Daphne.

I recently watched a documentary about the women who buy and collect haute couture. Apparently there is a 'secret' club of women, who prefer not to be in the spotlight, that are allowed first access to the couture collections straight from the runway in Paris. I learnt a few interesting things from the documentary, like couture can only be couture if it is signed off by a council and is made in Paris, but the most entertaining for me was meeting the women of the exclusive club. One in particular stood out to me the most and that was Daphne Guinness. Softly spoken with her black and white hair, adorned with tough, amour-like jewellery, Daphne speaks to the interviewer from her immaculately furnished New York apartment. I was instantly taken with her style and persona. I love people who are fearless with their style. People who push the boundaries and most importantly don't really care what anyone else thinks! That to me is true style and sometimes I think it can get lost in all of the "fashion" - trends and the 'must-haves', 'what's hot' of the moments. Daphne is a woman of true style with all of the makings of an icon. So much so that she is the inspiration behind the get-up of  Lady Gaga! She is also fabulous for her quotes so I will finish this post with one of my favourites so far:

"It's a barrier and also a form of self respect. We're the only species on Earth that clothe ourselves, so why not clothe ourselves well?" - Daphne Guiness

Tokyo Disneyland.

No matter what 2013 decides to throw at me, I will always have the day I went to Disneyland. There is a reason why it's called "the happiest place on earth" because it quite literally is. Walking around to Hollywood-style music from films of my childhood and inhaling the aroma of  sweet sugar with every breath was wildly intoxicating. With my Minnie Mouse ears and yellow coat on I spent the entire day in a elixir of happiness, grinning like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. Growing up Disney was like a staple part of my diet. I loved everything from Recess, Kim Impossible, That's so Raven to Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place and The Suite Life of Zac and Cody.Then there was the movies! Going to Disneyland was always this fantasy that I was never quite sure if I would be able to live out. I can safely say walking out of the gates at the end of the day that it lived up and beyond any expectation I could have set. 

The park was totally encompassing, every detail had been carefully planned and executed with such finesse that it could nearly be passed as magic! As the day drew to a close, the lights lit up the famed castle and the fireworks exploded in the sky, little tears streamed down my face for the most perfect day that was, as cliche as it may sound, a dream come true. 

Tokyo Travel Diary.

 

The bright lights, tall buildings, flashing billboards and swarming crowds of people in Tokyo was a sight and sense to behold. It was a place that couldn't be imagined. It needed to be felt and lived. Everything was so different and foreign, colourful and quirky. We started our first day by setting out to discover all of the amazing architectural feats that grace the Tokyo cityscape. It turned out we weren't the only tourists who had mapped out must-see buildings, we met some other tourists, who were architects, from Sweden who were also taking a photo of the same building as us! They said that nearly every major architect has a building in Tokyo. I don't doubt that at all. Every street we walked and every wrong turn we took lead us to a pleasant surprise. It was amazing to walk around a city that embraces creativity and proudly showcases it for the rest of the world to admire.

I have the utmost admiration for the Japanese and their way. They have adapted to a western world but in every way remain their own people, their own culture and unashamedly just do their own thing. From charming little cartoon characters on their Olympic Games bid to anime advertising on billboards to their politeness and tolerance in every day situations is something that is disarming and truly inspiring.

The sheer size and magnitude of the city is something I had trouble coming to terms with. With so many unexplored neighbourhoods I feel like I left with only a taste for Tokyo. These photos trigger some of the most wonderful memories of my time in this wild and wonderful concrete jungle. 

A Mon a Tour - Koolamara by Kate McCarthy

19 KAREN Contemporary Artspace - 19 Karen Avenue - Mermaid Beach - Queensland - Australia - Photo by Kylie Cox

19 KAREN Contemporary Artspace is one of the Gold Coast's best treasures. It's a wonderful place that has tall white walls, polished concrete floors and incredible art hanging off every wall. It's a big, quiet, space that fills my head with ideas, inspiration and motivation every time I go there. The people who work there are endlessly creative, driven, motivated and just a pleasure to be around. This weekend its first exhibitions of the year opened. Juan Arata, from Berlin, Kate McCarthy from Tasmania and Patricia Mado from Sydney kicked off the exhibition calendar in stunning form. Kate McCarthy is one of my favourite artists in 19 KAREN's stable so it was an absolute joy to find out that she would be coming to the opening of her exhibition  À mon tour – Koolamara AND conducting an Artist Talk at the Sofitel Hotel in Broadbeach the next day, with HIGH TEA! Cuteness overload! I had the opportunity to go behind the scenes and find out a little bit more about Kate and her new body of work...

Kate McCarthy's whimsical paintings always have a way of bringing out the inner child in us all. Her new solo exhibition, À Mon a Tour – Koolamara is no different, it transports us back to the lounge room floor where we used to play with our favourite toys.

À Mon a Tour – Koolamara, in case you’re wondering, means ‘My Turn for Koolamara’ – named after a little resort Kate’s father would take her and her brother to as children. As Kate fondly describes it was always one of those “it’s my turn now” vacations. Her childhood, growing up in Brisbane, was blessed and has always served as a constant source of inspiration throughout her creative years.

Wombie - Kate McCarthy - 2013 - acrylic, oil and pencil on canvas - 60 x 50cm

“I’m always drawn to the ‘childhood’ reference, I think, because that’s where the artistic bent was planted in me – appreciating cartoons and loving my surroundings and toys. Though, that may change at any time. Currently I am pushing myself toward portraiture, which is a big step,” said Kate.

Though À Mon a Tour - Koolamara is filled with cheeky characters full of trickery that we have come to know and love from Kate, there are portraits present that she says only she can recognise. The paintings themselves are multi-layered, textural pieces, laboured with love and intent to push back against the digital life we lead.

Inkerman - Kate McCarthy - 2013 - acrylic, oil and pencil on canvas - 60 x 50cm

“The thing I admire most at the moment, artistically speaking, is a balance between naïveté and expression, and where the medium is celebrated. I allow the paint I apply to the canvas to become a part of the work itself, leaving the drips, lumps and marks right where they fell. I feel my work is my own natural backlash to the digital life we lead and while I fully embrace a digital life, it’s good to step away,” said Kate.

Patterns and colours are dreamt up from Kate’s passion for interiors. A notion of homeliness can be sensed in these paintings that come from Kate’s home in Binalong Bay, Tasmania and a cut out from Houses magazine of a beach house in the Bay of Fires, lined with plywood and filled with artwork and second hand furniture.

“I think it’s really important to use a medium that relates to the home or household items... so I have used house paints!” she said. 

I also had the pleasure of attending an Artist Talk the following day after her opening at Room81 at the Sofitel Broadbeach. We sat and listened to Kate and the stories behind her artworks whilst trying not to stuff our faces full of the amazing pastries on offer! Here are some snaps from the talk:

Kate's solo show À Mon a Tour - Koolamara is exhibiting at 19 KAREN Contemporary Artspace until Saturday 23 March 2013. They are open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5pm so if you are on the Gold Coast, get in and check it out before it's too late!