The libertine! Showing @civictheatre by the talented team behind @her___productions
There was something so creative and fun about shooting a group of actors. Up for any shapes, and ok with being perceived I think is part of it, or maybe just very used to having their photos taken.
I’ve been thinking a lot about what the point of all of this is? The point of life? Of creativity? Of work? Last week I had a day off my first in a while where there wasnt a long ass list of edits and other jobs. And I took myself for a sauna and a swim and kept the questions rolling around. What is this life what is the point?
I’ve been a spiritual person my whole life not in the sense of preaching but in the sense of a communion or conversation with some wondrous other. Growing up in a Catholic household in the country. With parents who were deeply interested in the world around them. A dad who knew the name of most birds and grasses in our area and a mother who had a deep interest in humans as a whole.
That has left an indelible fingerprint upon my own experience of the world. A wonder of not just light and nature but also people. I wrote three things of what may be the point for me this life.
1. Transmute as much as I possibly can of what I experience here into something more.
2. Find the beauty and joy inside the ordinary wherever possible.
3. Pay ATTENTION. Deep loving attention wherever I can. See where in the ordinary busy ness is the extraordinary.
Now I do not always do these things. But I’ve written these out as a reminder to myself when life feels like the same week on repeat to bring myself back to the extraordinary experience of being alive.
And some where in the shooting of these was a little thread of that extraordinary aliveness.
This magical collusion between @everydaystudio__ and @little_tienda and myself was one of those getting to do this as work pinch me moments.
I have been feeling like I have consumed so much that I had lost from my ability to create. A couple weeks ago I leapt out of the car before the sun had kissed the horizon camera in hand and watched the sun rise in awe that it still rises despite all that unfolds down here on this blue planet. I took some photos of my niece and her baby. Then drove to help my partner shovel mulch. Then home again to bake a cake for a friends birthday. By 230 in the afternoon I realised I had not been on my phone most of the day. But as soon as I had sat for a moment I reached for it. I scrolled mindlessly saw people feeling frustrated, children dying, and then a spiritual teacher reminding us to go back to ourselves. I put my phone down.
I have not been writing, or creating or being visible much these last few months despite my intentions to be so. I was sitting feeling weird about it all and I then posted something.
Is it possible with my business to get off social media? A lot of my leads still come from here so maybe not. More likely is it possible for me to cut my consumption. Cause sometimes it feels like an addiction and to be honest it probably is. Or is the answer meditate, be in nature and fuel yourself with more goodness. I know more things than I can possibly need and more about people’s lives of people that I do not know. I’ve neglected physical community for online community. But that has had some beautiful connections too. Of people across the world that I would not know if it hadn’t been for social media. Am I numbing with it? That could be true the feelings of the past few months have certainly been intense. But then I look at a collaboration like this. Of people i met via this very platform Kate who I now know in real life and Em who I chat with on insta who makes these incredibly beautiful pieces and I think there is good here too. Maybe, impossibly, is it once again me that needs to re negotiate with my own brain about how much this phone is in my hand? Hah! Of course. Love to you all.
My gorgeous niece and her baby. And not to make it about me but this means I’m a great aunt. Like officially. Kinda love that. Getting to make shots like this for people I love brings me just so so so much joy. And watching someone I knew as a toddler and a baby come into her own as a mum is misty eyed goodness. Look at these gorgeous pair! @_clehman love you Chels you’re doing a beautiful job.
Made this for my girlfriend but for anyone else having a moment about *gestures to everything* including the NDIS changes this is for you also. I’ll start posting photos again soon. Keep meaning to get them off my hard drive. Love you friends
Made this last week. Forgot to post it. Buuuuut apart form the face these have been up two weeks there are indeed prints of mine in @estabar_ and thanks to @mitchrevsgallery for getting them done quick cause I also left it to the last minute cause I had forgotten I was doing it. Love that! The fun run on effects of ADHD I guess thanks friends
Folks myself and @mitchrevsgallery are joining up to give you something. Call it Easter, or call it April Fools (jk) just call it done! A print for free! Two winners one print each; the first winner will get their pick of the two prints shown here. to enter tag a mate you want to win! I’ve been working with @mitchrevsgallery for a while now and they have been so supportive while i have got my print business going again so we decided to get that goodness out and about. Two winners will be selected at random in two weeks time so get tagging. Can’t wait to see these hanging in your home. Printed on @ilfordimaging paper these sparkle in the light. Luminescent.
Ok I’ve been wanting to do this for ages and today was the day also yes I was shitting myself the whole time. I’ve noticed the way people sell beer and sneakers and the way people sell prints is very different. But maybe I can copy some of the tactics of the beer and sneaker sellers to sell my prints. Marketing for artists is a lot of figuring things out on the fly. Printed these off cheap… they are prints that I sell but with my logo on it. If you buy a print it’s premium quality paper and ink not like these. I’m sending more to my cousin in Brisbane this week so hopefully he will hang them up for me. Let me know if you see them around town. Also if you wanna do something similar just print it on the cheapest paper. And use a mix of flour and glue as the paste up glue. I’ll try and do more soon. #selliikeasneaker #newy #guerillamarketing
Friends! Come have a play! Studio is open! How exciting. It’ll be Thursdays for the next little bit so if that works for you send me a message. Can’t wait to shoot with you ✨✨✨✨ photos wooo
Friends i fucking LOVE my job. Thank you so very very very much to everyone who ordered. It’s been a funny old week here I’ve had to really think and work on contracts and copyright and all that backend stuff that is hidden from view. And getting really clear on how I wanna do all this photo stuff. The prints thing continues to bring me so so much joy. It’s funny it takes a lot of effort to set up prints and a print shop. Like the choices alone of paper and printer and sizing and which ones to put in the shop almost did me in. But now it’s all joy. So cool when something pays off.
