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I hadn't been to see an art exhibition since before the pandemic, and in this political climate, it was the perfect show to see in 2022. Grayson Perry: The Vanity of Small Differences presents a series of vibrant tapestries which showcase the rise of a fictional Mackem character named Tim Rakewell, taking him out of his working-class life in Sunderland and into high society as a millionaire. 
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On 4th March 1922, F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu: A Symphony Of Horror premiered in Berlin. More than a hundred years later, I watched the horror film for the first time, wondering if it still holds up. Of course, I had seen the famous clip of a hunched creature walking up the staircase with pointed claws, but I never knew that Nosferatu was a German film as I assumed it was one of Hollywood's early creations. Having already watched The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, another German Expressionist horror which came out in 1920 and ultimately inspired Tim Burton, I realised that it was German filmmakers who created the creepy face of modern cinema.   She's as pretty as a picture, but what's her name? The female muse has been around for centuries. Perhaps you could draw inspiration from some of the most famous faces behind glass. Do you think the titles fit their faces? Happy Women's Week, we made a podcast! Pour yourself a drink and sit with us while we chat about classic chick flicks, Mean Girls and Bridget Jones, as well as the gritty world of Gilead. Are you ready for The Handmaid's Tale S4? Warning: SPOILERS! Video contains some strong language and references to murder, rape and slavery. The arts — a hot topic right now as we all turn to Netflix and podcasts to keep us distracted during Lockdown 3.0. Today, I have a list full of artistic names with all kinds of creative origins to inspire you. Be that for naming babies, pets, best-selling book characters, or future secret identities (I don't know your life).  Long time no speak! Things haven't ran smoothly here on my blog since March, which I'm sure is something that everyone can relate to. Today, I am going to be updating you on how I have been keeping creative this spring-turned-summer under the gloomy cloud of Covid-19. So, why not take a break from sunbathing in the back garden and read on with me?   Looking for something fun to do during quarantine? Since we're all staying indoors for a while, there's never been a better time to research your family history . Not too long ago, I released a sneaky peek of my family tree design which I can't wait to get printed and hung up on my wall, just as soon as this pandemic is over. In the meantime, I'm going to tell you how I started my tree — the free and easy way...  Following Brad Pitt's Golden Globe win earlier this month, I shared My Masterpiece on Instagram — which you can order now. Much to my surprise, my phone became bombarded with notifications as my likes started sky-rocketing. I knew something was up. As it turns out, B.J. Novak had kindly been tagged in the comments... and he actually responded! Also, prepare yourself for a serious dose of cuteness because we got a teeny-weeny puppy!  I was thrilled to have been invited to Employability Day this year. Flashback to November 2016, it's been three years since I attended Employability Day as a stressed-out student in my final year at University of Sunderland. So, I took it as a real compliment to be invited back to my old stomping ground. Only this time, the shoe was on the other foot...  I don't know about you but eye strain is the bane of my life. That's the curse of spending your days between typing on a keyboard, staring into a computer screen, and pencilling teeny-weeny details onto a piece of paper for hours on end. At this rate, I should be a contender for the world championships of staring contests but, instead, I'm just a girl with headaches.  Here we are, British summertime is officially around the corner as May came to a rainy close yesterday. Despite the unlucky weather, this week has been shining with reasons for me to celebrate! Monday marked the beginning of The Takeover Exhibition at The Customs House in South Shields. By Tuesday, I found my own double-page spread in the local newspaper... Today marks Day 53 of the 100 Day Project. After a miserable May day in not-so-sunny Sunderland, I thought this was the ideal moment to check in and report all of the exciting highs and mundane lows of my creative journey so far. For those of who you don't know, the 100 Day Project is a challenge popularised on Instagram where a person practises their passion and posts about it for one hundred consecutive days. So, let's dive in.  At long last! After high hopes, interrupting illnesses and weeks of waiting, I finally got to experience the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition in my hometown. Following a captivating lecture last month with Martin Clayton from the Royal Collection Trust at Windsor Castle, which I wrote about in my last blog post — I was expecting nothing short of amazement to see Da Vinci's works with my own eyes.  Yesterday marked International Women's Day 2019 and women all over the globe were spending their time celebrating, loving, protesting and resisting. What made me decide to really get involved with International Women's Day 2019 was my commission for the North East Equality Awards 2018. My project celebrated 100 years since women in the UK first achieved the right to vote. Producing artwork which was socially aware like this made me feel proud. I knew I was saying something worthwhile with my creative voice.  To me, Leonardo da Vinci meant the Mona Lisa, the Vitruvian Man and The Last Supper, all while making a conscious effort not to slip up and accidentally say Leonardo Di Caprio. Little did I know about the extent of Da Vinci's colourful career, until yesterday when I attended the most enthusiastic lecture delivered by Martin Clayton, Head of Prints and Drawings for Royal Collection Trust at Windsor Castle. Not an everyday occurrence in Sunderland. Clayton's passion was absolutely infectious as he discussed everything from Da Vinci's greatest works to tidbits of information that painted him in a much more human light.  Dreaded January. Naturally, I was expecting the post-Christmas blues from the Monday of months. Much to my surprise, however, the New Year kicked off to a very interesting start. At long last, you can now order art prints directly from my website! Limited edition prints have been on my to-do list for ages. I am exhibiting two of those illustrations for sale in a cosy pub called The Cannon Inn which is tucked away in the country village of Earsdon, Whitley Bay — but that pales in comparison to California!  Returning to my former studio to deliver a presentation to the Illustration and Design undergraduates was oh-so nostalgic. This was my third time doing so at University of Sunderland. I had been asked to showcase my sketchbooks to the freshers while I was still a student myself. Now, instead of just imagining what life for an illustrator could be like after higher education, I actually had some things to report.  The North East Equality Awards 2018 marked the fifteenth year of the event. On a much more personal note, it was my first ever solo show! Not only was this the largest ceremony that Equality North East had organised to date, it was held this year at the Hilton Hotel Newcastle Gateshead with over 360 guests. In such a prestigious venue, this was a big deal for everybody involved. |
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