So we thought we'd post Julie Frankel's inspiration for Issue 5, now in production.

Syl Arena
http://www.sylarena.com
Paso Robles photographer Syl Arena is obsessed with shadows as much as he is with light. "To create really interesting light," Syl says, "you have to create really interesting shadows." When not shooting for editorial and commercial clients, Syl teaches photo workshops across the U.S. and, starting this fall, in Britain and Europe. You can see his photography at SylArena.com and at Speedliting.com, where you'll find details of Syl's new best-selling book, The Speedliter's Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites.

Pedro Arroyo
Pedro Inzunza Arroyo is a writer, world music radio host at KCBX and a cultural worker. He has been published locally and in The Los Angeles Times and La Opinión. He resides in San Luis Obispo with his twin daughters.

Kamil Konrad Baranowski
http://www.kamilkonrad.com
Kamil Konrad Baranowski is a photographer, graphic designer, and web developer. His work is not bound by any one classification, but simply driven by his passion for art, design, and creating the extraordinary out of the seemingly ordinary. Each day brings a new experience and with it the opportunity to expand and push new boundaries. The camera goes everywhere Kamil goes.

Neal Breton
http://www.sanluisartsupply.com
Neal Breton, a New Hampshire native, attended school in Pasadena, CA and sold many a pretty picture in the Los Angeles area before moving up to San Luis Obispo and opening San Luis Art Supply in the downtown area. He enjoys dressing as a bear, living at the Establishment and is willing to trade baked goods for art supplies.

Annamarie Fella
http://www.annamariefella.com
Annamarie Fella was born in Detroit in 1968 to Maureen and Edward Fella, both artists. She teaches geometry at SLO High School. In 2002 she began working on paper collages made from parts cut from industrial hardware catalogs. In 2005 she started making digital art and drawings made from circles.

Irene J. Flores
http://www.beanclamchowder.com
Irene is a Virgo, does not enjoy long walks on the beach, but does like fine dining. Growing up in the Philippines, her art was heavily influenced by Japanese animation and American comic books. She currently resides in San Luis Obispo and has worked for Tokyopop, Impact Books, Marvel, and DC Comics. Her goals for the future include creating another graphic novel, and eating a Monte Cristo sandwich.

Matt Fountain
Cal Poly Journalism alum
New Times staff writer
Matt Fountain—or Wonder Boy, as he’s known by the lackeys at the New Times editorial department—was a Poly transplant from the San Diego area. He still calls SLO "San Louie" just for fun, but kindly asks that you don’t slash his tires.

Laura Howell
Laura is a 4th year Art & Design major at Cal Poly. She’s a Northern Californian who appreciates finding treasures at flea markets, and the beauty of solid colors, crisp design, and antiquated type.

Sarah Jester 
(Design and paper engineering of the Build Your Own Octagon Barn project was done by Sarah)
Sarah is currently finishing architecture school at Cal Poly. After graduation, she hopes to move to Chicago to design skyscrapers, produce independent films, and run a coffee shop.

Kathy Johnston
Kathy Johnston is one of a number of Kathy Johnstons living in SLO County. This Kathy Johnston is the Kathy Johnston who was featured some years back in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and many other national and international media for quitting her job in San Luis Obispo. This is also the Kathy Johnston who, disguised as a mild-mannered award-winning journalist and proofreader extraordinaire, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the San Luis Obispo way.

Donna Kandel (our cover artist!)
http://donnakandel.blogspot.com
Donna Kandel graduated from Cal Poly in 2001 with a degree in Mathematics, and teaches math and art at Nipomo High School. Her interests in art and mathematics stem from a common impulse:  to explore, create, and elucidate beautiful patterns. She lives in Nipomo. 

Ryan Miller
http://www.halfpennyorchestra.com
Ryan Miller is one of at least two Ryan Millers living in San Luis Obispo. This Ryan Miller is the Ryan Miller who lived in Sacramento before moving to San Luis Obispo to study journalism at Cal Poly. This Ryan Miller is also a writer, editor, and sometimes freelancer who collects dragons, first editions, thimbles, lotería decks, and teas.

Nick Powell
Nick Powell likes to write things, especially words. He started writing in elementary school grammar books and has continued honing his skills ever since. These days, he writes for New Times, a fledgling comic book, and this here San Louie. A relative newcomer to the area, Nick hopes to one day understand the people and customs of San Luis Obispo so he can share his findings with the outside world. 

Note: Nick Powell wrote an article for issue 3, and we let him know there was a chance his article may not make it into the magazine, but neglected to tell him at the time of publication that cut did indeed happen. Our sincere apologies to Nick for that oversight and we are providing the full text of his article here.

Colin Rigley
New Times staff writer
Colin Rigley graduated from San Diego State University with a minor in philosophy. After college, he struggled his way to the middle as an intern for a small weekly newspaper. He went on to proselytize the 5,000 bi-weekly readers of Calaveras Enterprise. Shortly thereafter, Rigley was hired by New Times, beating out another applicant who had been living out of a tent and writing about Midwest prostitutes.

Sterling Rose
http://www.sterlingfrose.com
Santa Maria native Sterling Rose is passionate about hand-drawn typography and illustration. He is currently in the Graphic Communication undergraduate program at Cal Poly and works as a graphic designer and web publisher at Cal Poly’s Kennedy Library. Sterling is also a freelance illustrator and graphic designer for various clients on the Central Coast.

Victor Valle
cla.calpoly.edu/es_valle.html
The LA native has published poetry, daily journalism, and books on Mexican cuisine and urban history that have garnered national writing honors. Mike Davis describes Valle’s latest book, City of Industry: Genealogies of Southern California Power, as "a stunning non-fiction sequel to Robert Towne’s ‘Chinatown.’ " His next book, The Poetics of Fire: On The Art of Chile-Eating, explores aesthetic philosophy’s culinary frontier.

Mark Velasquez
http://www.markvelasquez.com
Mark Velasquez received his BFA from Cornish College in Seattle in 2000. Since then he has traveled often, spreading his unique sense of humor and creative energy where needed. He is also co-creator and chief contributor of NSFW Magazine. Today he can be found on the West Coast, camera in hand, mind reeling.

Anna Weltner
http://anna-weltner.blogspot.com
Anna Weltner got her literary start in 1993 with the self-illustrated Annie and the Seed. Weltner majored in International Studies at Cuesta College and now works as Arts Editor of New Times. Though generally allowed to sit at the grown-ups' table, Weltner still refuses to share her crayons with you.

Jennifer Young
http://iartu.blogspot.com
fueled by all things creative and a lover of the juxtaposition between the city and the earth!
enjoys crafting, blogging, taking pictures, music, aesthetic eats, and good design!

Many, many thanks to Garcia Architecture + Design and WestPac Companies, the underwriters of issue 2, for making it possible for us to have San Louie issue 2 available both locally and online at MagCloud. We're also very grateful to the amazing photographers on the project, Fry-Photography and our own Jennifer Manuele. Thanks, everyone!

The amazing Donna Kandel drew 31 beans for the cover of issue 3, Borders & Beans! Pictured above: Happy bean, coffee bean, Mario bean, anasazi bean, cubist bean, fractal bean. Issue 3 comes out mid-February, look for all 31 on the cover!

Cas Andersen
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_andersen
Cas Andersen is originally from Eureka, CA, and has lived in SLO County for about five years.  She used to be an art major at Chico State before she dropped out to move back to San Luis Obispo. She works as a baker at Sally Loo's Wholesome Café.

Syl Arena
http://www.sylarena.com
Paso Robles photographer Syl Arena is obsessed with shadows as much as he is with light. "To create really interesting light," Syl says, "you have to create really interesting shadows." When not shooting for editorial and commercial clients, Syl teaches photo workshops across the U.S. and, starting this fall, in Britain and Europe. You can see his photography at SylArena.com and at Speedliting.com.

Suzi Bliss
Suzi is the owner of the Sanitarium on 1716 Osos in San Luis Obiso.

Ilsa Han Brink
http://www.ilsabrink.com/
Ilsa has loved to draw and paint since she was three, and still doesn't like to leave the house without a sketchbook. After graduating from Cal Poly in 2004, she became the graphic designer for California Shakespeare Theater in Berkeley. She is currently living in Minnesota, enjoying the seasons, and preparing for her second Midwest winter.

Mark Bryan
http://www.artofmarkbryan.com
Mark Bryan is a deadly satirist taking on the villains of the day in surprising and delightful fashion. He is known for his whimsical surrealistic work and pieces that evoke wonder and ask the big questions. In all his past lives he never had sex with the Contessa. Find him at artofmarkbryan.com

Jeff Chang
http://www.jeffchangart.com
Jeff, a 2008 Cal Poly graduate, is in the Illustration graduate program at Cal State Long Beach. As an artist, he is interested in investigating social issues within his works. This has led him to integrate journalistic reporting and graphic novels. These "visual essays" are similar documentaries which serve as a study of a social issue and the human experience behind it.

Dean Cully
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vision_aerie
San Luis Obispo native Dean Cully, working as an EMS Learjet pilot in Anchorage, Alaska, owns a 1947 Luscombe 8E, a small airplane from which he surveys and photographs the Earth's surface with an emphasis on our photogenic county. Making a pilot's living since 1988, in 2005 he began air-ambulance work on the Navajo Nation, encountering numerous stray dogs. Three became his.

Forrest L. Doud
Forrest L. Doud is a San Luis Obispo based commercial photographer who specializes in product and advertising imaging. For 27 years he has produced imagery for clients in Central California. Inaddition to his specialty with studio packaged products, agri-business clients, wineries, and editorial assignments, he specializes in low-level aerial photography from helicopters.

Ed Emberley
http://www.edemberley.com
Ed Emberley is an old grandpa kind of a guy who has written and illustrated around 80 books for children, 20 or so of which are still in print. Thirteen are drawing books, seven are picture books. He lives in the Northeast corner of the U.S., about 45 minutes north of Boston, MA.

Julie Frankel
Julie Frankel is an east coast transplant, living in SLO since 1988. After working many years as a graphic designer, she  returned to her art roots. People watching, painting, and artists' books occupy her creative interests. Her passion is collaborative art projects, such as The Peace Library and Indomitable Spirits.

Fry-Photography
http://www.Fry-Photography.com
Fry-Photography is a two-person photographic team. Although they specialize in weddings, they have experience in various facets of photography including family portraits, engagements, architecture, and motor sports. Visit their blog at blog.fry-photography.com or search for them on Facebook.

Shannon Genova-Scudder (the artist behind our embroidered cover!)
http://gigglytimes.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/gigglymama
Shannon Genova-Scudder AKA Giggly Mama is a Central Coast native who currently lives in Grover Beach with her husband Randy and her two children, Max and Molly. She is a self-taught artist and embroiderer. Her embroidered artwork can be seen both locally and online.

Ryan Higginbotham
Ryan Higginbotham was born and raised on the Central Coast, and is attending Cal Poly this fall. He is an avid surfer and adventurer, and has been creating sketches since first picking up a pencil. Spending most of his time outdoors, nature remains the greatest influence in his artwork.

Kathy Johnston
Kathy Johnston is one of a number of Kathy Johnstons living in SLO County. This Kathy Johnston is the Kathy Johnston who was featured some years back in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and many other national and international media for quitting her job in San Luis Obispo. This is also the Kathy Johnston who, disguised as a mild-mannered award-winning journalist and proofreader extraordinaire, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the San Luis Obispo way.

Donna Kandel
http://donnakandel.blogspot.com
Donna Kandel graduated from Cal Poly in 2001 with a degree in Mathematics, and teaches math and art at Nipomo High School. Her interests in art and mathematics stem from a common impulse:  to explore, create, and elucidate beautiful patterns.  She lives in Nipomo.

Cynthia Meyer
http://www.cynthiameyerart.com
Cynthia grew up in San Luis Obispo, and received a design degree from Cal Poly. She's been painting in oils for about 10 years, and loves old houses, bicycles, and buildings. One of her favorite icons is the Fremont Theater, where she worked during college and was robbed
at gunpoint.

Ryan Miller
http://www.halfpennyorchestra.com
Ryan Miller is one of at least two Ryan Millers living in San Luis Obispo. This Ryan Miller is the Ryan Miller who lived in Sacramento before moving to San Luis Obispo to study journalism at Cal Poly. This Ryan Miller is also a writer, editor, and sometimes freelancer who collects dragons, first editions, thimbles, lotería decks, and teas.

Val Mina
http://www.frontiernet.net/~zucchinidog/zucchinidogstudio
As a child, Val B. Mina enjoyed drawing so much that he did many of his creations lying on his back doodling away on the undersides of tables. Today, he sits on a nice chair and works as a newspaper  illustrator and designer. His daughter, now a graphic designer, was accepted at Cal Poly butwent elsewhere.

Nick Powell
Nick Powell likes to write things, especially words. He started writing in elementary school grammar books and has continued honing his skills ever since. These days, he writes for New Times, a fledgling comic book, and this here San Louie. A relative newcomer to the area, Nick hopes to one day understand the people and customs of San Luis Obispo so he can share his findings with the outside world.

Cruz Trujillo
Elizabeth (Cruz) Trujillo is a San Louie native, a freshman at San Luis Obispo High School, loves animals and surfing, likes to draw, vacillates on attending Stanford or Yale, sings on occasion, and loves her family.
Note: Inspired by her love of animals, Elizabeth created a map of Central Coast businesses with pets on the premises, and incorporated her work on the map as part of San Luis Obispo High School's Future Farmers of America SAE project. A portion of our proceeds from sales of San Louie will be donated to this organization.

David Vienna
http://www.davidvienna.com
Former New Times Arts Editor David Vienna wrote More Than Stars, the upcoming Scream Factory graphic novel Wingwalker, and is currently writing a play titled This Is Rock ‘N' Roll: The Alan Freed Story for San Luis Obispo Little Theatre. He can also bend metal with his mind.

Anna Weltner
http://anna-weltner.blogspot.com
Anna Weltner got her literary start in 1993 with the self-illustrated Annie and the Seed. Weltner majored in International Studies at Cuesta College and now works as Arts Editor of New Times. Though generally allowed to sit at the grown-ups' table, Weltner still refuses to share her crayons with you.

Jennifer Young                                    
http://iartu.blogspot.com
fueled by all things creative and a lover of the juxtaposition between the city and the earth!            
enjoys crafting, blogging, taking pictures, music, aesthetic eats, and good design! taking pictures, music, aesthetic eats, and good design!