things
editor’s letter
Things is the cure for any apathetic teen or young adult’s endless ennui with Boston. It’s for the person who wants to flee Boston for cities like NYC or L.A. It is a guide to Boston from a different perspective; where to get green tea Kit Kats, or really good cookies, or Japanese soda; where you and your friends should go to get really good food and to take really nice Instagram pictures; the best locations for a photo-shoot or a good time out with friends. What I aim to do with this magazine is to further show Boston as a home for creatives: artists, photographers, designers. Instead of letting these talents run off to bigger cities with larger creative scenes, I aim to help fuel the already developing creative scene. Things is a collective journal. Boston contributors should feel as if the magazine is a home for their artwork, a place to showcase their talent. Think of Things as all of the coolest people and places in one, easy to access place. For our first issue I wanted to get right to it, a compilation of as many worthwhile and awesome places and people that could fit into an issue. It holds spots frequented by our contributors and myself, up-and-coming artists from Boston, the United States and abroad who share their work through social media, and other things to ease the ennui, even if it’s just a bit. I had an amazing time developing this idea and working with friends and other Boston creatives; hopefully you enjoy this issue, explore some new places, and discover some new people. sienna kwami, editor-in-chief
inside style
courts urban casual boston streetstyle mode de tennis untitled emerald and azure
art
local
shane
1
national remi ale
international fi
places
go
beaux-art on the roof niche
eat
team picks
contributors
ale salaman emma taylor paydos kat chang lauren o’neil lola mia sheets josh glass juliette laura remi riordan shane kelly tommy scheib tyler k. editor-in-chief sienna kwami creative director mandusu sidibay social media coordinator kathryn capo
on the cover
If you’ve seen local musician Shane Kelly’s Instagram, you’ll know that he has an amazing style, one definetely worth capturing. On top of that he’s musically gifted, finding inspiration from jazz artists like Ella Fitzgerald. Shane can light up the room with his bubbly personality and everything about him made him the perfect cover star for our debut issue. For our local artists we did the interview in two parts: a photoshoot highlighting their satorial choices and a video interview. In this issue you will find Shane’s shoot along with a link to his interview where we talked about his upcoming EP and more.
style
courts
Photographed by Lauren O’Neil, @lauoneil Modeled by Christina Hayes
urban Photographed by Emma Taylor Paydos Modeled by Hope Leimer
casual
boston str
reet style
Ryan Schmidt, Photographer Kat Chang, blogger/model www.loveandace.com
mode de tennis Photographed by Tyler K. Modeled by Emma
Modeled By: Emily, Gracie, Jenny and Kepra
Photographed by Tommy Scheib
EMERALD and
AZURE
Photographed by Josh Glass
art
SHANE!
We interviewed local musician Shane Kelly about his upcoming EP, musical influences, and some other things you have to see for yourself. Watch the interview at thingsmag.us
ALEXANDRA SALAMAN, BETTER KNOWN AS ALE SALAMAN, EVEN BETTER KNOWN AS @ NAMALAS IS A FIFTEEN YEAR OLD
COLOR-BLIND ARTIST FROM FLORIDA. WITH 10.1K PEOPLE WORSHIPING HER ART, ALE HAS BECOME AN INTERNET ART GODDESS OF SORTS What type of art do you make? I make portrait illustrations using mixed media. What inspires your work? The way people make me feel definitely shapes up my work into what it is. How long will you spend on a piece? I like to spend about an hour or two on a piece but the maximum amount of time is probably 3 days on a very detailed piece of work. Favorite tools for artwork? Micron Pens & mechanical pencils & computer art software. What do you want your work to communicate to others? I would like my work to communicate differences in people but most importantly what I’m feeling at the time. It all depends on the piece, sometimes they also have social commentary behind them. How does it make you feel when people comment nice things on your work or wear your clothing? It makes me feel really accomplished. I think I always have
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such a hard time posting my artwork because I don’t know what kind of feedback I’ll get back so it’s always really positive when people send me their nice words and send me photos of themselves wearing my shirts. What’s your favorite food? My favorite food is sushi. I love sushi with all my heart. Favorite color? My favorite colour is blue. Where do you see yourself this time next year? Most likely I’ll still be sitting down in bed drawing like this year and the last. Continuing school and having AP classes, getting my grades up in order to go to art school. I have to ask, what do you think of Boston, MA? Boston is cool, I’ve never been but I’m looking forward to going. My good friend is really just obsessed with Boston and from the photos I’ve seen I’m really digging it.
find more more of of ale’s ale’s art art at at namalas.com namalas.com or or @namalas @namalas on on find instagram instagram
Remi Riordan
Fifteen year old photographer Remi Riordan posts her photographic work on instagram, something a lot of teenage photographers have been doing lately. But Remi is somewhat of a wunderkind. Her photos give off a nostalgic glow and rival the work of famous photographers such as Olivia Bee and Petra Collins. On top of that she’s cool. With her own publication, Crybaby Zine, Remi is all-around amazing. I chatted with Remi about her work, inspirations, and favorite foods.
You have a very distinct style of photos, how did you come to it? Well I (as most did) went through my dumb middle school phase and it is what got me into photography. I started emulating other teen photographers I saw on instagram. But, as I continued, I became bored and discouraged because depressing/conceptual photography just was not my thing. I think it was because of instagram and being exposed to so many different styles, I decided I was going to try film photography without the film. I had bootleg photoshop already, so I just started experimenting with it. I have also always been kinda girly and I love pastels so if I can, I try to edit them in or get the color scheme to include those.
a bible and so many others but I can’t list them because I actually have a magazine collection that is almost up to 20 art/photography/fashion magazines. So, I think the work in there, which is usually vintage-inspired, is what has inspired me.
What usually gives you an idea to do a shoot? This is going to sound a little petty, but a pretty girl or boy on instagram. Many times I just need new photos and “dm” a pretty person from NYC to shoot with. But, there usually isn’t much concept behind it all (sometimes I’m a little less lame). We just go to my usual spots or wander till I find what I like.
You’re also pretty good at illustration, what drew you to photography instead? My mom is a photographer so I have always been in front of the camera which I hate. So, when I got an instagram before it was super popular, I started photography. It wasn’t actualYour photography style, in my opinion, ly photography but I guess I had to start somerelates to photographers like Petra Collins, where. I still do draw a lot, I just don’t like how Olivia Bee, and Rebekah Campbell, which it looks when I take a picture of it and scanning photographers or artists inspire you creit takes time and energy so I just don’t post it. atively? I’ve actually never heard of Rebekah Campbell What equipment do you use? but that is just because I’m not very educated on I use a Canon t3i, a 50mm f1.8 and I use Photophotographers like I wish I was. I LOVE Petra shop CS4 for editing. Collins, ever since Rookie Mag, I have always been so inspired by her work. And Olivia Bee’s How would you define your photography? stuff is great too, I just haven’t spent as many I would consider it portrait/fashion photography. hours “stalking” her social media accounts. I guess I know magazines more than photographers that inspire me. I read i-D magazine like Does your age influence your photos? Yeah definitely, I think there is a sense of youth in my work. Because I’m 15 I mostly shoot with my friends in whatever they are wearing so it is never very styled. I love playful stuff.
How has sharing your work on social media affected your work? It has helped my work to evolve into what it is today. With all the influences from the internet and other media that is how I got my photographic style. I had the option to get models from other places besides my direct friend group and contact people who I look up to. Have you met anyone you wouldn’t have if you didn’t share your work online? I wouldn’t have met so many people. Since instagram, I go into the city (I’m actually from NJ) almost every weekend. Many times I go alone to go take photos of someone who I “dm”ed. Also, a few of my closest friendships have been from the internet, many of them I have met and collaborated with.
What’s your favorite type of location to hold a shoot? I prefer to shoot in city/street scenes because the white light it gives off most times compliments most skin tones and I just think it is a cool look. I also love sports courts like basketball courts, tennis courts, or just the wall ball courts in soho. What’s next for you and your photography? Hopefully my work continues to get better but I don’t want to over emulate the photographers who inspire me. I would never want my work to look exactly like someone else’s, I want my individuality to stay in my work. What’s your favorite food? My favorite food is probably margarita pizza. I’m Italian so any other Italian food too I guess.
Favorite color? Pastels, I know that isn’t one color and I don’t wear pastels. But that is my dream color scheme. It is just so cute and girly and perfect. What are you currently listening to? I’m listening to Touch by Shura, but that doesn’t really represent my music taste because I like everything from 50s love songs to 80s punk to rap to electronic.
What do you think of Boston, MA? Would you ever visit? I’ve been to Boston once on a school trip in 7th grade and the only thing I remember is going to a graveyard that smelled like dead people. But, my dad lived there for a while and said it is great so yah I would give it a second chance. Written by Sienna Kwami
check out remi on instagram @ghostgirlly and find her zine crybabyzine.tumblr.com
Models: Virginia Deoliveira and Justin Rolon
Model: Lily Mcinerny
fi
fi wong is a twenty year old illustrator and par t time graphic designer based in Hong Kong. fi’s work refreshingly shows her subjects in black and white marker drawings that are minimal yet extremely eye catching. why my illustrations are all B/W and When did you start illustrating? minimal. Forever. I was always referred to as “the girl who draws” since I was a kid and I used to draw random stuff on paper and schedules. But it wasn’t until a year ago that I really started to illustrate people and develop my own style. Why do you like drawing? I can’t find a specific reason why I like drawing; to me it is more like a habit and I’ve found joy in doing it since I was a kid, so it’s something that feels natural to do.
Where do you get your inspiration to draw? Mostly from daily objects and graphics that surround me in my everyday life. I also love searching for portraits that have great potential to work with on Instagram accounts and making them into illustrations.
“I was always referred to as ‘the girl who draws’ since I was a kid”
Was drawing more of hobby or did you plan on doing it as a career? It was a hobby but now I am planning to make it my career. I didn’t think it was possible to make drawing a career until I opened my Instagram account. Now I am trying to explore opportunities by collaborating with amazing people and hopefully I will become an illustrator in the foreseeable future.
How has sharing your drawings through social media affected you? It is definitely a great motivation. I haven’t been so driven and drawing so regularly for a long time. I guess now that I have followers on Instagram waiting to see my new works, it makes me work so much harder. And with social media, it helps to spread the word and allows me to showcase my work not only with my family and friends but also the outside world.
When a person you’ve drawn likes/comments on your illustration, how do you Your illustrations are very minimal, feel? have you always drawn that way? It is totally the best feeling in the world Yes, I think so. I am very sensitive to to me. When they say they love it or, lines and structures and I like sketcheven better, repost it, I literally scream ing out shapes and fine details, so my drawings are mostly line drawings. Plus at my phone. I am not fond of using color, which is
How do you choose who you’re going to draw? I choose portraits and photos with characters, especially those with special gestures and poses. Or those who are wearing outfits that have interesting textures like fur coats and moto jackets. Do you think your age influences your drawing style? I think so. What I’ve been exposed to, like recent trends and artists, do help shape my illustration style. What tools do you use to make your work? As I do B/W, I normally use a Hi-Tec C 0.4 in black, a HB pencil and a Staedtler marsgraphic 3000 duo in black. Do you have any favorite artists? My all-time favourite is Frida. Her works are always inspiring and fascinating to me, and the story behind them is heartbreaking. What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time? Sleep. I sleep a lot. I love sleeping. This is my real hobby. Tea or coffee? Hojicha Tea Latte, so tea. Favorite color? 100% -- black! And I must ask, have you ever heard of Boston, MA and if so would you visit? Yes and I would totally love to.
PHOTO BY MIA SHEETS
beaux-art
Photographed by Tyler K. Modeled by Suoemi At the Museum of Fine Arts
on the roof
during our interview with Lola, a local artist, one very important question came up: how did she get on all those roofs? Lola was kind enough to share a mini roof scavenger hunt - made up of her favorite roofs.
chinatown
Hint: “this roof in near The Coffee Shop in Chinatown.”
park street
Hint: “this roof in near park st. but not on it. this is the only one that you have to be careful of the security guard. This was the first roof I found.�
Hint: “this roof in a free public roof opening until the sunsets. find it through the rainbow room near the station. This one is a personal favorite, it’s the nicest because it’s grassy.”
kendall square
619 Tremont St, Boston MA
niche
Niche is where my urban gardening dreams come true. Stepping into this little shop nestled in the South End of Boston is like stepping into my heaven. Surrounded by the prettiest plants and plant styling there is. From succulents, to air plants, to cacti, orchids, lush greens, terrariums, hanging planters, glass containers, ceramic containers, Niche has it all. From the plants themselves, to all of the supplies. Any plant arrangement you dream up, the staff at Niche can help you make it a reality. They also offer a variety of classes. written/photographed by juliette laura juliettelaura.blogspot.com
team picks
details
the things mag team loves to go out so we rounded up a few of our favorite spots to frequent via our instagrams :) Photos by the editor-in-chief, creative director, and social media coordinator: Sienna Kwami, Mandusu Sidibay, and Kathryn Capo.
details ATTAC H M E NTS
Zinneken’s
Yogurtland
Insomnia Cookies
Cherry Mart
Trident Booksellers & Cafev
Five Guys
Georgetown Cupcake
Thinking Cup
Tea Do
#thingsmag