Monday, March 28, 2011

Stuff




Somebody out there somewhere gave me some kind of blog award (hey I'm good at this remembering thing huh?!) and though I can't remember who it was or find the convo it came in- I DO remember there was supposed to be 7 things about me, so here's some things about me I probably haven't told you yet.

1. I don't 'do' beauty routines. French manicures, hair products, skin care, stiletto heels, perfume, expensive lingerie...not interested. My hair regime involves washing it every second day. That's it! I don't even remember the last time I regularly 'did' my hair. All perfumes make me gag- which is okay, because apparently no matter what I do I naturally smell like roses. Please don't think I'm a total mess- I do look after myself, I'm just cursed with clear skin and a disregard for social expectations. I do wear make-up sometimes, most of the reason I don't is because I forget it exists! I can't imagine what it's like being one of those girls who worries about chipping a nail, or laddering her tights, or her hair coming undone in the wind or spends an hour every morning in front of the mirror. Having said all of that- I wish I wasn't so lazy/forgetful so I could dress like a 1940s wartime girl.


2. I am a huge Top gear fan- so huge I went to the live show, though it was frightening and overly yobbish. I am that rare creature that enjoys the show for the thoroughly British comedy and the James May; I have little interest in all that tearing about in souped-up cars. Although there were some super-cute Porsches and a white Lamborghini that was very nice, but I wasn't allowed to touch it. Also I sat in THE Delorean. My all-time favourite movie car.


3. The first thing I wanted to be when I grew up was a butcher, because I liked bones and I'd get free salami when I went there. Then someone told me you have to cut up animals, so that was that. Then I saw an old war movie and wanted to fly spitfires, but 'they don't have those any more honey' so that was out. Then Indiana Jones came out and I wanted to be an archaeologist. Then I learned you'd have to study the Romans, whom I have an inexplicable hatred for. So I went for animator, but the animating was tedious. Eventually I landed on artist because it enabled me to take what I liked from those jobs and use it in creative projects. And then have art openings and get free salami.



4. I have no interest what-so-ever in going to Paris. I don't understand the whole romantic fantasy thing that people have with French stuff- I find Russian and Spanish much more sexy as languages and I'd rather holiday somewhere interesting and slightly creepy like Transylvania or Prague.


5. I have epilepsy- it's a rare variant that gives me seizures in my sleep. It's well contained, but sometimes I have weird 'wake up sweating' nightmares that are just nonsense. For this reason I cannot read/watch/subject myself to any kind of Alice in Wonderland stuff. Anything that makes no sense just fucks with my brain too much. The Mighty Boosh! Love them, they hurt my brain. I'm not an overly logical person- if you can logically prove why sausage should be a day of the week, my head will not hurt. UGH that hurts to think about- quick someone give me some logic!


6. I play acoustic steel-string guitar for a hobby- I know about 8 chords (gets me through most folk songs), I have trouble changing from G to C and I never sing in front of anyone, despite that I'm quite good. I just learned Wayfarin' Stranger.


7. To the contrary of almost everyone else in my field, I don't think the past was that cracking, and I'm thoroughly glad I was born here in the modern world where we have sanitation, electricity, freedom to vote and don't get arrested for baring our legs in public. I can't imagine anything worse that having to deal with tempertures above 15 degrees Celsius wrapped head-to-foot in 19th century clothes. Id have to be a hooker just to be allowed to wear nothing but basic underthings. Sometimes though I do like to pretend it's the 1940s- but only for an afternoon, and then I'm going to need internet and TV.

So there ya go.


The interesting thing about this is that I realised while doing it that there are huge parts of my life that I don't share with you, because this is my 'art' blog. I'd like to change that. One of the reasons I don't blog as much as I should is because I often have trouble coming up with things to say. But if I just tell you all the mundane crap rich woven threads of my creative journey, it'll be alot easier!

There might possibly well be definitely will be swearing. I do that alot. Like a sailor. Fact #8!

(pictures are just random things on the work table right now- couldn't have a naked post!)

13 comments:

Heather said...

You and I have a lot in common! Its good to learn a little more about the artist behind such beautiful creations. I have to be super careful and movies, and even the news, it just stays with me and effects me terribly. I've always had a fascination with eastern europe too and Transylvania sounds amazing!Also totally agree about Top Gear... have you seen this? Cracks me up every time ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNM8DE1pbmc

Pretty Things said...

#3 is fascinating. And I'm totally with you on #4 -- I never understood the fascination, either. I've been to Italy, Luxembourg, Germany, Slovenia -- but not France. LONG to go to Spain, though.

A mermaid in the attic said...

He he, with you on a lot of that. I'm 44 and I think the first time I EVER said "OMG, I broke a nail" was last year after I started learning guitar and broke a nail on my right/plucking hand. There's lots I don't like about this century, but I wouldn't swap it for sometime without antibiotics, dentistry...everything. Without modern technology, I would be completely blind, so as a visual artist I'm eternally grateful for modern medicine. I'd still like to be an archaeologist! I also love Top Gear, though I know nothing, and care even less, about cars!

Ulrike said...

thank you for sharing. Personally, I'm more on the punkish side of life, so I'm not really into the 1940s but I am not much of a fashionista-make-up-kinda girl (either?). Anyway, the reason I comment is your comment on Paris. I never had any particular interest in Paris until I went to see several shibori exhibitions 3 years ago and I was stunned. Paris is much like London in the late 70s and early 80s (spent some time there in the 80s and it still was gorgeous). A bit squalid, a bit morbid, very multi-cultural in a heterogenous way, not romantic in any way (heck, Time's Square or the next bus station can be romantic if the right people stand there with the right romantic mind. Not me, though, totally unromantic) Though Notre Dame is quite smaller than I would have expected it. (But I had the same impression of Canterbury cathedral as well until I entered). If you ever get to visit Paris, do so in late fall when most of the tourists are gone. Same goes for Venice and Padova BTW. Really morbid old places, slightly "gothic" (in a Morticia goth sense of the word) and run down in so many places.

fanciful devices said...

ahhh i loved reading this! these lists are sometimes a bit tedious but of course from you its just facinating. im so with you on the paris thing, as you well know, but the guitar thing made my haw drop!

Poppy Q said...

That was great, a little insight into what you like and don't like. I admire those bloggers that wear vintage every day, and do the whole fancy hair and make up get up. Like you though, I wonder how I would have survived without my electric blanket and central heating.

Julie Q

sharondraws said...

Great post.

Jenny said...

Thank you for sharing bits and pieces of your self. you are an eclectic, interesting, creative person! Butcher, huh? I would have picked taxidermist or florist at a young age... But now the dead stuffed animals sadden me. And can we say Internet? Huzzah for the modern technology facilitating this very conversation!

Blackfeatherfarm said...

Not everyone can write 7 things about themselves and make it so entertaining......

MissQuiteContrary said...

Ha! Yeah I don't have much time for traditional beauty stuff either. I like dying my hair from time to time, and use a lot of black eyeliner to try to look like I'm from the 20's, but that's about as far as I go with that stuff.

In my history class, our TA asked us how many of us were studying history because of Indiana Jones, and all of us slowly raised our hands. It was pretty silly. No free salami though.

No interest in Paris except to go to Deyrolle, the amazing taxidermy museum and to pick through the flea markets a bit. But all the pastel macaron and Eiffel tower crap, not for me one bit, give me a dark forest or crumbly old castle any day!

I didn't know you were musical! I really wish I could play guitar - I took lessons for years but was just awful, it just didn't 'do it' for me. I love playing accordion though, even though I'm not terribly good. And I'm going to try to teach myself ukulele so I can play Tiny Tim songs.

I know what you mean about sharing personal stuff on a blog...I finally just started my own, and feel all awkward and don't know how to find that balance between just posting things about shows or new creations, and actually showing something of myself, which is, I suppose, the point, right? Yours definitely seems to have a good balance in my opinion though!

Andrew Thornton said...

Thanks so much for sharing! How fascinating! I'm an incredibly private person myself and while my blog seems to inform folks of my every movement... there's so much that goes left unsaid. So I can understand what you mean. I do think though that the "mundane crap" says a lot about our creative processes and gives a touch of reality.

Anonymous said...

Somehow I stumbled upon your delicious blog and I'm certainly glad I did... the "tour" has been enlightening. I admire your openness. If someone wanted this much information about me, from me, they would likely have to beat it out of me. :) It is a pleasure meeting your acquaintance.

Penelope said...

@kcjewel Thank you! I never really knew what people meant by being a private person, I guess I never have been since I'm happy to tell all this stuff to anyone! I'm a natural writer I think.