Creative Director + Artist
art, film, film/music, interview, NGV, I Want Your Job
The FIRST episode of my new series I Want Your Job. I’ve been working on this for a while and am pretty happy with how it all turned out. In this episode I chat to three people working at the National Gallery of Victoria to get an idea of what they do and how they got there. So excited to make the next episode!
2017, let's just say, was a hell of a year for everybody. It was difficult, upsetting, discouraging and presented us with multiple opportunities to curl up in a small ball in a tight little corner and cry. But because of all this it made people stand up and speak out about rights and wrongs, which brought groups of people who wanted change in our society together. I think that 2017 was the year of women. We stood together and supported each other this year, beginning with the international women's march all the way to the #metoo campaign, which really opened our eyes and ears towards, and in support of the victims of sexual assault. I really hope that in 2018 we can stop the dwaddle and begin the sprint towards equality for everybody!
On the topic of women, I think I'll make a nice clean segway into what the post is actually about. Today I went the the Ian Potter Centre and the NGV and looked at some insanely cool exhibitions. The first, at the Ian Potter Centre, was Kathryn del Barton's "The Highway is a Disco" and oh my god I was so excited. Del Barton is most probably my favourite artist (or at least in the top 5) so I was really really stoked that I got to see her art in person. Her work showcases the female body and she presents it in a way that makes it feel goddess like. I made a short vid and took a few pics so you can get the jist of the exhibition (and it's free entry so you have no excuse not to go!!).
The next exhibition was at the NGV for the Triennial. You've most likely seen it all over instagram but it is still completely worth going. A room filled with skulls probably sounds a little Adams family-esque but it is so bloody cool - and contrasted with 18th century artwork is even better!!
I've sadly been very absent from my blog and instagram, and to be fair, practically everything that makes me happy during the past couple of months. I guess I've kind of put it down to living in Chicago and attending the school I go to here, as both don't inspire or energise me to any extent that Melbourne did. I am also being an incredibly hard judge towards anything I create (which isn't the worst thing..) but does mean that I don't end up sharing it with you guys. For now I'm here so I'm hoping to get back into the swing of everything I enjoy, and work on new projects too.
I thought in this post I'd share some inspo from pinterest and other creatives so I can (hopefully) inspire myself and even possibly you...
Alexa my love <3
love the backdrop, her hair and her outfit!
It's getting rather chilly here which is very exciting for me (you all probably know autumn/winter are my favourites!) so I have been looking out for some lovely coats, jackets and jumpers. I'm going thrifting on Monday (the last day of "summer vacation" as the Americans call it), and am hoping to find some cheap gems. Here are some photographs of wintery goodness that I am loving at the moment (when am I not loving it..?).
I'm really wanting to start some different creative projects. Along side wanting to experiment more with photography, acting and film, I'd love to play around with a few different art mediums (all pictured below) and styling.
Artwork by Ashley Mary - medium isn't noted but I'm going to guess gouache ? I could be very very wrong...
Beautiful sketch by Horst Janssen (1929-1995) // Selbst mit Zigarre, 23. November 1965, Sammlung Hegewisch in der Hamburger Kunsthalle - led pencil
Artwork by Violet Lopiz - again the medium isn't mentioned so I'm going to take another terrible guess and say water colour or ink or pencil??
Couldn't find the artist but I think the medium is pastel
Like I mentioned above, I'm wanting to play around with styling. Styling clothes, interior and even flatlays could be really interesting. If you don't already follow @belldazzle on instagram, then I'm not really sure what you are doing... she also has a blog which is way cooler then mine *sob*, and she tends to style her friends and models and friends that look like models and models that are friends in some of the coolest ensembles you'll see. + her photography is incredible + she's only in year 12. Here are some of my favourite pics from her.
Well there it is folks. I love making posts like this just because they're a nice way to display what I am loving and have a bit of a ramble. I'm sorry for being rather absent from everything but I'll hopefully get back into it - I really do love doing all of this.
Let me know what you'd like to see next!
- Camille
Here is my newest Made in Chicago, featuring the insanely talented Lucie Kay. She's having an art show on March 30th from 6pm-9 at Eataly with her brother Hudson Luthringshausen. If you are living in Chicago definitely go (there's going to be pizza...) and a whole lot of incredible art.
Hope you enjoy !!
I've been wanting to add more to Artist Colony, so that it isn't just illustrators, but caters for a whole variety of artists (this is what I had planned originally but I got swept away by the mad world of illustrators...). Anyway, after my daily stalk on Instagram, I discovered Krista from Super Massive Textiles. I love the vibrancy of her work, and the beauty of the fabric + her own hand drawn design. She also seems super cool and has two pembroke welsh corgis (can we be friends please??)
Hi! Introduce yourself. How are you? I’m doing great, thanks for asking! My name is Krista, I’m a designer, artist, human who really struggles with titles—I’ve resorted to simply calling myself a creative professional.
What projects have you been working on lately? I just launched my first line of textiles earlier this month, and I’ve been working on a big batch of silk scarves and head wraps for various holiday markets that I plan on attending.
What made you want to go into the textile industry? While I was in art school I took a fibers course and fell in love. I ended up taking almost enough classes to major in it, but never made it official. I ended up graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design but I always knew I would revisit fibers and textiles as a medium.
I have a day job as a graphic designer and the things I create are very ephemeral because technology changes so quickly. I was looking to create something more tactile and timeless.
How did you get into the industry? I’ve only just started to explore, really, but in my experience if you want to do or be something you just have to start doing it, believe in yourself and exude confidence. If you take what you’re doing seriously everyone else will too.
What inspires your work? I’m heavily inspired by the natural world, I think mother nature is the absolute best designer. I have a ton of nature and wildlife books that I rifle through for ideas. I also really love gestural marks, anybody can create a dotted or dashed pattern but there’s a quality of hand that is unique to each of us that makes it look different. Discovering your quality of hand is almost like learning a new language—it’s been really fun for me to explore gestures and marks that come naturally to me.
How do you generate ideas for your designs? I set aside time to practice mark making and ideation. For these exercises, I usually work in india ink with big brushes on newsprint. I just try to work really quickly and not think too hard about what I’m doing. I feel like I get the best results when I don’t over think my designs too much. I keep a stack of these and reference them for use on my textiles.
What is your design process? I create marks in ink on paper, then I apply those marks to my textiles using a variety of techniques. Currently I’m only working in silk, and I’ve been employing a technique called batik. It’s a wax resist method where you apply heated wax to stretched fabric and then soak the fabric in a dye bath. The areas where wax is applied will resist the dye and stay white.
Favourite item you have? I’m a collector so that’s hard for me! I have a huge glass jar of sharks teeth that I’ve collected over the years.
Favourite and least favourite things about your job are… My favorite thing about being a surface designer is the variety of work involved, as a creative person I think it’s really important to take breaks from being artistic and creating my own textiles allows me to do that. After I’ve created a design there’s a lot of not-so-creative work involved in getting that design onto fabric. I actually really enjoy that part of the process because it gives my mind a break and allows me time to think of new ideas I want to try.
Least favorite thing is definitely handling the business side of things, finances, taxes, marketing, etc.
What did you want to be when you were a kid? I could never decide between wanting to be a veterinarian or a musician.
What do you like to do when you are not working on your textiles? I work a lot, but in my spare time I love to travel, go to the beach, walk my dogs. I try to spend my off time as far from computers and phones as possible.
5 facts about you… Gonna go for semi-weird facts!
1. I can recite all 50 united states in alphabetical order
2. I have two pembroke welsh corgis named Mack & Mika
3. I’m obsessed with oddities, I have a small collection in my home including lots of fossilized bones
4. I’ve been told I’m a HSP (Highly Sensitive Person), which means I’m hypersensitive to external stimuli
5. I love terrible b-horror movies, the worse the better!
Can you give some advice for anyone that wants to pursue a career like your own? What skills do you think are necessary? A degree or some sort of formal education is great, but ultimately make sure that it’s something you’re passionate about. Don’t be afraid to reach out to artists/designers that you admire and talk to them about their experiences. Everyone has their own unique journey, find out what their career path was like. The most valuable skill to have is a curious mind, if you are curious and passionate about what you’re doing you’ll always succeed.
Who are your inspirations? I really love the work of Helen Levi, Josephine Noel, Tuesday Bassen, Becca Barnet, and Hillery Sproatt.
NGV's Art Party came back for a second year with double the fun. "The Purple Rave" as Esther Olsson put it, was jam packed with music, art, dancing, bright purple lights, photo booths and super cool people.
My friends and I explored the Andy Warhol // Ai Weiwei exhibition, staying a little too long in the photo booths. We danced until I managed to get some 'hard core' blisters and then danced more because beauty is pain, my friends. Ella Thomson blew me away with her dreamy vocals, and DJ Geezy was killing it, not to mention all of his vinyl!! I got to speak to Esther Olsson who was insanely cool even though I was a little star struck, (and by 'star struck' I mean I was hit repeatedly over the head by a numerous amount of shooting stars, comets, asteroids and planets, carefully avoiding the black hole of embarrassment ) ahhh. AND THEN out of the crowd emerged Left Leg Studios performing a fast contemporary dance routine. It was so so so good my gawd.
Here are some pics taken on the night to prove how much fun, purpley goodness there was. Also to make you just a little jealous if you didn't come. There is always next year.
C A M I L L E
(photos taken by Olga Bennett © National Gallery of Victoria.)
I'm really excited to share this Melbournians with you! It's my favourite one so far, featuring my lovely friend Sacha. We went out to shoot it yesterday on Brunswick St, one of the coolest streets in Melbourne, had a picnic in the park, and just walked, talked and filmed. It just turned out so well! Yesss!! I'm so happy about it!!
Anyway, here it is. Hope you like it.
I got a little lost inside of Rachel Burke's blog, "i make you wear it". Her beautiful photos are so sparkly and fun! And her dogs - oh my gawd, too cute. In August 2010, Rachel made a dress every Saturday night for 20 weeks as a way of raising money for charity. The project proved a success when she raised over $5,000 for NAPCAN. Rachel is currently working as a commercial Womenswear Designer and as a contributor to Frankie Magazine.
Rachel has also made a community art project called 'Apomogy' which is where you apologise with a pompom (10 points for that pun). You can apomogies your problems away here.
I get so inspired by Rachel's designs so I was really happy to be able to interview her! So, here it is folks.
Hi! How are you? What have you been doing lately? I am super well thank you. I have just come back from a work trip to Hong Kong and have been busy working on my Apomogy project. My first exhibition is coming up on April 16th…so it’s go go go!
Favorite thing about your job is? Ability to be creative for a living.
Your least? Having to be away from my dogs during the working day
Favorite songs/musicians at the moment. I am totally obsessed with Electric Light Orchestra at the moment. I only discovered them late last year, and can’t believe it’s taken me this long.
If you could be another artist/designer for a day, who would you be? Oooo that’s a toughy. I think I would love to jump in a time machine and maybe even just be Andy Warhol’s pal for a day. That looks like it might be a fun experience.
What makes you want to work with your mediums? I am excited by the prospect of using materials in unconventional ways. But I am usually drawn to something by its texture, colour, or how I think I can use it in my work.
Do you ever get artist block? What do you do to stop it? I try not to let myself believe in artists block. I prefer to think of it as ‘artist pause’. When I can’t come up with fresh ideas it usually means I am over-tired or trying too hard, for the wrong reasons. I find that if I just pause on the brainstorming and return to it with fresh eyes later, then I can come up with new ideas that excite me.
Your top three films? Edward Scissorhands, Moonrise Kingdom, The Virgin Suicides.
What is your favorite thing that you have created? Why? The Pom Pom Jacket I made for Patience to wear in her The Grates show is definitely a favourite. It was not only fun to make, but it was also a sensational thing to watch her rock out on stage in it!
“In August 2010, Rachel thought she’d put her passion to good use, making a dress every Saturday night for 20 consecutive weeks as a way of raising money for charity. The project proved a success when she managed to raise over $5,000 for NAPCAN.” Congratulations! That’s really cool! Was it difficult? Yes, it was quite a difficult and challenging year. But I learnt so much from the experience and raised some money for a really worthy cause…so it was totally worth it!
Favorite things to photograph are… I love photographing Daphne and Daisy (my dogs)
What inspired you to start apomogy? I was thinking about what it means to apologise a lot last year, after having made some tough apologies of my own. Attaching an apology to a pom pom came later…and once I did it the idea for APOMOGY just kind of popped into my head. I shared the idea on my blog and it seemed to resonate so much with my followers that I couldn’t help but turn it into a community project.
5 facts about you are…
My hair is naturally brown.
I like to read books A LOT.
I once hoped to be a singer on broadway.
I am good at making pom poms.
I spend too much time on the internet.
Thank you Rachel!!
-C
is one of my all time favorite illustrators. Ever. Her artwork is so beautiful and the colours work so well together. I love her style and the mediums she uses.
Her and her husband, Colin Meloy, are one power couple. They created The WildwoodChronicles together. Not to mention that Colin is in a band called 'The Decemberists' (LOVE them) and Carson illustrates all the bands promotional goods.
I thought it would be kinda interesting to share some of her artworks and some videos I found on Carson and Colin, which I was really inspired by.
Enjoy!
I'm really, really excited about this new series on my blog! (hey, by the way)
It's called "Melbournians" and with it, I'm filming mini documentary kinda things featuring my friends. I go around their suburb and show what they like to get up to and who they are. I'm hoping the film reflects them in some way, as well.
First up is the super cool Honey, who was brave enough to be the first Melbournian on UA. THANK you Honey xox
Enjoy!
Lisa Currie makes me laugh, smile and relate towards pretty much everything she scribbles down on a piece of paper. Her very witty and truthful words + her "Ooh that's so Lisa Currie" drawing style = some pretty clever creations. Lisa has created three activity books which I just can't wait to get my hands on. She creates free resources so you can have some fun with a cup of tea and an oversized jumper. +++ lots of other fun stuff! Go check out her blog/website here, her instagram and contact her here.
As always, here is my interview with Lisa!
The most interesting experience that has happened because of being an artist is/was…my books are made to be doodled over and sometimes I get to see what people do with them. Strangers on the other side of the world who it feels like I’m collaborating with, having a conversation with on paper… in a way. It’s weird but great.
Do you ever get artist block? What do you do to stop it?I do feel stuck at times… sad or overwhelmed. Going for a walk is always a good idea. Cooking some food. Hanging out with someone else’s dog. One thing I’ve learnt this year is that you don’t need to feel “motivated” or “inspired” to work. The people who are doing great things rarely feel fired up about it before they begin each day. They just begin. And then sometimes the magic happens…
I’ve been reading Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert that talks a lot about this!
Your favourite thing about your job?Spending a lot of time reading books about interesting things and writing in my journal… trying to grow in different ways and thrive in my own skin. I get to do a lot of that since my books are about optimism and self reflection.
Your least? Working alone is my least favourite thing, but also my favourite thing. Luckily I work at home and my housemates are great and keep me sane, but it can get lonely being in a workplace of one and having to motivate and organise yourself every day. But then sometimes I decide to spend the whole day in the sunshine reading a book and nobody asks me why I didn’t come into work that day, so that feels nice. What other interests do you have outside of art? Yoga. Reading books about why humans do the things we do. Being vegan. Building a mini golf course in the backyard with things we’ve found at the op shop.
Why did you decide to make activity books?I was running a blog called The Scribble Project and one day Perigee found the blog and emailed me to ask if I’d like to make a book. I said no thanks. Just kidding. I said yes PLEASE. I love making prompts that can maybe help people be more self reflective and think about their world or themselves in a more playful way.
5 facts about you… 1. I live with four friends and a dog named Charlie. 2. I write in my journal every day. 3. Vegemite toast is my comfort food. 4. I don’t like to wear makeup. 5. Fresh cut grass is one of my favourite smells.
Who/what inspires you?BOOKS. Lately I’ve been reading books about feminism, veganism, optimism and essentialism… all the -isms.
What music do you listen to?Today I’ve been listening to old Nelly Furtardo songs. Do you remember her? I’m like a biiiiird.
Thank you Lisa for being apart of Artist Colony. Love your work!
Thanks for reading, you lovely people.
x
IL-O-V-Ethese artists. I've been sitting at the computer screen for a while now, and that's all I can really say. I'm still in awe over how inspiring and thought provoking this exhibition on Andy Warhol and Ai Weiwei at the NGV was.
I definitely recommend going if you are the kind of person that a) thinks art is just boring paintings of dull people for dull people (because it ain't), b) is completely un-inspired or c) happens to be a human.
If you tick any of these boxes make sure you head here to book your tickets!
I'm planning a little DIY inspired by this exhibition so that will be up soon-ish.
I'll leave you all with some pictures I took at Andy Warhol & Ai Weiwei.
Thank you NGV for letting me come along!
Au revoir,
Camille xx
I'll give you a few minutes to scream and dance in celebration that Helena from Plantimal is being interviewed for Artist Colony! YeeeaaaaahhhHHH!
"Who's Helena?" you say. Well, young grasshopper, I'm surprised you have asked. Helena is a 16 year old artist and activist who has a 21.4k following on Instagram. Her blog Plantimal is pretty cool too, featuring quirky photography, thrifted fashion and art art art. Her store has some super Rook-amil vibes (Rookie AND Plantimal if you didn't get my blend) which I'm sure will appeal to a whole lot of you.
SOOOoOOOoooooOOooOooo, let's see what Helena has got to say!
How are you? Tell me a little about yourself. I'm wonderful! Though a bit bored...I am on school break for 6 weeks. I'm writing this on the first day of 2016 and I feel like this year will be a good year art and experience wise, everyone says that but y'know... optimism is key!
What does art mean to you? It just means to express yourself, to make something new exist, something your own, made of your own thought and feelings, to bring something no many people bring into their life or the world. Anything is art.
What would you like to achieve in the future? Keep instagramming because i really enjoy communicating with my followers and its such a great platform for that and me personally. I also hope to have a website, my blog is a but rough and distant...I am in my last year of high school so i'm planning on going to university and do journalism and creative writing. At the same time I want to be creating, speaking and inspiring our generation and younger in a more professional way and for it to go further than a hobby.
If you could be another artist for a day, who would you be? Frida Kahlo so I can wear her beautiful clothes or Marina Abramovic so i can do a bit of crazy performance art. Now that would be fun.
How did you discover your style? I think it just developed over time, it still is. It always will. I cannot pin point my influences!
You have a lot of strong views and express them via Instagram. Have you ever had any negative feedback and if yes, how have you handled it? I do have a lot of strong views and not everyone agrees with them. And that's natural and okay! I do get negative feedback and I have recently learnt to handle it more maturely rather then try to defend my opinion and start a bit of a opinion based war. How i handle it varies on the situation but nowadays i try to keep as calm as possible. It is hard when everyone thinks they are right and we are all super passionate on the topic.
How has Instagram helped you express your art and views on the world?My followers push me (in a positive way) to keep exploring my art, keep making art. They also are my audience when i express my views and we have a lot of healthy conversation and people learn stuff! That has helped me also further my activism and knowledge on serious topics. And with 21.4k followers it seems like the right thing to do to use that 'power' to make people aware of a wide spectrum of stuff lfrom beauty standards, self acceptance to issues around the meat industry and the environment.
Many people look up to you. Who do you look up to? I look up to anything and anyone, I have taught myself to draw inspiration from my everyday life, not just one or a handful of people. It really opens your mind.
What do you do if you get artist block? I try to focus on a different art form, like embroidery or photography. Or i stop arting (that should be a real word) for a week or so and come back and try again. A lack of inspiration is always a factor, so I hit up interest and just collect photos of what i'm into at the moment and use this for fuel when I try to art again. Explain your drawing style. Get a pen, get some paper, SCRIBBLE out something. That's how my more satirical, comic like drawing usually start, the fun stuff, nice and simple but distinctly me. For my more serious stuff I love creating images of girls/female body and including mythology, symbols of nature and space to create harmony and deep meaning, for me at least. What has been the best experience for you thanks to blogging, art and Instagram. There hasn't been a single best experience yet. I think this whole journey and all those three aspects combined are an ongoing best experience. I've really flourished and my online antics became more real for me half way through last year. I've just met so many amazing people and just be creating, creating and creating in all different forms.
Hey, hey, hey!
So yesterday, (Sunday), my mum and I were invited to go to a talk at the NGV. The talk was by an architect by the name of Mathew from John Wardle Architects. He had designed the 'Pink Plastic Pavilion' in the NGV's backyard. It's pretty snazzy. And big. And pink. Really pink...
The talk was really interesting and definitely got me thinking about a career in architecture and design. I still don't really know what I want to be but, hey, I'm only 14.
Anyhooooo, after the talk, mum and I went over to The Royal Botanic Gardens and sat under yet another pavilion, being used as a super cool cafe. We listened to some great tunes, took photos, and kept on walking.
We then ended up at MarkIT which had been placed in a car-park under Fed Square. That was pretty cool and just walking around was
And then after all that we treated ourselves to some de-licious gozleme. yummmm.
OH!!! And I forgot to mention that the new 'Gallery' Mag by the NGV has an article in it, 'Young at Art', which talks about all the great stuff the NGV has for teens. I was lucky enough to answer a few questions, so I would love it if you could check that out!
Sorry about the blast of photos and the rambling on, and on and on, but I hope you found it interesting. Go have a wander around the NGV and lounge under all their pinkness. I mean, c'mon, it's a pink plastic pavilion. You don't want to miss that.
I'm finishing this whilst packing for school camp tomorrow (can i get a what! what! for ace multi-tasking skills?) It's going to be funnnnnn.
Right-io, seeya later,
Camille
Yeesh, I've been a little slack on blogging/instagram lately but I hope to get back on track soon. Sorry, about that..
Annnnyyy way. I'm really excited to say that I have Zali from Miss Zali Blog here today. *screams a little* *starts hysterically crying from happiness* Ahhh Zali is such an inspiration and was defiantly a big part in my "I want to create a blog" phase. Her blog is completely gorgeous and I don't even have to say anything about her art work because it just speaks for itself. But I will, because that is what this post is about.
So for all of you that don't know who Zali is... Zali is a 15 year old creative. She has done everything from model with The Lost Girls to her own commissioned cards. Her artworks are so fun, majestic and always make you think of everything fine and dandy.
I asked Zali a few questions (as per usual) so her they are, folks.
How has your style changed since you started blogging, until now?
Yes, very much. I went through a very kind of scrapbooky, mix-matched stage. But I think as I've grown older I've become more minimalistic and clean.
If you could only draw one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Why?
I would probably draw people, I really enjoy drawing them and creating personalities for all my characters. I like deciding their names, fashion sense, and brief history. I don't know, its just fun.
Who are your inspirations? How do they inspire you?
I do get inspired by other artists, in particular Oliver Jeffers, Kelly Smith and one of my art teachers Anne Smerdon. But I think I am mostly inspired by nature, its ever-changing. And I think that's important when you're an artist, to be ever-changing, evolving.. Always original.
How did you discover your illustrations style?
Well, I guess it sort of just evolved from trying out all different styles, I am about to release some new art which is quite different. I think its just become what it is from experimenting and trying new mediums etc.
Is your style still evolving?
Yes, I think it definitely is.
If you could be one artist for a whole day, who would you be? Why?
I'm not really sure, I don't know if I'd want to be another artist.. I think being an artist is so completely being yourself, and your art comes from your own experiences and emotions. So I don't think I would want to be doing someone else art, it'd be confusing and not fulfilling I don't think.
5 facts about you?
My favourite season is Summer.
Seashells make me happy.
Im an instagram addict :D.
My favourite brand is Country Road.
Ahaha they're so random!
Explain artist block? What do you do to fix it?
Hmm.. Well I think artists block is different for everyone. But for me its when my head feels foggy and un-inspired. I feel really blah. What I do to get over it is get off any devices and just sit outside, think about things that make me happy. If I have artists block I NEVER look at other artists work, from personal experience, whatever you create next always looks suspiciously like their art. I always go back to nature, and sometimes I just need a rest and a break from creating.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
I think be original, that would be the best advice I've ever had, and sometimes its hard to follow. But your art always looks much better when it comes from your own head.
Describe your personal style.
I think its very clean, a bit minimalistic, beachy.. I really love boho. My mum calls my style 'Conservative Boho' hahaha.
Describe your workspace and/or send in photos.
I kinda have two workspaces, one in my room where I allow myself to do art and create things, I can do things that inspire me in there. I don't let myself bring any schoolwork or stuff I find stressful, stuff that has limits and deadlines into my room, I want my room to be a place I can escape to, with none of the busy vibes hanging around. Then I have a big desk in our family office/study, that's were I allow myself do really do anything, I do all my schoolwork, blogging etc there.
Thank you Zali for being involved in Artist Colony. You can check out Zali's blog here, instagram here, and purchase her work here.
Well that's all for today. If you guys have anything you would like to see in the future on my blog, please place them in the comment box. I would love to hear from you!!
-C
During the good ol' holidays my friends Minnie, Violet and I popped over to the NGV to check out the the Masterpieces from the Hermitage exhibition. It was so cool to learn that Cath the Great had a pretty extensive art collection and loved educating people about the exquisite works.
Masterpieces from the Hermitage: The Legacy of Catherine the Great showcases one of the world’s greatest art collections. Featuring works by artists including Rembrandt, Rubens, Velázquez and Van Dyck, the exhibition offers a dazzling array of works including the finest group of Dutch and Flemish art to come to Australia.
This exclusive Melbourne exhibition will also highlight the innovation and vision of Catherine the Great, whose inexhaustible passion for education, the arts and culture heralded a period of enlightenment in the region. The extraordinary works sourced and commissioned by Catherine during her thirty-four year reign, created the foundations for the Hermitage today – considered to be one of the world’s greatest treasure houses of art and decorative arts.
The exhibition will offer audiences an immersive experience, recreating the rich atmosphere of the Hermitage to showcase these exquisite works. - NGV
Definitely recommend having a little squizz at this!
Also while we are on the topic of fun times at the NGV, make sure you check out the Friday Nights. There will be live music, food, art (shall I go on?) It's going to be a complete blast and would love to see you there! We are going on the 30th and I am so pumped! Whoo! Yeah! Book your tickets now!
(all photos taken by the talented Olga Benett)
Annnddd that's a wrap.
Hope to see you at the Friday Nights and hear about your experience at Catherine the Great exhibition (cause it's pretty great).
Camille
It's time again for another Artist Colony! I have a really great line up of Creatives for you guys so with out further ado, meet Elly. Elly is the genius behind 'Cactei', an online store that sells pretty much anything. From uber cool t-shirts to inspirational badges, this girl has some serous talent. I sent over some questions for Elly and she kindly answered, letting me (and hopefully you guys) learn a little more about her.
-What made you decide to set up a shop?
At the very beginning of starting an Instagram account I just made posts of my drawings, and a lot of people started requesting that the designs were put on shirts. So I made a Society6 store as it’s super easy and my designs can be on lots of cool things, not just tees.
-If you could be one artist for a whole day, who would you be? Why?
I’d love to be someone like Van Gogh, just to experience art culture during that time period. But then I’d love to be someone like CJ Hendry who is living the dream in NYC, living off her art.
-Explain your drawing style?
I don’t necessarily have one style, I guess the most popular is the simplified cartoon versions I draw of bands/movies etc. I just focus on portraying the subject’s characteristics as simply as possible, but enough that it still looks like them. Then I add circles on their cheeks, mainly just to add some fun and so they can be identified as a style I guess.
My style in regards to portraits is a bit less structured. I don’t really know what I want to achieve, so I normally just try to represent the subject as accurately as possible. I’d like for my portraits to have a bit more to them though, something that makes them mine. Still working on it.
-Is it still evolving?
Definitely! Even just as I scroll through my Instagram feed looking at old band drawings, there is a massive difference in how my style has evolved. They’re now a bit less cutesy looking and more accurate I’d like to think. I don’t know where it will go next because the development isn’t necessarily intentional, it just kinda happens.
-Who/what inspires you?
I’m inspired a lot by other teen artists I follow on Instagram such as @foxyfries, @namalas, @plantimal, @greazi, @lillchlo, @theskinnyartist, @lacun.a there are so many that isn’t even the beginning. They’re all extremely talented, some in different mediums but they’re artists nonetheless.
-What would you like to be/do after school?
I’d love to be able to live off my own art, freelancing and building my own name as an artist. I can’t really see myself doing anything else, but if I have to think practically somehow involved in a magazine or graphic design company perhaps.
-5 facts about you?
- I love a good movie; my favourites are Kill Your Darlings, Submarine and The Art of Getting By.
- I love music, I have no musical talent whatsoever but I get excited finding new bands/songs.
- I’m determined to succeed.
- I suck at talking about myself because I can’t think of anything interesting anyone would want to know about me.
- I love ice cream.
-How do you shake off artist block?
I find I don’t often get ‘artist block’ as such because almost all my drawings are based off real images, so there isn’t a lot of creativity involved. I’m more just fussy about what I choose to draw, so if I want to do a portrait I’ll spend 1 hour trying to find a cool photo and by the time I find one, I’m not in the mood to draw :/ I often look to Instagram or Tumblr for ideas though when I’m out of ideas.
-What is the best advice you have ever been given?
I haven’t been given a lot of advice really. Shoutout to the first few people who wanted my designs on shirts, that was a good idea.
-Describe your personal style.
Umm whatever I like! I often don’t think through whether what I buy will go with anything I own, I just buy it, which is sometimes dumb. I wear a lot of denim, and black. I like long skirts or dresses, plain shirts, my denim jacket, and a few bits of silver jewellery.
-Describe your workspace and/or send in photos.
I normally work at my desk in my bedroom, but will sometimes draw just on my bed or when I’m bored at uni. I have to keep my desk pretty simple as it’s not very big, so I have a shelf in my cupboard where I actually keep all my art supplies. I have a lot of posters and random things stuck to my walls, bare walls are boring.
Intro- Artist Colony A lot of people consider art as something that we don't need to have to achieve in life. But that's not true. The Arts are really important and without them, the world would just be dull and boring. I have wanted to do an artsy series for a while now, but had no idea what to do. Then, one night, BAM! the idea came to me. "Artist Colony" is a series where I interview different kinds of creatives. These people who have proven that algebra isn't all you need in life... (thank gawd!) So without further ado, meet Marta, aka 'Almost Iris'. I came across Marta via her instagram and was really intrigued by her illustrations. I loved the simplicity of them and how she puts humor into each of her prints. I really wanted to get to know this "Almost Iris" so I sent her some questions just so we could all get to know this new, talented illustrator. She kindly sent me some prints in return. I defiantly recommend you purchase some from her shop because they are so darn good!
What's your daily routine? My day usually starts off with breakfast and day daydreaming in the garden. I usually don’t start making in the studio until the late afternoon. At the moment I’m also studying a BA in Visual Arts. I absorb myself so much into my studies that during the trimester I go into lockdown mode with creating. Somewhere during my day I will fit in a walk to stop my mind from thinking.
What is your ultimate playlist? I’m known for obsessing solely over one album at a time. Even after I have had enough I find myself going back to an album just to relive the memories of my complete obsession. At the moment I’ve gone back to The Black Keys album Brothers.
What is your favourite thing about your job? I get to create with my hands. It’s really rewarding. And the worst? The administration side of things.
Describe your illustrations in three words. How can I?
Who and what inspires you the most? As much as I try and live in the present moment the future of the unknown inspires me incredibly. With the constant flow of artists on social media I try to step back from it all and visit galleries. I was in complete awe of Kirra Jamison’s last solo exhibition Drink, Salt, Moon.
What did you want to be when you where a kid? I was always that quiet kid sitting in the arts and craft corner. During high school I took every art based class possible. Secretly I always wanted to be an artist but self-doubt took over and I didn’t chase my dream till last year.
What is your favourite thing to draw? Girls.
Favourite item in your wardrobe is... A few years ago I invested in a gorgeous pair of leather boots. They have walked every winter with me since.
Thank you Marta for being the first artist apart of "Artist Colony"! Your prints are incredible and very inspiring. I hope you guys enjoyed the first Artist Colony, Camille
