Zanna Magazine Issue One

Sonia Panova
@coffee_paper

“I was a mermaid and I went to the house in the middle of the sea. I was
with someone else like me, who told me a story about a merman who was
cursed to infinitely grow. He’d have to move away eventually, and there was

a house in the middle of the sea he was destined to stay.”
- entry from a dream journal

Annie Dawkins
@Kungfupineapple

Lady Leatherback

Lowlands, Tobago. ii

Since the time of chalk, O, Mother of Infinite Motion!
since rain and sun splayed Paint your masterwork strokes.
rays on beginner flowers, Your swirling sculls, your deep-league dives.
Leatherback lugged the cornerstone.
Your Mabe necklace of eggs founded
Continental tourists drift In this treasure beach out-shiver
this shore of unbuilt city The joys of pirate booty, predate Celtic kings,
searching monoliths of hope. by the sharkish language of acquisition.
The grunting gargantuan carries
a museum of bones on her back, Ageless sculpture, no revenge swims
a progeny of colonies in her belly. Through your cool blood, though
no human has been a concrete friend.
With mechanical softness she No fortress ransoms your display.
scoops a bowl of dune, deposits Your body of sea-carved
her small world of globes living stone disturbs no bay.
into the earth’s foundation.
Lady Colossus, met at bony moon’s return,
Hunch backed corbeaux open help us read the map of order stitched
regalia wings of death, swoop on her back, the tectonic slab of progress,
down on dinosaur caviar, broken free from the blueprint of Pangea.
animal’s-inhumanity-to-animal.
Mainlanders worship shaky monuments,
Leatherback does not stay to mourn, while leatherback turns her gaze
pats shut the birthing-tomb. indifferent to all human matter,
From the crack of new world shells, follows on the bleary dust of moonlight,
young fins scribble a bouquet of oversees evolution in the currents of constancy,
sand trails. Fledgling fins imitate in the currents of constant sea.
flight from GPS memory in the womb,
en route to the civilization of sea.

Leatherback has no teeth for revolution,
yet her cycle calls her home.
She stretches her monarchial gloves
toward the tides that pull apart
lands like dinner loaves,
sculling her return to ancient waters.

No precious shield of ages defends her.
Her spine hides no vault of early value,
though lapis waters glister, then vaporize
from her pearl-embroidered cape.

Gilberte O'Sullivan
@pinkpoui



This is the darker side of life, Ed Moreton
Spend ya time getting high, @edsup94
Committing petty crimes,
Forget ya friends,
Forget the rest,
Live the lie, live the lie,
Live the lie, live to die.
I’ve been spraying rhymes since my matey hit the spike, hit the pipe,
This is the darker side of life,
Cider life, from 9 - 5 then from 5 - 9 its blues and whites,
Using booze to snooze through the nights,
Truth hurts,
And plenty dudes would rather live the lie,
They’d rather die than live, they live for highs,
I’ve seen guys who’ve lost the plot doing lines
Sniffing white ‘til lose their minds,
Petty crimes to feed the need the addicts at it boost supply’s,
Door to door moving moody goods for a price too good to be true to unruly types,
That are quick to stick up kids just to subdue their fix,
They’re doomed to this, it’s nothing new,
Just another day, in an estate full of lunatics.
This is the darker side of life,
Spend ya time getting high,
Committing petty crimes,
Forget ya friends,
Forget the rest,
Live the lie, live the lie,
Live the lie, live to die.
Flunky’s turned junkies run the concrete jungle like Jumanji,
Chasing dragons ‘til their habits ain’t hungry,
But bad habits always have the munchies,
Druggies, bunning dust till their lungs combust
Because the buzz from skunk just wasn’t enough,
Needed more to feel the love, more to feed the beast,
To tame the pains from waking up.
Street fiends speed balling on the way to bus,
They can’t wait ‘til the day J.S.A comes,
If they could they’d take their payment in drugs,
Shove it strait in their veins until their veins pump sludge,
In place of blood, face decayed, bathed in mud,
Wearing yesterdays strains with today’s bad luck.
This is the darker side of life,
Spend ya time getting high,
Committing petty crimes,
Forget ya friends,
Forget the rest,
Live the lie, live the lie,
Live the lie, live to die.

Mark sat, alone, terrified by his own mortality.
“Stop reading! Let me live!” he cried, but the reader
kept going, and word by word, line by line, his time ran
down. He had to survive. There had to be something he

could do. Panic turned to desperation. He’d give
anything, stretch out every syllable, just to eek out a
little more existence. But with age came wisdom, the
realisation that though his time on the page was brief,
his life was so much more. So he let go, to transcend

the page and blossom in the mind of his reader.

Thomas H. Hancock

Linzi Thomas
@captured_worlds

Linzi has always been interested in books and stories, and
after studying a degree in English and Creative Writing
she became very interested in the psychology and
transformation of certain tales across literature.
With the rise of modern technology, many stories
have been taken from the page to the screen to be
consumed by a visual culture; this has seen more
and more people turn away from the traditional
method of reading and using their own imagination,
to instead be spoon fed snippets of another’s vision.

Linzi’s sculptures are an attempt to bring the visual aid
back to the pages of books, and to invite people to
rediscover the magic within for themselves. After
all, in the words of Edmund Wilson:
“no two people ever read the same book”.

As an insomniac
and vivid dreamer, the
subject of sleep can be an
obsession, with the two creating a
powerful combination that shapes Alison’s
imagination and visual storytelling as an artist.

‘Dad’ is one of a series of sewn, sleeping figurative
pieces. It is an affectionate rendering of her father who
often falls asleep in his armchair soon after sitting down to
watch television or read. The sleeping figure reveals a moment
of intimacy and vulnerability which took on an added emotional potency
as at the time the idea was realised, her dad had been very unwell.

Alison wanted the piece to look like a sketch but with loose hanging threads that
make the figure seem as though it is disintegrating or drifting-off into a dreamlike state.
Like her insomnia, the work exists in that hazy place between being asleep and awake;
consciousness and sub-consciousness; dreams and reality. Other metaphors may be considered:
narrative threads, fragility, a passing of time. There is a certain ambiguity to the work as each piece
reveals only a fragment of the subject with the loose strands only adding to the sense of
incompletion, imperfection and impermanence. Indeed, machine embroidery itself is an
art form that dwells somewhere betwixt two and three-dimensional states, a breach
of one sphere to another.

Alison Carpenter-Hughes
@ pootlesmoon

Image taken by David Wilson Clarke at DWC Imagery

Barnes wanted to try and create some
thought provoking artwork combining
collage and the art of paper folding.
‘Headspace’ explores self-compassion,
personal interaction/communication
and the need for individuals to reclaim
and protect their own psychic space.

The origin of Japanese origami can be
traced back to Buddhism, Barnes hoped to
highlight the simple mindful geometry of
traditional hand folded envelope designs.
Origami does not have to be complex to be
valuable, meaningful or appreciated by the
viewer or recipient. It’s Karen’s view and in
agreement with Vittorio-Maria Brandoni,
a Zen Origami Buddhist, that it should not
just express "empty aestheticism", but
rather an attitude to life and nature.

Karen Barnes
@barnesgallery



David Turner FRSA
www.davidturnerfrsa.com

The world around us is moving even faster and seemingly becoming more complex (and more self-
destructive) every day. It has all become a bit of a blur of sensations, often there is so much, to
make sense of it all can become overwhelming. These works are part of a series that both celebrates
and examines the experience of modernity and places it in a broader historic context.

Nature is in chaos. A fox wears a hare mask, a wolf peers out of the darkness in a glowing rams head-
dress. An unnatural order has been made.

Welcome to Hazel’s painting series ‘Masquerade’ where chimeral forces are at play. The rich colours of
strong blood, wine reds and burnt umbers flow across the artwork giving glimpses of animal characters
wearing masks of their prey/predator. Like human shamans, to wear the mask is to become the mask.
Corrupted by self-awareness of this duality these creatures savour the heady taste of flesh, both the
prey’s and their own.

This is the tip of a bonfire, a tumbled world of excess and corruption that she has created as a response
to the current skewed world order, the removal of keystone species, disruption of food chains, the
jumble of existence. She imagines creatures pushed into a very human excess of desire.
Hazel has echoed Spanish baroque art, seeking to submerge the viewer in a darkly seductive world of
hedonism and anarchy. In the darkness a bright torch picks out lively eyes and unmoving intent. What
journey will these creatures take? Hazel imagines decadent parties, overflowing dining tables, revelling in
this new world order.
No matter the pressure we put on them the animals will not die out, they will find a way, they will
evolve. Your invitation to the party has already been written, by a human hand.

Hazel Mountford
@hazelmountford
www.HazelMountford.com



Kalisaur
@kalisaur

No matter how much you think you know, EVERYONE has their own demons, struggles
and insecurities. Kalisaur is about embracing them, not hiding from them.
She confides in dinosaurs and abstraction to express and communicate her emotional
complications, divergence and conflicting mind sets. Killer meets comforting candy.
Producing art generates a relief from darkness for Kalisaur and by creating such vibrant
and varied pieces she exposes the beautiful brutality of living with a personality disorder
and a highly confused mind. Art is how she battles against the indifference of humans to
disseminate the need for acceptance, no matter how sane you are.



Aine Laidler
@ainelaidler

'Where the Petals Fall' (left): Having grown up in the Irish countryside, surrounded by legends of the
Aos-Si and fae, Aine wanted to capture the mythical and hidden aspect to their characters, hence the
half concealed face. The Aos-Si were once considered Gods to the natives of Ireland before the rise of
Catholicism and Christianity, but most records of them were destroyed by invaders and religious move-
ments. All that is known for sure is that they were once revered and feared by a whole nation of people,
and are not easily forgotten.

'The White Snake' (above): Focusing on the tale from Japanese mythology, Aine wanted to showcase the
power this female figure held with just her gaze. Her tale is a twist on the 'captured maiden' narrative
where she instead plays the hero. It is a tale of tragic loss and betrayal, yet throughout it all she remains
all-powerful and hopeful, never faltering in what she believes is right.

Emily Chapman
@emxconcepts

Pastel Demon - A reflection of Emily’s personality
Emily is a self taught artist taking inspiration from anime and video games,
with particular emphasis on character design. She demonstrates her passion
for gaming through her work and also as an official gaming ambassador on
Instagram. Her eventual goal is to become a concept artist for video games.

Scarab Beetle - Inspired by ancient Egypt

She Comes At Dawn -
A Goddess representation of the Sun

Angus Meads
@angusbdm

Taylen Heremaia
@sway_bouquet

“Made after watching hours worth of deep sea footage and having my heart broken.”

Billie Franks
@billiefranksart

There's something special about capturing a
specific moment of time forever, in a unique
way that relates to yourself. What makes it
even better is when it connects with others
in a way that relates to them as an individual.
Billie’s art is connected to her emotions, in a
way where she creates to try and bring a smile
to others faces because, let’s be honest, we
probably all need to smile more. She hopes her
creative side can help people out!

Bethany Duffy
@ bethany_duffy_embroidery

This is part of a series, 3 embroidered pads,
it is a continuation and development of a
project Bethany did at university. She wanted
to expand a series of work she did using
medical materials and this was the result!
The pieces are made with cotton embroidery
thread, and a range of sequins, glass beads
and Swarovski crystals. It is stitched with
classic embroidery techniques, whitework and
blackwork stitches being the main contributor.
The structure of the pad was great to stitch
on, especially with the counted stitches, these
require a solid grid which if you look at the
pad closely you’ll be able to see. With this
series Bethany wanted to make something
that is a large part of most lives more
approachable by beautifying it. Showing that
it isn’t scary and isn’t a taboo, we should be
celebrating, embracing and talking about this.

Eric Spangler
@etsphoto13
etsphoto.com

Gesa Reuter
@gesareuter.art

ZenArt Supplies interview - Ardak Kassenova

What was your catalyst moment that led to your current career?
I had a successful career of over 20 years of working in govern-
ment affairs, communications and information management with a
strong track record of project management and international
negotiations. In every position I was always initiating social
responsibility projects, that would improve the quality of life for
the people, and bringing opportunities for personal development.
However, my heart and soul was always with Art, and since my
childhood as long as I remember myself, I was dreaming to be an
artist. I had great art teachers at school, and in my adulthood I was
taking classes from some of the best artists. I was painting after
work, and teaching myself through books, videos, visiting art
galleries and museums. I’ve been very curious about different
mediums, techniques and styles, and therefore accumulated
knowledge and experience on variety of mediums over the years.
When I became a mother to our wonderful girls, I decided that it’s
time to make drastic changes, fulfil the childhood dreams and link
my life with the Art. I started to paint again, more regularly and
decided to create our own art supplies brand that would help
artists to fulfil their creative dreams and achieve their best results
since the beginning using high quality art materials without
wasting their precious time and money.

What motivated you to share/sell your creations with other artists and form ZenArt?
I didn’t have a formal art education but I was lucky to have professional artists as my teachers, at school, and art
studios while studying and working afterwards. However, I’ve noticed when starting a new course on new medi-
um: whatever I would buy before the class they would say to throw it away, because it wasn’t suitable. Over time
I understood that there are specific tools for specific mediums, that suit best, and there are no one fits all rule in
art.
My problem with choosing new art supplies for different mediums was the overwhelming choice at the traditional
art supply shops and not the best level of advice available. When you do art as a hobby, you often do it on your
own, you are usually recommended “to buy whatever you can afford and make your own decision”.
When I started painting again, many of my friends also wanted to try, and they were asking which art materials I
would suggest. This way I came to a conclusion, that there’s a problem on the art supplies market that there are
either too expensive professional level tools and materials, that many newbies wouldn’t buy or even know about,
or really cheap and low quality tools that were advertised as universal for all kinds of mediums (and art teachers I
know would tell you to throw away). As a result, many would buy a cheap kind of tools and would be discouraged
to continue due to the unsatisfactory initial experience and result.
ZenArt Supplies was created with the aim to fill that gap and support artists with the unique, high quality mate-
rials of professional level, designed for specific mediums based on the practices of professional artists. We also
packed them in sets, to make them more affordable and convenient to buy, use and store. We know that many
artists have busy lives and every minute is precious. Our aim is to make your choice easy, so you can enjoy the
whole process of painting, and get a great result, because your tools and materials matter.

Why did you choose the name ZenArt Supplies?
Nowadays people live in a hectic time with lots of stress and anxiety. Many choose Art as a therapeutic way of
feeling calm and in peace with themselves. I personally get into meditative state while painting. It’s the moment
when your brain gets quiet and you let your soul speak. You live in the moment, and can feel Zen – achieving in-
ner balance and feeling being enough and having enough. Artists are honest and vulnerable people who are brave
to show their vulnerability and communicate their message with the world. ZenArt is about finding your inner
ZEN, and creating a community of artists to share and support each other. ZenArt Supplies strives to be all you
may ever need to achieve your master-piece and inner-peace.

Tell us a little about your partnership with UNICEF's 'Art in All of Us' initiative?
ZenArt Supplies is a family run business with a wide vision, we are here to serve our community, through our
products, professional advice, and building a network of artists who can change the world to be a better place.
Being a mother and artist myself, I was also looking for a global initiative that supports children through art. We
found it and starting from 2016 we support Art in All of Us (AiA) initiative, a UNICEF partner, that inspires hun-
dreds of children across the globe to explore and share their cultural differences and similarities through the medi-
um of art as a means to promote tolerance and understanding across borders.
Art is a universal language that can be understood without explanation and is available to any one of us regardless
of age, race or background. We want to support the work that AiA is doing in partnership with UNICEF in building
creative bridges between different countries and continents, helping children to understand and communicate
with each other. We hope this way they can make better choices as they grow, and encouraging adults to follow
their example by trying to see more ways of communicating and collaborating. AiA is a not-for-profit organisation
has 400 volunteers across all 192 UN member countries. You can read more about Art in All of Us initiative and
how we support it on www.zenartsupplies.co/art-in-all-of-us/

What are your business goals? Do you have an ethos you follow?
At ZenArt we believe in the power of art to transform lives. Art improves life quality, brings calm and happiness,
increases your efficiency and energy flow. We believe that in Art less is more. We offer you guidance not only how
to choose the art materials, but also how to achieve your best painting ever. We offer high value for money, and
that’s proven with the thousands of happy customers around the globe.
ZenArt’s wider vision is to create an international artists’ community to inspire more and more people to pick up a
paintbrush and express themselves creatively. We want people to live purposeful and mindful lives, happy families
and communities, and thousands of inner artists unleashed.
In that sense we proactively support our customers, present and perspective, being on their side, ready to help
them by providing technical information and advice. We inspire and motivate them with lots of challenges, de-
bates, tips, tutorials and giveaways via our social media channels – it’s a great mix of feelings, discussions, and
products! Our social media is a great tool for building constantly growing community of talented artists who are
genuinely ready to help each other, and they recognize our efforts: every day we receive messages of love, appre-
ciation and support.
We attract and engage with truly global community of aspiring artists and art instructors by explaining simply the
expert artists’ knowledge via YouTube videos and Guides, and new initiatives to award art instructors and artists.
Our business is not full without social element: we impact hundreds of children across the globe promoting toler-
ance and understanding across borders through Art by supporting Art in All of Us UNICEF partner initiative.

What advice would you give other young businesses or emerging artists?
My advice to young entrepreneurs and emerging artists would be – become a force for good, and live life worth
being retold. Your life and what you can do is bigger than you can ever imagine, if you decide to serve others. This
should be the in the heart of any creation. Most important is to have a vision, the clearer it is, the easier it’ll be to
achieve. It might evolve over time, but if you have a clear vision and great purpose, every day will be fulfilling, and
you’ll be attracting people and resources you need.

And at the end, I would like to advise to wake up with determination, go to sleep with satisfaction, be forgiving
and kind to yourself and others. These are some common words of wisdom, but they mean a lot for me, and
worth sharing.

“If you hear a voice within you saying, ‘You are not a painter,’ then by all means paint, boy, and that voice will be
silenced.” ~ Vincent van Gogh

Curator Picks Shannon Donaldson
@shannondonaldsondesign
Angie Michaiel
artbangbang.com/AngieMichaiel Megan Golden
@maygold111

Debra Wellington
@debrartdesign

Cover competition runners up

“Issue One began with a contest to see who would make the cover and moreover what would set the brief
for the zine. Here are our three runners up, which could have led to a wildly different first issue for us. Thank
you all for being involved and being the first group to take a chance on us and make us believe in ourselves.”
- your grateful editors

Brian Barbeito Josh Price
@brianbarbeito @mtvscribs

Quentin Devine
@Quentindevine

Issue Two: Sneak Peek

Colin giles
@worldofwardsback

Shop of Hearts. The shop of hearts is for the broken hearted to
purchase whatever type of heart they now desire. All watched
over by the most famous heartless individual, The Tinman.



£10