The Smirk Magazine # WILD HUTS # issue 2

THE WILD HUTS issue

A SMIRK REFERS TO A SMILE EVOKING INSOLENCE, SCORN, OR OFFENSIVE SMUGNESS.

Hi, I’m Bea.I love cats and I hate waiting.

The Smirk Mag is a bi-monthly independent digital magazine

that focuses on the work of different types of artists. We

love being able to use our free time to make this so you

can all enjoy it and look it up anytime you need to.

This project began in autum 2010 with the intention of let-

ting you know about new prodigies in every field related to

art. like architecture, photography, design, illustration,

writing, music, media...

hi, i am bea.i love cats and i hate waiting

I’m Pati

I love cartoons and I hate awkaward silence.

¿Who are we? Well, we are Patricia and Bea, two young

artists from Barcelona, friends since primary school,

who have shared infinite moments since our childhood

creating artistic ideas just for the fun of it, and

now, we want to share everything and everyone we find

inspiring and interesting with you, in a simple, cheap

and efficient way.

We are incredibly happy to have started this project

and to be able to share it with all of you!

I AM PATI.I LOVE CARTOONS AND I HATE AWKWARD SILENCE

THE WILD HUTS ISSUE

related to anything wild like childhood, handmade, adventures, huts, wood, forests and the child that we have inside us...

THE WILD HUTS ISSUE

WILD HUTS articleby Patricia Pasquín

In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play” Friedrich NietzscheIt is commonly believed that in every one of us there is a child. A child that is constantly trying to fight against our adult way of reasoning, trying to get us to stop worrying so much and play a little bit more. Because, wasn’t life much easier and interesting when we were children? Who didn’t want to have a tree house, in which everything you wanted for it to happen, happened. The only rules where the rules of nature, instinct and amusement. We saw the world as something fresh, new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. A sweet could transform a miserable afternoon, it could break the ice at social occasions, and at the end of a difficult day you could look back and see how a sweetie just tipped the balance and made it into an OK day rather than a truly bad one. Because it wasn’t always a good day, unfortunately children do experience rather horrible things. They feel more strongly about everything, so naturally they get more upset at small things that to them could seem tragedies. Luckily they also have a much better ability to forgive and forget. And although those feelings might not be as strong and powerful in us as they were before there’s still a child in all of us, complete with all the joy, imagination, petulance, sadness, and pain that that implies.

The end of childhood is when things cease to astonish us. When the world seems fa-miliar, when one has got used to existence, one has become an adult” Eugene IonescoI have to say I quite miss the times in which I got wildly enthusiastic about little things. It’s a rare occasion if I do now, and I enjoy these moments more than anything. I sometimes am accused of being immature; I like to interpret it as being childlike. I like that I am still able to feel like it will all be OK if I eat the amazing double chocolate chip cookie I had as a child, and continue to have now. I still tend to exaggerate and fantasize and embellish things in my mind. But it isn’t like it used to be; it can’t be like that anymore. It is our misfortune that, for most people, that clear-eyed image, that genuine instinct for what is breathtaking and beautiful, is obscured and sometimes forgotten as we attain adulthood.

What a distressing contrast there is between the radiant intelligence of the child and the feeble mentality of the average adult”Sigmund FreudAnd that is why it might be worth making an effort to remember what it is like to be a child. In this issue we have interviewed some artists that do get in touch with the child they used to be. Amazing artists who build forts and tree houses, who paint and draw or sculpt, who love nature and capture it, we hope you like it.

WILD HUTS articleby Patricia Pasquín

In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play” Friedrich NietzscheIt is commonly believed that in every one of us there is a child. A child that is constantly trying to fight against our adult way of reasoning, trying to get us to stop worrying so much and play a little bit more. Because, wasn’t life much easier and interesting when we were children? Who didn’t want to have a tree house, in which everything you wanted for it to happen, happened. The only rules where the rules of nature, instinct and amusement. We saw the world as something fresh, new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. A sweet could transform a miserable afternoon, it could break the ice at social occasions, and at the end of a difficult day you could look back and see how a sweetie just tipped the balance and made it into an OK day rather than a truly bad one. Because it wasn’t always a good day, unfortunately children do experience rather horrible things. They feel more strongly about everything, so naturally they get more upset at small things that to them could seem tragedies. Luckily they also have a much better ability to forgive and forget. And although those feelings might not be as strong and powerful in us as they were before there’s still a child in all of us, complete with all the joy, imagination, petulance, sadness, and pain that that implies.

The end of childhood is when things cease to astonish us. When the world seems fa-miliar, when one has got used to existence, one has become an adult” Eugene IonescoI have to say I quite miss the times in which I got wildly enthusiastic about little things. It’s a rare occasion if I do now, and I enjoy these moments more than anything. I sometimes am accused of being immature; I like to interpret it as being childlike. I like that I am still able to feel like it will all be OK if I eat the amazing double chocolate chip cookie I had as a child, and continue to have now. I still tend to exaggerate and fantasize and embellish things in my mind. But it isn’t like it used to be; it can’t be like that anymore. It is our misfortune that, for most people, that clear-eyed image, that genuine instinct for what is breathtaking and beautiful, is obscured and sometimes forgotten as we attain adulthood.

What a distressing contrast there is between the radiant intelligence of the child and the feeble mentality of the average adult”Sigmund FreudAnd that is why it might be worth making an effort to remember what it is like to be a child. In this issue we have interviewed some artists that do get in touch with the child they used to be. Amazing artists who build forts and tree houses, who paint and draw or sculpt, who love nature and capture it, we hope you like it.

ARTISTS

Aaron M

Joe Colem

Tomy a

nd Pep

Jena A

Angela a

nd Ithy

Erica Fu

steroa

Maria Ka

Amber Grays

Joshua

Loreth

Lauren

Treece

Andreas

Wenning

Tatiana

Mompean

Joan S

We show 9 artists that we like and also,

we give you their website links to go

through and see their work completely.Laura Kientzler

Anna AdenDolan GeimanLab-zero

Jared Andrew SchorrPaula Hayes

Mary RobinsonLucie Camp

THE DRAWER

In this section we show relevant information that has a close relation with the topic of the issue.

100 abandoned housesCabanes als arbresCaravanolicTable-turned-playhouseRolling homesForsthaus HotelIgloo ProjectWallpaperNest for relaxationNendo Moleskine

SMIRK MAG SECTIONS

ARTISTSARTI

Aaron M

Joe Colem

Tomy a

nd Pep

Jena A

Angela a

nd Ithy

Erica Fu

steroa

Maria Ka

Amber Grays

Joshua

Loreth

Lauren

Treece

Andreas

Wenning

Tatiana

Mompean

Joan S

www.aaronmoran.tumblr.com

www.smokesignalsarts.com

For the past couple years I have been collecting wood that has been discarded and left for

waste by demolition sites and suburban construction projects. I transform the newly acquired

materials into sculptural assemblages that draw attention to the natural beauty and complexity

of the aged and weathered materials.

Growing up in the suburbs, I have seen them transform over the years. As of recently it’s hard

for me to even remember what was once in place of the endless sea of condominiums,

townhomes and strip malls that now stand. A lot of really amazing homes… scratch that,

communities, complete with gardens, trees, personal histories and natural quirks have been

knocked down in favor of tasteless, monotonous spans of close-quarters housing and dime a

dozen shops that offer nothing unique.

As I see more and more homes falling victim to this phenomenon, I feel it my duty to remind

people what was once there. I use the materials I find from the aforementioned locations to

build visually interesting objects in hopes of opening a dialogue about their history. I hate to

imagine building such pieces fifty years down the road from the townhomes that are standing

now, as they would all look the same. There is nothing unique about them… they strive to look

the same and fit a specific demographic. Unlike a house, the owner of a condo / townhome

cannot paint / alter their living structure due to strict regulations created by strata councils to

enforce the image they are trying to convey. Conversely, old homes say something about the

people who lived in them; the proof of this comes from the visual range offered by each new

series of work I produce. Each piece, or group of pieces is different in its colour scheme,

dynamic, and form; I believe this is the essence of the location shining through the materials. At

the end of the day, it is the materials that determine the finished piece.

Yes! I had a non-traditional tree house that was located behind a giant evergreen tree in the

corner of our backyard. The ‘house’ itself was positioned against the corner of the fence while the

bushy tree offered complete coverage on the opposite side. I remember my dad built an amazing

wooden plank floor that was elevated from the ground, as well as a custom work bench that sat

flush against the fence. We trimmed out a living area from the back of the tree and put chairs and

stuff it. It was great because you could hardly see it from the front, but after stepping behind a few

decoy branches, you could comfortably spend the afternoon scheming with friends out of site

from parents.

My house is well organized. I tend to place each of my interests in separate groups throughout my living area so they can be read as separate collections within the space. Eg: Collectable robot figurines are placed on a shelf with all other collectable robot figurines; records / obscure cassettes / CDs / books about music are placed in same shelving unit; Polaroid, manual Pentax, and 90’s point-and-shoot cameras are all hung next to each other; etc. I suppose I am obsessed with compartmentalizing.

The studio is my chance to reject that way of thinking. It’s chaos in there!

I am lucky enough to have a father with a serious interest in wood work. That being said, I have since taken over his workshop (I’m not sure how happy he is about that….) and now have access to his rather large collection of tools and equipment. The tools I use most are a 14” electric band saw (old school, built like a tank), and table saw. Aside from power tools I rely heavily on chisels, knives, scrapers, coping saw, files, caulking guns, hot glue, and various other instruments capable of causing bodily harm.

My biggest inspiration is location. The places where I find my materials always trigger an

initial emotional response that I attempt to capture in my work. Visually, I am fascinated with

patinas, weathering, and age. I am constantly examining surfaces in an attempt to determine

the object / surface ‘s history. Aside from the materials themselves, there are a lot of artists

that inspire me. Some of my go-to’s when I’m in need of an inspirational kick are Michael

Johansson, Les Ramsay, Ted Larsen, Russell Leng, Hiroyuki Hamada… the list goes on.

My latest project is a two person show at Catalog Gallery with Russell Leng, who is fast

becoming one of my favorite local artists. Aside from that, I am planning to work on the

publication of several zines/artist books from some amazing local artists through Smoke

Signals Arts, a group co-created by myself as a means to satisfy my love for zines and DIY

publishing. It’s early in the year though, so who knows what awaits!

I want people to consider the source of the materials and realize that with enough creativity,

anything can be recycled into something of value. Furthermore, I want people to appreciate

the beauty of age and consider the implications of development and the effect it has on

communities as well as the people that live in them. Embrace the unique!

I would build a sculpture large enough to live in. Really.

How old are you? 23

Tell us a little bit about what you do.

Work, travel, work, travel, work, travel, travel.

When and why did you decide to do this?

When I finished school. I had never been out of Australia and had a hunger to see the world.

Did you have a tree house when you where a kid?

Not my own, but I remember building some at friends houses.

What is your house like?

I don’t have one.

Which tools do you use?

A bunch of analog cameras, my computer and the internet.

What or who inspires you?

Music, wide open spaces, trees, dreams, the ocean, life in general; lots of books, films etc.

Do you have any new projects for this year?

Maybe a collaborative art/writing book with friends.

What is your ultimate goal when it comes to your work?

Capturing memories and producing photos that come out the way I see them in my head when I press the shutter.

JOE NIGEL COLEMAN

JOE NIGEL COLEMAN NEWCASTLE , AUSTRALIA www.joenigelcoleman.com

SMALL and SWEETThis is Tomy. Hi is 4 years old and he

lives in Sitges, Barcelona (Spain).

We met Tomy few days ago while we were looking for some inspiration in the

park near his school.

We saw that he was building a very nice hut with her brother Pepe, using branches and leaves so we decided to

go to talk to him. We spent almost and hour chating with him and we took some

pictures of him and his wild hut.

He was very kind and friendly, with a lot of experience building huts in all conditions and terrains and that’s the

reason why we decided to introduced him to all of you.

How old are you? 4 and 6 years oldTell us a little bit about what you do.

We like to build with Lego, Castles, Space Rockets and Cars.

When and why did you decide to do this?After the school we see all the wood cut and aban-

doned and just to have fun.

Did you have a tree house when you where a kid? We are kids now, and this one is our first tree

house.

What is your room like?We have bunk bed and 4 piranhas.

Which tools do you use?We use just branches and our hands.

What or who inspires you?The nature, the animals and our imagination.

Do you have any new projects for this year?Just learn, grow and have fun!!

What is your ultimate goal when it comes to your work?Tomy: Learn number 2 and 3

Pepe: Learn to read better

If you had no limits (money, resources), what would you create?

A submarine and a skyscraper for all the animals we have at home.

JENA ARDELLLos angeles, USA

www.jenaardell.comwww.etsy.com/shop/jenaardell

www.twitter.com/jenaardellwww.facebook.com/jenaardellphotography

How old are you? 26

Tell us a little bit about what you do. I am a retro photographer who specializes in Polaroid photography.

When and why did you decide to do this? I have always been interested in photography, but never seriously pursued it until after I gradu-ated college. I considered a career in writing jour-nalism, but found myself submitting more photo-graphs than written word when applying for jobs.

Did you have a tree house when you where a kid? Of course! My dad & great-grandfather built an amazing “playhouse” for me - com-

plete with electricity, a phone jack and cable hookup. I never asked for it to be built, I think they just wanted a project. I set up a shop in-side and sold crafts to family members, haha.

What is your room like? I live un a ine-bedroom apartment tha is furnished and decorated with an electric collection of mostly mismatched vintage wares.

Which tools do you use? Vintage Polaroid cameras + film. I also shoot digital - with a Canon 5D.

What or who inspires you? The 1960s, 1970s, SUMMER, beach, towns, David Hockney, John Rawlings, George Hurrel, Bill Owens, Robert Bechtle and vintage advertisements.

Do you have any new projects for this year? MANY! I’m currently putting together a book titled Summer Love, that features 80 polaroids froms that collection, including 30 never-before seen works. I will also be posting NEW prints for sale in my etsy shop. AND I am collaborating with Robert Jawnsend - a pop realism painter for his gallery show in May.

What is your ultimate goal when it comes to your work? To transport people back in time.

If you had no limits, what would you create?? I would continue to photograph the same sub-ject matter and follow the same themes - but on a LARGER Scale by creating more elaborate sets and scenes.

LOSTTHINGS

a film by Angela and Ithyle

a film by Angela and Ithylefrom Los Angeles

LOST THINGSHow old are you? 31 and 37

We take pictures and direct little films.

We’ve always loved making things. We were still shooters first, and realized that making pictures that move is a natural extension of that. Now we love both, and wrestle with each.

Neither of us had a tree house but Angela had a house on stilts and Ithyle had a house on a bus, which looking back, seems pretty lucky.

What is your house like?

We live in an industrial loft. It’s a great space with a giant white wall where we can project

movies, a shooting studio area as well as dark room for our Wet Plate Collodion work. Our disco ball broke last month but the ceiling is too high to

reach with our ladder so we just had to leave it’s motionless disco ball carcass up there. Our space

is always changing as we build things and paint and collect things from the flea market.

Anything we can get our hands on.

We are inspired by so many little random things we see and the people we meet on a daily basis. There are so many creative and interesting people around, all wanting to make compelling work, it is so lovely to know that everywhere you turn you can stumble upon something or someone unexpected and magical.

We have some projects we are scheming about, that we talk about late at night. It’s like a slumber party, us whispering about all the things we want to do, in our room in the dark, life-times and lifetimes of things…

Make it relatable, and make it reflect the exquisite uniqueness all around us.

Understanding.

www.angelaandithyle.com

www.angelaandithyle.com/blog

www.vimeo.com/14131130

How old are you? 26 and a half.

Tell us a little bit about what you do. I draw, paint and customize dolls and toys. I also work doing marketing, design and administration tasks for a Cinema theatre.

When and why did you decide to do this? I’ve been drawing all my life, ever since I can remember. I guess I draw because I can’t “not draw”.

No, I didn’t; but I lived in the suburbs and we used to build “secret forts” hidden in the weeds.

EricaFustEro

What is your room like? It’s very spacious and light filled, walls are green, and the furniture is white-cream and teal. I have lots of stuff, but I like it to be tidy. There are some shelves full of books, DVDs, vinyl records and a big desk where I work. I also have a big cabinet where I display all my dolls and toys.

Which tools do you use? When drawing, I use pencils and black ink. I paint with Photoshop, but also with acrylics and watercolors. When customizing, I use an x-acto knife for carving; and then acrylics, colored pencils and pastels for painting. I seal my dolls with Citadel spray (which is used for War-hammer figures and it’s also great to work with other toys and surfaces).

What or who inspires you? ÕĂĂþĆ¿ ĀĈĆüö¿ ôąć¿ ŰÿĀĆ¿ ăøĂăÿø¿ ąøôÿ ÿüùøÁ Öûüÿ÷ûĂĂ÷ üĆ ćûø ĆĈõýøöć ćûôć üāÀĆăüąøĆ Āø the most: children can be as innocent as evil.

Do you have any new projects for this year? Iím learning how to needle felt and I plan to start making my own softies as soon as I get some more practice. Also, Iím attending to an upcoming Blythe convention in London next October, and Iíll be selling my stuff there.

What is your ultimate goal when it comes to your work? Iíd love to live from my art, but Iím happy just by having the time to do it.

If you had no limits, what would you create? I always have dreamed about having my own scale model city, just like in Beetlejuice. But Iíve never been quite good at constructing, so I guess Iíd design it and pay somebody else to make it for me (you said unlimited money, right? Haha).

www.ericafustero.com

MonstErgirl

MARIA KAZVAN21 YEARS OLD FROM LVIVI, UKRAINE

Well, I take photos.

I started shooting two years ago, but I only started portraits about a year and a half ago. It wasn’t so much of a decision but more of a necessity. Years before photography I used to write poetry, but then I started studying

journalism and that completely ruined my aspirations towards writing. So I chose another way to express myself. But I still love reading and I hope to one day write a book. I already I have ideas for stories, but I need more time and life

experience to write something good.

www.marie-retentir.blogspot.com/

www.flickr.com/photos/maria_kazvan/

No, I didn’t have a treehouse. But for a long time I lived in my grandmother’s house and around the building there were a lot of apple trees. I really loved sitting there, I had my favorite tree and it was so big for me then! I went back there last year and saw it again, it was so little! I love seeing how things change as we grow up..

What is your room like?

It’s all surrounded by the ocean. The walls are turquoise and blue.

Zenit 11 and usually Kodak color+ film

First of all, i guess movies, i am a big fan of Coens’ films. I love old English humorous series, like Benny Hill’s and Monty Python’s. I love fantastic films, like Doctor Who.

Books are inspiring for me too, I love reading. And music, of course. I think it’s kinda standard collection; I’m not too crazy.

Yes, we are preparing an exposition with my friend in my town.

Have a lot of fun while working.

I’d like to make a movie, based on Bradbury’s “Death Is a Lonely Business” book. this is crazy thing, i know, but we’re dreaming here!:D

Amber Grayson.

Amber Grayson.Where are you from?

I’m From Bath, UK

How old are you? 22

Currently I’m finishing my final year studying Graphic Communication at the Bath School of Art.

I’m still finding out what I “do”, but at the moment I would probably say I’m an illustrator.

Ever since I can remember I have wanted to be an art-ist. My family are all very crafty and creative which I guess has been a big influence, our house was always full of handmade objects. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

Almost. One summer day me and my dad got as far a making a floor (with a secret trap door), but the sides and roof never materialised. Maybe one day I’ll finish it even though I am definitely now too big!

What is your room like?Currently very small and cosy. It has been described as feeling like living in a tent. But it has a great view over Bath, good for me as I love to do a bit of people watching. Its crammed full of random finds, images and photos, old books and a bonsai tree.

Which tools do you use?Pen, pencil, acrylic, photoshop, and increasingly collage. Anything I can find!

What or who inspires you?Unusual documentaries, I’m fascinated by how other people live and their weird stories. I’m addicted to spending hours starring enviously at peoples blogs, I follow a few hundred! Currently collage illustrators such as Sara Fanelli and Nazario Graziano are

really inspiring my work.

Do you have any new projects for this year?Currently working on a number of different projects towards finishing my degree.

What is your ultimate goal when it comes to your work?To get people thinking. Smiling, laughing or maybe sometimes a bit of anger, any

reactions a good one!

If you had no limits, what would you create?An epic handmade book of all my drawings and collected images from a round the world

expedition.

JOSHUAVOGELKINGSTON, NY. USA

www.blackcreekmt.blogspot.com

How old are you? Recently turned 40

Presently, I work as a wood turner. I have a small studio in upstate NY where I turn locally

harvested logs into one-of-a-kind sculptural pieces. I design and build furniture and have

recently begun devel-oping small, meaningful products.

I went to University to study architecture, among other things. While I was going through

school I worked in a wood shop to earn money. Eventually my love for building things

derailed my education and I left school to pursue woodworking and construction. I have

been designing and building pro-fessionally for the past 17 years.

Of course – I had two notable “tree houses” growing up. For as long as I can remember

I have built environments, from fortresses made of pillows and blankets to camp furniture

built from sticks and rope. The first tree house, my neighbor and I built from salvage

lumber high up in a cottonwood tree behind our houses. It was so high and built so

shoddily that my parents eventually condemned it. The second tree house was a much

more solid structure closer to the ground supported by some old telephone poles. I may

have spend more time in these tree houses than I did in my real house grow-ing up.

My girlfriend and I have a small room in the attic of our stone cottage. The walls are rough

rendered plaster, and I built in a wall of cupboards for the clothes closet opposite our bed.

The original floor has several layers of paint. A small inwardly opening window lets in

both light and fresh air.

Woodworking tools… both hand tools such as chisels, gouges & planes, and

machinery-lathes, table saw, jointer, chainsaw, planer & band saw.

Nature, both humbles and inspires me. I love connecting to the larger environment

through my senses…lavender, a thunderstorm, the forest. Music is also hugely

inspirational to me, both playing and listening. Several years ago I heard a 1963 recording

of Manitas de Plata playing gypsy guitar in a chapel in Arles that may well have saved my

life. Duende…