New digital magazine looks for Valley artists

Steven Hughes, editor-in-chief of BLANK magazine, works on a graphic. PHOTO COURTESY BLANK MAGAZINE

BLANK magazine is an up-and-coming digital publication seeking to network with diverse artists and creatives across the Rio Grande Valley.

The magazine’s creation can be credited to 25-year-old Steven Hughes, a UTRGV graduate and the magazine’s publisher and editor-in-chief.

The vision Hughes has for his magazine is for it to serve as a lens into the creative cultural context of the Valley.

“[This way], anyone across the nation can take a look at BLANK magazine and get to know about our communities that are within the Valley,” he said. “The Valley is often misrepresented in the press, being called a ‘war zone.’”

Hughes is a former editor-in-chief of UTRGV’s Pulse magazine and a former reporter for The Rider newspaper.

With his interpretation of how the media chooses to portray the Valley, Hughes believes longtime residents should have a role in depicting their culture.

“It’s time to take on the duty as natives to come together and realize this is our responsibility,” he said. “We can’t rely on outside sources to tell our narrative.”

As BLANK magazine works to establish itself as a representation of the Valley’s diversity and culture, it works to collaborate with organizations and involve itself in community events.

“I’m going to be working with the Cactus Valley Art and Supply [Co.], and I’m going to be working with the South Texas Equality Project to do a kind of a blend of things,” Hughes said. “It’s going to be a LGBTQ+ meetup, a celebration for the anniversary of the magazine and a queer craft night.”

Being a new magazine, BLANK has several volunteer positions for various roles, giving those interested in its mission a chance to become involved.

“There are many vacancies,” Hughes said. “I have a writing team, a visual team, my section editors. I have some comic and cartoonist positions and all kinds of good stuff like that.”

He emphasized making opportunities in BLANK accessible to those who may not have reliable forms of transportation.

“It’s all very easy work and all work from home,” Hughes said. “I don’t even have a car yet, but that shouldn’t discriminate against people who are in different financial situations to have those same opportunities. I try to make sure that anyone who has reliable internet and a good computer can tell a good story or, at the very least, make a pretty good graphic.”

Digital artist and game developer Stephanie Ramirez is a featured creator in multiple issues of BLANK. Ramirez believes people should not be discouraged from making and sharing their artistry and skills in creative outlets.

“Even if you think your idea is weird, or bad, or that nobody likes it, go for it,” she said. “There are parts of me that greatly dismiss my own work, but I don’t want to do anything else.”Hughes encourages anyone looking to contribute to or collaborate with the magazine to email blankzine.info@gmail.com or send a direct message on its social media.