The Butterfly Effect Issue: The Story Behind the Cover
Only a few months into the new year, full of hope for what the “roaring 20’s” had to offer, we released our first issue of the new decade.
The “Stranger Things” issue, named for our cover feature on Malibu local Cary Elwes, who plays Mayor Kline in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, was released only a few days prior to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Quite abruptly, stranger things took on a whole new meaning. The devastating global impact of the Coronavirus was just taking shape. Life as we knew it began changing at lightening speed (and continues to take some dizzying turns as we head towards the November elections).
However, out of chaos comes opportunity.
Much like the butterfly, whose metamorphosis process can be quite gruesome on the inside until its beautiful wings emerge, 2020 and the drastic adjustment to our daily routines proved to be dark for us at times as we learned how to navigate emotionally through these historical events.
Nature’s message was always there and for us to see. It was written on the wings of butterflies.
-Kjell B. Sandved
After multiple pivots in the creative direction, the idea that deciding on one specific theme for the new issue seemed nearly impossible. Focusing on the concept of change, we decided on The Butterfly Effect.
The very definition of the theory is “the idea that small causes may have large effects in general” perfectly summarizes the profound local and global shifts we are all experiencing this year.
Cover Chronicles
Coming up with a striking cover concept was a challenging brainstorm process during COVID restrictions. With our local youth profoundly instrumental in bringing awareness to global issues and activism during the crisis, we felt compelled to invite our younger generation to participate in the cover design process.
Local creative visionary Addy Arlidge worked with us to create this collage art of emotionally charged images that defined our experiences in 2020 as the background, and the blue butterfly in all its glory, was positioned front and center as a symbol of hope for the future and the beauty that will hopefully emerge as a result the civil uprising and ensued chaos.
For now, we are embracing change and making goals for the future of 90265 Magazine. We will continue to use the strength in our voice, while supporting the voices of others. The results will show in our passion for story-telling, reaching far beyond the boundaries of our beloved Malibu.
The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.
-Rabindranath Tagore
The Butterfly Issue emerges from its cocoon soon! Sign up for our newsletter the receive the new digital issue in your inbox! – Cece Woods, Editor in Chief
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