The Juice Magazine, Issue #01, 15/09/10

Arts, Theatre, Literature and much more inside...

THANK YOU!Before we start we would like to thank the following people...

Tim Smith, of Union 105, who designed the image for our front cover. Check out more of his work at http://3digits.wordpress.com/

Paul Barugh, whose ambiguous images of Leeds have been used alongside submissions throughout the magazine.

Leeds Year of Volunteering Community Activity Grant, for funding our printing and launch night costs.

The Roast, for hosting our launch night and all of our performers, Exhibitors and artists who are involved in making the night a success!

Everyone who has joined the facebook group, followed us on twitter and blogger and anyone who has helped and advised us along the way!

I would also like to thank Harvey Ascott, Lindsey Dew, Jenny Hall, Helen Jeffers and Katie Lee, in other words, The Juice team who have worked incredibly hard over the past months to produce this magazine!

Just one final word to say how much we appreciate everyone’s hard work for our magazine, we appreciate everything you’ve done. Without all of your time and efforts this could not have happened, so THANK YOU!

www.thejuicemagazine.co.uk

Dear Reader,

I welcome you warmly to the first issue of The Juice!

We were born out of a collective dislike of greasy water, ice rinks and the job centre, along with a genuine love of the art world.

The theme for this issue was ‘Part Time Job, Full Time Artist’. Most of us here are keeping an artistic practice going with a part time job. Part of being creative and fol-lowing an unconventional path in life often means you need a crutch to keep you going, and we wanted to create an arena for reassurance and to be reassured ourselves, that there are others out there, deal-ing with the same situations as us.

This first issue is a testament to the dedication to art that exists so largely in our society. Inside of this brand new publication, which comes complete with the smell of freshly printed pages, you will find a wide breadth of exciting interviews and articles from our super hard working team here and also a collection of different, thought-provoking submissions from across the artistic field sent in by the public.

I hope you enjoy flipping through our pages as much as we have enjoyed every step involved in creating them. Feel free to take this copy home with you, read it, pass it on and spread the good word.

Lois Whitehead

TIME TO TELL

‘Embrace livingYou can’t win this raceNot to enjoy itwould be a disgracecreate mass: a silver plateTime will expandIt doesn’t care, if you don’t understandCreate massDon’t just beLike an ass chewing grassCreate time to create beautyIt’s always a pleasure, never a dutyCreate, a joyous smileTime will expandYou’ll be lost for a whileLife will be grandLife will be a treasure boxTo hold in your hand.’

Zelick Mendelovich

Image : Paul Barugh

“It’ll take you five years to make it as an artist.”

“If you have anything but a part time job you’re not fully committed to practising your art”

A tutor in my third year, June 2009

The theme of this months issue is ‘Part time job, Full time Artist’ and I therefore wish to discuss what makes artists make it and others stay in the aforementioned uninspiring professions.

After a lot of thought on this subject, being an issue which is very raw and close to my heart at the minute, I think it ultimately boils down to confi-dence. The unbrazened ability to put yourself out there and sell yourself. There is also a certain amount of luck but genies’ lamps and wishes aside this is something we have no power over. Confidence too, could be argued to be something we are born with rather than gain. You can fight against inner self-doubt but it is a constant battle. And self-deprecation is some-thing ingrained in British culture.

‘Making it’ is selling your work to others, and making others want to show it and sell it to other people. What makes it saleable is the ability for others to see it’ originality, its innovation, its beauty or provocation. Art should in theory sell itself. In the big wide world, as any watcher of Drag-ons’ Den knows, any product, even the most ingenious, useful, economi-cal, needs to have the right pitch. The right person behind it to continue to push it and show it to everyone. It is that ability that I believe makes Damien Hirst or Tracey Emin as big as they are.

They are a Brand. Art does not have the advantage of a regular product as having an obvious specific function. Each piece is different, with its own narrative, reasoning and reason for being. So it needs a person alongside to show its magnificence and explain why it is absolutely and irrevocably the piece that person wants to exhibit or buy.

And I can’t do that.

Image : Paul Barugh

I can barely describe my I.T literacy on my C.V without sounding pomp-ous if I put anything more effusive than ‘good’, so how can I say my art-work is good or better? At least I know I can turn on a computer and not go into a complete panic if it decides to do the opposite of what I want, but how can I have such faith in my competency at art? Friends and fam-ily have biased opinions, selling a piece is a boost but unfortunately I am not selling constantly. Because I don’t want to put my work out there. Because I, deep down, don’t really think it’s that good. A nice catch 22.

I am probably an extreme example of a person with a deep lacking of self-confidence. But what I am trying to highlight is the need for extreme and unflappable confidence in order to be a successful artist.

Not necessarily arrogance. Just the confidence a medical researcher has in discovering a drug that could help cancer sufferers and wants to tell everyone about it. Or a baker that has made some really tasty bread he wants everyone to try a piece of. Knowing what you have done is worth something, worth being seen, and importantly you wanting to show everyone that. So to us struggling with the showing, where is the hope? What can we do to help push us to put ourselves out there? I have no miracle answer, and am by no means in a situation to give any real advice. All I know is the excitement and momentum of working at university, or school, or college, when you’re surrounded by people with like minds and similar enthusiasm, bouncing ideas and giving feedback. Then you’re being thrust into the real world of jobseekers and no more studios and trying to draw on your own in your bedroom. So all the advice I can put out into the ether is this: get together with others, friends from your art world, and meet and make and make it regimented. Make a support group, collaborate, because it can be so hard on your own. Unless you are Damien or Tracey you don’t have to do it by yourself. Artists Anonymous, but not so anonymous if you can give each other the drive to put yourselves out there and try.

Sincerely good luck.

Jennifer Bradley

Claire Turton The Conqueress

‘The girl in the image is playing with her demons which are represented by wolf finger puppets.’

Amanda Lewis talks to Helen Jeffers about her passion for dancing, jobs that motivated her to pursue her goals and her inspirations behind dancing. Amanda, 27, is a Dancer for Phoenix Dance Theatre. She was born and raised in Leeds and her work includes starring in the most recent Sanex advert and performing with Corinne Bailey-Rae at the Brit Awards. Amanda trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance (NSCD) and joined Phoenix Dance Theatre in 2009.

HJ: What do you most enjoy about your job?AL: Performing. I also love training – looking after my body and keeping my mind very healthy and active. I’m constantly learning and it never ever stops. To be honest, if I did stop learning I’d be worried. Every day and every minute there is something in the studio, whether it’s the technicality to the movement or whether the pieces relate to me on an emotional level or being very physical. I’ve found out that I’ve got to be as open as I can be to adapt to different choreographers; being like a sponge, absorbing as much as information and advice as you can. The people I work with are very, very knowledgeable.

HJ: Who or what inspired you to become a dancer?AL: Well I started doing Performing Arts and Drama at school and to be honest it was the only subject I was good at. Drama was the only subject where you weren’t allowed to be disruptive and this was ‘my lesson’. It was something that I enjoyed and I was able to express myself. From that I went to Thomas Danby College in Leeds and I did Dance once a week. My teacher who taught me Dance said “I really think you should audition for Northern School of Contemporary Dance.” But I wanted to be an actress, I dreamed of being on TV. I developed more of an interest in dance and the people I have worked with have always been very supportive and encour-aging, which gave me confidence and self-belief. The interest developed from there. I auditioned at Northern [NSCD] and got through. Acting does relate to dance because you have to display various sorts of emotion. I started a Foundation course at Northern and then did a degree and an ap-prenticeship. My mum raised me and my brothers and sisters on her own and she was raised in Beeston. She never wanted any of us to go to school around there so I went to St Micheal’s College in Burley.

St Michael’s college had a really good reputation.I was surrounded by bad influences but I never found it hard. I loved spending time with my friends. Dancing has always been a part of life because I have always enjoyed and loved doing it; it’s never been a chore.

HJ: What challenges have you faced along the way?AL: Studying and dance was not easy. To fund that, that I had to work part-time in the evenings and weekends. I’ve worked as a cashier, waitressing, bar work, pizza shop – I’ve done a lot. I would never miss Uni to work; it never got to that level. I have been fortunate to never have to do that in my career. You’ve got to look at the bigger picture and that’s what kept me going.

HJ: What’s been your biggest achievement?AL: To be honest, to get to where I am today. The journey I have taken has had its ups and downs and I’m still going.

HJ: Have you ever felt like giving up?AL: Yes. When I was studying I found the academic side really, really dif-ficult. It was just a different level from everything I have ever had to go through and studying has never been a strength of mine; I have never had the confidence in writing assignments. I can’t even read a book without losing concentration. I am an active person so when I was studying, es-pecially doing my degree and dissertation, it was a challenge. During my degree, one of my lecturers who taught me Dance and Education (Da-vid Senior) helped me every step of the way. He was a massive support on the academic side, particularly in the 3rd year. Sharon Watson from Phoenix has been a massive inspiration for me. I met her at the Northern School and she was my teacher, she’s a very inspiring and determined woman, I look up to her and I want to keep aspiring. She’s the Artistic Director at Phoenix.

HJ: Finally, are there any words you would like to pass onto students and graduates?AL: I’ve got a hundred words to be honest. Be honest and true to your-self. Enjoy what you’re doing regardless of what you are pursuing, stay focused and try things that inspire you. Be determined, have a goal and work towards it. Most of all enjoy it.

Thank you Amanda.

‘Often, when you get home from a hard day’s work, all you want to do is lie back and look to the stars. I noticed something quite beautiful and mysterious about the ceiling lights and photographed them. Being a Full time artist is a little like being on call, you respond to a creative moment no matter what time of the day.’

Gemma Luz UFO

ABIGAILHOLTPhotographer: Abigail Holt, TPAH PhotographyClothing Designer: Jenny DixonMilliner: Beth Hirst, Couture HatsMake-up Artist: Gemma LowtherModels: Katey Walsh and Zoe Jobling

Abigail Holt is a graduate from the Batley School of Art and Design, studying contemporary photography. She is extremely interested in fashion and is focusing her work on local designers.

This shoot in her third year was based around the theme of ‘locality’ through the selection of her designers, models, and make-up artists. Clothing designer Jenny Dixon has her work on sale in a range of boutiques in Leeds and Harrogate.

Abigail is hoping to be able to turn her passion into her job. She hopes to get on board with designers and other creatives, initially in collaboration but then hopefully moving into commissioned work, which will help to make her passion for fashion photography a working career. You can see more of Abigail’s work at www.TPAHphotography.co.uk.

For those who make a career out of creating art, earning a suit-able living is hardly straight for-ward. It means striking a balance between pursuing artistic ideals and bringing home the bacon. Or in more desperate times, the spam. A bohemian life, depicted in Rent, takes this balance to extremes. This alternative life-style prioritises self-expression and rejects the pursuit of mate-rial gain. (Yep that includes flat screen TVs and hair straight-eners.) Mod-cons aside, many artists find the notion of creating without commercial pressures attractive.

Rent is a modern adaptation of Pucinni’s opera, “La Boheme”, a story about impoverished nine-teenth century Parisians afflicted with Tuberculosis. Writer, Jona-than Larson, keeps the ideal-ism of Pucinni’s characters and places them in contemporary New York, interchanging TB with today’s incurable equivalent, AIDS. Amongst the diverse mix of characters are drug addicts, a stripper, a lesbian couple and a transvestite and together they argue, cheat and make up. This all adds to the human dimension and helps the audience engage with their struggles.

How We gonna Pay Rent?

Lindsey Dew

Image : Paul Barugh

Living in the shadow of disease intensifies their determination to live in the moment. Poetically put by HIV positive Mimi, “I trust my soul, my only goal is just to be”. Others nurture a burning desire to create signifi-cant art before it’s too late, desperate to leave a legacy to compensate for a life cut short. Refusing to conform to mainstream commercial life comes at some cost, as they struggle to afford food, healthcare and rent. Despite living in some dire conditions the young artists display an extraor-dinary passion for life and love, which makes their responsibility-free lives look appealing. When contrasted with Larson’s portrayal of conven-tional, capitalist living the Bohemian life looks like a utopia. The charac-ter Benny is the landlord of the tenement and represents the aspirational middle-class workforce. Once a fellow bohemian, he married into money and now seems too busy appeasing his investors to remember his previous ideals. The number “La Vie Boheme” depicts a noisy, raucous celebration of bohemian life complete with singing and dancing on tables. By com-parison, Benny’s formal social engagement with other smartly dressed businessmen appears stuffy and constrained. Apparently these ‘business’ types just don’t know how to have a good time.

Although Larson didn’t live a strictly Bohemian lifestyle, he certainly compromised on financial security for his art. While writing Rent, Larson supported himself by working as a part-time waitor. He was probably no stranger to the breadline. This did at least allow Larson to work freely to fulfill his ambition to write the contemporary musical that “speaks to the MTV generation”. Plus his experiences of impoverished living in New York are expressed in Rent, with many of the characters based on people he actually knew.

Rent is no fairy tale. The show does not shy away from exploring the gritty issues of living with disease and without a financial safety net. Nevertheless Rent is an optimistic story promoting the importance of love, togetherness and staying true to yourself. The Bohemian lifestyle is certainly not easily achievable. (And possibly not even desirable given the sacrifice involved). But perhaps maintaining your artistic integrity and living for the present are principles for aspiring artists to strive for.Tragi-cally (and ironically) Larson died suddenly on the day of the final rehears-al of Rent, aged just 35. The success of Rent lives on.

Down and Out in Leeds(with inspiration from the popular novel

Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell)

I don’t often like to compare myself to great men, obviously with the exception of Dizzee Rascal. However, on reading Down and Out, I

came to realise that Orwell’s chômage experi-ence brings out a number of issues relevant to job seeking while living on a low budget in our

own fair city.

When one has no wage, in this town the first port of call is the Jobcentre. Most people will use the Jobcentre at some point in their lives, whether it is for advice or to claim benefits. In

recession-hit times, this number is obviously higher, with many of our readers (and most of

our staff) having visited. Orwell tells of the 1920s Parisian alternative to benefits in his ex-perience at the pawn shops. To set the scene, a man is shouted ‘as though calling a dog’ up to the counter, before being sent away with the information that his underwear is worth

absolutely nothing. Those on Jobseeker’s can certainly empathise with the attitude of being

summoned to a desk for a less than hearten-ing conversation. Although I had nothing but

good service at Park Place, I often hear of rude clerks dismissing my peers as though they are little more than dogs. Orwell left with a less than hefty payment for his clothes, just as you do when signing on. We must give thanks that at least our shirts remain on our backs. It is difficult to remove oneself from the government’s apron

strings when there are many obstructions to finding suitable employ-ment. One of Orwell’s problems centres on having to walk everywhere. This limits the amount of job hunting he can do in one day. I am fortu-

nate enough to have internet at my humble abode, which certainly cuts down on this. However, I can certainly empathise with the costs of public transport, unable to use the ever-increasing extortionate bus service due

to disgust at the tariff.

Walking is a lengthy process when you have several places to go, and I am obviously unable to afford a car. This reduces the jobs available to me, as I am limited to daytime hours and the very local area, just as Orwell was.

His luck does eventually improve. However, when Orwell is honest about the possibility of another job to his prospective employer, he fac-es losing the vital stopgap. The key to maintain-ing a constant flow of work, it appears, is to lie or withhold facts. His Russian friend Boris knows this well, and has few reservations in making it clear to his protégé. Being forced to work to stay alive, Orwell then had little opportunity to find more suitable employment. This is a posi-tion many people can relate to. Having finally found full time work, there are few hours left in the day when it is feasible to look for a more ap-propriate job. Working minimum wage definitely sustains a life, but allows little room to think about buying property or indulging in artistic tendencies. As Orwell observes, in the case of the plongeurs, their wages would never allow them to marry. This left some workers in the same 78 hour week jobs for their whole working lives, such as the charwoman at the Hôtel X.

There is ultimately something to be said for being genuinely ‘down and out’. As Orwell describes, a feeling of relief arises from the lack of pressure associated with budgeting those last few centimes. I realise I am somewhat better off than Orwell. However, relatively speaking, in moving home and working my way through minimum wage jobs, I am in my own way down and out. I can only see life improving from this moment. That said, the lack of pressure in working a dead end job with few prospects often allows my soul to ultimately relax. Thought about larger issues diminishes. Worries about career prospects that I had while studying are pushed into the background. Being down and out is almost fun.

Katie Lee Image : Paul Barugh

Where we’ll be over the next 3 months...

September

11th - 19th Saltaire Arts Trail, Saltaire17th - Barenaked Ladies - 02 Academy, Leeds21st - Two Door Cinema Club - LMUSU, Leeds25th - ‘A Life in Art’ Rolf Harris - Sheffield SmartArt Gallery, Sheffield 27th - MGMT - 02 Academy, Leeds 29th - Wakefield Art Walk, Wakefield

Here at New Retro UK we love vintage clothes and want to show you the endless looks and styles you can create yourself using clobber from our fantastic clothing range. You can find us at Birds Yard on Kirkgate in Leeds. All pieces will be available purchase online so stay tuned. http://newretroukblog.com http://twitter.com/newretrouk

Let AB Gardens take on the challenge of designing your garden. Annabel Bridge can work with you to completely overhaul your garden. Aiming to give you the garden of your dreams, tailored to your own style and tastes be it contemporary or traditional. Choosing AB Gardens ensures your garden is in good hands with everything from design and construction to planting and maintenance under control. 07977 047466 annabel@abgardens.co.uk www.abgardens.co.uk

At Form Bespoke Jewellers we are experts in hand making engagement and wedding rings and have a real passion for working with customers to create something truly individual.

The Mill @ Scott Hall is a newly refurbished business centre spe-cifically designed for small businesses with 2 to 7 people. There is also a meeting room available for hire at just £15/hour +VAT for up to 10. 0777 245 7270

October

1st - 17th - Ilkley Literature Festival, Ilkley2nd & 3rd - Smart Productions Photo and Exhibition Swap - Leftbank, Leeds6th - The Magic Numbers - Irish Centre, Leeds7th - Ade Edmundson & The Bad Shepherds - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds8th - Light Night in Leeds11th - The Pits & the Pendulums - National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield16th - 13th November - Crash - West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds

Insight for Wellbeing offers a range of meditation courses, including evenings, days and weekends, for beginners and more advanced practitioners. To learn more about our courses please visit www.insightforwellbeing.co.uk info@insightforwellbeing.co.uk 0790 813 2256.

We love printing great design work and helping new businesses with fantastic stationery pack offers, leaflets, bro-chures, banners, web sites and promo cards. Speak to Dean or Dally for details on 0113 240 9822 or email oakwood@printing.com

Charisma Blinds Is a personalised Made to Measure, Supply & Fit service for Domestic and Commercial customers.0113 2287193 www.charismablindswetherby.co.uk

TURN A WALK INTO A WORKOUTBurns 20-40% more calories than regular walking Works the whole body,Ideal for the over 50s, Sociable and Fun Great for neck, shoulders and backs, Affordable, Can be done anywhere!For details of our classes call Tony Pattison on 07957 569229 or email tjpattison@yahoo.co.uk

Accurate, lifelike portraiture in oils on canvasby David Keighley at Portrtaits.org.uk

November

4th - 21st - Leeds International Film Festival , Leeds3rd - 7th - Sheffield Documentary Festival, Sheffield9th - 13th - Checkout Girls - Theatre Royal, Wakefield9th - 13th - Bradford Animation Festival, Bradford12th - Bipolar Ringmaster (Without a Circus) - Yorkshire Dance, Leeds14th - Broken Social Scene - Stylus, Leeds27th - Gogol Bordello - Refectory, Leeds

Lynne Swarbrick Counselling welcomes new clients. Services include counselling, life-coaching, professional and clinical counsellor super-vision, and group work. In and around Brighouse in West Yorkshire.www.twodoves.co.uk lswarbrick@hotmail.co.uk 01484717380

The Mustard Pot offers fine ales, great British food, local friends and good times in beautiful, cosy and vibrant surroundings. 20 Stainbeck Lane, LS7 3QY. 0113 2695699

The Science of Art“zn+1 = zn2 + c”This forms the Mandelbrot set for certain values of c. It is a mathematical equation which results in a beautiful pattern of repetition and has links in chaos theory. The pattern produced could easily be described as an artwork: it is aesthetically pleasing and contains a vast body of theory before it. But Man-delbrot didn’t set out to create something to be hung in a gal-lery, he was chasing the idea behind his mathematical theory and almost accidently created art. The questions we are asking you, can art be accidental? Do formula and equation play a part in creating work? Is there a Science of Art?If you pour paint onto a canvas, you can predict the way it will run, but the power of the unknown allows for a random, chance occurrence.Think structure vs. the creative license. Many artists use pre-ex-isting formulas for their work (consciously or unconsciously), but is true art something that develops something unquantifiable? Or can art be explained away by a scientific theory?

This open brief is what we are hoping you will respond to. We are looking for submissions from artists, writers, photographers, illustrators, designers and anyone creative, who can respond to this brief. Our only stipulation on this brief is that you must be living, studying or working in West Yorkshire. Also please be aware that we are only printing in black and white, so any images need to be appropriate for this medium.All submissions should be sent to the.juice@live.co.ukWe can’t guarantee that we’ll use every submission, but we will endeavour to where we can. And we will always keep you in mind for future submissions. If you don’t feel you have anything to contribute but you would like to know more about us then please feel free to get in touch as well.