Raw

I am intrigued by the concept of raw food.  Its not for me as a complete lifestyle choice because that would mean giving up this:

 

And roasts, eggs benedict, chocolate fudge... mmmmm

But I do feel we could probably benefit from eating a bit more raw foods.And when you think about it this should be fairly easy - its the ultimate fast food, no cooking required.  But strangely its not.  I think its because eating raw means being organised.  Case in point lunch Tuesday (2:30 pm A's nap time - you take it when you can get it), I reached into the pantry to grab a tin of baked beans (Watties of course).  I was thinking cheese and bean toasties but then I remembered I was trying to eat more raw foods.  10mins later I had this:


and it was good.  But the point is I needed to have a red cabbage, broccoli, chickpeas (which i had precooked sooo... not raw, shhh), in my fridge, nuts in my freezer, and a good quality vinaigrette.  And that involves good organisation.  Today it was a handful of ham, a few cherry tomatoes, and some crackers and humus, (cause I need to hit the supermarket again).  But hey, a little at a time.  Hopefully as I eat more raw, I will get more inspired and learn to shop better at the same time.

Wish me luck

And have a healthy week

*K*

PS.  If you need inspiration for raw food ideas try:
Kora Organics (yup, Miranda Kerr's Blog)
Kemis Raw Kitchen (Also see this months Peppermint mag)
 Goddess in the Raw, raw mocha brownies - now that doesn't sound like too much of a hardship!



Hearts

 

Just in time for Valentines day, my cousin took part in the amazing Chain Link Heart project.
I cannot begin to imagine what it would be like not to have A.
I can't imagine what it would have been like to never bring her home from the hospital, all those hopes and dreams you have as your belly swells, just disappearing, lost.
I cannot imagine how hard it would be to begin to to get back up again. 
Which is why I greatly admire people like Jen. Their bravery and their creativity, and their ability to find beauty from the saddest of situations, astounds and inspires me. 
Happy valentines to all those who have loved and lost, who walk around each day with a part of their heart missing, and somehow still see magic and magnificence, who still get up each day ready to love and live again.  I am sure somehow, somewhere, someone will give you what you need to feel almost whole again. 
And as for me, this Valentines, I will hold my daughter and husband close, and be grateful that I am blessed enough to have two beautiful people holding my heart together.

Happy Valentines
*k*

The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories

It arrived and its everything I wanted.  I finished the book wishing there were more pages, which is a good thing.  There's and second (available) and third volume (still being produced) that I will have to add to my Christmas wish list (one is never to old for a Christmas wish list ;)).
Not only do you find yourself marvelling in the wit, humor, sadness, or beauty that can be packed into a few shot lines but best of all it stimulates your imagination and creativity.  I'm feeling the urge to use my next nap time to see what tiny stories I can create.

Tiny Things

Beautiful tiny moments, Baby and Daddy.  (my personal photo please ask permission before using)

 

Tiny things can be beautiful, plain, sad, happy, bring joy, bring memories.  Tiny things can make a huge impact - the straw that broke the camels back, a needle in a haystack. Tiny things are that once in a lifetime moment, the smell of summer, your babies first laugh - a nanosecond of wonderful!

Which is why I'm intrigued  by 'The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories'  by Joseph Gorden-Levitt (whom I love as a actor).  I stumbled across it when looking for something completely unrelated on the book depository and after reading several reviews I'm now waiting for it to be delivered.  This is what the book depository had to say:
In December 2010, hitRECord self-published the first volume in the "Tiny Stories" series. The collaboration received over 2,300 contributions, from which Joe and the creative collective edited together 32 illustrated stories. This volume in the "Tiny Stories" series will contain all new material created through the same collaborative process on hitRECord.org as directed by RegularJOE. "The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories" is the first book in a current 3-book partnership between hitRECord and It Books.  

A collaboration of art and stories, sounds amazing. Amazon reviewers further perked my interest by talking about the amazingly emotive effects that a few short lines and an incredible image can invoke.  Once the book arrives in my hot little hand I'll let you know if it lives up to my expectations.  However the concept alone, makes me love Joseph Gorden-Levitt  just a little bit more!

FYI This is the associated website.  I confess I haven't perused it yet, my child is a cat napper, the fact I am able to write this post without entertaining a 10 week old at the same time is a miracle in itself!

Its a Beautiful World...

It has been a crazy insane start to 2011, Queensland, Christchurch and now Japan - awful, horrendous and heartbreaking Japan... But even when catastrophe isn't rocking the world people live in poverty and desperation while others live in (sometimes disturbing) excess. James Mollison's photography project 'Where Children Sleep' illustrates this in its documentation the different lives of children around the world through their bedrooms or lack thereof.  You can see the book online (here). 
This book, perhaps more so than the tragic images of Australia, New Zealand and Japan, left me feeling that I need to be more grateful for what I have, to give more generously (not just when tragedy makes me feel guilty), to celebrate the little things, to be happy, and to live a beautiful life. 
(Image by James Mollison of the Bedroom of Hamdi, a child in a Palestinian refugee camp, found via Etsy)

Wishing you all a rich, rewarding and beautiful day!

*K*

World Wind

 Landsat 7 image of the Bristol Channel

Amazon

 

 Azuara basin



Antarctica

 At first glance these could be beautiful abstract works - but there not.  There images taken by NASA... isn't our world crazy beautiful and oh so amazing!

Peter Madden {bookworm}

Peter Madden is the creator of these amazing one of a kind 'artist books'...

 Memento Morie and Misguided Angels

Valentine Box (not strictly a book but beautiful none the less)

They seem magical, medievil, right out of King Arthers Avalon, or Titania's fairyland... Enchanting, Breathtaking, Marvelous... Beautiful... I'm cant really think of any more to say - they speak for themselves...

Enjoy, and have a magical, mystical week...

*K*

All images from Peters website. 

Joanna Louge

I am a huge fan of rich textured application of paint.  Thus I was instantly besotted with Joanna Louges work when she was showing the Atrium Gallery this time last year.

Forest Track II, 2010 oil on canvas

Winter Gums (Dispatch) 2010 oil on canvas

Conifer - Hartley 2008 oil on linen

I love the Turneresque  quality these works have.  Up close they are abstract pieces of colour and movement, but as you move further away they form beautiful wintry landscapes of mist and magic, enchanting and moody.

Essington Window VIII 2010, photograph

Essington Window IX 2010, photograph

Essington Window I 2010 photograph

Joanna's paintings, and her photos share the same sense of abstract and landscape, both have a romantic or sublime feel that is brought about by the sense of suspense - the stillness, quietness, but the feeling that at any moment their will be movement, that something amazing will happen.

Joanna is currently showing paintings, assemblages and video works at the Cowra Regional Art Gallery.  Then following a residency at the Haeflinger cottage, Hill End, she will be making a body of work inspired by the ruged landscape of this NSW mining town for the Bathurst Regional Art Gallery. 
I eagerly look forward to where the future takes this talented and inspirational artist!

I hope you are all inspired too...

Have a great week!!
*K*

Robert Bradford - Upcycled Art

Bee at Eden steal wood nylon and plastic

Robert Bradford  is a UK artist responsible for the Bee sculpture at Eden, who is recently creating waves in the bloggesphere with his amazing sculptures made from old toys.  This is fabulous bright coloured art in all its fluro, plasticy goodness,  or badness depending on how you want to look at it.

Sniff One toys on wood

Its serious art that doesn't take itself to seriously.  Its art that's also about play and fun, about children and simplicity. And I'm all for any art that captivate kids while still being thought provoking.

Terrieristes - toys and pegs on wood

And yes, straight away there is a feeling of eco-lecture going on - the ugliness of waste and consumer excess, but maybe that's just my guilty conscience rubbing against my high-horse ideals, as while Bradford acknowledges there's a recycling element to his work, he believes that the job of the artist is not to instruct but to reveal. He believes his work starts a conversation but that has no message of its own (more here) - in other words take from it what you will - delight in the colour and form - that its a doggy made of pegs, and if it makes you have second thoughts about buying yet another barbie doll from Kmart well that's no bad thing - perhaps that's more about you and your ideals than it is about the doggy!!!

Toy Boy at Colliford plastic toys and steal mesh

Have a thoughtful week!
*K*

(I stumbled across Bradford via Li'l Magoolie)

David Trubridge

Body Raft, David Trubridge Designs

I have been captivated by David Trubridge since I first discovered his work in a 'theory of design' course I did as part of my BA, oh 8 or so years ago, (gosh I feel old!). And his aesthetic sings to me still - the flow of line, the honesty of the wood - it is beautiful in its simplicity.

Nananu (side and front view) David Trubridge Designs

I cant quite place what it is that draws me in - there is a rhythm, a grace, an almost spiritual element - the body raft and the sling with their bowed form are hammock like, boat like - a shape that speaks of quiet moments, of rest and relaxation. I love that curved line, in sculpture, paintings and design it appeals to me, perhaps because we are all descendants of sea travellers and that shape with its association to the waka, ship or raft is apart of our cultural psyche, or maybe it is more that that - perhaps for some reason it speaks to humanity itself - the moon, the turning of the world, the flow of distant hills, nature and the elements...

                  Sling, David Trubridge Designs

His work is informed by his strong belief that design owes it to itself to be sustainable while still retaining a cultural and social aesthetic. 

Taniko Lights narrow, and wide

To see more of this powerful and beautiful work, to read about the beliefs that inform his creative drive, and to find out where you can see the work for yourself  (he has stockists in Australasia, Europe and America) visit his website. 

Have an inspired week!

*K*

All images from David Trubridge Designs

In the Beginning {art hist 101)

1. Venus of Willendorf approx 22'000 - 21'000 BC

In the beginning we made art.
It was as intricate and beautiful and spiritual as any art done since...

2. Cueva de las Manos (Spanish for Cave of the Hands) in the Santa Cruz province in Argentina

3. Painting of a Horse from the Lascaux caves in France Approx dated to 15'000 BC

Wanna know more, try links below, or read the very interesting 'How Art Made the World' by Nigel Spivey

Have a great week!!

Images: 1, 2, 3

Spreading the Love!

Have you come across Brusse yet? 

It is art that makes me  laugh out loud!

His street art in particular is about "Creating an interaction between people and love represented by objects, words or paintings on the streets, in order to make people thing and rethink their relationships, their own situation and love itself ".

Imagine walking past this on the way to work! It would make my day? Would it make yours?

See more, read his manifesto or even buy his prints... I think the book would make a fun tongue and cheek wedding gift!

Have an inspired week!!

*K*

Gallery 33 {Friday Finds}

While researching Ash Hilton I came across Gallery 33 and thought I'd do a quick spiel on them seen as they seem to be doing such a fantastic job supporting and promoting the work of New Zealand artists.

Based in Wanaka (South Island, NZ) the website is interesting, easy to navigate and (conveniently) offers works for sale online.  They can, and have, organized shipping of works, big and small,  to Europe and beyond...

A few that caught my eye were:

Lyn Kelly:

Flax Necklace

Silk and Flax. 250mm across

Bing Dawe:

 Detail - Head of a Curlew

Hand carved and painted Rimu

Ben Reid:

Old Yellow And Old Blue - The Black Robins Story

2009, drypoint and relief print 4/5

Annie Smits-Sandano:

Fantails on Kura Landscape

2008, woodcut, edition of 200

Richard Adams:

Vanish

2007, oil on paper framed

But there's lots of other amazing and beautiful works to gaze at!
If your in Wanaka Call in and check it out for yourself!
(all  photo's from Gallery 33's website)

*K*

Search for meaning - Viktor Frankl

I recently discovered TED, and now check up on it from time to time when I feel like having some inspiration... This speech from Viktor Frankl made me laugh but also think, and believe...
Viktor Frankl: Why to believe in others Video on TED.com

Alex DiMercurio

Alex DiMercurio is a Parisian born artist who now calls Wellington home.  Wellington by the way is one of my most favorite cities in the world,  its where I met my husband, its where I found my feet as a adult, its where I would live if I had the choice... but that's beside the by, she's there and she's amazing. 

I stumbled upon her work via Artfind and was immediately drawn to it.  My grandparents lived out the country and when you passed the corpse of silver birches you knew you were almost there.  These paintings remind me of that - the anticipation, the excitement, the movement, the light...

(Journeys Through Beech Gold 3, 2009)

I love the colours, the rich textures she used.  They are works you could live with for 20 years, and still  be invigoated and inpired by them, see something new, feel something different, from up close you can appreciate the luscious application of paint and colour, from afar, the play of light and shadow, shape and form...

(Sunset Journeys Through Beech, 2009)

Good art should not only look beautiful, but provoke a response, an emotion - it should sing to you.  Alex's work sings to me!  I wish I could see this series in a gallery space - if they can amaze me when looking at them on a computer screen imaging how astoundingly beautiful they would be 'in person'.  Alex - I'm going to have to stalk your work when I'm next home!!

And I'm not the only one who's fallen for her works.  This talented lady has works in private collections in New Zealand, France and Australia, and has won several national awards.  Hopefully I too will own one... someday... there is space in my dining room... hint hint, hubby if your reading!

If your lucky enough to be in Wellington in August you'll be able to see Alex's work at the New Zealand Art Show.  Cant wait that long? Try Tamarillo Gallery, also in Welly, or contact Alex direct.

Wishing you a inspirational week!

*K*