Introduce yourself.
Hey there :) My name is Kina Grannis. I'm a singer/songwriter from Los Angeles, CA.
Can you tell us a little about how you got to where you are?
I was very fortunate to stumble upon the power of the internet about 8 years ago. I'd spent many years doing everything I could to share my music through open mics, busking on the street, taking every gig I could, and then YouTube changed everything. I started my channel when I was in a contest called Doritos Crash The Superbowl. Thanks to YouTube's ability to connect me with amazing and supportive humans all around the globe, I won the contest, got signed to a major label (that I ended up leaving in order to maintain creative control and stay independent), and have been making albums and touring the world ever since!
How would you describe your musical style?
I've heard it described as "Indie Folk Pop". My main goal is to make you feel :)
What are some of your influences?
Bon Iver, Imogen Heap, Sigur Ros
What made you depart from your first record label, Interscope Records
They had an idea for who I should be and what I should sound like, but to me music is so precious and so personal, a major label wasn't worth giving up the ability to make the music that was true to me. Luckily I'd discovered through the internet that people wanted to support me for exactly the music I wanted to make, and that made my decision a lot easier.
Something / someone that you turn to when you're in a creative rut?
When I'm in a creative rut, I step back. I never force it. I get back into the world, see friends, have experiences, read, be in nature. Usually, if I give it some time (and feed my brain some experiences to draw from), next time I come back to try to create it's a little easier!
What are you listening to at the moment?
I've been loving Sufjan Steven's new album Carrie & Lowell.
Most looking forward to doing in Hong Kong?
Seeing all my Hong Kong fans!! It's been forever and I am just so excited to be there again. Also... maybe eating dim sum.
Describe the internet in one sentence.
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL THE PEOPLE ALL THE THINGS AHHH. Sorry for the lack of eloquence, but the internet is a pretty wild place.
What's something you've never been asked about but have always wanted to share? Get weird!
Recently, I went on a rafting trip down the river at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. You have to grip the ropes on the raft REALLY hard so you don't fly off into the rapids. During a particularly huge rapid,I skinned the back of my hand pretty bad in two places. As they started the heal, they started to resemble two eyes. I then proceeded to draw the shape of a stingray on the back of my hand around them. I had a new pet. It was awesome.
Google image search "baby stingrays" and you'll get a better idea of what it looked like
So... yeah. You asked for weird, you got it ;)
There is also a woman wearing a stingray as a hat if you scroll down a bit.... It got weird.
And finally, in honour of your first major win in the music industry, what is your favourite flavour of Doritos? Do you secretly prefer Pringles?
You know... Pringles are REALLY good. We'll call it a tie. Favorite Doritos flavor would definitely have to be Cool Ranch.
Introduce yourself.
I am Miranda Lorikeet, 24 years old from Sydney, Australia and I make pictures with MS Paint. Internet artist, girlfriend, office worker. I am very busy and important.
Tell us a bit about your creative process. What are you trying to communicate to the world?
I like to draw surreal landscapes with naked girls.They are always deliberately draw in a non-sexual way. The nudity in the drawings is a nod to feminine freedom, but also to the landscapes. Natural landscape, natural body. I think it would look wrong if I drew the girls with clothing on.
My MS Paint drawings are mostly about daydreams, nightmares- whatever I've been thinking about. I put a lot of focus on colour. Colour is really emotive and one my favourite aspects of my pictures. I spend longer selecting the colours than I do actually drawing the picture sometimes.
I like it when people put their own meanings to my drawings or see themselves as the person in the picture. I think it would be really cool to be able to project your own emotions onto a stranger just through colours and shapes, so I'm trying to do that. I try to make art that is pretty but gives you the sense that something isn't quite right.
I do most of my drawings when I'm procrastinating. That's when I feel most inspired. Sometimes I get an idea for a drawing while I'm on the train or when I'm at work and I'll write it down. Sometimes I see an ad on TV or a dress in the window of a store and I'll take those colours and use them in a drawing. I also like to use 1970s national geographic landscape photos for reference.
We're often afraid to put ourselves out there as creatives, so what made you say, ‘fuck it!’?
I grew up in a pretty creative environment. My mum and dad always encouraged my drawing from a young age, so I've always been happy and confident with the things I make.
I've been lucky enough that I didn't really have to put myself out there too much. People found me. The internet is ridiculous. Having a blog where I share all my drawings and ideas and inspirations has been really constructive. It's really helped me develop my style and become more confident with what I'm making and doing. I feel like if you just throw yourself into it and immerse yourself in something you love with confidence no one will question you.
Something / someone that you always turn to when you're in a creative rut?
Guy Billout's illustrations, whenever I'm in the mood to draw but struggling for a new idea- I look at his work. I love his concepts. Any 1920s surrealist artwork always inspires me too, not always for the colours but for the concepts. Playing with children's toys or clay is good too. It's really stimulating to do something hands-on rather than sitting at a computer screen clicking a mouse. It's like it awakens a side of your brain that's been asleep since you were a child.
Feeling nostalgic always makes me want to draw. I recently had a huge wave of nostalgia after going home to visit my parents. I found a lot of my old toys in the family storage unit and I've been obsessing over them for the past few weeks, so a lot of my more recent art work has been influenced by that.
Explain the internet in one sentence.
This video is not available in your country.
If you could eat anything right now, what would it be?
I'm eating cheese on Turkish bread as I type this, I wouldn't change a thing.
MIRANDA LORIKEET’S WORK | MORE INTERVIEWS ON TWENTYBLISS
ARTISTS FOR NEPAL
We’ve teamed up with Artists for Nepal to help those in need and are affected by the earthquakes. I know how good we are at coming together as a community, Tumblr, so let this be another example of this!
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN HELP US, HELP THEM AND PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD.
We will be needing volunteers and any help / donations we can get too for our event. So if any of you live in Hong Kong, please do get in touch at: sarah(at)twenty-bliss.com
Thank you for being wonderful, Tumblr. We can do this.
Illustration by Claire Raymond ( chainsawfucking )
Introduce yourself!
Hi (who else finds 'bios' awkwardly embarrassing to write?). I'm Lauren and I was born and raised in Hong Kong and love food, travel, art and all things (well, most things) to do with my hometown. I went back to the U.K (where my Mum is from) for University and graduated with a degree in History of Art. I loved my degree and the highlight was definitely going to Paris for a week with my class and experiencing some of the incredible 18th Century French 'vandalism' which my favourite lecturer was super passionate about. Although I loved studying there, I ended up making my way back home (really missed char siu fan), and after a year travelling around the Philippines, India and Nepal I stumbled upon a job in digital publishing. I used to be big into life drawing but haven't had the chance to do it for a while. I've got a fascination with illustration - always doodling various untidy notebooks before I go to sleep at night. I always want to be doing something creative which is why I connected with Sarah, who is one of the most creative people I think I know!
Tell us a little about your piece at #URBANHACKS.
Basically, I'd had this idea in my mind for some time that I wanted to test out. I wanted to create a work of art that was truly interactive and made people feel like they were a part of it... so often galleries feel really pretentious and elitist. They sort of alienate viewers and I feel like a lot of people (especially those who haven't studied art) can find them quite boring and difficult to understand or relate to. I wanted to try out an idea would be completely accessible to anyone and would create more of a sense of community and participation.
I put together this really basic system where anyone who came along could write down any number from 1-6 and any letter of the alphabet on a piece of paper. Using the numbers and letters as sort of 'co-ordinates', I then painted onto a giant canvas... each number and letter corresponding to a colour and a place on the canvas respectively. I tried to keep it really simple (although I think some people still found it a bit confusing!), with just six colours for the six letters and 26 segments on the canvas for the 26 letters. Gradually as more people came along, the paint on the canvas built up in different areas with different colours. Simple.
What was the process like?
It was fun! I wanted to just try it out and create something enjoyable for people. I did feel a sense of connection to others by painting what they had chosen - it was like being the 'hands' of the people choosing the numbers and letters. It was also nice to not have that much control over what colours and where I would be painting... the end result was always going to be a surprise. Sharing the control over an art work is definitely a fun way to create that sense of community and involvement. I wasn't too strict about the actual painting aspect of the piece as the whole point was the process and the participation, not the finished product. It did end up looking like a sort of colourful explosion though!
Most interesting thing / Most picked letter and number?
It was interesting how people tended to pick the same number for the same letter... the whole 'B' section on the canvas was red! I also found it interesting how a couple of people chose not to participate and seemed a bit scared to be asked to take part. It just shows how rarely art is an inclusive, interactive thing in HK.
Do you see yourself doing something similar or continuing with this concept in the future?
Maybe! It was sort of an experiment for me and way to see if this strange concept I'd had in mind for a while could actually work. I've got the giant canvas rolled up in my room so it might be fun to add to it and continue with the piece at different events - I'd love to get children more involved and possibly collaborate with some schools in HK, as it's so simple and it's a great way for them visually see how working together can create something beautiful.
What would you like to see more of in the Hong Kong creative scene?
I'd love to see more experimentation in what people are doing. It would be great to see more events, venues and spaces that cater to emerging artists or just the general public for creative use - honestly anyone can be creative and it's important to have that outlet (mainly for sanity!). It would be cool to see more community events that really involve people and that are of course fun and engaging.
Introduce yourself
My name is Ken Nana. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. I live to create and inspire.
Tell us about NANA LIFESTYLE and what it means to you?
When a group of people who share a vision and purpose come together, they have the power to create something more than themselves that has the ability to make an impact on society. Our goal is to bring together creatives (Musicians, Directors, Painters, Photographers, Animators, etc) who not only embody great taste, but also has a positive message and a sense of purpose behind what they do. Being an artist is not just a hobby, or a job; It’s a lifestyle. You eat, sleep, and shit what you are passionate about, and you ignore any road blocks because you are too focused your passion. If you surround yourself with people like this, you will end the conception of work/life balance, and it just becomes LIFE. We don’t do it for the money or credits, we do it because we want to. The money just comes with it, and it all goes right back into funding our passion projects. NANA LIFESTYLE isn’t just a company of creative services, we really do live this shit. Learn more at nanalifestyle.com
What inspires you on a daily basis and what is something that you are constantly trying to communicate to the world?
Have you ever tried to exercise at home but you get easily distracted and don't push yourself as hard? Then, you go to the gym where everyone around you is there for the same reason and you can feel the energy so you push yourself even harder. That's the same inspiration I get from my team, my family and surroundings. Constantly surrounding myself with people who are creative, driven, and passionate about their art is what inspires me. Also, every time I travel somewhere new, I get inspired. It's all about your surroundings and the people you choose to keep close.
One message I’m constantly communicating is that success is a state of mind, not an achievement. If you wake up every morning inspired and you love what you do, you are successful. Always remember WHY you do what you do and everything else will fall into place. Don't get too caught up in the hustle and be in such a hurry to get rich. Enjoy the journey. Those are the moments you will reminisce about later in life.
What gave you the drive to say, "fuck it!" and start something you're passionate about?
There was a point in my life where I always wanted to please other people. I cared way too much about what people thought about me and I wanted to be like-able. As soon as I started to say "No" to the things I didn't want to do is when things started to fall into place. During that time my brother, Sean was going through the same kind of transition. We both broke up with our girls, moved out on our own, and just shifted our energy back into creating. He was in San Diego, and I moved to a small studio in Koreatown by myself. Once I found that inner peace of being able to freely do what I want without any regrets, things really started to shift. So much to the point where Sean decided to move back to LA after being in San Diego for 9 years building a solid career with Apple Inc. Once we were back together on a daily basis, NANA LIFESTYLE was in full effect.
What can you tell us about "Message to Princess" and the concept behind the animated short?
If you grew up in the early 90s like me, chances are you were playing Nintendo NES and watching cartoons with a bowl of cereal with little pieces of Oreos hidden in the milk. I wanted to incorporate a new medium for this video that was inspired by my childhood, so of course, 2D-animation was what made sense. The entire Welcome to Warp Zone! EP is inspired by Super Mario levels in a unique way. Isaac did an amazing job capturing the feel I wanted. The song is a dark song, but the video and sound makes it feel light. Because every dark situation shouldn’t be taken so seriously. There is a positive side to everything and I feel that it is almost making fun of situations like this. I’m so happy I got one of my best friends, Furis, who I’ve known since like 10 years old to rap a verse on it. He hasn’t rapped in a long time because he’s been Directing/Editing tons of music videos for some amazing artists. He’s also a part of the collective. This is special to me. You can download my entire EP for free on our website. (nanalifestyle.com)
If you could eat anything right now, what would it be?
Mmmmmm deep fried Talapia with some rice. With chili and fish sauce. Thai-style.
CHECK OUT MORE OF KEN NANA’S WORK HERE
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A manifesto for young, broke writers (or: don’t fuck up my right to earn by accepting less)
Let’s set one thing straight: I’m poor.
I’m a writer who earns practically nothing. I earned more when I was bussing tables. I earned more when I was a bakery girl greeting the 6am breakfast crowd with a smile and a broken cashier. I earned more when I was tagging tiny eyelet onesies for Italian designer brands.
I started writing when I was 14, about Enron and listicles on the Hard Rock Cafe; I am now 26 and write about art and occasionally, civic issues. Narrative journalism/writing is possibly the most illogical profession to be in if I ever wanted to make money or wallow in the rich waters of fame or recognition – I have resigned myself to the fact that I will probably die having achieved neither.
I started the way most of us did, with unpaid internships and weeks of work experience financed, in part, by my family and in part by the other jobs I would take to supplement my real passion. But I also had a decades-long plan in mind, formulated when I was actually just 14 – to write for the rest of my life, and to make it work. I would not be here today, still writing on a Sunday morning at 9am, if I didn’t really love writing. The pay is shitty and will remain shitty for the rest of my life unless I write a book about the shittiness of it all and other shit-paid writers buy that book and we all help ourselves, a little bit, out of that shitty pool of shittiness.
I am often asked for advice by younger writers – and I realise how ridiculous that sounds as I really only just turned 26 – as to how to wedge your foot in the door of writing and to make editors stop in their proofing tracks and think: ‘this writer! So amazing! A voice that cannot be suppressed. We must have him/her on our team. I will now concisely and neatly sum up what I have wanted to tell all of you, but might not have for fear of crushing your hopes and dreams so you end up like a sad, empty crisp packet.
Stop thinking money doesn’t matter.
It does. I am always thinking about it, when I’m both earning money and doing unpaid work. There’s this crass phrase that a CEO once spouted at me during an interview: ‘when bankers get together, they talk about art; when artists get together, they talk about money’. Now that I’ve been writing, unpaid and paid, for literally over a decade, I’ve developed a stamina for asking for it, for asking about it and for talking about it. I ask for my own raise; I ask for a kill fee (you should always ask for a kill fee); I negotiate my own freelance rates. The reality of this industry is: if you’re not being screwed over, you’re screwing someone else over.
And that someone is me. If you took the bitter pill lying down – less money than you deserve or no money at all – you are essentially fuelling a ruthless industry that will seek any way to cut costs and to haul in free labour, allowing them to push out writers with fees who have already developed solid spines. I am not entirely faultless, as I definitely accepted work for no pay or for a free t-shirt or something utterly materialistic and useless in the general needs of daily life. I’ve done it all – overhauled a website for a couple of cocktails at a bar where the editor made me pay for his cigarettes. I wrote features that were killed over and over again, features I had spent hours researching and writing, before I knew what a ‘kill fee’ was.
I’ve also recently had pitches snatched by publications – who, I suspect, just took them and asked an unpaid intern to write the stories. I’ve also been offered an insultingly low salary just because others were accepting that company’s sleazy low-balling policies, and they weren’t willing to budge despite my protestations of ‘that pay is not relevant or equivalent to my experience’. From their point of view, there’ll always be some bright-eyed passionate writer willing to live below their means because those writers treat writing as an art akin to a bohemian writing out of a Parisian garret, not a profession. I’ve also heard younger writers say to me, out loud, things like: “We’re all earning nothing; who am I to ask for more?”
Yes, you can, and you should fucking ask for more. Where’s that hot-headed journalistic attitude you employ on the streets when tracking sources or pinning down a fact? Why do you feel you don’t deserve a byline? Because your writing isn’t good enough? We live in a day and age where the internet can be our best friend or our enemy: be smart. Use it. Read more (more means much more than you think is enough), study more, make notes on what other writers are doing perfectly and what they’re doing horribly. Not asking for more or what you deserve sends a message to your future employer or editor that you are worthless, unless you have a very, very specific reason for not bringing money into the conversation. (Ironically, I am writing this piece unpaid because I wanted to rant and Sarah is a friend. See, logical reason.)
I get it. The plight of young, underpaid writers is that our lives appear fabulous. We’re paid for our words, which most of the time (let’s face it) are pulled out from various orifices in and around our bodies as we charge through life with an arrogant, poetic force that funnels into our egos as we tell ourselves: we matter. Our words matter. Our stories matter. (This actually often affects most writers, not just young.) The issue with that illusion is that we are often fooling ourselves, too.
We believe we’re harbingers of motion, of real action – we’re the worst kinds of armchair activists. Who are we to give voices to those who cannot speak? Who are we to convince ourselves that we’re changing anything in the world? I recently wrote two long form features, one about the state of artists living and working in Hong Kong, the other on arts cultivation within migrant worker communities in the city. Both pieces were published and immediately after, I moved on fast. My hunter’s instinct went into overdrive, sniffing the dirt for the next big, smoky truffle of a pitch. But the reality is that neither artist nor migrant worker –the people I had interviewed and spent afternoons with and basically used their stories for my own false altruistic gains – benefitted from the stories. They were not paid; their voices are still marginalised. I became all too aware of my position of privilege and how, honestly, as a writer, I can never make it ‘right’. The fact that I wasn’t even paid for one of those pieces makes it that much worse. The act of writing out of charity or selflessness is to have a close relationship with the knowledge that yes, I am poor, but I am privileged and there will be food on my table tonight. To tell myself otherwise, or that I can change anything – or for any artist to tell themselves otherwise – is tantamount to selfish ignorance.
Now that I’m slightly older and have jumped through some hopes, I’ve seen how my previous actions might have affected more seasoned writers who are, like I am now, becoming increasingly frustrated at the way ingénues enter the market. Unfortunately, it does also seem like a specifically female issue, although I have encountered and worked with a variety of amazing female writers and editors. The potential is there; you are a good writer; you deserve more. Sheryl Sandberg was right: we need to lean in, but we also need to sit straight, find our spines and fucking open our mouths.
Written by Ysabelle Cheung
Introduce yourself!
Hi. I’m Gemma O’Brien. I’m an artist specialising in typography and lettering. I split my time between commercial art for the advertising world, art shows, design conferences, personal work and hosting lettering workshops. I’m 27 years old. I’m a Gemini. I stay up late most nights. I am messy and am really bad at replying to emails.
Who is Mrs. Eaves?
Mrs Eaves was the pseudonym I adopted when I started my design blog back in university. The story behind it is that Sarah Eaves was John Baskerville’s housekeeper and later became his wife. Apparently, after Baskervilles death she continued to print his types. In 1996 Zuzana Licko of Emigre designed a transitional serif font and named it Mrs Eaves in honour of the forgotten women in type design history. I thought it was a great name and type persona to take on in my early career. Last year at Typo San Francisco I met Zuzana briefly which was cool. Meet-your-maker type stuff! I still use the name on social media.
What are some of your influences/inspires you on a daily basis?
Sources of inspiration are constantly changing depending on the project I’m working on or my interests at the time. One constant source of inspiration is the typography and lettering I see when I travel. From hand-painted signage on forest walking tracks in Japan, to the neon hotel signs in Los Angeles, and the Fraktur street signs in Berlin, new cities can be a wealth of different styles influenced by the culture and history of the place. I love looking in old, second-hand book stores for vintage book covers and records for interesting type treatments too. There’s also many contemporary designers and artists today who push the boundaries of lettering, calligraphy and typography. I love the work of Luca Barcellona, Ken Barber, ilovedust, Alex Trochut, Seb Lester, Erik Marinovich and Martina Flor. I spend a lot of time scrolling through Instagram and screen grabbing random things that inspire from quotes, to paintings, photographs, scenery … anything really. I’d say I take at least 20 screen grabs a day of interesting stuff which I put in folders and later look through when I’m stuck for ideas.
Tell us about #spewbagchallenge and how it all started.
I started creating artwork on airsick bags in December 2012. I was flying from Sydney to Wellington to eventually board a ship bound for Antarctica. To pass the time on the flight using the mini pencil that comes in the kids pack I illustrated the words “Fully Sick”. The following year I was flying a lot for work and travel so I began drawing a different puke-based pun on the bags when I flew. Most of the text was drawing on popular culure: songs, actors, sayings and phrases. I set the limitations that the artwork had to be created in the time of the flight, which meant some artworks were created on a 1 hr flight and others on a long-haul international flight. The second limitation was that I decided to always leave the beautified sick bag in the seat... hoping that one day an unsuspecting airsick passenger may be pleasantly suprised upon finding it. Over the year I created around 25 airsick bag artworks. I began compiling them online and one year after creating the first bag I had an exhibition titled You Make Me Sick which featured replicas of the originals and a few new works. I also encouraged other people to take part in what I had now titled the “Spewbag Challenge”. They had to abide by the same rules of creating the artwork on the flight and leaving it in the seat. Pictures of the bags from around the world have accumulated on Instagram, with around 500 posted with the hashtag #spewbagchallenge.
Advice you'd like to give other emerging creatives? Why do you think we're so afraid to put ourselves out there and what made you say, fuck it!
Life is scary. Creating stuff and putting yourself out there is scary. Everyone’s worried that their work isn’t good enough and the majority of creatives even at the highest levels are highly critical of their work. The thing is; you have to put it out there. If you create work it will lead to more work. If you create work that kinda sucks then it will be better the next time you do it. And the time after that. Just work away and focus on honing your skills, try not to worry what people think (although that’s close to impossible). Even if you create work that’s popular that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good either! But you have to start somewhere and once you do you will see your output grow, change and adapt, and that’s the most rewarding part. There is a good list of advice from New York art critic Jerry Saltz. He can be annoying on social media (mainly Instagram!), but this list has been one I’ve come back to a few times, it’s pretty good.
We live in a time where the internet provides us with so many ways to put our creativity out there for free. How important of a role does the Internet play in your career?
It played a massive role for me. But I think the way the Internet can help your career changes super fast. For example, at the time I started my type blog there were a few typography blogs taking off… now there’s shitloads! I don’t blog anymore, I use Instagram in the same way I would a blog: to show process, stuff that inspires me, selected parts of my lifestyle outside design. I think the fact that there are so many free platforms available to showcase your work today means one thing: your work has to be fucking good! Focus your time on making your work great then the Internet will find you. If it hasn’t yet, it will eventually.
Explain the internet in one sentence.
The internet is like this giant second hand book store down the street from me called Gould’s Book Store. It’s massive and messy and there’s lots of cool stuff in there which is sometimes hard to find. Other times you’ll stumble across gold without even looking. It’s open late and you can easily stay in there for hours. There’s a cat that lives in there and it also kind of smells funny.
Okay that was five sentences. But you get the idea.
Your work has been to Hong Kong, but when are you coming out here?
It has! At the Above Second pop show last year. I don’t know when I’m coming - find someone that needs a mural or wants me to host a workshop/do a talk and I’ll visit.
And finally: you're on death row. (Giving you the benefit of the doubt, let's say you've been wrongly convicted). You have to choose your last meal: what do you have?
HA! I like it that you assume I’ve been wrongly convicted, that’s kind of you. I’ll have a piece of vegemite toast.
FIND MORE OF GEMMA O'BRIEN'S WORK HERE
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Introduce yourself
Hey All! My name's Belinda Love Lee and I have my own petite design and illustration studio, based in Cardiff, UK. It's a one women show over here and I work with clients mainly via the internet to help design and build their branding. That means anything from hand lettering their logo, to designing the stationary, to the website. The whole idea is to design their overall look and feel to be cohesive and recognizable. Other than my work, I prefer summers over winters, cities over the country side, and travelling is a must in life.
Tell us about your experience in Hong Kong.
So here's my life story in short: I was born in Ontario, grew up in Hong Kong, then returned to do Uni in Toronto, and now am situated in the UK because of my lovely husband! My parents are from Hong Kong, so naturally when they were done with Uni in Canada, they headed back Home. I lived in Hong Kong from 3-18, so it's a huge part of who I am but I would definitely say I best associate myself as Third Cultured Kid. Whenever people ask me where I'm from, I make sure to mention that it's both HK, Canada, and now the UK, because all of them have become huge parts of me. Home isn't necessary of one city for me, but more a concept of a growing list of places to conquer and say that I once lived. Growing up in a busy city like HK, you learn fast and get accustomed to way too HUGE crowds (Causeway Bay, hello!), a ton of different cultures, and the best quality of it yet is being able to stomach almost any food! I feel like I have a love/ hate relationship with HK. I love visiting! It's for sure, hands down, one of the must see cities in the world, but personally I probably wouldn't choose to live there again long term. One of the reasons being that the work culture mentality is just insane, 9am to 9pm if that!
What inspires you on a daily basis?
I always find this question hard to answer because inspiration comes from everywhere! My brain never stops looking to be inspired, you can find it even in the most mundane places, like your daily dog walk/ nature/ travelling/ and of course the internet. I think with any creative though, the key is to always be on the look out!
Any advice for other emerging creatives? Why do you think we're so afraid to put ourselves out there? What made made you say, "fuck it!"?
My one advice would be to not compare yourself to the people around you, and more importantly to the strangers on the internet. With social media being such a huge part of our lives now, all we see are the best moments, most organized, stylized parts of people lives. And it's easy to go into a spiral of self doubt, and not feeling like 'you're good enough.' Though the person online might look like they have it all together, and that everything is going for them, don't forget that behind their Insta-self, there's the real person, with struggles and fears, and dirty dishes! In the end, try to be the best version of yourself, not someone else. The more that I've learned to value myself, and my own unique qualities, the less I lived in fear and self doubt.
I think fundamentally the reason why we're all scared to step out is because it is scary. To pursue something you actually love and are passionate about is sadly not the main stream today and so to take that risk is already scary in itself. But it's also scary because as creatives we're literally putting ourselves out there. See for me, I see my work in a really personal way, as an extension of myself. So every time I produce a piece of work, or blog or even Instagram, it's a part of me that I'm choosing to share with the world, and so it is really vulnerable to put yourself out there for the world to judge.
You probably wouldn't believe me but when I first started social media-ing 2 years ago, I was actually scared shitless. Prior to posting, I always had this impending fear of putting my work out there because I was scared of not having people's approval, or for not being or doing, good enough. I remember clearly the first time I put a blog post online, I was so petrified, though no one was probably reading my blog at the time. But in the end despite other's opinions, the scariest thing was not being good enough for myself. In my head I was just this newb, trying to find my style, not having enough studio experience. Denis Waitley says it well, “It's not what you are that holds you back, it's what you think you are not.”
What made me say 'fuck it' was that I personally couldn't have lived with myself and my thoughts for any longer, of constantly wanting and longing to be MORE. I posted that first blog post, and soon that overwhelming sense of fear became smaller and smaller with every post.
We live in a time where the internet provides us with so many ways to put our creativity out there for free. How important of a role does the Internet play in your career and how has it benefitted you?
I would say 99% of my work comes from the internet. So if the internet were to crash I would literally be out of job, I'm not even joking. It's essentially one of the key factor for my business, beside myself and my talented hands (please read that sarcastically!). I have completely benefited from it because not once have I had to spend a dime on advertising.
Explain the internet in one sentence.
It's a great resource for keeping up with Kim Kardashian's butt, but for real, it's changed my life and I would be jobless without it.
Favourite dumpling filling?
Pork and chives, nom nom!
I’m about to embark on the last New Year’s of my twenties, which feels nuts.
It’s crazy to think that the turn of the century was a whole fifteen years ago – half my lifetime. I was fourteen years old, a freshman in high school, and I spent the evening at my new friend Jenny’s house with her family. At midnight, we wandered out into the street, partially to see if we could see any fireworks, and mostly to make sure there weren’t any visible signs of the world collapsing from Y2K.
And here we are, hours away from 2015, and it still feels crazy. It’s never going to not feel crazy. Every New Year’s is going to feel like a punch in the gut reminding you of the passage of time. Where does the time go? Plenty of fun, interesting places I hope!
In honor of my very last twenty-something NYE, I thought I’d do a roll call of NYE past. ** I’ll include photos where available.
2004 - I’ve been racking my brain and can’t think of exactly what I did, but I am sure it was spent with my boyfriend at the time, Will. We must have gone to a party at someone’s house I think. Since this was sophomore year of college, a time before I had a digital camera, and definitely years away from uploading memories in the moment they happen, I can’t retrace my steps through photos.
2005 - Again, I was with Will. A party? Stayed in? I am drawing a complete blank. Sorry Will! I am sure we had tons of fun. Let me know if you remember.
2006 - This was senior year of college and I was dating my really good friend Suzy’s (she’s basically the coolest) brother Nick. I spent New Year’s Eve with both of them in Palm Desert, staying at their parents’ house. I can’t remember exactly where we were when the clock struck midnight.
2007 - OK, here’s where things start to get clearer. I had graduated college and moved in with one my best friends, Arielle. Her boyfriend Dave (now husband), who was also my friend, had decided to throw a party at his place. I tried really hard to get this guy Ryan, whom I had JUST met in a club in Vegas, but lived in LA, to come spend NYE with me at this party, but he said he was too tired. IT’S FINE WE DATED FOR A MONTH AFTER THAT. I wore a plaid shirtdress thing over black jeans and flats, oh, and my new favorite red and black plaid pea coat. Dave screamed at Ryan Seacrest on the TV and threw up the berry/champagne drink he made all over himself, which prompted me to hide under a desk, because I am very afraid of vomit. My friend Andy thought I had gone to get a pot to help but found me cowering, fingers in my ears under the desk.
2008 – I spent NYE with my boyfriend Joe. We had just moved in together a few months prior and decided to go the fancy dinner route. We got all dressed up; Joe looked nice and wore a tie, while I wore an inappropriately business-like dress that looked like a magenta top and black pencil skirt from H&M, fishnets, and black boots. Terrible. We went to the now defunct Spanish tapas restaurant Cobras and Matadors like real grown ups. Then, on the way home, we stopped at Target to buy board games. We watched the ball drop at home, and went to bed shortly after midnight.
2009 – NYE was spent in Denver, my new home. I had moved with Joe earlier than year, and my friend Julia came into town for NYE because she had, conveniently, started dating one of Joe’s band mates. I decided to dress “retro” by wearing a VERY deep v-neck white shirt, black jeans, red belt, a horrifying red wool plaid blazer with leather trim, patent-leather peep-toe wedges with a bow at the toe, and red lipstick. We all went out to dinner with a third couple and then watched the fireworks from Coor’s Field from our balcony. Man, I loved that apartment.
2010 – Back in LA! Joe and I’s last NYE together. We went over to my best friend’s apartment, which she shared with two other girls from our sorority. They decided to host a party with their neighbors who lived across the way. I wore an ill-fitting black shirtdress from H&M, a cheap belt, lacey tights, and knee-high boots. It was a terrible and completely un-NYE outfit. I spent the evening not drinking much and making sure my best friend had her house keys in case of bad decisions. We left pretty shortly after midnight, possibly in a fight. I say this because no photos.
2011 – Ah, what a fun one! I had only been dating my now boyfriend Jacob for two or three weeks. He invited me to the NYE party at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater, where he is a performer. I was SO excited for this party. So excited to kiss this guy at midnight. SO EXCITED TO BE ARM CANDY. I picked up a black lacey dress from H&M, and wore it with black tights and motorcycle boots to make sure I was comfortable. To save money we ate grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup at his place before going to the party. Once we were at the theater, it was a whirlwind of meeting strangers, I now know very well, for the first time. I suggested we get a second drink after we had finished our first whiskey gingers and Jacob said sure. I didn’t really know Jacob very well at the time, and didn’t know how little he drank. After his second drink he was basically drunk, stopping me on the dance floor to grab my shoulders and tell me, “You’re really fun.”
2012 – We went to the same UCB party, except this time I knew more people. I wore an adorable navy lace dress with my hair in Heidi braids. We pre-partied beforehand, leaving me very drunk before we even got to the party. We had a blast, took a lot of blurry pictures and I ended up with a two-day hangover.
2013 – Jacob and I had moved in together just three days prior to NYE. We were tired, stressed out, and totally salty. At 10pm I said, “We have GOT to get out of this house and have fun.” So like any forced fun time, it sucked. Reluctantly we got ready and went to the party a little after 11pm. I wore a top and a skirt I already had, too busy to have tried to buy a dress for the occasion. We realized most of our friends didn’t go, or had already left. I downed two drinks very quickly, got drunk very quickly, and danced a little before realizing that Jacob was miserable. I told him we could leave even though I don’t like going home as drunk as I was. We got in a fight. I cried. We decided this was the last year for the UCB party.
2014 – Well…in a few hours we’ll be heading out for the UCB party. I know, I know, but we were in a foggy, miserable moving haze last year. We’ll be going with some friends who moved from New York into our building, and one of my good friends from high school. I’m just going to wear a dress I have in my closet. Maybe even one that I’ve worn to this exact same party. I can’t be bothered to care too much about what I wear because, this is my last NYE in my twenties and, honey, I DGAF.
The Expat Experience – Subjectivity and Normalisation at 35 Degrees.
The ‘expat experience’ is a long-exhausted topic. It's been documented, dissected, analysed and categorised. However, there's one aspect of this phenomenon that I still can't quite fathom. It's the monumental king of Hong Kong ironic cultural paradigms and that is the over-whelming social expectation and focus on 'high-end' education. This is permeated into the Hong Kong psyche to the point where 'celeb' tutors are splayed across buses wearing grins like they should be promoting some new brand of spreadable fucking cheese.
Okay, so there's this well-established social construct and I can accept that but what off-sets this is one particular facet of the Educational culture. The wide-spread employment of 'N.E.T's' whose experience and training in English teaching stretches no further than showing their younger siblings how to make a water balloon from a condom (go extra safe, excellent water retention). The only reason I’m being so harsh is because I myself was one of these educational imports. Being a Journalism graduate, teaching English is far from my forte as my experience lies in the effective construction, regurgitation and contextual conveyance of the language (a plight I often struggle with) and yes perhaps many of these traits are transferrable and relevant, but as I’ll explain later, I feel it doesn’t really matter.
I was told fresh off the plane that I should pursue a job teaching English as it was easy work to find that pays well and as many fresh Journalism graduates will know, finding a job in the field is about as easy as explaining to mainlanders on the MTR that their suitcase filled with powdered milk and Yakult isn’t a fucking person and therefore, shouldn’t be accommodating a priority seat, all-the-while the woman in the middle of the carriage, who was probably in her teens when the Brits arrived pulls a John Wayne stance so as not to fall face first into the guy with the rolled up t-shirt whose belly looks like a sweaty chewed orange.
It turned out that I was given solid advice and within two weeks of arriving I had two interviews lined up based off nothing more than a quickly typed up C.V with relevant experience including such sought after traits like ‘dictionary owner’. My first interview took me to a bustling and notably un-westernised pocket of Hong Kong. I waded through the crowds observing dutiful citizens adoringly holding old newspapers beneath their dogs puckered anuses to lovingly catch the nuggety treasure it bequeathed. The first thing that struck me as I was waiting to be interviewed, filling out the obligatory application form was the fact that they asked me what my ‘expected salary’ would be. Now to many reading this, this would come as no surprise, but back in Scotland you kind of expect the minimum then make up the difference in stolen pens and blu-tac. I resisted writing ‘ALL DE MONEYZ’ and left a kind of in-decipherable squiggle to give me some haggling room. The interview itself involved sitting in a baby chair that created an awkward kind of man’s camel-toe and had me answering scenario based questions. But the standout had to be when the interviewer had me do a rendition of ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ to the wall, he asked me if I knew the accompanying dance to which I politely responded by doing the robot, no dice. So he gave me a demonstration that played out as a kind of jazz-hand heavy interpretive dance that seemed to portray the actions involved in milking a horse for its semen.
In the end, I was offered the position and was given the classroom at the window so that all those who walked pass could see me robot to frightened and confused children. Now this may be reading as a kind of Magnum Opus of my vocational life thus far as opposed to any kind of eloquent or enlightening social commentary, but the story stands for itself. What qualifies me to teach children, especially in an environment that is so obsessed with results and an objective perception of ‘success’. The interview seemed more like a gauge to measure my preparedness in interacting with the children as opposed to my skill in imparting my native language.
It begs one question that can be applied to so many facets of Hong Kong culture; is the ‘N.E.T’ phenomenon another part of a westernised cultural hangover? Is this tendency towards aesthetic imitation, and the preference for a white face to promote pseudo-credibility, serving only to stunt the use of relevant skills? This may come across as throwaway exposition, but that’s why subjectivity is such a beautiful word for a journalist - or maybe it’s a case of we-were-all-thinking-it-anyway.
Written by Graham Mckinnon Turner – Scottish expat, 27 years old, writer. Enjoys self-deprecation and putting my face in the freezer.
As a kid, I wanted to be cool, but I didn’t want to be a nerd. Unfortunately, I didn’t understand that all the things I thought would make me cool were, in fact, the nerdiest. Glasses, braces, inhaler, cast for broken wrist. I wanted them all and, eventually, I got what I wished for – except for the cast, which was not for lack of concerted trying.
The reason I thought they were cool was because all of these things intrinsically elicit a lot of attention. Being popular and cool meant everyone gave you attention, right? So, even though it seems counterintuitive, it makes sense why I wanted these painfully dorky items in order to feel cool.
Glasses were easy to check off the list in second grade, followed by an inhaler for my “exercise-induced” asthma – which basically confirmed my status as an indoor kid.
I had to wait until I was eight years old to get my first taste of orthodontics when my big adult teeth began to crowd each other in the small little cavern of my mouth. From my first visit to Dr. Yamada, I knew what I eventually really wanted: a fucking cool retainer!
On the arm of every chair in the orthodontist’s office were two laminated index cards. One listed the impressive amount of flavors to choose for impressions, and the other was my holy grail: retainer color choices. I knew I still had about 6-7 years of time left before I had to make one of the biggest decisions of my life, but I thought about it every single visit.
Over the course of my time with Dr. Yamada, I had a myriad of excruciating appliances and oral surgeries. But, there were awesome things too. I had braces TWICE, which meant that once a month I was able to choose seasonally spirited colored bands for my brackets. And although, to my disappointment and dismay, I wasn’t made to wear headgear, I was forced to wear rubber bands that connected my top and bottom jaw.
When I was about three years old, I saw a cashier in a department store (probably the late Bullocks) in the late 80’s with neon rubber bands on her braces. I knew then what cool looked like. After being given regular rubber bands, I inquired about the neon variety that I had seen ten years prior. The assistant went to the back and dug some up from the early 90’s no doubt. They were so old, they snapped constantly, but I loved them.
When the time came for my braces to be removed, the pressure was on to choose a retainer color. I had known friends who brought in tiny purple butterfly stickers for their retainer molds, people with glow in the dark, glitter, neon, and even ones that looked like a watermelon – seeds and all!
I half-joked with my friend Lauren that I should cut out a magazine photo of Tobey Maguire for my retainers because he was my ultimate celeb crush at the time.
Sadly, D-day arrived and I was faced with one of the greatest decisions I’d ever had to make, a decision seven years in the making – half my lifetime – and I didn’t want to screw it up. I wish I could tell you that I didn’t, but the truth is I choked. I got nervous and chose something safe. I told them I wanted bright red, because it was my favorite color, and because it was a fun color that also blended into my mouth. Why I believed anyone would look inside my mouth is beyond me.
At the last second, the assistant told me they could split the retainers in half and I could choose two colors. I made a game-time decision and “yellow,” was released out of my mouth. And so, that’s how I ended up with two of the ugliest little pieces of plastic and metal. I owned MacDonalds themes retainers.
But, retainers are expensive and, unfortunately, I was pretty responsible with them. I didn’t have a dog to accidentally chew them up, and I diligently put them in their case at night. I wore them for 15 years straight, until I began dating my current boyfriend. I wanted to come off cool and sexy, and besides, they had been bothering me for some time. Into the bathroom drawer they went – in their case of course.
This is how I found myself at the dentist for a chipped tooth, with him inquiring if I had worn my retainers, because my teeth had moved. I was shocked and offended! I had worn them religiously for over a decade – two years of laziness shouldn’t be so harshly punished.
(This is STILL in my folder at the dentist office. The hygienists always expect a 12 year old when they retrieve me from the waiting area.)
But, he was right. I knew it. Since I started making a real adult level income, I have known in the back of my mind that I really should man up and get a new pair. I made an appointment to come back in for impressions, and I realized that I was giving myself a do-over in the retainer department. “Excuse me,” I flagged down the dentist before he walked away. “Can I choose a color for my retainer?”
“I usually just order pink,” he replied. “But, I’ll look into it for you.”
One week later I returned to the dentist’s office to take my impressions, remembering how much they make you want to gag. As I wiped the saliva and strawberry flavored plaster from my mouth, my dentist returned with a large laminated chart of retainer colors.
I suddenly realized that at 29 years old, I was faced with yet another life altering decision. I would do it right this time! I flipped the options from front to back, oohing and aahing over nostalgic choices that were still available. The watermelon was still around, as was glitter and neon, but there were also new intricate designs depicting a snowy mountainside, a meadow, and a strawberry.
Should I finally get my Tobey Maguire retainer? I earnestly considered.
Ultimately, being the almost 30 year old that I am, I placed my order for the classic rainbow design. Because I have always loved anything with rainbows, and nothing, absolutely nothing has changed.
I had to wait an anxious two weeks to come back to pick them. But when I did, it was worth it. They were nothing short of beautiful. Such craftsmanship! The minute the dentist opened the familiar hard plastic half-moon shaped case to reveal my shiny new rainbow beauties, I was in love. Not to mention, the retainer artisans took the liberty of adding glitter to the yellow panels. They were just as inspired as me, it seemed.
I walked away feeling great for so many reasons. I had made the adult decision to go out of my way to have them made. I paid for them all on my own, in full. They fit like a dream. And, I finally felt like I had rectified a real regret.
I wear them every night because it’s nice to know that I am preserving my parents’ $10k investment in my smile, because I paid for them, and because they are really fucking fun. I even recently discovered they are also glow in the dark. Can you even??
Even now, I am struck with my guttural desire, the same desire I had 15 years ago. We mature and grow so much, but we’re still so very much the same. It’s comforting to know that these versions of you still exist, ingrained in who you become.
But, just as I am excited to have the dream retainers I always wanted, this time it isn’t in an effort to be cool. It’s not for attention. It’s just for me. As much as I wanted to seem cool with my attention seeking glasses and neon rubber bands when I was younger, it was always for me. I realize that just being me, nerdy ol’ me, was what made me cool and I was doing it all along without trying.
I share my dumb elation on Instagram. I share them here with you. I will probably receive attention for it. It might even make me cool. But this time I don’t care either way. We all get excited about weird shit, and this is mine. It’s comforting to know that even though the 8 year old me, and the 14 year old me are still in there, I’ve grown up quite a bit.
Retainers are meant to hold things in place, but despite their best efforts, things still shift a little.
Introduce yourself!
Hello! My name’s Corey and I’m a twenty year old photographer living in Manchester, UK.
What are some of your influences?
My influences are drawn from all different forms of creativity, particularly pop culture, but I love anything from Ben Zank’s minimalistic nudes to David LaChapelle’s chaotic high fashion. I connect so intimately with the devotion to art and the way that an individual will give their soul entirely to the purpose of photographic expression. I also spend a lot of time listening to music because for me, it can inspire some of the deepest feelings and realisations and that is what I aim to bring out and show about myself through the work that I produce.
What are you working on right now?
This is probably the most daunting question of the bunch. I spent three years constructing BLOODSHOT and I had such a hard time bringing the production to an end. I got to a point when I was doing my best work and I just didn’t want to stop. I recently had to build an exhibition from the ground up, and I decided that this presented itself as the perfect opportunity to expose all of my hard work. It turns out that I couldn’t have timed it better and people were absolutely infatuated with the finished product.
I am already producing concepts for the following photobook; all I can divulge is that the work seems to be mainly based around my difficulties as a child. BLOODSHOT has given me the ability to reflect on things with a psychological eye, but my main wish is that the audience can find something within the narratives that they can relate to
Tell us about "BLOODSHOT".
I have struggled to comprehend the meaning and destiny of my imaginative persona for a long time, but I’ve always known that the photographs I create are deeply nostalgic sentiments. It is only now that I realise how these real memories and ideas are my therapeutic and artistic ways of dealing with some of the challenges in my life. I want the audience to gaze through my BLOODSHOT eye as I craft some of the most personal and heartfelt pieces that are sewn together through the themes of fashion and theatricality. Though my visual constructions are extreme, they are built upon the hyperbolic foundations of my difficulties as an adolescent, and I feel that, without this ability to artistically express myself, I could not exist.
My self-portraiture however, is not created solely as a statement of deliberate expression; it also generates subconscious reflections which have led to an affiliation and familiarity with the nature of my personality. Fears are the reoccurring symbol in my conceptual work and I feel that they have quite delicately demonstrated a weakness in my creative reality. Some images in particular tackle the fear of an artistic lapse, a fear of the darkness, a fear of sexuality or sexualisation and a fear of both family and intimate relationships breaking down.
How do you feel about an emerging creative? Thoughts on how the online community and social media has changed to benefit us?
As far as I’m concerned Social Media will always have a place in my heart. It allows young artists to find and build an audience that is willing to learn about and understand them. However, it is also full of people that will hurt and critically analyse you, but it’s not always a bad thing. I started photo-making when I was just 16 and the oppression, misunderstanding and low expectations of others really pushed me to work harder and now I am at a point where I absolutely love sharing what I can do because I know that all of those people were wrong about me.
Any advice?
Speaking as a self-portrait artist with not a lot of money, the only advice I can give to other emerging artists is that they must not be afraid to explore themselves in any way possible and to have faith in what they can achieve. I’ve always lived under the notion that photographic equipment is not essential to the creation of something beautiful. In fact almost half of BLOODSHOT was produced with a compact camera and the built-in flash. I had to strive for understanding and knowledge in the area of technology.
How do you spend your mornings?
I’m studying in my final year of university which means that most mornings are stolen from me, but I mostly enjoy spending my mornings in bed, who doesn’t?
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Michelle Akin ( michelleakin ) is a life coach, singer and a YouTuber. She talks about how we spend a lot of our twenties refusing to take ownership of our own lives and how we need to be more mindful of what we consume and who we allow to matter.
It's insightful and might be hard-hitting for some people, but definitely very honest. Give it a listen - it's worth your time. Promise.
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Introduce yourselves
We are a four-piece band coming out of Canberra, Australia. The band consists of Patrick Ryan (vocals/guitar), Tim Douglass (guitar/keys), Jono Warren (drums) and Jack Schwenke (bass). Stemming from a broad range of musical influences, we aim to capture and deliver what has been special about pop music since its origin: Relatable lyrics and catchy hooks that are able to evoke foot-tapping enjoyment. That, and something that people can just dance to. And we also throw in a few cool guitar solos.
How did you all come together to start making music?
Tim, Jono and I all lived in the same residential collegree at our university, ANU. After a few times playing in the college band for various events, we decided to have a bit of a jam. Turns out, it went rather well. After a number of gigs and swapping instruments (to compensate for the lack of a bassist), we met Jack, who studies with Tim and Jono at the music school. The rest is history.
How would you describe your music?
We've been described by a college radio presenter in the US as "Well, imagine if you will, Jack Johnson accidentally walking into a Beatles' session and they decided to write and record a few tunes 'just for the fun of it'", which is pretty cool. Those two artists definitely have an influence on us, but not so much so that we're bound to the confines of that brand of music. Fundamentally, we're a guitar-driven pop-rock band that doesn't mind mixing things up to keep it interesting.
What are some of your influences/inspirations, musical or otherwise
There's always the classics. And they are classics for a reason. Dylan, The Stones, the Beatles and Pink Floyd are all some of my favorites, who, along with many others, have shaped modern pop music. My personal all-time favorite is the Dire Straits. Tom Petty comes a close second. We write what we know, so all of these musicians, and countless others from a range of genres have helped to shape how and what I play.
Can you tell us about your experience working on your debut EP, 'Someday Soon'?
If you asked me a year and a half ago how I'd be spending my summer of 2013/14, never could I have fathomed that I'd be recording an EP. The whole experience was scary, mildly tedious at times (doing the same take over and over again can get to you), an awesome learning experience, and most of all, so much fun.
After writing a number of songs, we had planned to record a few tracks at a local studio in Canberra, then send them out for mixing. So, we shot off a couple of emails, to which we got back an email from Producer 'Lindsay Gravina', who not only was happy to mix our tracks, but wanted us to come into the studio to record with him. After months of pre-production, we managed to find the 5 that we were happy with to be released on an EP.
Once we got to the studios, we were exposed to a whole new world of music production that none of us had ever experienced before. Four weeks later, after many a late night listening over and over again to the same 5 tracks, we came out with an EP. It's a completely different side to gigging and live performance that we'd only before experienced to a minor degree. For me, I love the live stuff, so this was definitely where all the hard yards go.
What's your first musical memory?
Me and my Dad driving in his car blasting 'Breakdown' by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, with us both singing along. That song rocks.
Favourite collaboration? (Either real or imaginary - is there someone you'd love to work with?)
I reckon Katy Perry and The Steptones would make a killer song, negotiations are still in progress... Aside from that, I think it'd be so much fun to work with Dave Grohl.
How do you spend your mornings?
Sleeping, if I can. Although I start work at 6am a couple of times a week, which really throws a spanner in the works. Apart from that, lots and lots coffee.
Would you rather live one 1,000 year life, or ten 100 year lives?
Ten 100 year lives, It'd be fun to mix things up a bit.
Introduce yourself!
Hiya, I'm Kelly. I'm a twenty-three year old designer living in London. I'm from Hong Kong.
What are some of your influences/inspires you on a daily basis? Explain your creative process.
Elements of history are always in my work. On a daily basis, I'm obsessed with history documentaries and will watch anything to do with it. When I go on holiday, I'm tempted to stay in my hotel sometimes just to watch the history channel. Lately, all my work are digital collages made with cut-outs from encyclopedia illustrations. Encyclopedia illustrations are so well-drawn and odd at the same time ...like the illustrations of different races. It's such an out-dated visual source but I'm really drawn to that aspect of it and also to the fact that it feels like a lot more care has been gone into documenting one thing, like for example, an egg.
What are you working on right now?
I'm working on a series on the theme of colonialism. I just finished the first piece, called The Landing.
(Shown above)
How do you feel about being an emerging creative? Any thoughts on how the online community and social media has changed to benefit the creatives of our generation?
I'm not against it. I think the things I see online are pretty interesting these days. There is so much you can do nowadays. On one hand, there is an overkill of trends... there are more things that make you go, oh I've seen this and that before. But trends will always exist, and there are still so many things I come across online that blow my mind and challenge my thinking of design in new ways all the time. The online community pushes us to go further because there are just so much good work out there that are available for everyone to see and appreciate.
Any advice you could give to other emerging artists / advice you'd been given in the past that you'd like to share?
Someone once said these encouraging words to me, "Someone one day will find your work and things will take off from there". My mantra, as cheesy as it is, is to keep doing what I love doing and not worry too much.
What would you like to get out of your twenties? What would you like to have achieved by the time you reach 30?
There isn't any one thing that I'm aiming to achieve because I think there are too many possibilities ...some that I have considered and probably some that I haven't even foreseen. I think as long as I can find a balance of some kind with my creative work and the boring stuff like being able to make enough money to sustain myself or save for my future then I've done ok.
How do you spend your mornings?
I'd rather skip breakfast than lose a minute of sleep, so I usually sleep till as late as I can... put on some instrumental music: the opening title score of Crimson Wings is my favorite haha. Then I shower and take forever to chose my outfit for the day and am usually late by the time I get to work... even though I live five mins away.
You're on death row. Giving you the benefit of the doubt, let's say you've been wrongly convicted. You have to choose your last meal: what do you have?
A bowl of soup noodle ...though chinese style scallops with vermicelli, soy sauce and garlic is also another fine option.
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My name is Carley Cornelissen and I am a 32 year old artist from the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.
TB: What are some of your influences? What inspires you on a daily basis? Your creative process?
C:
I love colour, I was always very conservative with my colour use in the past but in the last few years I have realised that bright colours inspire and motivate me, fluro pink and all shades of blue being my favourites. I also work in an art supplies store so I am lucky enough to be constantly surrounded by colour on a daily basis and am always on the look out for new colour combinations.
My other passion is animals, especially the plight of endangered species, I wish to create colourful little safe worlds for these precious creatures in each of my works while hopefully drawing attention to their heartbreaking situations.
TB: What are you working on right now?
C:
I have been lucky enough to be represented by Retrospect Galleries who have a gallery in Byron Bay here in Australia but also travel to Europe and Asia for international art fairs and the next ones are coming up later this year so I am working on some new pieces for that. Also I am about to begin a mural in the lounge room of our new house, 4 meters long, my largest piece ever! So we'll see how that goes, I'm pretty excited!
TB: How do you feel about being an emerging creative in this era? Thoughts on how social media has changed to benefit the creatives of our generation?
C:
I LOVE Instagram! It is such an amazing platform for creatives to not only get their work out there but also to connect with other like minded people. I have been lucky enough to connect with such a wonderfully supportive group of incredibly talented people and they inspire me every day. I also find it is great to see the process of other artists, how they work and what inspires them. I love the way the artwork and the artist become so much more connected with social media. But the short answer is yes, I am addicted to instagram!
TB: Any advice for other emerging artists / advice you'd been given in the past that you'd like to share?
C:
Probably the most important piece I could give is one that I had to learn myself. I spent many years after Uni unsuccessfully trying to find my own voice with my practice, now when I look back I realise I was trying to recreate styles that I admired in other artists. I would jump from one style to another and never be satisfied with the results. But I now realise that I was painting too much from my brain and not from my heart. The transition from that to what I do now wasn't overnight but I realised that the more colour I used and the more freely I used it the more insipired I was and it just led on to another idea and so on from there. So I think the advice is paint from your heart and follow your passion in your practice and the rest can kind of fall into place from there.
TB: Any plans to come to Hong Kong in the future? (We gotta ask. Drinks on us!)
C:
Hopefully! I've never been before but my art has! My husband and I are planning a trip around Europe on a motorbike next year so that will be first!
TB: How do you spend your mornings?
C:
If it is a work day I will either ride my bike to work, go to the gym or sleep in till the very last minute! I normally don't do any painting before work, I leave that till after dinner. But if its a studio day I will drink coffee and binge watch tv shows while painting in the studio all day, that's my favourite kind of day!
TB: You're on death row. Giving you the benefit of the doubt, let's say you've been wrongly convicted. You have to choose your last meal: what do you have?
C:
Hmmm, I think it would have to be a platter with pesto pasta, vegetarian dumplings and potato gems, with ice cream for dessert!
Hi, my name's Thor Rixon and I am a music producer and film director from Cape Town, South Africa.
TB: How did you first get into producing music?
T:
I wasn't sure what direction I was going to take when I finished high school so I decided to go out and take a course in music production in June 2010. I loved it and have been practicing in my bedroom and friends studios almost every day since.
TB: How would you describe the music you make?
T:
I would say it is organic and acoustic sounding electronic music. The tempos vary drastically between each track. I also try and put as much sadness/happiness into the music as well. 'Melancholic tones' is another way of putting it I suppose.
TB: What are some of your influences/inspirations, musical or otherwise?
T:
I am a huge fan of really honest and heart wrenching folk music. Bands like Beirut, Noah and the Whale, Cat Empire and Bonobo are some of my favourite artists and are listened to everyday. Aside from musical inspiration, people who push our understanding of what is good and really extended their creativity are what inspire me to do the things I do. I get really excited when I see something that I have never seen or heard before.
TB: Tea Time Favourites, your 2nd album, is a great mix: how did you come to work with the artists on the album? What was the driving force behind creating the album? How did you come up with its name?
T:
When I write an album I just give myself a date and write as many songs and as much as possible leading up to about 3 months before that date where I choose my 'favourites' and massage/tweak those till they are sounding like something worth sharing. I am good friends with all of the collaborators on the album and when I wrote the songs initially, I felt that certain people would really suit the song and take it to where it's meant to be. The name of the album came about in conversation with friends. I am constantly writing down album names or band names that just happen from conversations or from a funny thing that someone said. I cant remember exactly how it came about, I just remember sticking with that as a name for a long time.
TB: You did a surreal, 'weirdly wonderful' photoshoot for the album - do you feel a strong connection between film and music? You're also a director - do you find visuals to be as important with music as with film?
T:
Music and Film compliment each other so well. If I could, I would have a video to accompany every single one of my songs. When you put a visual to a sound you are adding another view point and understanding to both mediums, you are giving the sound context and the visual feeling.
TB: What's your first musical memory?
T:
My parents played me a record of Burning Spear's Black Wa Da Da (The Invasion) which wasn't necessarily my 1st musical experience but was definitely the time in my life where I fell in love with music. The thick bass line in that track is something that has stuck with me and will continue to do so in to the future. It's so badass and just pure groove.
TB: Favourite collaboration? (Either real or imaginary - is there someone you'd love to work with?)
T:
The person I would really love to collaborate with would definitely be Zach Condon of Beirut and Spoek Mathambo.
TB: What's on your iPod? What are you listening to right now? What are some all-time favourites?
T:
I'm currently listening to The Watermark High who is a super badass young producer from South Africa that is destined for some great things. It's very chilled, downtempo electronic rumblings.
https://soundcloud.com/thewatermarkhigh
TB: How do you spend your mornings?
T:
I spend my mornings trying to; wake up for an hour or so (the snooze button is the devil), make some gourmet breakfast and gourmet tea, get dressed and head out to vibe the day ahead.
TB: Would you rather live one 1,000 year life, or ten 100 year lives?
T:
Oh wow, you've got me pondering life quite hard right now. hahaha, ummmm, I'd say 100 year lives because then you can experience all the vibyness of growing up in many different ways and experiencing many unknown ways of life I suppose.
TB:
And finally: you're on death row. (Giving you the benefit of the doubt, let's say you've been wrongly convicted). You have to choose your last meal: what do you have?
T:
An extra large thin-based pizza with mozzarella, banana, pineapple, mushrooms, avocado, fried onion, rocket, feta and balsamic reduction. Sorry, Im a huge fan of pizza.
LISTEN TO TEA TIME FAVOURITES HERE
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