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THE VERGE Volume I

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Page 1: THE VERGE Volume I
Page 2: THE VERGE Volume I

Fiona Leung & RosaLÍa RoMeRoEDITORS

VERGE

agnes KWon, DeanDRa Leong, Ben nguYen, RiCKi suBeL, & DanieLLe sPeaRsEDITORIAL STAFF

CoDY CaMPBeLL, Megan FaBYan, sTuaRT HanDY, & aRnoLD RaFaeLGUEST CONTRIBUTORS

SPECIAL THANKS TO:ViKKi CHan, MiCHaeL CHeng, FieLD TRiP enTeRTainMenT, aManDa esCoBeDo, gLoRia HeRnanDeZ,

aLeXanDeR Man Ho, Don HoLLis, aMY LoRenZen, PeTRa o., PaRaDise PRinTing, ReBeKaH RoMingQueT, MiKe sPeneeR, suBTeXT gaLLeRY, sun Diego, CHaD sWingLeY, MiCHeLLe TaMousH, KaRen Tsung & KaTie YaTes

[email protected]

THe PuBLiCaTion MaY HaVe Been FunDeD in PaRT oR in WHoLe BY FunDs aLLoCaTeD BY THe asuCsD. HoWeVeR, THe VieWs eXPResseD in THis PuBLiCaTion aRe soLeLY THose oF VeRge, iTs PRinCiPaL MeMBeRs anD THe auTHoRs oF THe ConTenT oF THis PuBLi-CaTion. WHiLe THe PuBLisHeD oF THis PuBLiCaTion is a RegisTeReD sTuDenT oRgani-ZaTion aT uC san Diego, THe ConTenT, oPinions, sTaTeMenTs anD VieWs eXPResseD in THis oR anY oTHeR PuBLiCaTion PuBLisHeD anD/oR DisTRiBuTeD BY VeRge aRe noT enDoRseD BY anD Do noT RePResenT THe VieWs, oPinions, PoLiCies, oR PosiTions oF THe asuCsD, gsauCsD, uC san Diego, THe uniVeRsiTY oF CaLiFoRnia anD THe Re-genTs oR THeiR oFFiCeRs, eMPLoYees, oR agenTs. THe PuBLisHeR oF THis PuBLiCa-Tion BeaRs anD assuMes THe FuLL ResPonsiBiLiTY anD LiaBiLiTY FoR THe ConTenT oF

THis PuBLiCaTion

31

Nick McPhersonGiving the impression of a stamp, his art involves utilizing crisp, clean, perfect lines to enhance the images’ pop. He is inspired by cartoon aesthetics, screenprinting. As one surrounded by art every hour of every day, Nick McPherson goes from be-ing a graphic designer by day to get the bills paid, returning home to further design, paint, and sketch. Using mailing labels that he gets from post offices, this artist uses these free stickers as a new me-dium to create art. By sketching over this, he turns previously simple, boring, sticker-like canvas into something more personal and relatable.

nickmcpherson.com

By Rosalia Romero

Page 3: THE VERGE Volume I

ThaT’s whaT They woreFeaTuRing sTuDenT sTYLe FRoM aRounD CaMPus

saM

KRisTine

KRisTin

RYan

PHoTogRaPHs BY agnes KWon,MoRe aT

THaTsWHaTTHeYWoRe.BLogsPoT.CoM

30

KRisTine

To be completely honest, we joked around for awhile about starting our own magazine at uCsD. Then one day, we real-ized that we both felt that there was a lack of creative outlets on campus and a disconnect with the san Diego community and uCsD. so we decided to go for it. We are so excited to share with you the first issue of Verge, an art, culture, and fashion magazine. We really hope that you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together!

--Fiona Leung and Rosalia Romero

THe Beginning

Page 4: THE VERGE Volume I

Volume 1, Issue 1 June 2009

COVER

Photograph by Alexander Man Ho

6

8

10

12

13

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CultureThe Best of San Diego BarsDo It YourselfWhat Creatives Around The World Are Up ToThe OneOne Piece, Four LooksPhotographyMichael FelmConfiesoStudent Writer FeatureMusicTurtle Project and Westfire

Page 5: THE VERGE Volume I

[this page]Bear,

Petra O’s Purple Collection Dress

[opposite]Geisel Library,

Petra O’s Butterfly Gown

16

20

24

30

31

The Fieldtrip ExperiencePromoting San Diego ArtistsA Day at SubtextGallery in Little ItalyMonumentArtArt + FashionStreet StyleUCSD’s FashionableArtist ProfileNick McPherson

Page 6: THE VERGE Volume I

Lomography cameras are making a comeback since their introduction back in the 80s. For those who are unfamiliar, lomography began as a movement that started in Russia, but its popularity declined due to the introduction of cheaper Asian produced cameras. Lomography cam-eras are made entirely of plastic and resemble the bare bones of what you need for a camera. They produce overly saturated photos with touches of unpredictable blurring and random contrast that give off a super retro feel. Beloved for photos that are dreamy in effect and im-perfectly creative, lomography cameras create charming images that look entirely different from digital photos often seen today. Affordable and light, these cameras are the perfect companion pieces for pho-tographers who enjoy taking casual, light hearted, candid photos. De-pending on the type, they can range from 20 to 75 dollars, and can be found online at www.lomography.com.

LoMoGraPhyCaMera

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF GADGETVENUE.COMREVIEW BY CHI

Page 7: THE VERGE Volume I

[this page]Dr. Seuss Statue,Petra O’s Purple Collection Dress

[opposite]The Chair,Petra O’s Las Vegas Dress

san Diegohot spots

The OfficeBy Danielle Spears

3936 30th St San Diego, CA 92104

Centrally located in the barhopping district that some call “the heart” of North Park, The Office just chills on 30th street as a quaint but classy bar and venue. The bar has a sim-plistic layout with candle-lit booth seating opposite of the bar, and a low-raised stage on the far end by the bathrooms. What makes The Office stand out is that it supports more local artists than other ven-ues and showcases a large variety of talents. With a funky cocktail menu, wine, sake, champagne, beer, and Ranchos Mexican Res-taurant right next door, there’s nothing stopping The Office from being a student fave!

Photos By Kevan Christine

Sandbar GrillBy Fiona Leung

718 Ventura Pl.San Diego, CA 92109

Sandbar Grill is located on the shores of Mission Beach. Dur-ing the day, they serve good and cheap food and at night, they clear the tables and the beach-loving locals come out to dance in their shorts and flip-flops. Sandbar Grill and has two stories, each having a full bar and televisions airing sport videos. They have a great and in-expensive cocktail list. The bar-tenders are quick and the crowd is extremely laid-back and friendly. Overall, it is a great bar to go to if you are in the mood for a fun and low-key night.

Photos By SandBarGrill.com

Whistle Stop BarBy Fiona Leung

2236 Fern StSan Diego, CA 92104

Whistle Stop Bar is a cozy bar in the South Park neighborhood. They have a red and green theme décor with pool tables, juke box, and a DJ booth. The local, artsy crowd frequent this bar for their cheap beer and strong drinks. The party doesn’t start until 9pm and the music ranges from jazz to elec-tro. Definitely stop by Whistle Stop if you are looking for interesting conversations and fun times.

Photos By W.F.

Page 8: THE VERGE Volume I

All around the world people have nurtured their hobbies and passions and turned them into a way of life. They have found an alternative to the typical student job or the terrible excuse that we tend to call “boredom” that causes so many to turn to gratuitous television and excessive use of the word “dude”. The featured artists for this issue are from San Diego, Italy, France and Argentina and have all become involved in projects that explore their creativity, broaden their horizons and above all remind us that anything is possible with a bit of courage and self-application.

Pilar’s drawings seek to express the part of her that is untouched by the bustling city and it’s conflicts that surround her. Her perspective on the fast paced and the often times cruel artistic scene of Buenos Aires fills Pilar’s drawings with simple and earnest emotion. Whilst others focus on emulating the International influences that cause so many in Buenos Aires to become detached from their work and more focused on marketability, Pilar organically represents her sentiment towards youth, femininity, and sexuality in a fantasy world that can only be attributed to her.

From left to right: “Acolorado”, 2008 and “Marina”, 2009

Do ITyoUrseLFpilar benitezbuenos aires, argentina

8

By Ricki Subel

Red Shoe,Model Shilpa Mamidi is wear-ing Petra O’s Amanda Dress.

Page 9: THE VERGE Volume I

PhoToGraPher MeGanFabyanFashIon eDITor FIonaLeUnG

MonUMenT arT

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Vivien Aryoles and Stefano Marchionini make up the Italian and French photography team “Entr’Ouvert”. Their mission statement on the project’s website explains that their goal is not to impart on the viewer any particular reaction from their photos but rather allow the viewer to perceive the incredible symbiosis of the human body and it’s natural environment. They are deeply involved in the small community around them and focus on the beauty of each and every one of their colleagues and the various places and structures that they encounter. These are truly impressive works of art that really hold true to the multi-faceted capacity of the human mind.Prints Available at http://entrouvert.tumblr.com/

Entr’ouvert Italy & France

Laura Pecenco San Diego, United States

When Laura Pecenco of LauraSaurusDesigns travels, she is not looking for the types of souvenirs most people are when on vacation. For Laura, each state, country, and trash can potentially hold the answer to her next cre-ation. Laura is a grad student at UCSD and has sought to maintain the aspect of her personality that alleviates the tensions of being an academic. For her, making jewel-ery and being part of a growing D.I.Y. scene in Southern California (and the world) gives her the outlet she needs. The beautiful pieces she makes glorify the little things in life and their Japanese influence (many of the pieces Laura makes are from materials found in Japan) remind us of the same simplicity, elegance and pleasure of a cup of tea.Available at http://www.laurasaurusdesigns.com/

V i v i e n A r y o l e s a n d S t e f a n o M a r c h i o n i n i m a k e u p t h e I t a l i a n a n d F r e n c h p h o t o g r a p h y

t e a m “ E n t r ’O u v e r t ” . T h e i r m i s s i o n s t a t e m e n t o n t h e p r o j e c t ’ s w e b s i t e e x p l a i n s t h a t t h e i r

g o a l i s n o t t o i m p a r t o n t h e v i e w e r a n y p a r t i c u l a r r e a c t i o n f r o m t h e i r p h o t o s b u t r a t h e r

a l l o w t h e v i e w e r t o p e r c e i v e h o w t h e y s e e f i t t h e i n c r e d i b l e s y m b i o s i s o f t h e h u m a n

b o d y a n d i t ’ s n a t u r a l e n v i r o n m e n t . T h e y a r e d e e p l y i n v o l v e d i n t h e s m a l l c o m m u n i t y

a r o u n d t h e m a n d f o c u s o n t h e b e a u t y o f e a c h a n d e v e r y o n e o f t h e i r c o l l e a g u e s a n d t h e

v a r i o u s p l a c e s a n d s t r u c t u r e s t h a t t h e y e n c o u n t e r . T h e s e a r e t r u l y i m p r e s s i v e w o r k s o f

a r t t h a t r e a l l y h o l d t r u e t o t h e m u l t i - f a c e t e d c a p a c i t y o f t h e h u m a n m i n d .

P r i n t s A v a i l a b l e a t h t t p :/ / e n t r o u v e r t . t u m b l r .c o m /

W h e n L a u r a P e c e n c o o f L a u r a S a u r u s D e s i g n s t r a v e l s , s h e i s n o t l o o k i n g f o r t h e t y p e s o f s o u v e n i r s

m o s t p e o p l e a r e w h e n o n v a c a t i o n . F o r L a u r a , e a c h s t a t e , e a c h c o u n t r y , a n d e a c h t r a s h c a n e v e n ,

p o t e n t i a l l y h o l d s t h e a n s w e r t o h e r n e x t c r e a t i o n . L a u r a i s a g r a d s t u d e n t a t U C S D a n d h a s s o u g h t

t o m a i n t a i n t h e a s p e c t o f h e r p e r s o n a l i t y t h a t a l l e v i a t e s t h e t e n s i o n s o f b e i n g a n a c a d e m i c . F o r

h e r , m a k i n g j e w e l e r y a n d b e i n g p a r t o f a g r o w i n g D .I .Y . s c e n e i n S o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a ( a n d t h e

w o r l d ) g i v e s h e r t h e o u t l e t s h e n e e d s . T h e b e a u t i f u l p i e c e s s h e m a k e s g l o r i f y t h e l i t t l e t h i n g s i n

V i v i e n A r y o l e s a n d S t e f a n o M a r c h i o n i n i m a k e u p t h e I t a l i a n a n d F r e n c h p h o t o g r a p h y

t e a m “ E n t r ’O u v e r t ” . T h e i r m i s s i o n s t a t e m e n t o n t h e p r o j e c t ’s w e b s i t e e x p l a i n s t h a t t h e i r

g o a l i s n o t t o i m p a r t o n t h e v i e w e r a n y p a r t i c u l a r r e a c t i o n f r o m t h e i r p h o t o s b u t r a t h e r

a l l o w t h e v i e w e r t o p e r c e i v e h o w t h e y s e e f i t t h e i n c r e d i b l e s y m b i o s i s o f t h e h u m a n

b o d y a n d i t ’s n a t u r a l e n v i r o n m e n t . T h e y a r e d e e p l y i n v o l v e d i n t h e s m a l l c o m m u n i t y

a r o u n d t h e m a n d f o c u s o n t h e b e a u t y o f e a c h a n d e v e r y o n e o f t h e i r c o l l e a g u e s a n d t h e

v a r i o u s p l a c e s a n d s t r u c t u r e s t h a t t h e y e n c o u n t e r . T h e s e a r e t r u l y i m p r e s s i v e w o r k s o f

a r t t h a t r e a l l y h o l d t r u e t o t h e m u l t i - f a c e t e d c a p a c i t y o f t h e h u m a n m i n d .

P r i n t s A v a i l a b l e a t h t t p :/ / e n t r o u v e r t . t u m b l r .c o m /

W h e n L a u r a P e c e n c o o f L a u r a S a u r u s D e s i g n s t r a v e l s , s h e i s n o t l o o k i n g f o r t h e t y p e s o f s o u v e n i r s

m o s t p e o p l e a r e w h e n o n v a c a t i o n . F o r L a u r a , e a c h s t a t e , e a c h c o u n t r y , a n d e a c h t r a s h c a n e v e n ,

p o t e n t i a l l y h o l d s t h e a n s w e r t o h e r n e x t c r e a t i o n . L a u r a i s a g r a d s t u d e n t a t U C S D a n d h a s s o u g h t

t o m a i n t a i n t h e a s p e c t o f h e r p e r s o n a l i t y t h a t a l l e v i a t e s t h e t e n s i o n s o f b e i n g a n a c a d e m i c . F o r

h e r , m a k i n g j e w e l e r y a n d b e i n g p a r t o f a g r o w i n g D .I .Y . s c e n e i n S o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a ( a n d t h e

w o r l d ) g i v e s h e r t h e o u t l e t s h e n e e d s . T h e b e a u t i f u l p i e c e s s h e m a k e s g l o r i f y t h e l i t t l e t h i n g s i n

V i v i e n A r y o l e s a n d S t e f a n o M a r c h i o n i n i m a k e u p t h e I t a l i a n a n d F r e n c h p h o t o g r a p h y

t e a m “ E n t r ’O u v e r t ” . T h e i r m i s s i o n s t a t e m e n t o n t h e p r o j e c t ’ s w e b s i t e e x p l a i n s t h a t t h e i r

g o a l i s n o t t o i m p a r t o n t h e v i e w e r a n y p a r t i c u l a r r e a c t i o n f r o m t h e i r p h o t o s b u t r a t h e r

a l l o w t h e v i e w e r t o p e r c e i v e h o w t h e y s e e f i t t h e i n c r e d i b l e s y m b i o s i s o f t h e h u m a n

b o d y a n d i t ’s n a t u r a l e n v i r o n m e n t . T h e y a r e d e e p l y i n v o l v e d i n t h e s m a l l c o m m u n i t y

a r o u n d t h e m a n d f o c u s o n t h e b e a u t y o f e a c h a n d e v e r y o n e o f t h e i r c o l l e a g u e s a n d t h e

v a r i o u s p l a c e s a n d s t r u c t u r e s t h a t t h e y e n c o u n t e r . T h e s e a r e t r u l y i m p r e s s i v e w o r k s o f

a r t t h a t r e a l l y h o l d t r u e t o t h e m u l t i - f a c e t e d c a p a c i t y o f t h e h u m a n m i n d .

P r i n t s A v a i l a b l e a t h t t p : / / e n t r o u v e r t . t u m b l r .c o m /

W h e n L a u r a P e c e n c o o f L a u r a S a u r u s D e s i g n s t r a v e l s , s h e i s n o t l o o k i n g f o r t h e t y p e s o f s o u v e n i r s

m o s t p e o p l e a r e w h e n o n v a c a t i o n . F o r L a u r a , e a c h s t a t e , e a c h c o u n t r y , a n d e a c h t r a s h c a n e v e n ,

p o t e n t i a l l y h o l d s t h e a n s w e r t o h e r n e x t c r e a t i o n . L a u r a i s a g r a d s t u d e n t a t U C S D a n d h a s s o u g h t

t o m a i n t a i n t h e a s p e c t o f h e r p e r s o n a l i t y t h a t a l l e v i a t e s t h e t e n s i o n s o f b e i n g a n a c a d e m i c . F o r

h e r , m a k i n g j e w e l e r y a n d b e i n g p a r t o f a g r o w i n g D .I .Y . s c e n e i n S o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a ( a n d t h e

w o r l d ) g i v e s h e r t h e o u t l e t s h e n e e d s . T h e b e a u t i f u l p i e c e s s h e m a k e s g l o r i f y t h e l i t t l e t h i n g s i n

Page 10: THE VERGE Volume I

10

CASUALskirt: silence+noise

WORKshirt: kimchi bluebelt: thrift store

GOING OUTskirt&top: silence+noiseshoes: setra-madden girlnecklace: moushart jewelry

DATEtop: kimchi blueshoes: setra-madden girl

The one

STYLISTAgnes KwonMODELNicole Aquino and Sam Ziaie

PHOTOGRAPHER Chris Southerd

Models eric su Fan, Justin Park, Lindsay Le, and Bailey Wentworth

Page 11: THE VERGE Volume I

It is a bit unexpected to find college students spending their free timein a small art gallery. Many do not particularly choose to spend seven

bucks to walk through any of the museums in Balboa Park just for kicks,heck that money could buy us broke students a carne asada fries dinner!

This idea is a little unnerving, not knowing where our generation’sculture is heading. so wouldn’t it be stimulating to be able to

occasionally look at and appreciate some of the creativity that runsthrough the community that we live in?

in san Diego, where art culture remains under the radar and takes effortto be sought out, finding a space that contributes to the lifestyle is

invigorating. subtext gallery & Design Bookstore emerges as a gateway forunderrepresented artists and for those seeking to nourish their creative

spirits. The gallery, hidden right at the edge of Little italy, changesits installations almost once a month with fresh, under-served artists.

They showcase urban contemporary, pop surrealist, and lowbrow artistsfrom all around the globe. The space allows for an intimate experience

with the art and is a place where art and culture come together.Spending some quality time here will definitely get those innovative

juices flowing.

Check it:subtext gallery & Design Bookstore

2479 Kettner Blvd.san Diego, Ca 92101

http://subtextstore.com

22 11

CASUALv-neck: hurley, from PacSunshoes: asics

WORKpolo shirt: expressshoes: david richard, LTD.

GOING OUTshirt: treesshoes: david richard, LTD.

DATEshirt: BDGshoes: david richard, LTD.

Page 12: THE VERGE Volume I

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By Ricki subel

Michael Frahm

German born Michael Frahm travels the world in search of the perfect lighting and the perfect subjects for his photography. When you talk to Michael about how he remembers a certain city or moment in his life, he describes it not with typical sensory terms such as “smell” or “feel”, but rather he recalls the soft-ness of the suns warmth or the shadow cast on the coldest day. This is how Frahm manages to reveal in his photos the subtle beauty of the world around us. He is currently working on a project that documents the way that fashion through out the world demar-cates certain people in their given community as truly special. For more of his work, prints, and upcoming book please visit MichaelFrahm.com

By DeanDRa LeongPhotographs By aRnoLD RaFaeL

21

a day at subtext

Page 13: THE VERGE Volume I

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My name is Ricki Subel, and I am a recovering cinema-holic....I have been clean now for a good 10 years which may seem substantial but it is something that haunts me every day.

it all started when i was about 10 years old. i had just moved to the States and was finding it very difficult to assimilate (still am) and chose consciously to assume the metaphor of "the world is a stage". i was an actress. I was prettier in my films and I always said the right thing and i had good friends and i never fought with my par-ents. in the movie i was directing, i was the ideal-real life was not so. so therein began my obsession with cinema. saying grandiose things constantly and literally "acting" instead of being. i would say really dramatic things to myself under my breath or if a pretty song came on in the car i'd think to myself "okay, this is the scene where i am thinking about the love of my life, or about the war or about little Timmy (whatever topic was of interest in that scene)" anyways, it wasn't always easy. There was always the occasional onlooker who probably thought i was nuts, but little did they know they were the playing the character in my movie scene who was oppressing me or the evil school teacher who suddenly falls to her death after reprimanding me. Unfortunately,the glory of this film came to an end one night as i was entering my old house. it was a Friday night, which in our family meant the sabbath and candle lighting to bring it in. i walked into a dark room with only a glimmer of light shining through due to the candles. it was “so beautiful” and so in a loud voice, being that this was the dramatic, beautiful scene in my film, I exclaimed “it’s so beautiful!” Little did i know, my father had been sitting there in the dark looking at the candles (some-thing i still don’t understand) and responded “isn’t it?!” That gave me the fright of my life, the one that in a way brought me back to reality. i can’t say it was a bad thing. During the course of my “film life” I had been kicked out of Karate (in the scene where i am a feminist who calls out her sensei for being a misogynist) and had been “diagnosed” with Attention Deficit Disorder. Then, the film was over but there was still an element of it that always arose whenever i was in a situation that made me feel less than comfortable, only now, i had been watching more films for years and had a lot more material.

There were times in some of my old relationships that i didn’t know whether it was me speaking or ally Mcgraw from “Love story”. in my last breakup, i had been cheated on and the only movie moment i could think of was from “Waiting to exhale,” the scene in which Whitney Houston throws water on her married lover. There was no water but doors were slammed. it wasn’t me. i was uncomfortable. i had used that which was comfortable to me, the cinema, to express how i could not feel. and i had been doing that for a long time, quite possibly because something was missing. Reality check 2008. Car accident in the middle of the argentine desert. i woke up with no recollection of what had happen in a free clinic with a brace around my neck and an i.v. in my arm. That my friends, is when real-ity hit. It was fight or flight. And for some reason, I didn't want to flee. The intensity of the "scene" was enough to show me how life should be and since that moment i have been trying to live my life in the same way. My life is a beautiful life. no movie could compare. i am lucky. Very very lucky and i have never seen any character in these same situations nor been able to feel these same emo-tions. My friends are incredible, I am finding new ways to love everyday, and i am making something happen, instead of just reading from a script. What i am trying to say is, it is easy to retreat into that which is edited and perfected, but without the suffering we cannot see how beautiful everything else is. now, i can't imagine how i lived for so long depending on something that seems so mediocre compared to what i feel. so i will keep loving and feeling film, but it doesn't compare to what I have outside of it.

Confieso By Ricki subel

Page 14: THE VERGE Volume I

Pat: I see it from both perspectives, the listener and the viewer. I’m an artist, a visual artist as well. So whatever I’m listening to, whatever I’m immersing my-self in at that point, it will affect the art that I’m putting out. And I really do feel that it affects how listeners feel and act in their daily lives.Jim: I’m not really religious per-se, but I’m spiritual, and I think music for me personally is how I can con-nect spiritually, and there’s a magic and an energy that I like to tap into.Jason: It’s just fun. I decided that if it’s not fun, it’s not worth it. So we decided that if a gig’s not fun, we don’t do it again, even if its beneficial. Q: Have you gained any insights over the years as musicians that you want to share?Jim: I think that going to school for music, and practic-ing for many hours, learning how to practice, I’ve been able to incorporate that model into other endeavors. I’m an accountant now, and it’s helped me be a better accountant. I play chess pretty seriously, that training helped me become a better chessplayer too.Pat: What I’ve learned thus far is that there’s an ethic behind it. I think that’s basically what Jim is saying there, is that if you want something, you keep having to work at it and work at it, and you have to be pas-sionate about it, otherwise you’re just not going to go anywhere with it. Jason: Well, I learned a lot about what not to do, play-ing some gigs. I mean, you talk to a lot of musicians out there, and they read their favorite band, and they see that they did this and then this, so all they need to do is that, that, and that. But what it really comes down to is that there’s a lot of luck. And you really have no choice but to pave your own sort of way, and I think that doing it as long as we have, you learn that no matter where you end up, you have to think of it as a success. And the only way that it is going to come is through that dedication, you’ve gotta hack it out. There’s no way you can follow anybody’s template. I mean, sure some record label can see you and you can get signed and stuff, but the fact that you can get shelved is still highly probable. This has more to do with you doing what you love.

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The TUrTLeProJeCTBy Ben Nguyen

The Turtle Project is an up and coming local San Di-ego band consisting of Jason Yamaoka, Jim Kroos-kos, and Pat Franco. However, they are more than just a band, and I sat down with the three of them for a few questions about what they are and the music that they make.

Q: What is the Turtle Project?Jason: I used to perform as Jason Turtle. It was a nickname an ex-girlfriend of mine gave me, but really it was more that I didn’t want people to spell my name wrong, and butcher it. So I added it in there. And then from there, we put together this group, and I called it a project because it was more of an idea. Some bands have a single person that kinda takes control of everything. We’d rather give our own input, so when you hear us play for example, Jim adds a lot of that funk and jazz element to it, and then Pat adds a lot of that new wave sound and effect, the trip-hop stuff that he likes, and then there’s my folk writing. So it’s like an incorporation of all these styles without trying to pigeonhole ourselves. And it’s been working so far. But it’s hard to find band members who fit that kind of profile, because most people are used to somebody having an idea, and then directing everybody. But here for the most part, we give each other sugges-tions, but we let everybody be pretty free with what they’re doing.Q: So it’s more of an individualistic concept?Jason: I mean, it even extends into our artistic direc-tion, like the photographers that we’ve used for ex-ample. So our identity so far keeps changing, but we like it, it keeps it interesting.Pat: Yeah one of the first things that Jason told me when they were proposing me coming into the band –he came up to me at a show where I had gone to see them, and basically said that “I want you to come out and be as experimental as possible” So it was really cool that I could have such good artistic input.Jim: Another original idea of the project was that those who decided to help out, whether they be writers, or photographers, or videographers, would be included in the concept of the project.Q: As artists, do you feel music have a purpose in general or a unique purpose for each individual? What purpose do you feel it has for you?

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a collaborative experience for artists. The bringing together of different artists into one space, working on one single mural, symbolizes not only a mixture of different styles, but of ideas and perspectives. This comes across viewing a finished mural at the end of the event. each artist paints freely with little direction and no designated boundaries of space on the board. Corners and pieces of works overlap, artists paint side by side, as an audience watches close by. as artists evolve in their own work, this experi-ence provides an opportunity to create outside of a studio and in a public space in front of an audience. it is a platform for less known artists to display their art and expose it to the public. They are involved in pro-moting an art and a style that is relevant to san Diego culture and is also, more importantly, relatable.

It is easy to walk into a museum, look at fine art, and experience the ritual that surrounds art in a museum context. But finding the art embedded in reality is much more difficult since it has not al-ready been written about in art books. The style of art that FieldTrip promotes is progressive in that it influenced by current and street culture. A specta-tor to one of their shows is able to match a face o r personality to the art, making a personal connection and heightening a sense of creative processes.

www.myspace.com/fieldtripentertainment

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Page 15: THE VERGE Volume I

While the consenus has declared that san Diego is most disfortunately stuck in a cultural rut, some have not deemed it hopeless, choosing instead to take its potentiality to expand and promote the creative scenes fostered here. Building up the san Diego art and music scene is FieldTrip entertainment, an events com-pany involved in organizing events that feature a blend of san Diego based music and art. Fusing electronic music and featuring collaborative art installations, they create an atmosphere at their events that is unparal-leled to any other in this city. From northpark to Mission Beach, this group holds events in all every area of the city and are credited for bringing the art scene into s

an Diego nightlife. These events have allowed for the bringing together of like minded people, con-cepts, and a different kind ofatmosphere that con-nects the small circuit of “Creatives” to the masses, and provides an avenue for both audience and artist to benefit from. utliizing a 40-foot board as a canvas, art-ists share the space to express their own identities while drawing inspiration from fellow artists and the audience. For emerging artists, participating in a FieldTrip show is a communal, creative process. a show acts almost as an experiment- putting a group of different artists to work in one space together to see what is produced and how an audi-ence factor affects and is affected. in this sense, the art mural represents a creative collective-it is

“In a city of so many people, there is no reason for San Diego to look to otther cities for creative sources.” -stevie Dreher, FieldTrip entertainment

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Members:Kevin Jacob – Drums and Lead Vocals Chris “Richie” Richardson - Bass Garret Robinson– Guitar and vocals Danielle Spears – Keys

What do you feel is the most essential thing to your performance on stage?Kevin: The most important thing is that we have fun together on stage. A lot of people get in bands and you have to put up with people, but we go out there not worrying about who’s going to see us or what we’re doing, we just like to go out there and have fun and joke with the crowd. We like to get the crowd involved. If you go to a lot of shows, any one of your favorite bands out there, and they can impress you and wow you or whatnot, but they really can’t talk to the crowd, joke around, or get them involved that well. And I think that the great bands have always been good at getting the crowd involved. That’s kind of been something that’s gone away in music culture. A lot of bands don’t do that, so it would be a good thing for Westfire to bring back.Can you tell me a bit about your songs?Kevin: All the songs do tell a story. “Tom’s Song” is about our friend Tom and about him going to jail and into court. It goes “judgment day, Tom’s in the backseat again,” and it’s about him getting into trouble all the time and being in the wrong place at the wrong time and whatnot. We have songs like “Stone Man” which is about a dysfunc-tional relationship about a guy and a girl, and he’s a completely stoned couch potato, and the girl takes after the guy, and they smoke and they don’t have any obligations and everything.What does music do for you personally? How’s it affected you growing up or even now; what purpose do you find in it?Kevin: For some of us it turned into a hobby, or something more serious. For myself, I can say it saved my life when I was younger; I had no other interests but music. A lot of my family played sports and stuff like that, and personally music was the one thing I found that I really liked. And I’d go home and do it every single day. And it was definitely something that made us who we are.Chris: I used to play basketball; it was my life for many years, and then I got into mu-sic, and thought “yeah it was cool, I listen to music every so often” and eventually I got really into music and ended up slowly dropping basketball. I realized that sports and things like that are really competitive, but music is not like that. It’s more free, not competitive in any way. It’s independent, has to do with people and lets you connect in a different way. It’s a good release and a good breath of fresh air.Danielle: When I was younger, I always thought music was like painting or drawing – a way to express yourself. But as I got older, I realized that it goes beyond individual experience. It’s a way to connect with other people. There are a lot of people I’ve met through bands I played with in the past and at shows. You find people who are really similar to you and who are also really into music, and it’s a great way to make friends.Garret: I kinda like to let out a lot of aggression in the car, listening to something crazy. Or depending on the weather, I might listen to some sublime or some reggea and chill out, and it levels me out emotionally. It’s a way for me to chill out. Playing it is different – playing it is a way to be with your friends and coming together and seeing what you guys come up with or build together.

Westlife playing at the Beauty Bar in North Park June 10th They are also getting ready to release our 5 song EP titled “Who the hell is Westfire”Myspace.com/westfiremusic

wesTFIreBy Ben Nguyen

Page 16: THE VERGE Volume I

FieldTrip written by ROSALIA ROMEROphotography by STUART HANDY


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