THE FASHION PRESS

Submit to Art & Science Journal

2012-02-12T00:13:00.000-08:00

Art & Science Journal is an arts website that spawned from my experience creating The Fashion Press. It's a new website about the wonder that occurs when art is influence by science, technology and nature. The website is not an elitist approach: we want your ideas, your work, your projects! There are many areas to contribute so don't be shy, send over your work, ideas, or photos to leejones@artandsciencejournal.com

There are three special areas of focus:

1) Send over your art! If your art is inspired by nature, science, technology, or the human body we want to see it.

2) Photo Friday. Every Friday we interview a photographer about their work. If you take photos, we want to see it.

3) Reads and Zines. If you make zines or small projects (prints, paintings, etsy things) we want to feature them on our site.

4) We also accept music with a tech sound

Again, don't be shy, we want to see your work!

Click here to visit Art & Science Journal

New Project!

2011-12-15T20:51:00.000-08:00

Art & Science Journal - A biannual student-run publication and website devoted to art concerned with science and nature. Based in Ottawa, Canada, Art & Science Journal focuses on the wonder that occurs when fields collide.

Interested in contributing? Writers keep our journal running; online and in our print issues. Send us an email with your story ideas for the blog and journal.

Want us to feature your art? If your art deals with science or nature, send over some digital images and a quick description of your works and your art practice. We also accept zines, books, films and websites for review.

For more information visit the website by clicking here or contact our Editor-in-Chief LeeJones@ArtandScienceJournal.com

Artistic Spotlight - Kitty Gallannaugh

2011-11-18T03:19:00.000-08:00

Kitty, a 21 year old portrait and fashion photographer from London, England, began photography early on. As she states, "Part of me has forever been photographing, as a kid I would just casually photograph everything I saw whether it was through the car window, my socks or my family. By 13 I got into digital photography and taught myself how to edit with Photoshop; that was the beginning of my obsession." Kitty always edits her photos. As she states, "Without editing I feel they're too "vulnerable"-- they haven't the artist's final trademark stamp put on them. I try to do as little editing as possible and spend the longest time setting up each shot to ensure I won't have too much to enhance/change. I only ever touch the colours, either muting or brightening certain areas. The contrast is always fiddled with and I occassionally will change the lighting if I feel it isn't completely "right". Otherwise, I don't do anything overly fancy." At the moment you can pick up a free curve for photoshop on her website in order to emulate her look.

To take her shots she uses her Canon 5D Mark II and finds herself inspired by the works of Tim Walker, Annie Leibovitz and Sally Mann. When asked about her current projects she states, " usually keep them very secret but don't see any harm in hinting towards them! I'm working on a couple of new series - something to bring back the sleepy summery feeling and something to capture the wild youth." We look forward to it! To check out more of Kitty's work click here.

Artistic Spotlight - John Kilar

2011-11-12T03:32:00.000-08:00

John Kilar, a 25-year old photographer from Venice, California, is completely self taught. He started taking photos only a year ago, and it shows, but the amateurish nature of his photos has a charm to it. He uses his Yashica T-4 to takes his shots and doesn't like to edit his photos with any major changes, just a bit of adjusting in Apple Preview. As he states, "I like to keep my photos as natural as possible."

This search for naturalness finds its way into the subject matter of his work. As John states, "I prefer nature over people," but he'll take photos of anything and everything that comes his way--"anything I find visually appealing." When asked to describe his work as a whole John says, "My whole body of work is a perpetually evolving project documenting my adventures and travels." You can check out his charming photos by clicking here.

The Fashion Press Issue 3 is Now Available!

2011-11-08T16:48:00.001-08:00

After a week of delays, The Fashion Press Issue Three is now available for purchase!

Featuring articles by:

Lee Jones

Lidija Rozitis

Matt Tamblyn

Shaya Ishaq

Chuck Nnebe

As well as featuring artists:

Shannon Armishaw

Andrew Morrow

Ryan Smeeton

Sarah Tue-Fee

Shannon Whittle

Susan Gardiner Bourlier

And a fashion spread on stage and under water - Dancers in the dark

Preview, buy a print issue, or download a free digital copy of The Fashion Press Issue 3 by clicking here!

Artery heART ATTACK

2011-10-02T16:05:00.001-07:00

Last week the Artery volunteer group at the Ottawa Art Gallery hosted the event heART ATTACK to bring young people into the gallery scene. It was a great event for talking about art, making some of your own, and eating goodies! Artery events have a fun and laid-back atmosphere, so next time grab a friend and come along.

Want to know exactly what the Artery group is?

"Here at the Ottawa Art Gallery, we think a gallery ought to be more than just a space with art in it! The Artery Project is a fun and flexible environment for youth and young professionals to experience art and culture. Whether it’s seeing and/or discussing art, films, exhibits; or organizing events, talks, parties; it’s about making connections and having a blast in the ARTS."

But don't take our word for it, pop over and check it out for yourself.

To learn more about the Artery club click here. To join the email list email kiosk@ottawaartgallery.ca

[photo credit - Nancy Jones]

Blogger Spotlight - Linnea Jacobson

2011-09-22T04:46:00.000-07:00

Linnea from Umea, Sweden, is only 14 and already a style star. Recently featured on WhoWhatWear, this red head has a knack for mixing vintage with new. She also likes playing with photography. For camera equipment she uses a Canon eos 60d, with a Canon 50 mm 1.8 and a Vivitar 85mm 1.4. as well has a fujifilm instax 210 and a fujica. Her family takes her daily outfit posts and they definitely do a good job. Linnea's blog is more than just style, the photography is magazine worthy as well.

When asked about her style inspiration she talks about the website lookbook, a website where people can share their daily fashion. To check out her lookbook click here. To join her over 2000 + viewers on her blog click here. Finally, to check out her photography blog click here.

Do It Yourself - The Knot Bracelet

2011-08-14T17:40:00.000-07:00

My favourite blogger, The Man Repeller, calls them arm parties and I've been really into them this summer. They include loads of colourful bracelets running up your arms and they're also easy to create. If you haven't seen the other diy bracelets on this site click here for the bolt bracelet and click here for the friendship bracelet. For the knot bracelet, I was inspired by a bracelet sold on the forever 21 website. All you have to do is get coloured string and use as many colours as you like. I personally like thinner bracelets but if you enjoy the chunkier ones just add more string. Then tie loads of knots with them and then add a clasp. Voila!

Book Review - Bad Day Magazine

2011-08-12T05:01:00.000-07:00

Bad Day is quickly becoming one of my favourite magazines. Bad Day, a quarterly arts publication founded in Toronto, focuses on Canadian and international artists. What draws me to Bad Day is its interview format. The text is raw, rather than perfected written prose, and it's always so fascinating to read how articulate these artists are. They explain their works so fluently and beautifully, which I find to be a big inspiration. This issue features artists ( such as Steven Shearer, Tauba Auerbach, David Shrigley and Tomi Ungerer), music video director Mike Mills, music reviewer Andrew Kuo, and furniture designer Martino Gamper. An awesome summer read that you can check out by clicking here.

Fashion Press Updates - Behind the Scenes and New Staff!

2011-08-09T21:20:00.000-07:00

The pass few weeks have been pretty busy for The Fashion Press. Deadlines for issue three are coming up and new members are joining! Here are a few shots from behind the scenes of our most recent photo shoots with the combined theme of "dancer in the dark," which included some underwater shots and a studio visit. You can look forward to seeing the photo shoots in our next issue, which comes out this fall.

Also, welcome to Chuck N. from The Aloof Hipster, he will be our new male fashion editor. So don't worry male readers, you will not be left out of our issues. Shaya, our intern come staff member, modeled in our recent photo shoot and is writing our director spotlight section for the next issue. Finally, Jess from Hand Down Your Pants has joined The Fashion Press and will be helping out with street style.

Loads to look forward to and we hope you are enjoying the rest of your summer!

Artistic Spotlight - Carly Zinga

2011-08-03T05:37:00.000-07:00

Carly, a student from Australia, has no formal education in photography yet her shots still turn out lovely. Carly likes to take dreamy photos with a focus on fantasy and childhood. To take her shots she uses a Sony DSLR camera. When asked about the editing process she states, " I like a natural looking photograph, so I mainly adjust the colour with curves and actions. People are who they are, I think we should celebrate that!"

For Issue 3 of The Fashion Press we're doing an underwater photo shoot so one of my major questions for Carly was about how she took hers. " I got suited up in a full length wetsuit with a weight belt (to keep me stable underwater), and goggles. It was in the middle of winter, so the water was freezing. I felt sorry for my models, because all they were wearing was flimsy clothes. I borrowed my twin sisters underwater, digital camera - it's nothing fancy. To take the photographs, I had to be close enough, because if I was to far away the water created a barrier and you couldn't see your subject. Luckily I had chosen a pool that was new and the water was very clear. All I can say is that it was a long process and took many hours to achieve. " And what are her projects for the future? " Right now, I am working on building up my portfolio, in between school and my dancing. I would like to get better at photoshop, because I realize that it is definitely going to be one of the tools of the future. In the future i hope to see my work published in magazines all around the world, and i would love to be traveling and taking photographs across a variety of different countries. " To check out Carly's online portfolio click here.

Music Review: Grimes live at Mavericks

2011-07-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

Grimes performed a jaw-dropping set at Mavericks last night.

Set up with a keyboard and a loop-triggering console, the Montreal-based singer and producer had the the audience in a trance, wondering what world they'd just been transported to. Grimes' voice is a wonder to behold, she seems to have been dropped down from some other galaxy or time, like a fairy or a greek siren.

If I had to compare, I'd say imagine Lykke Li and Aaliyah had a child, that childs voice would be Grimes'. She possesses child-like qualities, by playing with her loop-console, and keyboard, she gives the impression of a gifted young girl playfully discovering her own talents. But the diva is there too, and when she throws her hand in the air to help describe her eloquently phrased melodies, you realise, she knows exactly what she's doing.

Listening to Grimes' recorded material (as great as much of it is), does not do her justice. It's the in-the-moment improvisations and variations which truly expose her incredible singing, and the unreleased tracks which make you feel like you've been let in on a great new secret.

Crystal Ball was standout track from last night, if you get the chance to see Grimes' in concert, don't pass it up:

Video Review: Battles Take It Away with LaBlogotheque

2011-07-07T17:14:00.001-07:00

La Blogotheque is continuously celebrated for its passion for sharing music through words and images. They consistently manage to do so with their Take Away Shows; this one featuring New York based trio, Battles, is no exception. The folks are at it again, this time however, in an expansive lounge in the city hall of Paris, France where the experimental rockers perform Wall Street and Futura from their upcoming album Glossdrop. Both songs occasionally seem to be all over the place and, at one point, don't seem to go anywhere but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Battles manage to pull the various melody sequences together while La Blogotheque supply us with one of their most visually compelling videos to date. The editing accomplished in this gem is insane and paired well next to the intricate, multi-layered harmonies found in this Take-Away session. To check out La Blogotheque click here.

Disposable Fun 2

2011-07-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

The summer is quickly advancing and these photos really capture the fun I've been having - from taking a walk at 6am, hanging out in parks, taking pictures of the sky to having a picnic in the middle of a windy afternoon in Wakefield - it seems like there is no time to be bored. Go outside right now and enjoy yourself. Thank you!

Artistic Spotlight - Sarah Tue-Fee

2011-07-05T05:17:00.000-07:00

Sarah Tue-Fee, a Fine Arts Major at University of Ottawa, uses film stills and promotional movie images as references for her work. She tries to link the time-based film medium to painting, which is largely based on still moments. As she states, "It's fan art, but with a conceptual backing, so it's okay." When asked about her favourite materials she talks about oil paints. "I find that there's so much more you can do with them due to the extended drying time and looser texture. Plus it looks 'sexy.' Her works have a sex appeal to them that adds to this effect of the oil paints.

When asked about the connection between education and artistry, she believes that is has helped her practice. "The studio classes especially have given me concrete experience with new materials, as well as new ways of thinking about art. The history classes also inform some of the conceptual frameworks." At the moment she's renting out studio space at the Universtiy and experimenting with a bunch of different styles. Sarah also works with film! A couple of months ago we posted her video with Howie Tsui. Click here to check it out. To check out Sarah's blog click here.

Music Review: Wu Lyf - Go Tell it On The Mountain

2011-07-03T19:54:00.000-07:00

Wu Lyf first drew internet whisperings after posting up a few of their early recordings in 2009. Since that time, they've been defined partly by their inacessibility. In this twitter age, they refused all interview and label requests, choosing instead to record their first album independently in an abandoned church.

Go Tell It On the Mountain is sure to be a polarizing album, with listeners either deciding they cannot get used to lead singer Ellery Roberts' distinctive wail, or else allowing themselves to get lost in the bands unique sound.

For this listener, the album really begins to flow a few songs in. The strech of six songs from Such A Sad Puppy Dog to 14 Crowns for me and Your Friends flows effortlessly and is sure to soundtrack many summer picnics and backyard barbecues in 2011.

Wu Lyf - We Bros

Book Review - Worn Journal

2011-07-01T05:40:00.000-07:00

I got the recent issue of Worn Journal in the mail after the long mail strike wait but it was definitely worth it. This issue has loads of good stuff including the history of gay fashion, some wicked photo shoots, book reviews, interviews with the graphic designer of Harper's Bazaar, and tips on how to identify the pattern your wearing (I discovered I have a love of "paisley"). The issues just keep getting better and better and this one has more colour pages than ever. You can pick one up at Victoire and other place around Ottawa or you can check out their website by clicking here.

Friend Spotlight - Britt W

2011-06-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

Britt has an amazing sense of style. She always looks so fresh and pretty no matter what she's up to or where she's going. She's also super positive and cares for her friends a whole bunch. I wish her the best of luck as she is on her way to the other side of the world. Click here to check out her blog and get inspired by her cute outfits!

Beat the Clock Sale at Victoire

2011-06-25T00:27:00.000-07:00

Looking for something to do this morning? Come celebrate Victoire's 5th anniversary with a day full of sales and a night full of magic. A fortune-teller and treats will be present, as well as many discounts and giveaways. The locations are 246 Dalhousie st. and 1282 Wellington st. The Fashion Press magazines are also now on SALE at both locations! Click here to check out their blog for more info and see you in the morning to snag some deals.

10am-12: 40% off

12pm-4: 30% off

4pm - 9: 20% off

Do It Yourself - The Friendship Bracelet

2011-06-22T17:24:00.001-07:00

As a follow up to another favourite diy of mine - the bolt bracelet - I present the friendship bracelet. Very popular during my childhood and quickly picking up speed again, these bracelet are super easy to make. Pick up some colourful string at the dollarstore and start knotting away. I saw a really good step by step guide on Honestly WTF, you can check it out by clicking here.

.... and what my arms will look like by next week.

...and if you're feeling a bit lazy you can pick one up at H&M like I did. After seeing the tutorial though my hands are gonna be busy knotting from now on. Enjoy!

[photo credit - jak and jil, Honesty WTF]

Artistic Spotlight: Dead Paper

2011-06-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

Dead Paper is the latest project by Rebecca of the popular style blog The Clothes Horse. I've always loved Rebecca's blog for her great style, cool stop motion videos, and her awesome red hair. Her latest venture, Dead Paper, is a collection of collages made from vintage magazine cut outs that are both clever and creative! Click here to check out Dead Paper.

First Day of Summer

2011-06-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

The young photographer Emily Bee continues to amaze me every time I take a look at her blog. Here are some of her beautiful photos in honor of International Go Skateboarding Day. Click here to feast your eyes to her impressive website or check out a previous TFP post about the talented photographer. Also, it's summer solstice today! If you're in Ottawa and you're looking for a way to celebrate this day, it's super simple. Go skate your heart out or go suntan by the canal (while always protecting your skin with sunscreen!) Then head on over to The Standard on Elgin st. for an after-party full of ska and reggae beats brought to you by DJ ACRO. What better way to celebrate the arrival of summertime?

Street Style Spotlight: Dam Style

2011-06-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, I spent a weekend in Amsterdam and was instantly enamoured with the unique and effortless style of the people there. There was something really refreshing about seeing people dressed stylishly but not obviously trendy. When I returned from Amsterdam I scoured the Internet hoping I could keep the inspiration coming and I came across Dam Style. Dam Style features some of the best of Amsterdam street style, capturing great snapshots of well dressed Amsterdamians season after season.

One thing that makes Dam Style stand out amongst other blogs is the fact that it showcases people of all ages with really ecclectic styles rather than just the latest trends. Their unique approach and hard work is paying off as Dam Style was recently listed on Elle.com's Global Street Style feature. Click here to check out Dam Style and get inspired by the fashionable people of Amsterdam.

This Week

2011-06-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

The nice summer weather has finally arrived, here are a few events going on this week in Ottawa:

On Wednesday Night Seattle's David Bazan will be at Mavericks (doors 8pm/ 13$ advance/221 Rideau) with Ottawa's Heavy Bedroom and Black Dogs opening.

Last Thursday we launched our Open Air Social Club party at Parliament Pub (gates @ 11/ 4$/Wellington St. directly accross from parliament hill). It's a no-format, funky-dancey good time on one of the most striking outdoor patios Ottawa has to offer. The fun continues Thursdays, all summer long!

On Friday Raised By Wolves will be hosting the One Year Anniversary of their great Monthly at Ritual with the Mustache Men DJ's who absolutely destroyed the dancefloor last time they were in town.

Check below to learn all the details about the Hand Down Your Pants Vintage clothing sale coming up this Saturday.

Hand Down Your Pants Photoshoot

2011-06-13T18:59:00.000-07:00

These are some photos from the Hand Down Your Pants photo-shoot. It was such a fun experience - good times with friends taking photos while drinking beer and hanging out. The shots also came out so wonderfully. The clothes seen on Callie, Mitch, Jess and Britt are going to be on sale next Saturday at 129 Catherine st. I basically could've spent all of my money at the shoot. They have some really good finds! Come check out the sale next weekend and say hi - I'll be taking photos of lucky shoppers! Click here to see all of the photos of this shoot and click here to check out the Hand Down Your Pants website.

Hand Down Your Pants - Vintage Clothing Sale!

2011-06-13T15:10:00.001-07:00

This Saturday!

Here it is! The sale of the summer! Come by The Lot this upcoming Saturday, June 18 to check out a great selection in summer apparel, shoes, and accessories for both guys and girls!

They'll be kicking it all day, so come by and hang out with the kids of Hand Down Your Pants. Make sure to show up early though, the last sale sold out pretty quick!

There will also be a good selection of discounted items!

Cash only.

The Lot

129 Catherine St

Ottawa, ON

www.handdownyourpants.com

www.handdownyourpants.tumblr.com

click here for the facebook event

Artistic Spotlight - Elena Ayllon

2011-06-12T14:00:00.000-07:00

Elena Ayllon was born in Madrid, grew up in Tokyo, and then returned to Madrid to study photography and work for an art gallery. When asked how her interest in photography began she states "the world moves so fast, I use photography to try to stop time." At the moment she works with a 35mm old Canon and a Polaroid camera because film has a "special touch." This summer she's going to begin working with pinhole cameras with a German photographer. She doesn't edit her photos but prefers high iso films for colour and black and white. She also loves Kodak Tri-x Film. But that's all the mechanical stuff.

In terms of the subjects within her photos, she aims to provoke feelings. As she states, "The camera is my tool to express and create images connected with me, like a painter with its brush. I consider myself more of an artist than a photographer." All of her photos are of a very personal nature. As she states, "I like to show my life as a diary." She finds herself inspired by other photographers and is very into "this independent analogue photography movement," a movement which seems to be on the rise. To see more of Elena's work visit elenaayllon.com

Friend Spotlight - Emily B

2011-06-08T15:10:00.000-07:00

Summer of Darkness/Steel Pan Explosion

2011-06-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed a lot of new music these days adopting a darker, gothic aesthetic? Take Toronto's much-hyped Austra for example, who on their first release Feel it Break, succeed in creating a haunting mix of dark sythy pop:

Austra - Lose It

Last year was a breakout year for a similarly haunting female vocalist going by the stage name of Zola Jesus. Her sound is less pop and draws more from industrial influences:

Zola Jesus - Night

Predating both Zola and Austra, The Knife's Fever Ray released her critically-aclaimed self-titled album.

Fever Ray - Keep The Streets Empty

There has also been a barrage of music, specifically pop and R n' B, being remixed to shed is glossy sheen and subsequently coaxed into darker waters. Take Klaar's remix of Aaliyah's One in a Million:

Aaliyah - One in a Million (Klaar Remix)

Or in Salem's case, taking a recent Britney Spears hit, and slowing it down to a spooky warble, the ghostly words "dance until the world ends," taking on an an eerie apocalyptic meaning in this new context:

Salem - Til The World Ends

The Steel Pan is making waves in 2011 also, most recently forming an important part of Jamie XX's remix of the huge Adele hit Rolling In the Deep:

Adele - Rolling in The Deep (Jamie XX Shuffle Remix)

One of my favorite groups to come out last year was Tanlines, they made wide use of the Steel Pan sound both in their own sound and in their remixes:

Glasser - Apply (Tanlines Remix)

Other "indie" groups such as The Tough Alliance and El Guincho have also used the Steel Pan to great effect, adding a summery, tropical tone to their sound.

One must now ask "what next? Dark summery gothic r 'n b steel pan music?" Maybe:

Fatima Al Qadiri x Keri Hilson (Total Freedom Edit)

Fatima Al Qadiri x keri Hilson (Total Freedom Edit) by matttamblyn

U Nancy Huh? May Round-Up!

2011-06-06T10:36:00.000-07:00

Once a month Nancy Zhang sends us her street style photos. Here are her May picks!

"Summer is finally here! Everyone is in the mood to dress up and show some skin."

Loving this high-waist long skirt and the adorable frames.

A cute look for biking around the city!

Nancy Zhang is a photographer and illustrator attending OCADU in Toronto, to check out her artwork click here. To check out her street style blog U Nancy Huh? click here. Also, her photos are featured in the 2nd issue of The Fashion Press, on sale now!

Style Inspiration - Jim D.

2011-06-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

Jim, a 22-year-old art history student from France, has a simple take on fashion and describes his style as minimal/vintage. As he states, "My style is a lot of vintage and second hand pieces mixed with some basics, but i think my style is more minimalistic." His look is simple with a preference for flannel shirts but it all ends up looking very class.

Jim started his blog and lookbook because he likes the idea of street fashion rather than magazine fashion, but with the craze of blogs the divide between the two is starting to become a grey area. To me, Jim fashion appears magazine worthy and his preference for above the knee shorts is something I'd love to see in Ottawa. Very cool! In the future he wants to live in a small house in the woods, always barefoot and with long hair. Sounds like fun! To check out Jim's blog click here. To check out his lookbook click here.

Artistic Spotlight - Shannon Armishaw

2011-05-31T04:29:00.000-07:00

I first came across Shannon Armishaw's work while volunteering in Rental and Sales at the Ottawa Art Gallery, and it's been stuck in my mind ever since. Shannon Armishaw, an artist from Ottawa with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Major in Painting, makes beautiful artworks and has a real eye for colour. Recently, she had some of her works hung at the Manx on Elgin and her use of pastel colours in those works really brought the Manx alive.

On top of her excellence in painting, she also makes impressive works on glass. At the Invitational this past month she displayed some of her paintings on glass and, with proper lighting, they created some of the coolest effects. At the moment, her artwork is in the permanent collections of The Brook Street Hotel, Personal Pilates Corporation, and A la Envy Custom Couture. You can also check out her pieces in Rental and Sales at the Ottawa Art Gallery. To visit Shannon's website click here. To see her works at the Ottawa Art Gallery click here.

Style Inspiration - Annie W.

2011-05-30T09:47:00.001-07:00

Annie, a 15-year-old from Regensburg, Germany, has a flowery style that's got me amped up for spring. With her quirky hats and flower-feather mixes, she's a classier version of hippy - and very French looking too! When asked about her style inspiration she talks about her favourite website - We Heart It - an image bank with everything from clothes to new hairdos.

And we're haven't been the only ones to notice Annie's style. Her style has gone viral with features in the New York Times and Teen Vogue. In the future Annie wants to live in Paris and study in Berlin, a very European dream for a very European girl. To check out her blog click here. To check out Annie's lookbook click here.

Disposable Fun 1

2011-05-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

The start of the summer has been busy with photo-shoots and birthday parties. Really can't complain.

Event - Our Streets On Canvas May 24th

2011-05-24T16:29:00.001-07:00

The best Canadian skateboard photographers will be showing their work this evening at the Standard bar on Elgin st. There will be a silent auction where the minimum bid starts at 50$. All the money will go to the Make-A-Wish foundation. So, on top of all the cute boys attending, it's also for a good cause. The event goes from 8 to 12 and it's 5$ at the door. What else are you gonna do on a sunny tuesday night? For more info, click here or just show up.

Black Dogs

2011-05-21T20:43:00.000-07:00

Black Dogs are a talented folk duo from Ottawa. I had the pleasure of recording them play some tunes recently, here are two of them:

Murphy

Murphy by Black_Dogs

Vices

Vices by Black_Dogs

Join their group on facebook and stay tuned for upcoming shows!

Artistic Spotlight - New Works by Jen Mann

2011-05-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

Jen Mann sent over some of her new works and they're really spectacular. Compared to her previous works featured on this site they're a lot more colourful, and it works! When asked to describe her new works she states, "They're called Subconscious vista - which I am planning a show for sometime this summer in Toronto hopefully. They are all dreamscapes, places that don't exist, birds guide the viewer through this spirit world, and help tell the story of the character in each painting. The subjects are mystical, and belong to our subconscious, telling us stories of ourselves, and our own world." She's also working on another series as well about toxic beauty. When asked to describe her new series she states, "They're girls mixed and merged with flowers that are poisonous. It's actually astonishing how many common flowers are toxic." To see her artistic spotlight with The Fashion Press click here. To check out more of her works click here.

Video - The Invitational by Andrew Szeto

2011-05-19T07:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a stop-motion video made by my talented friend Andrew Szeto at The Invitational last saturday. Thanks to Jessica D'Angelo and Walker Tamblyn for putting on this great event. It was such a success! Hopefully you made it, but if not check out this video and get a glimpse of the fun we had.

Do It Yourself - Turbans!

2011-05-19T06:11:00.000-07:00

After seeing some awesome turbans at Urban Outfitters I decided to try making my own. All you need is a big scarf and nimble fingers, note-mine are not so nimble so ignore the scruff. Anyway, here is a mini tutorial on how to make your own turban!

Scruffy but awesome results!

Book Review - Bad Day Magazine

2011-05-18T06:12:00.000-07:00

It's awesome when you find a publication that fits so completely with your lifestyle. Though I've mentioned Bad Day Magazine before, this issue in specific is definitely worth another mention. A few days after watching Somewhere, doing an art history essay on Vanessa Beecroft, studying about Jeff Wall, and planning on how to set up my porfolio website on indexhibit, Issue 10 of Bad Day arrives in the mail, and guess what, it talks about all four. This issue includes interviews with Sophia Coppola, Vanessa Beecroft, Jeff Wall, and Daniel Eatock (one of the creators of indexhibit) as well as Panda Bear, Thomas Persson and Brendon Flanagan. An awesome read for sure! To check out more of Bad Day Magazine click here.

[image credit - bad day magazine]

Artistic Spotlight - Nuria Rius

2011-05-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

Nuria Rius, an artist born in Barcelona who now lives in London, started her career at the age of 14. "It all started when I was fourteen years old in my mum’s butcher shop. I started my professional career there, doing the best burgers at the Market, a job that I combined with my studies in Arts." Strange combination indeed but since then she's gone to great places. After finishing her degree, she decided to study photography for four years at the Institut d’Estudis Fotogràfics de Catalunya. In 2002 she earned a prize of Lux Junior. Since then she has had personal and collective exhibitions and continues to work as a freelance photographer with commercial work for Wranger, Levis, and H&M.

Her images are incredibly raw though she is anything but amateur. Maybe it's the dirtiness of the hallways, and her ability to show exactly what's there, that makes her work stand out. Her works expose what's behind the gloss but also contain an element of sympathy for her subjects. To check out Naria's artwork click here.

Artistic Spotlight - Johannes Santangelo

2011-05-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

I came across Johannes Santangelo's photos on flickr and, though I couldn't find anything about him on the web, the mystery behind his shots made them even more intriguing . He's an artist who really excels at portraits and people in nature. Though he goes by the name "arti_ficial" he really is anything but. His use of 35 mm film and a minolta camera give an authenticity to his already intimate shots and his best work by far is when he captures his subjects in the moment, without pretense or pose. At the moment he runs a photo blog with artist Carolin Walch called Parallel Lives - to check it out click here. To visit Johannes' flickr click here.

Artistic Spotlight - Aëla Labbé

2011-05-15T15:30:00.001-07:00

Aëla Labbé, a contemporary dancer and freelance photographer from Bretagne, France, takes mesmerizing folky photos. A lot of her photos seem to look to a previous time and have a deep connection with nature. In terms of portraits, her photos contain elegant movements inspired by her training in dance. As she states, "I see photography as by essence connected to dance, so the body language and its expressive power is an important element… as well as the composition in space (most of the time in the nature) and “time” (with a strong feeling of nostalgia)." Her interest in photography began three years ago, when an injury, and a long recovery, caused her to look for other ways to get back into life and rediscover its beauty. As such, she uses photography to generate and share emotions as well as to escape reality and enter her own dream world.

My favourite photos are the ones she takes of children. In particular, her "Jeanne" series on flickr is somewhat spooky. She portrays Jeanne as a spirit figure and the use of double exposure and eery scenery create a dialogue and story within these photos. To see more of her work, you can check out her flickr by clicking here. To check out her etsy shop, where you can purchase cheap prints, click here.

Event - The Invitational May 14th

2011-05-14T07:25:00.000-07:00

[Credit - Ming Wu]

Today is the day! Don't forget to check out The Invitational at Ritual from 8 to 11pm to see new inspiring work by artists such as Jaimie Howard, Jess Petrella, Matt Skuza, Shannon Armishaw, Andrew Szeto, Ashley from Sugarbum, myself and many others. It will be a blast! Click here to see more details.

The Fashion Press - Issue 2

2011-05-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

The Fashion Press Issue 2 is officially available for purchase. This issue features cover art by Keita Morimoto and includes work by Erika Altosaar, Jeannie Phan, Yuli Sato, Patrick Kyle, Kristine Moran, Amanda Nedham, Jenny Morris and Nancy Zhang. To preview or purchase the issue please click here. Reviews are more than welcome so tell us your thoughts!

Event - Hotshotcasino May 5th

2011-05-02T08:48:00.000-07:00

On May 5th the boys will be playing at Live Lounge to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and the arrival of summer time. The show starts at 9pm. Come eat guacamole and listen to groovy music! Click here to see more details. On a side note, today (May 2nd) marks the final day of Pascal Huot's 100 day challenge. Like I previously mentioned, Pascal has taken on writing/recording/releasing a song every day. It must feel pretty damn good to be done. Congratulations! Click here to check out the 100 tunes.

This photo-shoot happened on a very rainy day. We were limited to stay indoors so we decided to get creative. Thanks to Jack Daniel's, burnt popcorn and RUSH we were able to find inspiration. Check out the sweet video below for behind the scene footage of our afternoon.

Artistic Spotlight - Jocelyn Catterson

2011-04-29T05:42:00.000-07:00

Jocelyn Catterson is just finishing up high school but already her photographs are showing the eye of a pro. In the fall she's going to be going to school for environmental photojournalism at the University of Montana and I couldn't think of a more fitting program for her. Her photos involve a fascination with nature. Growing up in Colorado the natural world inspires her and she spends as much time outdoors as she can. Her photographs are really truthful in terms of the way they are without pretense and appear to be a look into the everyday life of a beautiful world.

But back to her photos. She enjoys using film and especially the aspect of working in a darkroom and the way film receives light. As she states "it's much more hands-on and authentic to me than digital photography." I completely agree! Her photos have that diary feel because of the use of film For the past year or two she has been using her grandpa's old Canon Rebel 2000 but she's not against a little digital. "I do edit my photos: I try to take out a lot of the scratches on the photos after I scan in the negatives, and maybe lighten up areas that turned out darker than they were suppose to. That's all." Jocelyn just finished up a project called "This Wind", which is a handmade, multi-media book that is currently on display at her school. It has writing, paintings, and tons of photographs all put together in about 50 pages. Essentially it's a product of her love for nature. She's also working on a project called "Saving the Outdoor Lab," which is a project to bring awareness to the recent suspension of the Outdoor Laboratory School in her county and hopefully help to raise money so that the school may continue to run in the future. To check out Jocelyn's artwork and her current project be sure to check out her website by clicking here.

Artistic Spotlight - Christine Jones

2011-04-27T05:25:00.000-07:00

Christine Jones, a graphic designer from Scotland with a Bachelors in Fine Art, makes incredibly peaceful works that just calm your mind. When asked about the themes in her work she talks of love, romance, the banal, loss and memory. At the moment her favourite medium is pencil but she also enjoys oil paints. When asked about her art school experience she has good reviews. "Loved it, pretty much all positive. Studying with really great peers and basically 4 years of self indulgence and access to great facilities, workshop, studio, lectures, library, etc. Challenges were and still are, talking about about my work."

When she's not doing design work she tries to concentrate on her own art practice, which is at the moment drawing. A project she's consumed with right now, that will also be taking her to spain soon, is Still Cause - a reinvestigation through drawing of Gerda Taro's heroic photographic reporting from the first year of the Spanish Civil War. When she's not doing that she loves to wander around with her camera and, as she states, "doing a lot of nothing". Perhaps something the rest of us are in need of! Her pencil drawings, and the simplicity of her work, are really captivating and I suggest you check out her website for sure! To do so click here.

Blogger Spotlight - Lisa from Sweet Salting

2011-04-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

Diamond Rings' makeup artist, Lisa Howard has recently founded a website worth checking out. SweetSalting has gained momentum and popularity these days. This attractive and polished website includes daily posts on music, fashion, art and beauty. Lisa also keeps her readers interested by updating them on her latest adventures with Diamond Rings. She is one of the luckiest girl I know. Her job enables her to travel across the continent with the singer and attend the best shows at the most amazing music festivals.

[Credit - Chris Laputt, New York, Radio City Music Hall]

Lisa's interest in makeup art began at a young age. It must help that her entire family is artistic. She realized a few years ago that makeup was the best creative outlet for her. However, other art forms have also been very influential. "The music and fashion industry is fluid and exciting. It has a unique energy that you can't find anywhere else. Two words - totally addictive." Lisa has definitely found her passion and the response seems to have been highly positive. She states "The Diamond Ring's project has been a really unique and positive experience. We change things quickly and are constantly moving forward. [John] pretty much lets me do whatever I want. People are excited about the freshness of his look and style. I love the buzz before he takes the stage. There is so much anticipation about what he's going to be wearing and how he will be presenting himself."

[Credit - CBC radio 3]

When asked about where she sees herself in the future, Lisa confirmed that she will continue to work with Diamond Rings as the project takes the "next level". She will also keep developing her website, although she's hoping to write for bigger publications one day. It all sounds super exciting. The Fashion Press wishes Lisa the best of luck and will continue to follow her path to success. Click here to check out SweetSalting and get updated on the latest news on fashion, music and beauty.

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Ps: John O's side-project Matters (formerly known as The D'Urbervilles) will be playing at Café Nostalgica this friday evening along with many other acts. To get more info on this event, click right here.

Interview with Artist Howie Tsui by Sarah Tue-Fee

2011-04-25T06:48:00.001-07:00

Check out this video of Howie Tsui being interviewed by Sarah Tue-Fee. Sarah is a student in the visual arts department at University of Ottawa who also happens to do awesome interviews! So be sure to check out the video.

Here's a snippet from Howie's website. Ho Yan (Howie) Tsui is a Canadian visual artist based in Ottawa. Born in Hong Kong (1978) and raised in Nigeria and Thunder Bay, he holds an Honours BFA in painting from the University of Waterloo (2002). His recent project, "Horror Fables", uses imagery from traditional Asian ghost tales, Buddhist hell scrolls, ancient bestiaries, Hong Kong vampire films and the Sino-Japanese War to satirize the climate of fear in contemporary culture. In 2005, he was awarded the Joseph S. Stauffer Prize from the Canada Council for the Arts for most outstanding young visual artist. His work is held by the Canada Council Art Bank, Le Centre d'exposition de Baie-Saint-Paul and the City of Ottawa. "Horror Fables" has been exhibited at Carleton University Art Gallery (Ottawa), Ace Art Inc (Winnipeg), the West Vancouver Museum, the Ottawa Art Gallery, and MAI (Montréal, arts intercultural), with an upcoming show at Centre A (Vancouver). His work has appeared in Beautiful/Decay, Border Crossings, Color Magazine and Mix Magazine.

Click here to check out his artwork.

Artistic Spotlight - Teagan White

2011-04-25T00:14:00.000-07:00

Teagan White, a freelance illustrator living in Minneapolis, is currently finishing up her third year at Minneapolis College of Art & Design and, though it's early in her career, her work is definitely worth checking out. When asked about her art school experience she states "The range of classes and amount of techniques and theories you can learn at art school is what really pays off. I've tried to take advantage of that, taking courses in papermaking, bookmaking, typography, oil painting, philosophy, etc. A challenge for me is to fit the type of work I want to do into class assignments within my major (illustration), which tend to have a lot of specific parameters which feel limiting to me. However, my instructors tend to be very understanding about it and I enjoy the work that I'm able to produce." Her favourite medium is always changing but she has continuously come back to ink and graphite as well as the look of charcoal though she does not enjoy how messy it is. "More important to me than the medium itself is how I use it -- I tend to work slowly and build up a lot of detail, so any material that allows me to work at the right pace and achieve fine detail satisfies me."

Broadly speaking a lot of her work is inspired by elements of nature. She tends to focus on life cycles, decomposition, sub-terrestrial life but she is also interested in antiquities, anything man-made that has been discarded because it is no longer relevant in an ever-changing world. For the past nine months she's been focusing on a body of drawings entitled "Everything is a Cycle" that explores life cycles and relationships between different organisms. Currently she's working on some children's books. I find her style aesthetically please, especially her typography work featured below. How much I would love to have that Braided font below. To see her portfolio for yourself click here.

Artistic Spotlight - Alexander Blackburn

2011-04-23T03:48:00.000-07:00

Alexander Blackburn, a freelance illustrator, makes some of the quirkiest illustrations I've seen to date. He uses pencil drawings as well as digital composition in photoshop to make his works. The stuff on his website is quite different. As he states "the current work on my website a lot of that work was done with winsor newton water mixable oils and liquin medium. I have a great opaque projector that I use to project my drawings on canvas. It help avoid getting wonky drawings or making a grid on the canvas, so it saves a lot of time."What struck me most about his work is how characters from children's fiction become caricatures of themselves. The exaggeration used creates a really interesting effect. When asked about his Wizard of Oz theme he states "For a while I had a strong focus on the tinman from the Wizard of Oz. I wanted to rewrite his life story into a musical. But that was my thesis project at OCAD so it was never fully completed." Either way, it's always fun to see characters we're used to suddenly remade.

To check out more of Alexander's work click here.

Updates about the next issue of The Fashion Press

2011-04-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

The Fashion Press Issue two will be for sale on our website starting April 30th but if you're interested in buying one in person, and coming to an awesome party, you should check out an event we're attending at Ritual on May 14th. Here's a message from Hands Down Your Pants, the vintage sellers who are running the event:

Friends,

We are proud to invite you to an outstanding celebration of local talent, inspired by young entrepreneurs of Ottawa. This showcase of creative minds will be exhibiting a diverse selection of art, photography, clothing, and music. The night will commence at 8pm on the upstairs level of Ritual Nightclub, with Ottawa’s Matt Tamblyn DJing his heart out. The event will feature unique, individual displays from each exhibitor so that you may browse the fabulous collections of Ottawa’s very own.

The Event will run until 11pm, followed by drinks and entertainment.

Tickets are $8 in advance; sold at Top of the World (158 Rideau St) and The Record Shaap (209 Gilmour St) or by contacting the contributors.

Tickets will be available at the door for $10.

So come meet the people behind The Fashion Press, Cleo will be showing her beautiful photos too, and enjoy an awesome party with cool folks! To see the facebook event click here.

Artistic Spotlight - Julie Lansom

2011-04-19T03:29:00.000-07:00

Julie Lansom sounds like the coolest cat ever. She's 23 and currently living in Paris finishing her master's degree at the Institut Français de Presse. For cameras she uses a Minolta XG-M, Canon A1, Olympus mju II and a old Foca her grandma gave her. What I admire about her work is that she doesn't edit, as a matter of principle. "I only scan them. It would be like "cheating" for me. No ok it's a bit strong but if I wanted to edit them I think I would do digital." I'm always so impressed by those who are able to take good photos rather than make good edits. Either way, her shots are amazing. When asked about the themes in her photos she states "I basically take my friends in photos in our everyday life. With my friend Amandine, who is on almost all my photos, we always complain about how not photogenic is Paris and how lucky are all these people surrounded by amazing landscapes. We're just jealous actually. Sometimes we set up "photoshoots" but it's only when we're really bored, have already smoked too many cigarettes, don't have any money to spend and don't know what to do with our day."

When asked about her current projects she states "I need to get my arse to work and write my dissertation. That should be the most important project. But i'm planning to go to Amsterdam, Switzerland, North Italy. I also wanna go and live in the United States, or Sweden, take my friends with me and keep taking photos. And no, I never include a real job when I plan things for my future. I'm gonna have problems later, I know that. I have to find a rich husband soon." haha! Sounds like a plan. To check out Julie's awesome photos please click here! They are worth the visit.

To the Streets - Chuck N.

2011-04-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

I met Chuck at Ottawa Fashion Week last month and thought you guys should check him out too! Chuck dresses simply but his choices are impeccable - and he's 16. We were chatting about his outfit and I found out he's another diy-er. The vest above was a blazer turned into something new. His blog named The Aloof Hipster (he's actually really sweet and not one bit aloof) is about substance and style. As he states "I always try to include my thoughts through prose, the only thing that is authentically of my own creation." But his style is a great part of the blog as well and it's refreshing to find someone whose okay with being a "hipster".

Chuck recently started a magazine called Aloof that's going to be published soon. Can't wait to see the result! We'll be posting a review here but until then you can check out the online version on his blog. And where does he see himself in the future? "Ideally, I'd love to either be in New York or Paris in the future either working for a working for a magazine (maybe even ALOOF) or owning my own boutique. Yes, I know, my dreams are very utopian, but what can I say? You gotta dream big, eh?" To see more of Chuck's style click here.

Artistic Spotlight - Fionn McCabe

2011-04-17T03:27:00.000-07:00

Fionn is a freelance illustrator, designer and fine artist who just moved from Boston to LA. Previously he attended the Massachusetts College of Art for printmaking. "Art school was great, though even a state school like the one I attended incurs too much debt. Aside from some amazing professors I would say the best thing school does is put students in contact with talented peers. That is certainly the thing I value most, I still work with a number of artists from school including Nate Wellman and Arthur Henderson who I run the Oh Nancy Collective with." Fionn's favourite medium is drawing with ink, just black ink, and silk screen as well.

When asked about the themes in his work he states "My work tends to focus on social roles/interaction, often times within the art world itself. The formation of ideas is another theme in my work, an attempt to illustrate a creative process rather than one idea in particular (though that does happen on occasion). My work is fairly self centered so most of the issues I address involve me directly. I am also happy to draw without any plan at all and just see where my brain takes me." Clearly his brain takes him to cool places. His artwork seems like a combination of every aspect of life, cartoons and astronauts to name a few, but it always becomes somewhere new. Currently he's working on a graphic novel, which is definitely something one would expect from his artistic style. He's also working on some pieces for a show in Brooklyn and a number of "ideas/drawings/short stories/sculptures". When asked where he sees himself in the future he states "Here is just fine. There is good to". To check out his artwork click here.

do it yourself - the bolt bracelet

2011-04-16T10:20:00.000-07:00

I saw this bracelet on NeedSupply and got instantly inspired. Went over to the hardware store and bought me some bolts. They're so cheap, I spent about 4 dollars on 18 of them. Then I cut up an old shirt into strips to make the string, braided the bolts into the string and voila! Awesome bracelet.

Video - Chloé Spring/Summer 2011

2011-04-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

This video is pure genius. The new collection by Chloé is inspired by classical ballet and is rendered beautifully in this short clip. The female dancer is Janie Taylor who has been a prima-ballerina for New York City Ballet for the past 15 years. The dresses are soft and flow oh-so-well as the choreographer, Justin Peck twirls her around. He wanted to capture the multi-dimensionality of ballet, he states: "You always see ballet from the front. Here was an opportunity to show it from the side, from the back, from every angle, and create a really unique viewing experience." This video was found on the website Nowness, to check out more inspiring posts click here.

Artistic Spotlight - Lauren Treece

2011-04-15T04:46:00.000-07:00

Lauren Treece is a gallery artist from Minneapolis who likes to work with polaroid film. As she states "The unpredictability of this medium can be both rewarding and disappointing. It's the balance of this that makes polaroids so exciting to work with. It ultimately produces a single photograph that is much more precious and rare when it turns out the way you want it to." She doesn't use editing programs but manually manipulates 35mm film during processing. With her polaroids, she manipulates them by adding cold or heat while they are developing. When asked about the themes in her artwork she says "I think I am drawn towards photography that looks like it shouldn't be possible or tangible. So hovering on the brink of lucidity and dreams is probably what is seen most throughout my work." She's currently working on other mediums alongside her photography. "My biggest project is a touring puppetry performance, building marionettes and gypsy carnival acts to take on the road. We started a new theater group called Silent Bell Theater that will consist of mostly puppetry and music, as well as some stop motion animation movies." Sounds like the coolest side project ever. To check out Lauren's artwork click here.

Artistic Spotlight - Ania Stypulkowski

2011-04-13T04:31:00.000-07:00

Ania attended the OCAD program in Florence for a European education. "My peers in Florence became like a family, I have never received such constructive criticism and had so many intense discussions about religion, art, and the meaning of life. Not to mention the fact that I got a chance to see Renaissance artwork in its home and context." The ability to see what your studying up close sounds like the best of all possible educations. She likes to combine mediums and this has been one of her greatest challenges at school. As she states, "I never understood the boundaries between drawing, painting, illustration and material art. I just want to make everything: dresses, comics, murals..." The themes in her artwork are anything that makes her happy. "Right now the best thing I can do for the universe is to create more positive things instead of nihilistic work. As Oscar Wilde wrote 'It's perfectly easy to be cynical.'" I agree, the upbeat aspect of her work, and her ability to create humour, are what make her works stand out. To see more of Ania's artwork click here.

Artistic Spotlight - Jackie Musial

2011-04-11T04:46:00.000-07:00

Art school has taught Jackie Musial that she can thrive on very little sleep and that poutine and potato chips are acceptable before 10am. The life of an illustrator ain't all easy, that's for sure. When asked about the themes in her work she states that she has to be flexible. "As an illustrator, one is required to create artwork based on any provided theme. This is challenging, but extremely rewarding when you come to a strong visual soltuion." She likes to employ subtle humour into her assignments and in her free time she likes to draw polar bears and bicycles.

Having a website has got her an internship at Team Macho and has served as a visual bookmark to see how she has grown and changed as a artist. In the future she wants to be working in Toronto and living with fellow artist Erin McPhee (click here to see our article on Erin). She also hopes to eventually move to Montreal. A very cool city indeed. To check out her artwork click here.

Behind the Scenes - The Fashion Press Issue 2

2011-04-10T15:19:00.000-07:00

Today through the rain and cold I shot the photos for the second photoshoot for The Fashion Press. These photos are behind the scenes shots taken by my sister - Nancy Jones - she's awesome! You can see more of her behind the scenes shots by clicking here. Thanks to all the people involved - Chris, Tomek, Brandon, Karyna, Candice, Nancy and Victoria! I got most of the clothes from Value Village and made some fun diy projects such as feather headbands and flower fun. I'm developing the film shots this week so be sure to check out a preview of the real deal soon. xx

Springtime is in the air

2011-04-10T07:36:00.001-07:00

Even though most of us are stuck inside the library due to an overload of exams, it's still getting warm outside and the sun is starting to shine! These photos were taken last year at the beginning of the summer with my good friend Michelle Poitras. Hopefully they can remind you that freedom is right around the corner and it's no time to give up. So good luck everyone and see you on the other side!

p.s: this is such a pumping song while writing essays, try it out!

Artistic Spotlight - Ping Zhu

2011-04-09T04:14:00.000-07:00

Ping Zhu, whose artwork has been featured in the New York Times and Conde Nast Traveller, is a freelance illustrator living in London. When asked to describe her art school experience she states that "it was similar to boot camp. It was hard at first, but you realize through nurturing better work ethics that you're only there because you want to be challenged and to see if you have what it takes to succeed." Ping paints a lot of animals because of her fascination with nature. "I love seeing how animals move and what nature tells them to do. I also enjoy painting people and the clothes they waer because it's fun to exaggerate forms. I dont' like painting things as they are, but rather its enegery because that is what you pick up when you look at any image. Add some humour, some 60s graphic vibes and I think that sums it up!" While she was at Art Center it was part of the graduating process to have a functional website as your portfolio, which is one of the smartest requirements I've heard to date. In a global community it's the only way for people to see your work quickly and easily, and her website is definitely one to check out! To see more of her work click here.

To the Streets - Jesse H

2011-04-08T14:09:00.001-07:00

Music Review: COOLRUNNINGS' Dracula Is Only The Beginning

2011-04-08T07:24:00.001-07:00

COOLRUNNINGS are an other-worldly five piece band from Knoxville, Tennessee. Their full-length, Dracula Is Only The Beginning, follows a number of EPs and singles released through their label Dracula Horse.

This album reads like a eclectic best-of; the band members trade instruments and styles from song to song without losing a step. Though they list Brian Eno, the Ramones, and african percussion amongst their influences, COOLRUNNINGS are very much a band of this era. As never before, young musicians these days are able to expose themselves to a vast and exotic universe of music. You get the impression that these guys are happily floating in that universe, drawing on the tones and textures which most help illustrate their vision.

The standouts on this album include Thunderbirds, whose chugging muted guitars and stomping toms immediately draw you in. I can Be Dreamy pairs Ramones-esque vocals with a unique drum pattern, distorted synths and jangly guitars which combine to create a cloudly haze of a song which shouldn't work, but does. Fort Kid is the beautiful and evocative album closer, a stirring whirlwind of melodies which fold into each other and eventually surrender to sweeping strings. If as the title suggests, this is only the beginning, then the future is bright.

COOLRUNNINGS' Dracula is Only The Beginning is out now on Dracula Horse.

03 Thunderbirds.mp3 by DRACULA HORSE

Artistic Spotlight - Ryan Briggs

2011-04-07T05:02:00.000-07:00

Ryan Briggs rarely plans out rough drafts. As he states "My work is a visual journal of personal experiences and interests. I start a piece without preconceived ideas of a completed image. I draw freely, and ideas form through the process of practice." He incorporates friends, family, and a mix of pop culture imagery from television, movies, music, and video games. "In the process of experimentation, I am able to work uninhibited, and I never resist taking a piece further in fear of ruining it." His favourite medium to use is gouache. "I usually work up a watercolour wash, and use the gouach to add detail to areas. I recently started working in a larger scale with pastels. Similar to the watercolour wash in the gouache paintings, I use chalk pastel to draw in a composition, and detail the subjects with layers of oil pastels to add depth and vibrant colours." His work has been well received but, due to his process, there are restraints to his commercial work. "The limitations to my usual methods force me to change my approach. It's kind of a double edged sword as I have to defend staying true to my process most times as my artwork continues to go through many changes." He spends the majority of his time managing and apprenticing at a leather shop in kensington market. In his spare time he likes to DJ. To check out his mixes click here. But, more importantly, to check out his awesome art click here.

Blogger Spotlight - Anabela of Fieldguided

2011-04-06T05:51:00.001-07:00

I've recently become a follower of Fieldguided, a blog created by Anabela from Toronto. Her photographs are amazing and her eye for interior design and overall style are definitely worth checking out. When asked about her aesthetic sense she states "I feel as though this probably evolved organically, through a combination of experimentation and immersion." To check out the interior of her house click here. The white washed walls and quirky accessories make the place a dream.

Her blog started out as a class assignment for her master's degree in Library studies and it has expanded to a shop as well. As she states "I started the shop originally to sell some ties that I had made -- I made one for a friend as a gift and people asked me to make more. At the moment we're trying to focus on accessories, such as tote bags. We occassionally offer items featuring Geoff's illustrations as well, such as the calendar we had for 2011 and a Valentine's card we made." She has been working her the spring line for a long time and hopes to have more items available soon.

Anabela likes to strike a balance between ladylike and tomboy in almost everything she does. "I like the prettiness of the ladylike and the slouchy ease of the tomboy." It's definitely a great mix! But style isn't the only thing great about her blog. Her recent experience with a psychic has made me want to visit one too. "It was a psychic reading involving tarot cards, and it was pretty cool! I know that I'm a bit gullible but I burst into tears at one point when she tole me to expect certain things to happen. It suddenly felt like the most comfortable hug." Whether real or scam it doesn't really matter; it sounds like a fun experience. And where does she see herself in the future? "According to the psychic, I'll be working in media! So who knows!" To check out Fieldguided and enjoy Anabela's quirky style click here.

Artistic Spotlight - Sasha Foster

2011-04-05T05:48:00.000-07:00

Sasha Foster, an illustration student and vintage shopgirl, finds that her favourite medium changes month to month. She's definitely one for experimentation. "Recently, I've been working in graphite and using digital techniques to colour. However, I also love using embroidery to create tactile illustrations and I've dabbled in water colour and ink. I'm kind of schizophrenic in my image making." Her work juxtaposes soft, childlike imagery with unusal subject matter to produce surreal worlds that invite interpretation. Her work juxtaposes soft, childlike imagery with unusal subject matter to produce surreal worlds that invite interpretation. Over the past year, she's been working on her thesis, title Natural Perversions. "It explores a world where people have become sexually attracted to nature, investigating the diverse manifestations of human sexuality and the ability of the human mind to eroticize almost anything." Her images may seen innocent but with a second glance you can see there is always a naught twist. If you like her artwork as much as I do, check out her blog by clicking here.

Top of the World - Spring 2011

2011-04-04T18:58:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to do a photoshoot for Top of the World last weekend and it went super well. The styling was done by Jessica D'Angelo and her choices made me want to go shopping at the store right away. The models were also pretty great - thanks to Harrison, Jess, Emma and Calum. So, it's definitely worth it to shop at Top located at 158 Rideau St. Also check out the site Hand Down Your Pants for additional photos of the shoot.

Ottawa Fashion Week 2011 - Black and White

2011-04-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

All images were taken with my Minolta 35mm at Ottawa Fashion Week. To see more, make sure to get your hands on our printed magazine released on April 30th 2011.

Music Review: Bass Drum of Death's GB City

2011-04-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

Bass Drum of Death are an energetic rock duo from Oxford, Mississippi. Their sound is a infectious blend of stoned garage rock, punk, and blown-out power pop. GB City, the bands debut, is the perfect soundtrack to your next rockin' party. Standouts such as Nerve Jamming and Young Pros are super-catchy and sure to get your feet stompin' in an instant.

Save for the odd diversion, members John and Colin keep a heavy foot on the gas pedal throughout the album. They maintain a blazing pace whilst singing about partyin', girls and other issues which befall a teenage soul. Its the energetic playing and crafty arrangements however, that keep you hooked.

GB City is out on Fat Possum April 12th. If you happen to be in TO April 20th, they'll be at Velvet Underground.

Bass Drum of Death- Nerve Jamming

Artistic Spotlight - Sean Fitch

2011-04-03T05:27:00.000-07:00

Sean Fitch hasn't been doing much "art" these days since he's become an art director but, looking back at his previous works, there's definitely lots to take note of. While at OCAD he realized that he was very passionate about the conceptual process, thinking creatively and solving problems in unexpected ways. So he started branching out from illustration into branding, design, and entrepreneurism and applying his skills in new arenas. "I really feel strongly that art school is completely what you make of it. You can get spat out the other end with no sense of direction, or you can use the uncertaintly to your advantage - learn, play and find your own path - even if the administration doesn't make it easy for you to do so."
Sean's favourite medium is watercolour and inks with mixed medium. "I was always drawn to the spontaneity of the medium, and I liked that you guided the paint, but let it do it's own thing. There's something immediate about watercolours that I don't think there is with oil or acrylic." In the future he wants to be working in social entrepreneurism, not for profit and the arts. As he moves away from the corporate world to where his conscience guides him, he'll hopefully get back into painting. With artwork like his, I hope he does! To check out Sean's illustration and design work click here.

Zine Review - Old Quaterly

2011-04-02T04:02:00.000-07:00

Just received my issue of Old Quaterly in the mail yesterday and it is really well made! I'm a big fan of indie publishing and all things handmade so Old Quaterly definitely struck a cord with me. Issue Two - Vision comes in three parts and includes artwork, operas, fictional essays and photography. As their website states

"Old Quaterly began as a secret self-indulgent response to a seasonally-idiosyncratic mind. It now exists outside of an apartment and includes various work by artistically inclined outsiders spanning the globe. Old believes in supporting and indulging every naked mind unconditionally. Each issue is topical and no topic will ever be repeated during its existence as a publication. Each issue is formatted to best articulate the topic discussed, existing in handmade editions of 50."

Old is made entirely by Brook Manning from Toronto and I definitely suggest you check it out by clicking here.

Artistic Spotlight - Hannah Barczyk

2011-04-01T05:23:00.000-07:00

Hannah Barczyk is an artist who likes to tango in her free time. The OCADU graduate enjoys using different coloured pens and experimenting with ink to create her colourful and cheery works. What really struck me about Hannah's artworks are the bright colours and patterns - mood uplifters for sure. Some of the themes in her artwork revolve around global issues such as global warming or themes of love and relationships. At the moment she's experimenting with pattern design and starting to use hand lettering. When asked about the response to her work she states "I have been recognized in American Illustration and Creative Quarterly, which are some of the best artist annuals to have your name in, so I feel like the response to my artwork has been good. It's always good to hear positive feedback but to be open to critique." Hannah's career is definitely on the rise. In the future she wants to live near a beach, have a super cool studio, and go dancing in the evenings. Sounds pretty awesome to me. To check out her artwork click here.

Event - Hand Down Your Pants Saturday April 2nd

2011-03-31T19:23:00.000-07:00

You better get excited for the upcoming weekend, because another Hand Down Your Pants sale is happening this Saturday April 2nd. Get your coffee fix and come look for sweet goodies from 10am to 7pm at 129 Catherine st. There will be tons of streetwear, shoes, accessories and vintage stuff. For more details on the event, click here. Also check out the Maison Apparel video below to see an interview with the founders of Hand Down Your Pants.

Keita Morimoto Part 2

2011-03-31T04:41:00.000-07:00

Keita just sent me this work that he has recently completed. Beautiful. If you are interested in seeing more of his work check out the post from yesterday.

Music Review: Javelin's Canyon Candy

2011-03-31T00:16:00.000-07:00

Javelin is a fun loving art-beat duo based out of Brooklyn, New York. Cousins Thomas Van Buskirk and George Langford originally garnered attention with their colorful live setup involving numerous painted boomboxes, each transmitting sound via FM radio wave. After the release of a few singles and the heavily circulated internet classic "Jamz N Jemz", they were signed to David Byrne's world music label Luaka Bop. Now comes their follow up to 2010's "No Mas", Canyon Candy, a trippy musical road trip through the Wild West of yesteryear.

Inspired by touring through the American Southwest, Javelin first sought out to offset their hectic high-energy shows, by crafting slow cowboys-by-the-campfire beats. Picture the likes of Madlib or J Dilla digging through old country-western records.

Canyon Candy doesn't pretend to be a fully-fledged album. At just over half an hour, as the title suggests, it is more of a delectable curiosity than fully-featured epic. Even the songs themselves often clock in at under two minutes, leading this listener to play out certain favorites over and over. See if you can't the resist melodic night-time desert yodel of "Cowpoke", or the purple setting-sun inspired "Saddles Sores". As the entire album alludes to Spaghetti Westerns of another dimension, I recommend you throw it on the sound system while cooking spaghetti for dinner one evening. You will be transported to the canyons of the Rio Grande, shootouts, showdowns, fresh spices and pasta, will dance together, beautifully.

Canyon Candy 10" is out as a on April 26th, Record Store Day, accompanied by a 12 minute video previwed below:

Canyon Candy Promo from Mike Anderson on Vimeo.

U Nancy Huh? March Round-Up!

2011-03-30T06:19:00.001-07:00

Once a month Nancy Zhang sends us her street style photos. Here are her March picks! "Many great looks were spotted this month, especially at the OCAD Zine Fair. Take a look at what students in art and design wear to school."

The cute bowtie gives this look a pop and matches great with the light blue dress shirt. This beautiful royal blue coat topped with a looped scarf makes this look classic and elegant.

Fur is making it's comeback, faux fur that is. This over the top fur coat is nothing but fabulous.

A very adorable look. The flower headband adds a nice touch.

These two are sitting comfortably wearing a hoodie matched with a cardigan and a jacket. Great use of colours!

Nancy Zhang is a photographer and illustrator attending OCADU in Toronto, to check out her artwork click here. To check out her street style blog U Nancy Huh? click here. Also, her photos will be featured in the next issue of The Fashion Press, which comes out April 30th!

Artistic Spotlight - Keita Morimoto

2011-03-30T05:16:00.000-07:00

Keita Morimoto is a third year painting and drawing student at OCADU. His artworks are beautiful but my favourite aspect of his website is the ability to take a peek inside his sketchbook. His experience at OCADU has been a bit difficult overall yet learning from his peers and profs "has been the most precious gift I got from the school". His favourite medium to use is oil. "I love how colours blend with each other. The wetness of oil paints is also an eye candy for me." The most recent theme he's working with is "Unfamiliar Familiarity". As he states, "I usually make digital or traditional collages first and try to create a mystical space that resembles real environments but not in a direct way. They tend to imitate the textures, forms, tones and colours of real objects." People tell him different things about his work as he leaves them rather opened ended. "I try not to give too much information to my work so that the viewer, and even myself, can keep discovering new things." In the future he hopes to continue creating art. I hope he does too. To check out his website and his painitngs click here.

Art Show: The Amarantos by Whitney Lewis-Smith

2011-03-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

My friend Whitney is having a show at La Petite Mort Gallery for the month of April. The Ottawa based artist is currently finishing her last year at SPAO. For this project, she used glass-negatives to photograph taxidermy animals. As you can see from the pictures, the show is going to be quite fascinating. The vernissage is this Friday, April 1st from 7 to 10pm at La Petite Mort Gallery (306 Cumberland st). Click here to see the link for more details. Hope to see you there!

Artist Statement: How does a being or organism retain experience? Why do these experiences change and fade over time? Without memory nothing can be gained and nothing is lost. These animals have no memories left of their own. I aim to build new meaning by bringing them to life through the creation of new moments remembered by the photograph. The process I have undertaken to make these images is laborious and slow. Through the glass negative I experience them as tangible moments, beyond the quick click of a shutter. The animals, my medium and I slowly build photographs together. - Whitney Lewis-Smith

Artistic Spotlight - Hyein Lee

2011-03-28T05:10:00.000-07:00

Hyein is an illustrator and a motion graphics designer in Toronto. She completed an engineering degree from University of Toronto, an illustration degree from Sheridan College, and she is an MDes Candidate at OCADU. She is an illustration and motion graphics instructor at Sheridan College, OCADU and LIFT. When asked about her educational experiences she states "In engineering school, drawing comics was a guilty waste of time. But in art school, I got marks for it! It was too good to be true. I can't really remember challenges with school. For me, the biggest challege was making a decision to let go of my engineering career to study illustration amongst younger classmates." For her works she engjoys using scissors and glue. "I also love working with acrylic paints and block printing. As a mixed-media artist, it is hard to pick one favourite medium. I love experimenting." The themes in her artwork are usually a juxtaposition between cuteness and sombre. "My characters are often cute, furry monsters shedding tears and whatnot. I don't consciously go after sombre feelings, but often after I finish my artwork, I notice sadness in my characters. I think my characters draw empathic respones from my audience because of those qualities." This gives her artworks depth because too cute just gets annoying. But Hyein works are always interesting and usually stir up a giggle or two. In the future, she wants to work on some children's books, a graphic novel and art shows. We can't wait to see more. To check out her blog click here.

Artistic Spotlight - Erin McPhee

2011-03-26T05:38:00.000-07:00

Erin McPhee has a fantastic graphic design portfolio online. To check out that aspect of her work click here. For me getting a look at the sketchbook, and process aspect of a work, is the most interesting. Erin is a third year illustration student at Sheridan College and her art is really beautiful. When asked about her art school experience she states "Art school and I have a tumultuous relationship- it pushes me, and I push right back. I was always an unrelenting perfectionist, and through my schooling I was able to learn the importance of making mistakes. I now believe you gain so much more from the process of creating work as opposed to fixating on the final outcome of your work. In this way, being in school has taught me that one's personal development and artistic development are intrinsically linked." The themes in her work are influence by what fascinates her. "I make artwork about the things I enjoy, or that which fascinates me. I’ve made infographics about hostelling to indulge my nomadic tendencies, and about tea, since that’s another passion of mine."

Erin started putting her work online for feedback. "A blog is a great platform to display your work when it is at it’s rawest, or in process and get critical feedback from a broad audience (classmates, fellow artists, etc.)." Being in school seems to take up most of her time but when she's not drawing she can usually be found hustling loose-leaf tea at her part-time job or enjoying a read. In the future she hopes to be working full-time in Toronto. "I would love to be working a steady job as a designer, doing illustration on the side, preferably I’ll be living in an apartment with big windows, and lots of plants." Sounds awesome. To check out her blog click here.

Artistic Spotlight - Alena Skarina

2011-03-25T05:22:00.000-07:00

Alena is a Siberian born illustrator currently living in Toronto with an extended family of nine Siberian cats. In 2009 she completed her design degree at the Ontario College of Art & Design, majoring in illustration. "Going to school made me realize that discipline is just as important in the artistic practice, as talent and personal devotion. Another significant lesson was appreciating and understanding the importance of cultivating a variety of artistic voices and languages amongst my peers. A unique vision provides an opportunity to bring something different into the world, without recycling already existing imagery."

As a child she spent years going to a traditional Russian art school, where the mediums that were used were watercolours and gouache. To this date those are the mediums that she is most affectionate towards. "The themes in my artwork tend to swing between the sensual subject matter: exploring the elegance of the feminine form, and the enigmatic innocence of animals. Hand done typography is an important element that is present in both my personal and commercial work." When asked about her future she states "In the future, I would like to continue being able to lend my visual language and ideas to meaningful projects. Outside of making art I like to play with cats and people, lucid dream, pick mushrooms, and practice kindness." To check out her artworks click here.

Ottawa Fashion Week 2011 - The Runway

2011-03-24T19:44:00.000-07:00

Here are some more photos of OFW 2011 all taken by Andrew Szeto

Music Review: Salem at Wrongbar + Weekend Photo Fun

2011-03-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

SALEM - ASIA from SALEM on Vimeo.

This past weekend I ventured to Toronto to see the band Salem perform. While I’m disappointed to have missed Ottawa Fashion Week, I have to admit that Toronto was amazing in another sense. I hung out with old friends, including Hilary, an industrial design student at OCAD, played music with my host, Cameron, and quite enjoyed Salem’s smoky show at Wrongbar.

I tried to describe Salem to the guys in my Toronto rideshare and I got as far as “witch house, dark electronics, infused with hip-hop” before said rideshare dudes noticed my black nail polish and wrote me off as weird. Yes, Salem are weird, but they’re weird in a sexy and dark sort of way. If you enjoy anything from electronic, glitch, hardcore, grimy dubstep, shoegaze, witch house + a thousand other subgenres of music, you should check out this band. They first gained popularity a few years ago due to the power of the interwebs – but their online buzz does not always translate well to the live world. At SXSW last year, they were booed off stage for a weak performance. Ignoring these slips, however, this American mid-west group continue to internationally tour.

Salem actually pulled together a good set in Toronto. I found it humourous, though, how while the audience was quite into the music, the band made no attempts to be into the audience. Salem's disenchantment is curious: their presentation seems to almost eroticize cult references. They combine theatrical elements: dark make up, eerie electronics, thick fog, fishnet and cloak-like clothing....and from a band completely disaffected of the audience around them, an omnious performance heightens religious speculation. But one must consider things like the name of one of their albums: “Yes, I Smoke Crack” (2008), alludes to how factors more substance related than religious may be what Salem parallel their spookiness towards.

I enjoyed Salem's set. I appreciate how they've combined many different genres of music without much much care to necessarily respect original styles (for instance, the rapping does not necessarily honour original hip-hop clarity, as they seem to put more weight on rhythm than wanting us listeners to understand what they're even rapping about). Their ability to push artistic boundaries within their performances, recordings, and videos is both refreshing and bold. And after the smoke dissipated and we all went home, the rest of the weekend in Toronto was full of wholesome fun. Toronto is always such a ball: I’m quite glad it’s just a few hours away so us Ottawans can catch some rare shows. While these are no Szeto shots, here are some photos from my weekend in Toronto:

Ottawa Fashion Week 2011 - Backstage Pass

2011-03-23T09:10:00.001-07:00

The Fashion Press was cordially invited to Ottawa Fashion Week 2011. The location was at the National Art Gallery and it was once again beautifully set up. We adored ever minute of it. Some of our favorite designers were: Birds of North America, Elizbourk, !Nu.I and of course Adrian Wu, who was by far the highlight of the weekend. We got tons of photos, so there will be a few more posts in the upcoming days to keep your mind excited. Here are some images of the activity happening backstage. These rad shots were all taken by the talented Andrew Szeto. Click here to check out his blog for more "babelicious" photos (as he would say).

Artistic Spotlight - Franzisca Barczyk

2011-03-23T05:37:00.000-07:00

Franzisca Barczyk is a freelance illustrator from Amsterdam who uses acrylics, inks, and monoprinting to create her works. During postproduction she uses photoshop or illustrator and, overall, she aims for a mix of shapes, textures, and a balance of colours. When asked about the themes in her work she states, "the themes range from personal to political or editorial views. A lot of my themes are based from scribbles in my sketchbook. The sketchbook becomes a diary. Other themes are more external and are based on the news. Like a photograph I like to capture a moment a reflection of the present. The approach becomes journalistic/ documentary." Barczyk attended OCADU in Toronto to study illustration. " I think the challenges in art school are equal to the positive and negative experiences. Overall I learnt a strong work ethic which I would consider a challenge in discipline and motivation but also a positive experience. Other challenges were patience, the art of practice, trial and error. Adapting to a new way of thinking, using metaphors as well as all experiences can become illustrations. Capturing those experiences and making them logical." When asked about what her future holds she states "In the future I would like to do a Master program in Visual Communication. I would like to integrate art more into the public space. The idea being to change perceptions and changing negatives into positives. I also see myself collaborating more with artists of different disciplines such as graphic design, music, film and fashion. I have a positive view of what art is capable of." With art like hers no doubt she'll go far. To check out her work click here.

Music Review: Lykke Li's Wounded Rhymes

2011-03-22T17:32:00.000-07:00

When Lykke Li's debut album, Youth Novel, came out in 2008 I played it on repeat in my car and grooved to her soft voice and catchy beats for about six months. Since then, I have been getting my fix by listening to a collection of remixes and anxiously awaiting a follow up. Lykke Li's sophmore release, Wounded Rhymes, came out earlier this month and I have once again been made a fool of while belting out her tracks at red lights.

[photo credit - www.lykkeli.com]

In the three years since Youth Novel was released, Lykke Li has toured the world, drank a lot of whiskey, taken trips to the desert, and had her heart broken - and it shows. Wounded Rhymes has a much grittier sound than her debut, showcasing raw and powerful vocals we didn't get to experience with Youth Novel. There are some very sad moments on Wounded Rhymes. Tracks like 'Unrequited Love' and 'I Know Places' feel incredibly intimate, both songs feature strong vocals and honest lyrics paired with only the soft strumming of a guitar.

While it's obvious many of the songs on this album were penned during a period of heartbreak, fans of Youth Novel need not fret as Wounded Rhymes also offers its fair share of upbeat tracks featuring tribal drum beats and catchy choruses that you can easily dance to. Check out the video for her song 'I Follow Rivers' below, and click here to view Lykke Li's website.

Artistic Spotlight - Jacqueline Pytyck

2011-03-18T09:52:00.000-07:00

Jacqueline Pytyck makes illustrations and amazing ones at that. Her favourite mediums include, watercolour and graphite. She particularly enjoys watercolour. She states, "it has a mind of it's own. As a result, it's often rebellious and I like the challenge this evokes. I haven't published a lot of graphite work, but, it's something I do enjoy and aspire to do more of in the future." When asked about the themes present in her work she states that they describe the insecurities and monstrosities hidden from site. "I attempt to display these feared objects in a beguiling and decorative manner." This is a goal in which she definitely succeeds. Her works are creepy yet at the same time seductive.

The overall response to her work has been good. "I am gracious for the mixed responses. People have been generally supportive and accepting of my work and I appreciate that. I am always satisfied when a viewer is able to gather their own meaning or interpretation from a piece. I feel that artists should always leave space for the viewer's mind to roam." Pytyck started posting her work online in order to broaden her audience. "It's also a great way to share your portfolio with, not only art directors, but, family and friends. It's one big family fridge, the internet." And where does she hope to be in the future? "In the future, I want to be in the same place that I am now. I don't think I can ask for anything more than what I've already got. I don't plan on ever retiring; 'plan' being the operative word. I will be drawing until my pencil and hand turns into dust." That's good news for us. If you enjoy Pytyck's work as much as I do check out her website by clicking here.

Photographer Spotlight - Yuli Sato

2011-03-16T15:28:00.000-07:00

Yuli Sato is making head-waves in Montreal where she is currently studying fine arts at Concordia. It didn't take long for The Fashion Press to notice this photographer's beautiful poetic work, so we decided to have a little chat with her. Yuli is originally from Calgary, Alberta and fell in love with the art of photography at the age of 13 during a trip to Japan. She uses film cameras, such as the Minolta X-GM and always captures a dreamy atmosphere that is capable of mesmerizing the viewer.

Her favorite subject matter is people, she states "my work often deals with young women who desire to escape their banal world." Yuli is definitely successful at capturing scenes of fantasy and daydreaming. To continue reading the full interview with Yuli Sato, make sure to pick up our next issue of the magazine coming out on April 30th 2011. While patiently waiting, might as well indulge yourself by checking out her website, her blog or her flicker account by clicking here.

Side note: by checking out Yuli Sato's website, I stumbled upon a photo-shoot that she did for Birds of North America. The wonderful designer will coincidently be showing her spring/summer collection this Friday at Ottawa Fashion Week. Make sure to get your tickets, because they will sell out fast!

Artistic Spotlight - Selena Wong

2011-03-16T03:35:00.000-07:00

Selena Wong, a freelance illustrator from Hong Kong, loves to work with gouache. As she states, "I was introduced to gouache in my first year at OCAD and instantly succumbed to its creamy quality and concealing ability. I have been using it ever since, sometimes in combination with watercolour for its transparency, and pencil when I cannot achieve the utter softness of gouache." When asked about the themes in her work she finds herself inspired by her pet rabbit Lala who runs around her studio. "Animals, hair and nature are reoccuring elements when it comes to my personal paintings. I am always trying to capture a moment. My characters live on paper, inescapable and being closely observed, most of the time they are alone and look right into your eyes."
When asked about the response to her artwork she responds with a short anecdote. "When I exhibited my illustration series at The Artist Project: Untapped Emerging Artists Competition, a four-day event where you position yourself very close to your artwork so that you are up-close and personal for your audience. One of my fondest moments was when two adorable elderly ladies, eyes most likely fixed on the painting of a dismembered Girl Scout taxidermy holding a platter of cookies, arrived with sour looks on their face and uttered "tasteless". Yet another charming elderly lady, armed with a small magnifying glass, decided that the "tasteless" piece was her fravourite and the one that she would like to purchase." Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. To see more of Selena's artwork click here.

Blogger Spotlight - Closet Visit

2011-03-14T17:43:00.000-07:00

L.A. based artist Jeana Sohn is taking wardrobe envy to new heights with her website Closet Visit, where she stops by the homes of some incredibly stylish ladies, camera in hand, to document the lust worthy items in their closets. Through Closet Visit, Jeana allows her readers to take a peak into the closets of some truly creative women whose careers include granola maker, blogger, film director, and fashion designer. The wardrobes of these women are equally diverse, each of them showcasing some truly unique pieces of clothing and an eclectic mix of designer and vintage goods. After each visit Jeana posts a series of dreamy photos on the blog along with a personal style interview, getting the details on these ladies' favourite designers, places to shop, and their style icons. Closet Visit is a fresh and unique fashion blog and is chalk full of style inspiration and advice that you can easily interpret into a closet of your own. To check out the site click here.

[photo credits - Jeana Sohn]

Fish-eye fun: 1

2011-03-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

Artistic Spotlight - Sabrina Scott

2011-03-12T11:02:00.001-08:00

Sabrina Scott, a freelance illustrator from Toronto, uses ballpoint pen and Windsor Newton inks to create mesmerizing illustrations. As she states "The themes in my work are usually centered on spirituality and nature; I use a lot of imagery informed by ethnobotany, patterns, textures, plants, animals, folklore, and the occult. My present love is shamanism, so the worldviews and ideologies of these varied indigenous practices trickle into my present body of work, though I'm also very heavily influenced by desert life, indigenous cultures, cacti, flowers, santeria, yoruba, and magic. I'm enthralled by the natural world and committed to preserving its beauty, and I hope that fascination comes through in my work." After looking through her work all these elements appear so clearly. It's all a mixture of electric colours with a focus on nature and magic.

When asked about the response to her work she states "It's been all over the place! Some won't give it a second glance because it's not their thing, and some people love it! Just like everything, you have some lovers and some haters, and nothing will ever make everybody happy. But the individuals who have spoken up about enjoying my aesthetic and ideas are so encouraging! I had the opportunity to exhibit at the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition last summer, and many people spoke with me for half an hour, just raving about what they liked about my pieces, and to be honest this really helped me view my work with fresh eyes. Everyone who views my work brings something new to it, and I really love that conversation." In the future she hopes to publish art books, continue doing illustrations, and have her artwork featured in magazines. Scott is clearly on the right path as she began featuring her artwork online at 11 years old. If you enjoy her work as much as I, within the next few months she's going to be starting a 100-woodblock project which she's hope to publish in book format, and she has got a silkscreen project in the works where she'll be printing on some neat eco-friendly bags. In the immediate future she is going to set up an online store and riddle it with goodies. To check out her art click here.

Book Review - Seven Days in the Art World

2011-03-10T17:03:00.000-08:00

Sarah Thornton's Seven Days in the Art World is a thorough overview of the cultural sociology of the art industry and its academic sphere. Thornton, who has a BA in art history and a PhD in cultural sociology, takes the art world and analyses it from the inside with a grounded outsider point of view. She discusses the seven main aspects of the art world; the auction, the crit, the fair, the prize, the magazine, the studio visit and the biennale. The book is informative as well as comedic. Thornton has the ability to demonstrate the ups and downs of the art world with sympathy as well as the occasional poke. She has been called "Britain's hippest academic" and her book carries the same feel - intellectual but definitely hip - a worthwhile read for sure.

Artistic Spotlight - Emily Taylor

2011-03-09T15:45:00.000-08:00

Emily, a third year illustration student at OCAD in Toronto, draws imaginative figures that you'll want to stare at all day long. She went to OCAD to study photography but moved into illustration in first year. "I've never regretted the change for an instant! Being at OCAD at first was a shock, because all of us went from being the top art students at our various high schools to just average. The challenging part of that was trying to differentiate myself from the rest of my talented classmates! The competition at OCAD is fierce, but I love it. Since coming here my style of illustration has changed dramatically and this is due much in part to the professors; I used to draw pretty realistically but over my years here I have been pushed and challenged into creating a more stylized approach." In first year she won the OCAD illustration scholarship and the overall response to her work has been positive.

When asked about the themes in her work she states "Thanks to my grandfather, fairy tale elements and children's folk tale elements play a large role in my work, especially mushrooms and toadstools - I love to draw them! Nature has also always been largely elemental in my pieces (most often trees and flowers - water lilies and peonies, recently), but lately I've taken to drawing pine cones, strawberries, raspberries and squirrels (in particular those reddish ones found in Britain with the tufted ears). Dolls and food (especially cakes) seem to pop up in my pieces a lot as well. Though a lot of my themes seem 'cutesy' I try to add an edge to them, some odd twist, so they are not as soft." Her pieces definitely mix fairy tale themes with quirkier images. Overall, it creates a really cool effect. To check out more of Emily's artwork check out her blog and, if her artwork amazes you like it did me, she will be launching her new site in the near future!

Ice Skating

2011-03-08T19:54:00.001-08:00

Going ice skating on the Ottawa Canal with Lidija and Celia was a super good time! Even though I couldn't feel my hands and feet hours after getting off the ice, I still think that experiencing the canal on sharp skates is a must during the cold winter months of Ottawa. It also called for a great photo-shoot and for some delicious hot chocolate by the fire. So, next year if you're in Ottawa (and not suntanning on an Australian beach) please do yourself a favor and go skate on the world's largest ice skating ring. p.s: I feel that this is the last "winterized" post, because I can feel spring... it's just around the corner!

Victoire hosts a mixtape contest!

2011-03-07T09:50:00.001-08:00

Victoire Boutique in Ottawa is hosting a mixtape contest! Mail in or personally drop of your MIX-CD (tapes are soooo 1996) to either location in the month of March. The winner will be rewarded with the ultimate bragging rights (including a framed certificate!) and $50 Victoire bucks. The competition is gonna be fierce! Cover art is very influential and going out on a limb is often rewarded. They will be accepting MIX-CDs until March 31st. Submissions can also be mailed to - Victoire Boutique, 246 Dalhousie St., Ottawa, ON. K1N-7E2. Make sure you include your name and contact info with each submission and to check out the Victoire online shop click here.

Kensington Market, Toronto

2011-03-07T09:12:00.001-08:00

It was my first time visiting Kensington Market and I was not disappointed. Good espresso, quirky vintage shops and great art galleries are plentiful to keep basically anyone interested. I really enjoyed walking around this friendly neighborhood and discovering the little joys it offers. It was much more unpretentious and down to earth than I thought it would be. I felt inspired there. My camera didn't stop clicking, so I came back three days in a row to keep taking photos. I have to admit, it does have its touristy side, but it is still worth checking out and I will be back next time around.