TOKEN ART MAGAZINE
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER ISSUE #002
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*Alex Heisler: Photography Ameorry Luo: Visual Arts Amy Nguyen: Portrait Photography Cristina Gonzales: Photography/Digital Art Dylan Thai: Visual Art ** Feuray Vincet: Photography James Liu: Poetry Juan Manjarres: Photography Katelynn Anne Koenig: Photography Katherine Vyy Tran: Illustration (Pen and Ink) Lisa Sou: Sculpture Robert Troy Warshel Jr: Film Photography Thang Van Le: Photography
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* : This month’s featured cover artist ** : This month’s featured artist
message from the editor Hello everyone! Welcome to another edition of Token Art Magazine. I was so happy to see that the first issue launched without a hitch! There were a few minor kinks that needed to be worked out but otherwise, it was a very successful opening due to all of the endless support and encouragement. We are now proud to present the second issue of Token, featuring new and familiar faces. Although it is still in its early stages, we hope that the Token journey continues to showcase a legacy of artists that carry on the concession of overlooked beauty and passion for the arts. Sincerely, Your Editor
Nhu Nguyen P.S. Please welcome to the staff, Bei Wang! She is our new prompt editor and executive assistant (along with Alexander Michael).
_____________ Also, many have you have been asking that you want to see my work. Seeing as this magazine is devoted to showcasing other artists, I will not be putting my work up for display in Token. You can, however, view my work at www.nn-photography.com.
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Mountain Top:
I was feeling extremely caged one day, so I got into my car and just drove. I wounded up ontop of a mountain where I was able to see into Canada. The incredible view, even now, still takes my breath away.
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ALEX HEISLER A twenty-two year old photographer from Spokane, Washington.
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ALEX HEISLER
“People sometimes ask me why I make pictures or write or doodle as I do. I tell them that I do it for two reasons. The first is to figure myself out, to figure out what makes me tick. The second is to keep myself from losing my mind. Recently, I began to think that I create art because I have already lost my mind. If that’s the case, I hope I never find it.”
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JUMP! A few months ago, my sister, my cousin, and I went to the Oregon Coast for a weekend. They were jumping off of a sand dune when I tracked them with my camera in Continuous Shutter Release. Although my sister landed wrong in this jump and tore her ACL (which cut the weekend short), the picture turned out quite nicely.
The Polaris Effect A few months ago, I woke up with a phrase in my head: The Polaris Effect. It struck me because I didn’t know where it came from. Nevertheless, I decided that if I ever start recording music, that would be the name. That guitar is a Les Paul clone that I’m rebuilding for that purpose.
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Sunset Boulevard:
Canada always has the most beautiful landscapes. This photo was taken near the harbor in Victoria.
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AMEORRY LUO A sixteen year old visual artist from Boyds, Maryland.
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Rhythmscape I had always admired dancers, especially breakdancers. Even though I definitely can’t dance, I thought I’d try and capture the intensity of dance in this piece .
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Smoke and Mirrors I named this after the band Lifehouse’s new album, for a quite literal reason.This photo was taken on a vacation to Alaska during summer when we clarify who “we” are were sailing through a mountain passage.
AMEORRY LUO As a high school junior, it’s risky to find something that you can do aside from those cascades of homework. But somehow, I’ve always been able to scrape away some time for art. Now that I’m sixteen, I feel more compelled than ever to improve my skills and find more inspiration. Living in Maryland, I’m lucky enough to have great friends to support me and critique me along my journey, even though sometimes it isn’t easy to gain appreciation for what I do. TOKEN magazine has been a great opportunity for me to really put myself out there and go: “Hey, I’m Ameorry, and I’m creating something out of nothing.”
Art is definitely my one true love. As funny as that sounds, I think that, inside, I always knew that this was what I needed to do in life. It has such an impact and such endless possibilities that no one can imagine. Sure, science brings new discovery for us every day, but it seems like art fuels a sort of otherworldly ability in us; I’d say it’s about the closest thing to representing soul as you can get. (I’ve always wanted to say something like that! xD) I know that I’m scattered in my artistic focus right now, but let me be scattered! Art brings such variety and interest to the table that I don’t think I can settle for anything yet without exploring everything. Because of this, it probably affects me in many, many different ways. Believe it or not, I see art in everything. www.tokenartmag.com 11
“I was born and raised in Southern Minnesota. I am 100% Vietnamese, and I’m in my second year as a Graphic Design student at the University of Minnesota- Duluth. I’ve always had more passion for art than for any other subject in school. I’m a very homebody person; I love to read, blog, design, scrapbook, cook, and, of course, take lots of photos.” 12 www.tokenartmag.com
AMY NGUYEN A nineteen year old portrait photographer from Duluth, Minnesota.
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Stephanie Stephanie is an experience model of 3 years and I’ve never photographed a model before, so I thought the opportunity would be a great experience for the both of us. My concept for this shoot was having Stephanie look sexy but classy at the same time. 14 www.tokenartmag.com
Megan Megan has a really natural beautiful face, so for Megan’s shoot, I wanted to create a natural, soft portrait. It was getting close to winter weather so I wanted Megan to wear a cute fall outfit. www.tokenartmag.com 15
The Faceless:
This is photo of Summer Slaughter during the set of The Faceless. I was backstage taking photos.
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TINA GONZALES A twenty year old photographer and digital artist from Germantown, Maryland.
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Black Hill I took this photo in the summer. I was very curious about the boats at Black Hill Park, and at the moment I was taking the photo, they happened to be lined up perfectly.
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“I was born in Lima, Peru and came to the US when I was 11 years old. I love Heavy Metal because it has been a big part of my life. I go to Metal concerts all the time, and I usually take photos for bands as well.”
“Art is not only painting or sculpting. I think that everyone is capable of making art. Art affects me since there are many artists in my family, and I think this is why I was born this way. I appreciate art in every shape and form.”
CRISTINA GONZALES Nature is Beautiful I took this photo outside of a friend’s house. The beautiful colors caught my attention almost immediately. The orange, the yellow, the green—it was just perfect.
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1975:
The Vietnam War is portrayed and told through many different forms: art, music, poetry, and stories. The war, however, is most commonly told through songs, most of which are about a soldier and his love one. This black and white portrait illustrates a song story where the soldier goes to war, leaving behind his beloved wife.
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DYLAN THAI An eighteen year old visual artist from Germantown, Maryland.
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“I am an eighteen year-old Asian-American aspiring male model. I am attending Montgomery College in Germantown for two years then transferring to a university. Although my talents and hobbies are mainly within the arts and performing arts area, I am majoring in Information Systems. Even so, I have been growing as an artist ever since I first took interest when I was five years old.”
“Art allows me to divulge my identity and express my feelings through a drawing, song, dance, etc. Art is a huge part of my life. It’s all around me, and it’s my way to relieve stress and take me to a different world. Art is my pill of happiness!”
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DYLAN THAI
Market Throughout Vietnam, in the streets, there are an abundance of markets. Vietnamese women and men sell a variety of fruits and vegetables. This black and white portrait portrays the everyday life and surroundings of a market.
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FEATURED ARTIST
The Gaz Shadow: Photo taken during student riots in Rennes, 2009.
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FUERAY VINCENT A twenty-eight year old photographer from Rennes, Bretagne, France.
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FEURAY VINCENT
“I have been taking photos for ten years, working around landscapes and portraits. With time, I tried to give my photos all the convictions I have. After studying in a photography school in Rennes in 2006, I worked as a freelance photographer for two years. Currently, I’m working around a lot of subjects such as urbanism, social riots, and other current affairs.” 26 www.tokenartmag.com
Rue Des Dames A photo from my series Roazhon 1338, posing as a reflection on urbanism.
“I just started by taking photos for fun, shooting landscape and everything around me. With time, it really became a hobby as I began to take photos all the time. It has become my lifestyle. Photography is my perfect way of expressing my opinions.� www.tokenartmag.com 27
Lane X-01
Lane X-01and Lane J-10: Two photos from my series Hong-Kong 2168 also posing aa reflections on urbanism.
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View more of Feuray’s work at http://www.agone-photographies.fr/
Lane J-10
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The Myst
More of my landscape work.
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“Art is a good medium to share my political or personal opinions or feelings about any subject, and depending on the subject, the emotion triggered by such can be very different. Some, for instance, illegality and social conflict, can touch me deeply.�
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“People will tell you that it is not something that happens all at once, but for me it kind of was. I sat at my desk once, for the rarest of moments entirely detached from the world, and was struck by the urge to begin writing. I was surprised and intrigued by the immense flow of emotion that followed, the energy of pent-up feelings unleashed. So I kept writing, and here I am. The next year I took some drawing and painting classes. Though the teacher focused only on technique and productivity, I began to truly admire the ability of the visual to take hold of the viewer’s mind. So I began that, and soon enough I reached out to ceramics as well. This year, I have taken on photography, film, and even woodcarving. Why spread myself so far? I feel that the more art forms I can understand, the more I can understand people and help them to understand me. We are all artists, and to learn each other’s arts is to open the path the communication.”
JAMES LIU A sixteen year old poet from Germantown, Maryland.
“I am an artist; I am a scholar; I am a child and a friend. I seek the truth, in all its forms, through immersing myself in the perspective of others. This is something I accomplish through art, and through the day-to-day interactions that never cease to amaze me in their inconspicuous gravity. I seek love, and I seek to give it to someone else who needs it. But right here, right now, I am a 16 year old kid trying to figure out where I want to go to college, when to go see a movie, and if I can really sum up my life in five sentences.”
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Kick The Moon
Scraping heels bite brick bone No purchase meets fingers Torn nails and frustration Where we leave we linger
Home is a cubist whim Closing doors chase and chafe Brass lips make poor vectors Sky Slayers, we sail unsafe
Choosing this piece was difficult, and it is not my most technically great one, but I think it is one of the most powerful because it expresses something I think many people feel when reflecting on their lives. It voices our search for escape, our search to make a mark on a world so vast and too often unforgiving. It tells of a desire to reach out and touch something beyond our own skies, to break barriers and fly free of all that seeks to bring us down.
Concrete strangles my heart I run but never gain Gravity feeds the fall Rigor revived in vain
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J Gate to the Soul
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JUAN MANJARRES A seventeen year old photographer from Montgomery Village, Maryland.
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“I’m a really spontaneous person that enjoys trying to catch priceless moments in life. I don’t know how good of an artist I am, but hopefully you will like what you see. Photography is the way I express myself and how I see the world, is like a stress reliever and an open gate to my own little planet and the way I can make art out of the ordinary.”
The Flight
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Peek a Boo
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KATELYN ANNE K
A sixtee
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KOENIG
en year old photographer from Gaithersburg, Maryland.
If It’s Love:
This is me and my boyfriend. We’ve been together a year now, and I thought we’d celebrate by doing a photoshoot together. The title ‘If it’s love’ is also the title of a song me and him like. (If it’s love / Train)
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KATELYN ANNE KOENIG
“My name is Katelyn Koenig. I’m from Gaithersburg, Maryland, and I’m a sixteen year old photographer. I have the life of any typical teenager; friends, dysfunctional family, drama, we all know how it goes. I get through life with a positive outlook, and good friends. I’m just a weird blue-eyed red head with big dreams of the future.” 40 www.tokenartmag.com
Grazing Beauty The title is a spoof of ‘Black Beauty’. My father and I took a trip to a horse rescue in Ohio. There were so many animals to take pictures of, and that horse caught my eye especially because it was just grazing in the direct sunlight.
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KATHERINE VYVY A sixteen year old illustrator from Mission Viejo, California.
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Look Up:
This piece is intended to be a dystopian piece on how I imagine the world to be in the future: a circus for a more powerful being. We’re puppets.
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KATHERINE VYVY TRAN
“I tend to draw images that do not necessarily convey any sort of profound message (as does art most does nowadays) but rather entirely for aesthetic effect. People who comment on my website, mentioning my composition and how it relates to the meaning of the picture, make me giggle. There is no meaning. It’s purely for enjoyment. So, enjoy them. That’s all I require.” Scream This illustration is an interpretation of music, how it makes me feel or how I feel when I listen to it.
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Sleep in Heavenly Grace: Mixed Media Materials Used - Thumb tack to punch holes on black construction paper sewn together with thread and a light bulb
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LISA SOU An eighteen year old visual artist from Baltimore, Maryland.
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“The Experiment”
Performance Piece Unfortunately, the same effect doesn’t come across with photos/video. The piece starts off with the doll head and the jar of hot water separate. There is black ink inside of the barbie doll head, and when the head is toppled into the jar, a beautiful aura of black ink slowly seeps out of her head and encompasses the entire jar with darkness.
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LISA SOU Lisa is currently a student at the Maryland Institute College of Art as a Film & Video Arts Major. She is most recognized for her work at Northwest High school where she was a producer for JAG TV and photographer/graphic designer for all of Northwest High School’s drama productions.
“One thing led to another: I started web design and that led to flash animation. Flash animation led to videography. Videography led to photography and photography led to graphic design. The most important thing was that I was ambitious with everything I did, I never let one side fall short, and I never gave myself an excuse to stop doing what I do.”
Upon recognition by her fellow teacher, Lisa was asked to create a charity video for the Washington Post that aired “Other than the work submitted, I am a film major and amongst hundreds in Washington DC. Her fan-made I have several music videos on my youtube account” music videos have been viewed and recognized by huge recording artists such as The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (http://youtube.com/user/maybemelancholy) and Hot Chelle Rae, who featured her music video on their website and received high praise from record company Jive Records.
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Cloud or bird?:
I looked up at the sky and saw this interesting cloud that had the appearance of a bird.
ROBERT T
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TROY WARSHEL JR. A sixteen year old visual artist from Ijamsville, Maryland.
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ROBERT TROY WARSHEL JR.
“My name is Robert Troy Warshel Jr., but I hate that name, so I refer to myself commonly as TJ (Troy Jr.). I’m originally from Mississippi, but I spent most of my life living in the wondrous and temperate land of California. As of now, I live in Maryland, alongside all of my closest friends. While I’m slightly reserved, I’m still able to get all my thoughts across, even if that’s through a bit different means. I have recently decided to take up photography because it’s a worthwhile art form worth exploring.” 52 www.tokenartmag.com
Pathway A little pathway reaching back through the trees. The destination is an unknown one.
“Art is an escape for me. It allows me to see things in ways most people don’t. It allows me to put all my thoughts and feelings into a photograph that may or may not be viewed the way I think it should be.”
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THANG VAN LE
An eighteen year old photographer from London, United Kingdom.
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THANG VAN LE “I feel I belong to a certain group of people who understand certain language, see similar things, and share similar experiences and other things. Art is the ultimate source of my happiness at the moment. It provides me with a way to preserve feelings, emotions and memories in something infinite, concrete and beautiful. It’s a wonderful means of selfexpression. Everyone is unique and no two people will see a photograph in the same way, we all see things differently. Photography is a creative expression therefore there is no right or wrong way to do it. And this is actually one of the main reasons why I like photography because it can be so unique. Sometimes photography is like golf, you shoot a lot of bad pictures, but what makes it all worthwhile is when you shoot that great shot, which makes you want to come back again and again.”
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Simplicity.
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The third issue of Token will have a theme: Simplicity. When sending in your submissions, please verify that your pieces clearly portray the theme and provide an explanation of how it does. To submit, go to the Token website at www.tokenartmag.com. Be sure to download the Submission Form and the Guidelines for your art category. One submission per issue. Deadline for Issue 3 submissions: January 30, 2011
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www.tokenartmag.com Š 2010 T.A.M.