Project Famous Issue 2 - March 2013 by Project Famous

GUERRILLA THRIFTER: FASHION FOR MEN • MADISON POETRY

DAN HOWARD

THE WHIMSICAL WORLD OF

002 No.

MARCH 2013 | projectfamous.com

LITTLEPODCAST.COM PERFECT HARMONY MEN’S CHORUS GREATER MIDWEST BODY PAINTING COMPETITION

AN ART GALLERY • AND MORE LAST NIGHT

A MAGAZINE FOR ARTISTS BY ARTISTS Joey Broyles Editor in Chief EDITORIAL Kelly Lajter Managing Editor CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Adeline Peck Anika Lautenbach Jeremy Behreandt Jason Ocker CONTRIBUTING COPY EDITORS Lewis Bosworth Danny Atwater CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Paul Christianson Danny Atwater Arthur Durkee Jason Ocker Dan Howard Addie Peck CONTRIBUTING ARTIST Arden Lindner

CONTACT PROJECT FAMOUS Letters to the editor, advertising opportunities, and all other questions please email us info@projectfamous.com

DAN HOWARD

MARCH 2013 NO. 002 | PROJECTFAMOUS.COM

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

LAST NIGHT GALLERY

HIGH NOON SALOON, ART IN GALLERY, INFERNO

THE WHIMSICAL WORLD OF DAN HOWARD

BY JOEY BROYLES

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAN HOWARD

MARCH 2013 NO. 002 | PROJECTFAMOUS.COM

FASHION

FROM: GUERRILLA THRIFTER Frugal Fashion For Men

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADELINE PECK

BEHIND THE SCENES Littlepodcast.com BY JOEY BROYLES

TAKE THE FIRST STEP Reinvent Yourself BY KELLY LAJTER

MUSIC

Perfect Harmony Men’s Chorus In Sync with the Community BY ANIKA LAUTENBACH

THE ARTS

Mother Fool’s Open Mic

BY JEREMY BEHREANDT

BY KELLY LAJTER

BY JASON OCKER

Getting To Know Theo Howard

Living, Breathing, Artwork, Glamors Madison IPG (Illustrations, Photography, Graphics) Featuring Arden Lindner & Theo Howard

Letter from the Editor

Be Thankful

As we start our next issue I want to thank all our readers and new fans of Project Famous for putting us on the map. We are very honored to be showered with all this love and admiration for the magazine. The staff has been busy keeping up on all events and making a lot of new friends along the way. Getting up early, staying up late, juggling multiple jobs – living the starving artist’s day-today life. We do not complain but rather push ourselves even harder to make those dreams come true, and here we are: issue number 2.

Our March issue is a magical issue featuring Dan Howard of Dan Howard Photography (“The Whimsical World of Dan Howard,” page 20). Dan Howard photographed our February issue, but this month he is our cover boy featuring many of his own self-portraits. Dan has a unique ability to tell stories through his photography, and this month’s cover is no exception. A delight to work with, Dan is a big deal to us, so we think he should be a big deal to you. In mid-February we took ourselves out for the night and ended up experiencing a life is art night. An organization called RAW is in the same boat as Project Famous; we both strive to build a community and support the local artist. We posted a video on our site and many of you enjoyed the fashion, hair and makeup runway segment of RAW. I’m thrilled you enjoyed it, and I’m also happy to announce that RAW and Project Famous are bringing much more to you in the coming months; but for now enjoy the photos (“Last Night,” page 48).

find this all in Madison!

with the phenomenal Amanda Lepore, famous muse of New York City’s nightlife, and we witnessed her performance at Plan B. Our managing editor asked what inspired Ms. Lepore and she had this to say, “Old Hollywood and Jessica Rabbit.” She always leaves you wanting more. Experience our “Last Night” section filled with all kinds of fun. Who knew you could

A bit of advice I might give you as you go and make your dreams come true: Don’t forget to say “thank you” and then say it again and again. The people who support you, whether it be by sharing your link on Facebook or donating $25 to your Kickstarter project, are so important. The generosity you find as you inch nearer to your dream should never be taken for granted, so always say “thank you,” even if someone gives you a strange look. The one thing we can use in our own community is more appreciative and kind souls. Enjoy the magic of March! Joey Broyles, Editor-in-Chief

That same weekend Project Famous also met up

“The generosity you find as you inch nearer to your dream should never be taken for granted, so always say “thank you,” even if someone gives you a strange look. ” PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

FASHION : illa T M O FR uerr G

er t f i hr

Frugal Fashion For Men

by Adeline Peck

ADELINE PECK

PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

ello! Guerrilla Thrifter here for some more Frugal Fashion finds of the male persuasion. Anyone can look smashing for less; young, old, female, male, and all those in between. This month’s finds showcase a laid-back, casual male thrifter. AJ Greisen kindly modeled these looks, serving you Ben Affleck realness! Enjoy and get thrifting!

LOOK # 1

Layering is Fun with Cute Irishmen • Vintage Wool Tweed Blazer – St. Vinny’s $12.99 • Blue Zip-Up Hooded Sweatshirt – Target Clearance $4.99 • Retro Style Fitted Camera Tee – Urban Outfitters Clearance $5.99 • Levis Brown Denim Jeans – St. Vinny’s $7.99 • Vintage Brown Twill Driving Cap – Goodwill $0.99

PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

LOOK # 2 High Fashion Cat Cuddling Couture • Short Sleeved Cotton GAP Blue Print Button-Up – shopgoodwillmadison.com $5 • Hanes Basic Blue Tee – Target $2 • Grey Plaid Pleated Front Trouser Pants – Goodwill $3.99 • Blue Argyle Socks – Target $2.50 • Vintage Brown Leather Oxfords – Estate Sale

PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

FASHION

PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

Look # 3 Classic Casual Formal - A Must Have In All Closets • White Cotton Calvin Klein Button-Up – St. Vinny’s $4.95 • Vintage Black Suspenders – Goodwill $0.99 • Grey Plaid Pleated Front Trouser Pants – Goodwill $3.99 • Vintage Brown Leather Oxfords – Estate Sale 11

PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

BEHIND THE SCENES

Littlepodcast.com Behind the Scenes with

by Joey Broyles

n Madison, Wisconsin there are many talented artists, and as luck would have it, I found a few more: Jon Rowe, Tyler Falco Schott, and Matt Haag. These three gentlemen are the heartbeat of Littlepodcast.com, a site devoted to hosting weekly podcasts. They produce, record and edit two shows: Born in the 80s and Running with Scissors. Two shows produced once a week posted on iTunes with a following that grows daily.

Born in the 80s “is a real conversation; there’s no editing, no quick cuts,” says Rowe, who cohosts with Tyler Falco Schott and Lance Kilcoyne. “You get into a room with these three people that you know and listen to every week, and they always talk about shit that hopefully you’re interested in.” Born in the PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

PROJECT FAMOUS

80s is filled with lots of energy, and no conversation is off limits: real talk and real fun. Running with Scissors, hosted by Tyler Falco Schott and Matt Haag, is a show about behind-thescenes art, and building awareness. “This is more my influence because I have a really short attention span; I get bored real easily,” says Matt Haag. “I edit it down, and anything that I find boring gets cut. We usually record about an hour-and-fifteen minutes and it ends up being a half-hour to forty-five minutes of straight non-stop podcast.” Littlepodcast.com has been around since June 2012, but the one who really paved the way for all of them was Rowe. “Jon’s really the catalyst. He was the first one to really get it going… It’s because of him that Tyler and I thought: wait this is possible. This is 12

“It’s really cool that we have the technology at this point that all you need is a USB mic and you have it.”

Haas pictured on the left, across Falco Schott and Rowe during sound check before a show.

something we could actually do,” mentions Haag. “Jon paved the way, and then Matt and I came on in,” says Falco Schott. “I did a podcast before we did Running with Scissors; it was called The Two of Me. It just didn’t work out… A-monthand-a-half later Running with Scissors came up.” As I was discussing the history of Littlepodcast.com with the boys, I wanted to know what it was that made them want to start podcasting. “I wanted to do radio,” Rowe says. “I’ve always 13

wanted to do radio. It’s really hard to break into radio; I tried after graduating college, and it was impossible. So I said, ‘You know what; why don’t I just do my own show?’ And so I bought equipment, figured out how to edit audio and started doing my own show… I get to talk on the air and go worldwide.”

PROJECT FAMOUS

Haag laughs, “It got way too much play the first couple of episodes.”

was on the front page of iTunes and was downloaded 8,000 times. And it was really bad because I didn’t know what I was doing… I didn’t think it was going to be anything; I thought nobody would listen. I’d never do it unless I had started it and it was up and running,” Rowe adds. Falco Scott added: “I started listening to podcasts, and once I was on his show, we concluded that it could be done out of my apartment – an easy setup!”

Rowe mentions the joys of the early days of Born in the 80s: “The first couple of episodes it

“It’s really cool that we have the technology at this point that all you need is a USB mic and PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

BEHIND THE SCENES you have it,” says Falco Schott. Haag recalls Falco Schott’s first show The Two of Me, “When Tyler started he had just one USB mic. And you’d have guests sometimes, and you’d just crowd around the one mic and you’d be fine.” “It’s not the greatest audio in the world but it’s a conversation and you would be recorded and it is what is… Matt got in through the back door. Matt was the sound designer, basically for Born in the 80s,” says Falco Schott. Haag tells us more about the beginnings of Littlepodcast.com, “I never listened to podcasts until Jon approached me to write a theme for him. I said, ‘Well I better listen to it to get a feel for what it is.’ I started listening to his show pretty religiously and then started finding other podcasts and then eventually wanted to produce one. When Tyler was doing The Two of Me, he said, ‘This isn’t really working. I wanna try to develop another show, and I want you to be the co-host.’ I was really reluctant to get into it. I’ll just do the behind the scenes stuff; I don’t need to be a talker.” “At one point we did a 3part episode of The Two of Me,” says Falco Schott. “And Matt was my co-host for that, and he was guided me through it; and it was arough. It was a rough episode. PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

“I never listened to podcasts until Jon approached me to write a theme for him.” But we started to develop a repertoire of conversation and how to deal with each other. Our friendship grew through that period, and now what you hear on RWS is exactly how Matt and I talk to each other.” “And that chemistry has been a long time coming because we started out studying together; then we lived together for a while and now we work together on different theatre projects. We have the rhythm down pretty well,” says Haag. Falco Schott, Rowe, and Haag originally met at Edgewood College. And although they’ve only been doing this for about two years, they seem to have friendship down. They are some of the most down to earth people I’ve met in this town and are friendly and definitely a great crew.

The biggest show to date was when they had Comedy Central’s very own Keegan Michael Key, co-star of the show Key & Peele, as a guest. Through connections at Edgewood College, Jon, Tyler and Matt were able to interview him. “Another great thing about podcasting is that it’s portable. Within 24 hours we had a recording setup with Keegan Michael Key,” says Falco Schott. Still reminiscing over their past guest, Keegan Michael Key, Falco Schott smiles, “It’s like a gentle hug he gives you, and he embraces your own ideology.” If you are looking to be a part of Littlepodcast.com they have very simple requirements. Take ownership of when you are going to record your podcast, have the equipment to record it and edit it yourself. Over the next six months Littlepodcast.com hopes to find a building to start their studio. “It’s getting to the point where we are going to pursue the fundraising and see where that gets us,” says Haag. Littlepodcast.com’s podcasts can be found on their website http://www.littlepodcast.com as well as on iTunes. Subscribe to these guys because they make anyone’s day a hell of a lot more fun!

I WA N T YO U F O R P RO J E C T FA M O U S

F O R P RO J E C T FA M O U S BE A WRITER, PHOTOGRAPHER, OR SUPPORTER OF OUR MAGAZINE.

Project Famous is a volunteer based magazine and we are looking for enthusiastic members to join our cause. CONTACT US info@projectfamous.com for available positions, letters to the editor, and advertisement. Support your local arts and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll cover them.

TAKE THE FIRST STEP

Reinvent Yourself by Kelly Lajter

PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

JASON OCKER

ooking back on the last three months of my life, I’m shocked by what I’ve found myself doing. Until late last year, I had been living a fairly boring existence with random attempts at spontaneity and adventure. I prided myself on taking chances and living in the moment, yet I rarely got out of my comfort zone, even though I strived to do just that. I started 2012 sick and tired of the mundane and insignificant daily details of being in my thirties. I decided to seek spiritual enlightenment and went to see a Shaman for guidance. One of the many things Shamans are trained in is Soul Retrieval, which is the mending of fragmented soul-parts. My Shaman was able to do just that on this day with his rhythmic drumminginduced trance. After my visit with the Shaman, I vowed to never lose sight of my dreams. I was going to follow my heart. My new life as the newly invented Kelly 2.0 was going to be memorable, empowering, and fearless. I was done being afraid. Period. To my despair, as the following weeks progressed, I found fear in my heart again. I looked deep within myself for direction and found comfort in travel. I had been fantasizing about sloths for several years and desperately needed a vacation. I decided on a two-week volun-

teer-stint at the infamous Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica. Last May, Mission: Slothville became a reality and it was an adventure of a lifetime. It was what I could only imagine Heaven to be like… Slothful. After my return from Costa Rica, I vowed to continue to live my dreams, overcome my own personal constraints, try new things, and have more fun. Summer came and went too fast. I found myself working too much and missing out on life. Then, one November night, I saw a Facebook post from a friend inviting people to come watch her belly-dance on a local variety show. I was extremely worn out after a long and exhausting day, wanting nothing more to go home and sleep. I decided that swinging by to see her belly-dance wasn’t too much of a commitment and I’d be able to go home thereafter. I knew that if I did skip out on it, I’d just be wondering what I was missing like I did every time I opted out of events. With a final mental push, I was on my way to support the local arts and my friend. And that, readers, is how you take the first step to creativity. Wait. What? What did I do? I pushed myself to not go home when I really wanted to. My first step was living in the moment, something that I promised myself I would do. My first step was being supportive of other’s efforts and strong for myself in that all I wanted to do was sleep. Sleeping is very high on my to-do list always, and though

I ached for it, I pushed through and energized myself with the promise of live entertainment. I was going to get through this! My first step, literally, into the establishment that housed this variety show, was one of determination. Walking into the studio was a pivotal moment for me. There, a gentleman with a foot-high pink beehive wig and a gal with a skull in her hand took the stage. What did I get myself into? Everything in front of me was so vivid and I felt the exact feelings I get at live concerts— the energy of a crowd and music that affects me on a subconscious level- infiltrating my senses. Surrounded by strangers, I feel at peace. I watched my friend belly-dance, I enjoyed myself, and I left. Throughout the rest of the evening, I was filled with a sense of exhilaration by the thought of the show I had just seen. I needed to know more. I wanted in. An hour later, I was a member of Meetup.com and had submitted my profile to a group called Project Famous. A week later I was sitting back in the same studio as an official member of Project Famous working on the Vaudevillains variety show- with my belly-dancing friend! In December Project Famous began laying the groundwork for an online magazine. I was skeptical because many of my own personal projects are rarely seen through completion. But I was wrong in my skepticism because I was not alone on this. Our online magazine went live on February 8th. PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

This new life isn’t just a fleeting hobby. This is my future. I am now a published journalist and Managing Editor for an independent magazine, where I get to cover local events and bands, interview creative people, and then write about it all- something I have always dreamed of. I have found myself trying more things recently than I ever thought I’d do and all of this is possible because I didn’t go home and sleep that fateful night in November! This year I have put myself and my reputation on the line more than I have done in too many years to count. Because of my new connections I have had the privilege of being a costumer and actress in the locally-produced movie, Just God. I was in Project Famous’ <3Valentine’s Day Showcase where I stretched my improv and acting legs and performed for a live audience for the first time in years. In February I volunteered at the “Greater Midwest Body Painting Competition.” I’m even considering competing in next year’s “Zombillies” where I can share my love for special effects makeup. This fall I will co-produce a play. All of this has been possible because I took the first step!! I got out of that dangerously comfortable shell that I had been living in for far too long. Let me tell you, when you are too scared to try new things and then you actually do something new; it is the best feeling to know that you

PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

tried (and succeeded)! I have never been so busy or stressed in my life. But I love it. In looking back now at the last three months, from the time I first was introduced to Project Famous to everything that’s happened in between, I can see now that this new life isn’t one for Kelly 2.0- the spiritualwanderer and risk-taker-when-itsuits-her. This new life is for KELLY 3.0- the personal-boundary-warrior and risk-taker-extraordinaire. I know it sounds so trite to speak of myself in terms such as this, but so what? Why not reinvent yourself? Always reinvent yourself. Quit being afraid. Quit denying your freedom. Why allow yourself to be a prisoner in your mind when you can reach out to someone that inspires you and say “Hey! I don’t know what you’re doing, but I see you’re happy! I want to do it too!” The key to taking the first step doesn’t always require a physical movement. The key is to first make that mental movement. To say: “Enough is enough. I’m not going to live this way anymore.” The key is in realizing that you are a creative and interesting person with a multitude of talents if you would just allow yourself to tap into them- and to do this, you must surround yourself with likeminded individuals that support you, your interests, and your

dreams. This new life isn’t just a fleeting hobby. This is my future. I have had more doors opened to me in the past three months than I’ve had in my entire life. It’s insane, amazing, and I’m anxiously awaiting so much more!! Will you take the first step too and start really living your creative life? Visit Project Famous online or on Facebook. If you have an interest in contributing to the magazine either as an artist or writer, email info@projectfamous.com.

join us for mgha’s fifth annual

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO BENEFIT AIDS NETWORK

MARCH

16 HARTMEYER

ICE ARENA SPONSORED BY

BLADES AGAINST AIDS IS A MADISON GAY HOCKEY ASSOCIATION FUNDRAISER BENEFITTING AIDS NETWORK

T h e W h i m s i c a l Wo r l d o f D a n H ow a r d

by Joey Broyles

first came across the work of Dan Howard at the 2012 RAW Artist of The Year Award. It was a night filled with several artists, but for me he took the cake. On the wall was his photography: a disturbing image of twin clowns caught my eye. In the photo one clown was holding the severed head of his twin, and instantly I was fascinated. There were other photographs of surreal reality where the lower half of someone’s body sat in a chair, while the upper half of the body was popping out of a suitcase like a magician’s assistant sawed in half. Dan Howard is not at all scary and his world is a unique place where imagination runs wild. Turning 30 years old later this year Dan Howard was born in Goole in East Riding of Yorkshire, England. JOEY BROYLES: Why did you move to the USA? DAN HOWARD: I came here for a two-week vacation for Thanksgiving in 2011. Me and Sarah had been dating for a year or so. PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

DAN HOWARD Both Dan and Sarah did not like leaving each other: Dan was living in the United Kingdom and Sarah was living in the USA. Sarah asked Dan, “Well what happens if you just stay?” Dan thought about it and decided to hang out in the USA for the duration of his 90-day visitor’s visa. Before Dan returned to the UK he proposed to Sarah, and as they looked deeper into their options, someone said, “F--- it. Let’s just do it.” And like lovers do, they jumped in and got married, eventually relocating to Wisconsin where Sarah is originally from. Thank love for bringing Dan Howard to the States because he certainly has a lot to offer you and your next photo shoot. Dan came up with a clever campaign for his 2012 nomination for RAW Photographer Artist Of The Year. While others asked their friends and family to come to the Majestic and vote for them, Dan had a fully realized idea. He took several photos of himself and gave you a reason to vote for him; some reasons were absurd, but they were reasons nonetheless. One photo I recall was a picture of him dressed in a blonde wig, a dress, with lipstick and blush on his cheeks. The caption read, 22

â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I was 16 I really wanted to work for Warner Brothers.â&#x20AC;?

“#9: I make everyone look beautiful.” It was that campaign that made me want to work with him, and it was that campaign that got my vote. It’s no secret that Mr. Howard did last month’s cover shoot, but to me he is a secret and more people need to be aware of who Dan is, and what he can do with both his business, Dan Howard Photography, and personality. Going back to his roots, we discuss the whimsical world of Dan Howard. JB: What were some things you wanted to be growing up? DH: When I was 16 I really wanted to work for Warner Brothers. I didn’t want to work for Disney. Disney was too weird for me. I wanted to work for Warner Brothers where they dropped anvils on characters… I could draw anything when I was a kid. But now I’m lost without a computer. JB: Do you do any digital drawings? DH: I do some digital Photoshop drawings. I used to do caricatures. I’ve started to get back into that with the Photo caricatures. JB: Who or what inspired you to become a photographer? DH: I was handed a camera by my grandma when I was seven years old. Ever since then I was like, “Snap. Ooh cool. Snap. Ooh wow look at that.” I was pretty good at the start PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

because I didn’t really cut people’s heads off… I picked up a digital camera when I was 17. It was either a digital camera or a guitar. I had a guitar and it just sat there for about 5 years. It didn’t do much, but the camera got used… The first guy that really spoke to me in his work was a guy called Dave Hill. The way he puts pieces together is just amazing. A lot of Dan’s photography that was showcased at RAW were pictures of himself that he took through trial and error, building his inventive style. On his website he lists his photos in categories from wedding to event to creative. It is his creative approach that reminds me of a young David LaChappelle combining the surreal with commercial portraits. JB: How many photos have you taken? DH: I’ve probably taken close to 30,000 photographs. But actual decent photographs… I work on a kind of 10 to 15 percent rule, so that’s about 3,000 decent photographs, maybe… But it’s weird because when you look at your portfolio, your portfolio only needs to have maybe 20 photographs max. At any one time I always have 20 really good photographs. JB: When you have a client gives you a new challenge, what excites you most about the challenge? DH: I start with the final product in my head. How I need to get there is almost like a maze.

There are certain things I need to do to get there. It’s almost the way they create movies nowadays. When they’re writing the story, they always write the last bit first and then work out the story to get to that point. I think the most exciting part about it is figuring out the steps to get to that final piece. A lot of what I found is that when it comes to shooting for a client, they don’t really know what they want. They just want someone to come up with something. It’s the coming up with something and the get to that bit that excites me. JB: What entices you to create the world of Dan Howard? DH: A lot of this actually started because I didn’t have any models. I didn’t know anybody who wanted to stand in front of a camera and be my model, be my guinea pig. I shot myself. A lot of that came through with trial and error. I’m also influenced by movies. It was really just trying to learn the techniques. It resulted in me taking a lot of photographs of myself. Whenever I had any ideas for things like RAW, where I did the clowns and the floating and all the surreal stuff. I just wanted to put them in a series that really looked good. Me standing with a Batman teacher in jeans, holding my head: that’s just me practicing a technique. Me putting that technique into a style where I’m wearing costumes and there’s props and stuff like that, that’s why I wanted to create those pieces. 24

If you wanna be a photographer, if you wanna be anything, you’ve got to want it more than you want to breathe.

JB: Tell us about your time at RAW. How did the experience change you and your work? DH: I did RAW. I really enjoyed RAW. I enjoyed seeing what the people did. When I first presented at RAW, I just sat there and I watched people walk on by. They’d just look at my work: they’d laugh, they’d be scared, and they’d nudge each other and laugh. That was enjoyable. That told me that, hey, people are okay with 25

this. Up to that point I don’t think anybody had seen stuff like that. And then came the competition part of it; I knew I needed to do something to get people to notice me. And the RAW network was pretty good to me because I got a lot of people through the RAW network following me on Facebook… I’m a big fan of really cool advertising; really cool marketing, and I just had to come up with something every day… I did this 14 day advert and every day I’d give them

something different, and that really pushed me as well. Competition is a really good thing. Competition will make you a better person, even if you don’t win, it will make you a better person. JB: If you knew someone who wanted to be a photographer, what advice would you give them? DH: If you wanna be a photographer, if you wanna be anything, you’ve got to want it PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

more than you want to breathe. You aren’t going to get anywhere by sitting on the couch. You’ve got to want it more than you want to breathe. You’ve got to want it more than you want to sit down on the couch and watch T.V. You want it more than you want to just take a day off. It’s not about technique; anybody can learn techniques; anybody can learn the rule of thirds, about composition, and the importance of color theory. Anybody can learn about depth of field; anybody can learn about how to make a camera do this and that. But you’ve got to want it. And a lot of photographers, a lot of people who call themselves photographers or sell the services of photographers, find themselves getting lost. They’re just doing the same stuff. They’re doing the same photographs over and over and over again. Some people like that and some people are quite happy with that. But if you wanna change, and if you wanna be a good photographer, you’ve got to want it and you’ve got to research about it. I’m on blogs every day reading about techniques, finding out what the new projects are, knowing what’s going on. Like I said you’ve got to want it… There’s plenty of places on the web to go and find out about how to shoot photography, how to control the depth of field, how to light stuff in the studio, how to light stuff on location. Go and find that kind of stuff. You don’t have to pay for this stuff anymore; you don’t PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

have to pay for classes; the Internet is full of people who are putting videos out there to teach you. You’ve just gotta go and find it. You gotta go and want it… You’ve gotta keep saying to yourself, “I do it because I love it,” I do it because if I don’t do it, I cease to exist… Every day that goes past that you don’t create something is a missed opportunity. Beethoven and Mozart and guys like that were never popular at the time or not as popular as they are now. It’s this kind of idea: I know right now I’m only gonna get so far, but I’ve gotta do it because in the future, when I’m dead, someone, hopefully, will look at my work and say, “Wow this guy was pretty good.” JB: Do you consider yourself a teacher? DH: I’ve learned a lot from watching other photographers. One of the important things about being a photographer is to help and educate those who wanna get to where you are. Some photographers look at everything as a competition. Everything about photography is a competition, “I’m better than you and you’re not ever gonna be as good as me.” And I don’t see it that way… When Penn & Teller, the magicians, perform a trick, they also tell you how the trick’s done. And the telling of how the trick is done is almost a trick as well. You can find that informative and interesting. I think, doing the kind of stuff I

do, people don’t understand how it’s done, and people don’t understand what it is I do. I think that by providing a little insight, it kind of it helps me and it will help other photographers as well… I wouldn’t say I’m a teacher. If someone who had no experience with photography came to me and said, “Hey can you show me how to work this camera and take a photograph?” Yeah, no problem I’d be able to do that. I’m not a teacher I’m just handing back some information. JB: Where do you want to be in five years? DH: I’d like to follow someone like, maybe not Barack Obama, but whoever’s the next guy that comes in. Barack Obama has one of the best photojournalists around and has really created some really cool stuff. So I’d like to do some news photography. Dan Howard has a great outlook on life and can make you laugh. Pick up one of his business cards and the slogan reads, “I’ll shoot you and everyone you love.” When you are thinking of your next family portrait or photo shoot, think outside the box and contact Dan Howard Photography. He’s great for any project, no matter how big or small; he’s always friendly and exciting to work with. And do it soon because in five years he may be the next president’s personal photographer!

MUSIC

DANNY ATWATER

Perfect Harmony Men’s Chorus

In Sync with the Community

by Anika Lautenbach

For sixteen years Perfect Harmony Men's Chorus has been offering music with a message. For Ken Forney, artistic director for the last ten years, the purpose of the chorus is not only to entertain but to “build bridges between communities.” As a gay men's chorus, Perfect Harmony plays a vital role in connecting the LGBT and straight individuals that call our little metropolis home. Since its origin Perfect Harmony has had many different participants ranging between 25-35 members each season. As a college town, Madison acts as a stepping stone for many men—a place to settle 27

for only a few years before moving on to the next stage. Forney points out that creating something sustainable in lieu of this transience can be a concern. Nevertheless, Perfect Harmony has not had trouble attracting new members. In fact, over the years, the chorus has welcomed many straight men with open arms. This is just one sign that Perfect Harmony has been successful in breaking barriers and building new relationships. Perfect Harmony has faced its share of discordance, but it's the way the chorus deals with adversity that makes it so harmo-

nious. One of the challenges Forney discusses is the need for the chorus to “portray a mainstream image—not drag, not leather, and not so scary.” Unfortunately, many individuals still approach gay culture with a bit of unease. Instead of seeing individuals, they see the dichotomies presented by the media, i.e. drag and leather. What Forney and the members of Perfect Harmony wish to convey is that they are members of the community, with families, jobs, hopes, and dreams. On a very basic level this is how we all wish to be seen, but for the LGBT community this simple right must be PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

fought for on a daily basis. In order to build bridges, Perfect Harmony must create a safe space in which people can face their fears about gay men and LGBT issues. For Forney that means being “physically mainstream” and letting the “songs be the message.” What's so special about the Perfect Harmony Men's Chorus is their ability to use song as a vehicle for story telling. Attending a Perfect Harmony performance is not just about hearing beautiful music—which you will experience to the fullest—but stepping into some one else's shoes and being open to their particular struggles and joys. Listening becomes an act of empathy and, because of that, anyone who sees Perfect Harmony leaves with a little more understanding, a little more hope for the future. Recently Perfect Harmony Men's Chorus participated in a very special project: Heartlands. This recording “depicts in music and words how it is to live and grow up gay in the Midwestern PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

Heartlands, based on stories from the lives of the

members.” As a result of this extremely personal creative endeavor, the chorus has been nominated for a MAMA (Madison Area Music Award), and this is the first time Perfect Harmony has been submitted for such an honor. It would appear the bridge is getting stronger, but every structure can always use more support. As Forney points out, the chorus still faces obstacles, including spreading its message outside of Madison. While most of us expect Madison to represent the progress we wish to see

in the world, it only takes a small distance to feel very far from home. Just five miles outside of Madison one will find the very fear and stereotypes the LGBT community wishes to put behind it. It's important for Perfect Harmony to reach out to these towns and be the shining light on the LGBT image. In addition, Forney would like to perform in local schools, claiming that “the youth will change minds.” While people of older generations are set in their misconceptions, children have the ability to accept new ideas with clean slates and open hearts. What better way to start learning about the LGBT community than through the Perfect Harmony Men's Chorus and their courageous stories. Perfect Harmony has paved the way, but it's up to the rest of the community to ensure that this group survives the challenges ahead. One way to foster your own connection to the LGBT community is by donating to Perfect Harmony and attending one of their upcoming shows. On March 8th and 9th their cabaret will be rocking the Westside Club.

DANNY ATWATER 28

â&#x20AC;&#x153;BUILD BRIDGES BETWEEN COMMUNITIES.â&#x20AC;?

ARTHUR DURKEE As opposed to their more traditional performances, this cabaret-style show invites the audience to come casual and ready to interact. For $50.00 you can enjoy a delicious dinner and a spectacular evening of music and celebration. For Ken Forney the main goal is sustainability. Sixteen years have passed and many minds have changed, but discrimination and prejudice have yet to be wiped out. It is not simply enough to accept the LGBT community; it is everyone's responsibility to take a stand and support the men and women who are our friends and neighbors, not just letters in an acronym. It is my sincere hope that Perfect Harmony continues striking a chord in new hearts and new towns, for many years to come. PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

THE ARTS

Mother Fool’s Open Mic by Jeremy Behreandt

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apanese sailors are blown off-course and survive by drinking water from caught sea turtles; Chicago gangsters hit a deer in the night while trying to dispose of a body; a man is enchanted by a bin of used Barbies at St. Vincent de Paul’s thrift store; a parrot named Pete recalls his acquaintance with Bill Shakespeare. Welcome to the Mother Fool’s spoken word open mic where the audience steps to the stage to share its imagination until space contracts, expands and is interwoven, and you, the listener, find yourself in Bangladesh and Iowa City, Britain and Taiwan without even leaving your chair. But if you think a reading is a buttoned-down affair where you sit in a metal folding chair and listen to someone drone on,

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PAUL CHRISTIANSON Mother Fool’s will make you think anew. Before the reading even begins, the coffeehouse is lively with people looking over their writing and making last minute changes while the MC, Anika Lautenbach, weaves through the crowd asking people if they’d like to sign up and read. The lights are dimmed. Tables and chairs are removed from the stage and a mic set up. People walking past look in through the large window, curious or astonished, and some stop in to see what’s happening. Each reader who comes up has their own style of approaching the stage, of commanding the room’s attention with a gaze or powerful voice or just-as-powerful silence. If someone in the backroom of the coffeeshop laughs loudly while a reader is at the mic, the reader might nonchalantly roll it into the act. Another reader might warn that he or she is on the first draft

and invite people to give feedback afterwards. Mother Fool’s Coffeehouse has been hosting this spoken word in the evening every 31

month for a year now. After graduating from UW-Madison with a degree in Creative Writing, Lautenbach wanted to keep the creative embers burning. When she noticed how many patrons came to the coffeehouse to write, to

with the goal of fostering creative networks for writers, a reading will captivate an audience for only a night, but documenting the magic of that reading in publication will captivate an even larger audience for

Street neighborhood, is uniquely empowered to create that growth. Want to read at the next Mother Fool’s spoken word open mic? It happens roughly every month, though Mother Fool’s

Mother Fool’s serving fresh food and beverages. create a “collective ‘room of their own,’” she saw an opportunity. A spoken word would allow everyone to share their work both with each other and with a wider, varied audience. “From the individual to the public,” explains Lautenbach. Since most audience members will get up to read as well, the atmosphere is safe and supportive. With her banter inbetween readers, Lautenbach has a way of making everyone feel welcome. But Lautenbach isn’t stopping there. She knows that, 32

years to come. She’s presently seeking work for a coffee table book to be called First Heard at Mother Fool’s, which will contain at least twenty pieces from twenty different writers. This book would be on display at Mother Fool’s, and available for patrons to page through. “Depending on interest,” Lautenbach says, “more copies could potentially be made.” Letting community members share their work encourages everyone to flex their imaginative prowess, growing creatively, and Mother Fool’s, situated in the vibrant Willy

hosts several other important events, including an LGBT spoken word in March. Visiting the coffee shop’s website at motherfools.com, advises Lautenbach, is a great way to up-to-date on the latest happenings. If reading gives you the jitters, Lautenbach offers this reassurance: “If you get up to read, I promise you, no matter what, we’ll listen and applaud you at the end.”

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THE ARTS

Carried by the wind Acrylic Paint by Theo Howard

A Left Brain Look at a Right Brain Local:

Getting to Know Theo Howard by Kelly Lajter

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PAUL CHRISTIANSON

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Allegory of an oil spill by Theo Howard Local artist Theo Howard is more than just a talented caricaturist; he is a true artist with heart and ambition. At 30, he’s had life experiences that have molded the man and the artist that he has already become. His work isn’t all heart, though. He’s got his brain involved, too—both sides—working also as an occupational therapist.

Howard has been drawing caricatures since 2006 after being encouraged by local artists Chris Rommel and Steve Bateman. He took a job at a mall in Eau Claire drawing caricatures for the holiday season. After graduation that next year, Howard moved to Minneapolis to seek a career as a caricaturist. He spent the summer working for the late caricature artist “Smokey Joe” Williams at the Mall of America. Working with these mentors along the way helped him realize what is important as an artist. “The number one priority of a caricature artist is PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

likeness—you have to make it look like the person first,” he explains. “A paying customer of his can expect both a fast and accurate, though exaggerated likeness in less than four minutes.”

Howard takes a serious approach to an exaggerated art form. He focuses more on his accountability as an artist than getting rich. “Some of the people that make the most money doing caricatures aren’t necessarily the best artists, they’re good hustlers. They’re good at people getting in their chairs, and they’re good at cranking [drawings] out.” For Howard, quality is better than quantity.

After his stint in the Twin Cities, he thought he would need to do what many artists believe they should do: Move to Los Angeles to catch their big break. “That’s how artists are supposed to succeed. I found out that it’s a terrible lie that LA tells the rest of the world.”

While in LA he took an animation class. His professor showed a video of brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor discussing her personal experience of having a stroke and the long process of the recovery of her own brain and body. One of the topics discussed in the video was the left brain/right brain connection. Through the insistence of his professor, Howard eventually began to use his left hand (his dominant hand is his right) for animation. “With my left hand, I get a lot of unconventional lines, and things happen that I don’t have control over. When I was drawing with my left hand it became almost like I was learning to draw all over again. It took away the ‘product orientation’ and made it a ‘process orientation’. It got me energized about drawing again because I was kind of burnt out from drawing caricatures.”

Now in deciding which hand to use when he draws, he 35

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uses the hand that he feels the most connected to a specific project. When he’s looking for a finetuned, controlled outcome, he’ll go righty. When he wants to be more organic and loose, he’ll go lefty. But don’t take him bowling and expect him to bowl lefty. He won’t.

In 2010 Howard left the West Coast and moved back to Madison to pursue a career as an Occupational Therapist. The process of learning to draw using his left hand aided him in more than just his art. “I figured out that I liked to work with people; I liked the work I was doing with the kids who have autism.” He further explained, “Occupational therapists help people participate and do things that a disability or injury may prevent them from immediately doing.”

Howard’s art has been published in MATC’s The Clarion, and Eau Claire’s Volume 1 Magazine and The Telegram. Locally he has been commissioned by Fight Prime Training Center on Park Street to tag their walls. Howard chose Bruce Lee as his

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subject and completed a mural of over six feet tall in about three hours. He also painted the Fight Prime logo, a Samurai, Muay Thai fighters, and a caricature of Anderson Silva, the UFC Middleweight Champion, on additional walls. He currently lives near downtown and finds himself preoccupied with schoolwork, and taking “Life Drawing” classes most Thursdays at Bright Red Studios. He still does caricatures on the side at wedding receptions and various events. For the last month, he’s been preparing for his first solo art show. On Saturday, March 2nd, Howard welcomed about 150 guests to his first art opening.

Showcasing over 50 pieces including caricature drawings, airbrushed portraits, illustrations, and paintings, Howard watched as his fans filled the gallery. He had a friend pose for him, and he painted her portrait her while the crowd observed. Of the pieces displayed, Howard says though he is unable to pick a definite favorite, though he does point out the “Playful Drawing Series” and the “Carnivore Series” among

his top picks. Howard also showcased “Allegory of An Oil Spill” which took him he longest of any piece in his show, and in which he painted specifically for his opening. Walking through the gallery, one gets a sense there is comfortable rhythm to the layout of the art; paper is alternated with canvas, colors are alternated between black and white, everything contrasts, yet they are cohesive in that Howard took a careful hand (whether it was his right or left hand, I’m not sure) with each piece.

Missed the opening and want to check out Howard’s work? There will be a second reception on Saturday March 9th from 6pm-Midnight. His show will be on display through March 13th by appointment. Contact Evan Bradbury at Bright Red Studios at 608.206.1613 or brightredstudios@gmail.com. Bright Red Studios is located at 9 North Ingersoll Street in Madison. For more information on Theo Howard, you can visit his website.

Living, Breathing, Artwork, Gl amor s Madison

Story and Photos by Jason Ocker

Models showcase their canvas at Art In Gallery at the Greater Midwest Body Painting Competition on 2/23/13. Pictured Left to Right: Sorrel Weakland (Artist: Ginny O’Neil), Christy Madison (Artist: Deborah Brommer), Jane Love (Artist: Annette Durfee), Alicia Brunk (Artist: Joeseph “Otto” Ott), Stefanie Pucci (Artist: Sara Meyer)

he 1st annual Greater Midwest Body Painting Competition produced by Madison’s make-up company, Glitter to Gore, LLC, drew talent from the Midwest for the chance to levy skills in a contest to see who can paint the most stunning piece of art on a human body. And stunning it was as 14 artists worked tirelessly on 14 models for six hours through the afternoon of Saturday, February 23 at Art In Gallery on East Washington Avenue. In the spirit of the season the theme was “My Dark Valentine.” These ladies and gentlemen were painted to represent, with more or less abstraction, love, loss, hate, revenge, deceit, and other brooding thoughts and feelings. At the end of the long paint-off, models would face seven judges to see which team would walk away with the five prize trophies. There

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was also an award for top model and crowd favorite held at the Inferno after the judging. Besides trophies, winners would go home with cash payouts, make-up kits, and for 1st place, a round- trip ticket and registration to the Florida’s Face & Body Art International Convention (FABAIC).

The competition was the lofty brainchild of the Glitter to Gore team’s Dawn Marie Svanoe and Michelle Soltis. Being professional make-up artists, they wanted to represent body painting for what it truly is – a legitimate art form. Working the competition circuit from small venues like Kenosha, WI’s Art Bar to large competitions like FABAIC, these ladies were well prepared to make happen their own challenge and do it the right way from conception to execution. There was no shortage of advertising, and the

JASON OCKER event was well staffed. Designated event videographer and photographer were Alistair Loveless and Peter Castro, respectively. There was a ton of other press, and the event was fully catered. One of the first people I talked to on-site was the lovely Alyssa Spangler, co-owner of Rock N Glam Salon. As a pin-up model hobbyist, she signed up for a position as model in hopes there would also be an artist in need of a canvas. Alas, she was not so fortunate; but sometimes where there closes a door, elsewhere there opens a window. Svanoe brought her daughter to Rock N Glam to have her hair done by Spangler. Svanoe then invited Spangler to do her and Soltis’ hair for the event. She took the opportunity and ended up styling hair for four of the models as well, and it served as a great occasion to pro-

Fresco Operaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Soprano, Holly Flack, blew minds and melted hearts with her performance at Art In Gallery at the Greater Midwest Body Painting Competition on 2/23/13.

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Model Jane Love (Artist: Annette Durfee) poses at Art In Gallery at the Greater Midwest Body Painting Competition on 2/23/13. PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

mote herself and her business. Spangler is excited about next year’s event, and I hope she’ll be able to find an artist for whom to model if she chooses to go that route. The back hall was a bit drafty, so I’m happy Bob Hensley, AKA DJ psych0tron was keeping the place warm with his phat electronic sound. Hailing from the Deep South, psych0tron made it to WI in ’94 and to Madison in ’03. He’s been spinning for about 14 years, and he’s a resident DJ at everybody’s favorite alternative haunt, the Inferno. There were also minions running around, ensuring the comfort and safety of all participants. If the contestants were the organs, the minions were the blood and nerves. Their job was to fetch food and drink or any other materials that artists and models did not have within arm’s reach. It was also prudent to engage, instruct, and orient guests as they shuffled through the crowds, and to maintain communication with each other and those working the event. Even Project Famous’ own devilish imp Kelly Lajter (pron: lighter) was there with bells on to ensure that the operation flowed smoothly. She became model Amy-Jo Hagen’s, personal hero when she managed to move a space heater nearer, and to ducttape down the cord to prevent a tripping hazard. As one would imagine, it gets pretty cold when you’re 99% naked. I shared some words with the other minions, and many were there to support their friends and 42

family. Lajter had previously met competing artist Christy Grace at RAW last month; Nikki Jastrom was there for artist and fiancée Jami Rutherford; Bryan Brooks came to support artist and sister Annette Durfee. Belinda McKee, however, was there just to have the time of her life. As a former co-worker of Svanoe, McKee loved being a part of the event. You’ve never quite met a person as friendly and excited as McKee. A fan of shows like Face Off and an artist herself, she was magnetized by this event. The energy level in the room felt greater when she was near. Intrepid bizarre-o-philes Daniel Grieg and Becky Stodola were in attendance as well. They make it a point to go to events of the unorthodox. They told me about an event called “Revolver” that they attended while on vacation in New Zealand last year. They described it as a “steampunk burlesque circus.” I can only imagine so hard before I’m out of ideas, but I’m sure it was wild. They also saw a guy in Jacksonville, FL paint with an apparatus attached to an EKG machine, painting only with brain waves. Naturally, a Valentine’s Day Massacre style body-painting competition would be the right kind of spectacle for them. I asked them, “If you could have any of the models as statues in your living room, which would you choose?” After much deliberation, Grieg went with Juli Bee, the Egyptian cat-goddess, painted by artist Emmalee Pearson. Stodola decided on Grace’s red ballerina. Little did we know,

her pick would be ominously foreshadowing the winner of the crowd-favorite award. But this wouldn’t be the first time Grace’s work has been wholeheartedly acknowledged by locals. Grace also one the 2012 Madison RAW’s Artist Of the Year RAWard! This artist is one to watch, for sure! At precisely 6pm, Svanoe called “brushes down” to the room, and moments later a siren soprano named Holly Flack (as in, don’t give her any) graced us with her wonderful presence. Flack hails from Chicago and has been spending a lot of time in Madison recently. Besides her appearance on the 23rd, she also performed at the Fire Ball at the Majestic in January. Boasting a Masters in Vocal Performance and some golden pipes, she makes a career out of bringing down the house with her powerful cantatas. She sang two songs: a piece she’ll be performing in August, “The Queen of the Night Aria” from The Magic Flute, and “The Diva Dance” from The Fifth Element. Those at the event were blown away by her performance, and the crowd at the Inferno later reacted with an equally robust exaltation. After recovering from Flack’s pipes and a long day of chronicling the metamorphoses of our contestants through photograph, I was ready to be done with final forms, brushes-down, and announcements so that I could interview the competitors. I first spoke with the fiery Nicole Hale whose appearance conjured visions of a woman broken-hearted and, really, just plain broken. What I found surprising about the PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

process was that I could come back to a model every hour and see a radical change in their look”. But it was during the last hour or so that the wigs, headdresses, high heels and all kinds of accessories

has not modeled outside this event. However, she does plan to participate in next year’s event since she so greatly enjoyed her part in this one.

eling since she was 16. Her total appearance was arguably the most complicated, with her tight, colorful hairdo, and a flower-laden, skull-topped scythe. Prop chains and belts hung from her body that

Left to Right Models Amber Olsen (Artist: Meagan Tron) and Nicole Hale (Artist: Brian Theiss) are photographed being painted at Art In Gallery at the Greater Midwest Body Painting Competition on 2/23/13.

were donned; they turned the image from good to great. There was no exception with Hale. The long, bright red hair, lashes, and stilettos solidified the meaning behind the make-up. She looked as ostentatious and brutal as she should have been. I asked Hale how she became involved in this event. She said she saw the poster hanging in Lazy Jane’s Café in Madison. Interested, she called Brian Theiss to get him on board as her artist. They tossed around the concepts of sexiness, destruction, sobbing, lingerie, porcelain doll, and the juxtaposition of unlike emotions and images until they settled on a design. Hale has been active in theater since childhood, but she PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

Theiss has spent 22 years painting. What does he paint? “Pretty much everything” he tells me. He’ll airbrush your car, motorcycle, mailbox, trash can; he’ll paint your shirt, your helmet, your walls, your children – he’ll even paint you a mural. He’s the owner of Airbrush-U, and he approached the competition with gusto. He plans to join the festivities again next year, and I can’t wait to see what he cooks up then. Standing over six feet with heels is Joeseph “Otto” Ott’s model, Alicia Brunk, or “Lady Death” as I like to think of her (Ott’s official title for her was “Cupid’s Nemesis”). Although a first-timer in the competitive body painting scene, she has been mod-

complemented the chains and belts so elaborately painted on her body. Beautiful and terrifying. Ott applied ink to skin with unshakable resolution. Amber Olson and artist/friend Meagan Tron came all the way from Des Moines, IA to join the competition. I’m happy for this, as Olson had one of the more three-dimensional and outthere styles. The ideas that made up her look were sci-fi, robots, machines, glamour, flesh, and a host of other body-morphing concepts. She was a mess of cut cables, steely tentacles, and hardened exoskeleton. It looked like flesh-eating parasites had burrowed a large hole through her torso. I noticed early on that there 43

Model Amy-Jo Hagen (Artist: Christy Grace) becomes a wounded red ballerina at Art In Gallery at Greater Midwest Body Painting Competition on 2/23/13.

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was what appeared to be a whole toaster inside of her. Maybe that’s the problem – if you swallow toasters whole, you’ll get parasites. Lesson learned? Tron owns “TRONsformations,” her multi-faceted business which offers body painting, caricature, and zombie portraits. Tron has been doing body painting for about six years now, and she utilizes Olson for many of her artistic endeavors. Olson even helped her win a semifinal competition at the Des Moines chapter of RAW. Another model, Sorrel Weakland, had quite the powerful pattern on his body-turned-canvas. At first glance, he looked like a Na’vi from Avatar, but as the look became more and more fleshed out, it was clear his artist, Ginny O’Neil, had a much different direction in mind. Weakland was covered head-to-toe in different shades of blue and green. Fine stenciling gave him many more degrees of detail and a few additional colors. I thought the silver nails and fedora were an exceptionally nice touch, and he said that his 13 year old daughter helped with those decisions and she also did his hair. Good job, kid. O’Neil dabbles in many art forms: painting, sculpting, found object arrangement/collages, etc. She started doing facepainting for children at the suggestion of a friend around ’05, and because of her talents, I’m not surprised to see how well her model and boyfriend, Weakland, turned out. At first, I didn’t see the PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

connection between his image and the “My Dark Valentine” theme, so I asked her to explain. She said it’s sort of a caricature of cheesy childhood villains, like a chameleon character, somebody that is a trickster and changes the way they act to take advantage of others. That makes sense. Deceit is a common denominator in bad relationships, rights? I shared just a few words with leggy Amazonian model Michelle Ingram. She preferred to be called “Minj” because of all the ladies named Michelle in the competition. Even her own artist was a Michelle - Michelle PhillipsTrademan. I asked her what she thought of the competition. Plain and succinct, she said, “It rocks out loud.” Damn right, it does, Minj. Once all judgments were cast, photo shoots finished, and everybody got their food, it was time to head over to the Inferno to end the night with a bang. On the back stage, there was a small demonstration of talent between two artists painting two models. It wasn’t the full-body experience the big competition had earlier, but it was nice to see there was still some of that going on. A bit later psychedelic synth-rock band Cynergy 67 took to the stage and rocked the house. Afterwards, all the contestants lined up behind an intricate balloon wall so that they could start the runway show.

Afterwards, Flack made her Inferno debut, wowed us all again, and finally the moment we had all been waiting for arrived. Trophies were doled out to a few lucky winners who had been previously judged at the Gallery. The first place award went to artist Sara Meyer for her Cinderella-inspired design, complete with a bloody glass slipper. Her model, Stefanie Pucci, was also awarded the top model position and Pucci received her own trophy. Second place went to artist Grace. Her model, Hagen, also took the esteemed honor of crowd-favorite. Last (but certainly not least), third place went to artist Margaret Mauthe for her beautiful take on a romanticized Cheshire Cat painted on model Lindsay Boswell. With that, a long day of excitement and cheer came to an end for this reporter, though I hear the rest of the crowd stayed a while and celebrated their accomplishments. I’ve never seen anything so amazing up close and personal, and I’ll treasure the experience forever. I can’t wait until next year.

All 14 contestants paraded up and down the stage, trying to garner the biggest fan reaction. This was the time to reach for that crowd-favorite award, after all. 45

ILLUSTRATIONSPHOTOGRAPHYGRAPHICS I P G M O N T H LY S U B M I S S I O N S F R O M L O C A L A R T I S T S

ADELINE PECK

JOEY BROYLES

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ARDEN LINDNER

THEO HOWARD PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

Last Night

is Back For the 2013 Season

Thursday, February 21st kicked off the second season of RAW Madison with RAW “Discovery.” Held at the High Noon Saloon on East Washington Avenue, twenty nine RAW Artists filled the High Noon showcasing their work in RAW’s own defined “Artistic Circus of Creativity.” Talented photographers, painters, jewelry and clothing designers, hair-stylists, make-up artists, and even an aerial dance team were in attendance.

RAW is the biggest independent artist collective in the world, and representing over 54 cities in the US, over 10,000 artists display their work every year between February and October. During this time artists are voted for online, and at the end of the season, RAWards are given to nine lucky artists with prizes that are intended to jumpstart their artistic careers such as boutique or gallery placement. Stay tuned for the next installment of RAW in April where we will have an insider’s peek behind the scenes at RAW “Marvel”.

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RAW RFD by Rachel Frank High Noon Saloon “Discovery” Photo by Kelly Lajter PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

RAW RFD by Rachel Frank High Noon Saloon “Discovery” Photo by Kelly Lajter 49

RAW RFD by Rachel Frank High Noon Saloon “Discovery” Photo by Kelly Lajter 50

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Mya Everson Inferno Greater Midwest Body Painting Award Ceremony Photo by Kelly Lajter PROJECTFAMOUS.COM | MARCH 2013

Last Night

Left to Right Models and Artists line the stage for judging at the Inferno for the Greater Midwest Body Painting Competition on 2/23/13. Pictured from Left to Right: Lindsay Boswell (Artist: Margaret Mauthe), Emmalee Pearson, Juli Bee (Artist: Emmalee Pearson), Amy-Jo Hagen (Artist: Christy Grace), Jami Rutherford, Emily Biffle (Artist: Jami Rutherford)

Models pose with Glitter to Gore LLC at Art In Gallery at the Greater Midwest Body Painting Competition on 2/23/13.Front Row- Glitter to Gore Team: Dawn Marie Svanoe, Michelle Soltis 52

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I WA N T YO U F O R P RO J E C T FA M O U S

F O R P RO J E C T FA M O U S BE A WRITER, PHOTOGRAPHER, OR SUPPORTER OF OUR MAGAZINE.