Hasta La Ideas

photo by Beebee
Issue 12 has a fun article called “A Field Guide to Tape”. Written by our youngest contributor so far, I met Beebee at last summer’s Renegade fair in LA. I had been planning this article for a while, but after seeing Beebee’s blog and zines, I thought she would do a nice job on the topic of tapes. She’s quite an expert!

As editor, one of the exciting and fulfilling things about UPPERCASE is inviting people who have never been published before to contribute in one way or another. (It doesn’t matter that you’re not a “real” writer or “professional” artist—if you show passion and talent, that’s all I need.)

photo by BeebeeHere’s a closer view of the illustration by Michael Mateyko that accompanies the article. I love how his Scotch tape pattern makes a great suit for this snail/tape creature.

illustration by Michael Mateyko

Pigeons have the misfortune of being prominent on more than one foodchain. They are plentiful, predictable, and relatively meaty, a fact that made them one of the earliest animals that humans bred for food, going back at least to the Roman Empire.

But a more interesting relationship that the pigeon has is with the Peregrine Falcon, a predator-prey relationship that has played out in some interesting ways. Pigeon communications reached their pinnacle during both world wars, with one heroic bird delivering crucial correspondence despite an injury, and becoming the only bird to be awarded a military honour. Less famous was the peregrine falcon’s role during the war: they were the perfect weapon for intercepting pigeon-posted correspondence. The predator/prey relationship was played out once again, but this time with a keen human interest in the outcome. 

The relationship between these two birds has taken another interesting turn in recent years. Peregrine falcons were especially hard-hit by DDT pesticides in the middle of the 20^th century, and in some parts of Europe and North America, the wild population completely vanished. But through an extensive captive breeding and reintroduction program, the falcon is making a comeback, and finding a new home in many urban environments. Skyscraper ledges approximate the cliffs where the falcons like to nest, and urban environments provide an endless supply of the falcon’s favorite meal, the pigeon. 

Unfortunately, this means that not even domesticated pigeons are safe, and when several falcons were shot in LA in the late 1980s, pigeon fanciers were among the chief suspects. Like I said: even pigeon-fancying has a dark side. 

The pigeon, overall, gets a bit of a bad rap in terms of its symbolism. For a long time, it’s been linked to disease and referred to as a rat with wings, an undeserved reputation. It also has a reputation of not-so-great intelligence.

Yet when one thinks of a dove, the connotations are completely different: purity, peace, and hope are the traditional values associated with the dove. In truth, pigeon and dove are almost interchangeable labels; all are members of the same Columbidae family, and while smaller species are often called doves and larger ones pigeons, there are no hard rules. The rock pigeon can be just as correctly called a rock dove, and would probably have a far better reputation were this its common label.

One can imagine a Mad Men-esque 1950s meeting where a new soap brand – Dove – is presented: some junior employee raises his hand and says “isn’t that just another name for a pigeon?” The client frowns. The meeting is over. The junior employee is given the afternoon to clean out his desk. The scene ends on a shot of the young man exiting the building, few possessions in his hands, as pigeons — both white and grey — peck at crumbs in the foreground. 

One of our favorite uses of pigeons as symbols comes from the Calgary Cultural District and UPPERCASE favorite Byron Eggenschwiler. 

photography by Tara O’Brady

Tara O’Brady has been a long-term contributor to UPPERCASE, sharing her gorgeous photography with her excellent prose for our Kitchen and Recipe column. In the current issue #12, Tara writes about a tasty culinary adventure to Louisville, Kentucky. Tara emailed this week to share this fun news: “Zagat named Louisville as the 3rd best food travel destination in the world. I thought it was nice that we scooped them,” she emailed. “Michael Paley, the chef from Proof on Main was also just featured in the last Bon Appetit. Scooped them too!”

Tara also contributes to Kinfolk magazine.

instagram by April Meeker, Carlsbad Anthropologie

Anthropologie + UPPERCASE is a dream combination. As a long-time enthusiast of Anthropologie’s curated products and beautifully styled stores, I’ve always imagined my magazine and books as part of their selection of reading material. And now, you can visit an Anthropologie in North America and purchase UPPERCASE (and other indie publications like Kinfolk and Anthology, too!)

Since I do all the distribution and subscriptions myself, it has been difficult to get the magazine out to a greater population. (And from the beginning we have not been part of traditional newsstand distribution since it is very wasteful.) Very happily, UPPERCASE has been available through independent retailers around the world—shops with small staff who take the time to order individual things. A large company like Anthropologie’s willingness to work with small makers like myself is what makes Anthropologie such a desirable place. Each shop has its own feel, its own unique displays and local sensibilities… but all very much within the overall brand quality.

So now with UPPERCASE on its shelves, there’s one more reason to do something that we already love to do: shop at Anthropologie! And for those of you in areas that don’t have stockists, the geographic availability of the magazine has increased substantially! Check the store locator to find a location near you. (The magazine might still be in transit to some destinations; if they don’t have it yet, please inquire to make sure that the magazine is ordered to that particular store location.) You can also purchase the magazine through their online store!

Send me a twitter or instagram pic of the magazine in your local store! @uppercasemag