Wednesday 13 November 2013

drawn from life

Have you ever wished to live inside a painting?



As part of an ongoing project, I am exploring our perceptions of space in a reverse process to the conventional, by painting onto real objects to create the illusion of a flat drawing. In placing them back into their original surroundings, the resulting dialogue questions our ideas of reality.

Or so I hope. I have attempted to implement the graphical style of tattoos, and was inspired by the creative process of Alexa Meade, whose work is fascinating!

So, I leave you with the thought… if you could live in any painting, which one would you choose? Why?

Saturday 9 November 2013

workmen of Brick Lane

Here are some glimpses of life in the East End of London. Some of the most vital people in our cities, the workforce, are often overlooked; their presence ignored in the great big bustle of our own lives...





stand as one

drama will chase us 
whether we want it to 
leave us alone 
or bring its fun


have its day 
when it's all over 
let us not be destroyed 
let us be


together

beauty is in the eye - or the ear or the heart -


Sometimes you don't have to look to find something beautiful, it's there in the voice of someone who understands you, it's there in a hug of someone who cares about you, and it's there everytime you breathe in the air that keeps us all alive.

Monday 21 October 2013

"the real value of making art...

... is everything you go through while you're making it"

There is one vital difference between an exhibition and an art fair, and that is that the latter actually allows you to dig up what lies beneath the artwork, by interrogating the artist yourself. That, and, if you have the money, you can actually buy the work. I was happy to discover inspiration at The Other Art Fair, where there was a great mix of work by up-and-coming artists over the course of four days.

I look forward to the next!

Friday 18 October 2013

"the best possible time of being alive...

...when almost everything you thought you knew is wrong"
What’s Arcadia all about? The more I ask, the more concepts emerge. Tonight, I asked it again when I went to the production of Arcadia, put on by Oxford students at the local picturehouse. The story starts off in a 19th Century English country-house, and translates between the past and the modern day, until they overlap, demonstrated in the play by the two existing simultaneously. If the past did not exist, there would be no present. If the present did not exist, there would be no-one to uncover and recognise the past, and it would therefore cease to be. The two cannot be without each other. The play explores the unity of time, and opened my mind to unfixed possibilities in the nature of our world.

There was one particular line which struck me, as the character Valentine put it:

“maths...had been the same maths for a couple of thousand years. Classical…Then maths left the real world behind, just like modern art, really. Nature was classical, maths was suddenly Picassos. But now nature is having the last laugh. The freaky stuff is turning out to be the mathematics of the natural world”

In relation to art, this exploration of abstraction in creativity can be more useful to us than to follow what we know. Perhaps because our minds have been taught to work in a very particular linear fashion. In the play, it is suggested that in overthrowing our system of thinking, we can be led to think alternatively, in progressive and innovative ways:

“to be at the beginning again, knowing almost nothing… It's the best possible time of being alive, when almost everything you thought you knew is wrong”

The lesson learned? We won’t make advancements if we stick to the rules.

Tom Stoppard's original script shone through; I would highly recommend going to see this. In all the confusion, there were some mind-broadening concepts to take home.

Wednesday 2 October 2013

"one almost expects the people to sing instead of speak"

Having visited Oxford only a few times previously, and only for that - a visit - I can begin to describe here my first impressions of a city that is to be my new home.
"the place is so beautiful. One almost expects the people to sing instead of speak"
And you almost do. The architecture is telling that Oxford has had a happy life. If you listen hard, you can still hear horses trotting along the passageways, and distant bells sounding.

Who was it that said a great city is one that you can imagine falling in love in? There is definitely a love story here.

It's so easy to get lost in a daydream...

And it is not uncommon to step into the path of students in graduation robes, as there are ceremonies all year round. All in all, I think this city is a fantastic place to go for a stroll...and see where you end up.

Tuesday 17 September 2013

scenes of bulgaria

Dobre den!

It is now September, for a lot of us that means new beginnings... and a lot of rain. But the sunny times haven't faded away just yet; I have a slice of summer prepared here for you today.

These are some snaps from my recent visit to Bulgaria, a land of blue mountains, untainted countryside and what the locals refer to as 'dupka de dupka', which roughly translates as, 'loads of potholes'.

Enjoy...

Nobody goes to Bulgaria for Sofia, but it was worth trekking around to see the sights after arriving at the airport. Above is the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and surrounding it, the yellow brick paving leading to Parliament Square, where a lot of the recent political action has been taking place.

There's an abundance of caves to explore across the country; this one is found on the journey eastward from Sofia. I felt a bit like Indiana Jones walking around it; there are several totally dark exits leading to who knows where... you can just imagine some kind of monstrous creature flying out or crawling over you if you dare to enter. Also, mind the bat droppings.

Driving across the country... this is what you want to see. I love the drama that this photograph evokes, and how depth is created by the crops in the foreground and the distant hills and river catching the light. Beautiful. 

Speaking of beautiful... the Krushuna Waterfalls were a refreshing experience, based within a little adventure trail leading straight up to the spring. It's the kind of place where you really are one-on-one with nature. Man, water and rock.

Finally, I leave you to take a seat overlooking the town of Lovech. 

More photos to come in the next post... Ciao-ciao!

Monday 16 September 2013

join me and let's go

those who embark on a quest 
are searching for something more than what they know 
they step into the unknown 
and take the path to adventure 

come join me and let's go

Saturday 7 September 2013

"there are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired"

I have to say that The Great Gatsby has been one of the most enchanting books I've read in quite some time. It amused me in the way that the beauty of past eras does, and it drew me into a world that I kind of fell in love with. Written in the twenties, during a time of booming economic growth and mass production, the story is narrated by Mr Gatsby's neighbour who is absorbed by Gatsby's lifestyle, just as we become absorbed in it too. What is most successful about the way The Great Gatsby is narrated is how it creates the atmosphere that represents this lifestyle of carefree leisure and decadence. Through elegantly composed descriptions, we are invited to the party, to breathe in the smoke, dance to the music and watch the beautiful people, until it's time to go home. 

"And I like large parties. They're so intimate. At small parties there isn't any privacy."

The book is a short escapism into a slice of world recovered from the damages of war, one that we unfortunately don't live in today.


“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

This last line addresses the conflicting argument within the story, of whether it is possible to repeat the past. Of course, it is not. Time moves on in spirals, not circles. Yet the proposition that it does repeat is telling of the human condition, that in times of insecurity, we live in a world that we feel peace in, even if it is only in our memories.

Overall, The Great Gatsby, to me, is like a daisy chain of summer gatherings, and moments made infinite in text. A dreamy summer read...

Sunday 25 August 2013

swan lake - cafe del mar


I have always found the elegance of ballet dancers to be inspiring; their movements spirited. When I first heard this modern remix of the classic Swan Lake, it became my new favourite piece of music! The percussion instruments are what make it most striking, as if it were designed to be performed as a tribal dance. Don't you think?

Above is a painted illustration I did of Natalie Portman's character in Black Swan. I hope you like it!

Saturday 24 August 2013

a bit of bavaria

Hallo!

Having recently returned from a break in the Bavarian capital of Munich, I have here a few snapshots of life in and around the city - or at least I thought I did, until I noticed I was being architecturally driven! Enjoy:
The roof structure for the Olympic Stadium stretches out over the surrounding open spaces like a tent. This is appealing as it encourages events to take place under the partially-sheltered canopy. While I was there, a man started performing on what I can only call a hybrid between a unicycle and stilts


Looking up within the courtyard at part of the New Town Hall, built in the late 19th Century in a Gothic Revival style

This glazed wall is located at one of the many S-bahn stations in the city

Outdoor seating in courtyards - always a great use of public space

What I noticed most of all is how the citizens embraced their culture; it was not uncommon to see locals drinking in biergartens at lunchtime and walking around in their traditional Bavarian dress, of dirndl and lederhosen.

During my short stay I caught a glimpse of what is to be found in this city where tradition compliments modernity. There is always more to be explored...!

Wednesday 7 August 2013

"and from his pain he knew he was not dead"

I don't know a lot about Ernest Hemingway, but am intrigued to learn more after reading The Old Man and the Sea. The tale is narrated by an old, but strong, fisherman who takes us through a long tough journey of perseverance, and, staying true to the tale's character, leads us to an ending that at first seems unjust, but resonates with our recognition of life's deliberate determination of always getting its way.
"and from his pain he knew he was not dead"
We can all relate to the fate of the old man, and know his pain. This particular quote resonated with me quite strongly; the association of being alive with being able to feel.

Saturday 3 August 2013

the month of ramadan

Everywhere the world over, Muslims have been observing the month of Ramadan and the fasting that comes with it. The practice of fasting teaches you to be more patient, and opens your eyes to what you take for granted every day. What we are left with is our strength of character, and a chance to work out what changes we can make to improve the small part of the world around us. 


How can you reach out to those around you?

Sunday 28 July 2013

zoo lates snapshots

A few weeks ago my friend and I visited London Zoo during one of its summer late openings. Luckily, we had great weather, the atmosphere was buzzing and the animals were out to play! Here are a few snaps from the evening...

Friday 19 July 2013

serpentine pavilion 2013

On any spare evening this summer, head down through Hyde Park to Kensington Gardens, where you will discover this year's Serpentine Gallery Pavilion. It's always exciting to see what the new pavilion is like, and this year is no exception! 
A few friends and I gathered there to pass the evening and I noticed a vibrant atmosphere surrounding the place. Designed by Sou Fujimoto, the pavilion appears like a cloud floating above the grass; its appearance achieved through a composition of steel grids. Fujimoto, who cites organic structures as an inspiration, demonstrates here the fundamental principles of nature's design, whose geometrical patterns make up all organic things. The structure itself invites people to sit, climb and interact with it as well as one another. Its transparency causes it to become part of the landscape of the park, encouraging exploration and enchantment. It's worth checking out - it'll be around until late October!

Wednesday 17 July 2013

holds us all together

sometimes something happens 
which reminds you 
that we've been put here 
to make each other's lives better 
and that those you are with 
you have been put with for a reason 
so let go of your pride 
your jealousy 
your anger 
and be grateful 
that there is something stronger 
that holds us all together

Monday 15 July 2013

take a walk in the forest...

Forests hold so many secrets; they are true places for inspiration. And I have always admired how they look completely different in different places in the world. They have their own personalities, like people. Always a source of mystery and exploration for the curious.

How do forests make you feel?

Monday 1 July 2013

and the sun shone on those who turned to face it

It's like we're being spoilt with all this sunshine! A group of us headed down to Brighton for a day to celebrate a friend's birthday. There is so much to love about Brighton; there's always something happening there - it's a quirky, friendly and romantic city bustling with life...

Friday 28 June 2013

"and some day this morning would just be a memory"

This is one of my favourite quotes from The Alchemist. It is a fable which takes you on the journey of life, in reaching your ultimate goal.

I find it inspiring because it encourages the idea that what is valuable isn't achieving your goal, but all that it took you to achieve it. It also teaches that in realising ourselves, we can find what we're truly looking for.

"and some day this morning would just be a memory"

I think this line explores a key paradox of life; it is timeless in the way that this moment will always exist, and is crucial to what is to follow, yet like most moments in our lives, will swiftly be forgotten as if it had never existed in the first place. It suggests to me that whatever happiness or hardship you're going through, one day it will just be a memory, nothing more. It gives you the perspective that you don't yet have, to keep going, because there is more to your story that awaits you.

Thursday 30 May 2013

happiness is a way of travel; not a destination





























Life has its ups and downs, but you can try and keep steady by working through it with a smile on your face

Wednesday 29 May 2013

roadtrip snaps

Travelling out of London and exploring the green spaces the UK has to offer are what most Londoners long for on a Bank Holiday Weekend, if air travel isn't involved. A few friends and I took a road-trip up to Manchester, spending the day walking and hiking in the Peak District. Here are a few favourite snaps from the trip


...and a return to lovely London to start the week. I like how the last image came out blurred, like the camera was looking through my tired eyes.

I hope you enjoyed your break as much as I enjoyed mine! :)

Saturday 25 May 2013

the petrichor

Hi, thanks for making your way to this blog! I have thought long and hard about what the aim of this blog should be. I've come to the conclusion that its aim is to be an inspirational space for creativity. A place to go to smell the scent of rain.

Every day each of us lives an inspiring life; we all have a story. In sharing some of these stories, we inspire each other to embrace life, with all its wonders and all its flaws, and make it a little bit better for us all.