Amanda Mills says fuck it, make a zine
The word zine could seem like some weirdo hipster slang word to some. But to artists and writers, it’s just another form of indie publishing. Amanda Mills is one of those rare, passion driven, zine-afficenados that truly loves the DIY lifestyle. Below, Mills talks about how her affection towards zines was cultivated, why it’s important to not let this form of self-publishing die, and hopes for the upcoming Atlanta Zine Fest.
Q. You began the Atlanta Zine Library back in 2011, which is now housed in Hodge Podge Coffee House and Gallery. What prompted this collection and how has it changed and grown since?
A. I made my first zine in 5th grade and have been an active zine collector since the same age. In high school I was fortunate enough to attend a school that allowed me to teach my own zine-making class, which met once a week. This same school required weekly volunteer hours, and I spent mine at the now very successful Denver Zine Library. After coming to Atlanta (I grew up here, went to high School in Denver, and then moved back), I was surprised no one had established something similar. People are definitely making zines, and they have been organized into different libraries before (including Mad Ratz and the WonderRoot collection)–but I feel like Atlanta needs a centralized zine space.
The collection is still super small and needs outside donations/support. I very much want it to be a community resource. In the long-term I hope to jumpstart a zine-based non-profit: printing press, copier services, binding options, workshops, funding for more expensive projects, etc. The library and Atlanta Zine Fest are very much a part of these plans as well.
Q. Zine’s seem to be amongst works that are in a category of limited viewers. Do you think that efforts like the library and the fest help spread the word and open up the audience?
A. I know that the library and fest already have indelible effects on the local zine culture. Many of our fundraisers have been the starting point for local artists and writers delving into zines (Hyde ATL, Ashley Anderson, Fantastic Lands) and even rebooting others (Tracy Soo-Ming, Sunni Johnson). To me, this is the definition of success. Maybe I’m setting the bar ultra-low, but I feel so satisfied to know that my work has been the impetus in driving others to create zines. That seriously means a lot. But yes, a lot of people still don’t know the medium, and I feel surprised that it hasn’t been tapped into on a larger scale. Then again, do we really want that kind of exposure? Will it be a zine still? Will it be a zine culture even? What would it mean if Urban Outfitters started carrying zines–which I feel is a not too distant inevitability. Obscurity and ephemeral qualities are essential to zines. The medium is accessible and egalitarian, yes, but individual zines should be fleeting and constantly subsumed by other, newer work. This is why it’s important to keep the medium alive.
Q. In the realm of the DIY era for art and publishing, what do you think is the biggest pull towards creating zines or reading and admiring them?
A. Hmm. I guess the whole thing is pretty tethered to my politics and aesthetics, personally. By that I mean that I really resent any notion of intelligence – I don’t think that any one person is more intelligent than another, and I don’t think any form of communication is more articulate than another either. As a really base example: I was a straight-A student, but I can’t change a tire. Or take theoretical, hyper-academic language over a subculture’s slang. Everything has its own rubric, language, standards of beauty… I feel like, as a medium, zines allow this to be explored and experimented with in really exciting ways. And there’s a tangible, collectible quality that obviously blogs and the like can’t achieve. Lastly, it undoes a lot of the problems with gatekeepers and vetting through traditional publishing. It helps prevent stagnation; there are no required standards. You’re literally doing it yourself, so fuck it, do what you want. That’s really exciting to me as a producer and consumer.
Q. The Atlanta Zine Fest is coming up on June 8-9. There is still a call for vendors, volunteers, panel speakers, what are you looking for when it comes to those who want to be involved?
A. The Atlanta Zine Fest is taking place at the Ericson Clock building, located in Castleberry Hills, on June 8th and 9th. We are definitely still down to work with anyone who wants to be involved. Many zine fests require a heavy emphasis on exclusively zines, but at least for the first AZF we are open to all aspects of DIY culture. One justification for this is my own work. I run a local tape label, Big Blonde. I will be facilitating a workshop on tape duplication / running a DIY label. I deeply believe putting out a tape and putting out a zine are intimately related. Tracy Soo-Ming, the other key organizer, co-manages two record labels (HOSS and Fan Death) and likewise has knowledge to share in many fields. So please, if you have any skills or wares related to DIY culture in any aspect, reach out so we can have you involved!
Q. What can attendees expect come June?
A. The official schedule will be released in the next week or so. Please follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AtlantaZineFest), Twitter (@AtlantaZineFest), and/or our old-fashioned website (atlantazinefest.com) to get up-to-date information. So far we have participation from many local artists (Erin Bassett, Edie Gonzalez, Ashley Anderson), similar organizations (Living Walls, Faces of Feminism), writing groups (Hyde ATL, Kill Your Darlings) and some political activist representation. We hope to make it as diverse and fun as possible.
