UPPERCASE 36 by Janine Vangool

U PPE RCASE for the C R E A T I V E and C U R I O U S

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U P P E R C A S E

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FA B RIC

The UPPERCASE Volume 2 fabric collection uses the magazine’s masthead and spine patterns as the starting point of beautiful fabric designs. Repeated motifs of dots, dashes and diamonds make up this pretty graphic collection—with a little vintage feed sack inspiration thrown in as well! DOWNLOAD THE LOOKBOOK AND ACCESS FREE PATTERNS

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK J A N I N E VA N G O O L

Dear Reader, A new year offers all the possibilities of a clean slate. It’s the first page in a blank journal: ready for you to create art, write a book, plan that windhamfabrics.com business or record your adventures. It can be exciting, but daunting as uppercasemagazine.com/fabric well. The resolutions of years past (along with our failures, false starts and changes of plans) come to the fore. How can we do better this year? How can we be better this year? Resolving to be creative every day is an excellent pledge to make. If you dedicate a little bit of time and effort into nurturing your creativity, you will improve your skills and your well-being. As we learn from other UPPERC A SE readers who have attempted 365 and 100-day projects, there’s really nothing to lose. You don’t have to publically share your efforts (though there is a lot to be said for accountability), nor does it have to be a daily practice (though the momentum is helpful). The most important thing is to simply try. Every blank page and every day is an opportunity. Go ahead and try.

J A N I N E VA N G O O L

publisher, editor, designer

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Contents

JANUARY / FEBRUARY / MARCH 2018

PHOTO BY

DESTONI WILSON

Painting is just another way of keeping a diary. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;PABLO PICASSO

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U P P E R C A S E

W EL C O M E

CR A F T

EDITOR’S LET TER . . . . . . . . . . . 3

S TITCH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

The Fibres of Her Being Textile Artist Sonya Yong James story by Jeanée Ledoux photos by Andrea Fremiotti

CONTRIBUTORS . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 SU BSCRIPTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 SNIPPETS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

TREND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 NOTED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 AB ECEDARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Big, Bigger, Biggest

UPPERCASE

Love IS

WIITTH DEE W M H MAAD

FRESH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Anja Bartelt, Lone McCourt, Judy Lemezis, Toma Vagner B EG INNINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

by Melanie Falick illustration by Andrea D’Aquino

THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF SUBSCRIBERS, UPPERCASE HAS BEEN PUBLISHING SINCE 2009. |||

SUBSCRIBE T O D AY

Thank You

PROCES S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 365 and 100-Day Projects RECOLLEC TION . . . . . . . . . . . 38 My Mother’s Murals by Elizabeth Cogar

M ATERIA L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Paul Leith: The Psychedelic Pensioner by Jane Audas DISCOVER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Creating for Oneself by Linzee Kull McCray THOUGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Art by Lisa Congdon PA RTICIPATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Public / Private submissions by readers

Murals and More

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SK ETCHBOOK . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Alisa Burke interview by Aaron Leighton

GA LLERY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

SHOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 The Pre-Vinylette Society

UPPERCASE IS AN INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE.

THERE ARE NO PAID ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE MAGAZINE.

A R T & D ESI G N

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Lettering as an Inner and Outer Dialogue by Lizane Tan T Y PE

FINE PRINT LIB R A RY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Guidebooks for Every Day Creativity

A RTIS T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 David Shillinglaw by Andrea Marván

BUSINES S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Does Your Portfolio Spark Joy? by Arianne Foulks

A RTIS T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Priscilla Yu by Andrea Marván

SM A LL PRINT . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

A RTIS T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Lawyers, Guns and Money Kaff-eine: Mural Artist and Social Advocate story by Kath Dolan

Dear Diary by Kerrie More

TOOL S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Colour in a Can: The History of Spray Paint by Joy Deneen

ST Y L E S T Y LIS T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Lotta Jansdotter interview by Janine Vangool photos by Jenny Hallengren

HOB BY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Michelle Hoogveld’s Wonder Walls by Brendan Harrison photos by Kunikazu Kawashima

M IS C. SUBSCRIB ER S TU DIOS . . . . . 110

Vanessa Lam, Staci Leech-Cornell and Rachel Roe

SH A RES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 PEEPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 COVET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Practice Makes Purpose by Andrea Jenkins

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F E AT U R E D C O N T R I B U TO R

J A N I N E VA N G O O L publisher, editor, designer janine@uppercasemagazine .com

A A RO N L EIG H TO N Aaron Leighton is a Toronto-based illustrator and art director who also moonlights as onethird of the Trio Magnus collective. Together, they create huge murals full of ridiculous drawings that tend to stop traffic and challenge good taste.

GLEN DRESSER customer service shop@uppercasemagazine .com CORREY BALDWIN copyeditor C O R E C O N T R I B U TO R S Jane Audas Correy Baldwin Andrea D’Aquino Melanie Falick Arianne Foulks Carolyn Fraser Joy Deneen Glen Dresser Brendan Harrison Andrea Jenkins Linzee Kull McCray Andrea Marván Kerrie More Emily Orpin Christopher Rouleau Laura Tarrish

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BRENDAN HARRISON

A D D I T I O N A L C O N T R I B U TO R S Destoni Wilson, Aaron Leighton, Elizabeth Cogar, Lizane Tan, Kath Dolan, Jeanée Ledoux, Andrea Fremiotti, Lisa Congdon, Jenny Hallengren and Kunikazu Kawashima . Thank you to everyone who submitted their artwork and stories to this issue’s open calls . Printed in Canada by The Prolific Group. Interior pages are printed on 100% postconsumer recycled Rolland Enviro 100.

STOCK UP ON BACK ISSUES Stock up on back issues and you’ll never run out of inspiration.

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U P P E R C A S E

Brendan Harrison spent his early 20s living in the shadow of a Montreal expressway that was a popular haunt for aspiring graffiti artists . Under the benevolent neglect of the local police, amateur tags would be covered up by quick throw-ups, which would give way to the talent of complex murals . Only quality ensured a piece stayed up, which is why Brendan’s attempts at spraying walls with stencils that conflated Communism and the Calgary Flames were so short lived .

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A CONTRIBUTOR? We publish timeless articles about creative and curious people and topics . If you’re interested in working with us, the best place to start is by perusing the back issues to see what we’ve covered and to get a sense of the u p p e r c a s e style . If you’re an artist, designer or crafter interested in being profiled, please submit your portfolio by following the instructions: ||| uppercase magazine.com/ participate

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GIFTS

NEWSLETTER

I N S TA G R A M A mix of work and life, my Instag ram feed shares a little bit of my “private” time (such as crafting with my son) with some “publi c” stuff, such as looks at UPPERC ASE projec ts.

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FRESH

Whether you are a fresh graduate or mature artist, it is often a dream to be published for the first time! UPPERCASE IS PLEASED TO PRESENT

ANJA BARTELT My name is Anja . I am an illustrator and graphic designer in Berlin, Germany, recently graduated from the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam . I had some freelance work during my time as a student, and now I am working to establish myself as a full-time illustrator . I mostly create by hand and then process the artwork on Photoshop . A dream of mine is to publish the book I made as my final project at university . I created it while I was dealing with strong issues of sleep disorder . The idea grew to deal with those dark ghosts and shed light on the mystics of sleep . ||| anjabartelt.com

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U P P E R C A S E

LONE McCOURT I worked as a book designer, specializing in childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s books for most of my professional working life . Now I work in my studio in the south of France creating textiles that I make into quilts and wall hangings . Do I dare call myself a textile artist? So far I have shown very few people what I do, so submitting to UPPERCASE magazine is my first step out into the big, wide world of creatives! ||| instagram.com/lone_mccourt

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FRESH

JUDY LEMEZIS I am a 69-year-old retired therapist from Downingtown, Pennsylvania, happily working part time in an independent bookshop and making art in every spare moment . Because of my background, I can’t help but see connections between life and art in everything I do . My main focus for the last 10 years has been offering encouragement and support to anyone who needs it . Currently I am running self-enrichment programs for women in my art studio (The Encouragement Cafe), and one of the phrases we have explored keeps emerging in my art, a phrase by Joseph Campbell: “The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are .” Consequently, the faces of the women in my paintings convey uniqueness and strength . They are made from wooden leftovers I find on my walks on trash day and are embellished with the Joseph Campbell quote on the back . I hope they inspire us all to see the privilege of being who we are . My biggest hope, really, is that you will share my story, “The Encouragement Cafe,” which is available on my website . We can all use a little support now and then, don’t you agree? It’s silly, fun, over-the-top encouragement and I hope it helps anyone who needs it! ||| theartofoptimism.net

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U P P E R C A S E

TOMA VAGNER I’m Toma, a Russian-born artist currently living in NYC . I graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 2017, and now my goal is to find where exactly my work fits in . I’m doing some freelance work and trying to find my niche . My dream clients would be music bands (I’m looking to make more music-related imagery) and publishing companies (I’d be happy to work with Penguin Random House, Chronicle Books, Taschen and others one day) . My works are inspired by Japanese culture, technical manuals, Russian constructivism and my childhood (and ongoing, actually) stationery obsession . ||| tomavagner.com

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S U B S C R I B E R S

Subscriber Studios

VANESSA L AM VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

I work primarily as a mixed-media painter but I also experiment with sculpture and assemblage . My studio space is located in a large industrial warehouse shared with about 10 other artists . The building manager wanted to create an open-concept space for more natural light but also to encourage interaction and collaboration between artists . This meant that I only had access to one large wall . I wanted to maximize the wall space so that I could paint on multiple wood panels at once . With a lot of help from my husband, I built and installed four large pegboard panels made of plywood, which would also double as a display wall . I planned my space to have two “work triangles .” When I’m working on my assemblage or collage pieces, I can move easily between the worktable, the pegboard and my shelf, which has all my collage supplies . I sometimes work on the floor, so having most of my equipment on wheels helps keep the space open and flexible . Although my studio is small, it has allowed me to push my art practice further .

PHOTOS BY JOEY ARMSTRONG PHOTOS BY JOEY ARMSTRONG

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STACI LEECH-CORNELL NITRO, WEST VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES

Growing up in rural West Virginia provided many opportunities to be surrounded by nature and the creatures that call it home . The living rooms and kitchens of family members were home to vast collections of ceramic birds and bits of nature . These ceramic menageries are ever-present in my memories, which invite them to the pages of my sketchbook . During a visit with my family, my grandmother gave me a small bird drawing created by my great-grandmother . My visions of these feathered friends and other whimsical creatures are deeply rooted . Through my studio, Still Maybe Studios, I create fine art works and illustrations . I specialize in commissions, especially custom portraits . People are most often featured as a requested bird, creature or any other animal they choose . Through the important occasions and special memories in other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives, I get to keenly observe the human condition . The animals and clothing carry familiar shapes and forms, but are covered by my original detailing of patterns, colour and eyes . I use ink and graphite as a foundation, adding watercolour, gouache, cut/ folded paper pieces and other mixed-media materials . The gentle, inquisitive, profiled stance and posture of all the creatures are a staple in my works . ||| stacileechcornell.com

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R ACHEL ROE ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, UNITED STATES

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m an artist living in St . Louis and creating from my backyard art studio . Before my husband and I met, he purchased plans from Southern Living with the intention of building a storage shed . However, after seeing my talent and love for art, he decided to convert his plans for a storage shed into a backyard art studio in the hopes of encouraging my passion . My studio is truly one of a kind, and we worked together to create a space made of equal parts inspiration and function . ||| rachelroedesign.com

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PEEPS

@ANTONIOVALENTEFLOWERS

“The Spoon Tree” coming to SLOMA February 2-April 1. Seeking donated spoons for this community collaboration! Support awareness of the opioid epidemic through art. loriwolfgrillias.com |||

Our creative needs, like self-expression, ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT as our basic needs like good food & enough sleep. This year: Make a Creative Resolution! catherineruddell.com ||| Speak (Italian) and draw! Come play and explore line and colour with me in Tuscany, while learning some Italian language. Waiting for you, Susanna. luccaitalianschool.com |||

Hello friends! Please follow my illustration endeavours and let’s connect! instagram.com/ eddienfriends ||| Move forward with your life.

myLife Day Planners Find FOCUS, live with INTENTION, bring CLARITY and plan for WONDER. Save $5 using code PEEPSROCK crystalink.ca/shop |||

Modern, geometric embroidery samplers Inspired by architecture, geometry and everyday objects. Use code UPPERCASE20 for 20% off. loveandoxygen.etsy.com

THE UPPERCASE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF INSPIRATION

F E E D S AC K S ST I TC H * I L LO B OTA N I CA

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365*

* “Best class ever.” —S A N DY

Our goal for 365 is to bring you daily inspiration and direction to help develop your personal art and creativity. carlasonheim.com

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UP P E R C A S E

C O V E T

PRACTICE MAKES PURPOSE ||| PHOTO AND STORY BY

ANDREA JENKINS

LEVEN YEARS AGO, I STARTED MY FIRST REAL photography project. I decided to take a photograph a day, every day, for one year. Today, in 2017, this is no ground-breaking idea. With iPhones (and thus cameras) in the hands of millions, 365-photo projects are everywhere. You cannot traverse the Internet without stumbling onto one. But back in 2006, they had only just begun to pop up, and the possibilities spun my mind round and round. The idea seemed simple enough, but could I do it? Would I really follow through with it? Furthermore, would it be worth the effort? I had only recently circled back to photography after a 12-year hiatus to teach myself the basics. Nevertheless, I was determined. And hungry to learn. At the time, all I could afford was a cheap point-and-shoot camera, but it would have to do. And so I began.

I was slowly training my eyes to see, to really see, every single day. Years later, I can still trace seismic change back to this small, singular shift in daily practice. Shortly after I shot the last photograph, I sat down to look at them all. Here it was, my year, 365 days, 365 photographs, all together in one place. I marvelled (and cringed) as I pored over the collection. I could see, as if it were presented in surreal bar-graph form, proof of growth, evidence of personal ebb and flow. And in the process I had, somewhat inadvertently, documented one of the more monumental years of my life—three months in, our family had packed up and moved 2,595 miles across the country. In the days leading up to that pivotal event, days often blurred at the edges with stress and anxiety, the act of shooting one photograph, just one, felt like meditation. The practice centred me. And once we landed on the other side in a brand new city, a brand new part of the country, the daily act of photography anchored me like nothing else.

My cheapo camera went with me everywhere. Some days, I couldn’t wait to see what photograph I would end up with, and on others I’d forget about the project altogether and find myself scrambling to Eleven years later, I am now rarely without daily creative practice. shoot something before midnight. One foot in front of the other, one I am most anxious between projects, calmest while in the throes of photograph at a time, I was slowly building a practice, slowly teachone. Almost every day, I funnel what I see into photographs and sening myself how to frame, how to use light. About halfway through the tences. Sometimes these turn into bigger projects and collaborations project, I started to notice small changes in my images—a bit more with definitive focus, sometimes not. But in my practice, I find puruppercasemagazine.com/encyclopedia negative space here, more thoughtful composition there. I realized pose, and in my purpose, everything. 114

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F A B R I C

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IN THIS ISSUE:

every day any way public private aerosol Ã&#x2026;land mural mother Kaff-eine keep out no wall all welcome ON THE COVER PHOTO BY DESTONI WILSON

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