Zanna Magazine Issue Four

Issue Four Contributors

Brief: Balance Laura Pezza
Kate ivy Louise
“The cover image is a black and white paper Lalaine Magnaye
boat against a colourful and flowy background.
It’s a simple illustration, but it represents Ariee
something important: the harmony between Urmila menon
keeping everything under control and letting Michelle Granville
go, precision and vagueness, geometry and
flexibility. Your submissions should reflect Ellie Amos
the same balance between the need to keep Reanna Ali
everything detailed and the desire to let it flow, Ester pugliese
between control and heart, reason and instinct.” Massimiliano Esposito
Svetlana Agranovskaya
We had many conversations about what kind Erika Reyes
of brief to set and kept coming back to the
same question, what would the artists best Elis
respond to? With this in mind we handed over Red telephone
control by means of a competition to decide
not only the cover but also the brief of Issue Deadelk
Four, this way we could get an idea of what Marinna benzon
concepts most excited artists. The whole Isabelle mulvany
competition was up for public vote so you,
the people, decided everything. We were very Jess Thomas
happy to see the theme of balance win as it is Samuele scomparin
something we relate to, often being described
as opposites or two halves of one person. Luci stardust
Heckythump

Emily Chapman
Agentx

Tighe mearns-Smith
Thomas H. Hancock

Toby penney
Nada duga

Natasha saedi
Raquel thome

Behind The Art: The Quiet Place

We have spoken to the winner of our cover competition
all about her art, who influences her work and a little
about what inspired the brief.
Z: Firstly, Who are you and what do you do?
L: My name is Laura and I’m the artist behind The Quiet
Place Art. I’m currently based in Hong Kong, after living
in Italy, the US, Germany and Ireland. I work in a tech
company and I practice art on the side.
Z: Did you study art in school?
L: No, I studied translation and interpreting in
school. I was undecided between Fine Arts and
languages, and I decided to go for languages because
I thought it would be easier to find a job and I could
keep art as a hobby. It didn’t quite go like this!

Z: How did you get into art then?
L: About three years ago, I realised that I wasn’t
doing enough of what I loved the most: art.
I always felt that it was part of my identity but
when I thought of how much time I actually spent
on it, I felt really ashamed. “They say we are what
we do… so have I lost a part of me?”, I wondered.
So, I decided I would get back into it. I followed
some online tutorials and I joined the Dublin
Urban Sketchers. I found a lovely community
there, so encouraging and inspirational. Within
not too long, I opened my website (www.the
quietplaceart.com), participated in the People’s
Art Exhibition in Dublin twice and developed a
watercolour series called the Irish Collection.
Z: Tell us more about how you make your art?
L: What I publish from The Quiet Place Art are
my watercolours and ink works. I use Winsor &
Newton for my background and Micron pens for
the black and white part. For my paper, I use cold
pressed paper, 300 g/m2 by Arches. I also like
experimenting with other techniques and styles
too. Recently I’ve started using gouache and
painting on top of cardboard, it’s a cool texture!

Z: Can you tell us more about the brief “Balance”?

L: I’ve worked as a Project Manager for the past five years and I’m always trying to make the most of
the day, by creating schedules, plans and checklists for myself. To counter my rational and pragmatic
character, I’ll always make time for art. This is how I find peace and maintain my mental stability. The
idea of balance is reflected in my artworks: the dotwork and hyper detail blend in with the luminous and
ethereal backgrounds, the cold black and white complement the transcendent blues. It’s a harmony
between the need to keep control and let go, geometry and fluidity, reason and instinct. The subjects
of my artwork vary a lot. Whether it’s an homage to the new city I’m in love with, a far away galaxy
or a dreamy whale, the central theme will always be the embrace between rationality and heart.

Z: How do you maintain your art activity with a full time job?

L: I get this question a lot and the truth is, it’s
not easy at all! It’s really tough to be an emerging
artist in Hong Kong. It’s one of the most
expensive cities in the world in terms of rent, so
exhibition space is a big issue here. Apartments
are tiny and I have really limited space at home.
As long as it’s just a hobby in your spare time, it’s
still manageable. But when you start receiving
commissions or decide to organise exhibitions…
well, then it can become quite stressful. I try to
do something art-related at least twice a week,
once after work and once over the weekend.
I have also recently created a roadmap for my
art activity, in order to keep it more structured.
I set weekly goals, such as “completing one
artwork”, “making two posts on Instagram”,
“contact X gallery or person” etc. This is where
my project management skills come in handy.

Z: What have been some of your greatest achievements so far?

L: Winning the Zanna cover competition is
definitely one of them! Until not long ago, I would
have never even dreamed that it would happen
someday! Two of my designs became real-life
tattoos, which was an incredible feeling. Also I
had my first ever solo exhibition in Hong Kong
and that was more than I could ever hope for.
Z: What else do you enjoy besides art?

L: My greatest passion is travel. The main reason
why I decided to move to Hong Kong was the
travel opportunities from here. I also love learning
new languages (I’m fluent in 5 and I’m currently
studying my 8th, Cantonese), hiking, trying
out new restaurants, cinema and photography.
Z: Who is your favourite artist/biggest inspiration?

L: My favourite artist is Van Gogh. My favourite
painting of all time though is ‘The Empire of Light’
by Magritte; I can’t describe why I like it so much,
but when I saw it for the first time, I found myself
staring at it for so long! The artist that had the
greatest influence on me, however, is probably
Hokusai and, more generally, Japanese ukiyo-e.

Z: What advice would you give to other emerging artists?
L: I would recommend trying out as many techniques and styles as possible, until you find the one
that resonates with you the most. And even after you do, keep experimenting because our style
develops over time and we shouldn’t limit ourselves only to what sells.
Z: Anything else you’d like to add?
L: I’m so grateful to the Zanna team for their project and for all of the opportunities that they offer
to all artists out there. It is really rare to find a passionate and genuine team behind an art magazine
that supports emerging artists like me. Thank you Zanna!

@thequietplaceart

Kate ivy Louise
@ivylouise.art

This piece reflects the given brief in multiple ways, and Ivy Louise isn’t the only one to approach
the theme of balance with a combination of what are normally considered contrasting colours.

Lalaine Magnaye
@thewamdesign

A common interpretation of balance is to bring
together two opposite or contrasting elements in
equal or appropriate proportions to create harmony
in a piece. These works show this notion of balance
through the use of reds and blues, but also the
freedom of colour contrasts with the detailed
penwork/lining. Both Ivy Louise and Lalaine
works not only meet the brief, but also reflect
the cover art, though with very different styles.

Red is often thought of as a hot colour and blue is
assumed cold but this isn’t necessarily true; colour
warmth can vary within each colour dependent on
it’s bias. Ivy Louise uses a red tone with a blue bias
to compliment the red biased blues, they balance
eachother naturally as they are both tending to
purple. Compare this to Lalaine’s piece that uses
a rich warm red and vibrant icy blues, there is a
much greater sense of contrast in this piece. Lalaine
balances two extremes in a loud explosion of colour
while Ivy Louise utilises complimentary colours to
move towards harmony creating a very quiet piece.

Ariee Black and white are synonymous with balance. A famous
@Arieefineart example of this is the yin-yang symbol, a clear influence
for Ariee’s piece. In Chinese cosmology Yin and Yang are
thought of as the material energy from which all things in
the universe are derived. Opposing forces in nature (night
and day, water and fire, order and disorder) are all seen
as physical manifestations of this innate duality. Yin-yang
(literally meaning dark-bright) forms the basis for most
peoples idea of balance, the notion of opposing elements
coexisting to the point that most are seen as interdependent.

Michelle’s piece, ‘Bloom’ [right], also utilises dark and light to
showcase balance as well as the opposing geometry of the
sharp rectangles and rounded flower motif. The opposition
of geometry and form is a theme seen in Urmila’s image below
and throughout the issue. Such pieces show a direct response
to the brief’s call to find harmony between “control and letting
go, precision and vagueness, geometry and flexibility”.

The blues in a black

and white life

“Life isn’t always black and
white. The times when it
gets blue is when we realise
the importance of balancing
between the controlled black
and white thinking and the
importance of letting go of
everything in between. It’s a
constant ebb and flow between
these two.”

Urmila menon
@urmimenon

Michelle Granville
@beleafmoon

‘Odyssey’ is an aptly named
photography project which
is heavily influenced by the
Nintendo game “Super Mario
Odyssey”. These photographs,
taken in-game, capture an
easily immersive dreamlike
state, allowing you to forget
the real world around you.
Each piece is a snapshot of
a wider world, a peaceful
moment found amongst
the chaotic, colourful and
fantastical surroundings.

Ellie Amos
@ellieamosphoto

Balance can mean stability, both mental and
emotional. Reanna’s work is an expression of
her inner world of thoughts and emotions. Her
work addresses ideas of self-transformation
through changes and experiences in life.
She sees the work as an ongoing therapeutic
process. Plants, often symbolising growth,
recovery, and healing, feature heavily in
Reanna’s work. The lotus flower holds strong
symbolism spanning many thousand-year-old
eastern cultures. Representing, enlightenment,
purity and self-regeneration, the lotus flower
fits perfectly with Reanna’s creative direction.
A perfect metaphor for rebirth, lotus flowers
grow in muddy water but rise above the
surface to bloom, revealing their true beauty.

Reanna Ali
@reanna_a9

Ester pugliese

When beginning work on this series, Ester knew
the exhibition would take place around Valentine’s
Day. That got them thinking about fresh cut flowers,
and how they’re used to mark special occasions
and how flowers also represent a fragile life-form
that may be threatened or endangered. Ester began
to carefully observe a neighbours’ garden and the
weeds that grow wild along the sidewalks. Personal
experience and current events tend to seep into
Pugliese’s artwork, and so came the aim for a coral
reef aesthetic; because the denseness and variety
of shapes in a reef seem to equate to the full-on
emotions and experiences that are part of being a
new mother. Also, the fragility and need to protect
our endangered reefs seemed a fitting subject to
layer onto the flowers, that also echoed maternal

Temperatures will tumble going into the weekend Temperatures in most areas expected to
remain slightly cooler than normal
instincts. Careful drawings of local plants
and weeds have been incorporated into each
painting, as well as the outline of a cut flower
arrangement. These are among the first few
layers, on top of which patches of colour, line and
geometric shapes are added, layered to the point
of almost overtaking the plants and flowers. The
titles of each piece were taken from weather
scripts, these are meant to hint at the wild
weather we are facing these days as a result of
global warming. These references create a sense
of dread and hopefully make the viewer feel the
need to try to reverse the negative effects of
our reliance on material possessions. It requires
a measured calm to resist the temptations of
our consumerist society. And indeed, parenting
requires an ability to take measured steps
to respond to difficult and confusing child
behaviour and to stay calm, above all else.

@ester_pugliese

Low clouds will persist well into the afternoon hours



The series of artworks titled “Les Chambres du petit garçon” (“The Little Boy’s Rooms”)
refers to a non-place, a space out of time, the realm of dreams. The young boy is a product
of imagination and he seems perfectly at ease, even if he is always alone. He is perched
between childhood and adolescence – that period where games give way to adulthood. The
metaphorical space in which he evolves remains closed, with no exit, and is bathed in an unreal
light that seems, only in appearance, to arrive from some outside source. The series is divided
into seven “chapters” consisting of ten illustrations each, painted between 2013 and 2017.

Massimiliano Esposito
@maxartinparis

Svetlana Agranovskaya “Infanta”
@szvit
Neither of these paintings is a portrait of a particular person. Actually, the face cannot
be seen entirely, there are only some features that flow into an abstract form, creating
a dynamic element in a static picture. As if due to the fact that a wave passed over
the surface of the image, some elements have already assumed a certain shape,
while others are not yet frozen and move freely around the surface of the canvas.

“Girl with flowers”

Acquiesce

Time that moves in waves
and reaches forward to grab you in the present.
Resisting is futile when there are ropes
that tie and bend
and attach to anchors
of scent
emotion
and habit.
Feel time pull in different directions.
Feel the smooth, tight, or loose lariats
and un-tether yourself.
Beginning with the small, short
thinning ones
easiest to do away with.
Release the lightest weight
and gain strength in the struggle.
Time is yours
but also belonging to others,
if you let the waves take you.

Erika Reyes
@artificialaltar

Elis
@elisoceans

Pregnant Fish

This project touches upon personal experiences, finding the balance between
past experiences and using creativity to process them. It also encourages others

to feel they can do the same.

Red Telephone

Red telephone is a project which focuses Rocket
on the human experience, narratives and
documentation spearheaded by Yasmin
Qureshi, one of 2018’s ‘24 most influential
bristolians under 24’. The project addresses
experiences of trauma through visual art,
creative and therapeutic workshops and
soon to be sound pieces. This project
encourages people to process past
experiences through accessible means.
Red Telephone began after watching
the programme ‘24 Hours in A&E’ and
being inspired by how beautifully the
narratives of the staff, patients and close
friends/family stories unfolded. The
project looks specifically at how humans
process experiences of trauma and
how art/creativity can aid that process.

Pile of Pebbles Created from Yasmin’s subconscious,
these jewellery pieces were based on
squiggle drawings - a technique created
by Donald W Winnicott that taps into
the subconscious to address feelings,
dreams or experiences. In short, the
squiggle game is a pencil-and-paper
technique used to elicit children’s
thoughts and feelings. It has no
structured format, allowing children
complete freedom to express
themselves. While the technique was
developed primarily for children too
young to effectively articulate their
thoughts and emotions, but too old for
play techniques with puppets or dolls,
the game has been gaining popularity
with other cases of adults lacking
communication or descriptive skills
such as ASD and PTSD.

@redtelephone__



@deadelk_design

S“BSyiittMTTahrhiisniWnsaaWBy”eanzyon

I never wanted to sit this way.
Off-kilter
Disproportionate.
Misplaced.
But in some ways, we fall into the discourse of wiser fools and sit in such an uncomfortable way for so
long that we can sleep here, eat here, live here.
Here.
These barren roads, outlined with pale blue awnings scorched from the sun, write elegies for dead
traditions.
Passing cars, complacently blind to the directions they belong to lament over places they would rather be.
Broken sidewalks, hiding gravel and ruminants of bad 90s catch phrases, crack open with little regard as
to who watches.
Unfailingly kind locals, meticulously trend the streets with one hand clutching their list of errands and the
other, a fussing infant they kiss their missed opportunities on.
Amongst this collaborative tapestry of violently lifeless space, there is you.
You, standing above me with the sun grazing your back, your overconfident shadow taking the lead, your
unkempt eyes widening as a smirk breaks your face wide open.
Though, I sit in the worst way,
I do not mind the bruises,
I do not bandage the cuts,
I do not hide the scars.
I do, however, watch your body ground itself into gravity and fashion itself with the unlikely flaws across
your bare chest and ink your worn skin with the pride that your Father had left on your bedside table
when he divorced his paternal role.
You tell me, that I’m beautiful and that I need to learn how to take the compliment. Engulfed in puffed
smoke, you collide into the pressure of tired hands and falter when I examined too closely. You grip your
vices, until you crush them and let the remainder escape from between the edges of your boney fingers.
Your spine is built like door hinges, for every time you bend over for another unremorseful punk who
believes chugging a beer is a true testament to manhood, you are less likely to stay open late for last call.
This town has rejected all parts of you.
Skewed makeup.
Feverish hands.
Hesitant tongue.
You never wanted to sit this way.

Marinna benzon
@Marinna.benzon

Isabelle Mulvany
@imulvany

These group portraits are part of a series of work looking at the negative
aspects of women brought out by drinking and socialising, they show the
reality of being a female in modern society; the juxtaposition between the
negative perception of unladylike attributes and the unity found in our flaws.

Collective Anonymity

Complex city structures physically
condense us into a shared space yet
anonymity remains apparent amongst us.

The elegant floating shelf is rectangular, reminiscent of a building structure, and the lack of
physical barriers allows for momentary transient passing of each other. It is a conceptual visual
representation of Jess’ personal feelings and experiences of living in the bustle, chaos and
enclosed spaces of a city after growing up in the quiet, calm and open spaces of the countryside.
The sharp edges and details of the outline on each backlit tile are blurred giving an anonymity
to the figure and can represent anyone who feels unnoticed either happily or unhappily.
The internal LEDs accentuate the ghost like presence of figures which adds to an ethereal,
anonymous and fleeting sense. There is a precision in the technicality of the photographic
images balanced out by the harmony and freedom of the soft edges and hidden identity.

Jess Thomas
@jessthomas5



Samuele scomparin

Inspired by the Irish countryside, animals @irishfarmart
and landscapes, Sam creates a combination
of bright, colourful backgrounds and more
neutral observational subject matter. All
of the pieces use expressive brush strokes
to describe the atmosphere surrounding
the subject, some show a quick and
tumultuous relationship between subject
and painter while others are more patient
and quiet. Samuele’s work transports
you to the country and with it brings a
sense of calm and imperfect joy, that
kind when you are a kid and your mum
finally lets you jump in the muddy puddle!

We asked Laura Pezza (the quiet place),
as the artist behind the brief, to choose
a piece from the submissions that she
felt best represented her vision of
the brief, and this was her response...

Artist Pick

“I think this piece [left] best embodies my brief of “Balance” for different reasons.
The darker and more defined silhouettes of the figure stand out on the colourful
and radiant background. There’s no feeling of dissonance between the two
though, they blend in so well. I feel like the subject of the image goes well with
the idea of “Balance” too. The person walking looks pensive and
abstracted from the world. They don’t stand out as someone with
a strong personality or distinct from the seafront. However, the
vibrant background seems to suggest that their imagination is
as fervent as the sky is, or maybe that their life is much more
dynamic than it looks. Perhaps, it is by taking a walk with their
dogs that this person meditates and maintains a mental balance.”

Luci is the darkness inside of all of us, the misunderstood fallen angel. Luci’s name is a
juxtaposition in itself and comes from Lucifer Morningstar, a character who is notoriously
misrepresented. Characters, and indeed people, are rarely what they seem at a glance.

Luci stardust

These works are high contrast, featuring bright and unnatural colours alongside
deep, endless black outlines. Luci uses the colours to help distinguish the real from
the surreal, the emotional representation vs the physical. This image is from a new
series that explores the thoughts and feelings associated with having a chronic and
invisible illness as well as the personal relationship that Luci has with her illnesses.

“Distortion is important to my process because it makes my art less accessible,
a radical form of rebellion in response to the world that I live in being generally
inaccessible to me. Art is supposed to evoke an emotion or explore a concept, if
my art makes you feel confused, uncomfortable or a little bit icky then it’s working, if
it makes you wonder why you feel that way when you look at it, then even better.
Creating this recent series has been a cathartic process and has helped me to accept
that even the ugliest parts of me can be changed into something beautiful and weird.”



This image isn’t as stylistically balanced as much as the process is of two distinctly opposing yet

harmonious phases, resulting in a beautiful monstrosity. First, the automatic ‘scribble phase’,

then comes the obstruction, followed by over coming the obstacle; then colour, contain, distort.

There you have a Luci.

@luci.stardust

Overload “This piece started off as a representation of my brain and how it can easily
become overloaded. I often experience sensory overload with not only noise
becoming too much but also things many people won’t usually consider such
as overcrowding, spacial awareness, mass media, texture and touch. As I
progressed with the piece I realised that a lot of people do get overloaded as
well, so it turned into a representation of society and how we never switch off.
Technology can be great but we tend to abuse it. In the past I have

used social media as a crutch,
if I was feeling anxious, but
I realised recently it makes
me worse. It makes me
more anxious and less
likely to overcome
hurdles in my life.”

Heckythump

“Art is Therapy.

Creativity

is Freedom”

Gentle

Many creatives struggle with mental and/or
physical health problems. Art can be an effective
therapeutic tool to work through unwanted
feelings or gain a new perspective on a situation.
Some works become much more relatable when
there is an understanding of who the artist is and
why they create, and the insight into the piece
when a personal description is provided can be
far more valuable.

Panic

“This piece was made during quite a low point -
and without realising I made a little devil within
the picture. It is a reminder that feelings don’t
define a person and don’t necessarily represent
the world or what’s happening. If you look at
the bigger picture with anything and take your
personal feelings or experiences out of the
situation things can start to look different.”

@heckythumpart

Bubbline

Starcrossed Connection.
A fanfiction ship of the characters Marceline and Princess Bubblegum from Adventure Time.
The theme of balance crops up quite regularly in the show, including episodes where all of the
characters feature as the opposite gender. As well as tackling gender stereotypes, Pendleton
Ward (the shows creator) has proven he isn’t afraid to approach the big subjects, like first
loves, complicated relationships, the realities of getting older and even consent. Tackling
such big issues in a ‘kids cartoon’ is a dichotomy in itself, so the subject matter here has
more layers than just the yin-yang composition of these superficially opposed characters.

Emily Chapman
@Emxconcepts

Gemini

A female personification of the
zodiac Gemini. Reflecting the

internal balance of duality; the
constant back and forth that
takes place within the Gemini

in an attempt to unify ones self
pushes them to recognise their

higher potential.

Nebula Eclipse

Embodying the natural balance of dark and
light, night and day, the moon and the sun.
You cannot have one without the other!

Agent X, cultural explorer and agent of the unknown, creates experimental, multimedia
collages, paintings, and 2D artwork. Described as ‘Pop Art with thought,’ Agent X juxtaposes
pop culture, technology, fashion, and music in visually complex amalgamations expressing the
anxieties of the global, post-modern world and the dark side of consumerist, media-obsessed
culture. His work occupies a unique intersection between the aesthetics and philosophy of
Futurism, the social critique of the Dada movement, and contemporary artistic movements
ranging from Pop Art to Superflat.

Agent X often combines the ephemera of the past with the glossy world of contemporary
magazines and newspapers, adding paint and other mixed media to create images that cleverly
critique humanity’s current obsessions and where they are leading us. While presenting a
contemporary, urban veneer in his work through influences of music and fashion, sub-layers of
his work dive into loaded socio-political subject matter.

Agent X
@Agentxart

Tighe mearns-Smith

@tighe_mearns_smith

“Seeing there is a three-fold world, Elementary, Celestial and Intellectual, and every
inferior is governed by its superior and receives the influence of the virtues thereof.”

These works may look mismatched and cluttered at first glance but when you spend a little time and
delve into the details, it becomes so much more. It shows an advanced understanding of the culture of
art, history and even religion in some pieces, there are witty nods to all sorts of fables, historical icons
and practices littered amongst geometric shapes and patterns. The saturated colour combinations entice
the viewer to look closer but never overwhelm the piece, again displaying the juxtaposition between
the thoughtfulness of the artist and the beautiful chaos of the resulting art. Further demonstrated
by the choice to display the ‘simplistic’ illustration in an elaborate and decorative gold frame.

I see walls. They stand tall, proud and foreboding. Pushing up through the
brush, they mark an area where control has been wrestled from nature. Even to
me it’s unclear why the ancient civilisation claimed this spot, but they did it well.

Yet in the end, entropy always wins. I see roots wind their way around the
foundations, converging with a trunk which pushes through stone, flowing into

twisting branches that stretch out in whatever direction they choose, wiping
away the designs of dead men.

It matters not to Adeela. She carefully moves her foot from behind to in
front. The vine creaks as she places it back down. She can feel it pressing

against her. She looks up. Half way there.
She lifts her back foot, and that’s when the fate I’ve contrived catches up
with her. She feels herself tip. She bends her back instinctively but it’s too late.

Gravity has taken her.
But something in her holds on, refuses to give up. She swings her arm back,
finds the vine in her grip, and through sheer force of will, she pulls herself out of

the fall, hanging by a single hand.
I improvise. The vine slips and she enters free-fall, swinging out of control

towards a wall of stone. She impacts hard. The room goes dark.
When Adeela opens her eyes, she’s still hanging. In an act of open defiance,
she climbs, one hand above the other, repeat, repeat, each tug pulling her
further from her destiny. Cresting the rim, she clambers to freedom. Her prize
may be gone, but she’s left with her life. Meanwhile I'm left staring at the page I

have written, delighting in my powerlessness.

Author’s Note: In isolation, this piece is obviously a lie, yet it is based on a true story. While

Thomas H. HancockAdeela was always going to live, in a past novel a dear character’s time came, but they fought
@dodotom9back, reshaping the story around themself. All these years later, they’re still going strong.

I see walls. They stand tall, proud and foreboding. Pushing up through the
brush, they mark an area where control has been wrestled from nature. Even to
me it’s unclear why the ancient civilisation claimed this spot, but they did it well.

Yet in the end, entropy always wins. I see roots wind their way around the
foundations, converging with a trunk which pushes through stone, flowing into

twisting branches that stretch out in whatever direction they choose, wiping
away the designs of dead men.

It matters not to Adeela. She carefully moves her foot from behind to in
front. The vine creaks as she places it back down. She can feel it pressing

against her. She looks up. Half way there.
She lifts her back foot, and that’s when the fate I’ve contrived catches up
with her. She feels herself tip. She bends her back instinctively but it’s too late.

Gravity has taken her.
But something in her holds on, refuses to give up. She swings her arm back,
finds the vine in her grip, and through sheer force of will, she pulls herself out of

the fall, hanging by a single hand.
I improvise. The vine slips and she enters free-fall, swinging out of control

towards a wall of stone. She impacts hard. The room goes dark.
When Adeela opens her eyes, she’s still hanging. In an act of open defiance,
she climbs, one hand above the other, repeat, repeat, each tug pulling her
further from her destiny. Cresting the rim, she clambers to freedom. Her prize
may be gone, but she’s left with her life. Meanwhile I'm left staring at the page I

have written, delighting in my powerlessness.

Author’s Note: In isolation, this piece is obviously a lie, yet it is based on a true story. While
Adeela was always going to live, in a past novel a dear character’s time came, but they fought

back, reshaping the story around themself. All these years later, they’re still going strong.



Toby penney
@tobypenney

Balancing chaos and calm has been a focus of this series. The intention is to filter through the
moments we collect, then find and appreciate that which is most valuable to hold, then share with
the audience the elements so dear.

When you take a closer look Toby’s pieces are made up of many colours Toby penney
and lots of movement but the overall effect is one of quiet, made from @Tobypenney
chaos but evoking calm.

“I would name this piece, ‘The Balance’ because there, at the beach, I had that inner feeling of
harmony; like everything is even and in its place. This feeling of inner balance usually lasts for just a

few seconds and then we are lost once again in a swirl of chaotic everyday life.”
- Nada Duga

@Muralsofhope