P O R T R A I T P U B L I C AT I O N
VISAGE
APRIL 2018 • ISSUE 1
P O R T R A I T P U B L I C AT I O N APRIL 2018 • ISSUE 1
APRIL 2018
I can never talk about the arts without also talking about the visage. To me, the arts have always been a channel of abandon. Art, music, literature—they are the shedding of dress, the crisp press and wipe of cloth against cheek, a jitter of blood flushed back into the body after I have spent all day holding back the waters. I am free in my expression of self when I pursue art in its variegated forms, and I have always been grateful for the hospitality it has shown me all my life. But visage is no such hostess. Visage is the appearance, the facade, a scoring sheet for how enough I am in the eyes of the world. And I have always feared it—I run from it and I resent it. And I’ve never followed the rules that come attached with being beautiful well either: all that straining, that sucking in, the clothing and ointments and regiments, how all of it is pressed and pinned neatly down to the inch and pound. Beauty is always demanding I fit myself into a shape I simply can’t. Daydream and fantasy spill out the edges, an untethered sort of softness, the abstract yearning of world-makers. My heart presses against the glass, pounding for relief. I learned a long time ago that artists, by their very nature, are messy. When you live on the cusp of poetry and fling your heart at beautiful things—it is inevitable that you become a sort of feral, bleeding creature. Body image and a passion to celebrate the creative arts: since I was a little girl, it is these two forces that have dictated the rushes and pulls of my life. They are my most vulnerable thoughts. I want to be pretty. I want to be
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alive. And they are wildly disparate to me, yet common causation for nearly all of the most meaningful experiences and self-discoveries in my 17 years—the unspeakable sorrow of perceived inadequacy; yet just as well the elation of muse and creation. So what is so remarkable about this issue, then, is the marriage of two such forces. How tenderly they touch upon the other, how they mutually define one another without judgement or expectation, and how the absence of pressure for convention is wholly comfortable; I want to celebrate that. Each featured artist, each poem and playlist and story, wears its own visage—darkly handsome or passionately vivacious, mournfully delicate or brutishly raw. Beauty in art takes the shape of that which the artist wills it to. The Portrait committee and I have worked hard to select a unique array of pieces that showcase the boundless capacity for beauty in the arts. It is the sort of beauty that cannot be tied down by societal definitions or quantified by a scale or measuring tape. That is what I hope readers will take away from our April Issue. An unmasking to reveal true beauty. An honest visage.
Kelly Wei EDITOR IN CHIEF
Beauty in art takes the shape of that which the artist wills it to. 5
From Another Day of Sun, Alli Feille
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exhume those stories. the stories of the people who dreamed big and never saw those dreams to fruition.
people who fell in love and lost. 10
Movi inclu lves for rsity
Movie, TV casting in Hollywood evolves for inclusiveness, trend in favor of diversity
TANYA RAGHU Senior Managing Editor 17 percent. The percentage of all female directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and cinematographers working on the top 250 domestic grossing films in a world. The problem is beyond an individual and specifically for me, as a IndianAmerican, minority and woman. It extends to the immense influence of movies and TV on perceptions, stereotypes and society. This power is inevitably vested in Hollywood which continues to occupy an increasingly important role in mainstream culture. Whether via TV shows, news channels, advertisements or movies, images and visuals have subconscious influences on our opinions, self esteem and perception of ourselves and others. Viewing a realistic society portrayed on screen strengthens our connection to the story line but also presents heros and heroines for a diverse audience. We are conditioned to see a Caucasian man and woman in the main role, but as the United States’ yearning for diversity continues, the change needs to continue to be reflected in the media. This trend needs to be embraced and reflected in media and I believe it will lead to long term societal acceptance and open mindedness. The root of the problem is the lack of people of color, immigrants, backgrounds, experiences, variety of ages and body types. As stories continue to propagate idealized views of beauty and characterizations, it creates an excluding environment. The movement needs to starts with the directors, producers, movie-makers, who are writing and deciding content to share with the world. The fact that this
percent of woman is 17 is a problem. However, this power to create change extents to designers, writers, journalists or anyone with a sway on deliverance of news, ideas and opinions of a greater audience. Following her 2017 Oscar win for Actress in a Supporting Role, Viola Davis, delivered a power speech. “You know, there’s one place that all the people with the greatest potential are gathered. One place and that’s the graveyard. People ask me all the time, what kind of stories do you want to tell, Viola? And I say, exhume those bodies. Exhume those stories. The stories of the people who dreamed big and never saw those dreams to fruition. People who fell in love and lost. I became an artist— and thank God I did—because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life.” Movies are meant to be a celebration of life. They tell and document the stories of the special, eccentric, different and capture the diversity of humanity. In the long term, inclusiveness will allow directors to connect with an increasingly diverse audience in a society that is starting to acknowledge the importance and influence of diversity on relationships, interactions and experiences.
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LOVE Russ my boy Him Writer in the Dark Quit Gemini Fallin’ Humanize Put Your Head On My Shoulder Love For That Unforgettable BITE When We Were Young Heir to the Sugar Honey Queen
Cherry Hill Billie Eillish Sam Smith Lorde Cashmere Cat ft. Ariana Grande Anne Marie Alicia Keys Lizzo Paul Anka Mura Masa, Shura Nat King Cole Troye Sivan Adele Ehiorobo
THE CRAZY AND THE BEAUTIFUL: A SMOOTH MIX F O R V E LV E T R O M A N T I C S Mark Bashai 12
GGREAT REAT PPRO RO DUCE DUCE RS RS Music Everything Pyxis Epoch Voyager Artificial Intelligence Kong Bug Thief Noodle Cove Eye of the Storm Loud Pipes Night Resonance Vienna DIY (Do It Yourself) Goodbye to a World
Mystery Skulls FM-84 Home Tycho Daft Punk nelward Iglooghost Leon Shook Ratatat M83 Home Thom Sonny Green Mork Porter Robinson
ODE TO AN U N D E R A P P R E C I AT E D F I E L D O F MUSIC-MAKING Brandon Johnson 13
Flowers, Hannah Jeon
Eyes, Hannah Jeon
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Thorns, Roses, and a Little Bit of Perfection KANISHKA SHAH
She was a white rose Elegant, calm The very sight of her took my breath away Sarcasm was her weapon Laughter was her shield She never let her little smile fade I remember that it hurt Looking at her hurt Everytime she broke down She can’t handle it She’s too exhausted Her mind is always so damn loud Her heart is shattered Her trust, non existent Triggering the haunting anxiety It doesn’t let her sleep It interrupts her thoughts Eating away at her sanity She was a white rose As pure as she was fragile With one false touch she’ll shatter With open bones Her heart exposed A simple prick feels like a dagger
Her mental health is in shambles Though she disguises it With her smiling projection She’s a little damaged And her mind’s a little contaminated By all the therapy and medication She thinks she’s screwed up, flawed Run down, unsound Busted and broken I think she’s wonderful, marvelous Stunning, exquisite She’s perfectly imperfect An angel surrounded by demons A butterfly enclosed by wasps But all she sees are her mistakes With eyes that could fit a galaxy And an allure so enchanting it radiates But all she felt was the heartache She was a white rose With scars for thorns More beautiful than her favorite flower She’s got burns for petals And a broken stem And I think I’ve fallen in love with her
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Strangers for a Minute KANISHKA SHAH
You walk past me With your gaze so cold Black ripped jeans And perfect little cheekbones You’re like dancing in the rain And snowball fights at midnight And fireworks in the winter And everything feels right We never saw each other again And we probably never will For a minute you had my attention And it was clear I had yours as well There was something about your stare The fire in it burned me down The ice building up Gnawing at my doubt
The way you looked at me Ignited flames inside The doors to my soul Opened with a single smile
You tilted your head The corners of your mouth twitched That smile comforted me Like the smell of rainy pavement
I let you in You did the same Without a single word And I don’t even know your name
In those five seconds You walked by Everything stood still When we locked eyes
I walk that road Hoping to catch a glance Of that radiant figure That made my heart dance The butterflies in my stomach Choreographing their attraction Fluttering around To the beat of your distraction You turned my way And your shadow shined All the other people are stars But you are the northern lights Your presence changed my aura Turning it into grace Cascading yellows and greens And I don’t even know your name
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Addicted KANISHKA SHAH Lately, I've found myself thinking about love About what it would feel like About what it would look like About what it would change I’ve been wondering what it could do The powers it has The effects it has The way people react to it I’ve been wanting to experience it All the hope it gives you All the joy it leaves you All the little wonders it contains I’ve been wanting to figure out what the big deal is What it makes you do What it makes you say What everyone is so obsessed with Lately, I’ve found myself thinking about love I want to know what it’s like to hold someone in your arms To feel like they are your everything I want to know what it’s like to want nothing but to be with them forever I’ve been wondering what it could do I long to feel the high The wonderful sensations it brings you I long to feel the addiction I’ve been wanting to experience it I yearn to feel it course through my veins Infecting every inch of me with passion and beauty I yearn to feel the rush I’ve been wanting to find out what the big deal is I need to know what's so enticing I want to be addicted, dependent, ruined I need to know why it's so desirable Lately, I've found myself thinking about love About what it would feel like About what it would look like About what it would change Lately, I've found myself thinking about love I've been wondering what it could do I've been wanting to experience it I've been wanting to figure out what the big deal is It's exhilarating, supposedly But how can something so damaging be so sought after.. It's addicting, supposedly It makes you numb, I guess Lately, I've found myself thinking about love About what it would feel like About what it would look like About what it would change Lately, I've found myself thinking about love And it's all I can think about
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It’s the end of freshman year and I put AP Art History down on my schedule for next year’s classes, a little because the history aspect of the class piqued my interest... however, I admit that I chose it mostly because I needed an art credit to graduate. I didn’t know what to expect from the class, but I definitely did not expect to know the name, date, material, and background of over 250 pieces of art, spanning 10 world cultures, by the end of it. I had always enjoyed my history classes from a young age, but after sixth grade World Geography, my history classes have mostly concentrated on the America and its domestic affairs. In December 2013, a few months before I started the class, I traveled to Egypt on a family vacation. At the time, I never realized that the relics, reliefs, and sculptures would soon have far greater significance than simply being
TANYA RAGHU Senior Managing Editor
another valuable artifact displayed in the expansive Cairo Museum. It was remarkable to experience the romanticized world of Ancient Egypt in person; my prior interactions with this culture was limited to books and the History Channel. Since childhood, I have been fascinated by the culture’s mystifying beliefs about the afterlife, fascinating embalming ceremonies, and incredible architectural feats. In Egypt, beyond the clouding dust that formed the silhouette of Cairo’s skyline barely distinguishable, lay the Great Pyramids, Sphinx, and countless temples along the Nile. It was a humbling experience to stand before these massive structures, but it hadn’t truly resonated with me. Once I studied the monuments and relics to understand their past and details, the experience become far more meaningful and profound. By the end of the course, my entire
perspective regarding art had changed, and I developed a deep appreciation for the creative process. Through my educational career, it has been apparent that here is an universal lack of emphasis placed on the arts in adolescent education. Although I have never gravitated towards creative thinking, this class has influenced me into becoming a well-rounded person and thinker. It is unfortunate that art is often lacking in a traditional high school experience, as it is one of the few remaining disciplines of humanity that connects us to our ancestral origins. Art exists fills our daily life through architecture, painting, sculptures, graphic design, artifacts, to just a name a few instances. Art History has given me the ability to gain a deeper understanding about history and importantly, our shared humanity.
Art History allows for an experience beyond the traditional high school education
Going Nowhere, Daniela Murtha
Feeling Blue, Daniela Murtha
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Bravo SARAH LOW
We were on top of the world, side-by-side, angelic enemies across the great divide of war. And for some reason the two of us only stared at each other. (I remember, years ago, when my father discovered bite marks on his daughter’s neck he tied me down to a chair and held a light to my face until he fooled himself into thinking that he had finally, truly chased that darkness’ touch away. Indeed, by the time I was nineteen, I had slept with the Wolf in my bed And he had skewered the support for his argument into my flesh.) Suddenly—an explosion in all directions, smoking debris. The receiver looked for Bravo Niner, but I refused to copy instead, I circled through the smoke and looked for the white glimpse of a parachute, of a halo, or a ghost but was horrified and relieved to find nothing but— drowning beneath the waves —a job well done. When I returned to the base that night, I yelled to my superiors that I should have been the one that killed the Wolf, that I wasn’t caught in some violent memory—that my hand was on the trigger—that it had been my assignment and they should have given me more time In truth, I wanted to tell them that I hated both the Wolf and war for what they had done to me even if I was no pacifist myself.
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Lupine, Sarah Low
Senior Pictures, Addison Davis
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Fulfilling artistic passion through local studio
Createria Studios
CHRISTINE ZACUAI Contributing Writer After years of waiting and planning, Kate Shema finally mustered the courage to leave her job in advertising and make her dreams of opening an art studio, a reality. Renovated from an old art annex, Createria Studios now stands today as Coppell’s very own creative outlet. The studio reaches out to a wide range of customers as it is open to all areas like Coppell, Grapevine, Irving and Lewisville. With its pristine white outer walls and modest logo, it is safe to say the exterior does no justice for the studio’s exuberant and creative nature inside. Sharing multiple rooms with other city programs, like Coppell Youth Soccer, theatre and music classes, the studio never fails to lack in boisterous energy and liveliness. Its owner’s inspiration for opening the studio was a result of an avid interest in art that began at an early age. Study halls, before and after school hours, Shema seized every opportunity to be connected with the school’s art department. “As a kid, I was kind of shy, but I was good at art, so it really gave me my self confidence,” Shema said. Even finding herself making spontaneous tape sculptures and constantly generating ideas at her previous job, Shema soon discovered the desire to create an art-friendly environment. “Everything thing I do, what I’m going to eat, wear, go, or read the next day, it all related to the idea of creativity,” Shema said. With her voracious drive for creativity, Shema shares the minds of
art enthusiasts and aspiring artists alike. The passion of being an artist that Shema exerts is seen through the use of different mediums in her studio. Classes at Createria Studios work with a wide spectrum of art categories such as watercolor, mosaic, weaving, pottery and origami. From AP students, elementary school learners, to grandparents, Createria Studios show there is no limit to age in the face of creativity. The studio offers scheduled classes and summer camps as well as special events and workshops. This includes couple’s Paint Nite, parent-child painting sessions, anniversaries and birthday parties. Guest artists often visit the studio on weekends to teach specialized workshops on art categories like calligraphy to learners. Createria Studios also is involved with community involvement as they work with Old Town groups, the Coppell Chamber of Commerce, Farmer’s Market and local businesses to plan events. Moving forward, Createria Studios hopes to share the enthusiasm of creating art and extend their offerings further out into the community.
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Dust to Beauty, Grace Pittinger
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Drunken Eyes, Yue Taira
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AMELIA SHARES WHY SHE LOVES OPERA
Onstage is where Coppell High School senior Amelia Vanyo thrives. No stranger to the adrenaline rush that comes with singing opera, Vanyo’s passion for vocal performance stems from the comfort and escape her art form gives her, as well as a desire to provide the same experience to those in the audience. We sat down with her to hear more about her small beginning and bright future.
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Q&A / Amelia Vanyo Q: How did you first Q: Besides singing, what’s develop an interest in your favorite thing about opera singing? opera? In the fifth grade, my mom signed me up for this opera education program through the Dallas Opera. They were holding auditions for supernumeraries [non-singing parts in an opera] for The Magic Flute. I was kind of interested, but I wasn’t really sure what I was getting myself into. I knew I loved to sing, I didn’t know I loved to sing opera. So I remember once I was backstage talking to the singer that played Pamina. We were having a conversation and she held up her hand and said, “Just a second.” Then she walked onstage and starting singing this beautiful aria, and at that moment I thought that was the coolest thing, to stop in the middle of a conversation and create this amazing art. That’s when I decided that this is what I want to do.
Q: Why do you want to pursure opera as a professional, rather than a hobby? To be an opera singer, you really have to take it very seriously. You can’t be in operas without having a degree. You can’t perform as much without one, and I like opera not just because of how it makes me feel, but because I think it impacts the world around me. It’s very empathetic. I want to have the chance to perform to impact people in that way.
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I like the sets of operas. I think they’re really interesting. You kind of get to throw yourself into a whole other world, you get to act like you’re a different person, you get to be a different person. You get to be a part of a life that’s not yours. You get to experience a bit of the character’s life and the composer or the lyricist’s life.
Q: What drives passion for opera?
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I struggled a lot in middle school and high school, and even before middle school - I struggled for a long time with fitting in and feeling sad or lonely all the time. I used to get really anxious. The one thing that could ever make me feel like I was normal - which is so bizarre because nobody normal sings opera - but the only thing that made me feel normal or safe or just calm was singing, specifically performing in operas. When I could get up onstage in a costume and I could be this character, everything else just fell off my shoulders. I almost have a debt to it because it has brought me so much joy and clarity that I cannot imagine my life without it. Furthermore, I know it’s not just performing that gives that feeling, but also watching someone perform, I get that same feeling. There are always people in the audience that feel that sort of release - this kind of boost from watching people perform. I want to give them that. I want to make a difference in the world, because I know opera has made a difference in my life.
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Silent Attraction MACY HARMON
It’s one thing to love someone and they love you back It’s another to love someone, but the same feeling they lack It makes you feel alone; like you’ve nowhere to turn Your heart is so guarded and your stomach starts to churn You may love them, but you know you won’t get a chance You could look at them for ages, but they won’t give you a second glance You know their heart belongs to another completely But you continue to love them, ever so quietly
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