New Issue of Smartermarx Magazine Launches Today with Features from ÀNI Art Community Contributors

The newest issue of Smartermarx Magazine is officially out today, offering readers a diverse collection of essays that explore the intersections of art, culture, and creative practice. This month’s edition highlights contributions from several voices connected to the ÀNI Art Academies community, each bringing a unique perspective to contemporary artistic discourse.

The issue opens with a feature by Anthony Waichulis, who examines what today’s contemporary representational artists can learn from the innovations of early- and mid-20th-century modernists. Waichulis reframes the conversation around “modernism vs. realism,” prompting readers to consider how perceptual strategies, design priorities, and cognitive efficiency, rather than historical labels, can inform stronger image-building today.

Editor Ava Ash-Waichulis examines how the ÀNI Art Academies’ perceptual-based, empirically grounded approach to skill development transcends cultural and stylistic boundaries. Her article challenges the common assumption that “classical training” must refer to Eurocentric traditions, arguing instead that ÀNI’s curriculum is rooted in universal principles of human visual perception, cognitive science, and deliberate practice. Because the program teaches artists how humans see, rather than prescribing what to depict, it supports a diverse global community of creators whose imagery reflects their own cultures, narratives, and artistic intentions.

Also featured is an article by Joseph Bushey, who investigates the life and work of a queer 20th-century artist J. C. Leyendecker, whose influence helped shape American conceptions of masculinity. Bushey’s piece offers a cultural and historical look at how artistic narratives challenge, reinforce, or redefine social identity.

Rounding out the issue is Anya Dribas, whose contribution provides practical strategies for maintaining creative momentum while managing communication demands. Dribas outlines methods for structuring responses to messages and inquiries to prevent disruption to a working artist’s focus and flow state.

The newest Smartermarx issue is now available online, continuing the magazine’s mission to foster thoughtful dialogue across artistic, perceptual, and cultural domains.