Instigatorzine//Blog

Love + Water: Nikibasika

2012-02-03T07:13:00.001-08:00

Love + Water is back with a new challenge!

Nikibasika is an organization invested in a long-term project to help Ugandan children. Nikibasika, meaning "it is possible" in in the Western Ugandan language of Runyankole, is the theme for the learning and development project in Kasese, Uganda. Submitting your t-shirt design to Love + Water could help support Ugandan children, offering them a chance to a better life and to give back to their community, further aiding the country for future generations.

Not to mention your design could also net you a lot of exposure by selling on IndieGoGo, in a special, limited edition campaign. It's an excellent opportunity for the artist, the charity and Love +Water! Plus, every 500 shirts sold gives the artist an additional cash prize!

That means: Don't wait! Get your work on Love + Water!

Protip for Instigators: the charity, Nikibasika, is looking for a design with a white hand and black hand together.

Need more info? Hit these portals:

http://loveandwaterdesigns.com/submit
http://nikibasika.com/

Art Pillage: Cerberus

2012-01-29T15:09:00.001-08:00

Instigatorzine Art Pillage

Cerberus: Bagger43, David Hoskins, Douglas Hoffman
Bold Hype Gallery. Jan 19 - Feb 11
With a special feature at Bold Hype Gallery, displaying works by three artists, Cerberus gets a special treatment with three different perspectives from three different Instigatorzine artists.

Bagger43

Bagger43's work is nothing short of amazing. The contrast between background and foreground in his work is something that pulls you in. Viewing his paintings transport you into a different world - They give you a light sense of insecurity, but you can't help explore them some more. While the use of geometric shapes alongside loose brush strokes is something that might put off certain viewers, Bagger43 pulls it off very well. While many of his pieces difer from one another, you cannot deny the talent he posseses. If you're a fan of David Choe, James Jean, Os Gemeos, or Conor Harrington, you definitely need to keep your eye out for Bagger43.

-Carlos Castillo

David Hoskins

David Hoskin’s work oozes sci-fi horror with urban graffiti and illustration influences. His work feature bold lines with vivid colors creating high-contrast imagery that are pleasing to the eye while his sometimes grotesque imagery and strangeness leave you uneasy, yet delightfully pleased. Standouts include “Nest,” which features dual-imagery and his signature organic growths that seem to spawn from their human hosts and inevitably take over. Hoskins’ use of color and themes of parasitic growths brings to mind the technicolor nightmares of the 60’s- 70’s sci-fi craze. Hoskin’s work shows the decay of humanity by the invasion of these “body-snatcheresque” creatures of their host humans.The humans are often times left to seem incoherent and with a blank stare that only enhance their astounding appeal and eeriness as in “Consumption.” Which features cascading growths weaving throughout piece, consuming the woman that seems to be experiencing euphoria. Hoskins’ work leaves you disturbed and appalled while wanting more, amazing imagery that has a vintage yet new quality that please the cerebral cortex.

-Farooq Alihassan

Douglas Hoffman

Let’s be clear: I’ve never been driven to do street art or write graffiti. Sure, I was curious about it growing up; the lifestyle, the thrill, the immediacy and spontaneity of the artwork were all very fine points on why to start doing it. It just wasn’t for me. I wasn’t fast-enough on my toes or in my mind. I do appreciate it though. Douglas Hoffman is an artist who’s firmly based in elements of graffiti. From a young age, Hoffman explored creating art on unconventional surfaces. The world was his canvas: trains, wood, buildings and other structures. Eventually, the canvas became his canvas, too. Such is seen in Cerberus.

Hoffman’s style of painting is not one expected from an artist based in the methods of street art. Brush strokes are defined and even very delicate in some areas of his compositions, and juxtapositions between background and subject can sometimes be jarring and distracting (“Pig Farm”) or engaging and symbiotic (South Brooklyn Platform Splash series). However, that is where Hoffman truly shines. Mixing and experimenting relationships between art and surface creates a unique tension, forging a dialogue not only between viewer and art, but within the composition itself.

In the aptly-titled Cerberus collaborative piece, “Cerberus,” Hoffman unites with Bagger43 and David Hoskins to reinterpret the mythic, triple-cranium canine on two large canvases. Hoskins’ signature amorphous forms and Bagger43’s bold, graphic color streaks strikingly grab and hold your attention, while Hoffman’s impression on the piece struggles to make an impact. Perhaps it was just my fleeting attention and excitement of being at the Cerberus opening reception, but I found a hard time finding Hoffman’s influence on the collaborative painting. It was only when I finally got to writing my piece of this trio-gallery impression that I saw where Hoffman had made his mark. Of course, I appreciated the painting even more when I realized where his precision strokes were, but I almost wish it were more obvious.

Hoffman’s art is visually stunning: the surreal, totemic arrangement of characters that populate his compositions, whether on the canvas or not, are a real treat to see. However, when surrounded by fellow Cerberus artists, Hoskins and Bagger43, Hoffman’s light is somewhat diffused, but that’s probably because all three artists are definitely good at what they do.

-Narciso Espiritu Jr.

See the full gallery online at: http://www.boldhype.net/
(But, be sure to see it in person!)
Bold Hype Gallery
547 West 27th St, 5th floor
New York, NY 10001

Bagger43 - http://www.bagger43.com/
David Hoskins - http://davidhoskins.com/
Douglas Hoffman - http://mybedofnails.com/art/

Weekly Instigators - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

2012-01-25T05:48:00.001-08:00

Narciso's note: This may be (very) late, but it's never late to celebrate a man who helped better our nation.

Martin Luther King Jr. was no doubt an influential man to millions of Americans, but the man that influenced many, was of course himself influenced. As with anyone, influences make you who you are and King was no different. Important influences to King were Howard Thurman, Mahatma Gandhi and ultimately, Love.

When King attended college in Boston, he would visit his father's former classmate Howard Thurman regularly. Eventually Thurman mentored King, it is safe to say that the Martin Luther King we know today wouldn't have been who he was without Thurman. Thurman was an author, philosopher, theologian, educator and civil rights leader. King did missionary work with Thurman, so through this he was able to travel all over. Later on in King's Life, Thurman became a spiritual advisor.

The influence of King that is known the most, would be Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent approach to protesting. When King was beginning to lose hope in power of love for fixing social problems, he got introduced to Gandhi through a speech given by the president of Howard University at the time, Mordecai Johnson. He then got books and read up on how Gandhi led his people to freedom by not acting out in violence. Howard Thurman's missionary work was actually the reason King eventually got to go to India and visit the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. Kings mindset then had a gradual about-faced as he read more on Gandhi and his success. His first chance to use this new thinking was with the Montgomery Bus Boycotts with Rosa Parks. Within 24 hours, King organized a boycott that lasted over a year. His successful boycott unified his people as well caught the nation's attention.

At the end of the day, it is safe to say that love was King's biggest influence. King was introduced to love way before any of the aforementioned men. Even though he began to lose hope in it, he eventually was reintroduced to it. Love was the key, and King set out to use love as his main weapon against the oppressive nation of that day. If there is anything he will be remembered for, it was the love he had for his people and his nation.

-Avi "Obvious" McClain

Find more from Avi at:

http://contemporarynegro.tumblr.com/
https://twitter.com/ObviouslyAvi

Art Pillage: Natalia Fabia

2012-01-16T09:06:00.001-08:00

Instigatorzine Art Pillage

Natalia Fabia. Jonathan Levine Gallery. Jan 14, 2012.

Punk Rock Rainbow Sparkle are probably the best four words that can describe the first East Coast solo exhibition from Natalia Fabia. Having no real inclinations of how the artist's work would appear and feel, other than her feature in Hi-Fructose early this year, to say that the paintings were very inviting and intimidating is something that should not be taken lightly. The elements of graffiti, iconic landmarks and other references to the East Coast reflect the artist’s research in the area before starting work on this series of paintings. The scenes in each painting, or environment, take on a life of their own. It feels as if the viewer has walked into the middle of a party, gathering or perhaps an intimate moment in the shower or underwater. This voyeuristic feeling is not caused exclusively by Fabia's arrangements, but her painting ability truly echoes and shines upon the kinds of paintings seen during the Renaissance. Paintings like these don't just happen, and it's nice to know that artists still paint like the masters. The models featured in each composition exude a type of freedom that can only be displayed by independent, strong women, who aren’t afraid to have fun. One fun note, at the opening for this exhibition, all or most of the models who were in the paintings were also present at the show, making it possible for viewers to interact with the subjects of each painting. A strange concept, but fun, nonetheless.

While these paintings are certainly pretty, sparkly and well-done, the point of the series of paintings is not just to create something beautiful. Each composition is a glimpse into each of these women’s lives. Fabia selects models based on their personalities, ethics, and style. That said, each painting is a treasure not just to marvel at Fabia’s technique, but to try and decipher who the figures are. In a society that lets us hide behind profile pictures and status updates, it’s nice to have some truth in ourselves.

nataliafabia.com
jonathanlevinegallery.com

Love + Water Designs

2012-01-10T22:00:00.001-08:00

Hey instigators!

If you haven't heard about it already, Love+Water Designs is a great way to bring artists and charities together. I can't really say it much better than L+W founder, Alexis Fedor:

"Love+Water designs is an online community that creates Wearable Philanthropy by connecting artists with charities through T-Shirt Design Projects. We invite artists to submit the designs in the name of a charity, have our community vote on the ones they like the best, print those designs on a limited edition t-shirt, award the artist a cash prize and donate up to 50% of the profits back to the charities. You can choose a charity on our site to match with a design you have, or you can submit a design for our monthly Featured Charity! Join us, we can't wait to see your work! Questions? Please email us! info@loveandwaterdesigns.com. We'll get right back to you!"

Love+Water is a great way to give back to the community, even if you aren't part of it. It's also a great way to get your work on a t-shirt! This month's featured charity, ForByFor, is art for the people, by the people, for the greater good. ForByFor exhibitions raise money and awareness for charitable organizations working to bring life back to forgotten people and places. Each exhibition presents affordable art by emerging talents to a new audience of art collectors looking beyond the bottom line for art that inspires and heals not only themselves but the global community. Help us prove that art can be an effective tool for social change.

Check out ForByFor's website: http://www.forbyfor.org

Voting to be the featured design starts soon!
Sign up for Love+Water Designs, submit your work, watch it grow!

-Narciso

Weekly Instigators - Bradley Manning

2012-01-05T13:51:00.001-08:00

"Silenced for the Truth"
illustration by Narciso Espiritu Jr.

A year ago, Julian Assange was at the top of nearly every media news outlet, including Instigatorzine. Today, we find Assange has virtually vanished from major headlines since his arrest in England in December 2010. A year later, Bradley Manning, the 24-year old United States Army soldier arrested for allegedly passing classified material to Wikileaks, is one of many major recurring news topics.
Recent developments, starting with the December 16, 2011 pretrial hearing, which determines what kind of court martial is appropriate for the matter at hand, reveal that there may have been direct communication between Manning and Assange, despite denial by Assange himself. Reports state that an Assange-Manning link would place the two in a treacherous situation, as these supposed actions directly violate The Espionage Act. Charges of espionage carry the death penalty.
These new allegations shed a different light and raise many questions on an already complicated situation. Does the possibility of a personal relationship between Assange and Manning change the manner in which the restricted United States material was released? The fact would remain that the truth was hidden and kept hidden during a time when the government promised transparency to the public.
Some people may come to see Manning as either Hero, Patriot, Criminal or Traitor for his actions, but Manning asks: “If you had free reign over classified networks...and you saw incredible things, awful things...things that belonged in the public domain and not on some server stored in a dark room in Washington, D.C...what would you do?” Regardless of how Manning is portrayed, or how you, yourself, think of him, like Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, Bradley Manning is a defender of the truth. Truth is one of the few things that people carry close to the chest. In this age of information, people make decisions, great or small, much more quickly than they did in the past. People need their information to be true to make decisions for a better tomorrow.

-Narciso

Source 1

Source 2

Source 3

Artist Interview: Martin Wittfooth

2011-12-30T22:09:00.001-08:00

(Seen in Instigatorzine 13, which is taking its time getting to us, this interview with artist Martin Wittfooth is the definitive version, since we weren't able to include all of his artwork in the printed issue, due to lack of space. Enjoy!)

It’s been an eventful season for artist Martin Wittfooth. Two shows in two months. His solo show, “The Passions,” at Lyons Wier Gallery in NYC and he curated a show, “Dark Water,” for Copro Nason Gallery in Los Angeles, CA. Narciso Espiritu Jr. and Elias Jimenez dropped by Wittfooth’s Brooklyn studio for a chat.

Artwork by Martin Wittfooth. Photo by Farooq Alihassan.

IZ: I was reading information on your website; you’re from Toronto, Ontario, rising fine artist, etc. How did you get to this point?

MW: Well, I did my BFA at Sheridan College; it’s a school outside of Toronto that has a solid illustration/animation program. Back when I was doing that, I was really more focused on illustrating. I think the reason was because I didn’t know what else to do, but that was the main drive. The whole thing though, was that while I was doing that, I was more drawn to painting, as opposed to ink or digital; I started finding that I was spending an awful lot of time working on something that other people would start and finish the same day. For example, one of the lecturers at this year’s 3x3 Nuts & Bolts Conference at the Society of Illustrators in New York, was my roommate, Matt Rota. He works in ink and water color, and he has a brain that comes up with ideas a lot quicker than mine. So he’d get a job for the New York Times, and they would give him—from the sketch to the final—maybe six hours. I’m thinking, “In six hours I’d have three lines on a page!” Maybe a coffee stain right in the middle of it, too.

So, at school, I would be thinking, “Well, if I stick with painting, what else can I do aside from illustration?” Soon enough, I discovered some people who would be designing snowboards after school. That was really what I wanted to do; design graphics for snowboards, since it snowed a lot up there. Although, when I started snowboard work, I found out it was kind of ridiculous. Art directors for snowboard companies would request very specific styles for completely vast and different boards. For a women’s board they’d want one style and, for a men’s board they’d request another. I loved it though, because the turnaround for one board would be months. Meanwhile, I painted personal work on the side.

At one point, I started doing more of my own paintings. The paintings weren’t as confident, as I was still trying to find my voice. Eventually, there was a show for La Luz Dejesus in Los Angeles, CA, that had an open call for entries. It’s rare for galleries to do that. I sent them a couple of slides, and they actually accepted me into the show. The thing was that there were a hundred other people also exhibiting in the show. It was huge. Now, the only way you advance from that is if you get to sell. I did it two years, back-to-back. Then, I was in a more focused group show; I did well in that. Then I was offered a solo show.

As far as my own work is concerned, it’s not quite as structured or skeletal as it was, but it certainly has moved and grown from there. When I first started showing, I had settled on the mode of getting rid of the human figure. What was irritating about what I was doing in illustration was that there was such an emphasis in finding a style. I felt that everyone was doing the human figure in a more interesting way than I was. I was trying all this stuff that was reminiscent of other artists’ work. Mark Ryden was a huge figure in the world I was entering—galleries and fine art. There were so many people who were influenced by him to the point of being derivative. I felt like I didn’t want to do that. At the same time, shifting away from the human figure, I started conceptually thinking, “How about a world without human figures, but a world with a human presence in it?” All these paintings have a reminiscence of our presence, but we’re not in them. Some people call it “apocalyptic,” but I’m not concerned with sci-fi approaches of “the world after.” It’s more like a metaphor for the idea that, in order to understand, we have to step back and become impartial witnesses, instead of active participants. I feel like, if there are human figures, people will think, “Well, they’re dealing with this problem, not us.” When there’s a pack of dogs attacking a horse, all of a sudden, we have to approach it differently. We don’t have an escape. We can’t pin it on the guy in the painting.

IZ: Right now, do you consider yourself an illustrator, fine artist or both?

MW: I’ll say 99.5% fine artist. For me, I think it’s just a matter of not having enough time to do illustration. It’s definitely a lucrative business. In illustration, you finish a painting, you get paid. With fine art, you finish a painting, you hope you get paid. You might get paid right away if someone buys it.

IZ: How did you continue making work, knowing how different or difficult it might be pursuing a career in fine art?

MW: Well, this is by no means, an easy thing to commit to, but you have to stick to the idea that you will be happy doing this work. You have to be honest with how good your work is; you can’t let shitty work slip by. I’m not really thinking with a client in mind, when I’m working on my paintings. I’m thinking more like, if I’m really happy with this piece, then someone else will be—and they may buy it. That’s the hope, but it’s not the main intent. Also, it helps to live in New York, because there are impressive and intimidating art shows happening almost all the time, almost all over the place. Seeing all these shows puts things in perspective for me. If I’m going to compete with these artists, then I have to step it up. At the end of the day, the paintings that I know are successful tend to sell. That lets me know that I’m not completely crazy.

My experience with fine art has been a gradual experience. For example, the gallery across the street from my show at Lyons Wier is the Gagosian Gallery. All of a sudden, you see work that’s worth, like, a million dollars. Then you meander back to my show…and well, I’m not making a killing here. But it’s a gradual process. Year to year, things are getting better.

IZ: Do you find that your work now, compared to a year ago, has evolved considerably?

MW: The last two years, I’ve produced work that I’m quite happy with. Whenever I’m working on a show, though, I already have the next one in mind. I’m happy with what I did for “The Passions,” but I want to keep learning and trying new techniques. I intend to make the next show better than this one, but there’s some figuring out to do, in terms of how to improve.

IZ: Would you ever stray away from animal figures, because you mentioned stepping away from human figures? Would you move on to something like environments?

MW: I know I will be sticking with the animals, but it’s more of a matter of what context will they be in next? “The Passions” has been one of the more focused themes out of any of the shows I’ve done in the past. The next show will be similar to this one, but it will be different. I’m excited at the idea of starting work revolving around a new theme.

IZ: Do you feel it’s necessary to have an art education to explore opportunities in fine art?

MW: No. At the end of the day, it’s about the work. I think that I gained a lot from school; more from my undergraduate career than my time in the MFA program, but I don’t think an education in the arts is completely necessary. Some schools will tell you there are certain “rules,” but there really aren’t any. I have heard rumors, well-founded ones, that if you do an MFA at Yale, it actually means something to some people. However, it has no bearing on what makes a person a good artist. It’s such a personal journey; no degree or piece of paper can ever make you good.

IZ: A lot of art students aren’t prepared with the business side of art. How did you go from wanting to make things, and then having to deal with the stuff that’s not creative?

MW: The thing about fine art, as opposed to illustration, is once you get picked up by a gallery, and people see your work and you’re successful at your show, you tend to not have to promote yourself as much. If you have one successful show with the right gallery that has great PR, so many people see your work. It’s kind of incestuous, the whole community, because everyone’s looking where they can pick up the next—whoever. It’s a matter of getting along with a gallery. They’ll do the PR for you by taking ads in the right magazines that cater to their client/collector base, and it goes on from there. It really depends on who you’re dealing with. I’ve had experiences where, the only way my show was going to be successful was if I did all the promotional work myself. If the gallery wants to be worthy of their 50%, they should be doing that work.

IZ:Taking a step back, do you find yourself in a different position now? Meaning, you’re now a person people look up to, compared to where you were five years ago?

MW: I think it’s funny. Human psychology is hilarious. Throughout my life, I’ve been setting goals for myself. At one point, earlier in my career, I thought if I just started designing my artwork for snowboards—that’s it. I can do a bunch of those; I can buy an island and just move there. In a weird way, if I was myself a few years ago from now, I’d say, “That’s where I wanna be.” Now that I’m here, I see the Gagosian across the street, and I want to be selling my work for a quarter-million dollars. But, I’m not really in this to make a ton of money. I do feel though, that when I get to a certain point in my career, I’m always looking for the next goal—something higher. I’m not dissatisfied. Certainly, I’m happy to be getting recognition, and I feel like I am influencing students, but I don’t think there’s an end point to this thing. That said, I’m still looking up to other people. I went to a show the other night with my friend and studio mate, Jason Bard Yarmonsky, and I came out of that show so inspired and motivated to work, because the work was very well done.

IZ: Would you say that looking at other artwork is what keeps you on your toes?

MW: Absolutely, and that’s on the point of living in New York. I came from Toronto and lived there for a while, and I grew up in Finland of all places. Not that those communities don’t have anything going on, art-wise, but I did feel like the bar was set lower. A couple of my best friends are considered two of the best artists in Toronto. When they visit New York, they see the work here, and, unsurprisingly, it gives them perspective on where they are. I think that living here, in New York, is teaching me not to be comfortable where I am. To be able to compete in this environment, I have to be able to step it up all the time.

IZ: Do you ever find yourself needing to get away from your work?

MW: I feel that sometimes, for the sake of my work, I have to get away from it. By nature of what I do for a living, I end up traveling a lot. For example, for this show coming up in Santa Monica, we have to fly out there to install the show a week before the opening. By that time, my solo show will be out of the way, “Dark Water” will be out of the way. So, the day after the opening, I and a group of friends will drive up the California coast to San Francisco. I will not be painting a fucking thing when I get there. I just need to absorb things for a while. Just look at things and get away from yourself and your work.

For a time, I had a live-in work space, and I would go a little nuts sometimes, since I was always surrounded by my work. I would wake up in the morning and see a canvas that I have to work on. So I had to separate the two. Unfortunately, I live with two roommates who work from home. There’s always someone doing art shit around me! I want to find myself in a living situation where my roommates are, like, waitresses. Honestly, just to not talk about art for part of my day would be great, but I wouldn’t trade this life for anything else.

IZ: In your work, do you have recurring themes on purpose, or do they come to you naturally?

MW: Part of it is the imagery itself that spoke to me. It’s kind of part of my vocabulary, I suppose. I think the recurring theme of vegetation growing out of other animals or man-made things is making a consistent allusion to how perverse our relationship with nature has become. “The Passions” paintings all have something to do with faith-based thoughts of saintliness or martyrdom, which explains why all the figures have these “halo” shapes around them. In this piece, “The Rapture,” I went back to the idea of flowers bursting out of something, because I liked the idea of something beautiful also being destructive. This dog exploding into flowers is sort of ridiculous, but we have the notions of something being a beautiful event. Like that “rapture” frenzy in May, people are so wrapped up into this beautiful event happening to a few select people, but after that, we have to die. The prerequisite for this beautiful event isn’t a celebration of this life-affirming thing; it’s more a celebration of the annihilation and terrible suffering of a ton of people. The idea is that this beautiful event, the blooming flowers, is ripping this dog to shreds. “The Rapture” is grabbing at imagery in my past work, but all the paintings in “The Passions” are in a new context and more focused thematically over all.

IZ: Is there something in particular that draws you more to this imagery, or do real events, for example, the commotion with the May 21^st “rapture” influence your work?

MW: I have an inner dialogue and discussions with other people about stuff. Also I watch a lot of lectures online and in person. Recently, discussions about things that seem very taboo to be criticizing, which is faith: faith driving people to murder, suicide and suffering. These religions obviously cannot coexist with one another. It’s absurd to me that, in the 21^st century, the Earth is populated with so many people who are convinced that they and their tribe will be the chosen few to “holiness.” I have nothing in this fight, necessarily. I’m not religious at all, nor was I raised that way, but I live in a country, where you leave the city borders and people do subscribe to utter bullshit, which leads them to hate people for no good reason. But, that’s just the tip of a very decrepit iceberg. With “The Passions,” I’ve been listening to a lot of people who have very eloquent words about this topic, and I decided that it’s time for me to stop thinking about this, and start talking about it with my work.

At the heart of it, martyrdom and sainthood exist in the three Abrahamic traditions that dominate the whole ideology of the world. Within that idea, the moment someone believes that they can be saintly or can be a martyr, there has to be a prerequisite pact of suffering in order to attain that. Let’s be serious. No martyr ever died in his sleep. These figures are idolized through history; a lot of history focuses on their death and execution, rather than celebrating their lives. Much of it has to do with the celebration of violence by virtue of idolizing the perpetrators and victims of it. All these wars being fought and all this strife throughout the world are a direct result of these faith-based systems. As long as you get rid of that, people would stop doing this shit. I think in a way, I’m making a global statement with my work about the absurd nature of holding on to these traditions. Even on a moderate level, it’s a root cause of a lot of people’s complete nonsense. Glorifying violence just because it’s necessary to become holy is a really dangerous concept.

Works by other artists influence my work, too. “The Coronation,” is influenced by a painting by Diego Velasquez, where the Virgin Mary is being crowned, but I decided to crown this queen in trash. It asks, “Exactly what is she the queen of?” “The Ecstasy,” another example, draws from the famous Bernini sculpture. With the sculpture, there’s an accompanying passage from St. Teresa that describes the experience depicted in the piece, and it sounds like some gaudy passage from some romance novel. The passage the sculpture is based on is really painful. It’s all about pain. She wrote about the spear entering her and pulling out, felt like her entrails spilling from of her, but at the same time she was overwhelmed with the feeling of happiness, joy and ecstasy. At the same time, I felt that the relationship between suffering and this divine bliss are completely intertwined. However, if you are to experience ecstasy or bliss, it can only come from god, otherwise, it’s considered perverse.

IZ: How do you go about working, knowing that you’re not the only person exploring these dialogues?

MW: Of course, a lot of people touch upon these topics. Approaching the idea, specifically, sainthood and martyrdom, because they’re such staples in art history, and putting them through a contemporary context. If I had painted these animal figures in a baroque-like setting, it would be weak and hard to relate to for most people. As far as I’m concerned, these ideas are still a big part of our culture and global society. I think that this is a unique take on the continuing dialogue, since no one else is depicting the themes exactly like this. I mean, how many songs are there about love? It’s like The Beatles doing them, compared to—Nickelback. There’s a huge gap. I’m not worried about people thinking I’m following a dialogue that’s been discussed. The way I see it, I’m contributing to the ongoing dialogue that’s taking place in all different kinds of media. For me, this visual stage, this is the way I want to explore it.

See you in 2012!
-Narciso

Happy Decemberween from Instigatorzine

2011-12-24T17:12:00.001-08:00

The December holidays can be great.
The December holidays can be rough.
Up or down, sweet or salty,
Be cheery for people you love.

Happy Decemberween.

Love,
Instigatorzine

(Illustration by Narciso Espiritu Jr.)

IZ Contributor Shigeko Okada featured in Juxtapoz

2011-12-16T21:03:00.001-08:00

Congratulations to Shigeko Okada for her feature in the Juxtapoz January 2012 issue!

We are SO proud of her! :)

www.juxtapoz.com

New Year's Eve Party

2011-12-07T06:18:00.001-08:00

Instigatorzine New Year's Eve Party

Date: 12/31/2011

Time: 10p - 3a

Place: Tommy 2 Scoops

177 York Street

Jersey City, NJ 07302

Attire: Semi-formal

BYOB? BYOB.

Ready for 2012?

Go into the New Year with a roar! (It may be your last, according to some).

Join Instigatorzine at Tommy 2 Scoops in Jersey City, NJ for food, drink and fun! Tommy 2 Scoops will be closed off just for our guests, allowing for maximum merriment with a secure state of mind knowing you're among friends. (This also means we get to have bouncers! Yipee!)

This event will be a sort of black-tie. Meaning you should dress like you're going to a wedding or your prom. (I only say sort of because our main courses will be all sorts of finger-foods that are probably SO bad for you, but delicious.) And, BYOB. BYOB. BYOB.

Also, for the first time ever, collect Instigatorzine trading cards! Featuring semi-iconic portraits of your favorite IZ staff and contributors dressed like they would be for the New Year's Eve BBQ. These cards are a handsom gift, available exclusively at this event.

[[posterous-content:pid___0]]

Instigatorzine Cutlets

2011-12-07T05:37:00.001-08:00

Introducing, Instigatorzine Cutlets! Twice a month, starting in January, Instigatorzine will be putting out an exclusive Kindle/Nook edition that features a short story, a poem, and a play! Submit your cutlet today!

JC Fridays @Hudson County Art Supply

2011-11-30T10:32:00.001-08:00

On Friday, December 2, join Instigatorzine at our first major Jersey City splash!

Select IZ artists will be painting the window of Hudson County Art Supply from 11-7p. Check out prints from IZ artists like Giancarlo Corbacho, Stephanie Herrera, Kasey Balla, Madelynne Delarama and co-founder Narciso Espiritu Jr. Magazines, posters, buttons, wristbands and subscriptions will also be available for sale.

It's going to be a fun day of paint, talking, running, yelling, eating, sitting, standing, and maybe even haiku!

JC Fridays: Instigatorzine

Hudson County Art Supply
303 First Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(201) 413-0900

Co-founder, Keith Chiappone Performs in Bayonne

2011-11-08T17:53:00.001-08:00

This week, instigators can watch IZ co-founder, Keith Chiappone, perform music with a guitar and on-stage! Twice during this week, Wednesday and Saturday, Keith will be jamming out tunes on his fancy guitar.

"Across the Universe" Fall Cabaret at Jewish Community Center of Bayonne, NJ
A romantic musical told through Beatles songs. Come be part of a revamped Beatles cabaret bringing to life such beloved Beatles songs such as I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Come Together, Something, All You Need is Love, Oh! Darling, and more!

Wed 11/9 @7p. $10 at doors. Light refreshments. 50/50.
1050 Kennedy Blvd. Bayonne, NJ 07002

Concert at Jamie's Music: Keith Chiappone
Keith Chiappone performs for the first time in years in front of a live audience. Come see Chiappone classics, select songs from Pilcrow and some covers picked by Chiappone himself.

Sat 11/12 @9p. Free. Chairs. BYOB.
1054 Avenue C. Bayonne, NJ 07002

Hope to see some of you there!

--Narciso
(rad guitar illustration by me)

Electric Keychain

2011-11-05T22:13:00.001-07:00

New artist collective, Electric Keychain, formed to keep artists active within a community. If you've ever attended any higher education facilities, you'd know that you meet some pretty amazing and inspiring people there. Then after you graduate, you're kind of forced, more or less, to go your own ways, usually, never to see or hear your peers ever again! Electric Keychain is working against that common occurence to spur artist friends to get together and stay creative. Check out the website! It's pretty neat!

Two people I met from 3x3's Nuts & Bolts Conference, Jacqueline Yu and Arielle Katarina, are two of many people who keep the group running! I wish a lot of great fortune for them in their creative venture!

www.electrickeychain.com
http://www.ariellekatarina.com/
http://www.jacquelineyu.com/

--Narciso

Instigatorzine's Pink Awareness Sale

2011-10-03T16:17:00.001-07:00

Instigatorzine's Pink Awareness Sale

Support the research, prevention, treatment and education of breast cancer through Instigatorzine! Purchase art prints from Instigatorzine's Etsy store and 50% will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The artists featured range from fan-favorite Instigatorzine artists like Stephanie Herrera and Shigeko Okada to nationally-known artists, Marcos Chin and Stephen Gardner.

Instigatorzine will also be selling select prints from their table at New York Comic Con in two weeks.

Stop by the Etsy store now! http://www.etsy.com/people/Instigatorzine

Shigeko Okada Interview @TheArtfuls.com

2011-09-30T23:02:00.001-07:00

Instigatorzine contributing artist, Shigeko Okada, was recently interviewed at theartfuls.com!

Support your fellow instigator!

Martin Wittfooth

2011-09-26T18:54:00.001-07:00

In December, Martin Wittfooth will be featured in Instigatorzine, Vol. 13! Until then, check out his first solo show, "The Passions," in New York City at Lyons Wier Gallery.

Hi-Fructose - Martin Wittfooth

Instigatorzine 12 Digital Release

2011-09-24T18:39:00.001-07:00

Psst! If you click this link, you can download the Instigatorzine 12 digital pack which includes a Kindle, Nook and PDF version of IZ12 for just $.75!

Astrid Luchian @Jade Eatery & Lounge

2011-09-14T23:01:00.001-07:00

Featured in Instigatorzine, vol. 11...

Astrid Luchian: Recent Works

September 1 - November 1, 2011

Opening Reception

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Jade Eatery & Lounge

1 Station Square

Forest Hills, NY

Come support your fellow instigator!

Arielle Katarina at Space 39

2011-09-04T20:46:00.001-07:00

Newly minted Instigatorzine Associate Art Editor, Arielle Katarina, will be exhibiting artwork from 6p - 2a at Space 39 in Fort Myers, FL! If you're around for this Labor Day event, grab a drink, see some art and have fun!

For more on Space 39: www.spacethirtynine.com

For more on Arielle Katarina: www.ariellekatarina.com

A Letter from a Fan

2011-08-24T10:41:00.001-07:00

Dear Instigatorzine,

I’ve been staring at my computer all day, with an urge, a desire, to write something for the “special” issue. However my writing has resulted in this: writing you a letter. Though in so many ways I am not surprised that this is what I have come to. I have been writing letters on and off throughout the year, and it has become, as I now realize, the only way I write anymore.

Originally I was going to submit a piece I wrote about a couple who’s in love, but nothing really happens in that story. Nothing tragic or heartbreaking or anything really, it just moves, it just is; though that’s why I love it. But then I decided I wanted to write something new. I thought about writing a story about my friend who passed away this month two years ago, but it is still too hard to say the things we long to say but are afraid to face. So I sit here instead writing you a letter listening to Bon Iver.

Isn’t it funny how music always has perfect timing? I know it will be a good day when Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing comes on, it’s always a sign for something greater. And it’s amazing how music can have that effect on you. So much more powerful than a novel, a song with lyrics that swoon and a rhythm that is infectious, within a five minute period can alter your existence.

As I write this letter I am also working on a mix tape for a friend of mine. A “life” mix and it is about the ups and downs. The overwhelming sadness that can embody us to the point of comatose and the joy, the immense over thrilling joy life can give us. A mix tape to say that though we have these moments of loss, sadness, and a desire to retreat into our hovels (if we are so fortunate to have one) in the end there is always a rainbow and if we are lucky it’ll be a double rainbow.

So dear Instigatorzine, while I couldn’t find the words to form together that will give you a poem or a story I found enough to write you a letter. So I’d like to say thank you. Thank you for giving me a desire to write something new, for giving me an urge to find another level of myself. Thank you for making me open up my laptop and stare at the screen trying to form something. And thank you for giving me a need to open up my poetry book again and begin to write, even if it isn’t very good.

Maybe one day I will make you a mixtape.

Love,

Instigatorzine 12: Coming Soon

2011-08-22T08:41:00.001-07:00

Instigatorzine 12, September will be coming out very very soon! Here's the playbill!

Cover by: Chazz Jogie

Instigator of the Month: Benjamin Franklin by Monica McCarthy

"Dirty Nails" and "Savior" by Cedric Jones

"Home, for Now" by Chase M. Collum

Featured Author: Nells Hanson for "The Way to Sleeping Child"

Featured Artist: Keiko Tokushima

"The Interviews" and "For My Regina" by Christa Pagliei

"The Classroom" by Nicholas Conley

"The Downfall of Nutrasweet Wine" by Menhu Quintana

and "Deserters" by Dan Davis

Kickstarter Promotional Videos

2011-08-09T19:41:00.001-07:00

Enjoy and share the following videos to promote the Instigatorzine Kickstarter!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1895169077/instigatorzine-0

[[posterous-content:exGFhyybxwwkceaErtho]]

Untitled

2011-08-09T12:14:00.001-07:00

Enjoy and share the following videos to promote the Instigatorzine Kickstarter!

Oodles of Paying Contests!!

2011-08-06T18:30:00.001-07:00

Greetings, Instigators! We have lots of contests for you! We won't have any gigantic checks to give you, but hey, maybe sometime in the future. Here are the details.

Best Story, any genre

Price to enter: $10

Deadline: October 31, 2011.

First Place Prize: $250 + print publication

Second Place Prize: $100 + online publication

Third Place Prize: $50 + online publication

Enter this Contest

_________________________________________

Best Sci-Fi Piece

Price to Enter: $5

Deadline: December 31, 2011

First Place Prize: $100 + print publication

Second Place Prize: $50 + online publication

Third Place Prize: $25 + online publication

Enter this Contest

_________________________________________

Best Memoir Piece

Price to Enter: $5

Deadline: February 28, 2012

First Place Prize: $100 + print publication

Second Place Prize: $50 + online publication

Third Place Prize: $25 + online publication

Enter this Contest

_________________________________________

Best Mystery Piece

Price to Enter: $5

Deadline: April 30, 2012

First Place Prize: $100 + print publication

Second Place Prize: $50 + online publication

Third Place Prize: $25 + online publication

Enter this Contest

_________________________________________

Best Horror Piece

Price to Enter: $5

Deadline: June 30, 2012

First Place Prize: $100 + print publication

Second Place Prize: $50 + online publication

Third Place Prize: $25 + online publication

Enter this Contest

_________________________________________

Best Folklore Piece

Price to Enter: $5

Deadline: August 31, 2012

First Place Prize: $100 + print publication

Second Place Prize: $50 + online publication

Third Place Prize: $25 + online publication

Enter this Contest

*Note: Best story contest requires at least 40 contestants. All other contests require at least 35 contestants. If the required quota is not met, all payments will be refunded. Contestants must be at least 18 to enter and live in the United States.

No PayPal? No problem! Pay with a credit card.

2011-07-27T15:16:00.001-07:00

Don't have a PayPal account? Don't want to take the time to register for one? You can now purchase anything on our website with a credit card! Pretty neat, eh?

New Submission Guidelines

2011-07-27T10:46:00.001-07:00

The past few months we've been getting a lot of submissions. To make things easier for us and for you, we've created new accounts for handling your submissions. Please follow these updated guidelines to ensure that we receive and review your submission. Submissions not following these guidelines will automatically be rejected.

Writing:

We accept .doc and .rtf files (No .docx files).

Please include a brief biography that can be used as an introduction to your work when printed.

Text should be size 12 Times New Roman double-spaced.

Maximum is 3,000 words.

Send submission with subject that includes the medium (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, etc.) and your name.

Do not send more than three pieces.

We cannot accept anything that's already been published online or in print.

Note: Poetry submissions, if accepted, are not proofread or edited.

Art:

Can be in black and white or color.

Must be either JPEG, GIF, PNG, or PDF and 300 dpi/ppi (Do not send us your website)

No extreme nudity.

Can be any size, but keep in mind that the magazine is 8.5"x11".

Send a brief biography that can appear as an introduction to your work.

Send submission with subject: Art: Your Name

All fiction pieces should be sent to: fiction@instigatorzine.com

All nonfiction (essays, memoir, etc) should be sent to: nonfiction@instigatorzine.com

All poetry should be sent to: poetry@instigatorzine.com

All other literature should be sent to: other@instigatorzine.com

All artwork should be sent to: art@instigatorzine.com

You may also submit your work via snail mail. Send your submission in a SASE to:

PO Box 853

Bayonne, NJ 07002

See the full gallery on Posterous

KickStarter

2011-07-23T16:40:00.001-07:00

Hey guys! So here's the deal: although we've been pushing strong since starting up in last February, we still need your help getting off the ground! We are trying to raise $2,000 by August 22nd. If you help us reach that goal through Kickstarter, you get a reward! The $2,000 raised from this fundraiser will fund legal fees and printing costs.

Click here to Kickstart Instigatorzine!

Your donation rewards are as follows:

Pledges of $1: An Instigatorzine button.

Pledges of $3: An Instigatorzine button and wristband.

Pledges of $10: An Instigatorzine button, wristband, and current issue.

Pledges of $15: An instigatorzine button, wristband, current issue, and poster.

Pledges of $25: An Instigatorzine button, wristband, current issue, poster, and E-Reader Collection.

Pledges of $50: An Instigatorzine button, wristband, current issue, poster, E-Reader Collection, and 12-issue subscription.

Purchase a digital edition of Instigatorzine 11 and win a date with us at the New York Comic Con!

2011-07-17T13:32:00.001-07:00

Contest: If you purchase a digital edition (PDF, Kindle, Nook) of Instigatorzine 11 you will automatically be entered to win a chance to hang out with us at the New York Comic Con on October 15th! So go check it out! Imagine, going to the Comic Con for just $.99. Pretty good deal!

Trace Riles, published in IZ8, throws a contest--Winner receives free one year subscription to IZ!

2011-07-15T17:38:00.001-07:00

Want to read Instigatorzine free for a year? Here's your chance!

Step 1: Order your copy of Instigatorzine (Issue #8) that includes Trace Riles' story, "Priced to Sell" by clicking on either link for a e-copy or print copy.

e-zine $0.99 or a print copy - $3.00 plus shipping

After you've read the story, answer the following questions:

1) What is the main character's name?

2) What does the main character collect?

3) What does the main character take from the nightstand drawer?

Step 2: Go to Trace Riles' Facebook page and PRIVATELY message her your answers. Here's the link to her page.

Make sure you don't post it on her wall. Be sure to leave an email address you can be contacted at.

All entries having answered the three questions correctly will be put into a random draw and the winner chosen on September 15, 2011.

The contest opens July 15, 2011 and closes September 15, 2011. The winner will be announced on September 16, 2011.

Good luck and happy reading.

Trace Riles, published in IZ8, throws a contest--Winner receives free one year subscription to IZ!

2011-07-15T17:33:00.001-07:00

Want to read Instigatorzine free for a year? Here's your chance!

Step 1: Order your copy of Instigatorzine (Issue #8) that includes Trace Riles' story, "Priced to Sell" by clicking on either link for a e-copy or print copy.

e-zine $0.99 or a print copy - $3.00 plus shipping

After you've read the story, answer the following questions:

1) What is the main character's name?

2) What does the main character collect?

3) What does the main character take from the nightstand drawer?

Step 2: Go to Trace Riles' Facebook page and PRIVATELY message her your answers. Here's the link to her page.

Make sure you don't post it on her wall. Be sure to leave an email address you can be contacted at.

All entries having answered the three questions correctly will be put into a random draw and the winner chosen on September 15, 2011.

The contest opens July 15, 2011 and closes September 15, 2011. The winner will be announced on September 16, 2011.

Good luck and happy reading.

Visit Instigatorzine at the New York Comic Con 2011!

2011-07-15T14:54:00.001-07:00

In between meeting all your favorite artists and mascots, come visit the Instigatorzine crew at the New York Comic Con Convention!

When: October 13-16, 2011

Where: Jacob Javits Center

655 w 34th street

New York, NY 10001

http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/

Instigatorzine Combustion Cookout 2011

2011-07-14T17:25:00.001-07:00

Join us at Liberty State Park on August 12th from 1PM to 9PM for the second annual Instigatorzine Combustion Cookout! Get free burgers, hot dogs, drinks, caricatures! Bring your kites, your pad, and your camera!

Date: August 12, 2011

Time: 1:00 - 9:00

Location: Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ

Attend on Facebook

Instigatorzine now available in Montclair and Wayne, NJ for free!

2011-07-11T13:03:00.001-07:00

You can now find your copy of Instigatorzine at the following locations:

Montclair Book Center

221 Glenridge Ave.

Montclair, NJ 07042

973-783-3630

http://montclairbookcenter.com

Zapp Comics

574 Valley Road

Wayne, NJ 07470

973-628-4500

http://www.zappcomics.com

Even better, you can get them for free for a limited time only!

You can now purchase Instigatorzine at The Comic Book Market in Bloomfield, NJ!

2011-07-08T13:17:00.001-07:00

Instigatorzine is now available to purchase at The Comic Book Market in Bloomfield, NJ. Go check it out and show your support!

The Comic Book Market

28 Washington St.

Bloomfield, NJ 07003

973-680-0006

http://www.thecomicbookmarket.com

Join Our E-mail List and Get Special Offers!

2011-07-06T07:08:00.001-07:00

So here's the scoop. At our event last week at the Iron Monkey in Jersey City, we started an E-Mail list. Why would we do this? Everything on here automatically gets posted on Facebook and Twitter. What could we possibly need an e-mail list for? Well, everyone who signed up on the e-mail list got an e-mail containing a discount code for subscriptions and the E-Reader package. Anyone who signs up for the e-mail list will also get these discount codes as well! You will also, of course, receive news and updates, and creative, fun ways you can help spread the word of Instigatorzine!

<a href="http://instigatorzine.wufoo.com/forms/q7x3q7/" _mce_href="http://instigatorzine.wufoo.com/forms/q7x3q7/" title="Join Our E-mail List" rel="nofollow">Fill out my Wufoo form!</a>

Instigatorzine now available for the B&N Nook!

2011-07-03T18:48:00.001-07:00

After requests from fans, we have finally made Instigatorzine available for the Barnes and Noble Nook! Go to the issues section to check it out!

Directions: When you purchase your E-Reader Edition of Instigatorzine, it will be in the form of a zip folder. Unzip the folder and you will see two types of files. One is a .mobi file. This is the file type associated with Amazon Kindle. The other file type is an .epub file. This file type is associated with the B&N Nook. Simply plug your device into your computer and drag and drop the file associated to your device into your specified folder.

Note: E-Reader Editions of Instigatorzine do not include images.

Complete Instigatorzine Kindle Collection for sale!

2011-07-03T10:32:00.001-07:00

You can now purchase the Complete Instigatorzine Collection for just $5.99. That's just about half price if you were to buy'em all individually! Click here to take advantage of this special offer!

Instigatorzine 11 Now Available for Purchase!

2011-07-03T09:13:00.001-07:00

The long awaited Instigatorzine 11 is now available for purchase both print and for Amazon Kindle! Also, order today only and get the Kindle edition for just $.75!

Weekly Poll: Who is your favorite Declaration of Indepence instigator?

2011-07-03T08:37:00.001-07:00

On June 11, 1776 the Committee of Five drafted the first copy of the Declaration of Independence. After 23 days and only minor changes, the Committee of the Whole accepted the declaration and claimed the United States' freedom from British rule. While there were many American instigators in this period, we must pay special attention to those who drafted such an important piece of literature.

Weekly Poll: Who is your favorite Looney instigator?

2011-06-27T05:19:00.001-07:00

Preview Issue 11 of Instigatorzine Two Weeks before its release!

2011-06-21T16:28:00.001-07:00

Go to Issues and preview the upcoming issue of Instigatorzine!

Weekly Poll: Who is your favorite fictional child instigator?

2011-06-21T09:35:00.001-07:00

Instigatorzine now available for Kindle!

2011-06-20T16:53:00.001-07:00

Got a Kindle? Wish you could read Instigatorzine on it? Now you can! Head over to the issues section and download each Kindle edition of Instigatorzine for just a buck!

Subscribe now with the reduced price of just $14.99 for 12 issues! Plus free shipping!

2011-06-20T15:19:00.001-07:00

12 Issue Subscription Special! Available for just one week!

$14.99

Each issue will be sent once a month for 12 months. Payment of $14.99 will be charged once. Free shipping!

You know those foldy papery things with the little square in the corner?

2011-06-15T11:44:00.001-07:00

You can now send us things via snail mail! We will appreciate it very much! We may even give these submissions more consideration! Send your submissions, questions, or comments to:

PO Box 583

Bayonne, NJ 07002

Talk about a party!

2011-06-15T11:38:00.001-07:00

We will be hosting a party at the Iron Monkey in Jersey City on July 1. Everyone and their mother should come! Click here to attend on Facebook so you don't forget!

We're Back!

2011-05-17T11:30:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! I know we've been incommunicado for quite some time now, but we've been busy with quite a few things! Instigatorzine founders, Narciso Espiritu Jr. and Keith Chiappone met today to discuss the future of the magazine. As always, we're thinking about ways we could make the magazine better and more accessible to our readers, writers and artists. We've come up with some ideas that we think are going to make the magazine better.

The first thing we did today was make a schedule for the magazine. Starting in July, the magazine will run strictly on a bi-monthly basis. Each issue will be 32 pages.

IZ11 - July 2011
IZ12 - September 2011
IZ13 - November 2011

Starting in 2012, Instigatorzine will conform to a quarterly schedule.

IZ14 - January 2012
IZ15 - April 2012
IZ16 - July 2012
IZ17 - October 2012.

I know, these seems like so few issues to be released in one year, but we're still going to be very busy! Furthermore, instead of just 32 pages for each issue, we will be offering you 52 pages of literature and art by new authors and artists! Sounds pretty good to me.

Also, to make it even more fun, each issue is going to have its own contest. So check back for updates on what those contests will entail!

So you won't forget about us, we will also be holding readings and art shows in between each issue. The schedule for these is as follows:

Readings:

January 7, 2012
March 3, 2012
April 7, 2012
June 2, 2012
July 7, 2012
September 1, 2012
October 6, 2012
December 1, 2010

Art Shows:

January 8-14, 2012
April 8-14, 2012
July 8-14, 2012
October 7-13, 2012

You're probably thinking, "Well that's next year. What abou this year? It's only May!" Well, yes, it is only May and that means that we've still got a lot of time to organize some readings for you for the remainder of this year! Look for one in August.

If anybody knows of venues in New Jersey that offer space for authors and artists, let us know!

Instigatorzine 10C Now Available!

2011-03-20T18:19:00.001-07:00

Instigatorzine 10C featuring a cover by Narciso Espiritu Jr. is now available! Get yours now for just $3! You know, that's less than a gallon of gas nowadays, and it just might get your farther!

Click here to purchase Issue 10C.

Instigatorzine 10B now available to order!

2011-03-13T10:50:00.001-07:00

Order your copy of Instigatorzine 10B featuring artwork by Stephanie Herrera! Available only until March 20! Only $3 + shipping! Click here to order!

Instigatorzine 10A now available for order!

2011-03-03T18:59:00.001-08:00

Each week of March we will be releasing one of the covers of the new Instigatorzine 10. So go right now! First pressing of the pink cover available until March 12!

Click on Issues and scroll down to Issue 10! Just $3 plus shipping!

Instigatorzine Sci-Fi Contest--Win $100!

2011-03-02T18:44:00.001-08:00

Instigatorzine wants to give some money to a genre that is so harshly looked down upon! We are going to give $100 to the best sci-fi story that we can get out hands on!

Deadline: May 31, 2010

Entry Fee: $5

Word Count: 500-2,000

First prize: $100

Second prize: $50

Both selections will be featured in the September issue of Instigatorzine.

Send all submissions to contest@instigatorzine.com.

*Contest requires at least 30 contestants. Contestants who submit multiple pieces must pay an entry fee for each separate piece.

Boneworld Publishing

2011-03-02T17:16:00.001-08:00

Back in November we published a guy named John Berbrich. Today, we were very pleased to have gotten a letter from him that contained a publisher's listing that included us! Visit their website! Support your local publishers!

www.boneworldpublishing.com

We need your help!

2011-03-02T10:11:00.001-08:00

We really need your help! To pay for the cost of printing, we are asking everyone to make a very small donation. It could be as small as a dollar! Every cent counts. So please, press the Donate button below to donate via PayPal!

DONATE

Recollective Poetry Contest for ages 13-18!

2011-03-02T09:59:00.001-08:00

In observance of National Poetry Month, The ReCollective is organizing a high school poetry contest.

There will be two age groups, judged separately: 13-15 year-old students, and 16-18 year-old students.

CASH PRIZES will be awarded to four winners in each age group:

1st Place Winners receive $100
2nd Place Winners receive $75
3rd Place Winners receive $50
Honorable Mention receives $25

Winning entries will also be published in the June issue of Instigatorzine. We will also hold a celebratory reading in June where winners may present their work and copies of the Instigatorzine will be available for purchase. More details on the venue to follow.

The deadline for submissions is Thursday, March 24th. Students may submit poetry of any style or type to be considered.

Send submissions to therecollective@ymail.com with your name and age in the subject line.

All entries must include the participant's name, age, e-mail address, phone number, city, state, and school, so that we may contact the winners with further information. Also, please include how you heard about the contest (magazine, Facebook, etc.).

Please limit submissions to 1 poem per contestant.

Winners will be announced via e-mail and Facebook on April 15th, the middle of National Poetry Month.

How much would you pay for a copy of Instigatorzine?

2011-03-01T18:45:00.001-08:00

Instigatorzine is currently in negotiations with printing companies so we could bring a higher quality magazine to you! But first we need to know how much you would pay for a copy of instigatorzine!

Each copy is 32 pages, full color, saddle-stitched, with brand new authors and artists each month!

So please, let us know so we could make the best deal for you!

Create interactive meetings at Poll Everywhere

We need to know how much you would pay!

2011-03-01T11:02:00.001-08:00

Each copy is 32 pages, full color, saddle-stitched, with brand new authors and artists each month!

So please, let us know so we could make the best deal for you!

Old News Still Worth Reading

2011-03-01T10:59:00.001-08:00

Since we're switching over to Posterous as a platform, here is all the old news we posted on our previous site.

February 18, 2011

This might be a big update. There are a lot of changes occuring with the magazine. First, the February issue will be a split between February and March because its production has been stunted. This means that the March issue will be pushed forward to April. Production has been delayed because we have been negotiating with printers for the best price we can get. The best price we can get means the best price for our readers, so we're really trying to make the best decision! Regardless, the February/March issue will be printed by MagCloud. Since November, we have accidentally been printing bi-monthly. November was a split between November and December, and February will be a split between February and March. However, starting April we will hopefully be printing monthly again!

The February issue will have three different covers by Kristen Chiappone, Stephanie Herrera, and Narciso Espiritu Jr. The one you see on the splash page is by Kristen Chiappone

The February/March issue will feature the following:

"Grief, Pearls and Forgiveness" by Lisa Gulvin

"Eulogy of a Tree" and "The Death of I" by Erick Perez

"Distracted" by Emily Schosid

"Chicken Cutlets" by James Thibeux

"Sated" by Chastity Thomas

"Good Morning, Evening Acts I and II" and "Illustrations" by Akinfe Fatou

"18" by Christopher Pugh

Our Featured Author is Peycho Kanev, celebrating his poetry collection, Bone Silence.

The April issue will include:

"I Heart Polka (and I'm Not Talking About the Dots)" by Dennis Finocchiaro

"The Eighth Drop" by Elizabeth Dunphrey

"Gutter Lullaby and Satin Socks" by Chuck Rowland

"Intuition" by Joe A. Melendez

"Overheard and the 7PM Showing of The Watchmen" by Ruben Carbajal

"Short of Breath at the Writer's Desk" by Angel Eduardo

"Acid Attack" by A.J. Huffman

Featuring "The Messenger" by Jessi Young

January 17, 2011

Issues 1-5 are now available for Kindle! Check out the merch page to download them!

January 11, 2011

There will be no January issue. Due to production delays, we are skipping onward to producing February. Any authors that have been accepted into the January issue of Instigatorzine will be in the March issue.

December 14, 2010

Go to the issues section to grab your copy of IZ9, featuring author, Andrew Kolbenschlag, and artist Allan Norico!

December 5, 2010

We just uploaded all of our featured authors, artists, and instigators of the month, including those from the November/December issue! Go to the issue pages to check them out!

October 29, 2010

Instigatorzine will be taking off for the month of December to prepare for 2011! We have some nifty changes coming your way! Check out the blog for very specific details!

The November issue of Instigatorzine is featuring the following work:

"Gaviota" by Andrew Kolbenschlag

"Chocolate Defined" by John Berbrich

"Dark Circles" by Joe Marchia

"Laura's House" by Lisa Sofranko

Three pieces of flash fiction by Billy Frey

"Laugh Riot" by Michael Weems

"To a Stranger at the Tiki Bar" and "Driving Lesson" by Patrick Shea

"We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes" by Tabitha Vedaurri

"7 Settings" by Chris O'Brien

"Beyond Comprehension" by Mitch Holsten

"The Homecoming" by Matthew Reed

"A Little Snow" by J.A. Curcione

...and artwork by Erin Dodge!

Keep a lookout for it!

October 11, 2010

You can now purchase a digital copy of the special October version of Instigatorzine! Check it out for some cool scary stories! Head over to the issues section!

September 29, 2010

The October issue of Instigatorzine will feature:

"Priced to Sell" by Trace Riles

"Indigo" by Angel Eduardo

"Retribution" by Robert Jason Clark

"Live Electronics" by Laurentiu Ion

"To Cavities," "Smoke Through the Window," "Popping Bubbles," and "A Piece of Fruit" by Marissa Forbes

"Night Tremor" by Kevin Nelson

"Drop 18" by Aaron Harrison

It will also feature, along with artwork by our wonderful staff, the following artists:

APOLLO1

Kristina Salerno

Zarabeth Wilson

Omar Bakry

Lauren Kolesinkskas

Liz Lomax

...and cover artwork by Diane Cilino.

September 14, 2010

You can now preview and purchase issue 7 of Instigatorzine! Go check it out!

September 7, 2010

It's been a long two months with hardly any updates, but hey, things have been busy! The September isn't out yet, but here are the details:

Cover by: Stephanie Herrera

This issue includes:

"The Last Battle" by Kevin Brown

"Wild Neighborhood" by TJ Hunt

"Critical Invitation" by Carl Palmer

"Dwarfs and Dreams" by William B. Kelly

"And the Black Hat?" and "Anchovies in Heaven?" by Clay Waters

"The Butterfly Net" by Gregory Quinn

"Marbles" and "Midnight Friend" by Christina De Lucia

"Compliant" by Richard Freund

"Talking to the Dreamless Man," "Self Abuse," and "Humans vs. Birds" by Changming Yuan

"Farouche" by Claire T. Feilds

"Wounded Dove, Please Recover" by Garvey Potter

"Autumn Colors," "Then, Sleep," and "Tribute" by Ross Losapio

"The Questioning" by Angel Eduardo

"iCook" by Charlotte Ghost

"Closing Statement" by Peycho Kanev

"The Reverie" by Ricardo Mancebo

We also have another reading coming up featuring writers from the last three issues! We hope to see everyone there.

Date: September 25

Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Place: Networking Cafe

418 Broadway

Bayonne, NJ

August 1, 2010

The August edition of Instigatorzine features the following:

"Car and Carriage Collide" by Ruben Carbajal

"Car Bombs and Helmets of the Gods" by Ryan Sprague

"Kinda Beautiful" by Julie Ellinger Hunt

"The Trees Will Go, Too" by Andrew Kolbenschlag

"On Cutting a Tree" by Chazz Jogie

"The Start Menu" by Andrew Gorman

"My Mama and Papa Never Attended," "With a Pencil," and "Summit" by Melida Rodas

"The Sad Hunched Woman with Stubby Pimples on Her Face" by Franca Kirsch

"Time Goes in Starts and Stops" by Lily Sladen

You can also now find Instigatorzine in Jim Hanley's Universe!

Jim Hanley's Universe

4 West 33rd Street

New York, NY

(212) 268-7088

July 12, 2010

The July issue of Instigatorzine is now out! You can purchase a PDF or hard copy in the subscriptions page and the issue history page! Apprehensive? Preview it first and see if you really want it!

Also available are the featured artist and author articles. We spoke with Stephanie Herrera, one of the staff illustrators for Instigatorzine she gave us the inside scoop on illustrating. We also had the opportunity to speak to Daniel Shebses about his short story, "Misunderstandings of the Third Kind." Full article and story are available!

The second podcast is also available! It features an interview with Julie Ellinger Hunt by Keith Chiappone along with readings of four of her poems. So check it out on the media page!

...

July 7, 2010

You can now purchase your copy of Instigatorzine at Garden State News in Bayonne, NJ!

Garden State News

456 Broadway

Bayonne, NJ 07002

201-339-1385

...

July 4, 2010

Instigatorzine proudly presents its first podcast episode! It features an interview with Angel Eduardo, followed by his short story, "Ends." Check it out! More podcasts to come soon!

June 30, 2010

In the fourth issue of Instigatorzine, we misprinted Sandra Bazzarelli's poem, "McDonald's." You can find her poem corrected in the issues section.

...

June 25, 2010

You can now purchase Instigatorzine at Vector Comics in Bayonne, NJ!

Vector Comics

902 Broadway

Bayonne, NJ 07002

201-437-2228

...

June 21, 2010

July's issue is going to be crazy! We have short stories and poetry from 15 different authors! This issue is going to feature:

"Anasthesia" by Liz Vosk

"AM" by Michael Weems

"Master" by Krystal Sital

"Just Like High School" by Amanda Halkiotis

"In Praise of Honey" by John Biscello

"Tarred and Feathered" by Mark Blickley

"Apples to Oranges" by Daniel O'Connor

"Small Amusements" by Ben Nardolilli

"A Day Spent with Words" by Kate Giusfredi

"Stink Eye" by David Sansevere

"There's a Where" by Nathan Fuller

"Language as Play" by Nicole Contreras

"Old and New" by Jacqueline Nigro

"The Weary Lacrymosa" by Dana Facchine

"Misunderstandings of the Third Kind" by Daniel Shebses

It will also be featuring a cover by Nickelodeon artist, Kristen Chiappone. So look out for it on July 1st! Also make sure you attend the second Instigatorzine reading on July 24 at the Networking Cafe in Bayonne, NJ. Many of the authors listed above will be there to read their work!

...

June 9, 2010

If you look upward, you'll see a contest icon. Click it! We are holding our first contest! Gran prize is $100, second is $50, third is $25. Get movin'!

...

June 6, 2010

Instigatorzine will be hosting its second reading at the Networking Cafe at 418 Broadway, Bayonne, NJ 07002 at 6:00-8:00PM on July 24. Readings will be delivered by contributors from our third and fourth issue.

...

May 10, 2010

The Instigatorzine has been featured on Newark's Examiner! Article by Sean L. Fitts, whose work appeared in the third edition of the Instigatorzine. So check it out! And check out his work!

The Instigatorzine is also producing its first series of podcasts! The podcast will feature readings and interviews by the authors who appeared at our first reading at the Symposia Bookstore in Hoboken, NJ. The podcast will be coming out once a week starting on May 30. So be sure to check back! Below is a list of the authors appearing in the podcasts:

-Elizabeth Vosk

-Lisa Sofranko

-Julie Ellinger Hunt

-Angel Eduardo

-Keith Chiappone

-Robert Jason Clark

Each podcast will also feature a theme song by local musicians. So if you're interested, send us an e-mail at questions@instigatorzine.com!

...

May 9, 2010

We are pleased to announce that the June issue of the Instigatorzine will feature:

"25 Ghosts" by Angel Eduardo

"26 Stories High" by Dan Cappello

"McDonald's" by Sandra Bazzarelli

"Being Nobody" by Carmin Aguiles

"Fiance" and "Professional Scape" by Brian Nailer

"Everything I Know in Life, I Learned from Duke Nukem" by Sam Slaughter

"Dover 1996" and "Sitting with Mr. Collins" by Patrick Shea

"Wish Fish" by Paul Jacks

...

April 16, 2010

-Due to scheduling difficulties, we will not be publishing an issue for May 2010.

-We would like to welcome our new member, Elias Jimenez, as senior editor.

...

April 15, 2010

You can now preview and purchase the April issue of the Instigatorzine! So head over to the history page to check them out!

...

April 12, 2010

Check out the blog for two new posts about "Running Dragons" and 100 word groups!

...

April 7, 2010

-You can now purchase your copy of Instigatorzine at Moonshadow Collectibles (3379 JFK Blvd.) in Jersey City, NJ.

-We are having a logo contest. Please click contests for details.

-You can now view a list of authors and artists appearing thus far in our zine in the Contributors page.

...

April 2, 2010

The April issue of Instigatorzine will feature:

"The Diner" by Cristi Long

"Green Parrots in NJ" and "Divorce" by Sean Fitts

"The Angel" by Michelle McGuiness

"A Bottle" by Chazz Jogie

"Modern Romance," "Modern Romance Pt. II," "Now That's Comedy," and "The Most Dangerous Game" by Myles Ma

"Amber" by Laura McKeon and Melida Rodas

and "Missing Lourdes" by Sean O'Kane

...

March 26, 2010

You can now preview the March issue of Instigatorzine for free on the History page!

...

March 18, 2010

You can now order a single current issue from our Subscription page.

...

March 15, 2010

The second issue is now out. You can purchase a digital copy in the History page. Also, start your hard copy subscription now with this issue! It features:

"Dead in the Dining Room" by Keith Chiappone

"White is..." by Jenna Kildosher

"Glass Door (Excerpt)" by Lisa Sofranko

"The Sweater" and "You Sent Me" by Julie Ellinger Hunt

And the conclusion of "Two for One" by Robert Jason Clark.

Also appearing in the March issue of The Instigator is artwork by:

Pablo Naranjo, Madelynne Dela Rama, GJ Lee, Shenella Cutting, Chazz Jogie, and Lizette Louis.

...

March 10, 2010

We will be hosting our first event on April 18, 2010 at the Symposia in Hoboken at 6:00PM. The Symposia is located at 510 Washington Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030.

There will be readings by:

Angel Eduardo

Lisa Sofranko

and more TBA

Website updates:

Events page added.

Issue History updated.

Submission guidelines updated.

...

March 4, 2010

Website updates:

-Submissions link changed to Contact/Submit

-Twitter and Facebook links added to Contact/Submit

...

March 2, 2010

Subscriptions are now available. Please visit the Subscriptions page to choose

Issue 10 digitally available for $1!

2011-02-28T12:10:00.001-08:00

Go to our website at http://instigatorzine.com to download your digital copy of IZ10 for just a dollar! There are three different covers--one by Kristen Chiappone, one by Narciso Espiritu Jr., and another by Stephanie Hererra! Check'em all out!

Vote for Amy Rowland in an online art contest http://tinyurl.com/4d8kwov

2011-02-23T08:39:00.001-08:00

One of our favored authors has entered an online art contest. Everyone should go to this page and vote for her! You have to enter your name and email, but otherwise they don't contact you except for the receipt!

http://tinyurl.com/4d8kwov

We want to know! Do you have a Kindle, a Nook or an iPad? Tweet or comment your responses!

2011-01-17T19:27:00.001-08:00

Tweet or comment your responses!

We need help! Donate to Instigatorzine!

2011-01-13T17:57:00.001-08:00

See that donate button on the top of our website? We really need you to click it! Even if it's just a dollar you'd be helping us out a great deal!

www.instigatorzine.com

Reading PDFs on the Kindle isn't too great, is it?

2011-01-13T15:02:00.001-08:00

That's why we're working on getting Kindle formatted Instigatorzine on your way! Check back in a couple days and all current issues will be up and available for optimal Kindle reading!

What if we were to tell you we had a couple books coming your way? Tweet your responses!

2011-01-12T08:24:00.001-08:00

Let us know what you think! Tweet your responses!

Stumble

2011-01-10T23:49:00.001-08:00

Narc here.

I think this is one of my favorite spots I did for Instigatorzine.

Published way back in April 2010, this neat sepia ink painting was illustrated for a poem called "Divorce" by Sean L. Fitts.

Every time I

stand from my chair, I

reach for the old couch,

but the old couch

isn't there.

The old couch

was higher than

the new one

in its place.

So, every time I

reach for it, I

stumble.

Happy New Year from the Instigatorzine crew!

2010-12-31T05:08:00.001-08:00

Kelly Cuenca

Jessica Norton

Daniel Kidd

Robert Nelson

Keith Chiappone

Jenna Kildosher

Elias Jimenez

Steven Gavrielatos

Lisa Sofranko

Erick Perez

Narciso Espiritu Jr

Stephanie Herrera

Chazz Jogie

Robert Nelson

Erin Dodge

Keat Teoh

Giancarlo Corbancho

Keiko Tokushima

Kristen Chiappone

Johnny Dombrowski

Stefanie Morin

Zarabeth Wilson

Ellis Clark

would all like to wish everybody a happy new year!

Come to our next reading! Seems like a long time from now, but it's just around the corner!

2010-12-17T18:33:00.001-08:00

February 8, 2011

Instigatorzine Reading

Location: New Jersey City University, Hepburn Hall 202 (2039 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07305)

Time: 6:00PM - 8:00PM

Price: Free

Readings by:

Angel Eduardo

Nicole Contreras

Andrew Kolbenschlag

Erick Perez

*This event is open to all guests.

http://www.instigatorzine.com

Check out this great artwork by Allan Norico!

2010-12-17T16:19:00.001-08:00

IZ9 featured artist Allan Norico! Check out his work and a nice interview here! http://instigatorzine.com/featured/anorico.html

Gaviota by Andrew Kolbenschlag

2010-12-16T09:25:00.001-08:00

Issue 9 of Instigatorzine features writer Andrew Kolbenschlag's short story, "Gaviota." Go check it out right here! http://instigatorzine.com/featured/akolbenschlag.html

Issue 9 available for download and print!

2010-12-14T17:50:00.001-08:00

The 9th issue of Instigatorzine is now out! Go to our website at www.instigatorzine.com to download your copy for $1 or order your print copy for $3 + shipping!

From our website:

Issue: 9

Release Date: December 14, 2010

Cover by: Erin Dodge

Instigator of the Month: Geoffrey Canada

This issue includes:

FEATURED AUTHOR: "Gaviota" by Andrew Kolbenschlag

"Chocolate Defined" by John Berbrich

"Dark Circles" by Joe Marchia

"Laura's House" by Lisa Sofranko

Three pieces of flash fiction by Billy Frey

FEATURED ARTIST: Alan Norico

"Laugh Riot" by Michael Weems

"To a Stranger at the Tiki Bar" and "Driving Lesson" by Patrick Shea

"We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes" by Tabitha Vedaurri

"7 Settings" by Chris O'Brien

"Beyond Comprehension" by Mitch Holsten

"The Homecoming" by Matthew Reed

"A Little Snow" by J.A. Curcione

Preview this issue for free!

Purchase: PDF $1 | Print $3 + Shipping

Did you know Instigatorzine offers adspace?

2010-12-05T15:25:00.001-08:00

Instigatorzine offers adspace to local businesses! And check this out--if you purchase an ad with us, one of our illustrators will design the ad for you for FREE! So let your business be known!

To have an ad in just one issue, it's $10 per 1/4 page and $20 per half page. Not too schnazzy, eh?

Send an inquiery to questions@instigatorzine.com to arrange your ad!

To view the entire advertisement price sheet with all our options, click here!

One of our friends started a zine! You should go check it out!

2010-12-05T10:03:00.001-08:00

One of our illustrators started a zine. Check it out at http://www.facebook.com/pages/POWzine/141961525856227 and http://thefakepowzine.blogspot.com/.>

You can now view all of the featured author, artist, and instigator of the month articles on our homepage! www.instigatorzine.com

2010-12-05T09:46:00.001-08:00

Check out the issues section of our website to check out featured author, artist, and instigator of the month articles! From issue 4 to 9, they're all up for free!

Today's the deadline for submissions! Send yours now to submissions@instigatorzine.com!

2010-11-24T02:07:00.001-08:00

In February we'll be releasing our anniversary issue! Wanna be included? Send your short story, poem or play to submissions@instigatorzine.com!

Our posters are on sale! Go get one now!

2010-11-18T12:26:00.001-08:00

Instigatorzine posters are on sale! Go check'em out on our merch page. You can own a poster of our first five covers for $10 + shipping! I heard David Sedaris even has one.

http://instigatorzine.com/merch.html

For your entertainment...Michelle McGuinness!

2010-11-15T16:52:00.001-08:00

Check out Michelle McGuinness's blog! Michelle appeared in the third issue of Instigatorzine. She posts everyday!

http://misha-mcg.livejournal.com/

Becoming an instigator is easy...

2010-11-11T12:04:00.001-08:00

Becoming an instigator is easy! I started as a little boy when my father spanked me and I said, "That doesn't hurt!"

He responded in a menacing tone, "Oh yeah?" to which I ran upstairs and locked myself in my bedroom.

That's not all it takes to be an instigator though. Each month we print a mock definition of the term on the cover of our zine. Most of the time it's jokey (i.e. to wear white after Labor Day, to spit in someone's overpriced burnt coffee). The fourth issue featured a new article that has been printed and will be printed in ever issue following called the Instigator of the Month. The idea of this article is to publish articles recognizing people in history or local news that did something remarkable. To instigate always means to ignite change in the way things are done. I said, "That doesn't hurt!" to my father because his mode of punishment was not effective and needed to be changed.

So what can you do to become an instigator?

Earlier this year I made a list of things I believe and do not believe. Make this list yourself. When making this list I discovered a lot about myself that I hadn't known before. Many of my beliefs conflict with my non-beliefs. You will probably find the same. It's human nature to be inconsistent. It's the inconsistencies we must embrace. After you make this list, tell others to make their own list and find things that you agree on. Change occurs when there is strength in numbers. Without others following you, you might be crazy. Be warned though, having a very large following is also a sign you might be insane. There are extremes to both sides.

In the meantime, as you're doing all this and figuring out what you feel really strongly about, submit to the magazine! We want to hear your short stories and poetry. Tell us about when you were wronged, changes you think need to be made. We may just publish it!

Another of our authors published!

2010-11-10T12:40:00.001-08:00

Ryan Sprague published a story called, "Car Bombs and the Helmets of God" in the 6th issue of Instigatorzine. Now, you can read his inspirational novel, Grateful! Go to his website to order the book and maybe even go to one of his signings or readings! Who would've thought from his short story that he was a sports writer?

"Ryan Sprague takes you onto the field, into the huddle and inside the heart and mind of a Florida State football player, offering both the unique perspective of a passionate walk-on and the life-long lessons and unforgettable memories of a national champion."

http://www.ryansprague.com

You can read his short story, "Car Bombs and the Helmets of God," in the 6th issue of Instigatorzine.

http://instigatorzine.com/issues/6.html

In June we published an article about a wonderful artist named Laura Meyers. Check out the whole thing here!

2010-11-10T12:16:00.001-08:00

Who says you have to wait for print to see illustrations?

2010-11-10T07:37:00.000-08:00

I usually don't like uploading until illustrations are published (even if it is for my own magazine), but I can't find anything else I've scanned at the moment.

You can find this one for "Laugh Riot" in Instigatorzine 9.

www.instigatorzine.com

In June we published our first Featured Author, Sandra Bazzarelli! Here is the whole article and interview by Jenna Kildosher!

2010-11-09T17:11:00.001-08:00

In June we published our first Featured Author, Sandra Bazzarelli! Here is the whole article and interview by Jenna Kildosher! Check out her blog at http://sandrabazzarelli.blogspot.com/

This month's featured writer is Sandra Bazzarelli for her piece, "McDonald's." Poetry can be a hard genre of literature to grasp. However, Sandra Bazzarelli's poem was chosen for its accessibility, as well as its creative, to the realm of poetry. Sandra displays her position as a first generation American as well as her parental relationship, or any parent-child relationship for that matter. A parent's criticism and self-contradiction, a conundrum we can all relate to, is exemplified through Bazzarelli's "McDonald's." An interview with the writer herself gives Instigatorzine an insight into the workings of Ms. Sandra Bazzarelli.

What type of literature do you mainly write? Would you say poetry is your main genre of writing? If not what type of writer would you consider yourself?

I think I do my best writing when I’m working with a fixed number of lines. This is probably why I gravitate toward poetry and songs. Shorter is better for me. I wrote a novel once. And it’s been constipating my hard drive for over 12 years. Frankly, I cannot begin to describe its awfulness to you. That would take too many lines. And collectively they would be, well, awful.

Some may find poetry to be intimidating because of ambiguity, or they just, “don't get it.” What would you say to someone who doesn't read poetry because they may not fully understand it?

I would probably say, “If you are not a poetry reader, then write poetry.” You will have a cleaner lens as a reader once you’ve been a writer. Not all poetry has to be woefully Hallmarkian. It’s a voluminous genre. Walt Whitman and Shel Silverstein are both poets, after all.

I found “McDonald's” a poem that would be easily accessible, because of its directness and humorous demeanor, to people who may misunderstand poetry, would you agree?

You’re right about its accessibility. It is definitely not an old school jazz musician of a poem. It doesn’t turn its back on its audience. It faces you because it hopes you’ll recognize something about yourself when you look at it. It’s likely funny because it’s relatable without being jokey. I personally find humor to be remarkably highbrow. I find poems about slitting your wrists on the bathroom floor to be so predictable and such a snore.

In your biography, you state you are a first generation American, we see this take part in your poem “McDonald's”. How does this take influence in your other works?

My family pops up in a lot of my writing, for better or worse. Mine is an American experience underscored by the fact that my parents are immigrants and their English is broken. My mother’s English is much better than my father’s, yes, but there has always been poetry in the way each of them speaks English. They’ve either had to use simple, choppy sentences, or they’ve had to simile and metaphor the shit out of what they didn’t have the precise words for. My mother, for example, would never say, “He has a pronounced chin.” Instead she’d say, “His chin. It’s like you can grab his ankles, turn him upside down, and dig in the dirt with it.”

“If you are not a poetry reader, then write poetry.” You will have a cleaner lens as a reader once you’ve been a writer. Not all poetry has to be woefully Hallmarkian. It’s a voluminous genre. Walt Whitman and Shel Silverstein are both poets, after all.”

Reading this poem we get an understanding of a part of the parent-child relationship, a parent's criticism and their self-contradiction. Was this something you wanted to depict?

I think I just wanted to sum up my father.

Criticism + self-contradiction + food = my father.

What did you want to portray in “McDonalds”?

I suppose I just wanted to portray how the everyday exchanges people have are really just comical, but profoundly telling, living poems. What you don’t know is that my father is a chef. So, in my family, we absolutely know the difference between good food and junk food. But McDonald’s, as you know, works in mysterious ways. Come to think of it, maybe I just wanted to portray the voodoo charms of McDonald’s French fries. And now I’m hungry.

McDonald's

Whenever I get McDonald's

my father has to stand over my shoulder

and make his usual comments.

"Looka whadda she's eat,"

he'll say to no one but me-

because I'm the only asshole there.

"No eata dis merda.

Dis food itsa everyting shit," he'll say.

I'll ask if he wants a French fry and he'll say no.

I'll ask him again and he won't answer.

I don't ask him a third time because

he is already eating my French fries.

Then he tears a ketchup packet open

with his teeth and squeezes

a Heinz pool out onto a napkin.

In go the French fries,

three, four, five at a time.

He is eating

all my shit.

Buy digital copies of Instigatorzine on our website for $1!

2010-11-06T15:24:00.001-07:00

Remember folks, you can purchase a digital copy of Instigatorzine on our website at http://instigatorzine.com!

Our Anniversary is coming up!

2010-11-06T09:20:00.001-07:00

Hey Instigators! Our one year anniversary is coming up in February! I know that seems so long from now, but it's really just two issues away! I'd like to take the opportunity to preemptively honor the magazine and send a request out to those who contributed to it.

We releaed the first issue of Instigatorzine in February of 2010. I had gotten the idea from reading through my writer's market book and finding only three magazines published out of New Jersey, none of which publish non-fiction. Having just taken a memoir class, I thought this was horrible. Non-fiction can be an incredibly crafty and skillful sort of literature that should be recognized and displayed proudly. I thought literature was dying, especially in New Jersey. However, after publishing the magazine, I found that New Jersey is very much alive and rich with wonderful authors who are just waiting to be published. It makes me feel incredibly proud to have published over 80 new authors in such a short amount of time, and even prouder to have published authors who went on to publish poetry collections and books as well, such as Peycho Kanev and Brian Nailer.

I am also very proud to have had the opportunity to work with such great artists as well. I have to thank Narciso for introducing me to them and making them a part of our time, further enriching the quality of Instigatorzine.I never knew it would come this far in such a short amount of time.

So, as I said earlier, our anniversary is coming up. We first released the zine in February of 2010. It was all black and white, featuring the following cover by Narciso Espiritu Jr (co-founder). As you can see, we were originally called The Instigator, but to avoid legal conflicts with another magazine called Instigator, we changed it to Instigatorzine.

In this issue, we featured literary works by Craig Wynne, Ashleigh Matkowski, Elizabeth Vosk, Angel Eduardo, Robert Jason Clark, Nicole Contreras, and artwork by Madelynne Dela Rama and Pablo Naranjo.

I would like to send an invitation to each of these authors to submit a work for our one year anniversary to be released in February. I make this announcement so early because our production process is two months. Thus, we are currently working on the January issue, and in December we will be working on the February issue.

Here's to an amazing magazine made amazing only by the authors and artists who contribute toward it!

Peycho Kanev's new book!

2010-11-05T08:28:00.001-07:00

In September, we published a poem by Peycho Kanev called "Closing Statement." He just released a new collection titled Bone Silence. Go on Amazon and check it out! It's available as a hard copy and for Kindle as well!

http://www.amazon.com/Bone-Silence-Peycho-Kanev/dp/0982917619/ref=sr_1_2?ie=U...

Andrew Kolbenschlag

2010-11-03T20:14:00.001-07:00

Check out Andrew Kolbenschlag's new blog! http://kolbenschlag.blogspot.com/

Andrew Kolbenschlag appeared in the sixth issue of Instigatorzine with his story, "The Trees Will Go, Too." His new story, "Gaviota" will be appearing in the November issue, so make sure you check it out!

Our covers

2010-11-03T09:20:00.001-07:00

See the full gallery on posterous

Which one's your favorite?

November - Instigatorzine 9

2010-11-03T09:17:00.001-07:00

Who's looking forward to the November issue? I know I am.

The November issue of Instigatorzine is featuring the following work:
"Gaviota" by Andrew Kolbenschlag
"Chocolate Defined" by John Berbrich
"Dark Circles" by Joe Marchia
"Laura's House" by Lisa Sofranko
Three pieces of flash fiction by Billy Frey
"Laugh Riot" by Michael Weems
"To a Stranger at the Tiki Bar" and "Driving Lesson" by Patrick Shea
"We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes" by Tabitha Vedaurri
"7 Settings" by Chris O'Brien
"Beyond Comprehension" by Mitch Holsten
"The Homecoming" by Matthew Reed
"A Little Snow" by J.A. Curcione

...and artwork by Erin Dodge!

Keep a lookout for it!

A moment of transparency

2010-10-21T12:34:00.001-07:00

Hello Instigators! I'd like to present to you a moment of transparency in a world that's way too often opaque. There will be changes in the upcoming issues of Instigatorzine, as there always has been which each issue. It's surprising to thing that something I started as a 20 page xerox copy zine has grown into a full color print with 48 pages in full color with advertisements.

In the following months we are going to become an actual state recognized business, which means we'll get some zebra stripes on the back cover. The reason for this is that we are switching printing companies to MagCloud, a lovely website that prints high quality magazines. We are switching because our current company is going out of business. Unfortunately, MagCloud is a little more expensive than our current company. However, we hope that this will not cause an increase in price. In order to keep the price low, we will have to start selling more ad-space. How do we do this?

It is difficult to offer ad-space to bigger companies when all you have is a personal checking account. Who wants to write a check to Keith Chiappone for adspace in a small zine? Becoming state recognized means we would be able to open a bank account under the name, Instigatorzine. Thus, companies will be more willing to work with us. This also means it will be easier for you, the readers, to subscribe to the magazine.

To also cut costs we will also be shortening the magazine to 32 pages. The goal is to have four pages of ads, which will pay for the costs of printing. Instigatorzine will always be an art and literary zine. We have 28 pages of really good literature and art to offer to you, and we're gonna keep on doing it!

In preparation for the new year changes, we will be taking off in December. Any subscribers will have their subscription extended by one month. See you in November!

Have we let you down? Maybe.

2010-10-02T00:04:00.000-07:00

Trying to find someone to primarily run the blog, but the only person who has access to a lot of different things, at least Instigatorzine wise, are either me or Keith.

Trusting a person with IZ secrets shouldn't be a problem since there are no IZ secrets.

For now, if you live in the Jersey City area, you should definitely be checking out the Jersey City Artists' Studio Tour. It's well worth the effort you'll be putting into walking and traveling all over Jersey City, invading many artists' personal spaces.

Is it invasion if they let you? Probably not.

Check out The Black Hollies while you're walking around 4th Street in Jersey City. They're a good band based in Jersey City. I discovered them when I was checking out the Grove Street Creative Market three weeks ago. The Black Hollies will be playing around 8p on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Instigatorzine 8 is on its way to the printers.

Instigatorzine 6

2010-08-12T10:38:00.001-07:00

Instigatorzine 6 is now out in stores. Here is a list of stores that carry Instigatorzine:

MoonShadow Comics & Collectibles - Jersey City, NJ
Vector Comics - Bayonne, NJ
Garden State News - Bayonne, NJ
Keep It Fit Cafe - Bayonne, NJ
Jim Hanley's Universe - New York, New York

(Check it out! We have FIVE retailers selling our product! Tell your friends! Support Instigatorzine!)

Also, in commemoration of our sixth month of producing this wonderful editorial, IZ6 has two covers by Elias Jimenez and Madelynne Dela Rama, respectively.

Instigatorzine #6 is brought to you by the pin-up. Enjoy.

Instigatorzine.com

Jim Hanley's Universe

2010-07-30T22:21:00.001-07:00

Guess which independent arts and literature editorial is being sold at Jim Hanley's Universe!

Instigatorzine!

His name is Harvey Pekar.

2010-07-14T15:20:00.001-07:00

1939-2010

Cleveland.com

Instigatorzine 5

2010-07-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

Five issues. I never thought we'd make it past the first issue.

I'm kidding. I'm really proud of the product we put out (now). Just seeing the bare layouts make me excited to be working on something like this and inspired by the work encased within it's paper-thin borders.

Really, check it out.

Cover Art by Kristen Chiappone

The July issue features literature:

"Anasthesia" by Liz Vosk

"AM" by Michael Weems

"Master" by Krystal Sital

"Just Like High School" by Amanda Halkiotis

"In Praise of Honey" by John Biscello

"Tarred and Feathered" by Mark Blickley

"Apples to Oranges" by Daniel O'Connor

"Small Amusements" by Ben Nardolilli

"A Day Spent with Words" by Kate Giusfredi

"The Stink-Eye" by David Sansevere

"There's a Where" by Nathan Fuller

"Language as Play" by Nicole Contreras

"Old and New" by Jacqueline Nigro

"The Weary Lacrymosa" by Dana Facchine

"Misunderstandings of the Third Kind" by Daniel Shebses

...And art from:

Stephanie Herrera

Kelly Cuenca

Elias Jimenez

Madelynne Dela Rama

Steven Defendini

Chazz Jogie

Kristen Chiappone

and more!

Instigatorzine

Really, check it out.

2010-07-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

10 Awesome Painters

Halloween Contest Clarifications

2010-06-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

So, I was talking to my friend about the Halloween story and poetry contest and she said something interesting to me. When I asked her if she planned on entering, she said, "Well I can't write scary stories, so most likely not."
I was startled by this response. To this, I replied, "Well, it doesn't have to be scary."
I think a lot of people think when there's a Halloween contest, it has to be scary. However, this is not the case. I explained to my friend that she could write a story or poem about trick or treating, about dressing up, about picking out the costume, about a costume contest they participated in, a costume gone terribly wrong, a particular memory just vaguely associated with Halloween, a significant event that happened around Halloween, an experience with a scary movie or Halloween movie, etc. The possibilities are endless. I remember, during Halloween, when the McDonald's on 25th on Broadway in Bayonne would give out Happy Meal goody bags. I remember, when with one of my ex-girlfriends, we took her little brother to his cub scouts Halloween meeting. I could write a whole story describing this event.
So remember: When you write your story or poem for this contest, think outside the box. It doesn't have to be all ghosts and goblins!

In case you didn't know...

2010-06-11T05:32:00.001-07:00

Almost all the instigatorzine editorial staff try to maintain blogs of their own, and since only Keith and I (well, really, just me lately) post here. Maybe you'd like to look at something else. Something more personal (and more frequently updated).

I was going to put everyone's tumblr's and personal websites down, but I think I'm the only one who has those two things and it would be gratuitous.

Enjoy.

Sketch Day May 19

2010-05-31T05:18:00.000-07:00

Cold War Kids.

Hospital Beds by Cold War Kids

Sketch Day May 17

2010-05-31T05:12:00.000-07:00

Chloe Sevigny.

Sketch Day May 10

2010-05-13T22:38:00.001-07:00

Tim Fitzgerald. Guns. Skulls. Darkness. Violence. Retribution.

The Punisher.

Photo I final project, one of three.

Sketch Day May 3

2010-05-03T16:31:00.001-07:00

The Immortal Iron Fist.