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On what could be one of the last warm-enough-to-sit-outside-all-day-Sundays of the year, I was hanging out in Canon Hill with the Sunday Sessions massive watching the world go by, and drawn like a bee to honey by all the lotus flowers adorning the lovely Jessies body. The lotus flower has become one of my favourite symbols on my quest to find and fall in love with my true self. Growing from dark depths, where the mud that is deep and sticky. Somewhere most would call dirty and dark. And yet, despite its muddy origins, it is one of the most beautiful, and intricate flowers to be found. It is obvious why this symbol of beauty from dirt symbolises the spiritual journey. The spiritual journey which is rarely smooth, and the greatest lessons come from the deepest pain. As usual I am living my beautilicious body art dreams through other people's courage and high pain As she strolled along with her family on Sunday, I was feeling slightly introvert and didn't particularly feel like talking to anyone, especially not approaching a stranger to ask if can photograph her body. However, thanks to a few nudges from my angels, I literally chased her down, iPhone in hand and am glad I did. I love meeting new people, and pushing myself to step outside of my comfort zone, especially when I really don't feel like it. It's at those times when I am super blessed by the interactions I have. The tattoo on her back of a beautiful woman was done by someone with a special interest in Neil Diamond songs, she did this as a Vistula representation of Play Me The lyrics of which are actually quite deep. Who knew Neil was so profound? Not me! The art I could see on Jessie's body is some of the nicest I've seen for a while. As always, makes me want to have more of my own done, but not enough to endure that level of pain. So I'll continue to document my desires in this way instead. #BodyArt #beauty #NeilDiamond #HappyDays #ar4h #peace #silence #tolerance #kindness #peace #CanonHillPark #SundaySessions
I created this blog to have a platform upon which I can contribute to enlightening people about the different ways we could use our creativity, spaces and resources. The City of Colours Festival was a prime example of the potential we as artsits have to make awesome things happen.
What began as a Kickstarter project, became a wonderful example of passionate planning, focus and sheer determination to make something happen. With a wonderful mixture of attendees from many demographics, St Basil's volunteers, performers, dancers, rappers, capoeira as well as driving business to the shops and businesses in the locality, and giving over 100 street artists an opportunity to showcase their work in a public arena I reckon the organisers Street Art Birmingham should go to bed super proud of what they achieved today. It was an unfortunate happenstance which I found myself repeating today, that I kept missing opportunities to capture some of the fabulous body art adorneding the attendees of Birmingham's first graffitti festival. I would be in the middle of a conversation and out of the corner of my eyes something beautiful would be passing me by, however, the clearly captivating conversation would draw me back in and try as I might I didn't manage to find the person again. However, I did take snaps of a few: I once read that butterflies need the challenge of struggling to get out of the cocoon in order to release a hormone into their blood, which makes the wings harden once they dry out. If the wings don't dry and harden the butterfly can't fly, and will die. Not much more profound a symbol than that for the quest to find and fall in love with yourself! There was an amazing artist taking face painting to a beautiful new level, making up the faces of girls and women alike. She was super talented, fortunately my friend snapped a pic of one of the women who'd had the side of her face painted, as she posed for her friend by the word wall in the Market Hall. It was fabulicicious. #CityOfColours #StreetArt #BodyArt #happydays #birmingham #CustardFactory #Digbeth #beauty #Love #WordWall #MarketHall #CityOfColoursFestival2014 You may have realised from reading some of my other blogs that I love Birmingham. It has recently gone WAY up in my estimation thanks to the new library and REP link, as well as all the fun and fabulous young artistes who are popping fully formed out of the metaphorical woodwork. There are many beautiful spaces and places to be in Birmingham, and the REP is one such space, this evening they have a pianist entertaining guests coming to watch Lenny Henry perform in his play about a record shop. The Sounds of Memories installation has been created to compliment the REP's new season, by transforming the FOYER into an "audio gallery" in which you "can hear soundtracks of Birmingham's rich musical culture, past and present..." It's a lovely idea. As you stand on the foot prints below the amps you are surrounded by the hum of people around you, the audio is fed down from above, and on this occasion, accompanied by stunning piano music. As I hung around not many people took the opportunity to stand and listen to someone else's experience of being at the REP. I guess they were all too busy experiencing it for themselves. If you're in the Library of Birmingham Go and check out the foyer of the REP, it's nice. #TheREP #HappyDays #Fun #Birmingham #random #SoundsOfMemories #Audio #footprints #walking #waiting #stillness |