September 2023 Submissions – Fall Forward
Selected Pieces for our September 2023 ‘Fall Forward’ Submission’s Contest
(In No Particular Order)
Pieces were selected by the UP Magazine Team based on what we felt best represented the theme
Alina Perez
Alina Perez, a native New Yorker born and raised in Brooklyn, utilizes photography and video to document her love of street art. After earning a B.A. in Media Arts, Alina worked in freelance television for ABC’s The View, CNN, and Al Roker Productions. While considering a return to graduate school, Alina attended art classes at Hunter College including drawing, painting and sculpture. While earning a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, she learned how to integrate a variety of art therapy interventions when working with clients. She currently combines her background in video production and social work to highlight broader community issues of social justice, equality, and diversity. Alina has recently expanded her artist expression to include painting both landscapes and abstract work. Her pieces are currently on display at Ofrendafest, located in the heart of Long Island City, Queens.
For my “Fall Forward” submission, I painted an autumn scene drawn from my childhood memories camping in upstate New York. The tall line of trees reach high into the sky, as their changing colors reflect on the tranquil surface of a river. When I was young, my family would go on camping trips, race kayaks down the river and skip rocks across the water. The fresh air would be warm in the sunshine, cool and crisp at night. We went swimming, played board games, and roasted marshmallows while listening to music by the campfire. While the changing leaves of my painting represent the forward passage of time, this scene also reflects a deep longing for my childhood past.
Instagram: @alinapereznyc
Tahica Fredericks
Photographer, Founder, and Lead Curator of InnerWorks NYC
Tahica Fredericks, Brooklyn born, but The Bronx is called home. A Street Photographer since 2014 and currently the Founder and Lead Curator for InnerWorks NYC Gallery & Events.
I’m attaching a few of my fall favorites. All of these shots were taken while walking downtown in the city and at the Farmer’s Market. I believe these images will fit the theme because along with everything else that goes on in our city, Fall can be and is one of the most beautiful transitions you could experience if you pause, breathe, and take it all in.
GUNTHER LILL
I am a mixed media artist and I live and work in Altena, Germany. In the early creative years of my life I practiced experimental analog photography and taught photography courses. Later I switched to digital photography. In addition to my lifelong, autodidactic studies of art, I learned to work with antique glass, opalescent, colorescent and mirror glass from renowned master glaziers.Since 1989, numerous glass art objects have been created using lead glazing and Tiffany technology. From 2000 to 2010 I mainly devoted myself to computer aided graphics, image processing and programming.
I realized cross-media projects (internet and intranet) as well as public relations and digital art. Since 2010 I have been concentrating on abstract mixed media paintings and sculptures, which were presented in a renowned art gallery. My artwork can be seen in local exhibitions, private art collections and international art platforms. You can find a detailed overview at www.stylish-arts.com .
For my digital graffiti-style painting “Fall Forward“, I chose the same dignified title as your September theme. The image was created step by step on the computer using a complex process. The graphic is an honorable tribute to the great actor Mr. Denzel Washington. I admire him for his outstanding performances in his numerous films. What I find even more impressive is Mr. Denzel Washington’s inspiring commencement speeches entitled “Fall Forward,” which he held in a very dignified manner at the University of Pennsylvania and Dillard University. I can confirm his valuable words and advice from my own experience and I hope that his advice will motivate and inspire as many people as possible on their journey through their careers and lives. Therefore, I found it important to summarize Mr. Denzel Washington’s most important core statements in an image and present it in a way that appeals to young people in particular.
My computer graphics are a tribute to Mr. Denzel Washington and a sign of great respect for his dignified, humane character, his acting achievements and his brilliant speech.
Elisabeth Theo
Speaking of fall, I wanted to express my enthusiasm for Up Mag’s “Fall Forward Theme” art submission and share an illustration that I believe embodies the spirit of this theme. The artwork I would like to submit is a celebration of fall in all its glorious hues, entirely rendered in warm and inviting shades of orange. In the illustration, you’ll find a scene where a woman rides her bicycle through a picturesque small town adorned in the rich colors of fall.
This artwork is a visual ode to the beauty of the season, capturing the essence of fall in every hue. The bicycle in the illustration serves as a symbolic representation of moving forward into the embrace of fall, which aligns perfectly with the “Fall Forward” theme.
A little bit about myself:
I am Elisabeth, an Austro-Greek Illustrator and Artist living and working in Vienna. I graduated from the University of Applied Arts, Vienna, in 2020, with a master’s degree in Design, and I hold a degree in Communication Science. The generation of ideas and concepts holds a central role in my creative practice, shaping the very essence of my artistic expression. Color is my eternal obsession, as I continuously seek new and intriguing combinations. Drawing inspiration from everyday objects, nature‘s wonders, and fictional worlds, all of my work lives in the same made-up universe. They serve as windows into my mind, and I hope to evoke feelings of peace, wonder, and inspiration within those who view them.
Escapism lies at the heart of my art. I strive to create worlds that offer respite from reality, where individuals can find inspiration, calmness, and a momentary escape. My ultimate goal is to inspire others and spark their imagination.
Instagram: @elisabeththeo.studio
Chelsea Garcia
Chelsea Garcia is a Bronx based visual artist. She would describe her art style as “Cartoon Expressionism”. Her style is colorful, bold, whimsical, and more. Chelsea brings these creative energies to her pre-school classroom, where she incorporates art into the lessons she teaches the children.
The piece attached is titled, “Cambio De Tiempo, Esperando Por Mi Amor” (translation: “Change of time, Waiting For My Love”) . It is a 12″×12″, acrylic on canvas. This composition fits the theme, ‘Fall Forward’ because of it’s abstract autumn scenery. In this image, the artist is portraying the fleeting movement of time in a still moment.
The piece also symbolizes the perpetual endings and beginnings of nature; including the constant development within an individual’s life. This concept is meant to be relative to the viewer. For the artist, it symbolizes the instant change and life long commitment of having a child. While she awaits November for the birth of her first born, she experiences the transformation of her body, emotions, priorities, and soon her lifestyle. This image shows the beauty of death and life; letting go of the past and embracing what is to come.
Instagram page: @chelseagarcia_art
