LIVE, LOVE AND DON’T BE SORRY

Inspiration can come in all forms and even sometimes in the most tragic of ways.

Ella Pilc started a blog in September 2012 called Sharky and Willow, by April 2013 she had 12,000 followers worldwide. She never marketed her blog. Her stories are hilarious. Her writing is just wonderful. She has you sobbing and in fits of giggles within minutes. She makes you feel like you have known her all her life. She makes you want to live, to treasure every moment, every cup of mango sorbet, every flight of stairs you have to climb. She makes you want to read her blog over and over again.

Sharky and Willow is Ella's story, Ella's battle with cancer that so tragically took her life 2 weeks after her final post on May 1st 2013. I never knew Ella however I have spoken about this courageous girl more than I think I have spoken about anyone recently. Ella was diagnosed with terminal cancer and decided to take her life in her own hands and live. To do all the things that were on her bucket list. To do all the things you take for granted. To inspire so many people. To make you want to go out and buy diamonds!

I won't give away any of the little gems that are in Ella's blog because when you have a spare hour or so please make a cup of tea, get the tissue box at the ready and read Ella's blog, start from the first post and make your way back to the most recent. Not only is the blog so wonderfully written, Ella's frank, honest style of writing really empowers you as the reader. I promise you that you will be as inspired as I am to live, love and don't be sorry.

And if you want to know what this 'streak' and 'cards' are about you definitely must take a look!

Haunting

Last night I visited the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somerset House. As an avid photographer I was really looking forward to viewing some of the best photography in the world and hopefully gaining some invaluable tips on creating that iconic image.

The exhibition was rich with talent across 15 categories but what struck me most was one trend amongst the contemporary photography. Subject matter. Even though the categories ranged from portraiture to travel to current affairs, the image may have been stunning but once you read the biog by the side of each picture, the sense of sobriety seemed to quadruple in seconds and give you goosebumps as you looked at the image again.

Take a look at this portrait by Andrea Gjestvang....

This lady is a young survivor of the Utøya massacre

I felt that the uncomplicated, uncontrived portrayal of each victim revealed a huge level of trust between the photographer and her subjects that enabled her to show the trauma that had shaken their young lives whilst maintaining a sense of respect and dignity.

As a visual person I love images that make you look twice or make you linger longer. For me this image by Christian Aslund does just that, it is beautifully graphic, perfectly executed, makes you wonder at the perspective and is simply, yet wonderfully humourous. It reminds me of a computer game!

My favourite image was by Valerio Bispuri from his multi year project, Jails Sud America, it sums up the whole mood and atmosphere of the series. It is incredibly powerful and evocative, with just the force and form of one pair of eyes, you feel the intensity and suspicion of those incarcerated thousands of miles away. His whole series impressed the judges for its consistent approach and style as he shot in prisons across many countries and years, you can really feel the ‘eye’ of the photographer in this work.

Just sublime.

LICHTENSTEIN

Roy Lichtenstein, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, his work was coming to London and I was very excited to see whether there really was anything in Life magazine's quote of 1964 'is he the worst artist in the US?'

And my conclusion: NO!

Actually, I think Lichtenstein's work inspired a generation of artists. In the early 1960s he broke the norm of abstract expressionism and hit upon a new concept of painting inspired by comic strips, advertising and mass culture imagery. It provoked, there was instant delight or outrage and the Retrospective exhibition at the Tate was perfectly curated to instil this. The journey from Look Mickey in 1961, his first painting to get instant recognition right through to his 1995 Chinese Landscapes showed the sheer dominance of his work. Some of the paintings are huge. Testament to the fact that his skill of imitating the industrial technique of comic books, using a palette of primary colours, heavy black outlines and dots that simulated shadows and tones, is quite fantastic.

Yes there are similarities to work by Picasso and Matisse, his work is often simply household objects or suggest the portrayal of women as an extension to the household appliance however to be able to change the scale of objects, cropping, eliminating detail, changing items to be horizontal rather than diagonal to sharpen the drama, when seen in person, is quite fantastic.

His war and romance paintings are the most well known, his beautiful art deco 'Modern Series' and brass sculptures were a surprise half way through the exhibition.

 I must admit though, if I were able to purchase one piece of his work, it would be this mirror. I think it would be better placed in a theatre or Radio City music hall rather than my little cottage, but I think it is just simply stunning.