16.12.09

Oi Mr. Frost, give me my nose back.


Gosh is it that time already? I can't believe it's nearly Christmas.. I'm not even kidding, today I had a little scary moment that mostly consisted of Holy Crap, it's here.. the end of the year is actually nearly here. As I'm getting older the passing of years scares me more and more.. though I suppose that's what growing up means. Well, growing older anyway.. I never made any promises that I'd grow up. 


“We do not stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing."  ~ Benjamin Franklin

 

Apart from worrying about how quickly the years are shooting by, I'm also amazed at how bloody cold it is! I swear it's never been this icy before, and I'm sure next winter will be worse. I like the cold though.. I like dressing up in big warm hats and endlessly long scarfs and gloves so thick that they render your fingers pretty much useless. I like how "Look, I can see my breath!" never gets old. And kisses on frosty lips that give you shivers that have nothing to do with the weather. I just wish we would get snow in these parts, that would just top the year off nicely. I'm feeling quite festive this year.. but not as much as I'd like to be, I am assuming this comes from both limited funds and limited space to decorate, as I fear if I did decide to give in to my inner child and turn my student room into a winter wonderland/christmas grotto I do not think I would have any sapce to move as it is pretty cramped with just the tree. But at least there is a tree! 

 

There are many scary things to think about with 2010 looming, the scariest of all (in my opinion) is the end of my current Ba course, hopefully culminating in my graduation. Fingers crossed! And then off into the wide scary world outside of education .. well, for a year anyway. A planned year out for the saving of money, the tarting up of my portfolio and general living like an artistic beatnik with the intent to secure myself a place on a Masters course in graphic design. This is the current plan anyway, or at least the most realistic. There are other plans involving unicorns and spaceships but I'm only going to consider those in depth when the masters route seems unreachable.


I've also finally got all the bits and bobs needed for a clean, professional tattoo kit. Unfortunately at this point in time I've not had the opportunity to put needle to skin yet as my girlfriend, university course and job all have priorities on my time. But once deadlines pass and the pressure is taken off (for a little while) hopefully i'll be able to have a play. I hope it's worth it. 

 

In other news I am really happy with the direction my artwork is taking at the moment, my personal and educational stuff is linking together quite nicely and I can't explain how inspiring that is. The only problem is, when my inspiration juices start flowing I tend to think of a million and one other ideas I'd like to try out and explore and then I end up going on tangents which are although extremely enjoyable, a distraction nonetheless. 

 

Here is a small snippet of the work I am currently doing. I am trying to create images that encourage people to look deeper into their everyday surroundings, to look at the buildings and landmarks they walk past every single day and rediscover the beauty that has been lost through familiarity and repetition. So I've created Angus, an easily identifiable outsider who's sole purpose is to help people see things from a new, exciting perspective.

 

 

Eventually I want to make the photographs into a book. I am thinking (at this point in time) that this is going to be the topic I look at for my final major project, meaning that Angus will be in my end of year show. I think he'll like that.


Anywho it's getting late and I have a lot of work to do, so without further ado here's a photo I dug out from last year, it reminds me that however cold and dark and forlorn things might seem, just around the corner there is sunshine, fluffy clouds and pretty blossom on trees.




 
x

 

Have a very Merry Christmas xx

13.10.09

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

My my, what a crazy few months it's been! Since the last post I made I have moved into a lovely new house with some lovely new people (and some beautiful familiar people too) and have spent a great deal of time making my room just right. It isn't quite there yet but it is certainly on its way, and I am enjoying every little second of decorating!

University has also started again so I've been jumping straight back in to all its wonders and pitfalls, beginning to feel quite nervous about it being my third and final year but also extremely excited at the (as of yet) unplanned route my life is going to take once graduation rolls around.

I say unplanned.. the truth is there are just so many ideas and dreams and ambitions floating around my mind at the moment, I just want to do them all. However without some kind of time machine and unlimited energy (and also bank funds) I fear that not all of them will be possible. This is
not going to stop me from trying though.. there is traveling and driving and making art and creating an art space and meeting friends and loving a lover and cooking beautiful food and building a beautiful nest and getting a puppy (or 3) and having little children of my own and and and and and...

I'm only one, quite quiet.. quite short person but I'll be damned if I don't try and spend the rest of my life doing these things.

Returning to the topic of university (I do apologise, I am so very quickly won over by tangents.. they encourage me to follow them off into the realms of rambling and.. well, yes. so you see) over the summer I had collected a small multitude of ideas and directions to push my work in for this final year but after thinking them through, starting (and dismissing) several different ideas I have almost come full circle and have decided to continue work that I have begun to explore previously. Subconsciously there are particular types of images that I return to again and again without really realising it.. so now, for the beginning section of the final year of my degree I have thought to myself 'sod it, I'm not going to make what I think tutors and examiners and people with strict mouths and unfriendly eyes want to see, I am going to make pretty pictures that
I would like to see. And present them in delicate little books that speak about quiet solitude and nostalgic times with friends and that little period of time between waking and asleep when dreams are still real and sunlight feels like magic.'

I think that's a pretty good philosophy to take me through my final year.



Also, my favourite holiday is just around the corner! And it also coincides with B's birthday, so an excuse for an extremely spooky, over the top Hallowe'en/22nd Party! I'm extremely excited, any opportunity to cover myself in sticky goo and cut up clothing is good with me! .. sounds like a normal weekend in all honesty. I'm going to have to get my illustration hat on and do some greetings cards, so much to do and so little time!

On this note, I think it's time for me to get on with some work..

Love and Kisses xx

12.8.09

The sun, he is trying

It seems after my last post complaining about the lack of sunshine, he actually sat up, listened and proceeded to get his act together to make an appearance. Hooray! I grabbed this opportunity and got down and dirty in the garden making pictures, just a few quick little shots that make me happy that the sun is out.





Over the past weekend I hopped on the train yet again and travelled up to Somerset. First stopping off in Frome, then on to Bristol to see the Banksy exhibition (which was, hands down, one of the best exhibitions I have seen in a long while) and then finally to Glastonbury. Had a very lovely weekend with lovely people and the weather was stunning, such a shame it had to end and I had to return back home to the rain and the job and the concrete jungle that is Plymouth. Oh well.

Things seem to be picking up pace with the new house, hopefully I should me moved in by the 21st August and I am very, very excited. I've already made mental inspiration boards and numerous lists of things that I need, things that I kind of need and things that I really really want. I'm looking forward to a massive shopping spree! I expect I will be posting examples of some of these lists quite soon.

Thanks to some unknown (or maybe not so unknown..) inspirational force my art mojo seems to be flowing quite nicely at the moment, so pretty soon I shall scan in some pages of my sketchbook to post on here along with some polaroids from the summer.

In the mean time it is my two month anniversary on Friday (yay!), me and B have decided that we are going to make gifts for oneanother (hooray for dating arty types ;P) as we have little time at the moment, what with jobs and things, to get out and shop for presents. And besides, handmade things are so much nicer than store-bought things. I'll put up a photograph of what I'm planning on making soon enough (but not before the weekend of course, ha!).

So lots to do and lots to sort out. Much love!


6.8.09

Where did the summer go?



Where did the summer go? Despite all the rain and puddles (don't get me wrong, I love puddles as much as the next girl) and cold blustery winds I am still desperately clinging on to the hope that the sun is going to indeed get his hat on soon and make an appearance. Overly optimistic? It is certainly very possible. In an attempt to hold onto the idea of long lazy summer days and hot nights spent outside with friends I am determined to get out and about in the next few days with my camera to try and capture some fleeting images of the season.
I am however extremely looking forward to Autumn and everything it brings with it. Hallowe'en, heart-stoppingly beautiful colours in the trees and lovely smells in the air.. but I am not ready for it yet! I have not had my full fill of summer thankyou very much!
Don't get me wrong, I do think there is some kind of melancholic beauty in rainy days.. the way the clouds turn to smoke and the thick moisture in the air coats everything in a sticky, dreamlike mist. But there is only so much you can take. Perhaps along with my self initiated mission to capture some of the few remaining touches of summer I shall try to equally capture the magic of rainy days..

I'm still holding on for my nice, staggeringly hot summer though. Better late than never.

For the endless rainy days we are experiencing at the moment, how amazing would it be to own this umbrella!










Take care, jess x

23.7.09

Hello there!

Welcome to the small but lovingly created blog that belongs to me, Jessie James.

I am currently a 21 year old photography student, about to embark on her third and final year to achieve a honors degree in photography. Using this as a starting point I am hoping to continue on to a masters degree studying design, where I can hopefully firmly plant myself on the bottom rung of the design ladder. We shall see.

"We are the makers of music, and the dreamers of dreams."
~Willy Wonka

I enjoy most things a 21 year old British girl enjoys, as you would imagine. I enjoy good art, good food and good people. Good conversation and interesting ideas. I love crazy nights out and lazy mornings sleeping in; the colours of the night and the still of the morning. I try to make the most out of my days and I keep a notepad and pencil under my pillow to make the most of the rest. I am dearly, dearly fond of the little things. The little amazing things that are so often overlooked and infinite in their beauty. I like the old mixed with the new. The antique mixed with the contemporary.. juxtaposition of textures and shapes and colours. I am a 1950s house wife at heart with a little bit of futuristic robot thrown in for good measure. Don't ask me how it works, but hot damn am I enjoying it.

In this blog you'll find a bunch of stuff that I find the need to write about.. these posts may take the forms of my paintings, photography, illustrations, and other little crafty creations. I'm also going to make this blog a collection
of images, pieces of text or ideas that I find inspirational, like a little digital scrapbook. Also occupying these metaphorical pages will be opinions, ramblings, and general observations of my day to day life.

I can't promise it'll be terribly exciting and I can't promise it will be updated on a regular basis, but I promise I will try my best.


always, sometimes, never

I always
+ spend too much money on pretty things
+ fancy a really good burger
+ love thunder and lightning storms
+ go overboard when wrapping presents
+ love to snuggle
+ want one more tattoo

I sometimes
+ wonder who I would be if I hadn't chosen art over marine biology
+ just want to give up everything, buy a little hut and live on a hill overlooking the sea
+ wish I could sing
+ let the dishes pile up for no good reason
+ forget to enjoy the moment

I never
+ want to have regrets
+ choose shellfish
+ want to stop creating things
+ drink beer, yuck
+ want to be any thinner than I am now


My name is Jessie James, welcome to my blog.