My Art Room – The Final Instalment
With my start date for Elam being less than a week away (EEEEEEEE/EEEEKKKK!) I think it is the perfect time to finish off this series of posts.
This time I am very basically going to look at aesthetics/composition, which are both very changeable things. As much as I might like them now, things may change tomorrow. But for the past couple of weeks I have been captivated by these..
I have been throwing around the idea of more documentary/voyeuristic photographs in my head for a while now..
Watch out mean streets of Auckland, you might be seeing something CRAZZZZY(er) soon!
Following on from the last set of images. I am still in love with my last series from my degree.
I am in love with black as it hides the shadows allowing for a hyperreal visual experience.
I am really obsessed with making people think WTF?? and when I hear “Is that photoshopped??” I know I have done good.
That is one thing I will maintain.
Creating images just by thinking out of the box, using a little problem solving and your creative noggin, you can make a lot of cool things without hitting control/command+c.
To me if I can’t make the image I want with creativity and the camera, I have not thought hard enough to TAKE and MAKE a photograph.
Lastly.. For the third time ( I am clearly LOVING this ATM)
Robert Frank = AMAZING
This man makes me want to get back in the darkroom.
The text, the multiple images. the layering. YUM
Elam have a COLOUR DARKROOM!
I am so excited to experiment and learn and put it all down to CHANCE.
I hope they let me…
6 days and counting until my life changes and I hopefully get to meet some of the most amazing people from the New Zealand contemporary art world
Artgasm 3000.
Block your eyes.. But the Artgasm will be the next phase.
They are the moments when art just makes you go ZOMGWOW.
Happy Wednesday!
Love.
Sunshine.
Happiness.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Compliments
I am the worst person at taking compliments EVER.
No matter how much people tell me lovely things about things related to me, I always think they are saying a whole pile of B.S.Maybe put it down to the bullying, mean taunts and masses of sarcasm from my childhood/teenage days that have me questioning peoples lovely comments.
Over the weekend I had so many compliments about the same things over and over again within the space of a short amount of time. To be honest it was great. And it was a massive ego boost haha.
It made me think back to all the lovely things that people have been saying to me lately and I am so grateful and happy to know that what I am doing is right and you truly mean it!I am so sorry if I didn’t believe it the first time but I do now.
I also put the compliments down to my shake up and redevelopment of Hayley.
Last year things got pretty tough but I gave myself some new life rules, got rid of some bad people, changed my working situation and had me seeking nothing but love sunshine and happiness.Those three things are all I really need in life.
LOVE
SUNSHINE
HAPPINESS
Because of these three little things I feel that I now attract those three lovely things and send out those three great things.
What a gift!
Thank you from the bottom of heart all you magic people that stuck by me, supported me and made me feel like I was worth something.
You are the reason I am here loving this life and enjoying everything that I now find coming my way.
Without the hardships I would of not be able to learn what I have about myself.
And become a better me.
Thank you so much.
My Art Room – The 2012 Visual Diary
With the AWESOME news about where my 2012 is taking me I feel it is only right for me to share my wee online visual diary of ideas and things that have caught my attention as of lately. Some things are my own – ideas that I had forgotten about, things I used to love AND the others will be of things that inspire me at this exact point in time.
Before we kick things off…
I just have to put it out there that I have been so surprised, happy and humbled to receive everyone’s well wishes and support about me heading to Elam for postgrad. I am so stoked. You have no idea.
If you want to be the best you have to surround yourself with the best and be taught by the best and Elam is the best that this country has to offer. I am so stoked. SO STOKED. STOKE IT UP! (Lame-o Nelson insert right there!).
It was definitely a hard decision to stray away from the comforts of what I already knew and to leave people that supported me right through my degree. But hey, I want to do something with what I love, and do it right and do it really, really well.
Being pushed and taken out of that comfort zone will no doubt take some adjusting but I think it will end up giving me the right direction, skills and success that I know can be achieved in this industry.
Things I had forgotten about and things I used to love..
Manipulation. Darkroom. FILM.
When I was home in Nelson I went through a whole pile of boxes and found these from my first year work.
Although it’s first year, we were turning out pretty decent projects ever week. So I tried to mix it up as much as possible each week.
Janet block your eyes – BUT I did most of mine in 24 hours. Opps! #studentlife
Taken for a portrait assignment.
Used masking, painting with developer, scratching, multiple exposure, OHT layers, negative flip.
For a documentary assignment.
Used OHT layers.
SIDE NOTE: This is now a slice of history.
Taken of the lovely ”Book-Selling Grannie” Sarah Power from the iconic Smiths Book Shop on Manchester Street in Christchurch.
Self directed brief from second year.
Self portrait, medium layer – print, coat, peel – left with thin transparent layer with ink.
My favorite thing I have made. Period. This took me two days straight with four hours sleep.. Worth it!
I have an obsession with layering. It is always in my work.
It may be added at the end in editing or the image my just be built up on so many layers. It’s just one of the aesthetic things that I clearly enjoy.
Artists that currently inspire me..
Boyd Webb b.1947 
Still tickling my fancy.
Large constructed realities with basic, inexpensive props.
Robert Frank b. 1924
Text. Darkroom. Film. Multiple images.
Christine Webster b. 1958
All about the costumes and masks and things that shouldn’t really go together.
As I write up and put together this post more and more things come to mind. I am loving this process and getting my mind all arty again. Just thinking art is inspiring. Life is good.
Next time I think I will look into composition and aesthetics. I think I now have a research topic sussed, but think a little more investigating needs to be done before I even let out that kind of guff…
I am really excited about my old class mates wanting to help me out so guys feel free to give me your input! Art class will not be the same without you but having your words, support, ideas and critique means HEAPS to me.
Still gotta post about the weekend but that can wait!.. Other than this!
Today is Waitangi Day.
Pretty much NZ day.
On the 6th of February 1840 The Treaty of Waitangi was signed between the two cultures that make up our beautiful country.
I am proud to say that I (a girl of european descent) am very lucky to be in a relationship with PJK (a boy of Maori descent).
Although our country never really seems to do things right on this day, it is nice to think that in a round about and super simple way (without all the political/customary rights stuff) we are a product of that moment. Pakeha and Maori uniting… Topic of conversation anyone??
1 of 3 of a little something I made back in 2008
If you’re NZ proud, I hope you got to enjoy the day, she’s always a stunner this weekend.
And if you were a lucky sod and went to the 7′s, I hope you had a massive time!
Aroha.
Whitinga o te rā.
Harikoa.
xx
Shells and Daisies
Now doesn’t that sound like the perfect combo? Shells and daisies. CUTE!
When I was at home in Nelson I stopped in at my fave hippy shop to pick up these wee beauties that I saw the last time I was home.
After all the balls of 2011 something this simple can help to remind me to…
Always have HOPE whether it be for yourself, life or others.
PEACE with your decisions and life.
CELEBRATE success and the good.
WISH for lazy days,creating memories and having those you love with you.
HEALING the mind and soul.
And just the plain old and simple.. Kick back and RELAX!
I plan on carrying these cute wee things in my bag as I now know there is nothing like making sure you have the time to reflect when things are not right.
Something so simple can make life better.
It looks like we have another awesome week of SUN SUN SUN ahead of us.
Make sure you make the time to enjoy it..
FnC’s or ice creams down the beach maybe?
How about a picnic in the park or even your backyard?
Pop out and have lunch OUTSIDE
OR EVEN
Have a bevvy after work in an awesome spot that catches the sun.
SIMPLE.
L.S.H
xxxxxxx
★
To the South v2
With a splash of heading back to Auckland in between, I finally got to make the mish down to Christchurch over my summer break. It has been too long. I miss my friends.
I haven’t been back since I left at the end of 2009 and as you could imagine a lot has changed since then.
WARNING: Time to get a little moody on this rainyish Sunday…
It is a really weird feeling being in Christchurch and seeing first hand the city, the roads, the houses and the people. Having not been there for the quake but having this unworldly pull of sorrow. Lucky for me, no one was lost that I really knew and the rest are only buildings but it is the day to day life that always kicks me when I think about it.
Four years of my life were spent wrapped around all of those fallen buildings. I was also living in one of the buildings on Hereford St that ended up looking like a dolls house. Honestly it was the weirdest feeling in the world being there and seeing the left overs of what was once my life. Knowing that two years earlier that could of been me, out getting my lunch like always.
With all the sadness and destruction comes the chance to rebuild. To make the city better, safer, greener, happier. It is home to some of my closest friends so for them I want Christchurch to become a better place to live and be.
Latimer Square used to be a place I would avoid. Always in fear of the creatures of the night and the crazy lady on the bike with her glue bag that used to follow me home.
Stepping into the park just straight up felt wrong, but this time it wasn’t out of fear, it was out of respect. You could feel the loss around you. This affected me more than seeing the cathedrial not standing, seeing all empty sites and more than seeing my Mumma cry.
For those of you that do not know, the day of the big quake and the days following during the recovery process, Latimer Square was the make shift morgue. Without even knowing that, I know that my body would not let me near it.
Against all my spiritual instincts to not walk through, I just wanted to see my old home.
My 2008 flat after the earthquake
That’s my room on the left, my office/studio in the middle and our lounge on the end.
That there orange digger is sitting in the site of 202 Hereford Street. A student flat/loft/I HAD 2 ROOMS/hang pad/my old home.
It was home for only a year but it still makes you think. For me I could of been sitting on the fire escape on a sunny day eating lunch like I usually would and boom, nudda, see ya later.
I know this is all a little “could of” and “if”ish but that is why I balled my eyes out for a good while. Not that I am wishing I got to experience it all, sometimes I feel that because I wasn’t there I do not have the right to react in that way.
But it was my life. The city was my life. And to see and hear and watch it in that state for those first few days just ripped me in two.
Time for a spot of happiness talk.. The new container shopping area is awesome! Colourful, happy and a sign of the new. As I said before with all the sadness and destruction comes the chance to rebuild. To make the city better, safer, greener, happier and I think this is a great step in that direction. Yes, on both sides of it you are reminded of the situation but you can feel that people just want to move on and start a fresh but with still remembering the reason for change.
The Bridge of Remembrance now seems like it has a whole new meaning and life.
Other than this massive chance to reflect, it was also a chance for me to catch up friends that I haven’t seen since I left. I am so proud of them all for sticking it out and not being too crazy through all that mother nature has thrown at them. It was so good to see such happy faces and see the people that made my Christchurch years, years to remember. So sorry it wasn’t for longer but the mad life was a calling me back. It was great to see you all and for some to be there to help share Robbie and Kylie’s wedding day was awesome. Love you all more than you could ever know. Keep up the smiles, keep up the laughter and keep up being the tough guys that you are.
Here’s a couple of my photos from their big bay.
I was just on back up digi duty while our old flattie and DAC buddy Amelia was being a super photographer and was busy at it..
My hands (and neck) were very tied up for most of the day.. I was using five lomo and film cameras. Heaps of fun!
Hope you all had a great weekend :)
I magically have another week off work so heres to THAT..
Time to get some stuff done!
L.S.H
★
My Art Room – Part Two
Time for the second instalment!
Incase you missed out on part one..
I have been reading Justin Paton’s How to Look at a Painting and there were a couple of sentences that I haven’t been able to get out of my head..
“The art room that matters the most exists in memory. This is where you hang the paintings that changed you.”
I think it is really important to flick back through my noggin and see what is stored up here so here are a few more artists/photographs that have changed me.
It will help with establishing where I have come from and where I am now at. I have also found it is already reigniting past loves that I had lost.
2006
First year studying Contemporary Photography
at the Design and Arts College of New Zealand
Robert Frank b. 1924
More known for his documentation of The Americas, Franks collection in Hold Still…. Keep Going turns proof sheets into works of art.
Love the use of text and also the final composition with the use of multiple images.
2007
Anne Noble
From the book States of Grace, I took inspiration from in 2007 for a commercial image I was trying to create.
I really enjoy the way Noble captures an intimate section of a person or place, in this case her daughter with a bubble beard.
2008
Christine Webster b. 1958
From the Black Carnival series.
Webster’s large scale, dramatic and theatrical portraits allow the model to take on a role that they do not usually play.
Ah the magic of masks and make up to make people become someone else for a day.
I love the way the black background seeps around the model.
These guys are huge, like over 2m tall huge and they are highly glossy so you can see your own real life character being reflected within her images.
The third and final instalment is just around the corner..
Have you thought about what might be stored in your noggin of an art room??
L.S.H
x
Time for a Refresh
It’s NOW 2012 so as they say.. Out with the old and in with the new.
For 2012 things may change again down the track as I am going to be using this blog more and more for my art with my postgrad studies. I hope to share with you ideas, inspiration and of course everything else that brings me love, sunshine and happiness. I am really happy with my new layout and look so I hope you guys like it too.. Nothing like a bit of a refresh to help start the next journey!
Incase you are not too sure where my inspiration for the overall idea of my blog comes from, it is from one of my longtime musical faves and a longtime fixture in NZ music, the mighty summer staple – Salmonella Dub.
No one wants to loose some of themselves when the water gets dry…
No one wants their love, sunshine and happiness taken away-e-ay…
I constantly think about the people that bring me love. The moments that are drenched in sunshine. And the times where happiness is the most euphoric feeling in the world.
Those moments of
LOVE
SUNSHINE
HAPPINESS
Are all that I need in my life.
xxx
YOUR Art Room – Part One
Helooo everyone and a massive HAPPY NEW YEAR!
What a crazy ride 2011 was and boy was I happy to see the back of it.. Although I do have a lot to be grateful for. As a very wise friend of mine said to me over the hols – “With every negative, there has to be a positive. So every time you speak or think negative, follow it up with a positive thought”. Simple stuff really! That is how I now look at all the poos that last year just kept throwing at me. Sometimes its hard to maintain a positive out look when you feel your soul constantly being smashed by people you only helped, thought the best of and by situations that are completely out of your control. But thats all apart of the game of life, we live and we learn and for us artists, well I know it is the case for me, it is those visual memories of love, sunshine and happiness that get you through the bad.
NOW back on topic.
While I was away for the first time I took a book. Yes a book. Those that know me, know that me and reading are not very good friends. I love to read things that inspire me and relate to what I am up to. I cannot get enough of art books. I love the way artists and art lovers write and how they paint the picture without cluttering it with babble, waffel, crap. Well some do, but for some reason most art books I have read have hit my button. It is when it gets cluttered with babble, waffel and crap that I get lost. For instance not a fan of novels and stories books, I start to imagine too much and then I am lost, normally reading the same page five times over before realising I have read that page haha..
ALRIGHT back to the point!
So I took away with me Justin Paton’s How to Look at a Painting. Back when I was studying it always came up in reading lists, tutors always mentioned it so when I cam across it at the Boarders closing sale I snapped it up.. and for $9 how can I go wrong. So far it has been a great way to get my mind back at thinking about art. I love making art that people enjoy looking at, or at least art that stops people. I am really into what the f***k art at the mo. So it has been really interesting relating it to where my mind is at before I embark on my masters.
Before I even got into the book fully, the first chapter had me thinking.
“The art room that matters the most exists in memory. This is where you hang the paintings that changed you.”
I started to think about all my fave pieces of art that helped change me, create me and inspire me. I thought I would share a few that have been so instrumental at creating who I am as an artist. I think I will do it in stages so for today here is where it all began for me.
5th Form/Year 11/2002
Francesca Woodman - 1958 – 1981
I will forever be a lover of black and white, slow shutter and layering.
And I will forever will be inspired by the body of work that this young lady created during her short yet beautifully artistic life.
Pat Steir – b.1940
Night Chant Series, Number 3 Dawn, 1973.
For my 5th Form boards I made a photographic version of this. Not too sure where it is now but this painting sparked my love for the darkroom using it to create more than just a developed image. Painting with developing, flicking fix, scratching the paper, using OHT paper are all major loves of mine.
I managed to find this tester. Still so proud that I made this.
Doug and Mike Starn – b.1961
The masters of large scale photographs, collages and all round beautiful creations.
Layering, scale, handmade in some way. Love everything they do!
Well that is all for today, hopefully I get the chance to put together some more pieces form my art room of a noggin. There are so many!
What is in your art room??
Have a wee think, it is awesome to find out whats stashed up there!
xx
