Hello Party People,
Okay another quick message to keep ya'll in the loop. I'm currently editing photos and arguing with a Scottish barista in the Marwood. It's an awesome little cafe in Brighton that I'm thinking about making my second home. He just flipped me the bird while serving my coffee and then asked if I was from the loft apartment above the really happening party. meaning Canada. ha. I thought that was great.
Anyway, on to bigger and better things... Yesterday I did the two final shoots for the exhibition. One was with my darling friend Jeffrey and involved dropping a giant glass sphere off of a balcony type deal and freeze frame capturing it smash. We definitely got some interesting looks and the smash was much louder than I had anticipated. If you were in central Brighton yesterday around noon I'm sorry if you thought there was a gang drive by. I also did another shoot with a gorgeous tattoo covered girl called Madeline at the hotel in one of the showers. Another serene kind of approach to the water. An everyday, secret moment kind of deal. Her and her boyfriend were awesome and I now have connections at a tattoo parlour. maybe some new ink is in the works? ha. never can tell...
In any case, those were the final shoots for the exhibition and now it is all about printing, promoting, finishing up stories and poems, finding a sponsor for drinks and possibly some eats, and maybe looking into getting some live music for the night! lots of PR stuff which is pretty cool as I am learning so much about what goes into promoting yourself in the arts world. Definitely a really good experience. Lots of stress as it all comes together but definitely enjoying the ride...
Sorry this one is a bit short but gotta get back to it.
everyone please stay classy, and as always:
Thanks for listening,
Stephanie
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Bathtub Debacles...
just a quick little message between photo edits in the north lanes. yesterday after a long search for 'cool' sunglasses for me and denim shirts that can be tucked into trousers for Joe. Megan and I went to meet her 'friend' Hardcore Dave and utilize his bathtub for another shoot. His name comes from something about enjoying smashing a pumpkin like vegetable that i can't remember the name of right now. oh wait, a marrow? Being Canadian, I yet again, don't know what that is.... I say 'friend' because once we arrived there Megan proceeded to tell me that she had only met this guy a couple of times at his house parties and whilst drunk in the bathroom thought that he had an amazing tub. Well the tub was pretty cool. A free standing, older style one with hardwood floors underneath. I don't know if anyone else cares this much about bathtubs but I'm pretty partial to them.
anyway, the shoot was based on a short story I wrote called 'Glass Half Full.' And the photos are kind of a bit dark but also dreamy. We got a red bathrobe (or dressing gown for the brits) and an old fashion whisky holder (which we filled with apple juice because I'm too much of a poverty case to be authentic right now) and filled the tub up to get some pretty neat images.
the more hilarious and blog worthy part was 4 University guys watching 2 crazy girls take apart their bathroom. There were a few points where we took a short break because one of the housemates needed to use the toilet. oh and the highlight was when of them needed to brush their teeth which sounds pretty standard except he did so wearing boxers and a magenta sparkling blazer.
so kids, the moral of the story is when Megan tells you she 'knows' some one be on high alert and I'm sure there is some kind of symbolic bathroom metaphor in here but I'll leave that up to you...
As Always:
Thanks for listening,
Stephanie
anyway, the shoot was based on a short story I wrote called 'Glass Half Full.' And the photos are kind of a bit dark but also dreamy. We got a red bathrobe (or dressing gown for the brits) and an old fashion whisky holder (which we filled with apple juice because I'm too much of a poverty case to be authentic right now) and filled the tub up to get some pretty neat images.
the more hilarious and blog worthy part was 4 University guys watching 2 crazy girls take apart their bathroom. There were a few points where we took a short break because one of the housemates needed to use the toilet. oh and the highlight was when of them needed to brush their teeth which sounds pretty standard except he did so wearing boxers and a magenta sparkling blazer.
so kids, the moral of the story is when Megan tells you she 'knows' some one be on high alert and I'm sure there is some kind of symbolic bathroom metaphor in here but I'll leave that up to you...
As Always:
Thanks for listening,
Stephanie
Friday, July 16, 2010
Updates and Tings
hello beautiful people,
sorry I haven't written in a little while. I am trying my best to be a faithful blogger but life stuffs sometimes gets in the way. I just wanted to keep everyone who is still following this in the loop. I just spent the day with my good friend Jeffrey working on promotion for the exhibition. He is an absolute gem and hopefully by the end of the week everyone will know all the details about the event which is coming up veeery soon.
This week I have three more shoots planned. I will be working with my dear friend Megan aka Medge or Moooorgs. ha. she has lots of aliases as she is quite the elusive creature but she's cute as a button so it's okay. This one will consist of a bath tub and some whisky and a little bit of sex appeal. I'm basing it on a story I wrote for the exhibition called "Glass Half Full." I've been wanting to do this shoot for some time so hopefully it all goes well. I will also being doing a shoot with a lovely girl called Madeline on Monday relating to day to day life and struggles. we'll be using a shower for this one and perhaps some cool styling as well. and FINALLY, the last shoot I have planned will be based on a poem called Fish Bowl, which has something to do with shattered glass but I can't tell you anymore as I don't want to ruin the surprise! After Tuesday I should be done with all the shoots I have planned and then the rest of my time will be spent finishing up the writing and also trying to spin straw into gold to afford to pay for all the framing and printing I will need to do over the next two weeks. I think I read somewhere that you can do that? I'm sure it was a reliable source...
Anyway, I'll try to put out another post sometime this week.
And as always, for those of you who are still reading and haven't gotten sick of me yet:
Thanks for Listening,
Stephanie
sorry I haven't written in a little while. I am trying my best to be a faithful blogger but life stuffs sometimes gets in the way. I just wanted to keep everyone who is still following this in the loop. I just spent the day with my good friend Jeffrey working on promotion for the exhibition. He is an absolute gem and hopefully by the end of the week everyone will know all the details about the event which is coming up veeery soon.
This week I have three more shoots planned. I will be working with my dear friend Megan aka Medge or Moooorgs. ha. she has lots of aliases as she is quite the elusive creature but she's cute as a button so it's okay. This one will consist of a bath tub and some whisky and a little bit of sex appeal. I'm basing it on a story I wrote for the exhibition called "Glass Half Full." I've been wanting to do this shoot for some time so hopefully it all goes well. I will also being doing a shoot with a lovely girl called Madeline on Monday relating to day to day life and struggles. we'll be using a shower for this one and perhaps some cool styling as well. and FINALLY, the last shoot I have planned will be based on a poem called Fish Bowl, which has something to do with shattered glass but I can't tell you anymore as I don't want to ruin the surprise! After Tuesday I should be done with all the shoots I have planned and then the rest of my time will be spent finishing up the writing and also trying to spin straw into gold to afford to pay for all the framing and printing I will need to do over the next two weeks. I think I read somewhere that you can do that? I'm sure it was a reliable source...
Anyway, I'll try to put out another post sometime this week.
And as always, for those of you who are still reading and haven't gotten sick of me yet:
Thanks for Listening,
Stephanie
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Lovers and Other Strangers...
hello people, does anyone remember that cheesy radio program that used to come on in the middle of the night with that guy with the really deep voice who would play love songs at 2 am and always talk about the 'lovers and other straaaangers' that were out there in the night? I don't know if it was just a Canadian thing but I'm not going to lie, I listened to it a few times.
Anyway, the reason for the title is not a throw back to a 90's radio romance. It is to illuminate another shoot that I just finished. This time I worked with two models, A beautiful young lady called Jessica Perkins and a strapping gentleman named Patrick Walsh. I wanted to explore relationships and intimate moments, but still with the backdrop of the ocean. The shoot (hopefully) illuminates the safety and security you can feel with someone near the water but also the uncertainty of where any relationship may lead. I'm working on a story to go along with it that I think may just be all dialogue between a couple. maybe a Hemingway-esque Hills Like White Elephants tribute. But we shall see. Jessica and Patrick were both amazing and with only knowing each other 5 minutes were able to pretend they had shared an intimate night together as lovers. It was really remarkable as couple shoots can be hard to do because you need to make sure the chemistry is there. Thank you to both of them for doing an amazing job!
Other than that I have just learned the exhibition opening will take place on the 30th of July at the Artist Residence in Brighton. Anyone who is in the area or fancies a seaside trip please do come! This means there is less than a month to bring everything together. I have been focusing on writing more this week and am hoping to have a few pieces finished by the end of the week. I also have three more shoots to get in before the end of the month. So now it's time to crack down and churn out some art. I will be sure to let you know how all of this goes!
As Always,
Thanks for listening,
Stephanie
Anyway, the reason for the title is not a throw back to a 90's radio romance. It is to illuminate another shoot that I just finished. This time I worked with two models, A beautiful young lady called Jessica Perkins and a strapping gentleman named Patrick Walsh. I wanted to explore relationships and intimate moments, but still with the backdrop of the ocean. The shoot (hopefully) illuminates the safety and security you can feel with someone near the water but also the uncertainty of where any relationship may lead. I'm working on a story to go along with it that I think may just be all dialogue between a couple. maybe a Hemingway-esque Hills Like White Elephants tribute. But we shall see. Jessica and Patrick were both amazing and with only knowing each other 5 minutes were able to pretend they had shared an intimate night together as lovers. It was really remarkable as couple shoots can be hard to do because you need to make sure the chemistry is there. Thank you to both of them for doing an amazing job!
Other than that I have just learned the exhibition opening will take place on the 30th of July at the Artist Residence in Brighton. Anyone who is in the area or fancies a seaside trip please do come! This means there is less than a month to bring everything together. I have been focusing on writing more this week and am hoping to have a few pieces finished by the end of the week. I also have three more shoots to get in before the end of the month. So now it's time to crack down and churn out some art. I will be sure to let you know how all of this goes!
As Always,
Thanks for listening,
Stephanie
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Big Bird in a Small Cage
Right, so I may have stolen the title of this post from the amazing Mr. Patrick Watson but it's just appropriate so you will all have to deal with it. I've also made a revelation that I may or may not be the most committed blogger...The internet proves far too distracting, what with endless youtube clips and well, facebook creeping... Oh, I've just made another revelation that maybe I need to explore more of this world wide web thing...It's more of a world wide corner for me.
Anywho, on to things that are actually relevant to this blog. I just did another photo shoot last night with a beautiful girl called Alice Myles. She's a housemate of one of the girls at the hotel and a looker with legs for days. ha. Alice, I hope you read this. For my second shoot I tried to explore a more free spirited approach to the water imagery theme. For those who have seen my work in the past you'll probably think this shoot is more along the lines of the type of ethereal stuff I usually do. There were flowers, bird cages and a chair in the ocean. It all ended up looking a bit surreal and I am extremely happy with the way the photos have turned out.
I'm also amazed at the caliber of people I am working with. So far each person has been totally committed to the themes and really willing to explore and get inside a character. it's really amazing when you have wonderful people to work with because it makes things so much easier and a lot of fun.
Other then that I have been working on some short stories and poetry to go along with the images. I wish I could share these things with you guys but i really don't want to ruin the surprise for those who are going to attend the exhibition. But just to keep you updated, I'm really feel like things are coming along nicely and I'm really, really excited as I work towards the final project. It's actually been a dream of mine to do an exhibition using both images and creative writing and I can't really believe how I managed to fall backwards into it. To quote my good friend joe, "it's pretty fucking cool."
Also, I've just been speaking to my friend Thomas Xylophone Dearnely-Davison (his middle name may or may not be fictitious but is definitely awesome) who is the Online Editor of Spindle Magazine here in Brighton. I have been asked to do a shoot for the September issue! Spindle is a really cool Arts and Fashion Magazine and I'm am elated to be able to work with them and have some of my stuff IN PRINT. Tom, who I suspect may read this, has taken my career in his able hands and is going to make me a star...or crush me if I'm not up to snuff...ha. He said that I swear.
So it's looking like Brighton was a really good move for me. Amazing people and a real chance to push my limits and see what I can do. I'll be sure to keep you updated on what happens next. And for those of you who take the time to read this:
Thanks for listening,
Stephanie
Anywho, on to things that are actually relevant to this blog. I just did another photo shoot last night with a beautiful girl called Alice Myles. She's a housemate of one of the girls at the hotel and a looker with legs for days. ha. Alice, I hope you read this. For my second shoot I tried to explore a more free spirited approach to the water imagery theme. For those who have seen my work in the past you'll probably think this shoot is more along the lines of the type of ethereal stuff I usually do. There were flowers, bird cages and a chair in the ocean. It all ended up looking a bit surreal and I am extremely happy with the way the photos have turned out.
I'm also amazed at the caliber of people I am working with. So far each person has been totally committed to the themes and really willing to explore and get inside a character. it's really amazing when you have wonderful people to work with because it makes things so much easier and a lot of fun.
Other then that I have been working on some short stories and poetry to go along with the images. I wish I could share these things with you guys but i really don't want to ruin the surprise for those who are going to attend the exhibition. But just to keep you updated, I'm really feel like things are coming along nicely and I'm really, really excited as I work towards the final project. It's actually been a dream of mine to do an exhibition using both images and creative writing and I can't really believe how I managed to fall backwards into it. To quote my good friend joe, "it's pretty fucking cool."
Also, I've just been speaking to my friend Thomas Xylophone Dearnely-Davison (his middle name may or may not be fictitious but is definitely awesome) who is the Online Editor of Spindle Magazine here in Brighton. I have been asked to do a shoot for the September issue! Spindle is a really cool Arts and Fashion Magazine and I'm am elated to be able to work with them and have some of my stuff IN PRINT. Tom, who I suspect may read this, has taken my career in his able hands and is going to make me a star...or crush me if I'm not up to snuff...ha. He said that I swear.
So it's looking like Brighton was a really good move for me. Amazing people and a real chance to push my limits and see what I can do. I'll be sure to keep you updated on what happens next. And for those of you who take the time to read this:
Thanks for listening,
Stephanie
Friday, June 25, 2010
With A Noose Around Your Neck Can You Still Feel Free?
So, I'm going to try and update this little guy as often as possible. As I get more involved with the photography and writing the posts may be less frequent but bare with me as I promise I'm trying. SO! Yesterday was the first portrait shoot for the series. It was with a really awesome guy called Joshua Mann. He has been living in Brighton for the past three years studying Performance Arts at Brighton University. I ended up connecting with him using the website Model Mayhem, www.modelmayhem.com. FYI: if you are a portrait/fashion/fine art photographer it's a really good way to connect with models, make-up artists, other photographers...whatever you need really. It's been extremely useful while being in Brighton as when I rolled up in this bohemian city I didn't know a soul...Not the best situation for someone who loves taking 'people pictures.'
With the first shoot we decided to explore the darker aspects of water imagery. We tried to expressed feeling trapped and constricted but also wanting to break free... There was rope, black clothes and eyeliner involved but I swear to you it wasn't as emo as it sounds and no black tears were harmed in the making of it. We decided to use the ocean as a backdrop and maybe centre stage for a few of the pictures. I have to say, I'm pretty happy about the photos. Although I cannot show you any as you'll have to wait until the end of July for the final unveiling of the series, I feel like we really captured the essence of being crashed down and yet wanting to escape this feeling.
Even though these portraits were meant to be quite dark, I thought I'd share with you some of the behind the scenes moments of the shoot which were actually quite hilarious. Joshua and I met on the beach where we sat and had a quick, 'hi! I just met you and now we have to get to know each other and work together chat.' I then proceeded to get up close and personal and apply eyeliner to the guy I met 5 minutes ago. I always find those moments so funny as they would only happen in this line of work. But the best moment had to be when Joshua was tied up with rope and climbed on top of a brick wall that sticks out into the ocean. Just as i was about to shoot a lifeguard came over to me and asked me to tell Joshua to come down. She looked at me with an extremely worried face and then asked, "is he going to be okay?" Ha. I think our lifeguard friend thought Joshua was going to end it all. Either that or he was the victim of stag party antics the night before.
Next up on the list, working on some short stories this weekend, meeting with potential models for the next shoot and perhaps getting a bit of sun by the sea.
Thanks for listening,
Stephanie
With the first shoot we decided to explore the darker aspects of water imagery. We tried to expressed feeling trapped and constricted but also wanting to break free... There was rope, black clothes and eyeliner involved but I swear to you it wasn't as emo as it sounds and no black tears were harmed in the making of it. We decided to use the ocean as a backdrop and maybe centre stage for a few of the pictures. I have to say, I'm pretty happy about the photos. Although I cannot show you any as you'll have to wait until the end of July for the final unveiling of the series, I feel like we really captured the essence of being crashed down and yet wanting to escape this feeling.
Even though these portraits were meant to be quite dark, I thought I'd share with you some of the behind the scenes moments of the shoot which were actually quite hilarious. Joshua and I met on the beach where we sat and had a quick, 'hi! I just met you and now we have to get to know each other and work together chat.' I then proceeded to get up close and personal and apply eyeliner to the guy I met 5 minutes ago. I always find those moments so funny as they would only happen in this line of work. But the best moment had to be when Joshua was tied up with rope and climbed on top of a brick wall that sticks out into the ocean. Just as i was about to shoot a lifeguard came over to me and asked me to tell Joshua to come down. She looked at me with an extremely worried face and then asked, "is he going to be okay?" Ha. I think our lifeguard friend thought Joshua was going to end it all. Either that or he was the victim of stag party antics the night before.
Next up on the list, working on some short stories this weekend, meeting with potential models for the next shoot and perhaps getting a bit of sun by the sea.
Thanks for listening,
Stephanie
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Inaugural Blog Post
So this will be my new world wide web space to share with anyone who is listening the experiences I am having whilst in England and specifically being The Artist in Residence at the Brighton Hotel, Artist Residence. For those of you who are not aware, I am currently living and working at a hotel and art gallery in Brighton, UK. It located on the southern tip of England, right next to a pebble beach and an ocean...oh sorry i didn't mean to go on like...or maybe I did.
Anyway, Artist's Residence is a really funky, creative hotel where each room was designed and painted by a different Artist, some of whom reside locally in Brighton. It also has a gallery space and provides opportunities for local artists to display their work. Every two months they ask a new artist to take up a residency which involves performing some light duties at the hotel in exchange for free accommodation and a studio space. I was selected for June and July and have been having an incredible experience thus far.
Brighton Beach is full of the most interesting, creative people. Everyone is extremely open and creative and it's extremely inspiring. I am actually amazed at how many fascinating people I have come across. And not just friends, you can meet people in the most intriguing ways here. For example, this morning while having a tea on the beach I was asked randomly by a guy if could sit and have a chat with me. For those of you who know me, you'll know I obviously said yes, and we began having a chat about his life. He is a writer that wants to write about corporate corruption, human existence, meditation and healing. He explained it as a mix between the old and the new. It is all about looking to the past to find solution for the issues today. He also told me he came here to focus more on his creative side and get away from his job in finance. I think that is a key theme in Brighton. People come here because they are looking for a little bit more. They are looking for something to inspire them, something sans status quo. I think I may be one of those people...
Since I have arrived, I have been looking for inspiration and have been trying to make a decision about what kind of art I want to create here. Being by the ocean has made me feel so calm and relaxed and has made me think a lot about how important water is in our lives. I remember back at Carleton University I wrote a poem about human bodies being filled with water and how water is vital to our existence. Water has the ability to make us feel free and conversely trap us, cause us to drown. I decided being next to the ocean would be an amazing way to explore these ideas. The way water can lift people up, crash them down, the aspects of survival and the romantic or secret moments it can provide us with. I've decided to create a portrait series tentatively titled, "In the Water I Am..." This series will also consist of short stories and poetry to coincide with the images. The ideas may change or develop more but this is where I am at right now. Feel free to follow along as this experience evolves and changes.
Thanks for Listening,
Steph
Anyway, Artist's Residence is a really funky, creative hotel where each room was designed and painted by a different Artist, some of whom reside locally in Brighton. It also has a gallery space and provides opportunities for local artists to display their work. Every two months they ask a new artist to take up a residency which involves performing some light duties at the hotel in exchange for free accommodation and a studio space. I was selected for June and July and have been having an incredible experience thus far.
Brighton Beach is full of the most interesting, creative people. Everyone is extremely open and creative and it's extremely inspiring. I am actually amazed at how many fascinating people I have come across. And not just friends, you can meet people in the most intriguing ways here. For example, this morning while having a tea on the beach I was asked randomly by a guy if could sit and have a chat with me. For those of you who know me, you'll know I obviously said yes, and we began having a chat about his life. He is a writer that wants to write about corporate corruption, human existence, meditation and healing. He explained it as a mix between the old and the new. It is all about looking to the past to find solution for the issues today. He also told me he came here to focus more on his creative side and get away from his job in finance. I think that is a key theme in Brighton. People come here because they are looking for a little bit more. They are looking for something to inspire them, something sans status quo. I think I may be one of those people...
Since I have arrived, I have been looking for inspiration and have been trying to make a decision about what kind of art I want to create here. Being by the ocean has made me feel so calm and relaxed and has made me think a lot about how important water is in our lives. I remember back at Carleton University I wrote a poem about human bodies being filled with water and how water is vital to our existence. Water has the ability to make us feel free and conversely trap us, cause us to drown. I decided being next to the ocean would be an amazing way to explore these ideas. The way water can lift people up, crash them down, the aspects of survival and the romantic or secret moments it can provide us with. I've decided to create a portrait series tentatively titled, "In the Water I Am..." This series will also consist of short stories and poetry to coincide with the images. The ideas may change or develop more but this is where I am at right now. Feel free to follow along as this experience evolves and changes.
Thanks for Listening,
Steph
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)