DoWNLoAD - WeMerge Magazine

FREE TAKE 2 

Local Arts & Entertainment Magazine 

Spring 2011 

www.WeMerge.com 

Support The Scene 

Marc Paper Scissor 

A BALANCED IDEALIST & ARTIST 

Read The Featured Story Inside 

This Mag is Alive 

Be careful when you hold it 

see more on pg 36 

Learn to Vote 

Who’s Next Gallery 

Free Pizza 

see Luigi for details on pg 40 

FW4S 

Free Album 

Download 

inside 

pg 11 

SWAN 

Support women 

Artists Now 

CELERY 

see pg 59 

Also... 

The SteamPunk Circus 

WeMergeTV.com 

The Glass Artist 

Ron English, 

Ricky Williams, and Steve-O, read WeMerge. They’re inside. 

WeMerge Magazine - www.WeMerge.com Support the Scene or There Will Be No Scene to Support a

Support the Scene or There Will Be No Scene to Support 

WeMerge Magazine - www.WeMerge.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

WeMerge.com • PickUpWeMerge.com 

Facebook.com/WeMergeMagazine 

Pg. 2 - Letter from the Editor 

Pgs. 2-5 - Marc Paper Scissor (Cover Story) 

Pg. 6 - Power Nap 

Pg. 7 - From Cardboard to Classrooms 

Pg. 8 - Getting Lyrical 

Pg. 10 - The BLP Babble 

Pg. 11 - Footwork 4 Self Records 

Pg. 12 - Teens Merge 

Pg. 14 - WeMerge Talent 

Pg. 15 - O’Malley’s, Grass Root Studios 

Pg. 17 - Zachary Knudson, The Glass Artist 

Pg. 18 - The Steampunk Circus 

Pg. 20 - CD Review - Needless to Say 

Pgs. 22-23 - Prison Art 

Pgs. 26-27 - Turn off the TV 

Pgs. 28-29 - Brent Miller 

Pgs. 30-31 - Who’s Next Gallery 

Pg. 32 - Angelo Lumas, DMAC Student 

Pg. 33 - DMAC 

Pg. 34 - WeMerge Comedy 

Pg. 35 - WeMerge Poetry 

Pg. 36 - WeMerge Events 

Pg. 36 - Spoken Soul Festival 

Pg. 38 - Show Review 

Pg. 39 - Free Pizza 

Pg. 42 - Kevro’s Art Bar 

Pg. 43 - Fonda Cash’s Teens Who Rock 

Pg. 45 - The Monterey Club 

Pg. 48 - FAT Village 

Pg. 49 - Artwear 

Pg. 54 - Dan Hazelton 

Pg. 55 - Tattoolapalooza 

Pg. 60 - We Asked 

Pg. 61 - Graffiti 

Just a Side Note: 

To the left is an image I decided to 

make one night. I’ve never attempted 

such an art piece. I’m fluent in photoshop, 

but use it more in a graphic design sort 

of way. Now the point of this is, if you 

put your mind to something you can 

accomplish anything. “Ye are gods,” Psalm 

82. Meaning we have power to create and 

do anything. “The eye is the lamp of the 

body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole 

body will be full of light,“ Matthew 6:22 

I try to live my life like this and run this 

magazine in the same light, that and, “Go 

Big or Go Home.” This is the reason Renda 

and I have made it as far as we have. We 

got an idea, did some research, and just 

went for it. Same with the picture. Just did 

it. Never looked back. 

Focus on what you want and make it 

happen. Yes, lots of hard work and losing 

friends will be involved in your success, 

but everything comes at a cost. Even 

when you pray, energy you don’t want to 

hear you, does. Always the Yin Yang. 

Always be prepared for Murphy’s 

Law. It wasn’t coined a phrase for 

nothing. Taking each day one at a time, 

helps to understand the true nature of 

this industry. It takes alot of effort and 

suffering to accomplish a 64 pg magazine. 

Next issue we’re gonna do 80 pgs. 

Gotta stick to your mottos. 

- Cheers, Dwayne 

WeMerge Celebrity Supporters 

Celebrity WeMerge 

Magazine readers 

(L-R): Ron English, 

contemporary pop artist; 

Ricky Williams, Miami 

Dolphins football player; 

Steve-O, comedian, 

stuntman, jackass. 

WeMerge Magazine 

President 

Creative Director 

Dwayne Adams 

info@wemerge.com 

Vice President 

Chief Editor 

Renda Writer 

editor@wemerge.com 

Contributing Writers: Brian Breslaw, David Citron, 

Ashley Lombardo, Matt Beck, Seth Schere, Mickey Steinberg, 

Kyle Willis, Elon Meles, Rocksire, Richard Foshee 

Graphic Designers: Craig McInnis, Rob Smith, Invi Art 

Promotions: Luis Portacio 

Official WeMerge DJ: DJ Stevie D 

Cover Art: Marc Paper Scissor (MarcPaperScissor.com) 

Proofreader: Bethany Lee Auchter 

Webmaster: Brian Dillingham (Brian@WeMerge.com) 

Research: Michele Barenfeld, Nicole Esposito 

Videography: LeafHouseProductions.com 

WeMerge Venues: Kevro’s Art Bar, Stage 84 

Copyright©2011-12 WeMerge, Inc. All rights reserved to 

WeMerge, Inc. All content included in this magazine: text, graphics, 

logos, icons, & images, are the property of WeMerge, Inc. and/ 

or its content suppliers (writers, photographers, illustrators, and 

others) and protected by US and international copyright laws. No 

content is allowed to be reproduced in whole or in part without 

written permission from WeMerge, Inc. WeMerge Magazine 

contains the opinions and experiences of other people and 

the publishers do not necessarily approve, agree with, and/or 

condone those opinions or actions. WeMerge, Inc. cannot be held 

responsible for these opinions or actions. We provide a community 

service to our readers. All collaboration or verification of event 

postings are the responsibility of the reader prior to relying on 

such information for any action that may be taken on their behalf 

or on the behalf of others. For all legal issues call our lawyer. 

Special Thanks to Michele for her guidance against the cheeze & 

continued support in this adventure. Nicci “Bean” Loren for helping 

with imagination. All the haters for giving us motivation. Nicole 

Esposito for all her support. Karen Fargola - Thanks for the pic. And last 

but not least, the Bonus Red Dot for always being an extra free bonus. 

WE 

.com 

WEMERGE ADVERTISING 

If you would like to advertise with 

us, send an e-mail or give us a call. 

We will be happy to send one of 

our reps out to meet with you. 

Editor@WeMerge.com 

(310) 404-4184 or (561) 305-2070 

Promote your business, website, art, 

& music to 20,000+ readers in Dade, 

Broward, Palm Beach & Martin Counties 

WeMerge Magazine - www.WeMerge.com Support the Scene or There Will Be No Scene to Support 1

Letter from 

the Editor 

My name is Renda, and I’m a 

workaholic. Having said that, 

it feels like now should be the 

part where you all say, “Hi Renda,” just like 

at a meeting for any other type of addict. 

The first step in handling an addiction 

is admitting it, and I admit to being a 

workaholic. 

I am addicted to working, but I also 

believe in the saying, “When you do what 

you love, you never work a day in your life,” 

and I only do the things I love to do. I love publishing this magazine. 

I love producing, promoting, and hosting events. I love writing, 

recording, and performing poetry. I love pursuing my dream of 

performing a poem on The Ellen Degeneres Show (RendaWriter. 

com, EllenTV.com). These are my addictions. These are my passions. 

I’m addicted to life itself and the opportunity that life gives us all 

to pursue our passions, our dreams. But nobody ever said that 

pursuing your dreams would be easy. It takes lots of work. That’s 

why I’m a workaholic. 

In my head, I kind of justify my addiction by saying, “Well what 

else am I supposed to do? Just sit around? This is all I know. I’ve 

always been this way. I’m just trying to really rock out with this thing 

called life, and make the most of it. I want to be everywhere, meet 

everyone, and do everything – all for the sake of connecting the arts 

community.” 

Like with any other addiction, it has taken over my life, affecting 

the way I prioritize things and leaving me to neglect things like 

personal finance, health, and my relationships with the people in 

my life. But in the end, I still somehow label it as a “healthy addiction” 

because despite all of the imbalance, I’m just doing what I love, and 

that’s because I literally don’t know what else to do. It just feels right. 

My point is just to let you know that when you’re addicted to, 

obsessed with, or passionate about a dream, you will reach it. So go 

for it. This magazine is one of my dreams, and it has just been made 

real, for the 11 th time. So I hope you enjoy reading it, and I hope 

something in it inspires you. Go rock out with your life. 

Be on the lookout for the Summer issue of WeMerge Magazine, 

due out on June 1 st , 2011 . It’s going to be an 80-page monster, the 

byproduct of a severe addiction, an immense passion for life, for the 

local arts, and for bringing it all together to create a scene. 

“Support the scene, or there will be no scene to support.” 

Peace, 

Renda Writer 

Chief Editor 

WeMerge Magazine 

2 



Marc Paper Scissor 

A BALANCED IDEALIST AND ARTIST: 

COMING OUT OF THE FOREST - By Renda Writer 

Whatchu been up to? That’s 

what I said to the artist known as 

Marc Paper Scissor as I walked 

through the doorway of his Delray Beach 

apartment and gave him one of those 

handshake/hug combos. As a longtime friend of 

Marc’s, I meant that in the most casual way, but 

as a journalist I also meant it in a very literal way. 

Marc was the featured artist in our first 

issue, three-and-a-half years ago. Now, eleven 

issues later, we are proud to have Marc as our 

cover artist and happy to fill you in on what 

he’s been up to since 2007. For starters, he 

graduated from Florida Atlantic University 

in Boca Raton, and landed a job as a music 

therapist for children. Additionally, he has also 

done several solo art shows and group shows 

that have helped him to get his name out. But 

beyond the facts and the resume building, 

Marc’s deeper answer to the question of what 

he’s been up to resonates with the insightful 

introspection that commonly comes from this 

artist and armchair philosopher. 

“I’ve been trying to eliminate my idealism. 

Been chewing on reality. I’ve got to pay the 

bills, so I’ve been working on turning my 

paper… into paper. I’m more focused… more 

balanced. I’m getting better at the balancing 

act. I’ve been learning to let go of my pieces 

too. I’ve been kind of coming out of the forest, 

like Buddha Siddhartha. I’m in the city now.” 

Much of our conversation relates back to 

Buddhist principles and parables, a reminder 

that Marc is much more than just a guy who 

makes art with colored paper, a pair of scissors, 

and a glue stick. He’s a conscious person who 

really cares about the world, the people in it, 

and what’s going on with it. His ideas on the 

deeper things in life have long been reflected 

in his artwork, but another thing that he’s been 

up to is learning to create pieces with more 

simple messages, which are more likely to sell 

and to appeal to the masses. Marc explains, 

“My early works were very based on politics, 

with deep messages, strong messages. Lots 

of commentary on the rat race.” Now, Miami 

Heat players, animals playing instruments, 

and Bob Marley can be found among Marc’s 

subjects, but it’s by no means an attempt to sell 

out. It’s all just part of the balancing act. These 

past few years have taught Marc the value 

of balancing his ideals with reality, and he is 

actually handling it a lot better than he thinks. 

Like most artists, Marc is pretty hard on himself 

and admits to never being satisfied, but at the 

same time he does allow himself a pat on the 

back for some things, like buying a booth and 

setting up at music festivals to sell his art. 

Setting up at festivals such as Big & Hearty 

in Gainesville, Aura Music & Arts Festival 

outside of Orlando, and Bear Creek in Live 

Oak not only allowed Marc to further connect 

with the people, but it helped to further 

indoctrinate him into the jam band music 

scene, which is definitely where his heart is. 

He even had the honor of creating the official 

poster for the Aura Music & Art Festival (see 

pg 10) and the unofficial poster for Bear Creek, 

and while at Big & Hearty, he had a chance to 

play with his band, Gypsy Tears. 

Marc has also become a mainstay at Miami’s 

Wynwood Market for the monthly Art Walk 

event, and his involvement in December’s 

Multiversal group art show for Art Basel really 

catapulted him forward in the arts scene. It was 

at this show that we first saw the piece used 

for this issue’s cover, which Marc working on 

having made into an animated video. Other 

videos are on the way, too. One of Marc’s goals 

is to document how his art is made, so that 

people can really understand and appreciate it 

for what it is and the work that goes into it. 

Not only has Marc been up to a lot, but there’s 

also a lot more to come. In April he will be a 

part of a cut paper art show at Harold Golen 

Gallery in Miami, and in May his art will be on 

display at a Gainesville restaurant called Tasty 

Buddha. The Tasty Buddha connection came to 

Marc through his brother, Josh, a member of 

the Gainesville band, J2K. In speaking of family, 

Marc says, “You’ve got to develop a way to look 

at yourself from outside of yourself. That’s why 

it’s good to have a loving, supportive family to 

help you do that. They’re everything to me.” 

I remember him mentioning the importance 

of family when I interviewed him in ’07. Marc’s 

been up to a lot, but obviously one thing hasn’t 

changed. He's still got his family's support.t 

See more of Marc’s artwork on the following page and at 

www.MarcPaperScissor.com. Support the Scene. 


4 




By Brian Breslaw - powernap@wemerge.com 

Rap Attack 

I was thinking about classic rock the other day and how it can’t be 

reproduced because it’s “classic.” Are you with me so far? Then I thought, 

“you know what, Hip-Hop needs to be thought of in the same sense. 

Sometime around the mid-to-late 70’s, the long hair Rock-n-Roll scene 

had kind of run its coarse. I’m not saying that rock died, trust me, I would 

never say that. I’m saying that it had stepped aside in order to let other 

styles of music evolve and develop. They were all shitty styles of music, 

but none-the-less, shit changed...and 

white people discovered cocaine and 

whatnot. Anyways, back to de rap. By 

the way, I have a shit eating grin on my 

face because I know the demographic 

of this magazine, but I was told I could 

say whatever I want here. So let me tell 

you about shit hop. And I’ll try and be 

fair. Guys, Hip Hop is dead. And if I had 

to pick the time of it’s death, I would 

say it was the Master P era. How many 

rappers are going to tell the same story 

over and over again? “Oh, nah man, 

this guy is original. He likes girls with 

fat asses.” 

Current Freelance 

Opera Singer For Hire 

“Nah yo, this other guy has really been to jail and now he’s out... and he 

raps about jail.” 

“My boy ova here, he has rims on his personal jet, and he has ice all up 

in his grill” 

I mean, am I stereotyping too much? No...no I’m not. This is what’s really 

going on in hip hop today. But I know this genre isn’t going anywhere. 

Probably EVER. Mainly because it’s a money generating maniacal monster 

of a machine. Yeah, look up the 50 Cent episode of Cribs on You Tube. 

Disgusting. All 50 said was “I’m into havin sex, I ain’t into makin love.” 

WTF? I said that 15 years ago. What I wanna know is, what’s the next guy 

gonna do or say to help this scene evolve into something more. Where’s 

the talent? Who’s not acting like they’re in 8 Mile? At least this year they 

stopped saying hay-yerr. 

I hate to ruin the ending, but Puffy shot Biggie. t 

6 



From 

Cardboard to 

Classrooms 

by Seth “Brimstone” Schere, info@brimstone127.com 

Education has been essential to the growth of Hip-Hop since day one. 

Older hip-hoppas (not necessarily old in age, but in dues paid) passed 

on foundation moves, styles and skills for younger cats to learn and 

develop their own flavas. Every great master was once a student, and I learned 

the ropes from people who were masters of their crafts. During the 80’s, I 

learned to dance from seasoned B-Boys. In the graff game, I racked paint for 

famed writers 

“......you can’t learn hip hop who helped 

by going to classes, what kind me develop my 

of sh*t is this, teaching classes like own style. As an 

it’s school. That aint hip hop.” MC, I promoted 

Anonymous parties for other 

rappers, learned 

to make beats and work in a studio. I have countless memories of carrying 

crates full of records for DJ’s. These relationships gave me the skills and 

knowledge to teach others. 

Can Hip-Hop culture only be learned in the streets? Hip Hop is a growing 

topic of interest among educators in public schools and universities. When 

Hip-Hoppas take it into 

classrooms, they reach 

youth through the 

elements of Hip-Hop 

coupled with creative, 

life, interpersonal and 

critical thinking skills. 

Hip-Hop education is a combination of street smarts, book intelligence 

and creativity. As Hip-Hop is utilized more as a “means” to teach content in 

schools, Hip-Hoppas should be actively involved in shaping how it is used 

and taught in order to preserve the authenticity of the culture. 

As generations change, we may have to take it further than the streets 

to ensure the survival of true Hip-Hop. My generation was outward (in the 

streets) and human-interactive; my daughter’s is more reclusive and gadgetoriented. 

Although the 

realest Hip-Hop remains 

“Every great master was 

in the streets, classrooms once a student, and I learned the 

provide a relatively ropes from people who were 

safe, drug-free and masters of their crafts. 

structured environment 

- Brimstone 127 

for youth to learn 

about the history, culture and business of Hip-Hop while learning the 

other skills and knowledge that they need. Some of the earliest jams were 

in schoolyards and auditoriums, so why not take Hip-Hop back to school? 

www. Path2hiphop.org t 

WeMerge Magazine reiterates Brimstone’s 

emphasis on education, as it is a consistent theme in this 

issue. Brent Miller (pgs 28-29) runs an art school. Fonda Cash 

(pg 43) gives vocal lessons. Angelo Lumas (pg 32) is a digital 

artist learning his craft at DMAC (pg 33). Theatrics (pg 25) has 

makeup classes. Grace Café & Gallery (pg 25) has dance classes. 

The tools are all in front of you. Contact these people if you 

want to learn. t 

WeMerge WeMerge Magazine Magazine - www.WeMerge.com - www.WeMerge.com 

Support the Scene or There Will Be No Scene to Support 7

Daysleeper is a band that formed in late 

2008 in Miami, FL by Alfred von Blume (Bass, 

Lead Vocals) and Emery Cowan (Keyboards, Vocals), 

who have collaborated on various musical projects since 

1999. The two were later joined by Jackie Ransom (Bass, 

Vocals) and Will Roman (Drums). The focus 

of this new project is musical simplicity, 

distinction, and substance. 

Genres describing their music range 

from post-punk to ambient to indie 

rock. Daysleeper’s influence comes 

from a wide range of musicians, 

many of whom combine ambient 

and minimalist tones with post-punk 

sounds. t 

DaySleeperBand.com 

Getting 

Lyrical 

By Renda Writer 

This is a new section in our magazine where we give you the lyrics to 

a stand out verse by a local artist. In this issue, we have a verse from 

Newsense, from the Miami funk/hip-hop/jazz band ArtOfficial, taken 

from their song, Big City Bright Lights. 

And I’m in tune with it 

The city’s heart beats slow 

I can feel it cause the streets got a concrete pulse 

Watch my feet grow roots 

I stand so solidly 

Buildings keep growing like time lapse photography 

Scrape the sky 

Scratch heaven’s belly 

Come to the city of God and catch seven deadly 

Sins, it’s like chaos with electric heat 

And dead at night 

The city lights give me restless sleep 

Pardon me 

It’s hard to be 

Within arms’ reach 

Of where you really think you ought to be 

Trying to be at the top 

Part of me wants to stop 

Curiosity killed the cat 

Ignorance ate him alive 

So I’m a keep wondering why 

Until the day that I die 

But I’m staying alive 

That’s my echo in these city walls 

Ringing forever 

Or at least until these buildings fall 

ArtOfficialMusic.net 

ArtOfficial.Bandcamp.com 

Facebook.com/ArtOfficialMusic 

8 



We’re Getting Played 

By Rocksire – rocksior@aol.com 

Have you ever wondered if music, movies, radio, newspapers, magazines, 

sports, religion, politics and war are all somehow connected? Ever 

wondered if the heads of major labels, movies studios, sports leagues, 

and multimedia corporations were working in unison to make you feel and 

think a certain way? To amp you up… or calm you down… drum you up for 

war… or turn around and make you like the same people that your country 

went to war with just a generation ago. Keep in mind, entertainment was not 

meant to only entertain us. 

Growing up in the 1980’s, I always thought Russia and China were the 

enemies because I watched a lot of Chuck Norris movies. That was towards the 

end of the Cold War. Life is as simple as a WWE wrestling match. They can make 

the audience buy in to the “heel” (bad guy) or the good guy. A few months later 

they can make you believe that the heel is now the good guy, and the good guy 

is now to be hated. They can predict our every move because they create how 

we feel. We are all the instruments that get played. 

Music is one of the most powerful things known to man 

because it creates emotion. If they (major labels) can 

control music they control your emotions. Turn on 

the radio today and you’d never think that millions 

of people lost their homes, income, and way of 

life. The music in rotation on the radio no longer 

reflects the times we live in. It seems they have 

phased out anybody with anything 

real to say. Now you may think while 

reading this article, “It’s me. I have 

something real to say.” Let’s see how far 

you get when you don’t follow their agenda. t 

Grow Radio 

By Brian Breslaw - bbreslaw@gmail.com 

You don’t even KNOW what’s going on in Gainesville, FL. I’m gonna 

tell you. It’s a musical revolution. Since every radio station has 

decided to turn it’s back on everyone who gives a sh*t about music, 

we turn to commercial-free internet radio. And in the heart of downtown 

Gainesville, in what would appear to be a bed and breakfast, lies 

Grow Radio. You’ll find over 60 shows to choose from with a set list that’ll 

have you dye your hair green or put diamonds on your teeth. And listen to 

this.... It’s profit free, and the shows are run by (drum roll)....VOLUNTEERS!!! I 

had to grab my 2011 Webster’s Dictionary and look up this word...vol-un-tir. 

WHHAAATT?? They’re doing this for free? To me, that’s inspiring. Nobody is 

doing that for music today. 

I met up with two of Grow Radio’s veterans, Beez and Mr. Bambu. These 

boys are 5 years deep in dis shit yo. They can be heard 

on The Styrofoam Cup on Tuesdays from 7pm- 

8pm and The Bigga Mixx Show on Wednesdays 

from 7pm-9pm. Knowing the struggles that an 

independent artist goes through to get air play, 

they’ll play anything submitted to them. Pretty 

sweet, huh? I was also informed that you’ll never 

hear the same jam twice. So if you like listening to 

Gold Digger every 30 minutes., this is not for you. 

You can send your homemade masterpieces to 

beezgotti@aol.com, and next time you visit the 

internet, be sure to check out GrowRadio.org. t 

His Only Outlet was his writing 

Jermaine “Maintain” Mitchell was born 

on March 13, 1985 and raised in Hollywood, 

Florida. The Ranches, as the area where he 

lives is affectionately known by the residents, 

is where Maintain learned respect and loyalty. 

Maintain & Marcus “Ranches Kid” Cooper, 

aka Pleasure P., produced Feel The Rush, which 

has over 4 million views on YouTube. His passion 

for music seemed to be lost while his hunger for 

fast money grew. 

As everything happens for a reason, his fast 

lifestyle came to an abrupt stop. At the age of 

nineteen, Maintain was 

arrested, then was 

incarcerated 

for three and 

a half years. 

While in prison 

the respect and 

loyalty he learned in The Ranches 

was forgotten by his crew. Maintain 

spent many nights frustrated with 

his life and feeling betrayed by the 

snitches in the streets. 

The only outlet he had was his 

writing. 

In 2007, he was given the 

opportunity to showcase his 

talent with performances at the 

Rush, Hypnotize, and Late Night 

Special Tours. His first single, 

Look At My Ish was produced by 

Thunda Tracks and is now available 

on iTunes and Rhapsody. His Fresh Out 

Vol 2 Mixtape was recently released 

and has been circulating throughout 

the Southeastern region of the U.S. 

www.MaintainHWD.com t 


The BLP 

BABBLE 

By Matt Beck, 

founder of Brotherly Love Productions 

matt@brotherlyloveproductions.com 

What’s great about Alfred 

Phillips is that he has a 

story behind every one of 

his paintings. For instance, 

Armondo in 3 Parts 

(pictured) was inspired 

after Alfred saw a picture 

of Armondo and contacted 

him with the idea of using 

Located in Downtown Ft. Lauderdale him as a subject for a 

painting. It was originally 

done as a nude, and then Alfred’s neighbor in FAT Village, artist Francisco 

Sheuat, came up with the idea of putting a pair of leather underwear on him. 

And it’s not painted on. It’s an actual pair of 

custom-made leather underwear that the 

canvas itself is “wearing.” Some visitors to 

Alfred’s studio have even stuffed dollar bills 

into the underwear, adding more substance 

to the painting’s ongoing story. Painting it 

on 3 canvases was also part of Alfred’s plan 

of doing more paintings on multiple smaller 

canvases, rather than single large canvases, 

because of the ease of transportation. 

Being able to easily transport his paintings 

is important to Alfred, since once a 

year he does a solo show at Art @ 830 

(Art830.com) in Key West. When he’s not 

exhibiting elsewhere, you can find Alfred 

at his FAT Village studio (113 NW 5 th St., 

Ft. Lauderdale), where the monthly Art 

Walk on the last Saturday of the month has 

been good to him. He has sold at least one 

painting at every Art Walk since moving into 

FAT Village about a year ago. We suggest 

stopping in at Alfred’s studio to see more of 

his work and hear the stories behind them. 

Be sure to ask him about the painting of 

the man with the pig. “Young people really 

like my work… some of the edgiest, coolest 

looking people. That’s really validating for 

me.” Email: alfredstudio@att.net t 

MyArtSpace.com/alfred.phillips 

OThe month of January is always a busy one for the Sunshine State. 

However, this year a dream for many was brought to reality. There’s 

an underground movement of interconnected circles throughout 

our tropical peninsula converging to produce and support a counterculture 

lifestyle for many of the disenchanted individuals of this corrupt digital age. 

Much like the efforts of WeMerge, Aura Music & Arts Festival was 

produced for the people, by the people, with an understanding that if WE 

don’t support IT, IT won’t happen. Truly a first of its kind, AURA was completely 

staffed by local musicians, promoters, sound engineers and volunteers; 

enabling it to very comfortably claim the term “Grassroots Festival.” 

To mention ANY of the amazing musicians or visual artists in this brief 

synopsis would slight every other one of the countless others who brought 

their A-Games... surrendering 

their souls to the stage and 

emitting their energy to the 

ethers. 

However, I WOULD like to 

take this opportunity to thank 

the BLP Fam who sacrificed 

their passion for music to 

help make it all possible. You 

provided the BEST information, 

coordinated musician and 

artist relations while hustling 

their merch, diverted 4,400 

gallons of recyclable materials 

from the landfill, documented 

the event, and provided that 

Brotherly Love Vibe. I LOVE each 

one of you for it... yeah, you 

know who you are. 

And to Aura Music 

Events, an all-encompassing 

CONGRATULATIONS! I have 

never before witnessed a sold 

out festival and man, what a community feel. 

*Note for next year: Dubstep licensing. t 

Official 2011 Aura Music & Arts Festival 

Poster By: Marc Paper Scissor.com 

10 




Teens 

merge 

by Ashley Lombardo - Ashley@WeMerge.com 

12 


The most appropriate way 

to describe They Cage The 

Animals would be to refer to 

them as an unlikely, yet astonishingly 

integrated, foursome. Laid-back 

New Yorker Phil is the lead guitarist, 

hardcore–loving Argentinian Joel is 

on the drums, quirky Mission is the 

vocalist and dual keyboardist, and 

charismatic Raffaele is on the bass. They deviate in almost every category, and 

although it may be their biggest challenge, it also defines the group and gives them 

the flavor needed to blend numerous genres into something with substance. And 

with that being said, they have given birth to an aggressive, experimental poppunk/pop-rock 

sound. Although their band is based off the ability to compromise, 

each member sees their style differently. According to Phil, “ 

It’s like 

pop-punk had a few drinks, and decided 

to jump into a mosh pit, and made love 

to synths, and recorded beautiful female 

vocals over it! It’s like an aggressive melodic harmony between 

guitar, bass, drums and vocals, while creating an energetic explosion of beautiful 

distortion.” Yet as Mission views it, “We blend a lot of different influences and 

get a great sound, but it’s a little hard to describe since you could really still pick 

up on those individual styles if you wanted. A bit of a bouncier sound, not so 

‘chugga-chugga-chugga I’m-so-hardcore.’ I think that gets monotonous, and 

I don’t like boring music.” With influences seated in every corner of the musical 

coliseum, the band cites Motion City Soundtrack, Aaron Gillespie, Brand New, 

Jimi Hendrix, Rancid, Bloc Party, Regina Spektor, Kurt Cobain, and Jay-Z, as 

well as being inspired by traditional art, like Dali, and even tattoos and street art, 

like local graffiti. Despite their eclectic backgrounds and variations of style and 

preference, they all agree that their differences are in favor of musical and artistic 

creation, and they hope those differences can be recognized through their music. 

They want to provide a portal into the human experience, and the spectrum of 

emotions that come with it. As well as wanting to express their understanding of 

humanity, they also include historical and cultural references in their songs, which 

illustrate a snapshot into something meaningful to the group. Specifically, their 

song Somewhere In West Egg is written about F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great 

Gatsby and Atlanta 1864 goes back to the burning of Atlanta during the Civil 

War. Even their name is a reference, chosen because prominent themes found in 

their music, like over coming life’s hardships, are found in the popular novel They 

Cage The Animals At Night. Having played at traditional venues, skate parks and 

roller rinks, the group has a love for performance and they do not discriminate on 

any level. Make sure to check out their debut EP, Subject To Change, which covers 

perception, change, loss, longing, love, and more themes left for those to discover 

individually. They Cage the Animals can be found on any social networking 

website, and they put up no walls between them and their fans. t 


y Renda Writer 

The Nobodies Crew is a crew of definite 

“somebodies.” This 8-member B-Boy crew 

is a refreshing reminder of the impressive 

break dancing subculture from within the 

worldwide Hip-Hop culture 

that exists right here in South 

Florida. One trip to their website, 

NobodiesCrew.com, will quickly prove 

to any viewer not only how much talent 

this crew has (watch their videos), but also 

how professional their presentation is. They’ve 

got a great logo, management, a cohesive sense of 

branding, and even a hotline. Give them a call. 

Tell them WeMerge Magazine sent you. t 


WeMerge Talent 

This section features artists who have submitted their information to our magazine to be featured. Due to 

the high cost of printing we are unable to feature every artist that submits their info. With this section we 

can list the artists and their contact info just as it has come to us... unedited... to give at least a small amount 

of exposure to create a stir and see if enough people would like to hear more about these talented artists. If 

you would like to read more about an artist, send an email to editor@wemergetalent.com and let us know. 

Name : Darwing Flores 

Stage-Name : Zulu King Image 

Category : Hip hop Revolu-shon 

South Florida Zulu Nation 

Where-Find : www.zulunation.com 

Email : zulukingimage@yahoo.com 

About-You : I am Zulu King Image president of 

the Universal Zulu Nation (Revolu-shon South 

Florida chapter). We stand for knowledge, wisdom, 

understanding, freedom, justice, equality, peace, 

unity, love, respect, work, fun, overcoming the 

negative to the positive, economics, mathematics, 

science, life, truth, fact, faith & the oneness of God. 

Name : Alejandra Montoya 

Stage-Name : Ale Montoya 

Category : Photographer - Crafter 

Where-Find : LittleMargaritaPhotography.com 

www.TequilaGorilla.com 

Email : LittleMargaritaPhotography@gmail.com 

About-You : I’m a full time Graphic Designer for 

Corporate america, but I do what I love on the side. 

Photography and Crafting, 

I hold a monthly photo contest on 

facebook.com/TequilaGorilla 

I would like to get people more into both =) 

Hope to talk to you soon 

Ale Montoya 

Name : Danielle Veit 

Stage-Name : Cupcakes In The Lobby 

Category : street art portraitures 

Where-Find : cupcakesinthelobby.com, 

flickr.com/cupcakesinthelobby, always doing live 

paintings! 

Email : cupcakesinthelobby@gmail.com 

About-You : Cupcakes In The Lobby is a South 

Florida artist active in the community for numerous 

years. As a portrait artist, Cupcakes In The Lobby 

combines whimsical landscape and intricate detail 

on the surface of a face. When a subject is picked, 

Cupcakes In The Lobby disects each portion 

of the face becoming closer and closer to the 

subject...possibly a more spiritual interaction than 

conversation. She is always bending the line on 

what the face can display. 

Name : Hannah Mayo 

Category : Photography 

Where-Find : hannahmayophotography.com and 

www.flickr.com/photos/hannahmayo/ 

Email : hannah@hannahmayophotography.com 

About-You : I am a portrait, fine art, and editorial 

photographer in Palm Beach. I love working with 

artists and musicians to create unique 

photographs for their promotional materials. 

Name : Stefan Vale 

Category : Writer 

Where-Find : www.humbertobenitez.com 

Email : Stefanvaleonline@yahoo.com 

About-You : Published 3 books, 1 screenplay & 

many articles on various artistic genres. I would 

like to write an exclusive article on local Latin 

artist Humbert Benitez for WeMerge. 

Check out www.HumbertoBenitez.com 

Name : Mitch Myers 

Stage-Name : Hear Hums 

Category : Experimental/Visual 

Where-Find : www.myspace.com/hearhums 

Email : hearhums@gmail.com 

About-You : Hear Hums is an experimental/visual 

band started in West Palm Beach, Florida. We will 

be a trio up until August when Marcos moves 

to New York for school and Kenzie and I (Mitch) 

move to Gainesville, Florida to begin work on our 

third release. We’ve been playing since Early 2009, 

we began making visuals to accompany our live 

performance and projecting them as we played. 

Instead of stopping between songs we transition 

and the visuals do simultaneously as well, synced 

with us playing. 

Name : Marquis Whaley 

Category : Photography 

Where-Find : www.wix.com/mwhaley/mw-photo/ 

Email : marquiswhaley@gmail.com 

About-You : I’m a 17 years old photographer. I 

attend G-Star SOA where I major in Acting for the 

camera, Journalism, and Film and entertainment 

business. I’ve been doing Photography for about 

Three years now and I have never taken any 

classes. I am a person of unusually keen foresight 

and I have a creative optimistic mind that I hope 

shows in my work. 

Name : Gillian Smith 

Email : gilliansmth2@aol.com 

About-You : HI! I am a self taught painter. I paint 

mostly nude women. I had to put a lot of my 

painting on hold to go to school. I went to school 

to become a nurse, which now I am a RN, however 

there are no jobs for new nurses. Fun thing is my 

art has been doing better than the nursing thing 

so do what you love right! I sell my art local in 

Delray mostly by facebook and word of mouth, 

some days it pays the rent but it doesnt matter 

too much I’ll still be painting. It makes me so 

happy:) It is just something that is apart of my 

being that I don’t know what I would do without it. 

Name : Ty Michael 

Email : Info@tymichael.com 

My name is Ty Michael. I came across your mag 

today while waiting for a blowout at the Fade 

Factory. I thought it was awesome. 

I’m a photographer and I’ve been wanting to move 

into shooting artist for awhile now. 

http://www.tymichael.com/ 

I appreciate your time, 

Ty Michael Robitaille 

Name : Camile Schneebeli 

Category : Pet Portrait Oil Painting 

Where-Find : Art Galleries, art shows 

Email : artthattouchestheheart@yahoo.com 

About-You : I’m a realistic pet portrait oil painter, 

I paint from Photos. 

Name : Jonas Fleuraime 

Stage-Name : JustEvolve 

Category : Graphic Design-Typography 

Where-Find : behance.net/justevolve 

Stage-Name : Good Self 

Category : Indie/Acoustic 

Where-Find : www.goodself.bandcamp.com 

Email : Goodselfband@gmail.com 

About-You : I am about to release my debut EP, ”The 

Wolf That Brought Us Lava” under the band name 

”Good Self”. 

I was wondering if there was anyway that I could 

combine my cd release with a WeMerge event, or 

add it in addition to a previous event. 

-Michael 

Name : John Caignet 

Phone : 786 439 5807 

Email : joltradio@rocketmail.com 

Message : Great to know about an honest magazine 

here in South Fla!!! I run an online radio station out 

of my apt called jolt radio. I was wondering if we 

can meet some time it would be amazing. Please let 

me know. Thanks guys 

Name : Frank del Real 

Email : franciscodelreal@hotmail.com 

Message : hey whatsup my name is Frank. In the 

Winter 2010 WeMerge Who’s Next Gallery you 

posted a picture that my older sister drew, Sole del 

Real. I just wanted to say that that is the coolest 

thing ever! She’s had a pretty rough life and for you 

to give her a well deserved chance to be featured is 

a blessing. She is honestly a diamond in the rough, 

her personality is a people magnet she gets along 

with everyone and is super fun to hang out with, 

which is hard for some siblings to say. All I’m asking 

for is give her a chance and feature her and hear 

her story because honestly she’ll blow you away 

and bring tons more readers to WeMerge. If there 

is anything humanly possible I can do to make this 

happen I will do it, yes even running around naked 

in the mall! She means everything to me and this 

feature means everything to her, so please do what 

WeMerge stands for and support her and the scene 

she’s in, or there won’t be one.Sincerely,frank. :) 

(check out page 24) t 

Go to WeMerge.com 

Submit Yourself 

14 




WeMerge CD Review 

MORE DISCS. 

LESS MONEY. 

By Richard Foshee – Richard@mikimorophoto.com 

Exploding from the musical haven of Lake Worth, Everymen describe 

themselves as gypsy punkabilly. Hailing from diverse backgrounds, this misfit 

band of brothers puts a unique spin on their music, incorporating instruments 

typically found in indie bands and classic country: stand-up bass, mandolin, 

accordion, washboard, violin and banjo. Combined with a little magic and an 

inventive world view, their debut album’s sound is nothing less than original. 

It culls from Deep South country, gypsy ballads, bouncy rockabilly, and 

rebellious psychobilly. The album’s tracks showcase musical versatility while 

maintaining cohesion through elements such as scratchy baritone singing, a 

prominent banjo, raspy washboard, and throbbing bass lines accompanied 

by deftly written guitar riffs. Although it sounds like it could be a terrible 

mash-up, that’s the rub, the album is absolutely delectable. The songs simply 

grab you with their eccentric yet straightforward approach. With tales of train 

hopping and sleeping from couch to couch, these tracks are quite dour and 

discordant, yet their sound will leave you happier than ever. They will make 

you dance, sing, and just have a good time. 

Stand out tracks are What You See Is 

What You Get and Bottle of Tears. To get 

the full effect, listen to them online, then 

go see them live; the album is the only way 

to prepare you for the torrent that is an 

Everymen live show. t 

Reverbnation.com/everymen 

Album Cover Design by Adam Sheetz 

BLUE BIKE 

MANIA 

Taken From the Blue Bike Project Manifesto on Facebook 

1-866-538-2482 

DUBHUBDISC.COM 

INFO@DUBHUBDISC.COM 

I was putting out art for anyone to 

look at or have in the downtown Fort 

Lauderdale area when, as I was driving 

on Las Olas Blvd., I saw an old lady’s 

bike in front of a “Country Store.” This 

gave me the idea to paint bikes one 

color and put them out around town. 

I went home and went out on the 

railroad tracks, where I had seen an 

old bike (sort of an English racer type 

bike) that would meet my needs. I brought it back to my house and started 

to look for a good color in my paint stash. I had just recently been out on a 

job painting lines on handicap parking spaces. This seemed like a great color, 

as it really glows and is bright, plus I had quite a bit left in the can. That was 

it, a done deal and the first Blue Bike was painted, and after drying put out in 

front of Rush Street martini bar. The bike started to draw attention and talk 

about what it was all about started. The bike was drawing so much attention 

that more bikes needed to be “installed.” They started to multiply, and bikes 

sprung up in some pretty interesting places. Read 

more on Facebook page. Search: Blue Bike. 

Now you will start to notice more bikes around town. 

Happy Blue Bike hunting. t 

16 



Carved Lighted Glass 

Sculptures • Paintings • 

Murals • Faux Finish • 

Custom Lighted Fixtures 

NEW: 

“Icons in Glass” 

Have your favorite 

band or iconic figure 

etched in glass 

Out on the West end of Coral Springs, a young 

artist and entrepreneur named Zachary Knudson 

runs his successful glass etching business out of a 

storefront studio, a workspace filled with framed original 

art from Zac’s portfolio and several glass etchings and 

sculptures. In speaking about a recent commission for an 

8 foot tall deep glass etching of Elvis Pressley for a fan 

of “The King” in Miami, Zac continues with more stories 

about the types of 

high end clients 

that enlist his 

creative services, 

including a very 

wealthy business 

tycoon in Davie who had Zac etched an underwater scene 

that continued throughout every glass door and window 

in his home, over 137 panels of glass, close to 12,000 

square feet. To his credit, Zac was also featured on the TV 

show, Color Splash Miami, hosted by David Bromstad on 

HGTV, and was later commissioned by Bromstad himself 

for a job that involved covering the television star’s entire 

living room with colored white glass. Despite his 

A-list clients, Zac humbly works one-on-one 

with all clients and has a “no job too big, no 

job too small” kind of attitude, which is why 

he invites everyone reading this to stop in for 

a free consultation and tour of his studio. See 

address below. t 

Zac Knudson (2 nd from L), 

David Bromstad (3 rd from L) 


18 18 Support the Support Scene or the There Scene Will or Be There No Scene Will Be to No Support Scene to Support 

WeMerge Magazine - www.WeMerge.com 

Magazine - www.WeMerge.com


WeMerge CD Review 

By Kyle Willis - Kyle@WeMerge.com 

For over a year now South Florida rock band Needless To Say has 

been turning heads and making waves. In their freshman year as a 

band NTS took the stage at the 2009 Warped Tour. Although some 

might categorize NTS as a Heavy Metal band, the band’s symphonic 

arrangements and Julia Formica’s operatic, and at times ethereal, vocals 

certainly broaden the appeal of their sound to a much wider audience. NTS 

are likely to appeal to those that like harder edged progressive music as well 

as art rock bands like October Project. The band is strong instrumentally, 

generating significant, at times almost overwhelming, power from guitars, 

keyboards and rapidfire percussion yet it is complimented with equally 

sweet operatic style vocals. Tracks vary from heavy metal anthem to operatic 

ballad demonstrating significant virtuosity and range. The band’s blend 

of harder edged metallic rock arrangements with Julie’s stunning vocals is 

highly original and has likely led to their swift local scene acclaim. 

The album opens on a tenebrous brow, with tracks like Redemption (Take 

Me Away), a dark introspective look into the mind of a lost soul, and Carry 

Through, which touches on letting go of someone who can’t seem to learn 

from their mistakes. 

The overall feel of the 

disc is that of a band 

you always wish was 

playing at a local show 

or bar when there is, 

in fact, a talentless 

cover band trying to 

fill the shoes of some 

drunken predecessor. 

The album packs the 

right amount of punch, 

and I think you’ll agree 

that the release of their 

5 track EP only serves 

to punctuate their 

presence in the local scene. These cats aren’t going anywhere. The EP thrusts 

the listener into a galloping storm of metal. This album makes a real music 

lover want to punch Amy Lee in the face and pour Iron Maiden in their morning 

coffee. Right away, one thing is notable: Needless To Say is on the verge of 

something really cool here, I recommend you join them. Check out the band’s 

Reverbnation page: R everbnation.com/needlesstosayfl t 

20 




22 


WeMerge WeMerge Magazine Magazine - www.WeMerge.com 

-

Prison Art 

Written 

by Renda Writer 

Layout by Dwayne Adams 

Illustration by Justin “INVI” Vilonna - INVIart.com - see ad on pg XX 

“Art means life. In 1999, I was sentenced to 82 years Another YouTube clip had an inmate serving a six month 

in prison. I decided I would not live out my life in their sentence for multiple DUI charges who said, “Maybe 

cages. I was determined to self terminate. Then I began art can replace the alcohol for me.” After watching 

to paint as never before. I now look forward to every day a few more clips, I took my search to Google, where I 

with a passion I never did, even prior to my imprisonment. learned about a talented artist named Roger “Kaliman” 

I now live to paint, and cannot wait to pick up my brush Golden who got the nickname of “Kaliman” from Mexican 

and see how far I can bring my art that day.” 

gang members while in prison. He was named after the 

Latin comic book hero who uses martial arts, yoga, and 

- Excerpt from piece of prison art seen on YouTube 

hypnosis to fight the forces of evil. The Mexican gang 

The point of this article is to just sort of bring the bangers taught him art, in exchange for him teaching 

topic of prison art to the table for discussion. I’m just them yoga and meditation. 

looking to open up a dialogue with our readers and to 

We can’t ignore stories like this. They prove how 

acknowledge this artistic counterculture as a legitimate 

art can connect people in the unlikeliest of ways and 

and beautiful section of the world art community, even if 

in the unlikeliest of places. Roger’s work can be seen 

it is locked up behind bars and cement walls. 

and purchased on FineArtAmerica.com. Not only do I 

Art is art, no matter what, and inmates like Redhot suggest checking it out, but I also suggest getting lost 

Handyman Tony will always find a way to create, even for an hour or two by surfing through the internet for 

when all that’s available are prison-issued bars of soap, prison art related content. Doing so will prove to be 

or as Tony puts it when talking about the hundreds of entertaining, inspiring, and enlightening, and also a great 

soap sculptures he made while incarcerated, “They’re way to understand just how expansive art really is. 

all made out of the same stuff that we wash our asses 

Art is everywhere, but when it’s in the dark it needs 

with.” Check him out on YouTube to hear more from Tony, 

someone to shed a spotlight on it, and that’s what I’m 

and to check out his art. That’s what I did. I went to 

doing here. Consider this an introduction for our readers 

YouTube to start my research when I first got the idea 

to the genre of “prison art” and an invitation for them to 

to write an article about prison art, and soon began to 

get more involved with us and our plans for getting more 

find all sorts of relevant footage, like an interview with 

involved with the prison system. As soon as this issue 

an inmate who had actually built an electric guitar out of 

drops, I’m heading to the post office to send it out to as 

smuggled contraband. He soon became popular with other 

many prisons as I can, with the hopes of connecting the 

inmates, who started paying him to make them guitars 

art and the artists of the outside world with the inmate 

like his. He sold one to an inmate who said in a news 

artists on the inside that are painting, writing, and sculpting 

interview, “Learning to play guitar has been 

one of the high points in my life. It’s a 

as a means to stay sane and stay alive. 

shame I had to do it here, but I also hope to maybe feature the work of a talented 

it’s a miracle I did.” 

inmate artist in a future issue of WeMerge 

Magazine, so this article just may lead 

to that. t 

WeMerge Magazine - www.WeMerge.com WeMerge Magazine - www.WeMerge.com Support the Scene or There Will Be No Scene to Support 23

BEAUTIFUL 

MERCHANDISE 

AFFORDABLE PRICES 

Designers Include: 

- Betsey Johnson 

- Juicy Couture 

- Dolce Gabana 

- Louis Vatton 

- Lilly Pulitzer 

- Ferragamo 

- Versace 

- Coach 

- Alfani 

- BCBG 

- Turk 

We Carry: 

- One of a Kind Boots 

- Handmade Jewelry 

- Designer Clothing 

- Wedding Dresses 

- Summer Dresses 

- Designer Purses 

- Vintage Jewelry 

- Unique Belts 

- Art 

Mention WeMerge for Discount 

(561) 274-PINK 

393 NE 5th Ave - Delray Beach, FL 33483 

Across from Walgreens. Corner of NE 4th St & Federal Hwy 

24 




26 





One thing that the artists in this magazine 

have in common is that they are all goal 

setters. Aside from having talent, what 

distinguishes these artists from others is that they 

put energy into setting goals, in order to bring 

direction to their careers. Brent Miller, our Who’s 

Next Gallery Winner for this issue, is quoted in his 

bio as saying, “My goal, all along, has been to create 

a new concept, something no one else has done or 

seen before. And I hope I’ve accomplished that with 

this series of paintings, which I call Flowers of the 

Mind.” 

What do you think? Did Brent reach his goal? 

We certainly think so, and with the mountain of 

emails that we received from readers who enjoyed 

his piece in last issue’s Who’s Next Gallery, it is safe 

to say that not only is he doing something that no 

one has seen before, but when they do see it – they 

definitely like it. 

Beyond his obvious talent, what’s great about 

Brent is that he also teaches. During a recent 

interview at his house he brought up just how rare it 

is for artists to find someone of a certain level of talent 

that can also teach. I agreed, now seeing Brent as an 

even more valuable member of the local arts scene. 

I asked him more about how he got started with 

teaching and private instruction, and that’s when he 

told me about how he met Max Shacknow, of the 

Shacknow Museum of Fine Arts (SMOFA.org) in 

Plantation, and asked if he could run his Rembrent 

Academy of the Arts out of the museum. Not only 

did Max, a noted philanthropist in the community, 

think this was a great idea, but he also jumped at 

the opportunity to give it a charitable spin, telling 

Brent that he would take 25% of income generated 

from the classes, and then donate it to two charities, 

Joe Dimaggio Children’s Hospital and Women in 

Distress. Brent and I continued talking, and while 

typing my notes, my imagination drifted toward 

Abstract Fusion: 

Cubism, Surrealism, 

Realism: A little bit of 

everything 

28 



picturing myself taking a class with Brent. Just as 

the imaginary scene in my mind began to fade, I 

noticed that Brent had left the room and come 

back with a sketch of an egg. 

“Once you learn how to draw the egg, everything 

else falls into place,” he said. The simplicity of this 

statement piqued my interest, and before I knew it 

Brent had already given me an impromptu lesson, 

where I learned the basics of light and shadowing 

and terms like core shadow, cast shadow, mid tone 

and reflected light. Very adept and comfortable 

with explaining the techniques behind the talent, 

I wondered where Brent himself had learned 

to paint, and his answer was Larry Gerber 

(GerberFineArts.com), who Brent had met at The 

Coral Springs Center for the Arts. 

Finding Larry, just like finding Max Shacknow, 

was probably pretty easy for Brent, because he’s 

one of those people that people just kind of 

gravitate to. In short, he’s cool. He’s a cool person, 

and people like to be around cool people. Brent 

has been amassing cool points his whole life, 

having spent a length of time as a butler, working 

for Donald Trump in New Jersey, catering to 

wealthy businessmen and celebrities, arranging 

for their helicopter pick-ups and cooking private 

meals in their suites. Clearly, Brent is a people 

person, and his relationships, coupled with his 

talent, will guarantee his success as an artist. 

He has also forged a relationship with Dan 

Epstein, president of the Artists and Crafters 

Association (PeopleWithTalent.org), which 

has lead to several show opportunities, and his 

relationship with Johnny Valdes of ArtWay 66 

Gallery (ArtWay66.com) has made his work 

visible in the bustling Coconut Grove arts district. 

Selling prints and originals of his art at shows and 

galleries has worked well for him, but he is also 

looking at new ways of merchandising his art, 

like putting it on coffee cups, kitchen trivets, and 

mouse pads, in order to make his art functional 

and available at a lower price point. Hearing this 

made me think to connect him with the folks 

at ArtWear (ad on pg 49), who can print art on 

any surface. Brent’s got all the right people in his 

corner, and that’s why he’s reaching his goals. t 

RemBrent.com - Brent@RemBrent.com 

“They say that 

everything in art has 

been done before, 

but I disagree.” 

Brent Miller, with his dog, Osito 


The Who’s 

Next Gallery 

Here, in the “Who 

from artists we 

email us and tell 

a free 2-page spread in 

have your work shown in 

Cary Polkovitz - www.facebook.com/carythehat 

Zachary Knudson - www.myglassartist.com 

Nikki Copeland - ww.myspace.com/canvascupcake 

Carlos Cesar Alves - www.artccalv 

Eddie Arroyo -www.eddiearroyo.com 

30 

Support the scene Scene or there There will Will be Be no No scene Scene to to support Support 

WeMerge Magazine -- www.WeMerge.com

? 

’s Next Gallery,” we provide you with some samples 

are considering for the next issue. We invite you to 

us which artist’s work you like best. The winner gets 

the following issue. Also email us if you would like to 

the Who’s Next Gallery. t editor@wemerge.com 

es.com 

Enrico Morales -www.enricomorales.com 

Marcelo Holzinger - www.mholzinger.com 

Matthew Milone - www.matthewmilone.com 

WeMerge Magazine -- www.WeMerge.com 

Support the the Scene scene or or There there Will will Be be No no Scene scene to to Support support 

31 31

ANGELO 

LUMAS 

DMAC Who’s Next Gallery Winner 

When it comes to art, no matter how much natural talent an artist might have, it never 

hurts to get an education to help foster and guide that talent in the right direction. 

Digital Media Arts College in Boca Raton is home to hundreds of young artists who are 

channeling their talents through the school’s curriculum and preparing for careers in the arts. In our last 

issue, we premiered The DMAC Who’s Next Gallery, where we featured digital artwork and photography 

from seven DMAC students. We invited our readers to email us with their votes for the artist who should 

be featured in this issue. The winner is Angelo Lumas, a talented and goal-oriented artist who clearly 

deserved the win. Here’s how he did it. 

I’ve never entered in a competition 

before. When I saw that my design 

was qualified to win a full page in 

WeMerge Magazine, I set a goal to 

help me win. My goal was: ‘ I need 

to get 5 votes a day’. No matter 

what, I said to myself, ‘Lets get to 

work Angelo!’ 

Facebook.com/alumasgfx 

32 




he creative simplicity of a witty one-line joke is sometimes underappreciated 

as an art, so we take this opportunity here to give you some zingers from two of 

our favorite local comedians, Kirk Meadows and Nhan Du. 

Game shows confuse me. The winner gets a trip. The loser gets luggage. 

A friend suggested I meet women on line. So I went to Disney World. 

I’m burning the candle at both ends, until I can pay my light bill. 

My girlfriend is a runway model. OK, she works at the airport. 

I went to a wedding and a funeral. One’s not going to last. 

I bit off more of the hand that feeds me than I can chew. 

I had an epiphany. Now I know what the word means. 

Confession: Those programs on PBS. They were 

never sponsored by viewers like me. t 

Facebook.com/mdwskirk 

I got a tattoo that’s written in Braille. It says, 

“Please stop touching me.” It’s a polite tattoo. 

I have an anti-social security number. 

A hand model… is a glove model, who poses nude. 

It’s hard to tell a DJ with chicken pox to stop scratching. 

I bought a shrink-resistant T-shirt. And I haven’t met any psychologists. 

This girl thinks I’m stalking her, and I know that cause I read it in her diary. 

I was on a date with a girl. She asked me, 

“How do you make an eggroll?” I said, “Push it.” 

I was driving past a mattress store. 

There was a big sign that said, “0% Interest.” I thought, “Correct.” 

It’s OK to ask a tall person to reach for stuff. 

And it’s OK to ask a short person to crawl under stuff. 

But it’s never OK to ask a fat person... to crush stuff. 

When I was a kid, my dad gave my brother a lucky rabbit’s foot. 

And then, he gave me... a lucky 3-legged rabbit. 

I went to Butterfly World for the first time. 

But I got there way too early. It was just a bunch of caterpillars. t 

Facebook.com/catfeet 

6 th Borough DJ By Renda Writer 

It’s been said that South Florida is New York’s “6 th borough,” because of the massive number of New 

Yorkers that live here, and one particular Yankee that we’re glad made the pilgrimage south is none 

other than DJ Vinsane. Born in Brooklyn and raised in King’s Park, Vinsane started his career by 

booking gigs at venues across Long Island and Manhattan at age 17, and has kept his talents 

in high demand ever since. His sets include a mix of House, Party Breaks, Hip-Hop, Mash-Ups, 

Electro, Rock, and music from the 80’s and 90’s. Known for his signature song selection skills, DJ 

Vinsane is looking to take his show on the road, and he currently holds down a few residencies 

here in South Florida, which can be found online. Go check him out next time you’re looking to 

make plans to go out. Giving you the info you need in order to meet the artists in this magazine 

in person is a big part of the reason why we publish WeMerge. We’re here to merge you 

with the arts scene, and the cultures, subcultures, and countercultures that surround it. t 

Facebook.com/VinsaneNY 

Soundcloud.com/DJVinsane 

VinsaneNY@Gmail.com 

34 




Where hasn’t he performed? Spoken Word Poet, Mr. Wispers has been 

honing his craft all over South Florida for the past decade and has 

amassed quite a performance resume, one that reads like an all-inclusive 

directory of every event and venue for Spoken Word Poetry throughout South 

Florida. With two independent CDs to promote, The Passion of Expression and 

The Flame Within, Mr. Wispers is wasting no time in making sure that his name is 

known and his poetry is heard by everyone. That’s why he’s everywhere. Visit his 

Facebook page to find out where he’ll be performing next. t 

Bowery Poetry Club – NYC 

Cleopatra’s Place – Hollywood 

Nakava – Boca Raton 

Café Now Art – Hollywood 

Peace in Da Hood – Miami 

Elks Lodge – Ft. Lauderdale 

Miramar Library – Miramar 

Off the Trax – Oakland Park 

Java D’Lites – Coral Springs 

Opened for Brazilian Voices 

NuYorican Poets Café – NYC 

Tempo Lounge – Hollywood 

Top Chef – North Lauderdale 

University of Miami – Miami 

Carlton Beach Hotel – Miami 

Back Pack Giveaway – Miami 

Joseph Caleb Center – Miami 

Ginger Bay Café – Hollywood 

Dave & Buster’s – Hollywood 

The Stage – West Palm Beach 

The Wallflower Gallery – Miami 

The Goddess Store – Hollywood 

Starving Artists Café – Bronx, NY 

Gaby’s Lounge – Pembroke Pines 

Opened for Pretty Rickey – Miami 

Mahogany Grille – Miami Gardens 

The Coffee District – Delray Beach 

LMAO Comedy Show – Hollywood 

Mellow Mushroom – Delray Beach 

Mega Bite Cyber Café – Hollywood 

Women in Distress – Ft. Lauderdale 

Grace Café & Gallery – Dania Beach 

Nova Southeastern University – Davie 

Mello Mondays - Blusters – Hollywood 

Delray Idol – Koffeeokee – Delray Beach 

BCC – Ft. Lauderdale 

Melt Da Mic – Miami 

Resta – Delray Beach 

MLK Festival – Miami 

Dixie Hall – Hollywood 

Club Paradise – Naranja 

Tuckers Lounge – Miami 

Kitchen 305 – Sunny Isles 

Art Serve – Ft. Lauderdale 

Deco Lounge – Hallandale 

The Literary Café – Miami 

Sister 2 Sister Tea Party – Ft. Lauderdale 

Recovery Got Talent – West Palm Beach 

Voicez & Vybez – Troy’s Lounge - Sunrise 

Harvesting the Voices – West Palm Beach 

WeMerge Wednesdays - Stage 84 – Davie 

The Gardens Memorial Park – Boca Raton 

Sailboat Bend Artist Lofts – Ft. Lauderdale 

15 th Judicial Circuit Court –West Palm Beach 

Boynton Beach Family Day – Boynton Beach 

New Way Fellowship Church – Miami Gardens 

Opened for Trina w/Stop the Violence – Miami 

Frederica Wilson’s Victory Party – Miami Gardens 

Broward General Medical Center – Ft. Lauderdale 

The Funky Buddha Lounge & Brewery – Boca Raton 

WeMerge Thursdays – Kevro’s Art Bar – Delray Beach 

Free Your Mind – Atmosphere Café - West Palm Beach 

Broward Center for the Performing Arts – Ft. Lauderdale 

Increased Violence in Stressful Times – West Palm Beach 

Greater Love Missionary Baptist Church – Miami Gardens 

The UnPS.com National Poetry Conference – Ft. Lauderdale 

Bigger & Better Fridays – Write Side Poets Café – Lauderhill 

Spring Variety Show – Ocean Manor Resort – Ft. Lauderdale 

Opened for HBO Special – “I Feel Black” with Devin Robinson 

African-American Research Library & Cultural Center – Ft. Lauderdale 

The UnPS.com Variety Show – Sea Escape Cruise Ship – Ft. Lauderdale 

“A Place Called Home” Church Play – Koinonia Worship Center - Hollywood 

LS 1426 Fashion Show – “Fashion Under the Stars” - Crowne Plaza – Hollywood 

Bar 13 – NYC 

FAU – Boca Raton 

Club Play – Miami 

Art Buzz – Miramar 

Lounge 46 – Miami 

Satoro – Hollywood 

Facebook.com/MrWispers 


Events 

Where the Magazine Comes to Life! 

WeMerge event Host, Renda Writer 

Hosting WeMerge Wednesdays @ Stage84 

Photo by 

Guitarist/Songwriter, Anthony Scott 

Performing at WeMerge Thursdays @ Kevro’s Art Bar 

Photo by SonjuPhotography.com 

Artist, Carlos Solano painting live at WeMerge Wednesdays @Stage84 

Photo by RabidRabbitStudio.com 

This section is an open invitation 

to all of our readers to come 

check out our two regular 

events, WeMerge Wednesdays 

(2 nd Wednesday of every month) at 

Stage 84 in Davie and WeMerge 

Thursdays (every Thursday) at 

Kevro’s Art Bar in Delray Beach, and 

to also check out our periodic special 

events. Both WeMerge 

Wednesdays and 

Thursdays bring 

the communities in 

Broward and Palm 

Beach Counties 

together, creating an 

atmosphere and a 

scene where artists, 

musicians, creative 

types, and all kinds 

of people hang out 

together, networking 

and making new 

friendships. It’s like the real live 

version of the magazine. 

Both events feature an open format 

Open Mic, special booked featured 

performances, live art, and featured 

photographers, and are hosted by 

Renda Writer, a professional host 

and poet with 8 years of experience 

hosting and producing Open Mic 

nights, special events, showcases, and 

charity fundraisers. Artists interested 

in being featured at an event should 

email Renda - editor@wemerge.com, 

or just come out to a show to discuss 

bookings in person. 

If you’ve seen American Idol, then 

you know about Boca Raton singer/ 

songwriter Brett Loewenstern. 

Before leaving for California, he was 

a regular at WeMerge Thursdays at 

Kevro’s Art Bar, singing every week 

to a crowd yelling, “Encore! Encore!” 

We wish him luck as he continues with 

the show, and we’re proud to know 

that he got his start at our event. 

This event has really developed into 

quite a cultural epicenter, with past 

live artists including Katie Sottak, 

Rei Ramirez, Katya Neptune, Mo 

Brenner, and Priscila D’Brito. Kevro’s 

Art Bar is also the home of The 

WeMerge Magazine South Florida 

Graffiti Expo, a yearly showcase of 

the best local graffiti artists, started in 

2008. In 2011 the event will be made 

bi-annual, with another edition at 

Kevro’s Art Bar in August, as well as 

a special Broward edition of the event 

at FAT Village in Ft. Lauderdale (see 

their ad on pg 48) on May 28 th , with 

50,000 square feet of wall space for 

artists. Those interested in wall space for 

either event should contact Renda ASAP. 

Flint & Friends 

Performing at WeMerge Wednesdays @ Stage84 

Photo by 

For those interested in combining 

a unique microbrew beer experience 

to their absorption of the arts, Stage 

84, an official Holy Mackerel tap 

house, provides the perfect backdrop 

of a craft beer venue, mixed with 

a New York City lounge, perfectly 

complimenting the vibe that our 

magazine brings to the venue. Local 

artist Carlos Solano, who created 

an original piece of art on a recent 

WeMerge Wednesday, which is still 

hanging up at the venue, had this to 

say about his experience participating 

in the event, “I love the flavor of Stage 

84. It’s the right vibe. The right vibe 

for creativity, and keeping people 

entertained and involved.” Carlos not 

only painted his own original piece 

for the show, but he also put out a 

canvas and a few colors of paint and 

invited the patrons to get down on a 

collaborative piece. 

WeMerge events are where the 

magazine comes to life, where the 

actual community comes together, 

creating a scene that makes a 

magazine like this necessary. We invite 

you to come out to our events to be a 

part of the scene. 

Stage84FL.com 

KevroArt.com 

36 



SPOKEN SOUL FESTIVAL 2011 MARCH 25 – 27 

Support Women Artists Now! 

On its 4th year, Spoken Soul Festival celebrates 

the international holiday SWAN Day (Support 

Woman Artist Now). The holiday’s founder, 

Martha Richards from WomenArts, personally 

selected SSF and the production team; Aimee 

Novaton, Amy Baez, Deborah Magdalena, 

Michelle Massanet, Susan Alvarez and 

Veronica Barrios, as one of the top 5 events 

in the world that celebrates SWAN Day. This 

year is set to blaze with upcoming women 

artists on March 25- 27, 2011. Visit www. 

SpokenSoulFestival.com for full festival details. 

FEATURED ARTISTS 

PREVIEW: 

POETTIS - POET 

Revered for her dynamic freestyling aptitude, Poettis 

has shared the stage with some of the best; from gospel 

comedian Jonathan Slocomb to neosoul’s sultry duo 

Floetry. Her roots in Gospel, R&B, Jazz, and Fusion Folk 

rock have enabled her to develop a unique musical spoken 

word style. www.MySpace.com/Poettis 

Photo credit: www.TerriblyGirly.com 

CRYSTAL ALEXANDRA - POET 

A Miami native, Crystal’s music fuses together a mixture of 

poetry, soul, and hip hop. Influenced by musical artists such as 

Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, and inspired deeply by authors 

like Zora Neale Hurston, and Toni Morrison her artistry is 

interwoven with soulful melodies and is written always with 

the intention to inspire and express her passion and love for 

sound. www.MySpace.com/BetweenSpiritAndStone 

SANDRA GARCIA-PARDO – FINE ARTIST 

Sandra Garcia-Pardo was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, 

moved to Argentina to finally realize her dream of getting 

a Fine Arts Bachelor’s Degree at “Escuela Nacional de Bellas 

Artes Prilidiano Pueyrredón,” the most prestigious art school 

of Argentina. After graduating as Fine Arts Sculptor, Sandra 

Garcia-Pardo came to the United States where she has 

exhibited in various galleries all over the country. 

www.AandraGarciaArt.com 

VALENTINA RAMOS – FINE ARTIST 

In her Miami studio, this Venezuelan artist spent countless 

happy hours playing with her paints and her Rapidograph 

Pens. She enjoys working with different materials, but 

black ink is one of the mediums you will always find in 

her original prints, paintings and drawings. Her love for 

artworks with little intricate details are a signature of her 

own drawing style. www.ValentinaDesign.com 

SUSAN ALVAREZ - PHOTOGRAPHER 

Susan Alvarez, professional stills photographer 

specializing in portraits whose photographs and 

digitally enhanced artworks are exhibited in private/ 

public collections in the U.S. and Europe. The 

recipient of two grants/fellowships, her life as an 

artist began in NYC theatres as an actor and dancer. 

Her LA experience includes directing and producing. 

Through it all, she has always had a camera at her side. www.SusanAlvarez.net 

GEISHAZ - DJ 

This online community is devoted to serving as a network 

of female artists in the music industry worldwide. It was 

inspired by 5 local Miami female DJs: IQ, Kaprah, Lady T, 

Laura D and Medley. The objective was to create a global 

network of talented female DJs and artists. 

www.Geishaz.com 

TIFFANY HANAN MADERA - DANCER 

Drawing from an extensive technical background in acting, 

writing, contemporary and ethnic dance coupled with her 

diverse ethnic make-up and global experience, Hanan is 

one of the most unique and compelling Middle Eastern 

dancers in America today. The Miami Herald describes her 

as a dancer that possesses “powerful body and skill”. 

www.Hanan4Peace.com 

NIKI LOPEZ - PHOTOGRAPHER 

Niki is a graphic designer and conceptual visual artist. 

Her acrylics and oils are emotional vehicles for the 

universal human story. Every artist explores creative or 

expressive ideas representing the self. She shares, “we 

have a responsibility to bridge the human connection with 

the soul, so that we aren’t totally lost to the coldness of 

technology.” www.NikiPhotos.com 

TERRIBLY GIRLY PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANETTE 

VALENTINE - PHOTOGRAPHER 

Miami’s own pinup photographer! Specializing in 

classic and modern pin-up photo shoots, retro boudoir 

photography, burlesque photography, vintage & glamour 

photo shoots, couples photography, and fun pin-up parties. 

Founder Janette, who was raised on sunshine and café con 

leche, pours her own sense of humor and love of kitsch into 

her photographic work. www.TerriblyGirly.com 

MIGDALIA PACE – FINE ARTIST 

Migdalia’s fashion illustration style has been described by 

many as powerful, sexy and most recently, “green.” Her new 

fashion forward recycled tote bags are unlike any before. 

Each bag is designed from reclaimed shirts and fabrics and 

features her signature dolls. Since all shirts are recycled, no 

2 bags can be identical. www.RecycleMyBag.com 


WeMerge 

Show Review 

Written and Photographed 

By Elon Meles – elon@WeMerge.com 

The South Florida Local 

Soundcheck Showcase returned 

to the Culture Room in Ft. 

Lauderdale on Dec. 11 with a 

talent-laden showcase and roofrattling 

concert of drastic rock 

proportions. Originally to be 

sponsored 

by the now 

extinct 

93 Rock, 

a sudden 

format 

change 

forced 

them 

to back 

out 

before 

the day 

of the 

show. 

But with 

the proceeds 

benefitting The 

University of Miami – Nova 

Southeastern University 

Center for Autism and Related 

Disabilities, the stellar bands 

soldiered through and put on a 

tremendous show for the rockstarved 

fans in attendance. The 

roster contained a heavy dose of 

mid-90’s inspired alternative rock 

from seven of South Florida’s best 

hard rock stars in the making. 

Kicking off the evening’s 

festivities were two wellrespected 

local cover bands, 

David 

Hamilton of 

Marvlec.com 

Coral Springs based School of 

Rock (schoolofrock.com) and Fort 

Lauderdale’s own Kamantra, 

who recently changed their name 

to R’lyeh (facebook.com/ryleh). 

They jammed solid sets of classic 

rock with a metal twist, mixing in 

some harder stuff throughout. 

The first group of original 

rockers was Coral Springs’ 

Marvlec (marvlec.com), a fresh 

young trio of rockers with an old 

soul and brotherly feel. The lead 

singer, Dave Hamilton kept the 

crowd rapt in his smooth lyrics, 

while Scott Dotson and Ben 

May jammed on their guitars 

while wearing their skivvies, like 

Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers. 

They earned a new fan in this 

guy for one, and the thunderous 

applause let me know I wasn’t 

alone. These guys are just getting 

started. Look out. 

Next up was First October 

(firstoctober.com), a selfdescribed 

power-pop punk band 

led by the bodacious Tammy 

B. on lead vocals, with Tom 

Braga, Greg Smolla and Joey 

O. rounding out the talented 

quartet. Tammy dazzled the 

crowd with her sensual stage 

presence, while the rest of crew 

blasted out a sound somewhere 

in the ballpark of No Doubt on 

Red Bull and vodka. While Tammy 

delighted the eyes, the music 

backing her was a sensory success 

to say the very least. More big 

things are on the horizon for First 

October, and all the bands that 

participated in The South Florida 

Local Soundcheck Showcase. t 

38 




Who loves pizza? 

Everyone does. But what do people love even more than pizza? 

FREE PIZZA! The Free Pizza compilation CD is a free promotional CD 

(1,000 copies) produced by WeMerge Magazine and Reverse 

Polarity Studios that features 21 songs from local musicians 

and artists of all genres of music. Come out to our events (see 

pg 36) to get yourself a hard copy, or download the entire 

album at Reverbnation.com/WeMerge. 

Download the entire album at 

Reverbnation.com/WeMerge 

Be on the 

lookout for Free 

Pizza, Volume II, to 

be released along 

with our Summer 

issue, on June 1 st , 

2011. Artists can 

submit songs for 

consideration for 

inclusion on the CD 

by sending MP3s to 

pizza@wemerge.com. 

Businesses interested in 

having a commercial on 

the CD can also email us for 

pricing and more info. 

This is Luigi. 

Free Pizza was duplicated by DUB Hub. See their ad on pg 16, or visit 

DUBhubDisc.com. 

40 




42 



Fonda Cash ’ s Artist Development, 

Vocal & Performance Training 

Fonda Cash 

Want to build self-confidence, enhance your talents and take your music 

career to the next level? Fonda Cash is the person to help you do all of that 

and more. Once you become a student of Fonda’s and are ready to perform 

live you can be a part of the Fonda Cash’s Teens Who Rock Show, where 

you will be showcased in front of live audiences and get the experience of 

performing on a stage. For more advanced students who are ready to be 

shopped for a major record deal, she offers song writing lessons and will 

help guide you along your path until your goal is reached. Fonda has won 

several song competitions for her writing and performances. Her original 

songs are getting radio airplay globally and she has placed in the Top 10 on 

numerous music charts. To find all the latest info on Fonda and her talented 

artists visit www.Facebook.com/FondaCash 

www.Reverbnation.com/FondaCash 

Fonda Cash 561-308-9406 

Meghan Ritmiller 

Meghan Ritmiller is beautiful, has a soulful voice and a 

dynamic stage presence. She has recently recorded original 

music and filmed two music videos which has taken her music 

career to the next level. Meghan performs live throughout 

South Florida and in addition to maintaining a 4.0 average in 

school, she continues to take on new projects and is working 

on writing new songs and recently recorded a demo CD. 

Her latest project is co-hosting a new teen talk show called 

FML (Friends, Music & Life) which airs on Tuesdays at 7pm 

on W4CY.com Meghan is currently seeking major record 

label and producer interest. She is available for studio, club 

work, private parties, and special events. For booking and 

more information, contact Carey Ritmiller at 561-307-8899. 

www.MeghanRitmiller.com 

www.Reverbnation.com/MeghanRitmiller 

www.Youtube.com/MeghanRitmiller 

Savannah Morgan 

Savannah Morgan is a 14 year old talented young artist 

with a love for music and performing. Savannah has a 

beautiful, unique voice and wonderful stage presence that 

really shines every time she takes the stage. Her genres are 

Pop/Dance and Country. Savannah’s dream is to some day 

be seen, heard and loved by millions of people! 

www.MySpace.com/SavannahMelodies 

Brandi Lynn Collison 

Brandi has been part of Fonda Cash’s Teens Who Rock since 

2008. Since her time with Fonda she has started writing her 

own songs, recorded several studio tracks and is now learning 

how to play the piano. Brandi is seeking music producers to 

co-write and collaborate with. She is based out of Wellington, 

Florida and is a published author. 

To contact Brandi visit 

www.MySpace.com/BrandiLynnCollison. 

Hannah Mahoney 

Hannah Mahoney is a singer/songwriter from Royal Palm 

Beach, Florida. She has already recorded her first solo album 

which features hits like Luke Bryan, Superstar, Pretty Boy, 

Barefoot Princess and more. She is currently getting radio 

airplay globally and is number #5 on the Reverbnation 

Country Charts. Hannah writes new songs often, enjoys 

collaborating with others and is extremely talented. Her 

songs are catchy, meaningful and heartfelt. Hannah’s dream 

is to become a major country recording artist and tour with 

her friend Luke Bryan. She is currently traveling between 

Nashville & Florida to promote her music. To contact Hannah 

visit www.Facebook.com/HannahMahoney12. 

Lexi Luca 

Lexi Luca is talented, works hard, is dedicated to her 

dream and it shows! Her new original song entitled, 

Love You Right, which she co-wrote with Fonda Cash, is 

currently getting radio airplay globally and charting in the 

top 10. Her second album, I Believe, is set to be released 

in the Summer of 2011. She has already landed her own 

jewelry line with ImperfectionByDesign.com, which is 

set to debut in the late Spring of 2011. While working hard 

on her music career and school work she also finds time to 

help others and get involved with her community by cohosting 

a new teen talk show called FML (Friends, Music & 

Life). It airs on Tuesday nights at 7pm on W4CY.com. Lexi 

is available for club work, private parties, studio work and 

special events. For booking, live performance schedule 

and more visit www.Reverbnation.com/LexiLuca 

www.Facebook.com/LexiLuca & You Tube. 

Management - Theresa Luca - Aug2305@aol.com 

mallory Blue 

One part country and one part Rock ‘n Roll – Mallory 

Blue does it all. This 13-year-old will tell you she’s felt 

music deep in her soul since she was three. Mallory has 

one strong focus, to make it as a singer, and she believes 

working with Fonda Cash is going to make that happen. 

Keep an eye out for this beautiful little girl with the great 

big voice and watch her grow as a singer, songwriter and 

performer. Become Mallory’s friend on Facebook to find out 

where she’s performing next, see her live videos, and more. 

www.Facebook.com/MalloryBlue1 

Nikki Marie 

Nikki is a 13-year-old singer new to Fonda Cash’s Teens Who 

Rock. She is currently enrolled in the Bert Reynolds Institute 

Of Film, where she studies acting and voice over. Nikki’s dream 

is to become a successful actress and singer. She loves dancing, 

spending time with her friends and outdoor activities. Visit 

Nikki Reitano on Facebook to find out more about this artist. 

Management: Joanna Reitano (561) 577-5443 

Dominique Marie 

This is Dominique Marie Miller. She was born in 1995 

in Toms River, New Jersey. Dominique has wanted to 

become a famous singer since the moment she could 

speak. She moved to Florida 7 years ago and recently 

started taking vocal and performance lessons with Fonda 

Cash to enhance her talent. Dominique loves to sing all 

types of music but her favorite is Country/Pop. She is an 

actress, singer, performer and very creative. Keep an eye 

on Dominique as she grows and watch her become a star. 

Visit her on the web to watch her self-produced videos and 

more. www.MySpace.com/DominiqueMarieMusic 


44 



The Monterey Club 

is where different cultures live. 

A distinct gathering place for 

people interested and involved 

in vintage car culture, bike 

culture, tattoo culture, live 

music, and the whole lifestyle. 

This is where the scene is. 

Support the scene. 

More than a bar 

and more than a 

music venue 

No Night is Ever the Same 

Check out DJ Sensitive Side every Tuesday 

Ft. Lauderdale home of the Saints and Sinners Car Club 

Connected to Kreepy Tiki Tattoo and Orange County Choppers 

(954) 598-1887 

Open 7 Nights a Week, 11am-2am 

2608 S Federal Hwy, Ft. Lauderdale, 33316 

Next door to the Gold Coast Roller Rink 

MySpace.com/MontereyClub - Also on Facebook 


46 




48 

48 



Artwear LLC 

521 N.W. 1st Ave 

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 

954-916-7351 

www.digitalartwear.com 

Custom Printing on over 100 exciting products 

NO SET UP CHARGES - LOW MINIMUMS 


50 



FREE ADMISSION 

ART SHOW 

showing at: 

2608 South Federal Highway 

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 

Presented by: 

SINTHETIC 

DESIGNS 

© 

MARCH 25TH @ 7 PM 

Come check out this great art show, filled 

with pompadours, bouffants, leather 

jackets, hot rods, pin up babes and more! 


Project Audio Inc. is here to provide our clients 

with unparalleled service. We utilize our team’s 

professional background and experience in the 

audio industry to always produce projects of superior 

quality. We strive to be the only company that serious 

professionals come to when they need the highest 

quality audio work. 

SERVICES 

JASON LIEBMAN 

OWNER / ENGINEER 

954-675-2435 

954-773-9895 

Jason@projectaudioinc.com 

EQUIPMENT 

Pro Tools HD 3 

Apogee Converters 

Universal Audio 

Solid State Logic 

Tube Tech 

Logic Pro 

Reason 

Genelecs 

ns10’s 

Etc. 

Recording 

Mixing 

Mastering 

Pre Production 

Post Production 

5.1 Surround Mixing 

Audio Transfers 

Jingles 

Commercials 

Voiceovers 

Sound to Picture 

Live Sound 

On Site Recording 

Studio Design 

Studio Tech Support 

Freelance Engineering 

DJ’s & Events 

Sound FX 

Music 

Production 

Engineering lessons 

52 



DJ Stevie D The Host 


Co-Hosts: Jock D, DJ Crash, Kelly V, & Milky the Shape 

Sponsored by WeMerge Magazine & Mob Ink in Boca Raton 

“We’re off-the-cuff with the production of the show. We’re having fun with it, and 

it seems to be catching on.” In a recent phone conversation, DJ Stevie D says 

this of The Future Retro Radio Show, the internet radio show that he hosts 

and produces, playing everything from new Mos Def tracks to old school De 

La Soul, and James Brown and Funkadelic, mixing it all in with requests, 

an interactive chat room, local submitted music, and talk with DJ Stevie D 

and his co-hosts, about music, DJ’s, sex, clubs, events and more. Independent 

artists can submit music for airplay by sending MP3s to sffmusicinc@gmail. 

com. DJ Stevie D will be on the wheels of steel at the Hip-Hop Elements 

B-Boy Pro Am event on May 20-22 nd (HipHopElements.com) and will be cosponsoring 

the event with his entertainment company, South Florida’s Finest. 

More info at Facebook.com/TheDJStevieD. 

Stevie D is an official WeMerge DJ and the host of our DJ to DJ Interview Series on 

WeMergeTV.com. DJs can submit interview requests to StevieD@WeMerge.com 

Catch the Future Retro Radio Show Broadcasting Live at Club Boca Mondays - Club Boca, 7000 West Palmetto Park Rd, Boca Raton 

Live Party Broadcast, Interviews, Performances, Cypha Lounge in the 2 nd Room, Live Street Art on the patio 

E2Project.com is the flagship web presence of E2 

Project Inc., a creative directive organization founded and 

operated by Emmett “Deuce” Gatson based in South Florida. 

This creative journal is a gathering of multimedia 

expression that invites an audience of those who 

love and appreciate creative works in web + graphic 

art, photographic imagery, music and video —a 

comprehensive website that targets no age group 

or creative faction. Although it may take a level of 

experience to understand some of its content, it is neither 

esoteric nor enigmatic. All viewers with artistic attraction 

and curiosity are invited to discover, comprehend, and 

appreciate the works within. 

Initially, E2Project.com served as a vehicle for graphic 

art and web design, but gradually progressed to other 

forms of creative expression. In development are plans 

to open the E2 Project store, which will sell 

exclusive one-of-a-kind prints, exclusive clothing, 

collectibles and select music. “Expect top-quality work in 

all mediums showcased on this site, with an urban feel. 

And, expect E2 Project to be an ever-changing, ongoing 

project,” says Mr. Gatson. 

Tap into the energy and 

follow the progress of 

E2 Project’s journey 

as it ventures into 

the future of 

digital creative. 

Visit E2Project.com 

often and be sure 

to subscribe to 

our mailing list or 

social networking 

sites for 

updates. 


54 




Ringling College of Art and 

Design in Sarasota has a 

longstanding reputation for sending 

some of the brightest and most 

talented young artists out into the 

world after graduation, and artist and 

2005 graduate Matthew Mattox is 

definitely no exception to the rule. 

Practicing in virtually all mediums, 

Matthew’s creativity knows no limits. 

Whether he’s creating in the two 

dimensional plane or sculpting three 

dimensional masterpieces, Mattox is 

always attracting attention 

with his art. 

Facebook.com/MattMattox 

MattMattox.com 

56 



Has brought you the 

following books 

Three very compelling looks at the 

tragic epidemic that is domestic violence. 

Raw, Uncensored, and Unapologetic - REAL. 

“Funky Gorilla Fist” 

- A novella by Anthony Pepe 

reviewed in the 1 st issue of WeMerge 

“Walking from Memory” 

- A novel by D. Tori Morgenstein 

reviewed in the 6 th issue of WeMerge 

“That Defines the Light” 

- A book of poetry by Anthony Pepe & 

Tori Morgenstein reviewed in the 7 th 

issue of WeMerge Magazine 

All Books Now 

Available For Purchase: 

www.thatdefinesthelight.com 

www.myspace.com/funkygorillafist 

www.myspace.com/warriorpoets 

www.myspace.com/warriorpoetsaloud 

www.GhostPostPublishing.com 


58 




What is the 

Sly Ones 

brand all 

about? 

Sly Ones is 

an urban art 

business coming 

out of kick-back 

South Florida, 

created in late 

2008. Coming 

from our street art roots we started it as 

a graffiti crew trying to make a name for 

ourselves. Since then we been striving to 

plant our name in the minds of society. As 

time started to pass we realized we can 

expand the crew into a company, a company 

which produces unique urban art forms 

from all genres of the industry. Now, in 2011 

we are a group of clever young ninjas united 

to change the game and become one of the 

names on top. To make it in this industry you 

need to be a Sly One! 

Shaun “Kuote” Honekman 

Sly Ones Crew 

slyonescrew@gmail.com 

SlyOnesCrew.com 

My company was inspired by one of my favorite 

Woody Allen movies named Whatever Works. 

Born and raised in New York and other urban 

cities, surrounded by words like “Fugetaboutit” I 

felt that “Whateva’ Works” was more relevant to my 

work. Whateva’ Works caters to both businesses 

and independent artists in the entertainment 

industry. We customize our services to cater to our 

clients’ needs and our core competencies include 

event planning, marketing, booking, hosting, 

photography, videography, project development 

and budget preparation. We do whateva’ it takes 

to transform our clients’ vision into reality within 

60 60 Support Support the the scene Scene or or there There will Will be Be no No scene Scene to to support Support 

What is the Ground 

Zero Crew all about? 

The Ground Zero Crew 

is a B-boy (Break Dancing) 

crew that I started in 1996 

with chapters in Miami 

and Puerto Rico. Since 

then the crew has made 

an international impact, 

putting Miami on the map 

by battling all with superior 

swag and originality. We have won many world titles 

and visited many countries throughout Europe, Asia 

and more. Today you can see us perform all over the 

greater Miami area, at clubs, events and several other 

jams all over the world. In addition to performing, 

battling, judging, and competing at jams, we also 

produce large scale Hip-Hop events like the world 

famous Who Can Roast The Most? series, an event that 

endeavored to put Miami and Florida’s top B-Boy/B- 

Girl talent vs. the rest of the nation in a grueling 

10-round exhibition. GZC is dedicated to the elevation 

of the sacred Warrior Dance, originally called B-Boying. 

Alejandro “Bebe” Fernandez 

Founder/President 

info@groundzerocrew.com 

GroundZeroCrew.com 

Would you like to be featured in the We Asked section of 

our next issue? If so, send us a high resolution headshot 

and a high resolution version of your company logo. 

editor@wemerge.com 

What is the Whateva 

Works brand all about? 

the given budget. Our ultimate goal is to help your 

business grow. Our motto is Bringing fresh Flavor 

in a Cultural Way to Create Positive Change. We 

donate 10% of our fees to charities such as Mission 

of Hope for Haiti, Susan G. Komen, as well as 

significant resources to the Write Side Poets (youth 

poetry program) in Lauderhill, FL. We would love 

to work with you and help give back to the programs 

of your choice. Peace, Love & Light! 1 Love 

Melissa Capo 

Founder/Operating Manager 

info@whateva-works.com 

Whateva-Works.com 

NEW 

Lighthouse Point 

Barbershop Is An 

Art Gallery, Too! 

By David Citron – www.Advertorials.com 

At the new Masterpiece Barbershop in 

Lighthouse Point, master barber Lenny 

Spano treats his cuts like fine 

art, sculpting bald fades, fohawks, 

blowouts, and hot lather 

shaves in an environment 

that includes fine art by 

local artists alongside 

reproductions of great 

masterpieces. 

Masterpiece 

Barbershop’s 

cuts range from 

traditional 

gentlemen’s 

haircuts to trendy 

precision cuts, and 

women are welcome 

too. Amenities 

include five antique 

barber stations, free 

coffee, music, cable 

TV, and overstuffed 

leather couches. Stone 

sculptures, by Lenny’s 

father, John Spano, are among 

the art on display at the shop, and 

several exhibitions by local artists are 

planned. At a Boca Raton art show, Lenny 

was asked why he combined art and barbering. 

“As a kid I loved drawing and wood burning, but I 

wanted to be a business owner. Everyone needs a 

haircut, so I decided on barber college. Haircutting 

is the bread & butter of my business, while art is 

for the community.” 

A graduate of Florida Barber Academy in 

Pompano Beach, Lenny has been a precision 

barber for four years and managed a Coconut 

Creek shop. Originally from Brooklyn, the Spano 

family has lived here seven years. “My brother 

Dominick, a recent MBA, is the brains behind our 

business plan” says Lenny. “Dom says you should 

mention WeMerge magazine for $6 off 

any haircut.” 

Masterpiece Barbershop is in Venetian Isle 

Plaza, on the NE Corner of Sample Road and 

Federal Highway (3640-6 North Federal Highway, 

Lighthouse Point, 33308). For information about 

haircuts or displaying art, 

call (954) 623-7204 or e-mail 

Masterpiece2011@aol.com. 

(See ad on pg 47) 



62

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