mystical presence facades drawing the eye away away to providence across more stones smaller now, but beautiful endlessly speaking of love enough to recall or perhaps status, obligation some don’t divulge, their faces long lost to nature and good-natured apathy it’s quiet here; silence becomes of the space between, atop, around implicit solitude becoming one the quiet sigh a cool wind the gone, the now, the tomorrow subsumed in the gesture a tree clawing through a stone wall only to die on the other side where it belonged poem by Kate Davis illustration by Olena (Lenny) Lishchenko

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the end of daylight savings time This is the time of year when ghosts
 walk the busy parking lots.

Mid-day, mid-week, mid-thought, mid-step, on your way to the supermarket.

She would have been less unexpected if it were barely nightfall on a misty October evening the clouds looming within your reach like a low basement ceiling if it were the kind of night where every rustle masks a footstep and every shadow conceals a secret if it were the kind of night you spend looking over your shoulder scanning the darkening streets for a pair of eyes gazing back at you an intangible presence.

But instead the hot noon sun urges a trickle of sweat down your back.

The sky is such a rich endless blue you can believe it does go on forever.

The clouds are bunches of white balloons you let drift away a long time ago.

You could hardly be less alone.

Perhaps she is only some woman you don’t know, searching for her car keys. poem by Tamara De Dominicis illustration by Crystal Ben

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glowing I pat you on the cheek, Warm in the cold, “I’ve cured you,” Little clouds of fog multiplying From a distance, drawing closer, “I’ve cured you,” Florescent light dissolving softly.

Purely, in every sense of the word, “I’ve cured you,” Glowing.

“Glowing” by Katherine Diemert “A Haunted Morning” by Tamara De Dominicis Paintings by Evelyn Kelch

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a haunted morning If, after a dream, you wake to find your skin sticky with the scent of strawberries your ears ringing with the last notes of a melody you danced to long ago...

Rest assured you have become a caretaker of lost memories, walking the rooms of beloved old houses to ensure they do not crumble wiping the dust from portraits so you may meet their gaze.

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I am the ghost at your shoulder I am the ghost at your shoulder.

The faint pull of regret, The subtlest of shadows.

I am the forgotten reminder, The loosened and lost String round your finger.

The slightest cold shiver.

I am intangible I am insubstantial Oh, Death, do come knocking– I will welcome you gladly, But not before one last tug The faint pull of regret.

A cold hand on your shoulder, A whispered breath A silent departure

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illustration (right) by San Kim illusatration (this page) by Melissa Chung poem by Katherine Diemert

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spirit theories

Everything has a soul. Humans, animals, trees and even inanimate objects like rocks have a spirit. If you have ever stared at a tree and felt a kind of love for it, its spirit has communicated with you. Trees and other plant life are exceptionally communicative compared rocks and metals, who are rather stand off-ish.

The older a spirit the bigger it is, which means it can easily connect to the material plane. An ancient spirit can control younger spirits and interact with living beings. Miracles are usually the outcome of a kind ancient spirit having pity on the living.

Spirits gain strength by absorbing other spirits. If two beings are very close together and one is weaker than the other the soul is likely to be absorbed. If you spend long stretches of time with someone and feel drained without knowing why, they may be absorbing you. If the spirit is completely absorbed the physical form is likely to die or corrode more quickly.

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Spirits weaken with their physical forms. When a spirit’s body is weak the spirit also loses strength.

Have you ever eaten too many chips or went a little too long without fruit? You probably felt tired and morally indecisive. This has everything to do with your spirit’s weakened state.

Spirits are connected to matter. The world began as one spirit with every atom working together very happily. Then forms began seperating and moving away from one another and the little spirits really missed each other. All forms of love and pain stem from this and when bodies decompose and create new life the spirits move with them.

Spirits are connected to physical elements such as water, earth, fire and air. In a human the element impacts personality, for example, someone who is connected to fire would be warm and caring but probably have a bad temper as well. illustration and text by Charlit Floriano

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Illustration by Katie Pak

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CONTRIBUTERS ANNA M. is a legal-in-some-countries writer residing in Southern Ontario, who in her spare time enjoys reading, writing, and fighting crime. She is also the copy editor of lovechild magazine MELISSA CHUNG is a 2nd year illustrator at Sheridan College.Loves to eat, read, and daydream about places she has never visited and people that she has never met. Visit her space on the inter webs at papermomo.net CRYSTAL BEN is an illustrator fresh out of college who loves painting, reading and the outdoors. cbenillustration@gmail.com crystalben.com crystal-ben.tumblr.com KATIE PAK (2nd year interpretive illustration), I like ART, food, sleep, and manga/anime. Please check out this site:Â hoyee-artreport.blogspot.ca OLENA (LENNY) LISHCHENKO is currently in her second year of studying illustration with the vague goal of one day being able to doodle for a living. She likes really bad puns, Taekwondo, nib pens and her cat Fat Tony. olena.li@gmail.com lennlish.tumblr.com

KATE DAVIS is a lover of animals, adventure, feminism, and badass tattoos. She is also a Journalism New Media student at Sheridan College. @DavisDialectic katie.davis@sheridanc.on.ca TAMARA DE DOMINICIS is a poet who listens when the trees whisper to the sky. She dreams about moondrenched oceans and the smell of baking pumpkin pastries. Tamara is currently studying Social Service Work at Sheridan College. tamara.dedominicis@gmail.com EVELYN KELCH is a visual artist who thinks way too much and does way too little. She wonders about what the point is and whether it matters. She seeks further distractions, levity, and amusing anecdotes.

Send any to evelynkelch@gmail.com JONATHAN BARKER is a 4th year Illustration student in the Scientific and Technical stream. He loves working hard at projects and buying too many concept art books.

LINDA YAN I am so sorry Katherine. I will do a better job next time. brownrabbit@live.com brownrabbits.tumblr.com

SAN KIM is currently a student in the illustration program of Sheridan college and aims to be a professional illustrator. zotchart@gmail.com

EDDIE XU is an artist and illustrator who enjoys making up stories. http://www.forgottentreehouse.com forgottentreehouse.tumblr.com

KATHERINE DIEMERT is in her second year of Illustration at Sheridan College. She likes good food and thinks sloths are hilarious. She is also the editor and designer of lovechild magazine knoodleart.tumblr.com kdiemert@gmail.com

GEORDIE MCFADDEN likes taking photographs.

DANIELLE PANETTA draws awesome little ghost doodles like this one:

Lovechild was intended as a fun, not-for-profit medium to present and share work, as well as discuss and collaborate between friends. You can find more at lovechildmag.tumblr.com, or contact us at lovechildmag@gmail.com. All work is copyright Š of the original artist and has been used with their permission.

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18 Comic by Eddie Xu

EXTRA!

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