[proof ] palo alto high school 2017-18
about
Published yearly, [proof ] is Palo Alto High School's fine arts magazine. Our production strives to cover all aspects and mediums of art, featuring student talents in addition to local and national artists. Our mission is to showcase student artwork, local events, and educate others in the arts, promoting creative thinking in the minds of our readers.
from the editors
Hello, readers! After a longer production period than usual, we are proud to present the 2017-18 edition of [proof ]. In this issue, we examine what defines an artist, and share in-depth profiles and intimate conversations with Palo Alto High School's many talented student artists. We aim to inspire and hopefully provide that push to create more art yourself as well. We invite you to broaden your definition of what an art encompasses, and realize the power that our generation has in shaping the art of the future. This issue also includes reviews perfect for a rainy day or weekend, featuring hidden places in Palo Alto and the best face masks for a relaxing night in. Finally, enjoy our gallery to view a diverse collection of student artwork submitted this year. We hope you enjoy this issue and continue to support our magazine.
cover: sam cook photo: sam hirschman
editors-in-chief
emma cockerell james poe angelina wang
editors
text // soumya jhaveri design // kaitlyn khoe
advisor
margo wixsom photography instructor palo alto high school mwixsom@pausd.org
staff
megan andrews kayla brand jasper chang emily cheng caroline elarde ally kim anya lassila alyssa leong catelina nguyen patille papas tamar ponte michaela seah mahati subramanian faustine wang maya wilson lily welsh maya wilson zoe wong-vanharen shannon zhao
contents
08
hidden places
10
pride flag
18
pastries
face masks
barron barista
16
12
film cameras
20
youth speaks out
22
28
peter gold
34
kevin kerr
nicole adamson
brian xu
30
38
enjoy!
32
amanda mcvey
39
amelia straight
[lifestyle]
photo: alyssa leong
HIDDEN PLACES
P
alo Alto has many well-established places for leisure; everyone knows of Midtown and our many boba spots. But [proof] visited some of Palo Alto's lesser-known locales for snacking, browsing, and taking in some interesting flora and fauna.
Papua New Guinea Sculpture Garden 476 Lomita Drive, Stanford
8
lifestyle
When passing by, this spot may just look like any other dense forested area. But if you peer a little closer, you will spot dozens of sculptures towering among the trees. This is Stanford University's Papua New Guinea sculpture garden. During the summer of 1994, ten master New Guinean carvers and a team of American and New Guinean landscape architects worked tirelessly to create the garden, according to the Stanford Daily. Rather than adhere to New Guinean standards, artists reinterpreted traditional designs in a Western setting. The result is a quiet grove of trees, scattered with intricately carved statues. Some statues are made of stone, others are towering wooden poles depicting ancient myths, and there are a few painted in vibrant reds and yellows. The garden makes for a relaxing afternoon stroll, and is also a great photoshoot location for portrait photographers.
IN PALO ALTO
caroline elarde, alyssa leong, maya wilson
Loggon Stationary 520 Bryant Street
Before going to CVS or Paper Source for your next birthday card, stop by Loggon. Located off of University Avenue on Bryant Street, this small Japanese stationery store's facade is discreet, but if you're lucky enough to spot it, you’ll walk into a small shop overflowing with a wide selection of pens, washi tape, stuffed animals, origami papers and other unique knick-knacks. End the school year by picking up one of Loggon's many unique goodies for your favorite teacher.
Gracie Jones’ Gluten-free Bake Shop 2706 Middlefield Road Although many of us think that we know Midtown’s every corner, Gracie Jones’ Gluten Free Bake Shop still has yet to establish a name for itself in Paly's student body. Tucked between two big shops, and without a storefront sign, you many not even realize that it exists! The store serves scrumptious chocolate chip cookies, pecan pie, macarons and muffins. All of the baked goods are made by the bakery’s founder and executive chef of Asian Box, Grace Nguyen. Stop by to get some homework done, and grab a snack while you’re there.
hidden places in palo alto
9
face masks: do prices really matter? ally kim & tamar ponte
O art: kaitlyn khoe
high end
ver the last few years, skin care has been a big trend, especially among teens and young adults. Instagram and other social media platforms have adervertised many different brands that vy to outdo each other with ostentatious claims. We decided to try some highlyadvertised masks, products ranging from high to low end, to evaluate the differences in quality and provide options for those on a budget.
$27
Origins Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay
This light pink mask is made with Mediterranean rose clay, Canadian willowherb and jojoba beads. It is ideal for all skin types. The willowherb helps with acne bacteria and acts as an anti-irritant to calm skin. The mask deeply cleanses, and leaves skin feeling baby smooth and looking radiant. It helped our acne-prone skin and pimples by removing excess oil, but wasn't drying at all. We are thouroughly impressed by this product, which definitely has bang for its buck. Packaging: Scent: Effectiveness:
$62
Fresh Rose Face Mask
This toning gel mask, which is infused with rose petals, is also perfect for all skin types. It gives off a soothing scent of rosewater and aloe vera. It hydrates dry and dull skin, leaving a supple, fresh glow. Many ingredients are included in this mask, including cucumber extract, aloe vera and green tea. This mask feels cool to the touch, which further enhances the refreshed feeling. This mask gives powerful results, yet is gentle enough to use daily. Packaging: Scent: Effectiveness:
10
lifestyle
low end
$14
Elf Clarifying Charcoal Bubble Mask
This mask is marketed as a carbonated bubble mask, meaning that once it is put on the face, it forms bubbles that are meant to hydrate the skin. This specific mask uses charcoal, which is supposed to clarify the skin and remove toxins, dirt and oil from one’s face. It is meant for congested skin, while other Elf bubble masks are meant for other skin types. From our experience, the mask is quite hydrating, but it does not work as well for detoxing the skin. However, Elf’s bubble mask is better than Elizavecca’s which has similar qualities but is much harder to apply as it does not have a push-up dispenser like the Elf mask. Packaging: Scent: Effectiveness:
$12.40
Elizavecca 24k Gold Mask
This mask is meant to remove blackheads, deep cleanse and soften skin. It can be used for all skin types but is best for oily skin with large pores. Once applied, it is a sheer gold, but as it dries it turns white. After washing the mask off, pores feel tighter and the skin feels softer and looks brighter. After using it, we noticed that it does give a deep cleanse to the face, but it is unsure if it removes all blackheads like was advertised in the description. Packaging: Scent: Effectiveness:
face masks
11
I
Everything began with Gilbert Baker, the designer of the famed flag. While originally a draftee in Kansas, Baker quickly moved to San Francisco to pursue fashion design. Baker later turned to flag designing. “[I] work on the whole visual presence of protest,” Baker said. In 1974, he met the “mayor of Castro Street” himself, Harvey Milk, who asked Baker to create a flag for the queer community, and would later become the first openly gay elected official in California. Both agreed that a flag was well overdue.
photos: james poe
anya lassila & michaela seah
history of the pride flag
t's June again in San Francisco, the usually foggy city now bright. Rainbow flags adorn every other window and the sound of music fills the entire street as the SF Pride Parade winds through the city. Happy couples and smiling faces rush through the streets on a jubilant high. The rainbow flag is a symbol of victory and honor for the LGBT+ community. But what exactly is the history of this beacon of hope?
“A flag proclaims power, it says something [...] it’s something that can be interpreted a million different ways,” Baker said in a personal interview by Olga Loginova. He and Milk both recognized the American flag’s profound effect on cultivating a sense of national sense of pride, and wanted that for the queer community as well. Previously, the most well-known pride symbol was the Pink Triangle, which Milk wanted to replace, as it was used by Nazi Germany to label homosexual prisoners. According to an article by The Pink Triangle, during the Victorian era, gay men would adorn a green carnation on their lapel to signify their sexuality, imitating the famous Oscar Wilde who did the same. In the early 1900s, lesbian women would give their beloveds violets, referencing the poet Sappho, as she wrote of herself and her lover adorned with violet garlands. But still, the LGBT+ community was lacking the grand, awe-inspiring symbol of a flag.
Sappho and her Lover
630 BCE-1945 CE 12
lifestyle
19
Excited about Milk's idea, Baker went to work. According to the San Francisco Travel Association, in 1977, with the help of several volunteers, he dyed eight different colored fabrics and stitched them together, creating the first pride flag. Each color was symbolic; hot pink stood for sexuality, red for life, orange for healing, yellow for the sun, green for nature, turquoise blue for art, indigo for harmony and violet for spirit. “What I like about it is that it’s all of the colors," Baker said. "It’s the idea of inclusion and the idea of using something from nature to represent that our sexuality is a human right, whatever color that may be." The rainbow flag first flew just a year later in June at the 1978 San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade. “It completely astounded me that people just got
“A flag proclaims power, it says something [...] it’s something that can be interpreted a
million different ways"
977
- Gilbert Baker
it, in an instant like a bolt of lightning – that this was their flag. It belonged to all of us.” Baker said. “I knew right then that this was the most important thing I would ever do – that my whole life was going to be about the Rainbow Flag.” Shortly after, Baker asked Paramount Flag Company to mass produce his flags. Unfortunately, his original design could not be produced, since the intense fuchsia color was hard to create and thus was cut. This unintentionally created the seven colored pride flag that was used until yet another color was cut at the 1979 Gay Freedom Day Parade.
Harvey Milk, with the first reveal of the flag
Birth of the original flag
1978
The flag with its 5 remaining colors
1979 history of the pride flag
13
The Gay Freedom Day Committee, now the San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee, wanted three even colors on each side of the street where the parade was held, and cut out indigo, leaving red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. The flag continued to grow along with the gay rights movement. In 1988, the flag gained national recognition when John Stout of West Hollywood successfully sued his landlords for the right to hang the flag from his
balcony. According to Stout, his landlords unlawfully forced him to remove the rainbow flag, since it didn't fit "a particular image." In following years, Baker constructed larger versions of the flag, such as a mile-long version in 1994 to celebrate 25 years of the Gay Civil Rights movement. In March 2017, Gilbert Baker died at the age of 65. He will forever be remembered as the man who
The flag gains recongnition from a case in West Hollywood Mile-Long flag to celebrate 25 years of the Gay Civil Rights
1988 14
lifestyle
1994
201
17
changed the face of a movement, leaving behind a symbol of pride.
Out of all things, the pride flag is a symbol of unity and community.
To this day, the rainbow flag is still changing, growing and impacting the people.
“As a rainbow, all different colors of people are included,” sophomore Sebastian Ribbe said. “We’re together, we’re one rainbow in the sky, and it’s beautiful. I love the flag. It’s a great representation of our community and the people that are in it.”
According to NBC News, in 2017, a black and a brown stripe were added in Philadelphia by advocate group More Color More Pride to emphasize queer people of color. The addition was intended to give people of color more visibility since they are often overlooked in LGBTQ+ history, but caused controversy on Twitter. Some expressed that it was racist and disrespectful to add a black and brown stripe, while a white stripe is still lacking. People also strongly believed that the flag should not include race since it has nothing to do with sexuality. Baker's close friend, Charley Beal, sees the flag instead as an independent symbol. “The only thing we would ask is that other people would not take it and put Gilbert’s name on it, because they didn’t do it in consultation with him, and he didn’t do it,” he said. Although the new flag doesn’t hold Baker’s name, what he created continues to be an important part of LGBTQ+ culture. The pride flag has had a big impact on our own local LGBTQ+ communities. “I think the pride flag is a super awesome thing. It has become a symbol of the LGBT community, and it’s a message of hope and strength and support,” Paly QSA Vice President India Phillis said. “It hasn’t always been that, but I think it’s really cool that it’s become the symbol of the LGBT community.”
Baker passes in March 2017
"We're together, we're one rainbow in the sky, and
it's beautiful" - Sebastian Ribbe
The pride flag continues to serve as a symbol to LGBT people
More Color More Pride adds a black and brown stripe
2017
2018 pride flag
15
stories behind the camera
patille papas
My mom has had this camera since her wedding, it had been packed away in the attic for years before I discovered it. This camera can be used by practically anyone, and hence the name assures instant satisfaction. Found: in my attic Best used for: documenting a family event or party, giving a friend a photo
Olympus XA-1
hen first getting into analog photography, people often feel the need to buy the newest and greatest camera they can find for extremely unreasonable prices. After learning about the basics of film photography through second hand cameras, I discovered that there was no need to go out and buy a shiny new camera; instead, I began asking around if anyone had a camera I could use. As cameras are often treasured possessions, I was surprised my friends and family were willing to share these with me. Through the personal meanings of these cameras I've collected, film photography has come to mean more to me personally as well. I hope that by reading more about my cameras' various stories, youll be inspired to search for cameras in places you never considered.
Polaroid Onestep 600 instant film
W
After months of searching online for a pocket sized film camera, I finally stumbled upon this toy-like point and shoot my dad had lying around in his office. He had used during his early years of college, and wasn't sure if it still worked. After shooting a test roll and developing it, I found the camera was working perfectly, and it is now my go-to street photography camera today. Found: in my dad's office Best for: street photography, travel
16
lifestyle
Minolta SRT200
This camera was given to me by my photo teacher. It only cost $30 from the local Goodwill, so it was not fully functioning and didn't have a working light meter. Because it was the first film camera I used without a light meter, I was faced with a challenge. Learning to use a manual camera without any assistance from the meter was difficult at first, but overall helped me master aperture and shutter speed.
When It comes time to buying your first film camera, the FM-10 or Canon AE-1 are the top cameras I recommend. The FM-10 is perfect for any student photographer who wants to learn the fundamentals of the camera. It was the first camera I was given, and although it took time to learn how to use, it is the simplest, most straightforward camera one can find.
Nikon FM-10
Found: Goodwill Best for: street photography
Kiev 4
Found: eBay Best for: beginner 35mm film camera, everyday use
The Kiev 4 is the oldest camera I currently own. My grandparents, and many others of their generation, used this camera as a common household item. Because it it the oldest, it has the most technical difficulties, and needs to be taken into the shop to get the care it needs. Found: grandparents' attic Best for: everyday use
design: angelina wang
stories behind the camera
17
baron barista
18
lifestyle
patille papas & shannon zhao
design: angelina wang
A
s popular cafes in Palo Alto become increasingly overcrowded, Proof Magazine set out to review a new cyber cafe where students can work, study and stop for a caffeine boost without having to share a table with their neighbor. Located in Barron Park, the contemporarystyle coffee shop, Baron Barista, offers a spacious and refreshing environment for students and professionals alike. The interior design of the cafe showcases gray marbled and white-bricked walls with wide wooden tables, fostering an industrial atmosphere. Yet the ambiance is still warm, as a variety of tiny house plants line the walls and counters of the cafe. The owner of Baron Barista, June Kwon, is a San Francisco resident who hoped to bring the coffee shop culture of the city to Barron Park. Although many customers come to Baron Barista to camp out with their computers to work, Kwon said the cafe is also inviting towards people from all lines of work. “We want Baron to be a neighborhood cafe where people can come in to chat, read a book, or just for great coffee and tea.” Kwon said.
“We want Baron to be a neighborhood cafe where people can come in to chat, read a book, or just for great coffee and tea.” — June Kwon, store owner
Despite having opened less than three months ago, the cafe has cultivated a homely environment. Since their grand opening, Baron Barista has introduced two more sandwich and toast items to their menu. Currently, the options offered on the “Toasts and Sandwiches” menu are Ricotta cheese Toast, Avocado&Egg Toast, Turkey Panini and Grilled Cheese. According to Kwon, the cafe will continue to introduce new bites and finalize their menu in the next two months. In addition to the kitchen-made items, Baron Barista offers an array of baked goods from Mayfield Bakery, ranging from classic chocolate chip cookies to specialty sticky buns. As for beverages, the cafe serves an assortment of hand-crafted artisan coffees and teas; currently, the cafe is sourcing its beans and leafs from local roasters, such as Art of Tea, Balrog and Sightglass. However, Kwon says their source could change in the near future as the cafe is constantly seeking the best quality ingredients and may even begin grinding their own beans. The Baron Barista fills a void in the neighorbood, and its current sucess points to a bright future for the store.
baron barista
19
quatre patisseries
paris baguette
383 University Ave, Palo Alto
This international chain store, its roots lying in South Korea, has become one of the most popular bakeries in Palo Alto. With its simple pastry buffet style concept and clean marble look, this bakery deserves much praise for its innovative treats. Paris Baguette not only offers pastries, but ice cream, full meals, a wide variety of drinks, and additionally, several vegan options, like their vegan blueberry muffins, which sets them apart from most traditional bakeries. Open all week till 10 p.m., this bakery is the right spot to visit in order to relax with friends and amazing pastries that make mouths water.
mademoiselle colette
499 Lytton Ave, Palo Alto Our first pick is located in the heart of Paly students most loved hang out space: downtown Palo Alto. This quaint Parisian-esque café, with two locations in Menlo Park and Palo Alto, held its grand opening only two years ago in 2016, yet has garnered the attention of foodies from all around the Bay Area. With its eyecatchingly simple décor, Mademoiselle Colette has some of the best pastries in the area, ranging from creamy éclaires to flaky croissants. The eye for detail is what makes this café so unique, each pastry handmade at the store, which is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, perfect to grab a quick bite to eat before school or an afternoon snack on the go.
20
lifestyle
de palo alto
jasmine venet, megan andrews mahati subramaniam
la baguette
170 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto
Located at Stanford Shopping Center, La Baguette is a town favorite. They have an excellent array of gourmet treats, both savory and sweet. From pesto bread to elegant chiffon cakes, the dining options are virtually endless. La Baguette also has a wide selection of tasty beverages, like their signature hot chocolate. This cafĂŠ in the heart of Stanford Shopping Center is the perfect place to sit, hang out and enjoy a nice pouding au pain with your coffee.
chantal guillon
444 University Ave, Palo Alto
This bakery sells elegant macarons, handmade locally in their SoMa location in San Francisco. Their simple yet visually enticing macaroons can be bought in boxes of 2, 6, 12 or 24. With a myriad of flavors surely to satisfy any sweet-tooth. Although, perhaps not the best for an everyday treat, it makes a great birthday present or celebration food. In addition to the macarons, Chantal Guillon sells an array of other confectionaries such as almond tuiles and sea salted caramel candy. They also sell their own variety of teas specifically made for pairing with their macarons. Open seven days a week, and located in the popular area, this shop is accessible.
palo alto pastries
21
In 2011, Carolyn Digovich was determined to create change. Six students in the Palo Alto Unified School District had committed suicide within eighteen months, and after attending a public youth forum where upwards to 200 students expressed a desire for district and community help in addressing mental health issues, the former Massachusetts arts administrator conceived Youth Speaks Out. “[We wanted to] hold a space in the class, psychologically and emotionally, for the unfolding internal life of the students, whether it’s through journalism photography, sculpture, or poetry,” Digovich says. “Youth Speaks Out is the perfect forum. We’re all about listening to the student voice and acknowledging their reality.”
james poe, emma cockerell
YSO is an arts program that aims to let students have their voice heard on issues regarding youth wellbeing. A safe venue for self expression, the program hosts an annual student showcase that invites students to respond to a theme through visual, literary and performing arts mediums, composing a piece that depicts their inner lives and feelings. The 2018 YSO program, "Give Voice!", brings a new plethora of stunning artwork submissions. At Paly, students worked with YSO instructor and photography teacher Margo Wixsom to construct visual narratives this past semester. As a publication that encourages expression through art, [proof] Magazine interviewed some of the participants to learn more about their experience.
escape sam cook
"I usually don't get to talk about my own personal experiences, so I think YSO is a great opportunity for youth to express themselves. This project was a lot of fun." Artist's statement: I found this unique escape from stress and school a few years ago. I have nostalgic memories of this place from when my friend and I would come here during the summer. To this day it's still a very special place because I’m quite certain no one has been up there to see the view nor do they understand the exhilarating feeling of climbing to the top of the tower with friends. When I’m on the top of the tower I see the dust markings left by my friends and I from the previous summer. The feeling of a euphoric freedom can be found at the top when reflecting on the past and enjoying the view. 22
lifestyle
a blossoming superpower johanna ehrensvärd "What I love about YSO is its authenticity in people's stories. Being encouraged to use both words and images to reflect on something that mattered to us was really liberating for me. In my story, I describe about how sharing my photography on the internet has influenced my confidence and how I perceive myself. It's a self reflection written from the heart and I am now happy to share it with others." Artist's Statement: In 2011, a few months before I moved to the US, I got my first point and shoot camera. A year later, when I was in 7th grade, I made an Instagram account and started sharing my photographs. I mostly took pictures of flowers and I over edited my pictures like crazy, but I loved it. I was struggling to find my place in my new school and to create a new identity. I found the reward of acceptance easily through Instagram for being “liked”, but I got really caught up in that concept ... I felt inspired by the people I followed and wanted to do what they did, so I started going on photoshoots. It was a nice gateway into getting more exposure to photography but after a while, it felt I was taking pictures for Instagram, and not for my own joy ... I had 1,600 followers, and felt good about that so I kept posting and hash tagging in the search for likes. I got comments saying “Omg! I love your photography!” and “You are so talented”, it made me feel good in the moment, but deep down, I didn’t feel proud of my work. Eventually, I grew tired of it. Tired of comparing myself, halfway through high school, I eventually uninstalled the app. During this period, I still created. I discovered new passions that were purely for my own joy including hand lettering, poetry, and meditation. I felt more comfortable in myself. I grew a sense of confidence in my own expression. In 2018, my camera has blossomed into a superpower. I overlaid my camera on top of my eye to illustrate the supernatural power that is my camera. Through my journey my eyes stay open and curious. I’m now in my last year of high school, and even if I’m still working on it, I’m gaining self-confidence with every day that passes. ... I recently logged back into my account, and share the results with Instagram rather than creating it for the purpose of sharing it. I still set crazy standards for myself, but I am learning to love my art and most importantly myself through the process. In my six year photography journey on Instagram, I have understood the importance of doing art for yourself, but boy is it hard! I still I want to share photos that will be liked and I still compare myself to others, but when I catch myself, I take a step back, and tune into myself again. We as artists can feel inspired by others but must not forget our own unique voice so we don’t lose touch with who we are. youth speaks out 23
scared into silence
caroline debruine
24
lifestyle
Artist's Statement: I have always been told I am too young to understand, too young to make a difference or too uneducated to join the discussion. I feel trapped in my own mind, as I watch the many problems unfold in my school, community, and in the government, I struggle to keep my mouth shut. I am surrounded by dead air, unable to communicate my thoughts and visions because I am scared. I am scared I won’t be taken seriously or will not be listened to. They say I am young but shouldn’t that make my opinion more valued? The unique perspective I have as someone who has grown up facing the issues they debate in the government and in my community should help guide us to create solutions and correct the injustices. As I sit stuck, I watch as others speak out, being praised but also criticized. I watch the teenagers from Parkland, kids my age, speaking up and sparking a national discussion. But I also watch them get scrutinized, called liars, and be thrown into the national spotlight. Their actions are changing the course of our country, they are making a real impact, but I doubt I will even be heard. The fear of speaking whirls in my mind. I long to share my thoughts, but for now, I sit trapped in my own mind, scared into silence.
past, present, future stephanie lee
the past — taiwan, manhattan in the foyer, my great aunt trims the stalks of foreign jasmines — they’re my flowers — my my feet feel the smooth silky sand surrounding my baby toes; sandwiched sandwiched between the bottomless hudson and the sparkling skyline lines of car lights illuminate fdr drive drive four hours south and see my future my future — college, work, family, work, retire, death death to the hobby; you must work in what makes money money makes you happy, you can buy whatever you need want hope for with it it raises your family get a good job you keep working working but i don’t want to just make money i want to be happy be happy you have enough money to raise a family keep working you don’t stop stop right now now is my present present because it’s a gift; it’s fleeing, slips between my fingers fingers shake as i type up essays and essays to colleges with brand names names like harvardyaleprincetonstanfordcolumbiaberkeleydukeuniversitiesuniversitiesuniversities but i’m tired. i realize i hate the structure of the life we’re all told to live from the moment we’re able to talk. i am going to a non ivy league — my college is johns hopkins (i know it’s good, but i’m not studying STEM like everyone wants me to in order to earn money — i’ll be picking up my history degree in four years.) now is my present, and i’m going to live and breathe every moment — i have many questions about my future, but i know they won’t be answered until they simply are.
youth speaks out
25
[profiles]
photo: angelina wang
on pointe james poe
W
atching junior Nicole Adamson leap and spin across the stage with nimble elegance, dancing seems as natural as breathing for the sixteen-year-old ballerina. But while her undeniable raw talent as a performer shines, it has taken deep commitment for Adamson to achieve such grace and finesse in dancing. Behind the scenes, Adamson undergoes vigorous training at the Pacific Ballet Academy, multiple hours a day. "At ballet, I’m really trying to get better," Adamson says. "I’m not just going through the motions. My strength is that I listen to my teachers and that I take their corrections; I do my best to implement what they tell me to." Embracing this mindset and pushing
28
profiles
herself to progress has allowed Adamson to reach her lifelong goal as a ballerina this past winter: landing the highly coveted role of Sugar Plum Fairy in her studio's production of Nutcracker. To better understand how she should perform her role, Adamson listens to the music for inspiration. "The music makes me imagine certain things, like birds flying through a tree, for example," Adamson says. "When I'm dancing I think about how to convey that. With certain roles I've had in Nutcracker or other performances, the music helps me think about my character and what their purpose is in the production." By the time Adamson actually performs on stage, she is able to effortlessly embody her role's character and lose herself in the music. "It's freeing...liberating. You're not thinking about anything except for the music and your body. Sometimes if you know the choreography really well, you're not even thinking about anything at all. You're just moving with the music, or letting it move you." Adamson's success has not come without sacrifices; delivering on her commitment to ballet can be difficult to integrate in her academic life. “Dancing gives me a scheduled time to not worry about other things," Adamson says. "I can just focus on enjoying the moment there, and that makes me less stressed out. But it can also increase my stress if we have a lot of rehearsals and I don’t have enough time to do homework.� For aspiring dancers, Adamson advises that an innate desire to improve and an open-minded mentality are essential. "With dancing, even though you perform for an audience, it's really about yourself. For it to be worth all the time you put in, you really have to care about getting better. You need to have something inside you that wants to work hard for it. If teachers give you a correction, it's not because they think you're bad or because what you're doing is really wrong. It's because they feel you have the potential to become better and they care enough to help you."
on pointe
29
cinematic gold
soumya jhaveri & shannon zhao
james poe xxphoto:section name
“Filmmakers are storytellers.” For senior Peter Gold, this philosophy is behind each film he directs as he uses his filmmaking talent to craft a story that never fails to dazzle audiences. Many would assume that Gold was born to be a filmmaker due to his raw talent for directing. However, his journey interestingly began in front of the camera. Gold started his career in film as an actor, but an experience with a sub-par director changed his focus to directing. "I acted in plays all my life and then I was doing a film and the director wasn’t very good,” Gold says. “He just made me much more interested in the other side of the camera because I had more power on set.” Although Gold’s ardor for film has shifted to a focus for behind the camera, his love for acting still remains and acts on occasion. “I just fell in love with filmmaking to the point where I didn’t
“If you have true passion, there is no limit to your success." want to act in my own films necessarily," Gold says. "Directing is really my main passion.” Over the course of his high school career as a student filmmaker, Gold has attended several different film programs each summer, such as the New York Film Academy for acting and UCLA’s School of Film and Television as well as the USC School of Cinematic Arts for filmmaking. He credits his mastery in film largely to such programs where he was able to learn from experts in the field and gain extensive production experience. This fall, Gold will be following in the footsteps of his role models Martin Scorsese and James Franco by attending NYU Tisch. The most gratifying project Gold has worked on in his filmmaking career so far has been Metamorphosis Junior Year, which premiered in multiple film festivals such as the Cinequest Film Festival 2017, and was screened at the Mill Valley Film Festival and Lone Starr Film Festival. Working under the direction of James Franco and alongside other talented filmmakers was Gold’s favorite part of the experience. Gold is currently in the process of getting one of his films from the program, Vengeance is Ignorance, into academy-recognized film festivals. From directing films about the Serbian mafia and professional boxers to a cancer patient and the homeless youth, Gold has worked on a range of design by: angelina wang
photo: sam cook
projects that have received recognition from many organizations, such as the Scholastic National Visual Arts Competition. According to Gold, filmmaking is a multifaceted art made up of several different elements. Among these components, Gold emphasized the importance of casting and attributes 50% of a director’s battle to casting, as an accommodating cast will make the directing process run much smoother. “On set, you aren’t going to need to spend too much time directing that person because they already understand your vision from day one,” Gold says. Gold recalls a 90 minute feature film he created sophomore year and the complications that resulted from unfit casting. He explained how when the actors didn’t understand certain elements of the script, the sequence of scenes had to be rearranged and changed. Aside from the technical skills needed to be an influential director, Gold believes that a combination of being passionate and confident in your visions is the most important factor in becoming a successful filmmaker. “A passionate person will stop at nothing to let their vision be seen and their voice be heard.” Gold sayssaid. “If you have true passion, there is no limit to your success. I think the same theory applies to all forms of entertainment, business and even life.”
cinematic gold
31
wracking, because you have to have very good form for at least a minute,” she says. “It’s hectic, hectic, hectic, go, go, go during the show [and] lots of waiting around before.” Five-foot-nine with high cheekbones, McVey has the looks to be a model. “For a couple years, I wasn’t able to do modeling, because I was too tall to be a kid model, but too young to do teen or adult,” she says. “I used to be signed with Marla Dell Talent in San Francisco, but now I’m freelance. I just wasn’t getting a lot of jobs with them.”
in high (d)amanda angelina wang
F
or those seeking to break into the fashion world, it can be a daunting task. Rumors of cut-throat competition and being in the right place at the right time circulate, adding to the mystery of those industry elites. For freshman Amanda McVey, the challenge is worth it. Her interest began in fashion, which then led to modeling and Bay Area Fashion Week as a sixth grader. “Being [a] runway [model] is rather nerve-
32
profiles
The past summer, McVey took her interest to the next level by participating in the IMG Fashion Camp in Florida, which is hosted by IMG, “arguably the biggest modeling agency in the world,” she says. Speakers included Ashley Graham, a plus-size model who advocates for body positivity, and Bon Duke, an up-andcoming photographer.
“It’s not like a model training camp, it’s more of an educational experience.,” she says. “Yes, the industry can be cutthroat; that’s just how it is. People don’t always like the look you have, or you need more practice. There was definitely a lot of love and family at that camp, which I enjoyed. ” Though being in the fashion industry is McVey’s dream, she is aware of the potential drawbacks and would not sacrifice her health to be a part of the fashion world.
“The modeling industry can be dangerous sometimes, both mentally and physically,” she says. “I am not going to sacrifice my happiness to be in this industry. I’m not going to sacrifice my health to be in this industry. I do it because I love it, and if I started suffering in this industry, I would not sacrifice that to keep going.” A true artist, McVey is driven by her love for the creative world and being a part of something bigger than herself. Her thoughts on fame: “You should never go into this industry if you want to become famous because it ruins the authenticity. I do it [modeling] because I love art.”
Though McVey acknowledges the unrealistic tendencies of social media, she believes her own Instagram is “a reasonable representation” of herself. “Currently I’m on Accutane, so waiting for the skin to get better,” she says. “I would like in the future to show more raw images of myself, because right now, it’s a bit hard, with my skin, to do that. I don’t want to portray someone I’m not.” In the future, McVey hopes to work with esteemed fashion house, Chanel. “Karl Lagerfeld never fails to outdo himself,” she says.
Like Meryl Streep’s famous cerulean monologue in The Devil Wears Prada, McVey recognizes the omnipresent influence of the fashion industry. “The fashion industry has such big influence on people who don’t even care about fashion,” she says. “It still affects their life. It’s very interesting to be a part of that, and sort of guide that.” While McVey plans to attend Parsons to pursue a degree in Fashion Design, she remains open to any new possibilities. “ I completely understand if my modeling career starts to grow and thrive more [and I don’t finish college],” she says. “I’m not going to stress it too much. I’m just going to see where the road takes me.” “[In] the fashion industry typically people will go in, and they’ll end up with a completely different career than they intended,” she says. “But that’s okay because I’m just very interested in the arts.” McVey’s interest in the arts can be clearly seen through her Instagram, which acts as her digital portfolio. She emphasizes the importance of social media for models hoping to land campaigns or become signed to an agency: “It’s easier to get noticed the more followers you have, because brands will think ‘She can reach more people with our product, our brand’,” she says. “It’s useful and a bit of a struggle if you’re stuck behind.” design: kaitlyn khoe
amanda mcvey
33
Emily Cheng, Faustine Wang, Emma Cockerell
xx name photo: section emma cockerell
sculpting the future W
emily cheng, faustine wang, emma cockerell
ith pliers in one hand and chicken wire in another, Brian Xu bends over in concentration at one of the art room’s many wooden tables. As earbuds blast his favorite music, Xu's eyes are fixed on his piece, his attention focused on meticulously bending the wire into a desired shape. Xu is one of Palo Alto High School’s few installation artists. His art pieces are bold and three-dimensional, and he aims to evoke emotions out of his viewers. Xu came into contact photo: emma cockerell with art when he was just five years old. From then, he has been taking drawing and painting classes on-andstarted pursuing this avenue at the beginning of the off, but never felt artistically inspired. “Doing 2D art senior year, Xu didn’t view his lack of experience as an never really ‘clicked’ for me. It was too limiting, too obstacle, instead he dived head-first into creating. straightforward,” Xu says. “It was just basically me doing what I wanted to do and Later, three-dimensional art ridded art of the not really being afraid,” Xu says. “Because my art was limitations that Xu felt stymied by. “I feel like there really experimental, I didn’t really care if it turned out [are] a lot of things you can get across with 3D that good or not, so that kind of attitude, that kind of menyou can’t with 2D,” Xu says. “2D is normally just a tality, really helped me push through the beginning painting on a canvas, while with 3D there [are] just stages … I just viewed it as … a way for me to pour a so many different aspects you can do: sculptures, lot of my negative emotions in me at that time and do installations, performance based art … I feel like it is something productive.” really satisfying for me.” With this fearless mindset, Xu created many art However, Xu only seriously started to pursue pieces with unconventional materials, utilizing chicken his passion for 3D art during his senior year at Paly. wire in his earlier work. While Xu recognizes the dominating presence of “Most people wouldn’t really use [it], but I felt technology and STEM fields in the Silicon Valley, he like chicken wire was just so malleable and so easy to is disinterested in those fields. “At the end of junior use, [and] it was really easy to shape with my hands,” year, I reached the conclusion that the STEM fields Xu says. “Another thing I like to use is fabric. I don’t like were kind of boring for me, so I really wanted to not to use the traditional things. I like to use weird stuff like waste my life and not waste my spirit, and do somegas masks, PVC pipes, black morph suits, playing cards thing creative and cool,” Xu says. [and] tables.” He then started creating installations, sculp Xu hopes his use of unconventional materials tures and performance-based pieces. Though he evoke emotions in his viewers. Though he can
sculpting the future
35
appreciate the technical prowess of traditional paintings, Xu says they are too common and get “mundane after a while.” “When I see something really big, something that stands out with its uniqueness ... I can really delve deeper into the art,” Xu says. Xu’s artistic process is also unconventional — sometimes, when creating a piece, he will dance around wildly to gain inspiration. “I’m really weird when I do art,” Xu says. “I like to pretend I am a ballet dancer, and then the next mo-
36
profiles
ment I put on XXXTentacion and just imagine that I am at a live concert. People may look at me differently and people may judge me [but] I’m just doing what feels natural. I don’t really care what people think.” One of his favorite pieces, which Xu created for his University of California Los Angeles portfolio, had to adhere to a given theme — “Red and Blue.” Inspired by wearable sculptures designed by Rei Kawakubo, fashion designer for Comme des Garçons, Xu incorporated red, blue, gold and black fabric into his piece. “I really wanted to emulate that [Kawakubo’s
work],” Xu says. “I kind of made my own iteration of that, and this is what happened as a result of that.” Though he is an installation artist, Xu also derives inspiration from another art form — music, or more specifically, hip hop. One of his inspirations is American rapper, A$AP Rocky. “A$AP Rocky inspired me because not only does he rap, he produces his own music and then raps it live,” Xu says. “So I sat down and went like ‘Brian, you spend hours on that sculpture and installation, how do you want to document it? How do you want to show it to the world? Just take A$AP Rocky for example.’” Xu involves himself in all steps of the artistic process as A$AP Rocky does, creating and modeling his pieces. He says that he does not want his own work to be modelled by someone else. Xu also has a unique, unconventional view on art’s role in society. He acknowledges that many people believe art to be something that helps solve social injustices, but he firmly disagrees, asserting that he did not want to fall into the “pit hole” of being the type of artist that only focuses on social issues. “I see art as a way [of] conveying your ideas to the world [and] making the world think about a wide variety of issues,” Xu says. “For example, if someone is passionate about Black Lives Matter and [makes] art, [then] that’s good, but there [are] also people like me who [don’t] do that, who ... take on different narratives and tell different stories, and only with people like me can the world have different perspectives.” He believes having a more open perspective is impor-
tant to have, because “only then can we stop antagonizing each other and start understanding each other.” Xu also has important advice for aspiring artists struggling to produce artwork. “To that kid out there who thinks that they are not good enough for art, and doesn’t have the skills, [don’t give in to] what you thought,” Xu says. “I didn’t start my art portfolio until four months ago, I could have easily [been] afraid that by changing something I will ruin the whole thing. "When I work … I don’t stop and consider whether something is good or not, I just do, and 9/10 times, what I do becomes great.”
"I don’t stop and consider whether something is good or not, I just do, and 9/10 times, what I do becomes great.” photos courtesy of brian xu
sculpting the future
37
kerr-ently kevin
emma jiang, zoë wong-vanharen
[proof] staffers sat down with senior Kevin Kerr to find out more about him and his artistic backround.
photos: james poe
[proof]: How long have you been drawing? Kevin Kerr: Always. As a little kid, I always kept a sketchbook. I was not good at it for a long time, but eventually, if you do it enough you get good. It can be frustrating when you’re trying to draw something and it just doesn’t look right, but it’s just kind of fun to tell a story. P: Why did you start drawing? KK: My dad's a really good artist, he paints a lot. My sister's also a great artist. She's in college now, majoring in studio drawing. P: How would you describe your style? KK: Sometimes I go kinda crazy with caricatures, sometimes its a comic book style, sometimes strictly realistic. Semi-realistic.
"I don’t really see it as a career in the future, but I always want to incorporate it into parts of my life."
38
profiles
P: What’s your favorite media? KK: I usually use pens, pencils, or ink. I really like this brush pen that I have which has a tip that allows you to get a lot of surface area. Sometimes I use color - I’ve been doing oil paintings, like portraits, lately, and if i want to add color to a drawing I'll use colored pens like prismacolors. Pencils and pens are really easy to quickly get down ideas or an image or a scene, super portable. P: What’s your favorite type of art? KK: Right now i’m really into Egon Schiele. Vincent Van Gogh, his style is a constant classic. I also like Gustav Klimt. P: Is art a part of your imagined future? KK: I’m not sure if i want to do it professionally, I’ll probably want to incorporate drawing into the profession I do. I kind of want to be a engineer, mechanical. I don’t really see it as a career in the future, but I always want to incorporate it into parts of my life. P: Any advice for aspiring artists? KK: If you look at my old sketchbooks a lot of the stuff is really really bad, it started out as an interest but became a talent. A big part of it is delusion, thinking that you’re good even when you’re not, it’s a good way to get good eventually. Draw a lot, get a sketchbook, fill it up.
making it in makeup
kaitlyn khoe
photo: angelina wang
it’s a rush of five minutes. Five minEveryday utes to fight through the nerves and care-
fully dab primer on their faces, glancing at the marked up pictures of the made-up actors on the wall for reference. Her hands douse the table with isopropyl alcohol. After, she might chat with one of the directors, Betsy Franco, or decorate the nails of another actor. And then the five minutes start again. At age sixteen, senior Amelia Straight assisted a makeup artist on the film "Metamorphosis," but her engrossment in the world makeup started long before that. One of Straight’s first encounters with makeup came at the age of five, when she had to do her own stage makeup for ballet. She became enchanted by the many ways of transforming herself from an ordinary girl to an assortment of characters from snowflakes to mice. “From there, my love of makeup really bloomed out of makeup and into my daily life,” Straight says. Her passion for makeup stems from the power it holds to convey the identity of a society. The many styles today indicate the growing independence of individuals and a society that is improving diversity of all aspects––race, gender and sexuality––according to Straight. “Makeup is an expression of a society, and what
a society believes in, so being able to contribute to that is a powerful thing,” Straight says. In developing her own style, Straight strives to achieve a style that blends traditional and modern aesthetics and brings in features of her Asian culture, such as anime, instead of following the trends set by social media, especially by Instagram makeup artists. Although makeup’s ubiquity should be credited to the immense influence of social media, Straight assures makeup holds more value than the many eye makeup tutorials on Instagram. This includes looking beyond the viral influencers of social media to find inspiration for looks such as Lisa Eldridge, Violette, and Mary Greenwell, who are makeup artists with decades of experience and who guide Straight’s craft. “Look for respected industry figures, and take inspiration from them, rather than just influencers,” Straight says. Straight looks forward to her current work in the makeup industry leading to a career in makeup. “I really hope to work not just as a makeup artist, but [as] everything else that the beauty industry needs to run and be successful,” Straight says.
kevin kerr / amelia straight
39
[gallery] photo: sam hirschman
anna tomz
patille papas
alvaro merino de mendoza 42
gallery
arts/chen
kaitlyn khoe
lucy volino
gallery
43
simone shaw
johanna ehresnvard
anna mickelson
44
gallery
sam hirschman
audrey lemoine
leslie aboytes
gallery
45
stephanie lee
46
gallery
nura mostaghimi
conor padmanabhan
ashley zhang
nathania au
gallery
47