FIRST ISSUEAUGUST 20, 2013

© 2013 Open Mind Design Ltd.All Rights Reserved.

Intro.Open Mind Design was a

profound dream integrat-ed by three different visions that had a goal in common. It had always been in our minds to materialize a piece of art full of different shades of colour, shapes and thoughts. We never thought it could end up being so magnificent, so different, it is simply fascinating.And above all, we were im-pressed at how our dream was shaped overnight, and while we fully acknowledge that

this project is not a hundred percent per-fect and it is still loaded with things that we need to improve upon, one has to admit unar-guably that it has the potential of becoming a huge thing.

We would like to take the time and thank from the bottom of our hearts to all the peo-ple who had the initiative of contacting us and getting involved, as well as to all of the artists for laying your trust

and work in us, and we really hope that this, the end result of our hard work, pleases you as you venture with us through it; remember that only with your help, we were able to make this possible. We are eternally grateful to all you! Thank You!

Sincerely, -Open Mind Design Team

Open Mind Design has the vision to expand this magazine to the rest of the world, without any language or cultural barri-er impeding it. The objective of every single issue would be that of promoting art in all of its forms, working under the motto: “Art to Nurture Art”, which basically means, Art from everyone and for everyone erradicating any kind of exclusivity within, always with an Open Mind to any from of cre-ation or ideas that are presented to us, because we believe in every-one’s infinity.

Secondly, this magazine will always be free of any type of publicity or marketing that does not pertain to any artistic field; we wish this magazine to act as a blank canvas, prepped and await-ing to be transformed by each and every artist that desires to contrib-ute in their own exceptional way to this project. The plan is for the magazine to be full with artistic contribution, in which anyone who has something to say can work with us, making this space created by all of us, completely free and completely Open.

Lastly, it is also our plan to begin publishing this magazine not just online, but to display its greatness though real paper. We are still in talks about how it should be in print form and frequently discuss-ing the matter, but in the mean time allow us to remind you that we are providing everyone with this space, and shall you have any suggestions that could help this project improve, we are always Open to listen to you all, because after all, we are Open Mind De-sign.

¿What’s OMD?

Index.

EDITORIAL

DANIEL PÉREZ MARTÍNEZ

illustration

HEIDI LEVINE“a photojournalist in

the middle of the war”

RAFAEL MAGO VILLAMIZAR

visual artist

JAVIER O. CAMARILLOmetagraphics

(surrealism)

DANIEL GURROLApoetry

DANIEL PÉREZ MARTÍNEZ

illustration

TOQUE PIMIENTAmusic from colombia

TANIA ESPONDA AJAsculpture

IRANYELA LÓPEZphotography

DANIEL PÉREZ MARTÍNEZillustration

LUIS CONTRERASVILLANUEVA“always within our hands” (poetry)

MARIO CONTRERASVILLANUEVA“pan’s festivities”(literature)

DAVID TEAPILAY MAYRA HERRERApainting andceramic sculpting

CARLOS LUNA“the origin of a lifein dance”

A WORD OFGRATITUDE

ARTIST DIRECTORY

What You’ll Find:

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28.

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38.

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Editorial. Sleepless nights and unac-countable days of hard work allowed us to deliver this our first issue, which I confidently say it features real artists of great quality, whom we had the pleasure of meeting (online at least), knowing them and admiring their work and the only thing I can say as being part of this project is that I’ve fallen in love with it, because it has opened up a door and allowed me to meet all of you, and I consider that to be a true honour.I would also like to talk a little about the theme of this first issue, where did the inspiration come from, what pur-pose is behind the cover of this issue and what meaning does it bear exact-ly. This cover was designed with the purpose of empowering this issue, to give an impacting first impression and to show everyone that we are rising up with a great strength, and that we are dead serious about this project and truly devoted to it. The inspiration for this theme as our cover and as the first impression of this project came thanks to the work of Shepard Fairey, which deeply inspires me and has been an icon and a great inspiration in my art. What I love about his art is his use of soviet propaganda-style graphics, and how in a way he leads a revolution of art. But the way I perceive this ‘revolu-tion’ is not in the sense of suggesting or implying that art needs a revolution, a sort of ‘renaissance’, I believe in the

idea of a ‘revolution’ in our ideas and views about the world of arts, these ideas I talk about may be true mostly in my country of birth (Mexico). I have been an artist ever since I can recall, I love creating and expressing my ideas through the materialization of something new, whatever it may be; I believe art is wherever true passion is present. Growing up in Mexico I came to understand that in general there wasn’t a healthy view about art, few are the ones who decide to pursue an art degree, and when they do they face tremendous obstacles which I believe are mostly cultural, dedicating your life to art is often viewed as “a waste of your life”, and in general art-ists have a bad an undeserved reputa-tion, at least this is what I faced while growing up.Those stigmas, those wrongful as-sumptions are exactly what I wish to change. I want to show that art is not a waste of time, that it is a career like any other, as important and as neces-sary to society as any other.

That is the main reason why we chose to embark in this project, this is pure propaganda with the intention of opening the minds of those who need it and nurturing the rest of us artists with works from our brothers all around the globe, uniting us all, seeking to eliminate any exclusivity in the art community and wishing to

deliver everyone an opportunity to redefine what art stands for, changing or adopting multiple ways in which we can all benefit not only by admiring it, but to let them go far beyond so that they can change our life.

This is an artistic revolution that I hope is able to get everywhere, it is a change in our perspectives, only this way we could all turn art into a pow-erful force of information and expres-sion, and all of this energy can be found in each page of this magazine, channeled with the purpose of ex-panding this project and supporting all of our artists unconditionally. I believe that their art can speak more clearly about what I plan for this project and I want to thank each one of them for their kind attentions, their time and their support and above all, thank you for depositing your trust in OMD.Finally, I reaffirm my wish to have the opportunity to know you and admire your work, and I encourage you to get involved! I can’t stress my gratitude for everyone that has supported our work and I welcome you to Open Mind Design!

Sincerely, Krister Reyes Editor in Chief

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DANIEL PÉREZ MARTÍNEZillustration

México

Heidi Levine. A photojournalist in the middle of the war.Photojournalist Heidi Levine offers a direct focus on the different conflicts going on between Middle Eastern countries. Her photographs steal a breath from our bodies and make us reflect about what we are and what we are doing here in this world.

Her career began in 1980 as a team member of the “Associated Press” in Israel. At first it was just a one-year experience, but at the end, it was only the beginning of a career of over two decades, documenting the conflict between Palestine and Israel most of these years.

Her photographs focus on capturing the real sight along the battle lines, but not only that, her photography captures very profound and inti-mate moments within the population she is at; this is quite significative because on the regions and countries where she is generally found are Muslim, therefore a woman becoming close to a family is more culturally accepted rather than having a male stranger trying to get close to a family.

This becomes a valuable advantage for many of

Levine’s partners because generally the people with this job are males.

For this fact, Levine’s photographs are unique; they are not just photographs about warfare, but they are focal points on those moments where sadness is evident but a sense of hope perseveres and also, moments where our hearts are touched by a warm feel of compassion.Although the majority of her photographs are related

By: Miriam A. Carpenter

USA

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to warfare and armed conflicts, they are worthy of analyzing them, comprehend them and ultimately enjoy them because they offer another sight without a planned or hidden message, nothing more than the experience of photography. Even herself talks about how many times she has been living among the families and experiencing the grief and the mourn-ing after losing a loved one in the war, sharing the common feeling wherever she is staying, turning this into an amazing way of sensing a human con-nection. Heidi Levine represents a bridge between those affected by the armed conflicts and us, and she makes an astonishing job displaying those emotions in each of her images, which can be crude, but they are real, they do not need to be digital fabrications to convey a specific message, on the contrary they just exhibit human reality as it is, a reality that should always be shown.

Her reports include articles and photographs about the second war of Lebanon in 2006, Iraqi refugees in Jordan, Syria and Sweden, feticide in India, bomb-

ings in Gaza and Iraq and more recently, she has taken photographs of the revolutionary movements in Libya, Egypt and other works in Jordan, Sweden, Syria, Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan.For more information and to see more photographs taken by Heidi Levine visit:www.heidilevine.photoshelter.com

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Born in Mérida, Venezuela and with an impeccable ca-reer path, He has stood out in everything he has set himself out to do, academically and especially artistically.Personally, when I saw his work I fell in love by the col-ors, there is an artistic sensi-bility that you feel when you look at his artwork. His ca-reer began when he attended the University of the Andes, where his understanding of what art is and how it should be for humanity, fleetingly be-gan. “My life has been like a poem out loud” - He shared with us.

“My life has been like a poem out loud”

He defines his life like that, because, as he expressed it to us: “a poem has, just like me, many thoughts, stories and emotions that are locked up and through which we remember and imagine all of this; and that helps me to survive day to day; my art and my creations feel some-what like holding back but at the same time like a shout out loud, a poem out loud, realistic, that speaks about me.”

But when did all of this began?It started when he was a little boy, thanks to constant encouragement of his mother, who supported his curiosity and his love of creating; this is where all of this artistic “addiction” began. Not only his mother has been a big boost of support taking him to where he is now with a distinguished career, his father has also been very supportive of him, despite knowing very little about his artistic career, he supports him uncon-ditionally and deeply believes in his success.

Rafael Emmanuel Mago VillamizarVisual Arts

By: Miriam A. Carpenter

Venezuela

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One of his current objectives is to be sponsored by the “Saatchi Gallery” or the “Marlborough”, being that “art now a days, is quite contemporary and I see that in the future, that’s what is going to be remembered, and these galleries focus on contemporary art, therefore if I get to be promoted by these galleries, I will become immortal because I will be remembered “

He has achieved a recent success as a graphic designer, producing his very own brand of t-shirts, where illustration is the main focus. We hope to see all the creative project of this new line of clothes soon!

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Javier O. Metagraphics,

A modern vision about life and art.

By: Miriam A. Carpenter

Javier O. Camarillo, is a remarkable artist he has cre-ated his own style of artwork, “Metagraphics”, which is born by the combination of Metaphysics and Graph-ics; lines so clear like threads of conscience, which create symbols and crystallized messages in each spir-itual and psychological piece with an individual study, with us being the witnesses of this self-knowledge and study of humanity, represented by images.

How did your career began?I am self-taught; the first painting workshop I took when I was 17 years old. But I believe that my career really began at age 4 when I was asked to colour an image for school; I asked my family for help because I didn’t know how to co-lour and they pretty much refused to help me and what hap-pened then was that I painted red all over it, even though the picture had trees and little houses. What happens is that society as it is corrupts you from an early age, but even so, I don’t blame my family for not having a taste for art. I believe my first artwork was when I was born, when I coloured the canvas with my own blood; and then it repeated itself when I was 4, like I just told you, and later on again when I was 14 or 15.

Are the majority of your pieces acrylic painting or oils?Well regarding the medium, acrylic has a different power compared to oil, I mean that acrylic feels sort of like a block of iron when you are painting, and oil is like hovering over the skin of a woman.

Would you believe your art has been like a cycle? How would you define your progress as an artist? Yes, my art has been like a biological process, I believe every artist has to have that process and well, I don’t think that I was another painter in another life, I consider myself a mutant. We should keep in mind that death is just another door; barely a year ago I begun ‘killing’ Javier, they are states of mind that mutate.

Could you go a bit into depth about your creative process and your vision of death and your states of mind?To me death is more than just a process, it is an infinite machinery of conscience, I believe that after we stop having possession of this body, I will own another body according to the state of mind the previous one is working on.

México

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Javier O. Would you then consider your art a spiritual process?Yes, it is a process of healing, like “Jodorowsky” said, I don’t consider myself to be spiritual, but it is a work that has to be done and the process is unconsciously.Of course…Well until you consider it helps to heal you, it’s not about healing others besides, I don’t meditate nor I would go and see or be around any of these spiritual masters;“I don’t meditate because I am meditating all the time.”

Perfect! Could we talk about each piece individually? Per-sonally this one caught my attention (Back-ground). Could you talk about it and tell me how you worked on this piece? What did you embody here?Yes, this was something I was asked to do for a col-lective exhibition regard-ing rock, in some collective where I used to exhibit, I haven’t done it from a few years back; back then, I had no name for my method, but it’s there in its greatest splendor. I have always loved the impact a face has, like photograph-ic hyperrealists who paint great fragments of a body or object. What I’m doing here is destroying the face, with myself as the model of course, but I’m destroying it from a very graphic way, without much spontaneity, I believe it is a great en-trance for what would be to me my pictoric method.

I see, for example, in this piece, you say that it is in its full splendor, which I agree I think it is magnificent. When did you come to define your technique, would you define it for me?Of course, I gave it a name in the year 2012: “Metagraphics: it consists of the use of paint very loudly marking the graphic through metaphysics”. I mean there is some metaphysic and visual work involved with the lines of conscience boldly marked; it’s like there are two subconscious, and of course all of this is infinite.

Between these two unconscious there are the threads of consciousness, and this is what makes the equilibrium among the successive unconscious which I believe we have along the biological and universal.“We are beings who build our own con-sciousness infinitely.”

So, do you come up with something first to then make the painting about? How you talked about how you are always meditating, do you come up with something first or does your ideas appear from nowhere?Yes, first I do some metaphysic work, then I paint, well truth-

fully the metaphysical work is always there during the process, it’s just that I use is to con-ceive the pictoric idea. I read some symbols that arrive in my mind, in some occasions I define it as spontaneity, just a few lines, simply be-cause I don’t want to be repetitive, I want some-thing new, something no one has ever done before, but sometimes some of the symbols repeat. I was asked one time about a piece that I have that’s called “Con-stant Equilibrium”, I was asked if it had something to do with the freema-sons, it doesn’t but they probably thought so because of the symbols are “finitos”, it’s just that they mutate and acquire a different meaning. This of course without me even knowing about the freemasons in the first place.How do you read these symbols? How do they

come to you? Do they get their own meaning?Throughout reading is how I give them a meaning, freema-sons make use of a triangle, thing that I use but in a different way, it might mean something to those who know about freemasonry. But to me the triangle is just a social triangle, if you have a conflict with someone and at the same time both of you know a person in common, a social triangle is formed.Does each piece have its own meaning with its symbology? Which is the one that you consider to be the most “ad-

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vanced” in your process?Yes, each piece has a different mean-ing, depending on how and where the symbol is located, that’s the magic! The piece that I consider the most advanced is the one that I paint right know, I call it “The Human Condition”, it is a title that I’ve been thinking about for a couple of years. It’s a subject that has already been done by Rene Magritte, afterwards I came to know that another surrealist painter had already invented that title, well perhaps that’s what made me think about it for so long. As always I have wanted something new, I was very idealistic back then and neurotic so I didn’t want anything that wasn’t completely mine. It also came to my mind that painting of Dali, the Persistence of Memory, the one with the melting clocks, I back then didn’t know about it. I think it was the moment when I began talking to surrealists, they were signaling me. Now I am imprinted in this piece, all that I have learned in this time, with a very descriptive symbology, very well accommo-dated. Overall I intend to focus on social networks, which is where large social triangles are formed, and well I feel we are in a time of love, a century where love is a very representative symbol.

It would appear then that this piece represents love, would you agree?Every time that I make a new piece I open a door, with any symbol specifi-cally, well the door is becoming open along with other before it, but first I open windows, then I open the doors.

This piece is a door; I put a heart on it. I’m quite clear, I don’t think we are in times of puzzles; we are in times of crystallization.

Would this piece be crystallization of all the messages you have learned all this time? How long have you been doing these sorts of meditations and

or starting thie process?Yes it is a crystallization of what’s been previously gathered. I believe that from the day I was born, I was born med-itation, like the Buddha. It’s just that society and culture, even family, create a mold, or interrupts that meditation, that is the sensibility I’ve always had.

How have you managed to avoid society imposing that mold on you; how have you stopped them from in-

terrupting your meditation and your sensibility?I keep constructing my genius; at a stage of my adolescence, I found my-self lonely, and I the only thing I kept doing was draw, and I never stopped. Always doubting but at the same time feeling superior and receiving compli-ments for my creations, which is some-

thing that I’ve never been quite interested in really.

Finally, for you at least, what value does a painter or an artist have?I’ve met people who don’t paint for fear of expressing some emo-tional states, which in the end is what a painter ends up doing, a study of oneself, a psychoanalysis. Like Rembrandt who paint-ed a lot of self-por-traits, it’s something I do as well, since it can become something gradual like life itself, some people get stuck and always do the same things, which we’ve talked about a lot. This has a los to do with what type of art admirer will pay attention to you. If you paint little angels and horses, you’ll get

the attention of many, if you seek a new language it’s clear that not many would understand it, and others who like to make reference to other artists, even more so if said artist was famous or really known. There is something for everybody, but an artist is one step closer to a painter.

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“The artist becomes a mutant. The painter cre-ates, the artist mutates”.

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Her soul a scending to heaven, saw the loneli-ness of the sea s

Just if she had the power to choose, she would have chosen death

To keep on dying over and over and over again

Just to keep the cold waters of the ocean a little bit warmer

Because even at the end, there is a need for company

A need to keep loneliness away, and that is why we choose to stay together , that is why we like to hold a name and a character of our own

So we don’t die and fade away forever , a s bub-bles in the sea .

BubblEs

El Paso, Texas, USA

Daniel Gurrola

She smiled, with her tiny gray eyes and messed up hair

It was the numbing effect that comes just before death

A s the flower seems to shine before turn-ing to a shes

And the ocean tide dragged her in, not violently, but with empathy

For the truth is, everybody knows how it feels to be alone

Lonely is the only shared state of the human kind

And a s the ocean embraced her lifeless body with his powerful hands

Layout by: Lorena Contreras

Maybe gravity held us together Or somehow our bodies wanted to collide

It might a s well be fault of the energies That traveled from your heart to mineBut a life by your side is only relative

A s if yesterday was forever and we wereForever trapped in each other’s armsCan we make real all of our fanta sies?... For reality is only ours

Yet time tries to consume everythingAnd nothing becomes allA loop of never-ending cla shesThe footprint of a future memoryStories of an unheard voice

It all reminds me of that dayThe day my pa st reached to your futureAnd whispered thankfully, and saidMaybe this is just a big lieAnd we were supposed to carry on

Believe in gravity and time and spaceAnd continue through our pathsA s if we were free and not condemnedBut what is love if not a chain?

A reaction of the mind or a reflection of the inner selfYet it took me so long to figure it outI was not looking for someone else

Cube 01.

The laws and theorems of this worldThe many diagrams I didn’t quite understandThey’re only products of myselfThese words and the images within themIt all came from a void

A place where answers were supposed to beYet only questions growAnd grow, and grow until they outgrowmy lonelinessAnd it talks to me a s an old friend, and never leaves me alone

Am I light or am I darkness? Light is the most lonely force Always there yet never true

So at the end only light ha s followed meAnd I’ve managed to question the only bit of reality that’s leftWould I still be here in this void?Would my memories live on?

If the la st light bulb broke and left darkness alone,What would happen then?And then it all became blackAnd I was able to see clearlyWhen we are all covered in the same exact darkness

We all form part of the same imageA mirror of truth, a mirror of liesA mirror that reflects whatever you are afraid ofThat is reality, and reality is relative.

El Paso, Texas, USADaniel Gurrola

Layout by: Lorena Contreras

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DANIEL PÉREZ MARTÍNEZillustration

México

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ToquePimienta

MUSICBy: Miriam Carpenter & Krister Reyes

Bogota, Colombia, was fortunate enough to witness the birth of this group with a sound distinguished by its musical quality, their won-derful voices and the use of dif-ferent Latin-Folk styles. It’s a new twist on traditional music, a fusion of traditional and modern sounds.

This project began in 2010, when guitarist David Castelblanco and vocalist Alexandra Chaves Velasco decided to form a band. With just three years of musical career, they have already transformed and created their own style, turning it completely into new music. The band’s lineup has had famous artists like: Peter Jackson, Daniel Chebair, Carlos Cetina and Benja-min Huapaya and not only that,

but it has made several concerts in Colombo-Italian School of Piano, Cafe concert “café y gui-tarra” (coffee and guitar)” in Tenjo (Cundinamarca, Colombia), the cultural center and restaurant “Manya Sazón Peruana”, Gilberto Alzate Avendaño Foundation, the jazz club and gallery” San Café “, the festival “nos vemos en Us-aquén” (See you in Usaquén), and the academy “Luis A. Calvo “.

Members:

David CastelblancoGuitarist, arranger, composer and director of the group.

Graduated from the University “El Bosque”, He has been guitarist

of urban music groups: “Satellite” (acid jazz), “Afrotumbao” (Pacif-ico and Colombian timba ) and “Pacífic Soul” with Victor Hugo Rodriguez. He works as an electric guitar teacher at the University “El Bosque” and the Faculty of Arts ASAB of the District University Francisco José de Caldas.

Alexandra Chaves Velasco:Singer, soprano.

She studied at the Faculty of Arts ASAB of the District University Francisco José de Caldas, where she studied piano and singing with emphasis on arrangements and composition. She is current-ly an independent teacher and researcher of music pedagogy of

The music of: TOQUE PIMIENTA

Colombia

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piano and singing, to children, youth and adults, she has given annual recitals with students for thirteen years in the framework of “Haz Concierto” (Do Concerts).

Fabiola Morales MonjeSinger, contralto voice.

From the city of Bucaramanga, Santander. She graduated from the University “El Bosque” as a singer and arranger. Currently she serves as child and youth educa-tor, in music, piano and singing. Also she’s part of the vocal group “Legato”. At the same time, she’s part of the musical business such as promoter of surging bands in the Bogotan local scene (Booking Agent). She has performed with groups such as “Fortuito Dueto” (blues, jazz and bossa nova), “El Corral del Chivo” (jazz fusion), and “AleHa” (Rock Pop). She has participated as a backing vocal-

ist on “The Voice: Colombia”, and she was part of the recording of the latest album of “Vía Rústica” (reggae).

María Fernanda Ramírez MartínezElectric Bass.

Professional bass player, graduat-ed from the University “El Bosque”. She has played with groups of tropical music, reggae, rock, pop and Latin music. She is a teach-er in Catherblanc Pedagogical Lyceum and currently directs the rehearsal room “Cuco”.

María Elena AnchicoMinor percussion.

From Guapi, Valle del Cauca. She has a degree in music from the “Universidad del Cauca”. “Pacic Soul” group member with Victor Hugo Rodriguez. Her main instru-ment is the marimba de chonta, but she also knows about the strokes and techniques to play the instruments of the Pacific region. She is dedicated to teaching chil-dren.

Benjamín HuapayaPeruvian cajon.

Singer, songwriter, percussionist and chef from Lima (Peru), He is the owner of the cultural center and of the “Manya Sazón Peru-ana” restaurant, located in La Macarena, Bogota. He took his first musical steps with Peruvian Cajon, thanks to the support and example of his father and broth-ers, whom also were singers and experts on the Peruvian Creole music.

They hope to expand and share their passion with all of us, if you want to listen to them, or learn more about what they have to offer you can go to:

soundcloud.com/david-castel-blanco/atardecer-feb1

soundcloud.com/david-cas-telblanco/peque-a-de-ojos-grandes

soundcloud.com/david-castel-blanco/no-valentin

To be up to date about their presentations and to get in touch with them, you can find them at:

facebook.com/toque.pimientamyspace.com/toquepimientatoquepimienta@gmail.com

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Tania Esponda Aja, sculptor, pho-tographer, painter and well, a total artist. She displays the elegance of

simplicity through her impeccable works of art. Sculpture, where its sophistication and simple beauty is unquestionable. Her sculpture is formed, in her words, by: ”Simple pieces that when combined, they create something very significative”, projecting such a beauty in a very natural manner. Beauty is her main inspiration, her objective is to create things that bear a message and transmit joy to everyone, to share her life and what truly makes her joyous. Using her infinite creativity, she conveys messages full of positivity and tranquility, through her inspiration, she brings life to materials like iron and bronze, covering them in exuberant co-lours, legacy from her Mexican roots.

“Helix” (Above) Dimensions: 236.22 x 47.22 inMedium: Oil on SteelSteel sculpture, abstract work painted using oil and organic texture.

“Desintegrating” (Left)Medium: Steel and automotive finish.Steel sculpture painted using automotive finish.

TANIA ESPONDA AJA

By: Miriam A. Carpenter

México

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She spoke about how her career began: “I was always drawn by the fine arts, but it wasn’t until one particular day when I happened to be stuck in traffic, and I began looking around me and I witnessed people becoming more and more stressed and they would start fighting with each other in the middle of such a beautiful day; the sky seemed of the likeness of a painting by Monet. It was that day that I decided I was going to devote my life to something that would make me truly happy, that I’d rather spend my life doing something beautiful and from that day on, I keep seeking that.”

The message in her art is to glance beyond the obvious, beyond what’s in front of us, “Maybe to somebody a bunch of cubes might not mean a much, but after ar-ranging them in several ways, they can create an equilib-rium that might not only be aesthetic, but rather remind us that if we keep our feet on the ground, we’ll be able to lift much more than we ever thought we could, and that what allows us to place another cube on top of the last one.”

Her work is pure expression, striving to express its own

“The Dance” (Above, Left)Medium: SteelColour: Black

“ADAM Orange” (Above, Right)Medium: Steel and automotive finish.Colour: Orange

emotions, but to also evoke emotion and liberation, infecting all of the feeling she sculpts in each of her pieces. Finally, she shared us one of her most mem-orable experiences: “I think I’ll never forget about my first exhibit, seeing the connection that my piece created with people I’d never seen before, being able to communicate through my piece and making them feel something special; it’s like we were speaking the same language through art.”

Tania Esponda Aja, has an incredible voice that speaks through her art pieces, and you can witness their simplicity, but at the same time you find yourself filled with emotions provoked by the power of those colours and the balance of each piece in her sculpture.Visit her website:www.taniaespondaja.comOr connect with her on facebook:Tania Esponda Aja ART

“Photography: A collection of the

The love that is transmitted though every photo-graph of Iranyela’s “Life” collection is matchless, taking the time to read every page and observe each photograph was a wondrous experience that I thoroughly enjoyed second by second.

She took me into her journey, through her perspective, with a restless and contemplative mind, she captures little fragments of a life that is so grand for us to admire every detail, while simultaneously showing you a completely

different world, another dimension where those very details become the most important things, where every texture, every line and every shape engage in a conversation between this amazing artist and us, who are simply witnesses of her life through photography.

For Iranyela, photography is like a microscope; it is the window of all that exists, of her personal and secret anthology blended with the immensi-ty of the world.

By: Lorena Contreras & Krister Reyes

museum of Life”

Iranyela López Valdéz

P h o t o g r a p h y

México

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P h o t o g r a p h y

Iranyela López Valdéz23

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“In a few words, I love photography and if to love is just an abstract word that is told in many different ways, It is the closest and least artificial enunciation of what it means to me”

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DANIEL PÉREZ MARTÍNEZillustration

México

Shuts the silence that conveys

To desperation a silly comfort

To which dull reminder now delights

Before the uncertainty of anew azure.

That instant that today tarnishes time

Will lay eternal within a dream

When the shadows are more than a longing

Fantasy gets lost in a sea of uncertains.

Perhaps nostalgia invades the space

Left by the cold soul and lack of esteem

When the mind thought of answers

That in the end were not attain.

Strange memories binding life

In algid breeze or autumns far away

The memory motionless with distance today

And silence remains always within our hands.

“Always Within our Hands”LUIS CONTRERAS VILLANUEVA

Image: Iranyela López

México

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Pa n ’ s F e s t i v i t i e sMario Rodolfo Contreras Villanueva

Seen from a distance, the foliage that cuts on the vicinity of the Stockton forest appears to be a megalithic sculpture; its blunt strokes evoke the grave geological disorders from ancient eras, when the remaining life forms were far from resembling the current, or at least those from our predeces-sors.

As one approaches its boundaries, the migrating birds abruptly cut their path, stylizing a turn with amazing precision, as if avoiding a real and immi-nent danger.

If one is to approach by the valley, that dread starts materializing inexplicably, but then, as if by work of magic it vanishes, giving way to a splen-did landscape, to which only the lack of ambience sound from the wild animals could be reproached.

The greenness, though of an unsettling and bold tonality. Is projected all around, allowing the grass to mimic a soft natural carpet.

As you venture through the thicket, exquisite streams can be discovered, some provided with rich springs, which at its banks the most coura-geous assure that at different ages strange objects were found, which in the same way they assert, belonged to beautiful nymphs whom during full moon nights straightened their long hairs, in a cadence of obscure melodies, executed by nothing less than ominous characters.

Following the abandoned beds of the long gone streams that invaded the surroundings, one can sluggishly ascend, until situated at the feet of the megalithic fortress, which many charms have inclined astonished before.

Secured from overhangs of rock, it is possible to advance to a third of its imposing stature, from which its own demarcation can be observed from the town, with its large tongues of white smoke emerging in a monotone symphony.

One day of summer, inebriated of such natural manifestations, I lost the of notion of time; the evening fell stealthy and, from one moment to another, the darkness reclaimed said territory, drowning in its bosom the portents until then contemplated, and gave way to dark omens of dan-ger and desperation.

Covered in a strange sensation of loneliness I incorporated hastily, and after a brief orientation I initiated the return to the town.

Nurtured from an illusory courage, I crossed the first of three streams that I remembered; mean-dering through millenary trees I advanced for a few minutes, from which then the courage began to cede, causing my mind to confuse rocks and bushes with animals of nightmare or mysterious beings, misshapen and flawed.

The silence, added to the extreme desolation, gave me the sensation of panting, which wasn’t appro-priate, in virtue of its descent; said appreciation, came to reinforce the certainty that the walkways did not correspond to the ones I remembered, and soon enough, behind a slight association of ideas, I realized that I had not been orientated properly when my departure began, which meant I’d been ascending ever since.

One brief consideration more and I calculated that by then I would be closer to the foliage.

Struggling to find the less abrupt side of my slip, I came to the conclusion that, taking the right caution, I could rise through the rock to locate the town and orientate myself; after a few minutes I reached the cold primal wall and aided by a timid moon, I discovered the first points of support.

Swaying towards the rock, I began to gain altitude and soon, after a quick inspection, I realized I had escalated a considerable distance, even tough the pretending to look down only was only responded me with the inscrutable obscurity of the forest.

L I T E R A T U R E

México

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Later, the moon trespassed the visual field of the spike, through which the difficulty of continuing the way seemed only encouraged by my desire to locate weakening lights of my objective.

At that height, I couldn’t glimpse even the branch-es of the nearest trees, which is why I assumed there was still a good stretch left until my perse-verance could be seen crowned, and in that affair I didn’t reflect about the invested time.

I have mentioned that said activity was facilitated up to a third of the foliage, after which the rocky formation prevented any attempt of ascending, unless one disposes the appropriate equipment; reason why I didn’t stop being surprised when my foot rested on a solid and horizontal surface.

Clambering, I conceived I was situated at the high-est part of the rocky structure, once I incorporated, I was able to walk a few steps, while I felt a breeze that blissfully lashed my face

Without repair on the impossibility of that feat, I concluded that within my desperation I had found a path diverting from the known one, since I could glimpse a diffused shining in the distance, which might as well have been the town.In my manifesting gibberish I conceived the fright-ening idea of a misstep, which even if the moon offered a bit of luminosity, it became insufficient to clearly determine the contour of things.

Such consideration kept me static for a couple of minutes, after which a distant clamour arrived to my ears driven by the wind; which might have been the nocturnal breeze, which after colliding against the surface of the rock, emitted that capri-cious chord.

A grotesque laughter in the distance interrupted my reflections, followed by the sharp sound of a flute proceeding, I concluded at that moment, al-though not with the tranquillity I’m narrating now, from below, coming from somewhere in the forest.

To said exclamation of joy more laughter were hastily added, increasing its intensity, while a rum-ble of drums, or something of the like, joined the shivery concert, which labelling isn’t gratuitous,

onto the light of context it was conceived in.I sharpened by senses, attempting to reveal the cause behind those inappropriate manifestations, and although they delayed for a considerable amount of time, I didn’t gain any major insight. It isn’t crucial to posses an acute mind to create, based on the elements referred, a series of terrify-ing explanations, so between laughter, sometimes feminine, sometimes masculine, and musical sounds of unknown origin, I quickly took the determination of spending the night in that place and not enter the heaviness, although under the argument that given the slight visibility, I could fall into the void.

That way, I gave up to the sleep which, goes with-out saying, found no resistance on my part.

By the morning, I corroborated that effectively, in my desperation I had came up to a route upwards never before explored and, with not a few difficul-ties, I descended all the way to the forest.

It becomes irrelevant now, to describe the perils I faced to exit that place and return home; maybe I never got to know the place of origin of all the nocturnal sound, but what I could locate was the site from which the strange gibberish proceeded; it was the stream I had found the previous night, since the footsteps indicated it that way, although some appeared to belong to animals with helmets, maybe a male goat, or several, judging by the quantity of them.

And the coral comb? Oh, that object must have been misplaced by some distracted visitor.

L I T E R A T U R E 31

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DAVID TEAPILA & MAYRA HERRERAP A I N T I N G CERAMIC SCULPTURE

Chimerical Essences of the Earth and CoffeeBy Miriam Carpenter & Krister Reyes

Each piece of art bears the essence, the soul of each artist; even so, every piece has its own strength, its own fragrance. They all share the essence of the hands of their creators, and all of this process, this cycle of creation comprises the fantastic, the magical and the mythological; a whole alternate world to whom contemplates and let himself go with its flow. Finally, the elements that make this all possible, the earth, who is our mother, cre-ator and us, her coffee, her fruit.

That is how the work from Mayra Herrera and David Teapila is represented with words, bringing to life a project with the purpose of the conservation, the promotion and the creation of art in Mexico: “Herrera & Teapila Mexico is a project of transformation and professional growth with the mission of taking art and culture to as many people as possible, to bring these beings, these worlds and this magic to those who wish to share with us. We are artists taking up this project with our own resources and we open the invitation to all the creators of art to join this organization that is Herrera & Teapila Mexico. And finally we would gladly welcome any kind of sponsor-ship that wishes to support this cause.”

México

Mayra Herrera and David Teapila, talked to us about their art, about themselves and specially about their wonderful project: How did this idea started? I understand it is a fusion of both types of art, ceramics and coffee, mother earth, the perfect equilibrium bringing its fruit, coffee; I feel it’s a perfect combination of concepts and ideas. I love to even think what it’s like!(Both Artists) This project starts after a countless amount of values and feelings; first there is the friend-ship that bonds us together, our passion for art and all the love while creating a piece. Something of huge resonance, which became essential to the material-ization of this itinerant exposition, was the concern about the spreading of culture; we have always been full time dreamers and one of our biggest desires is for the people in our country get more involved in art.

(Mayra) We work with elements provided by nature and personally, I believe that art can touch peo-ple’s heart, the ceramics in “Chimerical Essences of the Earth”, bear the tranquility, serenity and peace

throughout its light, water and shape, our pieces are completely organic and we imprint them with out magic and essence in all of them. (David) And of course, there’s a lot of what you mentioned after you made your question; “Mother Earth gives us soil and soil gives us coffee”, Chimerical Essences of the Earth is the invitation to a magical and alternate world through beings, landscapes and puzzles only visible to whom wishes to see them.Our visual art is excellently complemented; therefore “Itinerant Exposition” and “Chimerical Essences of the Earth and Coffee” will be displayed together.

I read about your definition of your work David, it is mixed media, but you call it “Or-ganic Mixed”, I remember you made a refer-ence about you utilizing pigments and acrylic paint; could you explain more in detail what materials you use and how you like to use them? I also have another question, when you use pigments, how do you use them, I mean while you are mixing several mediums?

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(David) In the particular case of painting and using a classic example; acrylic-oil breeds a mixed media, from that blend or mixing of mediums, comes my visual art. Allow me to elaborate; within itself, the particular colour in the moment of apply-ing the coffee to my piece it’s incompara-ble, it has texture, body, hue, tone and of course the fragrance.During the creation of each of my pieces on this series called “Chimerical Essenc-es of Coffee”, the base of my artworks is pigmented by the colour extract of coffee beans; a true delight no question about it! Well now, the materials I used to create were coffee (just plain everyday coffee), food colouring (just the kind we use to pigmentate our food, I remember my mom cooking coloured rice for me and my brother when we were little, green, yellow and blue rice, it was fun!), acrylic, oil and ink. I should remark that the coffee as well as the food colouring must be treated to avoid moulding, since, just like with any other organic matter in the prescence of oxygen, bacteria and the environment there is a process of decomposition, which I am able to counteract through a method of decantation. Going back to the process after applying the base of the coffee pig-ment, I then start to embody the composition, I can or not do it using coffee, here is when the acrylic, oil or ink intervene; from there it’s where what I call an “Organic mixed piece” arises, a mixture not only of media and technique, but of unconventional material to said techniques. Let’s say I could take a bite of one of my pieces! (Laughs)

This question goes to Mayra. How could something like ‘violence’ inspire you to do this type of art that holds a message so full of positivity? I mean how it affected your desire and your creativity, which I find rather mag-nificent on your part. (Mayra) It truly is a big deal, I have always observed my surroundings and I see the great impact that vi-olence has in everyone’s lives. This is reflected in the eyes and faces of people. In our reality as a country, it is quite alarming the amount of aggression generat-ed by the war against narcotrafficking and organized crime; on the other hand the media and the entertain-ment that videogames filled with so much blood and death deliver is the reason why I want to give my five cents, evoking through my work some peace and tran-

quility to whomever observes, because to me they are art pieces that should be carefully contemplated for they emanate a harmonious environment with their dim light and fragrance of some of our pieces with incense or copal.

David, How would you define your artwork, what message do you want to convey? I would love to know your point of view in gen-eral about life.It’s difficult… I really don’t have one, I don’t know why; I feel that by trying to define it I would limit the art piece and myself. I would take that ‘definition’ to a manifestation that will eventually end up with that which I want to let people know, or else “the message I wish to deliver”. I have always enjoyed the thoughts of the people looking at my pieces, I generally try not to influence that opinion with any sort of speech or explanation on the exhibits, I am deeply satisfied by them having their own perspective and viewpoint about my work. And without answering your question (Chuckles), more than just a message it is an invita-tion to a serene world of lightness, of possibilities, of dreams, of magic. My magic world… but do not be deceived by this answer, each one of my pieces will

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speak what it has to speak at the moment it deems convenient.My general viewpoint about life… I will share some-thing quite personal; someone told me once: “When you stop dreaming you start to die”, and I was dying in oblivion, fortunately my family and friends were able to rescue me, especially Mayra. Life, I mean of course it’s cruel, of course is difficult, but you know what… It is equally marvelous and full with gifts that are only in the eyes of those who know where to look…

How was your childhood like? How did art act for you as a form of aid?(David) It’s something rather long (laughs) I will try to abridge as much as possible. My childhood as far as I can remember was excellent, joyous and comfy, but kinda uptight at the same time. I would spent the majority of my time with my mother since my father worked long hours to provide and sustain us along with my brother. I was a kid who from an early age had sports imposed by my parents, it was then when I discovered the fine arts, and it wasn’t like I would to go these tennis or karate classes and saw sculptures or paintings on the way to practice, rather I discov-ered art as a way to release the frustration of not being

able to do what I really liked, I enjoyed the sports but I loved drawing for example. I remember I always asked my mother for colouring books, which she never really denied me, the problem lied in the fact that I would begin “wasting” the pages of my school notebooks with drawings of strange forms and stylized in female shapes. My mother always supported y ideas, but my father didn’t. Since I knew that watching me draw instead of going out and play soccer with the neighbours bothered her, I decided to start hiding to be able to keep doing it, I would let my imagination travel wild in a fairytale. Thanks to my father’s nuisance about drawing, and his constant reprimands whenever he found my sketches or doodles on my notebooks, I decided to leave it for good; from there I began dying little by little. However, it wasn’t until High School that art touched my path in a signif-icant way. By official ordinance one had to select a terminal branch within my school that gave you the option of selecting from a variety of classes to obtain credits… Here I make a parenthesis, I ignore why, from a very young age, the idea of pursuing some-thing related to health emerged in my mind.Therefore, my terminal branch ended up being: Biological Chemistry, but my set of

optional classes was focused on arts along with an ar-chitectural drawing and construction workshop. I was a great student, it wasn’t hard for me to take so many diverse classes and of course, I enjoyed that work-shop more than anything. Another branch of the arts touched my heart as well; you see, to avoid taking a P.E. class (you might wonder if by this point I’d grown sick of sports, well I was, by then I was a member of the swimming team at the Institute of Sports and Recreation of the state of Queretaro), my High School opened various workshops and that’s when I found Folkloric Dance; yes, I was also a dancer.

It was time to pursue a bachelor’s degree; I gave up on sports and left dance, devoting myself one hundred percent to my career as a Dental Surgeon; but art was still present within, now with a louder voice inside me and resonating through my family’s environment. I would attend plays, festivals and exhibits and would ventilate my stress on the anatomical drawings that doctors left for us. The last semester of the course arrived and due to financial issues I couldn’t complete the course and fell into a terrible depression.Art helped me overcome that dark abyss; I remember

Title: “Hadas de las flores”(Fairies of the flowers)Author: David Teapila.

Organic mixed media over paperDimensions: 47.5 cm X 65 cm

Año: 2013

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I would imprint all that solitude and melan-choly on drawings, sketches I’ve misplaced, maybe they were meant to abandon my life. Art has always purified my soul.

Mayra, what is it that you experience when you are creating your pieces?What does it feel to bring a balance within the elements? It’s something quite interesting to me personal-ly, since I have never worked with ceramics and I would love to know more about the whole process,etcetera.(Mayra) I feel something magical, the real-ization that I am creating a new being that emerges purely from my soul, since I don’t make sketches for the materialization of the piece. I will share with you an anecdote. I was at a workshop working on ceramics, where suddenly a block of clay began glow-ing; I quickly grabbed it and began working with it. The being that came from that block was a beautiful firefly, and I would imagine it flying out at any moment, it was fantastic.

In each creation it’s different, what always coincides is an immense tranquility and peace blended with adrenaline when work-ing the soil, the contact with this element along with water, air and fire is a truly mystical affair, and even more magical is the use of the fifth element I incorporate to my pieces, this last one is love. You never know what will come out after the fire since baking takes a few hours up to 1300ºC or higher, it

is a very emotional experience full with surprises. I feel some-thing magical.

I profoundly thank Mayra and David for dedicating some of their time to show us their love, a sincere and almost intangible love towards art. For more information about them and their exhibits, please contact them at:

maya.herrera76@hotmail.comfacebook.com/mayraherreraartistaplasticas.ceramica

davidteapila@hotmail.comfacebook.com/arte.david.teapila.

Mayra Herrera & David Teapila, Visual Artists. Proudly Mexican.

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SCULPTURES BY MAYRA HERRERA

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With only sixteen years and no dance expe-rience whatsoever, Carlos Humberto Luna Jiménez, decided to be part of the folkloric ballet cast of the “Colegio de Bachilleres”, the High School he would attend for the following three years. Slightly after he had begun dancing folk at his school, one of his dance professors Mr. Carlos Guerrero Mercado, invited him and encouraged him to attend a dance re-hearsal that was going to be held at the “Municipal Center for the Arts”, a local school of the arts, and so he decid-ed to attend hoping to get acquainted a little more with the world of dance; little did he know he would suddenly become a part of one of the most important and influen-tial dance companies on the entire city.

As he arrived at the rehearsal, his teacher asked him to learn a certain dance as quickly as he could because he might have to perform it the very next day during a Sunday performance event that the company was preparing, and so it happened…

The rest of his High School education he spent dancing along with the folkloric dance group at his school and performing regularly at the Sun-day events. After graduating from the “Colegio de Bachilleres”, he decided he wanted to become a Professional Dance Technician, a career offered

by the Municipal Center for the Arts. He kept working hard on his career and performing every Sunday, eventually, he completed his dance studies and graduated, but shortly after he felt the need to explore another of his long time passions and pursued a bachelor’s in Graphic Design at the Autono-mous University of Ciudad Juarez (UACJ). Although still undecided about a specific field to specialize in, his goal is to be able to fuse both careers and exercise everything he has learned.

After his professional career had begun, he was asked to work as a folkloric dance professor at the Municipal Center for the Arts.

The Origin of a Life in DANCEMéxico

By: Lorena Contreras

Carlos is a professional in the fields of classic and contemporary dance, wittingly applying everything he learned during his career and from all the expe-rience he gained by performing every weekend, he works hard to create more and new passionate dancers with the necessary skills and techniques to get the best out of themselves and fully devote to their passion.

As a long-term goal, at the completion of his bach-elor’s in Graphic Design, he wishes to move to the state of “Colima” to study contemporary dance, which he loves, and of course he desires to start his own dance company, where he is able to express himself through contemporary dance. Carlos is currently also part of the cast of the traditional spectacle called “Gran Fiesta Mexicana”, at the “Viva Mexico” restaurant in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

To get in touch with Carlos you can write him an email at:pomeranshobo@hotmail.com

México

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A Word of Gratitude

OMD is comprised by:

Krister Reyeskristreyes@openminddesign.coEditor in Chiefwww.tkristreyes.openminddesign.co

Lorena Contreraslorena.contreras@openminddesign.co General Editor &Staff Writer

Miriam A. Carpentermcarpenter@openminddesign.co Managing Editor &Second Executive Editor

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To conclude this our first edition, I would love to grab a moment to sincerely thank you for all the support and for the resonance that has impulsed this project.This began initially as a small idea, like a seed we tossed onto the immensity of the web, and which, with the support of you all, little by little, gained an immense strength. It is almost impossible for me to believe that this started with a simple image recruiting artists who might be interested, a simple image that many people shared and took with them to corners of this world that we never thought about reaching.

From the bottom of our hearts, we want to thank all of the artists that reached to us, and who were interested in the project, not only for exhibiting their art, but for collaborating with us to complete this first issue of the magazine, also to all the marvelous people that helped to spread the word, to all of our readers and the people who have dedicated their lives to art, of whatever kind it may be; with the sole fact that you find yourself now reading this paragraph this instant, it means that our mission has been accomplished satisfactorily.

But this is still a work in progress, and only with the sup-port of you all, we will reach all of our goals that we have shared with you at the beginning of this issue. My artist brothers, united we can make a difference, we can leave a print in the world the same way it was done by our brothers from past ages. I’ve always felt that art is love in its purest escence, and love is the only cure for our world. I love each and every single one of you, and I am, and always will be infinitely and eternally grateful to you all.‘Till the next issue!

-Krister A. Reyes

HEIDI LEVINEhttp://heidilevine.photoshelter.com/

RAFAEL EMMANUELMAGO VILLAMIZARwww.rafaelmago.see.memagoss_14@hotmail.com

JAVIER O. CAMARILLOJaviero1987@hotmail.comfacebook.com/javier.o.camarillo

DANIEL GURROLAwolf-9dga@hotmail.com(915)234-5857 (USA)

DANIEL PÉREZMARTÍNEZdanielmtz9092@gmail.com

TOQUE PIMIENTAfacebook.com/toque.pimientatoquepimienta@gmail.com(301)466-0010 - (300)309-2480(Colombia)

TANIA ESPONDA AJAinfo@taniaespondaaja.comwww.taniaespondaaja.com

IRANYELA LÓPEZiranyela@hotmail.comwww.flickr.com/photos/iranyela/sets/

LUIS CONTRERASVILLANUEVAzholyn@hotmail.com

MARIO CONTRERASVILLANUEVAzonamuerta7@yahoo.com.mx

DAVID TEAPILA VALENCIAdavidteapila@hotmail.comfacebook.com/arte.david.teapila.

MAYRA HERRERA:maya.herrera76@hotmail.comfacebook.com/mayraherreraartistaplasticas.ceramica

CARLOS LUNApomeranshobo@hotmail.com

Directory.On this Issue:

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In order of appearance: