mood indigo
Now Playing: everything but the girl - protection
Topic: self-portraiture



Despite the title of this post and the somewhat brooding nature of the image above, I am anything but "blue" at the moment.

On Wednesday this week, my Fundbreak project, interior / exterior, reached it's deadline after exceeding my intended goal, so thank you once again to those who showed their support:

Desmond Wong, Adam Meyer, Adrian Clark, Tracey Wallace, Renae Jones, Lisa Dempster, Mia Alexiname, Sarah Hoey, Holly Ringland, Ryan Laxton, Angus Gordon, Vanessa Toholka, Richard Hryckiewicz, Sarah Fallon, Susan Knight, Elle Moss, Mary Elise Tomczak, Kyle Warren, Monica Barrett, Michelle McRae, Sarah Mercer and Chris Zissiadis.

Thank you also to those who promoted the project on my behalf through Twitter, Facebook, and any other social media or personal interactions.

The same day I collected my passport from the post office and opened it in excitement to see my 5 year UK Ancestry Entry Visa smoothly inserted into page 4 of my passport!

So London, I'll be seeing you sometime around the 18th of January!

For now though, I'm off down to the Gold Coast for an evening of 80s music, Mexican food, margaritas and a girlie sleepover with Tracey and Rachael!

Hope you're all having a fantastic weekend! x

one hundred percent
Now Playing: the smiths - accept yourself
Topic: self-portraiture



Apologies for the lateness of this post. Believe me, it's not for lack of being ecstatic, just manic busy-ness and more recently mild sickness.

But I am most certainly overwhelmingly appreciative.

On Tuesday this week, I reached 100% of the goal of my project interior / exterior (in fact, 102%) and since then have exceeded that again!

The most recent contributors to my cause were two Divine Sisters, Michelle McRae and Sarah Mercer, and both Kyle Warren and Adam Meyer showed further support!

I am unbelievably thankful to everyone who has shown their support for my residency at Hospitalfield in Arbroath, Scotland, in April next year, and once the deadline has passed will be in contact with those who have shown their support to follow up about addresses and such for rewards where relevant.

If you haven't had a chance yet and would still like to be involved, any additional funds raised over the goal of AU$1,550 will go toward my flight to the UK, and all rewards are still valid until midday on the 8th of December, Australian Daylight Savings Time.

I am so excited about this residency and, internet permitting, will be blogging about my experiences there as it happens. I hope to bring you some wonderful photographs and carry those over into a self-published collection of images and an exhibition to complete my interior / exterior series.

I'm also excited about two upcoming collaborations. One with Simon Groth, a Brisbane author, to take the form of a published collection of short stories / prose and images; the other, a second collaboration with Nick Kind, ex-pat Brit based in Melbourne, a potential "letters from home" blog in the form of images exchanged between us of each other's place of origin.

The residency will go ahead irrespective of the UK Home Office, but my move to the UK is still dependent on my application for a UK Ancestry Visa, which I posted off last Wednesday after having my biometric data taken. I can't see any reason why it would be declined, but don't want to assume anything.

Should all go to plan though, I will be in London for the long haul by the 18th of January next year, and I am unbelievably excited at that prospect. And daunted. But mostly excited.

the smell of outdoor cooking
Now Playing: arab strap - the smell of outdoor cooking
Topic: self-portraiture



It's that time again! Thanks to Mary Elise Tomczak, Kyle Warren and Monica Barrett, not to mention all those lovely folk I've already thanked in previous posts, I'm almost halfway to reaching the goal for my project, interior / exterior!

You guys are beyond awesome. Seriously.

If you've not yet had a chance to show your support, feel free to take a look at my interior / exterior series thus far, and visit the Hospitalfield website, and you'll no doubt be able to realise what an excellent opportunity this is for me, and how much it would assist me in completing this series with the intention of self-publishing a collection of the images, staging an exhibition of works from the series, and finding new directions in which to take my work.

I'd love you to come along with me on this exciting journey!

alice in furnitureland
Now Playing: manic street preachers - everything must go
Topic: self-portraiture



More unending gratitude goes out to some lovely ladies I know for showing their support for my project, interior / exterior, over the past few days: to one of my newer friends made in Brisbane this past year, Sarah Fallon, and to two of my Divine Sisters, Susan Knight and Elle Moss.

Only a little over a month left to contribute and there's still a way to go, so if you've been thinking about showing your support, now is a good time!

For those folks who are looking but have not yet shown their support, what would sway you to help make this residency a reality for me? What can I do for you in terms of a reward that maybe I haven't included?

Feel free to message me if there's something you think is missing from my rewards, or if you have a special request and I'll see what I can do!

one third
Now Playing: snow patrol - chasing cars
Topic: self-portraiture



Thank you to my supporters so far, I've almost reached 30% of my goal to enable me to undertake a residency at Hospitalfield and complete my interior / exterior series, and my project is currently featured on the Fundbreak website!

The latest round of unending gratitude goes to Ryan Laxton, Angus Gordon, Vanessa Toholka and Richard Hryckiewicz. Thank you all so much! xx

If you'd like to help this dream come true for me, please take a look at my project interior / exterior and show your support.

solitary
Now Playing: eurythmics - here comes the rain again
Topic: self-portraiture



A quick post to thank Tracey Wallace and Renae Jones for being my 5th and 6th supporters respectively.

Can you help me reach 10 supporters or $300 by the end of this weekend?

This was supposed to be my image for week 13 of the Divine Diptych Project.

garden of earthly delights
Now Playing: the divine comedy - the wreck of the beautiful
Topic: self-portraiture



Some of you might have heard I've been accepted to do a one month residency at Hospitalfield in Arbroath, Scotland, from mid-April 2011, to continue creating images for my interior / exterior series with a view to exhibiting this work later in the year, and putting together a self-published collection of the finished series.

I also intend to use the opportunity to be inspired by the history of the property, and Hospitalfield's extensive library and art collection to find a new direction with my work.

And now I need your help!

Please take a look at my project interior / exterior, and if you deem it worthy show your support.

I'm trying to get as much money together as I can for my overseas travels in the new year, and I'm looking for supporters to help me take up this fantastic opportunity in exchange for some excellent rewards.

The goal amount of AU$1,550 will cover the cost of the residency. Should funding exceed my goal, any additional funds raised will go toward my travel expenses to get to Scotland.

A massive thank you to Desmond Wong, Adam Meyer and Adrian Clark who have already shown their support. You guys rock! xx

nanoka
Now Playing: herbie hancock - speak like a child
Topic: self-portraiture



I came across Katie West in a self-portrait community on livejournal in 2005 then followed her continuing adventures on Flickr; and though I have a Tumblr I don't use, I do drop by every so often to see what Katie is up to these days.

So I was a little behind the 8-ball in finding out she and Jack Scoresby had put together a magazine of photographs and writing about their seven days in Japan earlier this year, and about their ongoing friendship. But, of course, when I did find out, I had to get myself a copy.

And then, a week after my copy arrived, I finally had a chance to open Nanoka and read it / pore over the photographs, and do her bidding.

Her wish is my command: When you get it you should tell everyone, and maybe post a picture of you reading it. A picture of you reading it while naked.

i've been tired
Now Playing: elvis costello & the attractions - i want you
Topic: self-portraiture



So this month has been crazy.

I decided not to extend my contract with the company I'd been with originally as a temp, then as a direct contractor, since mid-October last year.

I have now ended up working a crazy numbers of hours, including evening shifts, for the Australian Electoral Commission through an agency, in preparation for the Australian federal election taking place this Saturday. I will be working from 5:30pm Saturday until stupid o'clock this coming Sunday morning helping with vote counting, then from next Thursday with more of the same in a different format.

However, I took a time out from work this week from Tuesday to ensure I was able to submit applications for two grants. The first one, due a couple of days ago, is for a three month Australia Council studio residency in Green St, SoHo, NYC, which would be awesome.

The second was for the 2010 Toyota Community Spirit Artist Travel Award, which I was shortlisted for last year. My application includes a proposal for a self-directed residency in NYC as well as an informal mentorship with Aaron Hobson in the Adirondack region of upstate New York, assuming I don't get the Australia Council residency; but primarily covers the residency at Hospitalfield in Arbroath, Scotland, that I have been accepted to undertake next April!

Whether I manage to obtain funding or not, I intend to undertake the Hospitalfield residency, so it gives me something definite to aim for in regard to my intentions to relocate to the UK. The plan now is to head Blighty-ward mid-March next year!

I also have three portraits included in the latest portfolio issue of Color Magazine!

Around all that, I've managed to hit the gym as much as possible and finally feel I'm seeing some results for all my hard work!

As a treat for all my deadline-meeting, residency-procuring, gym-going and long-hour-working, I'm having an easy Friday night of cider and editing. Hope your weekend rocks!

lost and found
Now Playing: rebekah del rio - llorando
Topic: self-portraiture



I finally had a chance to take some self-portraits today, and this is one of them.

I decided not to accept the contract extension offered to me, so I've been back temping since last Wednesday. Thankfully with the Australian federal election coming up, I've had plenty of work to keep me more than busy, and between that and my tax return I should be back on even footing financially in a couple of weeks, after the costs of my road trip in March and my solo exhibition in June / July.

Last night I sent off an application for an independently funded residency in Scotland next year. It would be a fantastic opportunity and a wonderful location, so my fingers are crossed.

If you're in Victoria and would like to drop into the opening of the Corangamarah Art Prize, from 7:30pm on Saturday 7th August, tickets are $20 and available on the door, or beforehand through Colac Area Health. The exhibition will run until Sunday 15th August at Otway Estate Winery and Brewery in Barongarook, near Colac. Unfortunately I won't be able to make it due to distance, but two of my prints will be in the running for the prize.