Creative Director + Artist
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 !!
Ahh the checked pant. Iconic when worn correctly, catastrophic when paired with office attire and a bad attitude. I had seen a multitude of cool insta gals and guys strutting around London, Paris and NYC in their checked pants and completely rocking them, so when I found them in the thrift store for FOUR DOLLARS I was a veryyyy happy kid.
I went over to film my pal Lucie last week for her Made in Chicago (coming soon to my yt channel!!) and we coincidentally were wearing the same outfit, so I obviously forced her to take pictures of me so my ego can grow even bigger... yayyyyy.... I also took some pics of her cause she looked freaking fabulous and we were on top of a roof. If you live in Chicago then you should come see Lucie's art show! It's happening on the 30th at Eataly from 6pm-9. You'll see some of her art in the film, so keep those eyes peeled.
Hope you are having a fabulous day wherever you are
c
Whoooooohooooo! Happy International Women's Day to all the lovely ladies out there. Today is definitely a day to celebrate, to think about all the immensely inspiring women that have achieved incredible things, as well as thinking about our own future, and what you can do to change it. One thing that our society needs to understand is that everyone deserves equal rights. No matter your gender, race, sexuality or religion, you deserve equality. We need to be the generation that makes equality happen, so the generations after us are capable of achieving anything, without being swept under the carpet.
This post is kind of a mishmash of cool gals' that inspire me, and hopefully inspire you too! I've also attached my essay I wrote for school about Amandla Stenberg for Black History Month, incase you want to read it. Also on the agenda is a pretty cool #girlboss , Marta Oktaba from Almost Iris. She's answered a few questions on starting your own business as well as her tips on being a teenager.
posters via For All Women Kind
In this era, it is incredibly easy to have a voice. Social media platforms allow us to be updated on the lives of celebrities, bloggers and independent people making a living off a daily selfie; and we are capable of emitting whatever woes we have by uploading videos, comments and status updates. But the problems that we as humans face can’t just be justified by a ‘lol’ and an ‘fml’. These problems are much larger, although being hidden by a new instagram picture and our star struck minds. Although it may feel as if these new generations are drowning in narcissism and filters, there are some incredibly strong voices that use these platforms for the better.
I first saw Amandla Stenberg in The Hunger Games movie. Her portrayal of her character, Rue, was captivating, beautiful and strong. I, at the time, didn’t own any social media so was not able to do the ‘mandatory’ stalk and follow, so instead dedicated time to watching videos of her on YouTube. These videos were mostly short films, comedy clips and interviews but I soon became aware of her activism. Very soon after The Hunger Games was released, there was a large spike in racist tweets directed towards Amandla. Thirteen at the time, Amandla handled the situation with an incredibly poised response, telling US Weekly, “As a fan of the books, I feel fortunate to be part of ‘The Hunger Games’ family. It was an amazing experience. I am proud of the film and my performance. I want to thank all of my fans and the entire ‘Hunger Games’ community for their support and loyalty.” (huffingtonpost.com).
Soon after, Amandla posted a video on YouTube called ‘Don’t Cash Crop My Cornrows’, addressing the subject of cultural appropriation. She ends the video with the question “...what would America be like if we loved black people as much as we love black culture?”
(Don’t Cash Crop My Cornrows). This film got over 2 million views on YouTube, pushing Amandla further into speaking out about the problems within our society.
In 2015, Amandla and Rowan Blanchard where awarded by the Ms. Foundation for Women the Feminist Celebrity of the Year Award (Cosmopolitan). Tieing first place for their impeccable work on communicating to the public about their embrace of feminism and the fight for equal rights in all aspects, the girls grew in popularity, especially in the online world. In 2016, Amandla was awarded the Young, Black and Gifted award in the ceremony run my Black Girls Rock Inc. (Amandla Stenberg Website). Only four days later, Amandla spoke at Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul 100, delivering her speech “My Authenticity is My Activism.” (Amandla Stenberg Website). Amandla’s use of power is used to influence and educate our society, motivating teenage girls to see and utilize their true potential. Her wide range of mediums gets her message across allowing absolutely anybody to embody her courage and influence others. She released her comic ‘Niobe she is life’ in collaboration with Stranger Comics in late 2015, as well as pushing for the ‘Art Hoe’ movement, which “describes self-reflexive work made mostly (but not exclusively) by people of colour to address issues of race and representation in art.” (Oyster Magazine).
Being caucasian, I will definitely never fully understand the full extent of racism, cultural appropriation and how it affects me in my day to day life, but, thanks to Amandla, my knowledge of these issues have grown immensely and I am able to stand up and communicate with friends, family and society.
The Hunger Game's 16-year-old Amandla Stenberg delivers a crash course on black culture with a fellow classmate for their history class. http://www.hypehair.com/46876/amandla-stenberg-addresses-black-hairstyles-discussing-cultural-appropriation/ Original posted on Amandla's Tumblr " clandesteen.tumblr.com/post/107484511963/dont-cash-crop-my-cornrows-a-crash-discourse-on RELATED: Is Katy Perry's Gelled Baby Hairs Cultural Appropriation?
Amandla Stenberg for NYLON
I thought it would be cool to interview a woman who owns her own business, as well as letting us into the secrets of teenager-hood. Marta has just started selling jewellery on her online store Almost Iris. Her jewellery symbolises mental health and the emotional ups and downs of life. Marta was inspired by her struggle with anxiety when creating these earrings, which I know a lot of you reading this will relate to, too. I think it's pretty important and totally rad that there is jewellery being made focusing on mental illnesses (and they look really cool too).
As I’m getting older and delving deeper into my ‘teenage girlhood’, I’d love to hear what your teen years were like? How did they shape you as a person and any tips about being a teen? I grew up in a suburban area where a lot of European families immigrated in the 90s; as did my family. I was quite reserved. I was an odd mix of confident and shy. I always had a part-time job and that freedom made me feel a little more grown up. I often pushed the limits of how late I could stay out but only because I wanted to spend time with my friends and the night made me feel calm.
My teenage years were set in the beginnings of the internet. I didn’t have the pressures of social media. I think I got my first mobile phone as a hand me down when I was 15 and the internet didn’t exist on those phones. It was all about free minutes on phone calls to friends after 8 pm. I feel like my teenage years didn’t impact me as much as my early 20s did, but they were very vital in developing the strength that I have found within myself. I would tell any teenager today not to fear their true self. I know it’s cliché but it’s very real. Also, learn to write without thinking. It’s in those moments that you will discover things about yourself that may otherwise never seep out.
Who are some of your favourite influential women? I feel like I’m going to do a very bad job at answering this question because I don’t necessarily have some iconic woman that I look up to. I’m influenced by little bits that I see in everyday women.
But if I was to give you a name that you can Google; I would say Grace Neutral. She is delicate yet powerful. I resonate with her views on women and beauty and the challenges we face. If you haven’t had the pleasure of hearing her views you should watch the documentary Beyond Beauty.
What’s it like working for yourself? What would you say to a young entrepreneur wanting to develop their business? Working for myself is a mixture of the most amazing thing I have ever done and the most terrifying. There is a beauty in following your heart no matter how hard the path may be. The hardest part is beginning. We all have ideas but it’s what we make of them that can start something wonderful.
A huge terror of mine was not having a steady income because without it I felt like a failure. Sadly, we live in a world where our achievements are measured by money. Remember it takes time and a lot of patience to develop. There may be times when you may have to make a lot of sacrifices. I would tell a young entrepreneur not to be discouraged if what they are trying to develop is not defined as a job. If you have heart in what you are doing your work is important.
Your main concern/s that the women of today face is/are… This is terribly hard to pinpoint. We are all experiencing a wide range of battles. If I was to speak for myself as a woman, it’s the want to feel okay with myself on a day where my mental health may not be at its best. It’s never having to feel dominated by the power of a male who is trying to intimidate me with his strength. It’s walking alone at night and feeling safe. I want to know that my femininity is not defined or challenged by the way I choose to dress or groom myself. I want beauty to be the blemishes on my face and the stubble on my legs, without the need to apologise for it.
How would you change the world? If I could in any way inspire people to live from a place of love; I think the power of that could bring us all together to make a positive change.
I hope this post inspired you somehow! Always remember that you are strong, powerful, beautiful, intelligent and going to do some good to this world. Happy International Women's day you awesome person, you.
Seeya next week,
Camille
Helllllooooo. Here with another Made in Chicago, featuring the lovely Claire. It's been up on my youtube for a while now (which you should subscribe to cough cough), so you might have already seen it, but I wanted to post it here because why not?
Anyway, hope you enjoy/enjoyed. Let me know what other vids you want to see!!
- Camille
Mickey for reference...
You are probably all feeling very flooded by this constant spam of Wicker Park pics, but these are the last ones! I promise!! I really wanted to share this superb jacket that looks slightly like my dog, Mickey, and this golden skirt because they are possibly the coolest pieces I have in my wardrobe at the moment.
All of these photos are taken by Jemea, who you probably all know pretty well if you've watched her "Made In Chicago" episode.
A couple of days ago, my family bought a brand new camera that films and takes excellent photos (because our old one isn't working well anymore), so expect some cool things coming your way. If you are really wanting to see anything in particular, I'd love for you to let me know. Comment down below, send me an email, shout it from your rooftop.. I really don't mind.
Hope you are all having a fabulous day. Enjoy the post,
Camille
Just drink more water
Do you guys remember a little series called 'Melbournians'? The one where you stalked my friends... yup. Now you remember. Well it is somewhat back, new and improved, ready to hit the streets of Chicago. It's called 'Made in Chicago' because 'Chicagoens' was too obvious.
First up is my pal Jemea (yay I've made friends!!) who you probably remember from the last post. (You can have a look at her photography over on her instagram @drippshot .)
I really can't think of anything else to write because I am far to excited to share this with you all. Soooo, here it is!! (remember to go follow my youtube channel so you don't miss out on anything!) Enjoy!
Also, if you are wanting to see any videos on my youtube in particular, I would love for you to let me know.
-Camille
Q: What do you get when you mix leather, tassels and earrings? A: Some pretty funky accessories from Droplet Clothing.
Droplet is an upcoming brand based in NZ and focuses on sustainability, using the off cuts of leather to create these earrings!
I was lucky enough to get to collaborate with Droplet and thought it would be fun to use my gorgeous friends Jemea (above) and Leticia (below) to model.
See you all next time with a new series that you might have to be following my youtube account to see *wink wink*
-Camille
photo by @drippshot (Jemea)
I'm back again with another Street Style! You all seemed to really enjoy the last one, so here's another!
This post was taken on a sunny day in Brooklyn. The majority of the photos in this post are stalker photos. Running up behind people, peeking around poles or my favourite, the deceiving "wow.. is that a.. ahhh... squirrel?!" whilst quickly taking a snap of the couple in front. But two of these stylish New Yorkers completely rocked and let me take a few blurry pics (our camera doesn't focus any more RIP). I've also added a short little quote that they had said during our conversations.
Hope you enjoy!
-Camille
"New York's cool, the people are cool too."
"Chicago makes New York look like the biggest dump. It's a love/hate relationship for me"
A lot has happened in the past few days here in America, and also back home in Melbourne, so it was nice to just chill out this weekend, wandering around Wicker Park, creating videos and editing the blog. I created a little film, showcasing what I got up to today, and am pretty pleased with how it turned out! (also, I've created a youtube channel for my films, so please subscribe to that!!)
Now, let's talk about the clotheeeesssss. I've put together two very simple outfits (seen throughout the film) featuring this super funky jacket from A.C.F Clothing! It was kindly sent to me a couple of days ago and I couldn't wait to wear it out. It's so, so soft and such a great brunswick-y green.
Hope you all enjoy the film as well as seeing a little more of where I am living now!
-c
artist colony, art, artists, interviews, interview
In what ever you do, if you work really hard and with passion, anything is possible.
Apart from the fact that Camille has a really great name, *cough hmhmm*, she is also crazy talented, creating bright, colourful portraiture with a quirky edge. Inspired by some incredible sights as well as her artistic parents, Camille's artwork showcases a variety of different experiences all through the one face.
With her impeccable eye for colour and the coolest style *ever*, Camille is one groovy gal'. She was kind enough to let me steal some of her Instagram pictures, as well as letting me ask her a few questions. Thanks Camille!
Hey! How are you? What have you been up to lately? Hey! I am good, I have just finished high school! Lately I’ve been juggling between working as a Christmas casual at Dinosaur Designs, working both retail and warehouse, while of course painting as much as I can in between.
You come from an incredibly artistic family. How has this helped you develop as an artist? Coming from an artistic family, it was almost impossible not to be an artist. As hard as I tried, my inevitable path was creative. From a young age my appreciation for art developed as the endless cycle of bouncing from gallery to gallery, seeing and meeting eccentric artists all exuding their own contagious passion for art. As a child I always looked up to my parents, as I observed their own passion. I was instantly enthralled; opening my eyes to a world of colour, playfulness and absurd messiness, the endless conversations between colours fascinated me.
What inspires you? My inspirations generally come from my own experience and observations. My trips to Japan and New York from a young age have always inspired me. Colour is a large facture in my art. Seen through the colourful contemporary culture of Tokyo and the street art of downtown Manhattan. I’ve always made connections to Shibuya station as the inside of my mind. Flashing bright screens, neon colours, Harajuku fashion, loud voice-overs and the neat organised chaos.
I also take inspiration from both my Mum and Dad who both live for colour. My father constantly talks about the conversations exchanged through colour, such as a dark navy and light purple pink construct a sharp yet harmonious conversation. On the other hand my portrait inspiration is generally from the renaissance, including 16-17th century Dutch and Pre-Raphaelite.
Describe your workspace… My workspace mainly exists in a spare bedroom, a single table with my oil paint, loose canvas, disposable palates, brushes and speakers pumping out all kinds of genres ranging from French rap, Korean R&B soul, as well as notable artist David Bowie, Gorillaz, Sticky Fingers and Metronomy to name a few.
So I’ve been stalking your Instagram and am a little jealous of all the amazing galleries you have been to all over the world. Which one was your favourite and why? Each gallery and exhibition has its own unique interpretation. Instead of having a single favourite gallery, I really enjoy the Chelsea gallery area in New York. Ranging from the Gagosian Gallery exhibiting modern masters, Marlborough Gallery showing abstract and representational paintings to the Andrea Rosen Gallery displaying a variety of media by contemporary artists. The area allows you to spend a day discovering known and unknown artist with a multitude of mediums and expressions in a single area.
How would you describe your painting style? My style is constantly developing and changing, mainly focusing in portraiture. At this point in time I see it as both quirky and naive in it's approach, which I really enjoy. I am completely infatuated with the human face and the fun of tackling such a complicated form. Such as battling a wonky eye or a 3-quarter turn, the imperfection fuels my passion. Through trial and error I may change the way I tackle the face, either through starting with tonal contrast then adding colour. I always start with straight oil on canvas, sketching out the face as I go, shifting and moulding the face.
What’s the next artwork you have in mind? I find many of my portrait inspirations off Instagram, I have a huge album of photos on my phone filled with interesting faces. I never truly know what my next work will be as my choices are always based on how I feel on the day. I might want to challenge myself with a complicated perspective or maybe a clear front on which is relaxing.
What are your plans for the future? Since I just finished high school, this year I will be going to Art school, where I plan to learn more about art throughout history and continue to explore new mediums, subjects and generally have fun making art.
If you could be one artist for a day, who would you choose? I would love to be apart of the Japanese based group Teamlab for a day. Their effortless connection of traditional Japanese art and culture mixed with digital interactive projections creates a poetic approach to moving art, combining both the old and new. I would love to learn more about digital art and how I could incorporate it into my own.
5 quick facts about you:
1. I love film, such as the visual richness of Wes Anderson and Hayao Miyazaki
2. I live by the sea.
3. I have a dog called skipper, his star sign is Leo, which makes him think that he is literally a majestic lion, when in fact he is a short and stubby sausage dog.
4. I’ve only been painting portraits for 2 years now.
5. I could eat sushi for the rest of my life and not get sick of it.
What is something you would tell your younger self? In what ever you do, if you work really hard and with passion, anything is possible.
First Chicago Christmas D-O-N-E. It was very relaxed and cold... and white, but it was nice to spend time with family and eat a lot. My Nan and Pop have come all the way over to Chicago and are staying here for the measly two weeks I have off school, so we have been exploring and just chilling (also freezing) for the past couple of days.
Today's outfit is brought to you by the letter Q and the number 5, and also Sylvie's mad photography. She's really, really good and I'm so happy with how it has turned out.
These overalls are so comfy and go well with this stripe 3/4 neck from Zara. And let's not forget about the coolest earrings from the Australian brand Kitsu. The light pink just pops with any outfit, especially an all black ensemble (which you know I'm a big fan of). I see so many people wearing the Vans I have on at the moment (especially in NYC) and let me tell you, there is a reason why. They are so darn comfortable and also go with absolutely everything.
Hope you are all having a fabulous holiday,
Enjoy the post (I love this one!!),
C
+ Earrings // Kitsu (sold out of exact item)
+ 3/4 Turtle neck // Zara (sold out of exact item)
+ Overalls // Abercrombie & Finch
+ Shoes // Vans
Ahhhh, Christmas. It's fast approaching and I am very excited for it. This will be our first Christmas in Chicago and I'm hoping for a white one. But that's not the only thing I'm wishing for.. (wow what a great entry way for what I'm actually talking about, good job Camille, pat on the back.)
Yes, as you have probably already guessed, this post is my christmas wishlist. The things I'm loving all displayed on a collage that took me a couple of hours to make because photoshop is really confusing...
Hopefully you find this somewhat interesting and maybe even find something you like too. I mean, presents are what christmas is all about, right? (i'm kidding. chill)
-Camille
+ Calvin Klein - one
+ J. Crew Mockneck jumper (sweater to all the americans out there)
+ Women in This Town - Giuseppe Santamaria
+ Le Sac en Papier
+ How to be a Parisian, Wherever you are
+ Zara - Striped long sleeve top
+ Potplantspotplantspotplantspotplants..... my room really needs it....
+ Zara - Velvet Band Hat
artist colony, art, artists, interview
Beautiful, heart"felt" creations. (okay that was terrible, I am so sorry)
Naíma Almeida is a graphic designer from Brazil, who creates colourful felt artworks by hand. The boldness of her creations catches the eye and also brings back some childhood nostalgia, (does anyone else remember those stick-a-felt boards??).
She was kind enough to answer some questions I sent through. You can find Naíma's website here, her english version here, and instagram here. Thank you Naíma!
Hi! Introduce yourself. How are you? Hi! My name is Naíma, I’m a graphic designer from Brazil. I have a authorial project called Lhama where I create big compositions made of felt layers.
What inspired you to start ‘Lhama’? I started Lhama searching for a break of my routine in graphic design jobs. In that time I was a little bit stressed and disappointed with the lack of creative process inside design agencies here. So I started seeking for the opposite, to balance my mind. Something that could be made with my hands, in a long produce time, with no client, no target, no deadline and most importantly, with no expectation. Just for fun. One day I saw a very simple felt placemat on a blog and I realised that this material could be very similar to vectorial illustrations. It is a plain colour block, that I could cut in any shape. Then I did some tests and I've been using it ever since!
Has felt always been your chosen medium? What else do you like to use? Felt is my medium (until this moment) only for this project Lhama. It's like Lhama was my lab to try this material. For other works I feel free to change mediums. Recently, I have been getting involved with tapestry.
What is your favourite artwork that you have created? I have a special love for Urso (that was my first big challenge) But now I would say that Tropicaliente is my new favourite, in terms of difficulty level and a longer process.
What is your creative process? Usually I give myself a technical challenge, like “today I’m going to make a piece that only has 10 layers to stick down”, or “today I’ll try to make a composition with the smaller pieces that I have”. Normally the technical goal comes before, then the subject. And then, I make a lot of drafts on the computer, experimenting the compositions until I feel that I can reach that initial goal. It is at this part of the process that the theme comes. It can take more than 20 other potential artworks before I choose one to take forward. When I think that I already have a path to go through, I start to think about the layers. That’s a difficult part, because as a graphic designer, I have more familiarity with 2D solutions. It’s a little bit complex to imagine the 3D behaviour of the artwork. I then start cutting and overlapping the pieces that I had planned. During this process, I always change a lot the initial idea. The final result is something that is built in every part of process. Until the end I can feel the necessity of include something else, or change a colour, a shape.
Favourite and least favourite things about your job are… I love the big colour range. I don't like all the blisters on my fingers.
What did you want to be when you where a kid? I don’t remember as a kid, but when I was teenager I wanted to be a cultural producer, imagining that I would make a lot of concerts happen, and festivals.
What do you like to do when you are not working on your artworks? I wouldn't know how to answer that, because when I read the question, I instantly think of other kinds of projects that I want to do. The work and my personal life are kind of mixed. I could answer this saying that I like to study tapestry, but I’m not really sure if that would count as work. I think that when you love visual communication, arts or any creative field, you are always ready to capture something interesting. It makes the boundaries of work and fun very blurry.
5 facts about you are…
I don’t like to talk on the phone
I like drinks made of tomatoes
I’m always shy to talk in public
I’m terrible driver
I love coriander
What is your favourite colour to use? It changes every second, but now I’m in love with a very, very light blue.
Who and what inspires you? Nowadays, I think fashion is something that is inspiring me in someway. I follow a lot of good stylists and small brands on Instagram and I see a big flow of art in this area. Instagram has been a great tool to keep in touch with amazing people, I follow a lot of talented young artists that i’m loving.
But, to say a more direct influence, in my last series “Tropicaliente" I would say my influence would be Kennedy Bahia, an artist that was born in Chile but lived here in Brazil and had a great production in the 60’s. I am also frequently influenced by designer Paul Rand. He made a big range of works crossing limits between institutional design, art and illustration.
New York is filled with some really cool people with their own individual Street Style. I'm excited about this post because it is a little different from what I usually do but I think it's pretty interesting.
It was really daunting walking up to people and asking for their picture. Some would just smile awkwardly and be like "oh.. um yeah I guess..", but others would start talking and have a conversation which I thought was pretty rad.
I saw these girls (below and above) when I was sitting outside of a cafe in Brooklyn. They were looking for directions, I think, which gave me time to 'casually' get up and ask them for a few pictures. They where so, so friendly and I found out (I kind of already guessed, but I played it cool) that the two girls on the right where Australian!! (The girl on the left was English). We all chatted for a little bit and then I took some slightly blurry photos.
This (couple I think??) where the first two people I asked for a photo. We where in Central Park when I saw them just skating along to the seat right next to me. It was a sign.. fate that they had chosen the park bench right in front of where I was standing, and better still... they where both rocking double denim. I went up to them and awkwardly blurted out "caN i hAVe your PhOTo?", to which they kind of just looked at each other and then to me and back at each other. I realised that it was probably not the best way to ask for a photo so I introduced myself and started over.
These other photos where all taken either hiding behind a pole or a quick snap whilst walking. I felt like a NYC spy/stalker.. I was totally in my element.
Well that's the end to the first post of my Street Style series! Hoped you liked it. Also, if you have anything you would love to see on this blog, like types of posts or videos, I would love to hear your suggestions! I'm thinking about making some videos where I'm talking to the camera but I'm not sure on what yet, so let me know what you would like to see!
See you next Sunday, maybe??
Camille
Grab yourself a giant pretzel, wander through Central Park, and pretend you're the dog from 'Up' whenever you spot a sQUiRrEL!!...
There is something about New York that I love. I think it just reminds me of a bigger Melbourne. We are here, visiting NYC over the long weekend and I'm really tempted to just stay here. It just has something that Chicago definitely does not have (sorry Chicago... but please step up your game..) and I am going to miss it. BUT, I will be back because I think I have just discovered my new favourite city in the world.
These photos where taken in Central Park (and a few at the Flat Iron Building) by my extremely talented lil' sister, Sylvie. We have taken SO many photos and I'm really excited to share them with you. I have a new series as well, which might be a new favourite of mine.
JUMPER/TOP
SKIRT
SHOES
art, artist colony, artists, interview
A little something for the crafter, the plant lover and the darkest of black thumbs.
I may be a little obsessed with Corrie. I am in love with the indoor plant trend and can't wait to make my new room an indoor forest. Thing is, a Chicago winter mixed with my plant care etiquette is not a very good idea. But guys!!! Corrie has the answer! She makes PAPER PLANTS. This is the moment when the angels start to sing and everything makes sense. Of course! Paper plants are un-killable AND fun to make make. You can find Corrie's website here, her DIY blog here, and her Instagram here.
Hi! Introduce yourself. How are you? I’m great! Thank you! I’m Corrie Beth Hogg, a maker of things… most recently paper plants. But, I enjoy working in a variety of mediums: paints, fabric, paper!
Explain your job in one sentence. My day job... I work for an event design and production firm, I work on all the handmade stuff for our company, that could mean a centerpiece for a wedding or a wall made out of folded paper. On my own time, I make paper plants! (And, whatever else sparks my interest!)
What projects have you been working on lately? I just finished my paper maiden hair fern, which was a lot of fun and I like the way it turned out. Next, I am making a giant monstera deliciosa.
How did you come up with the idea to create paper plants? It all started because I wanted a fiddle leaf fig tree in my living room, which is quite dark. A ‘real’ one would never survive. I decided to try making one out of paper. I made the trunk and branches out of dowel rods and paper mache and the leaves out of paper painted on one side. After that, I’ve been having a lot of fun trying to figure out how to make other plants.
Who and what inspires your work? I find a lot of inspiration at the park and botanic garden near my apartment. I feel lucky to live just a 10 minute walk from both. I spent a lot of time wandering around taking pictures with my phone of plants: the underside of leaves, where the branches connect, buds, and flowers. I reference those photos when I start on a new project in my studio.
What would you say was the biggest turning point in your career? I don’t know if it was a turning point in my career, so much as a turning point in my thought process. Several years back, I made a conscious decision to try to be brave and step out of my comfort zone. The first time I did that - when I quit my job and went to work on a organic farm, I was so scared. I ended up learning a lot about myself and how to take on things that may seem daunting at first, how to set a goal and break it down into mini-goals.
Image via yenmag.net
What is your design process? Like I mentioned above, it starts with finding inspiration at the garden. Then, I spent a lot of time looking at images of plants online. When I start playing with paper, I typically make several leaf samples before I decide on a method.
What did you want to be when you were a kid? An artist. As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be an artist. There was a brief moment when I wanted to be a biologist - and I still enjoy science, but making things is what makes me happy.
If you could only choose one plant to create for the rest of your life, what would you choose and why? Oh! Haha! I don’t think I could ever pick just one. I like too many! But, begonias are interesting, there are so many varieties from pink to black to polka dotted. That could keep me entertained for a while.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I sing and play guitar, I really like classic country music from the 1920s. I also take a swing dance class once a week with my boyfriend. We go on lots of hikes with friends and out to see live music.
Black or green thumb? Mostly green! But it has been so hot in NYC lately that I lost a few. My heart breaks a little when that happens.
Can you give some advice for anyone that wants to pursue a career like your own? What skills do you think are necessary? A career as a crafter? Practice and more practice. I would also suggest taking classes - even if it is just a weekend course, you can grow leaps and bounds when you get help from someone who is a master at a certain skill. I still take classes even though I know how to make a variety of things. There is always more to learn. Once you have a mix of skills under your belt, they are like tools in your tool box, so when you are approaching a new project, or new idea, you have options as to how you can get it done.
And a few photos via pinterest
I thought today I would share with you some videos and photos that are really inspiring me at the moment to make me excited and motivated.
I have been spending a lot of time on my computer recently, thanks to the fact that it is the summer holidays here in America and I'm a little low on friends. But youtube and Pinterest suffice, right?.... right????
To be completely honest, moving countries is really, really difficult. No, actually, in reality, it's crap. Not just for the obvious reasons like leaving family/friends and your 'home', but for just simple things like not having the same brand of peanut butter, not being able to re-design your room because all your stuff is in a shipping container. The nerves of starting a new school, (which I like doing because I love to meet new people), but just the idea of having to, once again, create new relationships with kids, teachers and even a different education system.
I wasn't really planning to write all that but it kinda just spewed out. I have lived in a different country before, and I made amazing memories from doing that, so I know in the back of my mind I will love it. I know that it will definitely open up really good opportunities that i'm super excited about, and it's going to be so cool to go to an American high school! But if you're an expat, or have been, you'll definitely understand where I'm coming from.
Due to the fact that I don't really have any of my personal belongings that make me inspired, I have been feeling so un creative. I'm that kind of person who needs to be doing something (preferably creative) or I'm just a very moody teenager. And not being inspired to do something creative is making it hard for me to come up with good quality blog content and making my Instagram look a certain way. (So if you have been noticing the lack of "good" suff on my social media.. sorry 'bout that.)
Anyway, sorry for that cheesy, weird ramble, and back to the post that I actually had planned to do.
Video
I stumbled across this video when I was binge watching British Vogue's youtube, because their videos are by far the best Vogue Vids (sorry Australia). Camille's wardrobe is my dream wardrobe. Her denim and graphic tees, mixed with her beautiful, vintage shirts and funky jackets is very Alexa Chung with just a hint more something... and I love it!
Leandra Medine from Man Repeller is my all time idol. I love every thing she does, wears and writes. (I sound like a weird stalker, and to be honest, I probably am) This is a video of her giving free advice to people in NYC.
I think this video is very important to listen to and take in what everybody is saying. I don't particularly like how the video was 'represented', I guess is the right word, though. The way the people in the video posed, whilst having their voices played over the clip of them looking majestically off into the distance, made me a little uncomfortable. And I was quite disappointed by the fact that they where not representing anyone of colour, even though they where talking about diversity and equality in the fashion industry. But the message is good... so maybe watch with your eyes closed? haha.
Gawd it feels like forever since I last did something on here. So far Chicago seems alright. It's definitely not Melbourne (yet) and I'm missing family, friends, food and the shopping. We have found a few cool places, but I guess we are still exploring and trying to hunt down the places to go. I've enrolled in my new high school...
LIKE REAL AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL YOU GUYS!!
And I'm pretty excited. I'm expecting Perks of Being a Walflower + Mean Girls + any other cliché high school movies you can think of.
I've been flooded with tonnes of ideas lately but I've also been really critical towards everything I am doing (not the best combination). I go through phases where I'm like "yeah! Urban Arcade looks great!!" and then other times I'm just like "nope. nope. nope. this does not look good, and it feels boring." So that's why this post is a little different from the usual fashion post. I like it a lot so I'll definitely be doing more like this in the future.
I have been wanting to do a post with this dress for a while but also kept putting it off. It was my great aunts when she was younger, and I just think it's one heck of a dress. I'm not usually a dress person. I feel weird, frumpy and just a little too girly for my liking. BUT THIS DRESS. This dress can do no wrong.
I'm gonna leave it here to go watch The Bachelor (yes yes, I know what you're thinking. I'd be judging me too. But there is something really comforting hearing all those screechy aussie accents whilst stuffing my face with chocolate... mmmmm)
Photo creds to Mum
