Magic of The Arts// ART

Art is probably the one thing that has been present all my life. One of my first memories is creating comics of three little girls, in the first grade. I still have the sketchbook where I drew their adventures. As the years passed I  experimented with different mediums; watercolors, acrylics, oil pastel, charcoal. I drew portraits and (attempted to draw) landscapes. Mostly, when I make my art I don't strive for it to express something or say anything. Looking back at the art I made during different stages of my life I discovered something; every single piece I make perfectly describes what I was going through when I made it.

I saw the pain, or the happiness. I saw feelings, thoughts, every  kind of emotion. I had done all that in different ways without meaning to. A question popped up in my head; what would be the product if I tried to incorporate emotions in my art? Little after whenever I felt any kind of strong emotion, I'd draw. I had become obsessed with saying things without opening my mouth. I'd make angry sketches and gloomy seas. I was surrounded by millions of pieces that spoke for themselves. One could almost hear voices, stories coming out of every single brush stroke. I was in a state of full self expression. I had and still have a voice.

Donald Woods Winnicott once said “Artists are people driven by the tension between the desire to communicate and the desire to hide”. I communicated because I desired to. I don't use my voice much. I don't necessarily speak in order to say what I feel. I hide in my room, I paint, sometimes I just drown myself in thoughts. I always have something to say about everything. I want to state my views without having to open my mouth in front of a group of people. I'm no good in public speaking, but I can transmit a message. A raw and sometimes hard to decode message. Art has helped me speak, even when I don't want to. Art is another weapon that I can use against the cynical minds of others. Art is another (of the many) way to raise your voice. Later!

-Laura

ART//TEENAGE TEXTS

Teenage Texts

A personal work using texts received from "friends" contrasted with texts received from disorders. Highlighting what is often seen as lethargic to people with mental illnesses, personifying your disorder. 

INTERVIEW//MEGHAN MARIN

Meghan Marin (@meghanmarin) is a NY based photographer who produces dreamy conceptual pictures. Her photography feels like a teen dreamland and makes me feel nostalgic for youth (even though I'm already experiencing it). She puts a twist on simple portraits and has a consistent ethereal style. Read on for our interview with her. 

How did you get started in photography??

I started taking digital pictures at the beginning of high school, very wannabe Tumblr hipster, and that's where I started sharing my work. My dad helped me set up a website, and awhile later I started posting pictures on Instagram, which connected me to a lot of cool people and great inspiration, and then things started to take off!

Your series entitled "After Party" has very aesthetically composed pictures, what was the concept behind them?

I had taken prom pictures at that location in Rochester, NY the previous year before I made this series, but I really wanted to go back, because it had inspired me so much, and the rooms were amazingly beautiful and pastel. I gathered a bunch of the girls that I gone to prom with and two of my best friends from home, and for an afternoon ran around this huge mansion in ball gowns and funny clothes and played with handmade confetti until it got too dark to use natural light. It was inspired by the place, and the color palettes we found there, but also by the girls and friends I had surrounded myself with at the time. I tried to hone the slightly delicate and beautiful concept that is femininity in the teenage years.

Do you see yourself doing photography in the future?

I do, I'm currently attending Rochester Institute of Technology in my first year for advertising photography, and I love it here. I plan on assisting other photographers in the summer and eventually going out to work freelance or possibly working with an agency doing fashion and lifestyle work.

What or who influences your artwork the most?

I am heavily inspired by my peers right now, they're crazy talented and never fail to amaze me when I see their work or walk into a studio. I also look to a wide range of professionals for inspiration, people like, Amanda Janowski, Petra Collins, Jimmy Marble, Laura O'Neil, Parker Fitzgerald, Martina Matencio, Niche, and so many more that I'm probably forgetting them all. VSCO also inspires me every time I see their posts or VSCO selects.

What are your three favorite pictures you've taken and why??

The first one was taken on a shoot that I did this past summer for HOIT Magazine down in Cape Cod, with a great model, Emily Montay, and this image was the first step into a long romance with baby pink and is very much part of my style now.

The second is one that I took on film over the summer in Norway, and from the first roll that I was ever able to scan in myself, which was a big accomplishment several months ago because until this year I hadn't been able to really learn much about it. I'm in love with the colors and composition, and the dreaminess of the film.

The third is one that I took very recently as a bts for my absolutely talented friend and peer Chris Coe (@chrisc0e) and his shoot for a local barbershop, Barbetorium. The shoot was great to assist and the team of people I was able to work with were so kind and talented. The image itself was something odd and disembodies the subjects, which is a common theme in my work.

To see more of Meghans work visit her site at http://meghanmarin.format.com.

LATER!

ART||HIGHLINE

Hey it's Taylor and I'm here to show you some of the pictures I took last week on the high line in New York. If you've never been there before I totally recommend it. It gives basically the same views of the city you could get from a rooftop so if you're looking to take pictures with that kind of feel its perfect. I used two of my favorite models, Jenna and Sarah. They're also my best friends. Here are some of the images I got.