Gainesville Fine Arts Association hosted October’s #CreateInPlace activity! The event was organized by Dia Flores, GFAA Gallery Assistant. The event was free and open to the public.

Participants were able to create a “zine,” short for “magazine,” and are in fact just shorter magazines. It is a small-circulation self-published work of texts and images that are usually reproduced via photocopier. Using a variety of drawing, collage, and mixed media, participants expressed their inner creativity on paper.

Zines have been self-published as early as the 1700s. At that time, zines gave a voice to the opinions and beliefs of socially-marginalized groups. What started as a fan of science fiction magazines transcribed into self-published zines about the fans themselves.

During the rise of punk subculture, zines became an art form. Zines can be personal and political publications on activism, feminism, identity and other related topics. Their goal isn’t a focus on profit, but to show expression, creativity, and creation. A beautiful aspect of zines is that they reflect the creative eye of the maker.

 I had the chance to create my own zine and portray my wildest creative spirit. The vibrant colors, fabrics, and patterns prompted a jolt of excitement in me. I hadn’t been surrounded by such picturesque items since I was a child. I remember the years of crayon drawing on a sketchpad or even on my grandma’s walls. This activity brought me back to that moment.

GFAA continues to cultivate and celebrate the visual arts of all mediums. To keep up-to-date with all events happening at the Gainesville Fine Arts Association, visit their Facebook Page or website and visit them on South Main Street in Downtown Gainesville!

Blog post and photographs by Cameron Sonnentag.

Do you value creativity in your organization or as an individual? Create in Place is the second Friday of every month and 352Creates is promoting the idea that creativity can happen anytime, anywhere (and it’s good for our health as individuals and as a community)!