October Skye

Hey everyone! One of the reasons that I started this blog was to discover and share all kinds of art with people around the world. Whether it was done by a professional or amateur I support people that appreciate art and practice in something that is creative. I am really excited to share with you guys some photography that was submitted to me from a lovely girl named Skye. Skye's images are inspired by nature and her everyday life, plus they are heaps lovely and pretty. I fell in love with her images and straight away told her that I would be more then happy to share her images on my blog. So as well as showing you guys some of her photography I have a little interview with the lady which just ask her about her creative practice and just about Skye herself. But enough with the details and lets go on with the post. Here is Skye :)

Hi Skye! Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a 15 year old who loves the arts and is maybe just a tad naive, and I dream of the red carpet and design studios.

What are some or your hobbies and interests? 
Definitely fashion design photography, music, and blogging :) 

If you had to pack a suitcase with your favourite things, what would you pack?
Hmm.. Camera, hats, magazines, and platform heels :)

Share a random fact about yourself.
I am easily scared. O.o

Describe yourself in five words.
Very dramatic and extremely spoiled :)

What is your creative practice and what got you started? 
I just see it, like it, snap it.  I've always loved art and being creative and just kind of knew it's what I would do :)

Describe your photographs and your style. 
My photographs are very nature-y and simple.  I usually photograph small town life and scenes because of location but I love to experiment when given the chance :)

Did you study photography or did you teach yourself? 
I am self taught :)

What type of camera do you use? Are you a digital or film person?
I use a digital camera but am working towards a more professional quality camera.

What do you love most about photography?
I love the freedom to express myself and experiment.

Do you do any other creative things like paint, draw, crafts, etc?
I paint, draw, and taught myself how to crochet and knit :)

What inspires you to take these lovely images?
I am inspired by nature.  It's simply beautiful. 

Do you have any favourite photographers or artists that you would like to share?
I actually just love to flip through photo sites and photography blogs and see the work of others.  It's so amazing how many amazingly talented and creative people are out there.

Can you give us any advice or handy tips to us on photography?
Definitely to just experiment, have fun, take your camera EVERYWHERE and be fearless. :)

If you could be invisible for one day with your camera…
Hmm That's a tough one!  I'd have to try to find out :)

Thank you again Skye for sharing your work with us all. Skye also has a flickr and blog if you guys want to learn more about her or see more of her work :)

To find out more on how your work can be featured on my blog click on the 'Submit' tab in the link bar under the header. Hurry up and show us all your work!

Half way there

Wow half a year has gone by already! isn't it just amazing how time can go by so quick. Already so far this year a lot has happen and yet there is so many more things to look forward too. Blogger's Illana
and Dane have inspired me to look back at what I have achieved so far this year. Also I wanted to share some big events that are still yet to come and goals I want to finish.

So far...

♥ Did my very first interview on my blog ♥ Saw some of Bill Henson's earlier works ♥ Have started working a new series of paintings ♥ Brought a new Diana Camera ♥ Became a DOT COM ♥ Started growing my own herbs ♥ Have been cooking a lot more meals and goodies for my family ♥ Finally visited one of my best friends in Canberra and met some of her amazing friends ♥ Gained over 50 new followers (thanks guys :) ♥ Got my first gig as a freelance photographer ♥ Have gotten to know some amazing blogger's online ♥

Yet to come...

♥ Reach 100 blog followers ♥ Doing my first ever paid photography work for a formal ♥ Gain a sponsor ♥ Start a new photography series ♥ Get a HD (highest ranking mark) in one of my subjects ♥ Meet a fellow blogger in real life ♥ Finish painting my self portrait by the end of this year ♥ Hold a giveaway on my blog ♥ Do some advertising for my blog on other sites/blogs ♥ Buy a another film camera (have in mind a holga 135bc or a lomo lc-a) ♥ Start a new blog feature ♥ Get my green P's on my moped ♥ Go on a mini holiday somewhere with my friends ♥

  

Photo Credit: c o p i t o d e n i e v e

Photography Major

I finally got around to scanning in my images for my photography major this semester. Unlike my paintings major, my photography didn't really have a concept or theme behind the images. This semester we just had to hand in photo's from class exercises that we had done, but that doesn't mean that these were just 'snap shots' so to say.

One of the things that we looked at this semester was low key photography, which means a photograph with low lighting. I was rather interested in this area as some of my other photography projects relate to this very well. So as I was looking for subject matters that would look really well with low key lighting I immediately thought of the art studios. When their is no one in them and all the ligts are off it is so hauntingly beautiful how the light from the windows just lightly brighten up the room.

I also took a couple of other images that are just to be on there own rather then part of the series. One was actually my favourite from my entire major work, the one of the sink in the garden. It's currently in our garden at home and I have to say it's a pretty bizarre thing to see in there. I love it never the less, but yeah it's just quirky and amazing. My photography teacher was also very impressed with my images so I am hoping that means I will get a good mark, which I thought I wouldn't :)

Anyway I hope you guys liked them and if you have any feedback on them that would be lovely. On another note I will be sharing some lovely photography that someone submitted to me. If anyone else is interested in submitting some work to me click on the 'Submit' tab in the linkbar for details.

Be inspired!

Just some Friday visual inspiration for you guys from one of my favourite photographers, Allison Scarpulla. His photos look so rustic and dreamy, which I always feel inspired by. It's been a while since I have done some serious photography work so I have been trying to get the motivation to do something soon and these images help a lot. I hope you guys feel inspired by these as much as I do :)

Photo Credit: Allison Scarpulla

Painting Major

If you have been reading my blog lately then you would know that the past few weeks I have been solely dedicated to finish my major works for this semester. I had one for painting and another for my photography class. Thankfully I got both done without any major dramas, which is always the goal when near completing these things. In the end I was very happy with what I produce and how it turned out for both my majors.

Above is what I handed in for my painting class. I explained in a earlier post my concept behind the artwork. To sum it up though, my paintings looks at post mortem photography which was a practice, very popular during the Victorian Age, that captured the image of the recently deceased. This grew to be so popular that family members would be photographed with the deceased to serve less as a reminder of mortality than as a keepsake to remember the deceased. So for my major I wanted to do a painting of a post mortem photograph taken back during the Victorian Age and introduce colour and depth.

Not the best picture of it in the world, but it shows how my painting turned out and I have to say I am really happy with it. It looks exactly the way I imagined it would and when I look at it I actually feel proud of myself. I am going to be continuing this concept next semester and do another painting to go with this one. Eventually I would love to do a whole big series of these paintings like about 15 or more. My teacher even suggested that I even continue with this as my third year major, but that's a bit further down the road and too early to decide yet. I am hoping to get a really good mark for my painting as my teacher said he loved it and was really impressed by it. A HD (high distinction) would be amazing and such a achievement, but any mark will be great.

So what do you guys think? Hopefully you all like it :)

Artist: Shawn Huckins

I have to say one of my favourite past times is actually discovering new artists and photographers from different countries. My latest discovery from America is the artist Shawn Huckins whose latest series of work asks us “If George could comment today, would he click the ‘like’ button, or post wtf? and then go check his Lady Gaga tweet?”. The series titled American Revolution Revolution, is a collection of paintings that are portraits of America's founding fathers with different Internet-age acronyms scrawled across their faces.

I quite like these paintings very much as Huckins' has amazing painting skills but also just the idea of imaging these famous figures saying these phrases. In the series their are some portraits wear people's faces are covered by the American flag which I particular like. I always get so jealous of painters that can paint so realistic. I think one day I might have to have a proper attempt at doing something photo realistic just for the sake of it.

Shawn Huckins has a official website

List of paintings
1. GW's Comment: Rolling On The Floor Laughing, 2011
2. INGRES: Laughing My Fucking Ass Off, 2010 
3. Portrait of The American Gentleman, 2010
4. Chivers: My Eyes Glaze Over, 2011
5. Mr. Mifflin's 21st Century Ultra Smooth Pick-Up Line, (Let's Hook Up), 2010
6. Vanderlyn's Secret Obsession, (Talk Dirty To Me), 2011

Holiday time!

I am so excited that I am finally on holidays once again. It was such a good feeling handing in our last major work on Friday that a few of my uni friends and I went out for brunch to celebrate. Now I have 5 weeks off to do whatever I want. I do however have a few 'to do' things during it, but hopefully I'll still have a lot of time to catch up with friends and such :)

In the mean time I have a few special things to share with you this week as in showing my major works for painting and photography. Hopefully you guys like them. I am also thinking of making a couple of pages where I can show you guys some of my art and photography, would you guys be interested?

Anyway I hope you all have a amazing week ahead of you!

Photo Credit: Hudsalva

White Chocolate and Raspberry Scones

It's been such a lovely week on my blog with sharing all this British related stuff with you guys. Now for my final post, as my other one went astray but will share another time, I have a lovely scone recipe. I have been inspired by Amanda's recipe posts that she has sharing lately on her blog Here Comes the Sun to do a recipe post for you guys. I got the recipe off my mum which she got off from a lady the school she works at. So I hope you guys like the recipe and you have a go at making them yourself :)

Ingredients:

3 cups of Self Raising Flour, 2 tbsp of white sugar, 300ml of cream, 1 packet of white chocolate melts and some Raspberries (I would usually use fresh ones but they didn't have any in the store)

In a large mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients so the 3 cups of SR flour, 2 tbsp of white sugar and the packet of white chocolate melts

Then in another mixing combine the wet ingredients, 2 eggs and 300 ml of cream. Then whisk them until well combined

Combine the dry and wet mixtures

and stir together to form a dough like consistency

 

For each scone use about a palm size ball of mixture

 

Then grab 3 raspberries and combine with mixture. Fold gently with the dough so the raspberries nearly keep their form and roll them into a ball. 

Once you have done this with all the mixture place them on a baking tray and pop them into the oven at 200 degrees. Cook for around 20 minute's or until browned

and then you're done! Serve with butter, whipped cream and jam.

I hope you guys like them and if you decide to give them a go let me know to see how it turns out :)