Sunday 24 August 2014

CH-CH-CHANGES







The weather has turned dramatically. Long hot nights have been replaced with drizzle and chilly winds. To celebrate this change of season let me present a series of still lifes, or if you like vanitas, including a whole variety of plastic fruits that I have collected over the years and a stuffed sardine. There will be more images in this vein later this week as I'm not entirely happy with the outcome of these; the light was not on my side today.

I'm always very intrigued by the English attitude to seasons. I constantly hear people say 'OH I wish it was Summer' or 'Winter really seems to be dragging on'. Sometimes I wish people could enjoy the moment they are in a little more. Change is a beautiful thing if you watch it. There is something so quiet and lovely about watching the flowers in the garden slowly fall off or the gentle sound of rain. I wish we had a word for it in English but we sadly don't so instead I turn to the Japanese phrase wabi-sabi. I recommend this book to anyone interested in thinking about change in more depth.


The outfit is a little inspired by this, if it had been painted in the late 1960s:

The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein
Source

and a little by this photograph of my dad (sorry for the terrible quality, I photographed it in a frame which should just never been done ever, I hope you get the gist):


As you may notice there was an outfit change. I was actually originally wearing a velvet 1970s jumpsuit but it, although beautiful, is not very photogenic against this fruity backdrop! So I did a quick switch to something a little greener.

Thanks for all the encouraging comments about the magazine! It's making slow (but steady!) progress and I hope we'll have the first issue together by the start of October (fingers crossed). I did mention submissions in the last post, if you'd like to email me (details in my contact page) as I am the most likely to reply hah!

Also a quick plug (again!) I visited The Glorious Art House for their preview night on Friday and it was magnificent, I've scarcely been in more gorgeous and uplifting environment. They open tomorrow (Monday 25th!) so what are you waiting for, get to Exeter!

I hope you all enjoy the long weekend, I wish I could say make the most of the lovely weather but instead read, draw and enjoy the quiet, calming sound of the rain falling. Be happy with the here and now or as the wise Buddha says "Do not dwell on the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment". Enjoy the change and listen to Bowie the King of change.

Linking to Visible Monday








 

Outfit Details

Main:

Green floral Indian silk dress - Gift

Vintage faux fur cap - Gift

1960s white Alpaca coat - Oxfam

1960s purple paisley Cravat - Charity shop


Other:

1970s black velvet jumpsuit - Enjoy Clothing


Faux suede 1980s hat - Vintage Marks & Sparks

Anna Della Russo for H&M serpent necklace - H&M sale 

X

A small amendment, I was V.heavily influenced by Derek Jarman's film Caravaggio (if you haven't seen it stop NOW and WATCH it!!) In my foggy, not enough coffees mind I forgot to include it so here:
Source

24 comments:

  1. I absolutely love your pics! So original and refreshing! I agree with the changes, they are nice, but 15°C in August is quite tough! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Buddha had all the best quotes. Love these pics, and your stuffed sardine is the boss. Thanks for sharing with Visible Monday!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lovely photos, and that stuffed sardine is all kinds of amazing! I agree with you regarding the seasons, autumn is actually my favourite because I enjoy that shift and watching the seasons change, leaves slowly change colour and fall off and apples gradually ripen on the trees. If we experienced the same weather all of the time I'd get so bored of it! And we've had a very warm summer up till now which people are so quick to forget.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gorgeous photos! I would love to see more of that velvet jumpsuit! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lally? I love you. Really, I do. Anyone that can reference Holbein and Jarman in the same post, and have a reason for it...*sobbing* I love you. This is nothing short of incredible stuff you're doing here.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I once visited a Buddhist temple and commented to my guide on what a lovely day it was. He responded by saying that Buddha taught people to just "be there every moment", that the weather was inconsequential to our existence. Very interesting to read your similar thoughts and I agree with them. I'm having a mini seizure over your gorgeous green Indian dress and your beautiful still lifes! Seriously, I thank the muses every time I visit you as you always introduce me to something new for me to enjoy. The painting and the movie this time, while the pic of your Dad in the frame actually looks quite ethereal with all the shadowing and reflections. xox

    ReplyDelete
  7. Incredible! Just the thing to give my eyes some relief from the endless grey behind the window! x

    ReplyDelete
  8. These photos are lush and rich with your creative eye for beauty! I think to be in the moment is the easiest way to be happy.
    XXOO

    ReplyDelete
  9. oh so wonderful! so arty and photos are splendid! adore!

    Lyosha
    Inside and Outside Blog
    P.S> would you like to follow each other?

    ReplyDelete
  10. interesting outfit and the theme! love what you did with all the props! and I agree, we should enjoy the current weather more :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh Lally, bright pink and green are so yummy together, that combination always makes me happy. Your references are so wonderful. I haven't seen Caravaggio, but I guess I need to sort that out! Your plastic fruit collection makes me so nostalgic: my grandmother had a collection of them in her kitchen when I was very small. I always believed there was a real piece of fruit contained within. That picture of your dad looks fabulously ambassadorial! Xxx

    ReplyDelete
  12. You've given me so much to look at and think about here Lally. I've had to revisit a few times before I felt able to comment sincerely. I love that!

    I once visited an exhibition on vanitas in a church. They had a whole selection of curiosities there. Some that made my brain wriggle and others that made my heart lurch. But none of them included a stuff sardine. You are a world of fab in these shots and I have enjoyed looking at them over and over again.

    I am with you on the subject of seasonality and watching the change of things. I enjoy watching slow change - I may lament the cold but I enjoy watching Spring uncurl into the world again. As a child in Kenya, we only had 2 seasons, wet and dry so perhaps I ideas are fashioned by the time I spent there. The husband on the other hand is very in tune to seasonality and this is something that makes him miss Japan so much.

    Interestingly, wabi-sabi is a word I rarely hear used by Japanese people but used so much in the West. I wonder why? Now, I am thinking again.....

    ReplyDelete
  13. oh my cat, this is awesome, I've just discovered your blog and I'm following you,
    you're so original, these pictures are sjdksajuhejkasda perfect, and the inspiration,
    I've just added "Caravaggio" to my list of films. Really, you're great.

    With love,
    Claire ( a macarron)

    take a look of my blog if you want:
    clairemacarron.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. wonderful post!!!
    You say you are not happy with the light, but I think they are very powerful pics!!!
    I also love what you say about the beauty of observing change!!!
    Oh, late summer days!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh my goodness, I'm so bloody pleased I found your blog! I love the ideas behind your posts and your colourful style! Totally in love with your blog <3

    http://www.ragsoflove.com/

    ReplyDelete
  16. You are incredible! What brilliant inspiration and follow-through. So inspirational.

    http://www.styleynn.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. Simply magnificent: your creation of these still life images/the amazing images themselves and your thoughts on change, acceptance and the here-now moment.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I absolutely love this! lovely colours

    It would be super cool if you could check out my blog
    xxx
    www.pickledsunflowers.blogspot.in

    ReplyDelete