Four & Sons issue 9
Delivered to Stack subscribers in
Jul 2018
It’s a magazine about dogs, but Four & Sons does not want to help you groom your pet, or find them the best jerky. Instead, they offer up a world of creative culture — photography, illustration, interviews and fiction — that take our canine friends as its muse. Let this Melbourne-based title introduce you to interesting individuals and their furry, tail-wagging best friends.
Name
Marta Roca
Job title
Creative director, editor, publisher, master of none.
What is Four & Sons?
Four & Sons is both a print and online magazine where dogs and culture collide. We chronicle the work of interesting people and their interesting dogs; it’s a guided tour through the worlds of art, photography, music, literature (even maths!) as inspired by man’s best friend.
What makes it different to the rest?
Throughout history, dogs have played so many different roles—from comrades-in-arms to companions at our heels. We’ve added ‘muse’ to that list.
Who makes Four & Sons?
We have a small core team, and a network of talented photographers, writers and illustrators scattered around the world. Aside from myself, there’s Nadia Saccardo, our editor-at-large. She’s a writer, editor and creative director with a history in niche print publishing (Pallet magazine and Smith Journal are two of her former magazines). Meredith Forrester, our proofreader and grammar nerd, saves our arses every issue.
Who reads it?
Dog lovers with an eye for contemporary culture, and generally curious types.
Why do you work in magazines?
Every time I flick through a great magazine, I get the same rush of excited anticipation. I love the immediacy, the change of pace, the ‘eye-candy-ness’ of it all. The pages of a mag can become a feature film, or a documentary, or a love song, or an anticipated retrospective. As a medium for culture, print still reigns supreme. I hope we can bring some of that excitement and joy to people who love dogs.
Aside from the print magazine, what else are you involved in?
I am a graphic designer ‘by day’. I mainly work with small businesses run by very passionate people, where you end up becoming part of the team.
What would you change about Four & Sons if you could?
Creatively, more collaborations! Financially, we dream of a healthy subscription-based model to bring us stability and a strong two-way conversation with our community. Whoever said, ‘Do what you love and you’ll never work another day in your life’ clearly wasn’t immersed in indie publishing. You end up working two jobs, really.
Where do you see Four & Sons in five years?
A book collection, travel guides, a photography award, exhibitions and events, an online shop, pop-up stores, an accessories range. The list is endless.
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