Music + Film // THE AQUARIUM (Day 11)

ALRIGHT :) So. I want to talk about two uses of this song that have really moved me. One in film and one in podcast/radio. On both occasions it has left me with a sensation of almost religious awe, fear and longing, a mysticism, a promise, a charm.

My first notable encounter with The Aquarium was in Terrence Malick's epic Days of Heaven.

The tingling, magical tune, so reminiscent of the prelude to Disney's Beauty & The Beast, is steeped in childlike wonder but intertwined with an unmistakable malice, lurking quietly, beautifully, under the surface. So to experience this delicate melody merged with the sweeping imagery crafted by Malick was a truly awe-inspiring thing. The fairy tale tones fuse with the vast fields and the isolated characters to create an alien world: a familiar American beauty but with the all the bewitchment of a day dream.

Next and more recently, the track was used on This American Life a scintillating & engrossing story-based podcast. Every one should be regular listeners of this, it kicks ALL THE ASS.

If you already are a regular podcast listener you'll know of TAL & perhaps what I'm about to go onto, if not then I would really encourage you to listen to the 7 minute prologue of the episode in question to get the full force of the story before reading on (due to SPOILERS).

7 Minutes of your life, and I can promise, they will be well spent - listen. 


The podcast in question: Secret Identity's prologue deals with a familiar tale, a character in costume, whose true identity is protected. Paul Bunyan, a giant statue at the Tress of Mystery park, talks. How? Who is his voice? We know this is not magic, that there is nothing supernatural about this situation, and yet, all the park employees, from the family owners down to the gift shop workers maintain the masquerade that Paul Bunyan is real. So what happens when a park employee casually let's slip that sometimes... he 'does Paul Bunyan'? Ira, our narrator, is taken round the back of Paul Bunyan, to a door in his shoe.. And up inside him.

There he discovers the truth. This is the real Paul Bunyan. It has all the morbid fascination of a decaying corpse, rotting innards and all. It is a grit & grim reality. 

The pace of the story telling, in its purest form (verbal narration) is perfect, the suspense, the anticipation engrossing. 

And there is it, that haunting, enticing, spellbinding melody. 

Indeed, the detailed vocal description of this moment, rising up the ladders, and entering this chamber where park employees sit for hours, 'doing Paul''s voice is set to The Aquarium. 

Once again we are confronted with this incredibly powerful merger of magic and malice. The fairy tale melody contrasts strikingly to this description of the death of magic.

The illusion is broken. The truth is out. We know its secrets.

And yet, as we listen, as we reside in Paul Bunyan's decaying chest, we ourselves are part of that magic now.

And there is something spellbinding about that.

[Days of Heaven (1978), T Malick]

Image Credit

Movie Mezzanine

Music // PICK 6 Last.fm Loved Tracks, part 1 (Day10)

Ok. Another PICK 6. Bear with me. 

So I'm an avid fan & user of last.fm (let's be friends!) and it features a handy 'loved track' button, a great way to keep a log of those songs that really hit home when your are chain-listening to albums.

I thought it would be nice to share 6 of my LOVED TRACKS with you :) I've included YouTube links at the bottom of the post, let me know what you think! 
PLAY THESE LOUUUUD :)

1. The Antlers - No Windows This track is from BURST APART, their 2011 album which I hold in extremely high esteem. It is a beautifully crafted whole, and this track for me epitomises it's beauty and mastery. A steady pace, haunting, melancholy, extraordinary vocals (the feeling I have towards his voice... there are no word...), it echoes and rebounds, growing and leaping, the song has an organic movement, if cold northern waves were given instruments this is what it would sound like. Pure, delicate, fragile, feeling, powerful. [I briefly wrote about The Antlers 'Attic of the Universe' here.]
2. Death Grips - I've Seen Footage Achingly catchy with a sample from what MUST BE 'Push It' by Salt N' Pepper. It's angry, it's upbeat, it's AGGRESSIVE.  I love the grating sounds next to the shallow sampled beat and although I find the vocals basically incomprehensible, it's all pretty damn charming (or maybe I'm just rubbish). It's rhythm is irresistible. SHIIII CRAY SHIII CRAY SHIIII CRAY
3. Kate Bush - Oh To Be In Love From the masterful 'Kick Inside' the album that features her jaw-dropping show-stopping 'Wuthering Heights'. Her voice has such tremendous range and reaches unapologetic soprano notes here. Horns of many a variety, male choral backing with a tribal tone, the vocal harmonies are at all times satisfying and exciting. It's like a raspberry sauce on crack cocaine. And you can quote me on that.
4. The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist Taken from 'Since I Left You', the album that famously uses upwards of 3500 samples (WAAAAAA), this track tells the story of a school child who is expelled: he has been deemed criminally insane. The song has a cinematic scale, with western textures and big bold horn sections. The vinyl scratching is delightfully playful. It's a song that gives you more with each listen.
5. Janelle Monae - Cold War Janelle Monae is one of my all time favorite artists. Her writing is eclectic & epic. She covers huge amounts of ground on her 'ArchAndroid' LP. 'Cold War' encapsulates the scale of her craftsmanship. With it's punchy pop sounds and her repeated statement: 'This is a Cold War, you better know what your fighting for', she is a General and you her foot solider  This will get you PUMPED. Recommended as listening prior to any job interview. Or first date.
6. Grizzly Bear - Knife This number hails from 'Yellow House' an album I find very hard to listen to, it hits home, but is worth it, despite it's down beat tendency. This track is perhaps the exception. The eerie and persistent vocal arrangements, build towards an optimistic crescendo. It is very very satisfying.

I hope you enjoy these, I'd love to know which you prefer!

Ok, I think that's enough PICK 6 posts for now... :) Happy Tuesday!

Style + NFL // PICK 6 NFL Uniforms Past & Present (Day 9)

[The Greenbay Packers <3]

I was originally going to write a PICK 6 NFL Uniforms from the 1970s, only to realise that some of my all time favorite jerseys were not around then, so I thought TO HELL WITH IT, let's do ALL THE ERAS.

I have not featured any version of GB's green & gold, because it goes without saying y'all, it's balling & I already wrote about it.

So here are 6 of the most delicious uniforms in American Football, Past & Present... Don't forget to vote in the poll on the left for your favorite! I'm going to design an outfit on the most popular :D

1. Kansas City Chiefs - 2013: Aaaaaaaaaaah, what a total pleasure. This is my favorite uniform right now. The gold embellishments on the socks, legs & shoulders break up this bold and stunning all red glory. I can't imagine how epic it feels to run around in that get-up. Not to mention they are currently 6-0 (6 wins - 0 losses), nice one Chiefs.
   
2. Los Angeles Rams - 1976 (now Saint Louis Rams): The winning element of this vivacious uniform is the ram's horn worked into the helmet design and the shoulders. The blue and gold pairing is powerful, eye catching & classically regal - these were the colours of Louis the XVI.
   
   
   
3. Greenbay Packers - 2010: This alternate is inspired by the 1929 uniform, the brown helmet recalling to the original leather. I love how this jersey breaks with the general consensus on uniform design and puts a bold golden orb as a center piece for the front number. The colour scheme is utterly classic: beige legs bookended by navy. THEY ARE WEARING THIS ALTERNATE ON SUNDAY!!!
   
   
   
   
4. Pittsburgh Steelers - 2012: The Bumblebee, this is the subject of much displeasure online, which I think is such a shame, because, as with the Packer's kit above, it uses the jersey as a canvas for something more than colour combinations within a pre-drawn outline. Instead, in a feat of total originality, the jersey is broken up as inspired by the original 1930s Pittsburgh Pirates uniform into rigid, masculine stripes. The yellow on black helmet, with numbers straddling the center is superb. I only wish the shoes were black too.
   
5. Cincinnatti Bengals - 1975: Featuring written word on the helmet is an excellent use of this critical space. The colour scheme is pure Americana, clean and classic. It has a resolute nostalgia.
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. San Diego Chargers - 1970s: THIS UNI IS BEAUTIFUL, baby blue and electric yellow unusual and outrageous, I think it looks terrific. How can you resist the LIGHTNING BOLTS that adorn the helmet and shoulders!? It's brave, eccentric and attractive.

So which gets your vote? The poll is on the left, I'll create an outfit based on the most popular uniform! :)

Style // ALBERTA FERRETTI SS13 to SS14 (DAY 8)

 [hiii I'm back :)]
[SS = Spring Summer, AW = Autumn Winter]

Albertta Ferretti is an Italian designer who designed her first collection in 1973. I first discovered her AW13 designs a month or so ago and was captivated by her use of fluid forms and intricate detailing. Her designs have an elegant understated eroticism, hinting at the naked forms they conceal, nipples and bare skin delicately exposed. For me, she draws superbly on Greco-Roman forms reworking but fundamentally drawing on togas and free-falling cuts. This post is an overview of her last three collections:

• SS 13, that premiered in Milan in Oct 2012
• AW 13, Milan Fashion Week Feb 2013
• SS 14, Milan Fashion Week Sept 2013 (the best was saved til last)

Her SS13 collection is my least favorite, while it has some pieces that are fluid & mermaid-like both in tone, texture and cut the majority for me fails to combine sharp line and free-flowing fabric and look half finished. However I love the highly intricate detailing and embellishments, that come into their own on her full length gowns.

AW 13

Her following collection uses the same draping cuts but with (in my opinion) a much more striking finish, this full length deep velvet dress is STUNNING. Rigid lines have been combined with the free fall to ball-breaking effect. They are powerful elegant pieces, reminiscent of the 20s, oozing sophistication and "Too Hot For You". This is the BEST KIND of power dressing. [You'll see what I mean about the delicate erotic touch, I love the breast contouring in these] [Note all the models are wearing blue military cross earrings, I LOVE THIS DETAIL]

SS14

Finally, her most recent runway that showed only a few weeks ago in Milan.

She is using new fabrics, satins and silks to create stiffer shapes. The colors are SMOOTH and BOLD. I love the crop-top trend and Ferreti's take on it means business. 

This collection has a folk-loric feel featuring pleats and bulbous skirts as well as contrasting big starched collars (I love this, so hard). 

Her knee length looks are sharp and cosmopolitan.

As for her full length ensembles they embody summer, looking at them you feel the grass under your feet, they have a simplicity that is unanimously associated with the countryside on a balmy day. The detailing on these pieces include generous sprinklings of flowers, bows and ribbon flat sole shoes #GRECOROMAN. 

Unlike her other collections which have been displayed in color sequence (white first, black then blue, for instance in SS13), this collection sees white as a base tone for the bulk of her designs, it creates an airy unity on the catwalk, allowing block color pieces to be elevated, the full length chiffon pink and green dresses are personal favorites. 

They exude the simplicity, confidence and raw beauty of greco-roman deities, an iconic understated boldness. This collection burst with life and makes me long for the rays of summer mornings and the sweet breeze of summer nights. 

Really delicate, really beautiful.

If you are curious about Albertta Ferreti, check out the rest of these collections on her website: SS13, AW13 & SS14.

And if you a) got to the end of the post and b) enjoyed it then you should read this about D&Gs AW13 :) and also you get a gold star, this was a long-un' :)

Thanks for reading :)

Now! Any one else a Ferretti fan? Does any one know of dupes for her pieces? :)

Happy Monday, 1 post down - 5 more to go! 

Beauty // Daily GET TOGETHER (#blogboost)

[... spot the difference...]

So I thought I'd try my hand at a beauty blog, it's an itch I gotta scratch! These are my daily skin and beauty favorites :)

I don't use foundation (I would have no clue where to start), but I have a religious skin care routine, followed by brows, lashes and lips.

I use E45 Emolient Face Wash, this is the KINDEST THING you could do for your skin. It is soap & perfume free and PH neutral, you can get it from Superdrug or Boots for a fiver. It's amazing.

Next, tone & moisturise, never skip and don't spray your toner, it's really important to wipe off any residue left by your face wash! I use Simple's toner, as it's alcohol free and Nivea's Daily Essentials Rich Moisturising Day Cream, it works perfectly with the E45 wash, leaving a light & matte finish without ever making my skin greasy.

Next BROWS, I recently bought a MAC brow pencil and brow set, I love both, especially the pencil, such an easy and precise application, I have a LOT of brow already, but just defining them at the start and tip makes a huge impact on the structure of my face.

Lashes: I swear by No 7 from boots, I use two mascaras a first coat of Exceptional Definition followed by lashings (ay? ay? ay?) of Extravagant Volume, probably my favorite of the two. I then use the lash brush bit from the Brow/Lash brush to seperate my lashes, I HATE CLUMPS, so much.

Finally, some Barry M lipstick, in that fun green that reacts to the PH of your lips (I think?) and turns a delightful cherry.

 It's a very natural look, I love big bold lipsticks and painting my brows for parties, but maybe more of that to follow?

Q & A // Emerging Artist HANNAH GRACE

I love the carefully constructed chaos in Grace's work. A symmetry of deconstruction that is at all times pleasing aesthetically and quietly unsettling in it's ordered attack on familiar objects and patterns.

I've know her for some time (we both studied at the Arts University in Bournemouth) I thought it would be really interesting to interview her about her work. Hannah, I was really pleased to hear, was one of ten artists to win the Free Range Emerging Artist Award, earlier this year :)

Talk us through your physical process, how do you bring your works into existence?  Do you have a routine for creating work?

There are fundamental elements which reoccur within my work such as monochrome, geometric shape, visual illusion. I think in a mathematical way and love to order and catalog information.

I do a lot of research, finding images that I like, looking at artists that share my interests.

I then work a lot in my sketchbook, exploring ideas and learning skills that are necessary for the work.

Next I chose images that I have created which I think work and develop them into more finished outcomes.

What skills did you learn for your GLITCH project? How do you go about learning them?

I did a lot of research into how Glitch and similar technological processes have been used in artists work. I found a variety of “Glitching” software online which I experimented with and then translated these into handmade pieces. 

How do you know when a work is 'finished'?

When I feel happy with the piece I will stop and not alter it from then on, even if later on I think of new changes that can be made. I don't like to overwork the piece. 

How do you take into account the idea of viewership and audience experience when creating your work?

I think the time that I consider the viewer is when I am working out how to present the piece. I start to wonder how they will perceive what I have made and how they will interact with it physically and what their interpretation might be. 

How do you feel about the possibility of your work being misunderstood or misinterpreted?

I am always interested to hear what people think about my work but once I have finished and presented the work it's up to the viewer to react to it and interpret it in their own way. We hardly ever get to talk to the artist about their work. If we put a work into the public domain it's meaning and perception is then open to the individual. 

Let's talk about your maps. Why cartography?

I explore how cartography is assumed to give a reliable and objective description, and thus is given authority. But maps are inevitably abstract as a result of selection, omission and codification.  A fiction created from a factual observation, they present only one version of the earths surface. Cartographic rules give a network of assumptions which I use and exploit within my work.

I use the language of maps to explore connections, systems and networks. I archive, order, catalog and arrange information and when this process is complete I can then dismantle, deconstruct, manipulate and reconfigure it. Using a variety of techniques I intricately cut, score, layer and fold maps to distort them.

Why break systems and reconfigure what is seen as 'authority'? Do you see your art as a means of controlled anarchy?

I like to question why we give cartography this authority. I think patterns and systems are interesting when you see their flaws. I want my work to allow people to perceive these topics in a new way. 

What's in your dream studio?

I would love to be in a studio with lots of different creatives with whom I can share knowledge and put on group shows. The ideal studio would have facilities such as a print room, cafe, outside areas, computer suite, art supplies.

Are social interactions very important to your creative process?

I am quite happy to work alone but I think being surrounded by like minded people is helpful for the creative process. Talking to people about your ideas helps them to develop and you start to see them in new and interesting ways. Showing people your work gives you an idea of how different people interpret it which can help to push it further. 

Why do you think you were selected for the Free Range Emerging Art Award?

I was very surprised to be selected for this award but I put a lot of effort into making the piece and I feel the fact that it was an illusion was engaging to the audience and cartography is an interesting subject that everyone can recognise and relate to.

What's next for your artistic practice?

I want to change the direction of my work more towards illustration. I love drawing and it is the way that I express myself. 

Who are some illustrators whose work inspires you?

Pat Perry is one of my biggest inspirations at the moment. I love that he lives to draw. He travels around the world, basically just with his art materials and soaks up new experiences which he then pours into his work. 

Hannah plans to move to London in the new year and work from a studio where she can develop her portfolio and promote herself as a free-lance artist/illustrator.

She will be exhibiting at Aspex in Portsmouth as a part of the 'Someone and Something' exhibition in October as well as 'The Great Exhibition of Boscombe'.

If you are emerging in any discipline and would like to have your work featured on Streaks, get in touch :)

Style // Missguided A/W13 Wish Pyramid (#blogboost)

Emiliana Aztec Print Knitted Jumper In Black £16.99

Amritha Tweed Fur Collar Coat £59.99

Reata Monochrome Fur Jacket £59.99

Ofelita Velvet Skater Dress £24.99

Sarafina Skort Playsuit In Peach £24.99

Rhoa Brocade Sequin Detail Contrast Skater Dress In Black £44.99

I love the Grecian print on the big black jumper, *gangsta*. The Amritha coat is both ostentatious and business like. The Monochrome fur will spruce up ANY OUTFIT, I can imagine it being a really versatile piece. Finally the dresses: the first two are perfect basic pieces and can be dressed up or down while the last is a wonderful, relatively affordable, tribute to the D&G line (I wrote about it earlier, you can check it out here).

So far I own NOTHING from Missguided, which is absurd because their designs are lovely, I have to hang in here til pay day!

Any Missguided fans out there?

Style // Winter is Coming (#blogboost)

So I was dicking about today on Polyvore, a fun site that allows you, with relative ease, to construct mood boards that have (depending on skill) an editorial feel. Above is a small selection of images to provide inspiration on wrapping up. I hate layers, I always feel like a puff-ball incompetent Eskimo  so I like having something to draw on... I love the masculine feel to these looks, with the bursts of color in the last two. Shirt + Jumper + Tweed = Great Success.

Bellow I was trying for something with that ever elusive 'editorial' look. I'm disappointed that the final image is so small, the details are a bit lost. In fact very lost, but you have to start somewhere. I've included the images below so you can ACTUALLY SEE THEM. 

Striking but natural makeup. Big accessories,  from glasses, to silk scarves and velour gloves. I love buttoned up shirts and this plain scalloped collar is really delightful. All black, faux fur and sun glasses combo is a bright winter's day classic. Finally, big up for denim and desert suede tones combined, this is my wardrobe summed up!

I also used polyvore to make some outfits in anticipation of End of The Road late in the summer, as well as two pieces based on the Greenbay Packer's uniforms :) Have a look here and here!

I sourced all these images on Pinterest, you can check them out on my Stylistics board.

I'm in a silly pre-party rush right now but will update this post later with credits & links back to all the ACTUAL blogs they came from!!

That last one is Knitwear-Butt, I threw that one in for free, as a gift, a wonderful Knitwear-butt gift.

HAPPY FRIDAY