Looking back at my favourite streetstyle photos for June it seems that the accessory of the month is a bicycle. This trend for fashionable biking has been gathering momentum for a while. There are blogs such as Copenhagen Cycle Chic , the original chic cycling website and now the many other blogs it has spawned such as Moscow Cycle Chic, Bristol Cycling Chic and LA Cycle Chic to name just a few. There have been newspaper articles such as this one from the Sunday Times about fashionable women who cycle to work. But this is the first time that I have looked through my streetstyle picks and noticed that most of my favourite photos included a bicycle. Maybe its the recession, but its probably just the good weather. Either way I think its safe to say that all the trendy people are cycling these days. Maybe its time for me to dig my dusty (and possibly rusty) bike out from the bottom of the shed.
There were a few of my favourites not travelling by bike, but maybe theirs was parked just around the corner.
I love the way this girl from The Sartorialist casually pairs a lace skirt and chiffon top with runners, and it looks just right.
I would definitely bet on Marie Sofie from The Streethearts having a bicycle. She has such a happy, summery, carefree, climbing-trees-and-picking-flowers outfit. (And the laugh to match it) It could easily have looked a mess but she makes it look classic.
And finally my favourite. Zippora, the hottest Kiwi model of the moment, was captured by Stylesightings in this festival fabulous outfit. Amazing!
Last week I had the chance to call in to the Crawford College of Art & Design Degree Show - Site 46. Its always an interesting show to see and this year's exhibition seemed to have a particularly high standard of work, and was well produced with a lovely glossy catalogue and a great website. So I decided to share just a few of the highlights of the show. Please follow the links to read what the artists themselves say about their work and to see some better photos than my quick snaps!
ShowStudio has posted a wonderful interview with Tim Walker by Penny Martin. It is the first in a series of interviews with some of the most influential people in the fashion industry today. Edited from over an hour of footage the interview covers everything from the first moment Walker picked up a camera to what he hopes his photography will inspire in others.
Click on the picture above or go here to watch the film.
Last week I promised I'd show you some of my work from the group exhibition 6 Perspectives on Light. The show opened last Thursday night and runs until the 2nd of July so today is the halfway point. So far its been a wonderful experience seeing my work up on the wall and hearing peoples reactions to it. The show was opened by Cork artist Harry Moore, and it was great to see everyone who came. Of course it wouldn't have been half as wonderful without my fellow artists and their wonderful work. I must apologise that I was so organised that I framed my photos before I scanned them so I don't have many to show you here! I exhibited 12 black and white silver gelatin prints (Limited Edition of 12) called 'The Counterpane Series'.
When I became ill a few years ago my life suddenly became very small and time slowed down. The movement of light throughout the house began to mark time for me. The constantly changing shapes of the highlights and shadows separated one hour from another. After months of looking at the same rooms I began to notice light transforming the ordinary, dull, mundane objects and spaces of my life…a shaft of light falling on a bookcase, the shapes formed by the wrinkles in my bedclothes, the shadow of a plant on my window ledge. These moments didn’t last nor were they ever the same two days in a row. They moved and changed with the light and seasons, adding variety and interest to my days. Photography gave me a way to record these precious fleeting moments and award them the importance they have had in my life. My photography is about ordinary everyday objects transformed by light into objects of extraordinary beauty.
The title of the series is inspired by a childhood poem called “The Land of Counterpane” by Robert Louis Stevenson, about a little boy who is sick in bed imagining the dips and folds of his quilt are a land for his toy soldiers. It has stuck with me as a story of imagination distracting and overcoming the isolation, boredom and pain of illness.
The Land of Counterpane
By Robert Louis Stevenson
When I was sick and lay a-bed,
I had two pillows at my head,
And all my toys beside me lay,
To keep me happy all the day.
And sometimes for an hour or so
I watched my leaden soldiers go,
With different uniforms and drills,
Among the bed-clothes, through the hills;
And sometimes sent my ships in fleets
All up and down among the sheets;
Or brought my trees and houses out,
And planted cities all about.
I was the giant great and still That sits upon the pillow-hill, And sees before him, dale and plain, The pleasant land of counterpane.
6 Perspectives on Light continues in The Greenroom Gallery, Cork Arts Theatre, Camden Court, Carroll's Quay, Cork until 2nd July 2009.
If you've been following my Twitter you'll have heard that I'm getting excited about an upcoming exhibition showing some of my photos. Its called 6 Perspectives on Light and is exactly what it says on the tin. Six artists are showing work exploring the imagery of light and shade. The artists are Roseanne Lynch, Padraig Spillane, Ciara O'Flynn, Lucey Clarke, Eimear Tunney and Miriam King (I'm going to blow my cover and tell you that's me! Miriam is my real life name.) And its curated by the artist Gráinne Galvin. For any of you that might be in Cork, its on in the Greenroom Gallery, Cork Arts Theatre from Thursay 18th June to Thursday 2nd July 2009. And you're all invited to the opening at 7pm on Thursday 18th, I'd love to see you there.
Now about the exhibition itself - its an exhibition of photography, drawing and painting. Traditionally light has been conceived of as an agent that penetrates, illuminates and purges. The artists use subtle interpretations, geometric representations and organic imagery to convey large and obscure areas of light and shade. They seek to examine the edges upon which light runs, the surfaces on which it falls and the materials it pierces.
Later in the week I'll give you a sneak peek of some of my work and tell you the story behind it. But for now put 7pm Thursday 18th June into your diary and I'll see you there!
Its funny how the afternoon just disappeared! Its seems like 2 minutes ago I put on the kettle for a cup of tea and told myself I'd have a little catch up on Flickr while I waited for it to boil. That was 2 hours ago and I never got my cup of tea! Damn Flickr! There are so many beautiful photographs on there. These are my most recent favourites. Please go here see who made them and explore Flickr for yourself!
May is a changeable month with unpredictable weather - sun one minute, spring showers the next. This girl covers all bases by pairing a pretty floral summer dress with opaque black tights and finishing the outfit with black patent shoes.
Stil in Berlin Leonore from London. I love pink and red together. She's kept the outfit simple with the white t-shirt and the flats, giving the outfit a casual feel. Its the perfect outfit for a warm sunny day.
Stylesightings Sighted in Sydney. I love the casual prettiness of this look. It looks summery with all the florals yet she's keeping warm with the cardigan and tights.
The Sartorialist Again this is a sighting from Sydney. I'm not a fan of harem pants but she does pull it off here. The whole outfit is casual and relaxed.The more summery basis of her outfit (the pants and t-shirt) is 'warmed up' with the jacket and scarf. And the casual look of the outfit is dressed-up and contrasted with a more serious pair of shoes.
The Sartorialist I very nearly didn't include this shot because there's nothing particularly exceptional about her outfit - jeans and check shirts are everywhere. Yet there's something so beautiful about this shot. She's the cool girl we all want to be...like a young Natalie Portman. The look is simple, casual and effortless. I really like the juxtaposition of the frill on the check shirt and the rolled up sleeves. The grey knitted hat and the yellow watch just finish it all off perfectly. I know that as much as I tried I could never get this look right but this young girl looks beautiful without even trying.
The Sartorialist
I love the way this girl from The Sartorialist casually pairs a lace skirt and chiffon top with runners, and it looks just right.
And finally my favourite. Zippora, the hottest Kiwi model of the moment, was captured by Stylesightings in this festival fabulous outfit. Amazing!
