Catching up with the editor behind a brilliant magazine dedicated entirely to dogs
If you were a breed of dog, what would you be? It's a great question. And just one of many great ones that the dog-centric magazine Four&Sons inspires people to think about each issue. First launched in 2013, the publication is dedicated to creating high-quality, inspirational dog-related content – a "collision of dogs and culture", the founders, Marta Roca and Christina Teresinski say. The inaugural issue featured the iconic photographs of Elliot Erwitt, curator and gallerist Kathy Grayson's chocolate Pomeranian Bert and Maddie, a dog that likes standing on things (we're a big fan, see our story here). "We love surprising our readers with left-of-centre features, and are always mindful of avoiding cheesy, tacky cliches, says Roca. "In the second issue, we travel to a pet cemetery in a tiny island in Sweden (by the hand of Anna Kleberg), and we visit a group of street kids and their strays in Bangladesh with Sam Edmonds. The images are far away from the fluffy photography some people would expect but certainly pose interesting questions about the dog/human relationships."
To celebrate the release of the new issue, AnOther catches up with Melbourne-based Roca about why dogs provide endless inspiration...
On the love of dogs…
"Samantha Gurrie [editor of Four&Sons] is the real ‘dog person’ in the traditional sense – volunteering at shelters – she is a real activist. Sam’s face lights up when she sees a mutt. We need to keep an eye she doesn’t get run down when she is totally engrossed patting a dog in the middle of a road crossing. I am especially in love with the kooky, weird and wonderful, oddball-like bond between humans and dogs. It’s fun and eye-opening. We can intellectualise it as much as we want, but at the end of the day it’s mostly about instinct. This is where I get my kicks. I am still a newcomer, sniffing around in the outskirts of this amazing sub-culture."
On starting a dog magazine…
"A good friend – Christina Teresinski from dog accessories brand Best in Park – and I had been talking about working together on a project that would bring together our combined passions: art, culture, lifestyle… and dogs. That is when the idea started to grow, a bit by accident. As we started to develop the magazine, we built on from our ‘the dog as muse’ motto. We never imagined the incredible pool of art and content we would find. Talking about dogs and their impact in people’s lives and creativity has open many doors, it has given us a chance to meet incredibly interesting people… it still amazes us how it breaks down barriers."
"Elliott Erwitt once told us of his love for working with dogs: “They are more obedient than most grown-ups… and they don’t ask for prints”"
On working with dogs…
"People often say, never work with children or animals. I used to think the same before I worked with dogs. In a way, there is a simplicity to it. If they are having fun, they will play along; if they are bored, they will just walk off the set. It works best when you can put your ego aside and let some magic happen naturally. Being flexible is pretty key. Elliott Erwitt once told us of his love for working with dogs: 'They are more obedient than most grown-ups… and they don’t ask for prints.'"
A confession…
"I don’t actually have a dog. Gasp. I live vicariously through Four&Sons, through everyone we meet and all the art (and hounds)."
On the challenges of putting together a magazine between Melbourne and New York…
"Time zones can be a bit of a killer, but we have found some sweet spots. I love mornings and Sam is a night owl, so it’s perfect for some crossover. We always start the process brainstorming separately. It is important to us that the content appeals to people who are not necessarily 'dog people’. It needs to be interesting and culturally relevant. We both bring our ideas, and suggestions from our contributors, to the table and then flesh out the content together, ie. what we want to cover, how to get the right mix of features, who we want to collaborate with (writers, photographers, artists…) and we set up to chase it all. That usually involves asking for lots of favours. We are really thankful of how generous people are with their time. Once we have a pretty solid line-up, Sam focuses on the written word and managing the contributors, while I work on the art direction, the partnerships and the distribution. The most challenging part (still today) is the business side of running the publication (ie. distribution channels, raising funds, partnerships). Both Sam and I come from creative backgrounds so we are learning about the intricacies of publishing and marketing as we go. Luckily we have some great mentors: from the editors of Gather Journal, to the team at The Good Copy, who have been really generous in sharing their knowledge."
On her favourite dog in history…
"Snoopy was the first dog I ever fell in love with as a kid (all the Peanuts characters, really). The great one-liners, the wicked sense of humour, the love/hate for Charlie… it's a great character to keep revisiting. And now there is Wilfred! The ultimate sly dog. I wonder if that is how most dogs really think?"
Issue 2 of Four&Sons is out now.
Words by Caroline Clements
