FLOATED MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 : simplebooklet.com

PRESENTS SATURDAY MARCH WEDNESDAY JANUARY 23 7 00PM WITH SPECIAL GUEST HENRY JAMISON THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7 7 30PM 6 00PM FRIDAY FEBRUARY 15 8 30PM 6 30PM THE AMERICAN LED ZEPPELIN 8 00PM FRIDAY MARCH 1 13 8 00PM WITH MIKAELA DAVIS FRIDAY MARCH WITH THE NUDE PARTY SUGAR MOUNTAIN CELEBRATING THE GENIUS OF NEIL YOUNG 22 7 00PM THE FOREVER YOUNG TOUR FRIDAY MARCH 29 7 00PM COUNTRY FUZZ TOUR SATURDAY APRIL WITH SPECIAL GUESTS TESSERACT ASTRONOID SATURDAY FEBRUARY 23 WITH MAYBE NEVER MARCH SUNDAY FEBRUARY 17 7 00PM WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FEBRUARY 14 9 20 8 00PM A TRIBUTE TO TALKING HEADS MONDAY APRIL RECORD RELEASE W ORQUESTA ANTONETTI CAMMY ENAHARO 22 Floated Mag is an alternative arts and culture magazine highlighting up and coming creators alternative lifestyles and social topics We aim to share the stories behind the artist and offer niche perspectives on emerging trends within contemporary culture showcasing unique and obscure aspects of society As a collective of artists designers writers and music fanatics we produce quality content to ensure that our readers are engaged and well informed with the best in upcoming entertainment We re here to show you what s dope today and what s going to kick ass tomorrow 7 00PM MORE INFO TICKET SALES AT ANTHOLOGYLIVE COM 7 00PM 336 EAST AVE ROCHESTER NY 1

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Most of my music is geared towards an altruistic and empathetic behavior developing the idea of being yourself and always Fostering Joy and Creativity in Education Art by Olivia Konys Words by Emmarae Stein Why be a bully Be a buddy Share all the love you can sings Jon Lewis a local singer songwriter with a focus on writing fun filled and inventive children s music Performing under the stage name Mr Loops this artistically inclined musician is a true multipotentialite digging his hands into a number of creative endeavours throughout the Rochester area From working as a videographer for local 6 historical societies to instilling a love for hands on learning in his role as a preschool teacher Lewis finds an inherent joy in sharing his creative passions with the community Entering his sixth year of performing under the stage name of Mr Loops Lewis can be seen donning wildly colorful outfits and expressing a wacky persona through singing original children s music at birthday parties large family events daycare centers and the occasional park or library Lewis holds a unique ability to seamlessly synthesize his role as an educator into his work as a creator combining the art of emotional pedagogy with playful and approachable lyrics to encourage children to explore their own emotions and engage with problems that necessitate conflictresolution During a lighthearted and cheerful phone call with Floated editor Krit Upra Lewis unpacks the messages in his songs sharing that As Mr Loops most of my music is geared towards an altruistic and empathetic behavior developing the idea of being silly dancing expressing yourself and always helping others Working as a preschool teacher in the Rochester City School District Lewis aims to bring creativity into the classroom often hearing students refer to his main instrument as Mr Guitar Playing exciting and joyful melodies to start off each day and light soothing songs during naptime Lewis insists on the importance of making the children s time spent in school an inviting opportunity for learning and personal growth When I go into school my life gets put at the door and it s all about greeting these kids with a huge ball of energy when they come in making them feel wanted and making them feel important and that they are important enough to be whatever they want to be Openly aware of his minority status as a man in the field of adolescent education Lewis hopes that he can act as a positive male role model by using his craft to impel his students to express their emotions through empathy rather than violence After spending hours of quality time in the classroom this hope became a reality as Lewis noticed that students were using their toy blocks to pretend to play music rather than pretend to shoot guns Describing the phenomenal shift that occurred as he incorporated music into the curriculum Lewis states that It totally changed their mindset of using things to pretend like they were shooting or being violent to being creatively oriented and playing music and that makes me so happy That s something that s already started to happen in front of me 24

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Emphasizing the importance of combining the concepts of work and play Lewis reflects on his own grade school experiences sharing that As a student myself growing up I focused way more on play than work I wasn t a very good in class student I was always extracurricular doing a lot of theatre or video projects or comedy to make my way through school That was always my opinion of education it should be stressed how important it is to cultivate these social skills and the ability to make work and play the same thing throughout your whole life so that people don t grow up thinking that you need to separate these things so much By working with When I go into school my life gets put at the door and it s all about greeting these kids with a huge ball of energy when they come in making them feel wanted and making them feel important and that they are important enough to be whatever they want to be 25 HighScope a curriculum emphasizing the role of student led education Lewis explains that he s able to actualize this philosophy by providing foundational blocks for preschool children to become proficient in solving conflict and developing their own set of social skills In describing the tone set by the HighScope curriculum Lewis expresses with an infectious level of delight that the focus isn t on regimented strict education at all It s more about cultivating the idea that these kids can solve their own problems without violence During work time Lewis explains that students are allowed to do whatever they want in the classroom The teacher s role is disengaged and they hang back mediate play music and give some thought provoking questions to stir the children s imagination If conflict occurs the teachers act as mentors to inspire empowering solutions that the students can come to on their own accord While children may forget the precise lessons and abilities gained as they grow Lewis asserts that implementing these skills throughout an early childhood curriculum is crucial to a child s healthy development The research is there that people who are taught this HighScope curriculum in preschool are much more functional less violent people and the graduating percentage is much higher in people who have had that early on training While Lewis takes pride in the radical improvements that have been made to the preschool curriculum in the district he fears that a lot of work is left to be done to heighten the quality of education for higher grades After hearing a radio host call the Rochester City School District a glorified daycare for parents Lewis argues that critical changes must be made asserting that There needs to be a priority put on the educational system and people need to realize that this is the next generation of citizens and people and humans that are coming up and their education is so important It s not just a glorified daycare this is the future If we re going to save our future we need to start by making sure that they re growing up without the same sort of conflicts that we are having as an older generation now Alongside dialogues about supporting students in poverty allocating resources to improve the quality of the schools and learning how it should be stressed how important it is to cultivate these social skills and the ability to make work and play the same thing throughout your whole life to instill a higher level of care for each student Lewis explains that A really important part of working where I am is understanding what I need to do to help this situation Although it is no small feat Lewis hopes that by bringing the joy of music to his students from a young age he can foster a love for creativity that will make his students feel empowered to continue to find excitement in learning throughout their academic career As he nurtures the minds of the youngest members of our society Lewis looks to the future and envisions a world where children are taught to value each other for their differences expressing that because we re all raised a little differently because we come from different places because we look different we have implicit bias that s ingrained in us that makes us treat other people differently sometimes without us even realizing it So I want kids to grow up with more of an ability to be open and have conversations about that which aren t so antagonistic and conflict oriented and are more about problem solving More about our ability to understand differences as complementary rather than something that can subtract from a situation By teaching younger children the importance of empathy attentiveness respect and kindness Lewis believes that many of our other conflicts would simply fade away In the lyrics of Mr Loops himself When your heart is full you re invincible every single day 9

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NOVO AMOR Taking Action to Make the Music Industry Greener Words by Gabriel Birkby Photography by Lloyd McCullough Forward thinking artists such as Novo Amor continue to rethink and challenge industry standards paving the way for their team to continue touring and creating music while preserving the planet for future artists to enjoy and take inspiration from Much of Novo Amor s discography leans on natural and organic timbres with vulnerable instrumentation and stunning vocal melodies all being driven by singer songwriter Ali Lacey s reflective lyrical stories His most recent album Birthplace reflects much of the juxtaposition occurring in our dynamically changing world Set upon a lush soundscape a hint of melancholy and a sense of urgency is ever present Floated had a chance to sit down with Lacey and talk about his green initiatives and how they tie into his regular touring life as well as the inner workings of his supporting cast Going green can be tough as a musician with how much traveling is involved in touring Novo Amor is no stranger to being on the road and realizes the impact musicians have on the planet when they are on tour From plastic water bottles and cutlery to the diesel burnt over tens of thousands of miles there is a real footprint left behind Working to counter their carbon footprint Novo Amor collaborates with two UK charities Julie s Bicycle and Energy Revolution Lacey explains that Novo Amor balances fuel consumption by funding projects that help support clean energy initiatives We ve essentially given ourselves a pollution tax which will help fund projects such as community solar power in the UK wind power generation and reforestation in India It won t take long for nature to reclaim the world If we get replaced by robots they ll likely be better guests than we were 13 In addition to reducing their carbon footprint on tour Novo Amor is taking great strides towards a greener operation The vinyl records they sell are made up of recycled vinyl pellets This makes each record unique in color and according to Lacey it was actually cheaper to do this than buying new vinyl All of the album covers for vinyl and CD s are FSC certified and the shirts sold are 100 organic cotton Only water based inks are used on merchandise which are environmentally friendly and entirely solvent free Lacey mentioned that he is always working with his merchandise supplier to make sure that environmentally friendly items are being used 13

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We ll have ruined our oceans in thirty years exhausted our water supply and become pretty claustrophobic Novo Amor recently released a music video for their song Birthplace as well which focuses on plastic pollution A touching and well done video Lacey attributes the conception of the video idea to the directors Sil van der Woerd and JorDozy Lacey took the chance to use his platform as a wellknown musician and advance an idea that he believes will benefit generations to come He only has three words when asked what he d say to those who don t believe that global warming is impacting the planet You re an idiot Strong words with passion backed up by Lacey s drive and execution of the green initiatives he has laid out He has a protective view of this earth and only hopes for the best for the future of the planet 15 In a world where a lot of performers are clamoring for things other than global rectification Novo Amor is like a weather vane pointing to where the industry should be heading in terms of carbon and waste mindfulness Lacey is optimistic that the damage on earth is generally reversible but concedes that there are things that may be too far gone We aren t able to reverse all of the unrecyclable products that have been manufactured and we can t bring back extinct species but there is still hope to reverse the course of the ship to avoid the iceberg Although if things do happen to fall apart Lacey offers some words of wisdom It won t take long for nature to reclaim the world If we get replaced by robots they ll likely be better guests than we were Make sure to check out Novo Amor s latest release Birthplace on major streaming platforms and pick up an environmentally friendly vinyl or CD if you get a chance to catch them on tour When it comes to what Lacey hopes to help this world achieve he boils it down to longevity Lacey mentions that we ll have ruined our oceans in thirty years exhausted our water supply and become pretty claustrophobic While his initiative is a great template for bands everywhere to follow he knows that the real power rests mainly outside of the industry Lacey hopes that governments and large companies will start investing in the future of the planet and not just the present since these entities are capable of enacting true change on a large scale While the outlook is somewhat bleak Lacey isn t prepared to sugar coat the situation and is sharp with his observations His fiery drive bleeds into his work and is becoming a staple part of his identity as an artist 16

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The biggest word that comes to mind is meaty sometimes I think that this can be a little too dramatic but it really can be a great alternative to meat for those who are trying to cut down on their intake It s official 2019 is the Year of the Mushroom and Nick Pesesky a mycologist for Leep Foods is here to tell us all about the world of this growing gourmet industry Located in an unassuming 5000 square foot warehouse by the Genesee River the staff at Leep Foods describe themselves as a regenerative mushroom startup cultivating healthy and sustainable communities Originally opening with the purpose of selling mushrooms as herbal supplements throughout Asia co founders George Zheng Chris Carter and Scott Valpay quickly realized the potential for fresh mushroom cuisine to thrive in the Rochester area As a mycologist an individual who forages or works directly with mushrooms Nick found himself thrilled with the potential of working with Leep Foods explaining that There s this stigma surrounding mushrooms of them either being illicit or low quality and limited to one or two species when really the diversity of the fungal kingdom is just vast At Leep Foods each staff member works to spread an idea known as The Mushroom Mentality a concept which aims to reshape the public opinion on how mushrooms can be used in a culinary setting Elaborating on this vision Nick shares that The immediate reaction to mushrooms as a field are drugs or portobello and button varieties which are essentially the same mushrooms Often containing a bitter taste with that classic mushroom texture Nick explains that many large distributors of these mushrooms are using non organic chemicals and manure during the growing process The poor flavoring is a reflection of the properties that are being used to mass produce these products At Leep Foods we re certified USDA organic so all of our ingredients are being reflected in the integrity of our product Leep Foods is focused on providing the Rochester Area with a high quality and sustainable yield using innovative tactics and the power of scientists and engineers from the Rochester Institute of Technology to change the mindset surrounding the typical mushroom experience Walking through the warehouse the unique varieties of fungi growing in the facility could not go unnoticed Mushrooms with rich blue coloring and spindly fur like strands filled the walls of the laboratories If you re looking for a Portobello mushroom you re not going to find one here but that s exactly the experience that Leep Foods wishes to create Currently offering three distinct varieties known as Blue Oyster Coral Maitake and Lion s Mane each species has its own flavor profile which holds no resemblance to the slimy texture of the Portobello When describing the mushrooms Nick says that The biggest word that comes to mind is meaty sometimes I think that this can be a little too dramatic but it really can be a great alternative to meat for those who are trying to cut down on their intake The discovery of these unique varieties made it easy for Nick to switch to vegetarianism himself likening the Lion s Mane to the flavor and consistency of crab and their trademarked variety Coral Maitake to the experience of eating steak Following the market created by the meat free generation Leep Foods has been digging their hands into local restaurants and distributors to unveil new and exciting vegan friendly products to the Rochester community By working with businesses such as Hettie s Delites they ve been able to offer a number of their products at the Rochester Public Market pairing with local Puerto Rican chefs to create veganfriendly pasteles Last October the team took to social media to create a Mushroom Takeover by having three local restaurants create unique dishes utilizing their signature product the Coral Maitake The participating restaurants included the Owl House Bar Bantam and Han Noodle with each restaurant having one week to create a myriad of exciting dishes to share with the interested public From Coral Maitake mushroom ragout to miso roasted carrot and coconut broth served over Coral Maitake cutlings each chef illustrated the endless culinary possibilities that one can explore through the use of these unique fungi varieties Missed out in October Never fear Leep Foods has plans to expand and pair with many local restaurants in the near future If you re still not convinced take it from Danny Wegmans who visited Leep Foods earlier this year I asked Nick to elaborate on this connection a bit and he said that apparently Danny Wegmans is a big mushroom head and he claimed that their mushrooms were among the best that he had ever tasted By establishing a partnership with Wegmans the organization began distribution of their products throughout the stores which allowed general consumers to purchase their varieties Running around from store to store Nick provides samples of their products in Wegmans all across the state explaining that Everyone at Leep Foods is working really hard to move this forward because we believe in what we re doing here And I think this is reflected in what every individual has done here As the holiday season approaches their next big adventure will be to release a Supershroom P t substituting the traditional use of liver with their Blue Oyster mushrooms and distributing them through Wegmans If you re a vegan or a vegetarian or if you re looking to reduce meat from your diet this is going to be something to look 19

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out for during your holiday shopping spree The avocado was so last year those who are working towards a healthier diet can find an answer in the fungi varieties offered at this growing organization Contributing to your daily dose of Vitamin C and D which are both essential for the cold and stormy Rochester weather and offering high levels of antioxidants protein and dietary fiber these unique strains of mushrooms act as the perfect superfood to help you push through the dreary winter season Keeping in tune with the growing health phenomenon Nick shares that We re all really focused on what we re eating We re all starting to realize that what we re putting in our body is influencing our health Maybe not tomorrow but down the line And when all of this stuff is coming out about mushrooms being healthy in X Y Z ways people start thinking Alright so what if they have this weird texture But the reality is they don t have to have that texture at all Sprouting into a number of industries the future of Leep Foods is promising and you can expect to hear a lot about their unique mushroom products in stores and around town in the near future As I spoke with Nick down at their factory Leep Foods co founder George Zheng was spending time in New York City working to expand distribution to chefs and restaurants in the area Reiterating the potential for this local startup Nick states that We re starting from the bottom here and doing something big for Rochester This is a growing culinary phenomenon occurring right in our backyard and you don t want to miss out Interested in trying them out for yourself Stop by the East Avenue or Pittsford Wegmans and pick up a bundle of their Blue Oyster variety today For fun and innovative ways to cook broil and bake these varieties in your own home check out their Instagram leepfoods to find a host of recipes and tips for novice fungi aficionados

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More and more often we hear that our technologically driven society is losing touch with nature From the way that we treat plants and animals to the legislation that harms rather than helps the planet we have proven that our relationship with nature is complex Sculptor Bethany Krull has used her medium since her career began to appreciate the beauty of the natural world and more recently to weave together the complicated aspects of our species relationship with the rest of nature Born and raised in Buffalo NY Krull grew up a barefoot frog catching kind of kid whose rural upbringing and time spent exploring the outdoors inspired her to create She received her bachelor s degree in ceramics from Buffalo State and went on to pursue a master s degree in ceramics from the Rochester Institute of Technology After graduating Krull spent the next five years traveling the country in pursuit of resident artist and teaching gigs with her husband and fellow sculptor Jesse Walp She has also been featured in galleries far and wide from the Cheongju International Craft Centennial in Cheongju City South Korea to the Archie Bray Foundation Permanent Collection Exhibition in Helena Montana and back home in Buffalo with such exhibitions as Entwined Jesse Walp and Bethany Krull and Tamed Recent Work by Bethany Krull Krull also enjoys teaching part time at the Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo In her current ongoing series Dominance and Affection Bethany Krull explores our history of pet keeping and questions the hierarchy of our perceptions regarding specific animals whereby some are deemed to be precious while others are considered pests She draws inspiration from the devastation that all species face due to the rapid expansion of the human population We as humans go to great lengths to keep the unpredictable and problematic parts of nature at bay while keeping the cute less dangerous genetically modified natural beings as domestic plants and house pets While her current exhibit is inspired by our complicated and often contradictory relationship with nature Krull is inspired by all of the natural world and credits her time spent in nature as a source of creativity I love the beauty and complex intricacy of tiny things like seeds and insects I am amazed by the way animal bodies are all so different but maintain certain structural similarities that just change in their proportion from creature to creature As a mother herself we asked Krull how she felt we could get our younger generations involved in the care and keeping of our planet It starts at home Krull responded She is always working to instill in her two and four year old that earth s many resources like water are finite They know that we must recycle as much as we can that paper comes from trees and that it s better to buy something used than brand new Krull and her family are also avid trash pickers and thrift shoppers saving many a used treasure from becoming trash at some landfill If you re not sure how to create a greener household fear not Even Krull admits there s always something to be improved upon in this realm While Krull has reduced her family s carbon footprint with high efficiency lighting a fully insulated home and working with Push Buffalo to swap their old windows for more energy efficient ones she feels she could do more Our family has drastically reduced our meat consumption but still hasn t pulled the vegetarian vegan trigger I own plenty of canvas shopping bags but forget them on shopping trips more than I care to admit We own two cars and can t quite yet see how we could manage without both Even if you cannot walk everywhere or fully go vegan role modeling eco friendly behaviors impact the way children value finite resources like electricity and water Krull is also excited to see young people making the change on their own through organizations like the Sunrise Movement a group determined to stop climate change through a Green New Deal and by encouraging legislators to move in favor of laws that protect our environment Krull also feels it s important for the media to take a stand It s important for the mainstream media to stop dancing around talk about climate change The recent devastating weather events we are experiencing like massive hurricanes unprecedented flooding and historic wildfires need to be commonly and consistently connected to the effects of climate change According to Pew Research Center in August of 2017 two thirds of Americans reported that they received at least some of their news from social media sites As Krull said if the media made a very public stance on the effects of climate change especially through means like Facebook and Twitter it appears it would reach a wide majority More importantly Krull feels it is vital that we realize the urgency and gravity of mitigating climate change and pressure our legislators to make changes As complicated as it seems in the current political environment the most productive thing we can do is to participate Know your candidates Know what they stand for and support representatives that are pushing an agenda that moves us away from an energy system reliant on fossil fuels and onto one that relies on green energy sources As complicated as it seems in the current political environment the most productive thing we can do is to participate Know your candidates Know what they stand for and support representatives that are pushing an agenda that moves us away from an energy system reliant on fossil fuels and onto one that relies on green energy sources 24 46

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As a parent I am trying my best to ensure my kids are growing up to be strongly connected to nature even though we live in the city I strive to get them outside every day no matter the weather and try to instill in them an appreciation for simply exploring Krull also encourages her children to break away from our technology driven society and take time out to appreciate what nature has to offer As a parent I am trying my best to ensure my kids are growing up to be strongly connected to nature even though we live in the city I strive to get them outside every day no matter the weather and try to instill in them an appreciation for simply exploring We are experiencing a generation who have never lived without technology the accessibility of the internet and the ease of communication that cell phones provide almost instantaneously Disconnecting and getting outdoors showing children how mystifying nature can be strengthens their bond with nature and in turn makes them want to protect the planet If you re interested in exploring more of Bethany Krull s work she will be working on a few shows this coming spring including Animals Among Us at the Red Lodge Clay Center in Red Lodge Montana Anthropocene The Innovative Human at the Dairy Barn Arts Center in Athens Ohio as well as a solo exhibition of new work in the Corridors Gallery at Hotel Henry in Buffalo New York You can follow her on Instagram bethanykrullsculpture to see work in progress or on her website bethanykrull com

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Soulful Blues Music for a New Generation Words by Emmarae Stein Photography by Krit Upra Devon Gilfillian is a pop influenced blues musician writing euphoric melodies for movers and shakers of the new generation Drawing elements from classic soul artists such as Stevie Wonder The Temptations and Ray Charles Gilfillian s signature sound combines the smooth vocal tones of R B artists of the past with the groovy pop influenced bass lines of the future adding in a taste of country grit After the release of his self titled EP in 2016 Gilfillian signed to Capital Records which has jump started his career into timely opportunities such as performing for NPR s World Cafe and AudioTree Live Over the past year Gilfillian has produced dance worthy and contagiously catchy singles including the recently released Troublemaker and High which captivate the energy and promise of this up and coming artist moment when I really fell in love with music and was like Jimi Hendrix the blues classic rock Oh my god woah and my head exploded Sharing his personal philosophy and investment into the music industry Gilfillian discusses his journey as an artist and states that Everyone has a different entry point but it s like man that moment when you fall in love with music is so magical You have to follow your dreams And dreams involve in a change but they shouldn t get smaller They can change but they should get bigger Sending messages of unity and inclusion through his craft Gilfillian has been featured on prominent collections of resistance music such as 2017 s Strange Freedom Songs of Love and Protest compiled by a group of forward thinking musicians in Nashville Tennessee By using his influence as a musician to instill a culture of positivity and acceptance Gilfillian and his manager started the Truth is Not an Option Growing up in the outskirts of Philadelphia Gilfillian s campaign at the beginning of last year to promote honesty in politics Gilfillian elaborates a bit on father was a wedding singer which familiarized him their mission and explains that their campaign with the music industry from a young age From revolves around calling out politicians humming melodies as a toddler around his childhood home to participating in choirs throughout middle and and anyone who is in office that is clearly lying and it doesn t matter if you re a high school Gilfillian has been working to create his republican or democrat nobody own sound for decades As he picked up the guitar at the age of fourteen he explains that something clicked is safe Releasing the single inside of him it was an urgency which shouted a need Truth Feat Tate Tucker for creation and musical innovation Over an energetic last October Gilfillian uses choral vocals to lyrically phone call with Floated editor Krit Upra Gilfillian emphasize the message of explains his first experience playing the guitar as the 28 50

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their campaign urging his listeners towards a call to action What are we waiting for I don t know I didn t know the truth was an option We re not blind you d think we ain t watchin Gilfillian hopes that through the messages in his music and his campaign he can raise voter awareness and get younger generations excited about becoming involved in local government Expressing the root of his concern he explains that I feel like people think that their vote doesn t matter And the younger generations are now becoming the largest population So now it s so important for them to get involved in this country We need to push forward with eco friendly progression and awareness of climate change In order for there to be progression the younger generations need to get on board Gilfillian s involvement in eco friendly initiatives extends into his personal life as he tries to create an environmentally friendly lifestyle by cleaning up litter refusing to waste food and saving up to purchase an electric car Reflecting on the effects of toxic pollution in Southeast Asian countries and cities in India Gilfillian argues that If people aren t woken up by now in three to five years the weather s just going to get crazier people need to see it I hope it doesn t come down to a tornado taking Florida off of the United States just washing Florida away But you know that might help Gilfillian s positive mindset is electrically infectious and his hopes for future generations can be mirrored in the effusive joy that he spreads through his work both as an activist and a musician Viewing some critical blind spots in society Gilfillian wishes to see a culture of mutual fairness and respect grow within the upcoming decades not only on an individual level but through systematic structures such as the judicial system law enforcement and our educational model Honing in on a person centered approach to schooling Gilfillian states that I would love to see education focus on curricular activities for single parents that adhere to kids that don t have anything to do after school Keeping kids busy in neighborhoods that are in poverty Viewing his music as a means to communicate uplifting and empowering messages Gilfillian shares that To me music is just a vehicle for people to make the world a better place And I think that to me those are the people I m trying to bring together and bring to the show I think that if I can get everybody on board then it will allow people to feel free to be honest and feel free to also be empowered to want to make a difference in society That s the message that I want to send out with the music While Gilfillian understands that his music may not persuade everyone to get involved politically he hopes that at the very least he can inspire his listeners to get up on their feet and dance It s the ultimate way to move people for the greater good And hopefully you re doing it for the greater good I know there s a lot of people out there doing it for just the money and you know we all tryin to get paid and make a living But deep down inside we re all trying to make it a little bit greener and brighter as it goes around And you know to me that s what music is here to do It s here to move people to do the right thing And also to feel good and inspire them Devon Gilfillian is living his childhood dream and he hopes that through his music he can motivate younger generations to unabashedly follow their own passions After a few brief moments of silence Gilfillian states with a sincere tone that There are people who dream of having a family and having kids and that is beautiful do that You have to follow your dreams And dreams involve in a change but they shouldn t get smaller They can change but they should get bigger To me this is my dream Signed to a record label and creating music for a living Gilfillian has accomplished many of his goals but that doesn t mean he s stopping here Planning to release new material in early May Gilfillian s upcoming fulllength album cannot be ignored for fans of music that can be equally enjoyed on the dancefloor of a rambling Saturday night as on an early Tuesday morning over a steaming cup of coffee

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Decoding the Science of the Stars Words and Photography by Teagan West We ve all probably figured out at some point what our sign is which of course aligns with the day of the year you were born and refers to your Sun sign The signs align with the four elements each bearing their own particular characteristics Fire signs Leo July 23 August 22 Loyal Proud Aries March 21 April 19 Fiery Impulsive Sagittarius Nov 22 Dec 21 Adventurous Outgoing Air signs Libra Sept 23 October 22 Social Artistic Aquarius Jan 20 Feb 18 Humanitarian NonConformist Gemini May 21 June 20 Intellectual Communication Earth signs Virgo August 23 Sept 22 Analytical Organized Taurus April 20 May 20 Grounded Stubborn Capricorn Dec 22 Jan 19 Hard working Realistic Water signs Cancer June 21 July 22 Emotional Caring Pisces Feb 19 March 20 Dreamy Imaginative Scorpio October 23 Nov 21 Intense Passionate The science of stars has been studied for hundreds of thousands of years and over that time has accumulated various interpretations associations and connotations It has been pondered by both psychics and scientists skeptics and believers Due to its mysterious and fairly unexplainable nature astrology has received its fair share of criticism despite how deeply it has been studied and proven to reveal intensely intricate truths about the nature of how we act and what we do Those who don t understand astrology run from it and more often than not poke fun at those who take to such wild and outlandish ideas The misconceptions surrounding astrology have caused people to become scoffed at and almost immediately put into the stereotype of the out oftouch hippie dippy persona This is the unfortunate yet somewhat valid conclusion which has arisen a result of those who have ruined many first dates by asking the dreaded question of what s your sign in the first 10 minutes deciding their own judgment of another person on the compatibility of their sun signs Our current social media culture has turned astrology into somewhat of a fad with some of today s most 34 popular memes being a visualization of the signs behavior in relation to their most well known traits I follow these memes and even laugh at them and from most of them I learn something that pieces together the bigger characteristics of each individual zodiac sign However many people are unaware that it all goes so much deeper than just our sun signs and often the people behind those hilarious memes have devoted serious time and effort into learning the complexities of this vast and complicated warehouse of astrological knowledge That being said I suggest taking it all with a grain of salt and a heavy dose of skepticism I do not recommend basing your choice of mate or weighing the strength of your relationships on another person s sign It can get pretty blurry when we begin to think about it in that way and start living through the lens of where our planets lie But there is indeed something to be said about the mysterious and sometimes undeniable accuracy of our own planetary positions and their influence on our lives If you have known your sun sign for most of your life yet haven t felt very connected to your sign s well known stereotypes a valid explanation can be provided to solve your feelings of astrological detachment The complexity of astrology goes far beyond the daily horoscopes that we can find in the Sunday paper Each planet rules over particular parts of one s life and development and influences us based on which sign it was in at the time of our birth The planet s influences are listed as follows The Sun The ego sense of self The Moon Moods emotions internal hemisphere Mercury Thinking Communication Venus Love beauty relationships Mars Outward activity drive Sex aggression Jupiter Philosophy Faith Hope Saturn Limitations Restrictions Morality Uranus Revolution Collective Awareness Humanity Neptune Imagination Transcendence Universal Love Pluto Death Rebirth Transformation A beautiful visualization of the placement of all of these influences is depicted in an astrological birth chart which you can have made for yourself if you know the exact time and place of your birth The astrological birth chart acts as a map of the planets alignment in the sky at the moment you entered into this life and it cannot be created without a profound level of science Creating the chart allows the viewer to see what sign each planet was in at the time of their birth and the house that each planet fell into There are twelve houses each representative of different aspects of our life and individual evolution as human beings They are as follows 1st House The Self Ego Ruled by Aries Mars 2nd House Material Possessions Ruled by Taurus Venus 3rd House Communication Ruled by Gemini Mercury 4th House Home Family Ruled by Cancer Moon 5th House Romance Creative Affairs Ruled by Leo Sun 6th House Health Work Ruled by Virgo Mercury 7th House Marriage Partnerships Ruled by Libra Venus 8th House Death Transformation Sex Ruled by Scorpio Pluto 9th House Higher Thinking Philosophy Ruled by Sagittarius Jupiter 10th House Public Image Career Legacy Ruled by Capricorn Saturn 11th House Friendships Humanity Ruled by Aquarius Uranus 12th House The Hidden Unconscious Psychic Self Undoing Ruled by Pisces Neptune Over the internet many people turn to blame their troubles on Mercury being in retrograde but few of us understand the origin and legitimacy of this complaint This is a perfect example of how a planet s movements can cause us to feel upside down or backward Mercury is the planet of thinking and communication so when it s pulled in reverse it tends to make our brains feel a bit fuzzy and make communication feel out of whack or even painfully awkward If you re interested in further investigating how Mercury s alignment affects you figure out what house Mercury is in on your chart All this being said remember that there is a lot more that goes into astrology than just zodiacs and daily horoscopes People spend their lives studying the intricacy of this science and having a conversation with a trained astrologer would most definitely be worth the experience Think twice before you judge a prospective mate based on their sun sign and remember the level of complexity that is involved in understanding the science of the stars 35

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Defining Hop Hop A Search for Identity Words and Photography Jordan Oscar For as long as Jaz Frazier has carried the artistic For as long as Jaz Frazier has carried the artistic persona Hop Hop people have been trying to define it Much to her amusement Jaz herself doesn t have a definition for her music seemingly as much an amalgamation of her upbringing and resulting identity crisis as well as the musical influences she pulls inspiration from Everyone is trying to pin it but I don t have a clear answer Jaz says about her sound I ve tried many times If I listen back to it and it makes me happy and pleases my ears that could be Hop Hop The question of what is and isn t Hop Hop a moniker that serves as both a personal caricature and genre doesn t seem to give the twenty sevenyear old much grief Her vivacious and sarcastic nature seeps into everything she does with her music as another tool to express herself and the persona to give her the means to remove her own filters Every human has so many facets and it s really unfair to squish them into squares and say this is all that you and this is all you re allowed to be and you can t go outside of these lines Me busting out of my box is where Hop Hop comes from Jaz says It s an easy entry into exploring more of who I want to be It s troubleshooting I probably can t do this in real life but what happens if I grab my crotch on stage Hop Hop was born of frustration and angst What began as an attempt at spoken word poetry quickly turned into something much more fulfilling Beats were added through GarageBand and were eventually refined album by album as her music became more of a priority All of this however stems from her upbringing in the South Born in Birmingham Alabama to a white mother and black father Jaz spent most of her formative years coming to terms with her identity as a biracial woman Having a father who was mostly absent Jaz was predominately raised by her white mother and grandparents and attended a school with primarily Caucasian students Becoming sheltered from interactions with other young black men and women in her adolescent years Jaz explains that My mom made it kind of clear I m not like them and I think she meant I m not ghetto I m still trying to unpack that I think my mom confused her anger with my father with black men in general She didn t realize she gave me an identity crisis I really thought I was white for a really long time On top of facing confusion about her racial background Jaz also questioned her gender identity throughout her youth voicing that I wanted to be a skater and I wanted to be a boy really bad I was very pissed I was a girl I was constantly trying to fit in I even ace bandaged my boobs down when they started coming in and I got my Chuck Taylors and I started walking with a whiter gate When she moved again her upbringing began to clash as Jaz discovered that she had trouble fitting in with the more diverse student body at her new school explaining that she wasn t black enough to fit in with many of the other kids in class I couldn t make either side happy As I got older I realized it s not my job to make anyone happy I started realizing how multifaceted people could be Black people don t just wear echo and fucking listen to trap Your interests do not make you black or white your heritage does It wasn t until she moved to Buffalo seven years ago that she was able to begin unpacking all of the issues that had weighed her down for so long Surrounded by people like her boyfriend Brandon who created safer spaces to explore the identity issues at hand Jaz began to find harmony in her identity even as she became increasingly convinced that she has ADHD She describes her brain as cartoony wild and animated constantly pulling at the flurry of thoughts and beats rushing through her head as she composes sentences and song lyrics Jaz explains that I ve come down on myself As I ve gotten older I ve realized some of what I use to consider faults can be channeled to be somewhat productive No one person is one thing There s good and bad Accepting everything that you are and channeling it constructively has brought me a lot of peace If nothing else Hop Hop is as much a message as it is an artistic persona She strives to keep moving forward unabashedly herself as Hop Hop gives her the chance to explore every facet of who she is and who she wants to be There is no perfect You re just human so as long as everyone is trying to be the best person they can be what the fuck else can you ask for nothing Jazmine has a vast imagination but no matter what voice her thoughts find Hop Hop will certainly be part of their expression 37

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Karma is a Goddess The Peaceful Musings of Just Loud Words by Christopher Snyder Photography by Teagan West To be without the sauce is to be lost However one can get lost in the sauce Just Loud can only be described as a man with just the right amount of sauce When I first dipped into the artist s work I found something that was both fresh and at the same time familiar Just Loud s clean vocals are liquid light flowing over and between pop alternative and R B His sound takes the shape of its surroundings worth listening to with the windows down or mixed with the color and life of a Friday night dance floor The qualia of Just Loud s musical expression is locked into his journey as an individual We had the chance to sit down with Just Loud and challenge him with a battery of questions to peel back his layers and see the filament behind the light As a response to being cast out from his church he decided to be like Jimi Hendrix and Start Electric Church 2 Just loud followed in that spirit to launch a creative project with a message I want to show people you can be rebellious and still have integrity We re all made of the same dirt the same blood the same flesh and we all have the same heartbeat Our first volley of questions centered around what was missing from the world and how Just Loud thought that gap ought to be filled When it came to god his message was that we should accept and respect each other When asked how he would change society he pointed out how smoking pot had helped him relax as he was growing up and touts it as his go to strategy for catalyzing difficult decisions and quandaries From the perspective of this writer his strategy has borne fruit He sees the key to loving others is to truly love one s self His answer to the timely question of how to handle those with different opinions than us speaks volumes Everybody shits don t they At the end of the day we all have the right to have an opinion That s what makes life beautiful and that s what makes being human beautiful I like to say Karma s a bitch and Karma s a goddess If you live you live your life as a bitch you re going to get that back tenfold But if you live your life with integrity and core values you re going to get it back As the interview progressed we moved a little closer to home The common thread that ran through ous discussion with Just Loud was the consistency of his earthly wisdom The ring in his voice tells of someone totally at ease within their own skin We re all made of the same dirt the same blood the same flesh and we all have the same heartbeat Part of that selfacceptance came with recognition of the importance of his role as an entertainer and the qualities that he possessed that made him a fit for the role Entertainers are servants I am a servant first Knowing what one wants to do and doing it well are two different things The perennial problem for many artists is staying on message by sticking to their core values What follows is Just Loud s approach to this challenge Morals and values it s crazy that those are even words It s got to the place now where humans are so distraught and without purpose that we even have to ask the question about morals and values When you re a kid and you re born and you re a baby you re here you ve got love and you draw love What happened In elementary school when you realized you were different and I was different from the rest of your classmates When did it happen when did it stop As humans it is our obligation to serve one another No matter if you like it or not And if you serve one another what happens is If I serve you and I make a left and I keep walking somebody s gonna serve me I like to say Karma s a bitch and Karma s a goddess If you live you live your life as a bitch you re going to get that back tenfold But if you live your life with integrity and core values you re going to get it back The interview finished off with an homage to Michael Jackson and some musing on the nature of fame and success expressing that Those who chase fame die early Just Loud swears by the paradoxical truth that when we chase the rewards of success we are thwarted as he explains that I don t chase fame fame chases me And it was the same for Michael Jackson A truly great artist does not have to try to be profound or original Profundity and originality are the footprints left by someone seeking something authentic something pure We live in a time marked by the shifting sands of shattered assumptions For most folks in our generation everything we thought growing up has in some way been shown to be either a lie or a benevolent muddling of reality in order to maintain our resolve as we move upward through the trials of maturity Whether you re reading this in your college dorm in your apartment after a long day at work or as something to do before filling out another job application there is something we are all looking for a common craving that manifests in a unique manner for each individual seeking to look for it This is the struggle for identity the search for that aspect of yourself that leaves your life with a sense of meaning and belonging Surfing the internet and sampling conversation from a cross section of society will give you a sense of the uncountable strategies that individuals these days will engage in as a means of finding that identity Some of us tie our identity to the search for money and status for others it is a certain set of ideas Still others find an identity with where they come from and the experiences that they share with others It is not my place to say which strategy is the best for you but to take inspiration from the words that Just Loud left us with towards the end of our interview there isn t really a choice

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I want every person to ever meet me to get the same me that s going to be at my funeral No matter if you re the custodian or the CEO of the business and that s how it needs to be and that s how it s going to be We asked Just Loud if he had any advice for those struggling with their identity and he advised that they should Keep on struggling Embrace the struggle Figure that shit out Do it because I did it The more you struggle the more human you are and that s what allows us to keep living When you start living and you don t have any more struggles and no more demons and no more addictions you re no longer earthly good Keep struggling its fine its ok All you need is one person to love you And even if that one person is yourself Time moves in one direction and unlike any other direction we have no choice in which way to go A noble approach to art is to seek to take the best of the past and bring it into the present The wisdom Just Loud shared during our interview does not begin or end with him We asked him who he thought of as the ideal compassionate and peaceful person and what he did to emulate their qualities Oh peaceful person let me tell you something Michael Jackson that s peace I read something that said that when Michael would get on the plane he would put his wine in a Coca Cola can That s deep You get what I m saying The biggest icon in the world is going to put their wine in a Coca Cola can and not only that To make music and heal the world It s not about fame Like I say people that chase fame they die quick Fame is not something that I m chasing It s chasing me and I think that it chased Michael and David Bowie It chased Madonna And it s like damn I m different and you know I have a voice I have something to say that will bring people back together Listening to Just Loud leaves the listener with the inescapable conclusion that he has left his whole drain into the mic It s an example of a creative project that flows from the point of view of someone who is comfortable with who they are and hopes that the feeling that their music has brought them can be kindled through their expression in the hearts of their listeners The sound and the lyrics that build up the Just Loud moment are saturated with emotion Nothing is held back and the result is invigorating Just Loud is on a mission to let you know that he is feeling something and if you re lucky by the end of the song you ll be feeling it too We concluded our interview by asking for his hopes for the future You want to know the truth I hope this god damned music business doesn t run me crazy You get what I m saying That the thing don t run me crazy I like to keep it real and I think a lot of artists start off with it really real And they have a kind of confidence of who they are and somehow or other I guess it is because of the yes men and the fame and the money they lose track of that I don t want to be that I want every person to ever meet me to get the same me that s going to be at my funeral No matter if you re the custodian or the CEO of the business and that s how it needs to be and that s how it s going to be

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celestrial atmosphere indie pop Words by Hillary Bosy Photography by Lloyd McCullough You ve been transported to a dreamy colorful world full of poetic lyrics funky beats and captivating falsetto this is what happens when you listen to Slenderbodies The duo Max and Benji met while attending UC Santa Cruz We had a ton of mutual friends and music came up naturally the first time we met We started making music together on a more acoustic side but slenderbodies didn t develop until we decided to hone in on specifically collaborating together three years after we met Down below Sandy like the ocean floor quiet like I like it But here it s better I hear better I like it better underwater send me underwater Those are the lyrics to one of my favorite songs by slenderbodies anemone Nature has always been a major influence for the duo as the pair explain that We both grew up heavily influenced by nature frequently taking hikes and immersing ourselves Nature has so many lessons to teach and for us the most beautiful metaphors for relationships and emotion we explore in our music are often best described by nature and color Looking towards nature for inspiration we asked slenderbodies if they considered themselves to be an eco friendly band They responded Absolutely Remember to recycle and pack out your trash kids Listening to their music and watching them perform live are two entirely different experiences In addition to seeing their beautiful faces they have a live analog liquid light show projected onto the stage Concert goers are able to see the creation of swirling colors being mixed around and projected behind the band When we asked slenderbodies about why they chose these visuals to accompany their performance they thoughtfully

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responded We want our music to be more than just music we want it to be a mood to fully immerse ourselves and the audience in this bath of sound and color is something we feel just fits Plus we both had lava lamps as kids There are many emotions and feelings that can wash over you when diving into the world of slenderbodies Explaining the emotions and thoughts that they wanted to inspire in their listeners slenderbodies shared that I think we feel like our music evokes calmness introspection moodiness in a positive way but honestly we believe that however someone interprets our art is correct it s not for us to say how something is perceived We hope to invoke intense feelings of something anything with our music When asked to describe a set of images to go along with the tone of their music slenderbodies gave an extensive list Owl and crow ocean and trees desert and night Duality is a big theme for us Being in a band can wear you down between touring and constantly working to prove yourself in a sea of evergrowing talented mu sicians In order to stay fresh slenderbodies take time to ourselves to be inspired by our loved ones and by fresh experiences Indulging in home and our families helps as does novel experiences through travel with those we love Making music itself is a beautiful puzzle and so if we continue to see music with a growth mindset we will never tire of it If you are a fan of the band or have an interest in exploring their music further after reading this article we have good news for you When asked about the future slenderbodies explained that We plan on always pushing forward Look forward to so much new music many new videos and a bigger better Slenderbodies in 2019 Slenderbodies Nature has so many lessons to teach and for us the most beautiful metaphors for and we explore in our music are often best described by and

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Sir Sly a psychedelic indie rock band from Los Angeles comprised of lead vocalist Landon Jacobs and instrumentalists Jason Suwito and Hayden Coplen sat down with Floated to talk astronauts art and education Determined to find their true sound after the release of their first album the band took a hiatus from releasing any new material until 2017 Sir Sly has watched their music grow and change with them over the last six years leading to sold out shows and appearances in popular video games and TV shows Now at the end of 2018 the trio is finishing off a very successful tour with Joywave and is already gearing up to release more new music and additional tour dates in early 2019 The band s single Astronaut off their album Don t You Worry Honey left us unable to pass up the chance to discuss some hypothetical space adventures Though the astronauts in their song may have been of a trippier kind when asked if they d go into space themselves the band agreed that they would rationalizing that You take a risk driving a car every day you might as well go to space When discussing Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa the first tourist to be sent into space with Elon Musk s SpaceX technology the band agreed that they d prefer to travel into space with a team of scientists rather than a collective of artists Since their formation in 2012 the band has gained top charting fame and has been using their influence for good This year Sir Sly teamed up with Headcount to register voters at their shows and aid in recruiting volunteers for the cause They are setting an example for their fans by taking personal responsibility to help keep the planet green The trio discussed the state of our climate explaining that Corporations and governments are choosing not to lead the way It s up to each of us to make a conscious effort to reduce our footprint as money will continue to push businesses into conducting irresponsible production practices The consumers must be the ones who take control and make a statement with voting numbers With the way we are going right now it s a mere population issue Put billions of people on this planet I don t know if there is a way to really lower emission enough so that we re actually not hurting the planet Aside from their advice to boycott companies to encourage them to change their harmful practices they say that the key is awareness and positivity If everyone does a little better corporations wouldn t produce the way they are now It all starts with making conscious choices to be a part of the green solution instead of another irresponsible part of the problem The group took on the issue of voter registration during their 2018 tour and pushed the message not to fall prey to cynicism and stay in the fight They all agreed that it s important to use your sphere of influence for good Spreading a message of choice hope and inspiring crowds to take action is surely more than just good it s incredible They stand by the idea that to make a real difference we would need systemic change but in the meantime taking what we can into our own hands is of the utmost importance Sir Sly are also passionate about education understanding that knowledge is the best tool that we can give to future generations The members of the band noted that the more we teach younger generations about our planet and our history the more we can do to create a better future for all of us Access to education has been shown to change entire cultures they expressed to Floated Better education across the board will lead to better worldviews and that teaches you everything from how to treat people to how to vote The band believes that this is another way to help save our planet and get more people to actively take a role in reducing emissions and cleaning up the earth voicing that School would teach the same things the government wants to change drive less carpool more use less plastic They also called for equal attention to public schools from all districts by using examples from their own hometown If you go deep into the cities close by to where we grew up you see a larger Hispanic population schools with majority Hispanic populations that don t get as much recognition and money Speaking with us about the importance of racial integration in schools in order to build a tolerant and understanding America the band members shared that because they attended schools with a primarily Caucasian student body going out on tour was the how they began to understand more about the many cultures that make up the United States how they are treated in this country and how important it is to stand up for a future that helps us all The trio discussed the value of art and music programs and explained how you find they can be really powerful for kids who grow up in economic difficulty it gives them some form of escape and empowerment to be able to create things and express themselves in positive ways When asked what they would want to see in the future of our world they called for an end to racism fair and equal access to education and heightened ease of accessibility to medical care I think the idea that everyone s supposed to be this avant garde artist is pretty lame We d spend a lot more time pretending to be someone else It s a lot more fun when you get to be yourself and take yourself a little less seriously

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The band members have all faced hard times whether through divorce or lost loved ones and told Floated that the most important advice they have for anyone else that finds themselves in a difficult place is to try and go to therapy In a society where depression and anxiety have a hold on most of our lives the band members express that just sitting down for an hour or two every week and taking control of it is immensely important These disorders are so common and Sir Sly told us that we re raised by screens and the internet and we re raised with a lot more awareness and I think more awareness is capable of tampering with optimism and self confidence we re put in a place where we struggle a little more for our sanity This explanation is why the band wants to use their music to make a difference make people feel less alone by writing about things that are real and honest Like many artists their music has been a way to cope with their hurdles setbacks and tragedies Jacobs tells us I like to say Karma s a bitch and Karma s a goddess If you live you live your life as a bitch you re going to get that back tenfold But if you live your life with integrity and core values you re going to get it back that I ve always written songs almost as long as I can remember I needed it It s like writing in a journal The band explains that they are in a constant state of growth and experimentation which has allowed their sound to change and develop throughout their career Sir Sly discussed how this innovative approach to their musical craft has shifted their genre and fan base stating that I hear smatterings of oh you got poppier I agree The band has a lot of pop influences though they maintain their indie rock sound and don t take the term poppier as an insult at all If you call me more pop I assume you mean we wrote better songs the band laughed and explained that many of the best songs of all time are pop tracks I think the idea that everyone s supposed to be this avant garde artist is pretty lame We d spend a lot more time pretending to be someone else It s a lot more fun when you get to be yourself and take yourself a little less seriously This band takes their sound seriously and gave themselves time to try new things unique things which led to the creation of their catchy and upbeat crowd drawing tunes today The band let their happy go lucky attitude play into a hilarious tour poster for their co headlining tour with Joywave Sir Sly explained that it can be difficult to blend two band s aesthetics into one poster which led the bands to decide to make a unique design by doing a series of face swaps The funniest part Not everyone realized that it was a little digital manipulation The people look real enough that it s like Wow what a hideous looking bunch With Don t You Worry Honey doing so well and their fan base growing strongly the future is brighter than ever for these talented men When asked about the past Sir Sly made a shout out to the crowd for their NYC show at Warsaw where they sold out the 1000 person capacity venue When we asked what awaited their fans for the future they said that they can expect more more more They will be releasing their third record at the beginning of 2019 with the announcement of a set of new tour dates The trio is also excited to take full control of their brand planning to collaborate with other artists to create incredible new merch to support their upcoming album It can be said without a doubt that 2019 will be another exciting year for Sir Sly 55

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MakOto Design House Kramer Campisano Designs for the Future Words by Patrick McNally Photography by Lloyd McCullough A search for the definition of industrial design turns up myriad results ranging from the practical definition of Industrial design s concern with the appearance and usefulness of manufactured goods to the lyrical idea of how design brings a story to life to the philosophical musing of how design is the signal of human s first intention However my best cobbled together definition would go as follows industrial design determines the materials features and appearance of most of the products we use on a daily basis When a product works well looks great and even elicits an emotional response from the user there s a talented industrial designer behind it For instance I ve got a counter top mixer that I love and it works like a champ but it also looks so sturdy and capable that I almost feel I could turn to it for assistance in times of crisis Its weighty presence makes me feel a little better equipped to face the world While industrial design is an art within itself sustainable industrial design takes the process we ve already defined a step further It seeks to create new better products while reducing negative impacts on the environment Sustainable design makes use of non toxic sustainably produced renewable or recycled materials Due to their use of sustainable materials these products can often be repurposed or composted when their usefulness is exhausted 24 year old Rochester Institute of Technology graduate Kramer Campisano founded Makoto Design House in 2017 Its stated purpose is the creation of thoughtful and conscientious sustainable products His choice of the name Makoto is a nod to Campisano s personal connection with the traditional Japanese religion of Shinto The Shinto worldview places focus on aesthetic sensitivity harmony and Makoto which translates loosely to sincerity The follower of Shinto believes that from sincerity flows all other virtues A truly sincere person it is said will tend to live in harmony with the natural world never seeking to undermine its fabric I wanted my brand and product to reflect my mission he says of responsible product design with a focus on sustainable materials and processes When asked what drew him to industrial design Campisano sites an attraction to the process of creative problemsolving fostered through years of exploring different industries and cultural shifts in design thinking Henry Ford no environmentalist perhaps but certainly a creative problem solver famously said If I had asked people what they wanted they would have said faster horses Ford s words highlight one of the challenges of industrial design meeting the consumer s needs in new and innovative ways that the consumer may not have known were possible For the industrial designer working with an eye toward sustainability this challenge is compounded manifold Greater consideration must be given to 57

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every step of a sustainable product s lifecycle Can the product be manufactured more cleanly and with less energy expended Can it be made with materials that are renewable and won t damage the environment Perhaps most importantly where does all this new stuff go when it s no longer wanted Some have suggested that we are approaching a crisis point in which the process of development can no longer be supported where natural resources are depleted and waste overwhelms us produce the same part when using a natural material Campisano feels that positive pressure from his industry and from the buying public can win the day encouraging the market to embrace sustainable products It s our job as designers and consumers to create and to buy products that use natural materials These will ultimately beat out cheap plastics and other harmful materials Disinterested consumers can likewise be convinced to buy sustainably Campisano suggests by explaining that When you invest in a sustainable product you invest in the story of the material the mission of that company to produce less waste knowing that it may cost them and you a little more This idea of shared sacrifice for the greater good Campisano says can actually create a reason for the consumer to become attached to the idea of purchasing that product helping the environment down the road It s our job as designers and consumers to create and to buy products that use natural materials These will ultimately beat out cheap plastics and other harmful materials Campisano however remains sanguine about the future of his industry We can still develop and create without loading up our landfills How can this feat be accomplished Renewable materials are part of the answer For example a number of the products Campisano has designed incorporate bamboo and bamboo fiber Bamboo is a material that I ve wanted to work with ever since I started in industrial design It s a fast growing grass that can be harvested within five years is biodegradable and can be utilized in many ways When asked if sustainable materials presented unique challenges to the designer Campisano responded stating Oh absolutely There is definitely some trial and error when tooling and machining a product using sustainable materials When trying to match a color or finish plastics tend to work more easily A natural material may have imperfections that cause the color to react differently in different areas However that also allows for a beautiful one of a kind look that many people appreciate Campisano hopes to see the resistance of big business to the sustainability paradigm resolved in the near future He believes that the market s hesitance is mainly based on cost It will cost them a lot to switch over from tried and true synthetic material manufacturing They ll have to pay more to 58 While they re solving the world s problems industrial designers are also allowed some simple pleasures Designing for fun and for aesthetic appeal is as much a part of the work as its heavier more technical aspects Campisano s designs are as artful as they are functional When asked if industrial design is more of an art or more of an engineering discipline Campisano voices that It s the integration of form and function so it contains a little of both worlds Design is very different from art however in that art is for the artist and their own personal expression Design needs to be for the people Campisano s design philosophy has been greatly impacted by a couple of his favorite artists The two largest inspirations for my creative work are the modernist Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi and Hayao Miyazaki the creative head for Studio Ghibli who charmed my childhood with classics like Spirited Away and Castle in the Sky Gaudi inspires me to reach for unconventional concepts to solve problems Miyazaki s work reminds me to stay playful in my approach and to include whimsy and awe in each final design When asked about what the future holds for his business Campisano expresses that Makoto Design House intends on designing not only kitchenware but everything to do with the home furniture lighting and so on We are working on a catalog to be launched later this year that includes a variety of new products As for the future of industrial design as a whole Campisano sees it entering the digital realm moving away from pen and paper to digital sketching and Computer Aided Design programs I also expect prototyping concepts to shift digitally as we invest in 3D printing and Desktop CNC routing As sustainability becomes integral to the modern lifestyle sustainable product design seems poised to move from niche to near obligation for the world s manufacturers Can an inspired design help to reverse our current trajectory toward environmental destruction Can it be done with grace and style Kramer Campisano is convinced it s worth a try

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Karrah Teague resident badass of Rochester NY is a locally famous tattoo artist out of Kamikaze Tattoo on Alexander While she s best known for her stellar ability to perfect minimalism and detailed line work behind the needle she is also a formative member of the self proclaimed post whatever garage rock band FUZZROD It s clear that Teague bleeds creative talent and simply stating her accolades in multidisciplinary artistic endeavors don t seem to do her justice as the brilliant artist she is Rochester is lucky to have her and Floated s Hillary Bosy was equally fortuitous to be able to sit down with the tattooer and pick her brain How did you get into tattooing Well I was an art school dropout I was back in Rochester waiting tables I was 21 I was trying to find something to do artistically as a career that wasn t graphic design At that age I realized tattoos would be cool tattoos would be fun I happened upon someone who would take me into a shop and teach me I had no idea what I had gotten myself into The first few years were a total struggle I was just trying to figure out what I was doing I felt like it was the path I wanted to take The first three to five years were just figuring out how to tattoo Then I just tried to push things artistically I left the country and ended up in Melbourne Australia I think when I got my job there is when people there were interested in the stuff I was interested in doing more than the people here People were into black on grey and the stippling style When I started it was all about traditional work I loved the physicality of them They re not trying to reproduce other kinds of art They re just trying to be tattoos Using the marks that the tattoo machine makes naturally is part of traditional tattooing You can make really nice clean lines you can do what s called Whip Shading only a tattoo machine can make that mark When I got back to the states I started painting again I started doing really abstract stuff which is very linebased I began to not on purpose inform my tattoo work and doing abstract stuff with tattoo I ve been tattooing for about ten years I think from when I started to now who tattoos are for has changed a lot They re not just for the badass or the biker A lot more people want very small meaningful tattoos Lot s of text based stuff has become popular handwriting and stuff like that 62 I think tattooing went pretty far in the direction of fine art People are doing what I would consider high art tattoos They re traditionally drawn there s a light source they re color theory approved pieces that would look good on canvas People want an art piece on them To me I think a tattoo is a way of decorating your body Tattoos will age with you and I want to focus on things that will almost become more beautiful as you age Highly curated pieces will fade as they get older rather than a minimalistic line that fits your own form I guess Something that becomes part of you as a human being more than saying Hey let s put a pretty picture on my arm I m currently working towards more abstract pieces and things that aren t so literal Getting away from the literal concepts of tattooing Is there any stigma or stereotype that you have seen in the culture that sticks out to you Anyone and everyone can want a tattoo for any reason I have kids coming in that are 18 or 20 whatever and they don t have any preconceived notion of who has a tattoo When I was younger certain people had tattoos and they looked a certain way The alt crowd I guess you might say People are trying to find their own personal look and their own path in an aesthetic way A lot of people are more open to seeing tattoos on all kinds of people I just tattooed a woman in her 60s who said I always wanted a tattoo when I was younger but I couldn t back then Now it s quite normalized Everyone knows someone that has at least one tattoo It s almost more different now to not have one and I think that s why people are trying to go different directions with their tattoos Minimalism seems more popular now They become part of your body more The internet has changed tattoo as far as I can tell When I started there was no Instagram People could Google patterns that they wanted and we saw these trends Instead of looking at designs on the wall they were looking at designs on the internet only with the same idea of what s out there Let me pick something I ve noticed that clients are more interested in something more unique We as tattooers are very lucky because there are so many of us that we can focus on our own artistic vision 63

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I think a lot of artists make the tattoo about them a lot of the time When really it is about your client and what they re going to live with for foreseeably the rest of their life I think about that a lot Maybe my client may want something that s not my perfect idea of a tattoo but it is still my job to make it their special thing Because it is special to them How has music influenced your drawings and tattoo style I wouldn t necessarily say that music itself has influenced my style but it is all part of what I do As a painter a tattooer and a musician things all come back in a weird way Something about music is if you re trying to write something that people like they might like it but it may be worthless You re trying to fit yourself into doing something a certain way I ve been thinking about that and how some of my favorite artists whether they gained recognition along the way or not they really pushed things I d like to push things artistically a little bit to do something that s meaningful artistically and not worry about literal likes on Instagram With music and art something I think about a lot is What can I contribute Growing as an artist what can I put out there that will further the music or the art rather than just replicating the same garage rock or eagle tattoo over and over again 64 Karrah Teague s work can be seen on the decorated walls of Kamikaze Tattoo s studio on their website and in their coffee table binders overflowing with their accolades Beyond that Teague s Instagram account the_grim_weeper is full of some of the pieces she s most proud of readers who claim to have an ounce of creativity in their blood should be sure to give her a follow

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Kimm Branch is the owner and creative mind behind branchhomestead a small business based out of Rochester New York that focuses on reusable goods such as washable paper fabric bags containers and pouches Kimm uses her creativity to solve the important issue of excessive waste It isn t a secret that our planet is suffering from humans being wasteful and inconsiderate This is not to say that all humans are like this There are thoughtful innovators out there like Kimm who use their talents to allow us to make better decisions and act consciously about our impact on our environment 68 Kimm was inspired by her parents and grandparents Coming from a big family she saw her family donating what they didn t need or want and reusing everything they could The acts of reusing recycling and donating to reduce waste always stuck with her As the news of climate change and global warming became ever present she realized that she needed to take action She wanted to ensure that she was appreciating and taking care of her environment so her daughter can live a long full life I had the opportunity to sit down and talk to Kimm about her efforts to produce minimal waste In preparation for the interview I looked deeper into the zero waste movement and during this research I saw several trends The first trend that I observed was the minimalistic design of reusable products I asked Kimm if she realized the same correlation and she thoughtfully replied that Minimalist design especially think about a napkin or a cloth bag Its design is more simple but useful you can use it for anything The second trend I noticed was that people who strive to create as little waste as they can tend to follow the minimalist movement Kimm commented on this point as well saying I feel like the more I become interested in the minimal waste lifestyle the less I want to have It s really more convenient to have life simpler the more you have the more you have to take care of The more you have to worry about moving along eventually Creating waste has become convenient but for those who claim that it is hard to cut down on how much they throw out Kimm has some tips for you Take things with you it s really helpful It s kind of a pain 69

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sometimes I always have a bag with me I use it when I grab something to eat or you can always have a cup with you I use one cup that you can use for hot or cold with a lid or not I always have a napkin with me and a cloth bag because it seems like even if you don t need to put something in it you can use it for a napkin too Silverware is easy to carry too some people think it s a bit too much but whatever You can also find multiple uses for one item such as a mason jar The mason jar you can use it for storage to drink for leftovers there are a lot of things you can use it for it s not just one thing One major benefit from involving herself in the zero waste movement is that it has caused Kimm to be more creative She did not stop at creating these bags containers and pouches She has also gone the extra step to make these reusable goods aesthetically pleasing by naturally dyeing her products with everything from avocados to all types of onions to carrots The experimentation has been fun rewarding and an ongoing learning process Kimm s face lit up as she walked around her home and showed off her products and explained her natural dye baths Her products can be found and purchased on her website branchhomestead com She also goes to craft fairs farmers markets and has an occasional pop up shop To find where she will be next follow her on Instagram branchhomestead We re composting in winter spring summer and fall Our Farmers Market drop off service diverts food waste and scraps from landfills Check out our market locations and more information on our website www impactearthroc com zerowaste impactearthinc org 585 478 5617

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If the Riot Grrrl movement of the 90s was reinvented today Fruits Flowers would be their shining surfpunk starlets Writing fiery and expressive tracks graced with celestial harmonies and high powered guitar licks Fruits Flowers have been taking on the New York City music scene by storm putting on memorable performances in venues stretching from Brooklyn s definitive DIY locales to the highly acclaimed stages of SXSW The creation of the band s energetically charged EP Drug Tax released last summer can be described by the band themselves as a furious fit of hot nights and inspired mornings layering lush and distinctive three part harmonies over gritty expressive guitars and a driving rhythmic backbone Putting out a retro inspired music video for their single Out of Touch last May Fruits Flowers have already established their own unique sound and style infusing the raw and authentic vocal tones of seminal punk bands such as Siouxsie and the Banshees with high powered exuberant guitar riffs Acting as huge proponents of women s liberation and artistic visibility frontwoman Caroline Yoder and lead guitarist Ana Becker of Fruits Flowers sat down with the Floated team to share their own philosophies on feminism and unpack their views on empowering female creators in the artistic community Introduced to the feminist movement at a young age Ana Becker explains that her mother would often discuss issues of gender equality throughout her childhood However she didn t fully grasp the concept until she entered the workforce herself Reflecting on the adverse experiences that she faced at her first job Becker voices that Since then I have wanted to burn the established hierarchy all straight down Initially working in technology and now pursuing a full time career as a musician she sarcastically states that these are the two industries noted for not being sexist at all While frontwoman Caroline Yoder holds an equal level of passion towards feminist causes as her bandmate she wasn t introduced to the movement until she took a women s studies course in college During this course Yoder began to understand the integral role that feminism has played in the construction of our democratic society sharing that I interviewed a bunch of the women in my family Two of my three grandmothers were born before 1920 and women demanded the right to vote here in the US almost exactly 100 years ago which is not very long And we owe that to the wonderful women of the Suffragettes Viewing the fight for women s equality as a multifaceted issue Becker asserts that feminism involves 1 the theory of political economic and the social equality of the sexes and 2 the organized activity on behalf of women s rights and interests As a way to create a space for women to express themselves creatively and follow these two binding pillars Becker organized a mini fest last year titled Babes All Rock to highlight the music being created by women in the Brooklyn area Partnering with popular media outlets and local organizations including NYLON Suffragette City and Guitar Center the mini fest quickly gained traction and aimed to donate half of their proceeds to the Mount Sinai SAVI Program a crisis response center based in New York City Becker explains that organizing shows has been an incredibly effective way to bring women in the community together noting that Expressing personal power and skill and agency can inspire other women to grasp a similar power for themselves This can be especially true in contexts where women have been historically underrepresented Rock shows tech conferences congress anywhere the men s restroom line is longer than the women s Girls have come up to us after shows and told us that our performances inspired them to start bands of their own and those experiences have been really moving Adding on to Becker s comments Yoder stresses the importance of supporting the artistic endeavors of women in the community and shares some valuable insights for those who are seeking to become involved in their own local music scene To be a good ally in the sisterhood we gotta look out for each other It s so important Be a kind person and just do your thing Don t worry too much about what other people think Fuck em punk rock While feminism has traditionally been praised for its benefits to society on a macro level Becker and Yoder discuss the ability that the key pillars of the movement have to inspire individual empowerment and self reliance Aspiring towards powerful women of the world from well known feminist icons including Ruth Bader Ginsburg Malala Yousafzai and Simone De Beauvoir the bandmates voice the importance of finding role models to look up to when experiencing feelings of powerlessness Often relying on her creative work to reinstate strength and resilience during times of emotional uncertainty Becker explains that she practices self care by Watching anime and eating ice cream or making loud noise with other babes Chanting incantations boiling a cauldron of chicken soup Calling my sister Sometimes to feel empowered I sit down and make something Music or art or anything really It helps to remind myself that I have the power to bring something new into existence Recognized as one of New York City s hardest working bands by Oh My Rockness this dynamic punkpowerhouse is only starting to make their mark on Brooklyn s DIY scene Currently in the pre production phase of creating a follow up to Drug Tax Fruits Flowers have been picking up countless opportunities to showcase their strengths as a live band including giving a stellar performance for Audiotree Live last summer

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FLOATED MAGAZINE ISSUE 6

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