wonderland.
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APRIL 2012
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grae magazine. Publisher Grae
Find us online at GraeMagazine.com Please note all submissions to Grae Magazine are protected by copyright laws which belongs solely to the artist. If you would like to get in touch with any of the artists, please email us and we’ll gladly pass it along.
Editor in Chief Natalie Zigdon
Content Editor
Grae is always looking to expand our team. Whether you’re a photographer, writer, illustrator or designer, we want YOU to be apart of Grae. Email us at inspire@ graemagazine.com
Sophie Lavac
Contributors Skyler Blair Kate Ellwanger Joel Robison Brock Lawson Keegan Kapugal Andreea Iancu Three Nails Photography
The Treehouse Jodie McGuire
Cover Sharon Chai
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editor’s note. I’m Natalie and I am the creator & editor of Grae Magazine. Grae Magazine was created to uncover underground artists who have a passion for creating. If you’re new to Grae, make sure to check out our talented artists and their take on this world. Read each word with an open mind, lose yourself in our treehouse and indulge yourself in our Rorschach Art Gallery. If you aren’t new to Grae, welcome back. Alice in wonderland continues to inspire us all. Carroll not only created a wonderland where we are able to lose ourselves, he reminds us that in order to create art that portrays what goes on in our minds, we must stay mad. This issue is filled with Alice in Wonderland inspired art, we only hope that the artists in this issue who have created their own vision of wonderland will inspire you to do the same. Get lost through the wonderland we have created for you and enjoy.
April 2012
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WE’RE ALL MAD HERE. IN ORDER TO CREATE THE ART THAT WE STRIVE TO CREATE THAT WILL DEFINE OURSELVES AS ARTISTS, WE MUST BE MAD. COMPLETELY INSANE. WE MUST LOSE OUR MINDS IN ORDER TO CREATE A WONDERLAND SO DERANGED. ONLY THEN CAN WE CREATE THE ART THAT CAN INSPIRE THE MASSES. ONLY THEN CAN WE CALL OURSELVES ARTISTS. ALICE IN WONDERLAND CONTINUES TO INSPIRE US ALL. CARROLL NOT ONLY CREATES A WONDERLAND WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO LOSE OURSELVES IN A DREAM LIKE SCENE AND TAKES US ON AN ADVENTURE WITH HIS IMAGERY ALONE, HE REMINDS US THAT IN ORDER TO CREATE ART THAT PORTRAYS WHAT GOES ON IN OUR MINDS, WE MUST STAY MAD. DRINKS THAT MAKE YOU SHRINK. FOOD THAT MAKES YOU GROW. ANIMALS THAT CAN TALK AND CATS THAT CAN DISAPPEAR, CARROLL WAS MAD ENOUGH TO CREATE SUCH A PLACE, WE HOPE THAT THIS ISSUE INSPIRES YOU TO DO THE SAME. 8 | Grae Magazine | Wonderland
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TEA TIME WITH DOT.
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Words by Skyler Blair Photography by Natalie Zigdon One of the freshest faces to break into the burgeoning LA beat-savvy crowd is 20-year-old Dot. The imagery of sounds produced from the Calliope EP released on Alpha Pup Records combines young and playful memories of being at the circus twisted and distorted with a spooky darkness that would make one visualize Tim Burton as the ringmaster under the big tent. The influence of LA’s heavy bass electronic music is aptly apparent on the Washington native’s instrumental EP. Head-popping 808 kicks and deep dub drops sprinkled over with bright and articulate, occasionally haunting, melodies definitely draws a different and unusual take on the popularized beat music springing from the area. Classically trained in opera and piano, Dot has delved into composing beats with the new EP taking her musicianship and artistry to the digital arena. Grae wished to pull open the curtains and see what was going on within the circus tent so we met up with Dot to get a glimpse into the artist’s personal trip down the rabbit hole with Calliope. S: Were there any special life events that influenced any track on this EP? D: I’ve been in the middle of a big transition in my life right now and still adjusting to living in Southern California, so I think that has influenced my music on some subconscious level.
S: With your background in piano and opera singing, why choose to compose beat music instead? D: I’ll never stop singing or playing piano, but I was drawn to studying classical composition and making beats because I wanted more creative freedom instead of only interpreting and performing other people’s work. Although writing music in a conservatory setting is challenging and interesting, the range of aesthetics that are ‘acceptable’ in academia is somewhat limited (depending on the school). I turned to beat making because the spectrum of possible sounds and instrumentation is virtually wide open, so I can play more with timbre, texture, and color. And of course, beat music is more fun and interesting to make. S: What would be a motif that is brought out throughout the EP? D: On a surface level, the carnival/freak show theme is frequently referenced and presents a lot of imagery in the EP, but beneath that there is a loose narrative that ventures through the course of a night, starting at dusk and ending at dawn. Even though most of the music is fairly dark, I wanted to keep it playful and also make sense in a club setting. S: What are some of your favorite places to go to find inspiration? D: Anywhere I can find it! A lot of different music, literature, film (I would love to score a Tim Burton film one day), and wherever else inspiration decides to strike. It’s quite fickle.
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S: What have you enjoyed most about making this EP? The least? D: I’ve enjoyed the late-night studio sessions the most, but waking up to go to class the next morning has been my least favorite. Luckily, I have some really inspiring music professors who are worth getting up early for. S: Was it difficult for you to put together the songs on Calliope or did it come naturally? D: Writing the music came fairly naturally, but I would get slowed down by technology at times because my workflow wasn’t as speedy and effortless as many of the seasoned veterans I know. But thanks to some serious help from beat guru Steve Nalepa (and YouTube videos), I caught on fairly quickly. S: What experience do you expect listeners to come away with after listening to Calliope? D: I love instrumental music because it is inherently abstract and not limited by any concrete text or images. My goal was to take advantage of this quality and keep Calliope open to many different interpretations based on the listener’s own unique memories and past experiences. Each track has a distinct mood, and the last two tracks in particular are intended to be like little introspections.
To the right: Alice in Wonderland inspired tattoo, quote by Lewis Carroll.
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Charlotte Moulard
“IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING, ANY ROAD WILL TAKE YOU THERE.”
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Down the rabbit hole with joel robison
photography by joel robison words by natalie zigdon
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G: If you fell down the rabbit hole, what would your wonderland look like? J: I think my wonderland would be filled with the imagery that exists in my own photographs, I’d love to see larger than life things and experience “normal” objects in a new way. I’d probably see a lot of talking animals, maybe whales that float in the sky. I think my nemesis would be birds, they’d probably be the things that chase me out of Wonderland. G: What inspired you to do an Alice in Wonderland themed shoot? J: I’ve always enjoyed the visuals surrounding the story, it’s just such a conceptually interesting story and the characters and setting really lend themselves so well to interpretations. I’m inspired by Alice In Wonderland because it allows me to create the imaginary and try to make it real. 22 | Grae Magazine | Wonderland
G: how did you gain the knowledge on photoshop that you have now? J: Aside from a few tips that I’ve picked up from online tutorials (mostly how to manipulate light and how to create brushes etc...) I’m entirely self taught. I’m a visual learner and i love to learn by doing so being able to use a program like photoshop really expands my interest and makes me want to learn even more. G: If you had to pick apart one person’s brain, who would it be? J: Oh man, there are so many people that I would love to spend an afternoon with and just pick apart. I might have to say Annie Leibovitz. I admire her style and visual concepts so much, she just creates such a strong sense of character in each of her images and I would love to hear her thought process behind some of her pieces. Wonderland | Grae Magazine |23
G: The ideas you implement into your photography are very creative, where do you get your inspiration from? What inspires you most? J: I get my inspiration largely from the world around me which I then try to visualize in a new way. I’m inspired by taking something that we see all the time and changing it so that it’s something brand new. I would say that nature inspires me the most, when I’m feeling stuck or in a creative funk I can go out into the trees and it’s like I’m recharged with mental and creative energy. 24 | Grae Magazine | Wonderland
G: How long have you been doing photography? What inspired you to be a photographer? J: I’ve been interested in photography for about three years and I kind of came into it by chance. I’ve always been a creative person and I’ve loved to express my ideas in different mediums but it wasn’t until about 2009 that I first started using a camera to really bring to life my thoughts and fears and dreams and feeling that sense of expression inspired me to keep going with it.
G: What is your favorite concept/idea that goes on in Alice in Wonderland? J: I’m a huge fan of the Mad Hatter and the Mad Tea Party, I just think of that character as being some of sort of eccentric old wizard that just does whatever comes in to his head and I love being able to interpret that sort of whimsy into my work. G: Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk? J: I do know why a raven is like a writing desk but I feel the fun is in not sharing it, you have to figure it out for yourself!
“I think my wonderland would be filled with the imagery that exists in my own photographs, I’d love to see larger than life things and experience “normal” objects in a new way.” Wonderland | Grae Magazine |25
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Lissy Laricchia
Good advice. If I listened earlier, I wouldn’t be here. But that’s just the trouble with me. I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it. Wonderland | Grae Magazine |31
the treehouSe.
where imagination is created. 32 | Grae Magazine | Wonderland
Can you shine any louder Than my heart beats down A masochistic man In a crooked town Forward smiles dig so deep Falling on your head you begin to weep You deserve much more Than they followed through As your pessimistic screams Shine down on you Bottle neck Bottomless pit There was no exit Once you consumed it You’re savvy with your evil ways Timed to the second You manipulate the haze How soon will life Finish with you Swallow you hole
After it splits you into Bottle neck Bottomless pit There was no exit Once you consumed it I’ve never become A shadow you’ll see Because I’m standing on your hopes And suffocating your dreams Now you know Evil is not meant to be dealt Eaten or swallowed Seen or felt I will hug the wishes Of those that suffered at your hand I will burn your ashes So purity can bravely stand
Crooked Men by Jodie McGuire
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“But I don’t want to go among “Oh, you can’t help that,” said “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. Y “How do you know I’m mad?” s “You must be,” said the Cat, “o here.”
g mad people,” Alice remarked. the Cat: You’re mad.” said Alice. or you wouldn’t have come Kei Acedera
What if you were told exactly when you were going to die. Would you use it to your advantage and conquer your fears because you knew nothing else could kill you? Would you make every single dream a reality because nothing should be stopping you now? Would you actually
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appreciate life and ‘seize the moment’ because you knew how much time you had left? Or would you constantly feel the complete opposite because every single day you’re a day closer to the day you die. I guess you’ll never know. grae.
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Josh Liba - Gelato from Italy
trapped in wonderland. photography by Brock lawson
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Robyn Lee - New York
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Elena Kalis
“And what is the use of a book,’ thought Alice, ‘Without pictures or conversation?”
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rorschach. dont just see with your eyes, percieve with your mind. They reflect your own desires and fantasies right back at you. They are a stolen world in which you create the streets, the faces and the sky. These pictures will be whatever you want them to be. To us, art is exactly like a rorschach. There is simplicity in what you are looking at but it is your mind that creates a beyond ordinary place. Every month this section will be filled with brilliant artists who strive to have their art lose you into an entirely different world.When appreciating art, let your mind wander. Let your mind be free.
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Stacey Smiel
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Elibee 54 | Grae Magazine | Wonderland
Sarah Allegra Wonderland | Grae Magazine |55
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Jan Bahukudumbi
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Eduardo Diaz
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Marija Kablyte
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Katie Leask
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Sophia Dyrby
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Lori Hatfield
Allyson Busch
Nikko Russano
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Tanya Paul
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Ramona Ring
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Ramona Ring
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Rovenko Photography
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Melissa Cooke 72 | Grae Magazine | Wonderland
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Eduardo Diaz
“Sometimes I belie six impossible things
-
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eve in as many as before breakfast.�
- Lewis Carroll
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L!F!F!H!B!O!!!j!O!!!X
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X!P!O!E!F!S!M!B!O!E!
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G: If you fell down a rabbit hole, what do you think your wonderland would look like? K: Wonderland wouldn’t necessarily be a nice or happy place to be. However, If I were to fall down the rabbit hole I would definitely want to visit the flowers in the garden. I have always been in love with that scene in the Disney movie since I was little. I think it is one of the most colorful scenes throughout the movie other than the trail Alice gets lost on, but I definitely wouldn’t want to lose my way in Wonderland! Hopefully I wouldn’t be considered a weed if I visited the garden though. G: So we’ve heard Alice in Wonderland very much inspires you. How so? K: Alice in Wonderland has a sense of mystery that I have always loved. Nothing has to make sense, but 78 | Grae Magazine | Wonderland
“alice in wonderland h sense of mystery i’ve al loved.”
somehow it does and it comes together well. I think this is portrayed through my images the majority of the time. I like to play off one idea and just go crazy with different options which can be interpreted a million different ways, just like the novel and movies could be. Alice has also inspired me to just be creative in general. I honestly cannot get past the fact that one man could create such a magical story like this and strange as it may sound, motivates me more than anything to do my best.
has a lways
G: What was the exact moment you knew you were in love with photography? K: The moment I knew I was in love with photography was actually in a graveyard! I had just shot my first fashion type series and I seriously could not get enough of the images. This was when I realized that I definitely wanted to do this as more than a hobby and that photography was really the only thing in life that would make me the happiest. Wonderland | Grae Magazine |79
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“I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.�
Ivy Izzard
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Photography by Andreea Iancu
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Jirka V채채t채inen
“You used to be much more...’muchier.’ You’ve lost your muchness.”
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photography by three nails photography Wonderland | Grae Magazine |95 threenailsphotography.com
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“After quite a while of planning, the day of the shoot came, I set up the set, watching how my thoughts in my head we’re coming to life.”
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“I am grateful for this shoot, it gave me the courage to make myself step out of the “traditional photography” box and do things that I really wanted to do without being scared that I wouldn’t be accepted in this business.” Wonderland | Grae Magazine |101
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Anton Hartop Marrast Steph
“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary-wise; what it is it wouldn’t be, and what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?”
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our next issue coming out May 2012 Make sure to check out our facebook page to find out the theme for our next issue. Send your artwork to inspire@ graemagazine.com Send in any art regardless of the theme to be featured in our Rorschach Gallery.
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Contribute to grae. Rorschach. Want to have your art work featured in Grae? Send your art work to inspire [at] graemagazine.com. How do you know you’re qualified? Grae is searching for underground artists and people who simply have a passion to create. Whether it is a picture, a song, a canvas or a story. If you think your creations are creative and inspiring then you are more than qualified… you’re exactly what we’re looking for!
The TreehouSe. Consider yourself a writer? Send us a sample of your writing or a piece you wrote especially for Grae’s theme of the month and your work could be featured in our treehouse section. We only take fiction and creative writing. We’re not trying to sell anything or promote anyone in this section. The treehouse is all about writing with a twist. Show us your creative side by sending your work to inspire [at] graemagazine. com.
Featured InterviewS. Think you deserve a featured spread showcasing your art and your mind? So do we. Send us 3-4 photos of your artwork to inspire [at] graemagazine.com and we’ll answer back with the intriguing questions. You can get a featured spread with an interview by simply speaking up. How will we ever know you’re there unless you don’t use your voice? Don’t be shy. Feeling the opposite and think you know of the perfect artist to interview? Do your thing and send us the artwork and interview you’ve set up for them. We’ll be more than happy to feature you as the brilliant writer who found such an inspiring artist. Maybe you’re not a brilliant writer, just really good at asking questions. Hey, we’ll take it.
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Andreea Iancu
Thank you To Those who live to create. STACEY SMIEL
TANYA PAUL
ELIBEE
RAMONA RING
SARAH ALLEGRA
ROVENKO PHOTOGRAPHY
JAN BAHUKUDUMBI
ANNA NILSSON
EDUARDO DIAZ
IVY IZZARD
MARIJA KABLYTE
ELENA KALIS
KATIE LEASK
charlotte moulard
ALLYSON BUSCH
Jirka V채채t채inen
SOPHIA DYRBY
kei acedera
LORI HATFIELD
Lissy Laricchia
NIKO RUSSANO steph hartop
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Anna Nilsson