We recently connected with Laine Wiesemann & Alfredo Sainz and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Laine & Alfredo, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
It all kicked off as a collaboration between two artists, where we met almost every week to keep each other motivated with our art. The first big moment of luck came when we decided to grab some coffee on Haight Street. Alfredo pulled out some paper samples and suggested we create a newsletter or publication focused on local artists. Laine was blown away because she had just thought about starting an SF art magazine that same week! We kept chasing those little sparks of inspiration until the project came together. At this moment we knew we were on the right track; 415 ZINE was hatched.
Our main goal was to create something enjoyable that highlighted artists. As artists ourselves, we understood how important it is to promote their work, especially in print. Alfredo had a specific vision for how he wanted the content to look, favoring that luxurious, soft matte magazine feel. We quickly agreed on a fun 6×9 size, which relieved the pressure of making huge spreads and allowed our readers to enjoy bite-sized issues.
Serendipity kept popping up. We often had the same ideas, and our concepts seemed to complement each other perfectly. We’d meet someone who was a perfect fit for the zine or have similar thoughts on the same day. All these moments felt like signs urging us to move forward!
As our community expanded, the purpose of our project became clearer. The more artists we connected with and the more venues we visited, the more we realized the positive impact we were having on the San Francisco art scene. By embracing the challenges of this project, we carved out a space for what we wanted to create for our artistic community. Now that we’re gaining traction and our readership is growing, the purpose is evolving even further, creating more opportunities for local artists and art enthusiasts to connect.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Alfredo is a film photographer, acrylic painter, and an artist who embraces any form of creativity that inspires him. As a self-taught artist with a background in graffiti, he enjoys experimenting with various mediums. While he values technique, he feels that art should be free from strict rules. You might catch him wandering the streets of San Francisco, capturing moments with his camera, painting in his home studio, or actively engaging with the local art community.
You can find him his works @fonzerelli415 and www.fonzerelli415.com
Laine is an acrylic painter steeped in art-tea whimsy. Inspired by the many sights of San Francisco and fueled by an obsession with tea, Laine began playing with incorporating a teapot into each of her paintings. It began with silly placements in her surreal works and has evolved into hiding the teapots, making them delightful brain tea-sers!
Laine is currently working on a Magnolia series, inspired my the many stunning flowering trees in the SF Botanical Garden. You can see her work on her website at www.teatimewithlaine.com or @teatimewithlaine on instagram.
We’re really excited about our co-createdproject, 415 ZINE, a quarterly mini magazine showcasing art & photography of San Francisco. We think it’s the perfect bite sized amount to explore the ever-evolving art scene in the city.
Each issue we bring you:
4 Artist Snapshots, each having a two page spread with vivid images of their work, a little info on them and where to find more of their work.
1 Artist Spotlight, where we shine the light on a featured artist, exploring more about how they create, share more photos of their work, with a more in depth write up and a sometimes sassy Q & A.
5 City Art Scenes, a wide variety of spots to check out around town and get your art fix in a myriad of ways.
As a bonus, we also include some pretty rad astrology for those who need a little guidance!
Overall 415 ZINE is an uplifting and happy piece of mail to receive each quarter for the SF art curious or obsessed! Our aim is to promote and share the awesome creativity that is happening in San Francisco! We offer subscriptions, single issues or bundles of our first year of publications.
You can find us at @415zine and www.415zine.com
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Curiosity
Excitement
Don’t take yourself too seriously
Always be open to new posibilities.
Trust your vision and have fun with your inspirations!
Know that there will be fuck ups, do your best but don’t get down on yourself for not doing everything perfectly.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
Take a nap! We both are big on taking time to quiet our minds with meditating, or shutting it completely down with a nap. Creating a daily meditation habit is high on our priorities. It helps keep us in a good state on a daily basis. We talk things out and remind each other to keep it chill and have fun.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.415zine.com
- Instagram: @415zine
- Facebook: 415zine
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
