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design/art/photography/fashion/travel/music/craft/home/life
THE CRAFTY ISSUE * INSIDE * Hair * Learn how to do Origami * Sisters * Blacksmiths * frank bits * *childhood photos * working abroad * project Re:SO* Taxi- dermy & Antiques*
editor: Francesca Wright frankie1310@live.co.uk sub editor(s): Louise Tansley Kathryn Williams contact: frankie1310@live.co.uk http://frankie1310.wix.com/frankie
015 frankie UK #issue 1 The wonderful world of frankie at your finger tips...
WELCOME to our first issue. We have crossed the world to bring you the first issue of frankie UK. If you love everything about art, design, fashion, travel, music and crafts, then this is the magazine for you! frankie is here to make you laugh, cry, smile, a magazine you can pick up, put down and pick up again. We are the friend you don’t see for two months, meet for a coffee and realise nothing has changed. We are buzzing with information and gossip, just for you. In this issue you will find: Hair, hair and more hair, Bristolian shop Dig-Haushizzle, why we should love our sisters, looking back on childhood photos and recreating them, our much loved frank bits, origami and much much more.
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CONTENTS 01 frank bits 02 frank bits 03 something to say: sisters 04 something to say: sisters 05 everybody has a story: working abroad 06 everybody has a story: working abroad 07 i love my shop: Project Re:So 08 i love my shop: Project Re:So 09 i love my shop: Project Re:So 10 i love my shop: Project Re:So 011 i love my shop: Project Re:So 012 i love my shop: Project Re:So 013 learn something new: Origami 014 learn something new: Origami 015 look what i made: Blacksmith Munro 016 look what i made: Blacksmith Munro 017 artsy stuff: Hair 018 artsy stuff: Hair 019 artsy stuff: Hair 020 internet trends: young me, now me
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This issue could not have been made without our fabulous frankie friends, so many thanks to; Cassandra & Edward from Dig-Hauzshizzle, Nisha Haq, Fiona Ramsay, Sophie Richardson, Rosie Saunders, Gina Maria Marchella McCartney & Katie Wright.
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Enjoy.
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Dating’s more fun when you’re doing something...
www.doingsomething.co.uk London Are you single and ready to mingle? Would you like to do something interesting? If the answer is yes then get on Doing Something. It’s full of interesting people like yourself who want to take the pressure off awkward dating. You browse the website for interesting date ideas, meet up and voila, your happy ending could be just around the corner.
www.theamazings.com
London
Love to learn new things? Is meeting new people exciting? Do you love old people? Of course you do. EVERYONE loves old people. The Amazings are here to help. They are elders with experience, if you wish, and they are offering courses ranging from learning to Loom Knit to becoming a fantastic Jazz guitarist. The Amazings were born out of a single idea that society was learnt from its elders. All you have to do is to sign up and log in and the Amazings’ wisdom is yours!
Online magazine
Crafty Stuff www.ohhdeer.com Founded by Architecture enthusiast Jamie Mitchell and Illustrator Mark Callaby; ‘Ohh Deer’ takes the work of exceptional illustrators and pops them onto a variety of mediums. From notebooks, birthday cards, tee shirts or even just a standard print. Ohh Deer has it all. Stunning works include “Your opinion is irrelevant because I hate you” by Hannah Richards. If you love everything animal related, check out the illustrations by Jamie Mitchell. Prices start from £2.50.
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lecool.com
This free weekly online magazine published every Thursday. This cool magazine features a selection of cultural events and leisure activities around your City. Or, if you are a keen traveler you can browse the things you shouldn’t miss in places such as, Bangkok, Barcelona, Budapest, Dublin, London, Istanbul, Lisboa, Madrid, Paris, Rome and Vienna.
www.greatlittleplace.com London
‘A guide to planet Earth’s charming spots’ Do you know a great little place that is worth yelling about? Would you just like somewhere different to go to that know one else knows of?
stuffed-nonsense.blogspot.co.uk Cheltenham
Great Little Place is the place to go; from pubs to clubs it explores all the nooks and crannies of London at the click of a button. You are also able to navigate to the forum page to ask members specific questions about certain places or find out more! By clicking on the ‘ADD A GEM YOU’VE FOUND’ button you are able to alert other adventurers like yourself to other places you’ve discovered! Wonderful.
Based in the merry old town of Cheltenham, StuffedNonsense is the brain child of Bex and El who love to tinker with lovely fabrics and temperamental sewing machines. The delightful creatures they make a come straight out of their brain boxes and into your hearts. If you wish to purchase some of these crazy beauties, but don’t wish to travel to Cheltenham they have an Etsy page! Wooo.
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sisters... frankie explains that having a sister isn’t really that bad...
Can’t live with ‘em, but you can’t imagine life without them. Being the middle child myself I know EXACTLY what it is like to live under the same roof with another two girls. It’s utter havoc. From the eldest Charlotte going through her ‘Emo’ stage, to the youngest Jessica throwing tantrums over everything (and winning). Whilst I, the middle child just watched on innocently...*cough cough* I’ve often wondered how I’ve kept sane over these years; the dramas, the fights, making up, only for it to repeat. But upon reflection I think it’s fantastic having two sisters, and here I tell you why…. Now, I’m not a saying I enjoy sharing my stuff. Twentytwo years down the line and living back at home, I still get irate when my skin products disappear and my clothes end up in a pile on my sisters’ bedroom floor. Numerous times I have bitched about it to my parents, angry tears flooding down my face over lack of respect for my belongings. However this doesn’t mean I don’t know how to share, nor am I a spoilt child who thinks my things are my own and my wicked sisters shouldn’t be allowed their grubby hands on them. All I want is to be asked if they can use them. Not much to ask, right? Living with two sisters has made me learn to ask when I want to borrow something and give it back in exactly the same condition. Or there will be HELL to pay. 1) They can be at times, SO much fun… I can’t imagine being an only child. Like, at all. Taking trips to museums or to theme parks to me seems pointless without having a sibling by your side. Last year we all took a trip to the Harry Potter tour. It was fantastic. But alone I doubt I would have had half as much fun. I have had too many laughs with both my sisters to count. From a standard New Year’s Day walk with the family, explaining to Jess not to walk on the ice and for her to ignore us and fall right through. A tantrum swiftly followed that particular experience. I think my most favourite past time when I am with my sisters is annoying my dad (poor man) from hiding his bookmarks/remote/slippers, to just taking the piss. For this particular activity we all join forces to wind him up and it NEVER gets old. Sorry dad.
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2) You can’t play dress up with a brother... I LOVED to play dress up with my sisters and cousins. I also have quite a big family of girls too, so going to my grandma’s was so much fun. My Grandma also used to belong to a local theatre company so she had a treasure trove of costumes and jewellery for us to explore. School discos, prom and general nights out later followed as we grew up, and its still so much fun getting ready with my sisters for a night out. 3)One word- SHOPPING. I don’t think I really need to explain that one to you. 4)In time they really do become your best friend(s)… ish. I’m sure if either of my sisters read this they may disagree. Only when my eldest sister and I left home to go away to university did I appreciate them that much more. No longer are they stealing things from my room and not giving them back. They are also not winding me up with their sarcastic comments or stealing the car. Having a bit of distance from them enables me to speak to them when I miss them, and appreciate what I love about them. I have noticed from being away that I can always pick up the phone to rant about my life with Charlotte. Jess however is always there to make me laugh, and to bring out the immaturity in me. To think about growing up without my sisters has crossed my mind many many times. But I wouldn’t trade either of my sisters for the world. Yeah over the years we have bitched, pinched, screamed and fought. But I love them to pieces.
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everybody has a story... FIONA RAMSAY, 23. We have all had that dream about leaving the rainy UK to run off to another country. Here we meet 23 year old Fiona Ramsay who has done just that...
I decided to work abroad after I graduated as I wanted a further opportunity to improve my language skills, but also, I saw teaching English in France a much better opportunity for me. I didn’t want to stay in England and become one of the many struggling graduates trying to find work. The teaching English programme betters my chances of getting into a teaching job back in the UK and elsewhere if I decide to follow a career path in teaching. I found my job through the British Council during the summer of 2012 just after I graduated from Leeds University. It’s a programme designed for undergraduate students of modern languages, with a few places set aside for those who have already graduated. During my degree, I decided to be a student abroad, so this experience particularly attracted me, as it was something I had not yet tried. I am working in two ‘colleges’ in Le Teil (Ardeche) and Montelimar (Drome), teaching children between the ages of 11 and 15, with most of my classes being with the older children. I am working to improve the oral competences of the French students in English. As a native speaker, I speak to the children at all times in English, for them to get the maximum exposure to English and get used to a ‘British’ English accent, rather than one of a native French speaker.
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I live with three other language assistants from America, Italy and Spain and I really enjoy it. It is nice to have other people going through the same experience as you, so you can discuss your days together and empathise when one of you is having problems. Living with locals from the area can certainly help you improve a language if that is your aim. It is always worth it to check if you can find free accommodation as my school is putting me up free of charge. This can be a huge money saver. I speak a second language fluently, so I think that this will help me tremendously in finding a job either with the government or in the private charity sector. French is an important language for Europe but also for the world. It is also an experience that shows that you are willing to try new things, rather than stick with what you know. Having teaching experience is always considered invaluable as it tests so many skills, namely how you interact with children, how you cope with stressful situations and how to plan an interesting and interactive lesson. My confidence has certainly grown since starting the job as the thought of standing in front of up to twenty pupils once filled me with fear, but now I do it with ease. In the next two years I have planned to go back into education. Ideally after this placement, which I intend to finish in June 2013, I would like to take up a Masters degree. After much consideration I found that the UK offers the best courses, so have
decided to return for study. After this year, I would most certainly consider working abroad again. It’s unlikely that I will return to France as I will have already spent two years there, but I would love to work in a German City or perhaps farther a field in Asia. I would absolutely recommend working abroad to anyone wanting to improve on their language skills and get out of the UK. Not only does it greatly enhance your CV to have worked abroad and picked up new language skills, it gives you the confidence to undertake any project; if I were offered a job tomorrow somewhere else in Europe, or even outside of the EU, I would consider it. I feel now I have the confidence and the drive to work anywhere in the world. It also is a wonderful experience for meeting friends and colleagues from different cultures and throwing yourself out of your comfort zone. For anyone thinking of working abroad I would suggest by starting somewhere you have a good command of the language. However if you are going to be teaching your own language, the language of the country is not so essential, but useful at times. I think the best thing to do before you leave, is to do your research. There are many programmes run by the British Council that can be a good starting point, otherwise just get in contact with companies and individuals through
particular websites (helpx.net is one that I have used, although the work is unpaid) it’s definitely recommended! Then you want to think about what it is you want to do abroad, whether it’s teaching English, manual labour or an internship. Think about what qualifications are necessary for this, having studied languages; I didn’t need a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification. This could be useful if you have no experience with languages. You will need to thoroughly research the area you are interested in working in to make sure there is work available and that it won’t be a wasted journey. Now that I am nearing the end of my placement I can see where I am aiming for in my career. Ideally in 10 years’ time I would like to be at the peak of my career, probably in the NGO charity sector or working for the British government, and hopefully having mastered another one or two languages. I am very open to working abroad in, but if my dream job opened up in the UK, I would move back home. My experience in France has certainly shown me that I’m more than capable of moving abroad and that often there are better opportunities to be found outside of the UK.
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I love my shop
Project Re:So Southampton, Marlands shopping centre. Students with many skills have opened up their own pop up shop. From sunglasses to customising clothing, to talented illustrators and photographers. frankie is here to talk to three people who give us a glimpse into what they do and how they became involved in this project.
Sophie Richardson is a 22 year old student at Southampton Solent University studying fashion with photography and customises sunglasses in her spare time to make a profit. She became involved with Re:So after a friend asked if she would sell her customised sunglasses for the store. Here frankie asks her the all-important questions on how she began her creative business. Making sunglasses started when I saw the designer A-Morir’s chain sunglasses. Rihanna was wearing them in all the magazines. Loads of lovely sunglasses that had been loaded with pearls, flowers and letters were popping up everywhere but where ridiculously expensive. After taking an internship over summer, a woman I was working with suggested that I should make them. I thought about it and when I came back to university I thought I could earn some money and sell them on places like Etsy and ASOS marketplace. My main sources of inspiration are celebrities and sunglasses that are out already, but with my own spin on them. I saw a designer pair a year or so ago and thought that I could easily make that myself at half the price. Then, Missguided and Boohoo uploaded photos of sunglasses with pearls around the rims, taken from photos of Rihanna that she posted on Instagram. I source the bits and pieces for the sunglasses from places like Etsy and eBay mostly. The sunglasses mainly come from Topshop or River Island, I just buy bits and bobs when I see them and can afford them. Annoyingly, when I set up an account on ASOS marketplace, not many people bought what I had to offer. A few friends have asked me to make me some so I have sold a few; I think they need to be in a physical shop so people can try them on. Luckily Re:So came about and now by selling at my university pop up store I have made about £100. Most of my sunglasses are priced between £8 and £12.
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On the side of my university work and customising sunglasses I am also a stylist and photographer. I prefer styling to photography; I love to create a story with my work. I did a Rapunzel fashion shoot where I made a cardboard cut out and created a chain around her ankle to show she was tied up. To add humor to the piece I used a JLS doll and pretended it was a Prince coming to save her, I attached him to her hair! I love things like that; it makes it more unique and fun. I would love to do music videos; you can be really creative with them. Katy Perry’s video for California Girls would have been really cool to be involved in. I think that is more my style. Magazines would be good too, I wouldn’t rule that out in the future. Peekaboo Vintage last summer was my last styling internship. That was to assist a girl who works for their ASOS Marketplace. I styled their vintage outfits and took photos of them to put them onto the website. I then had to write the description of the products. I also assisted a stylist who graduated from Southampton Solent two years ago. I worked with her over summer for two shoots for two online magazines. This enabled me to meet loads of interesting people including two models both from models1. I loved working with them; I now have them on Facebook so I have some contacts. The photographer was from Canada and had flown all the way over to the UK just for this shoot. She was amazing. I watched her and she knew exactly where to put the models, what angles worked best and where to take the photos. I realised I was nowhere near as good as her and photography wasn’t an option for me anymore. The experience reinforced how much I want to pursue styling.
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I LOVE MY SHOP
Cassandra Linton and Edward Nicholas own the fantastic Bristol based antique store Dig-Haushizzle. So where exactly in Bristol is your store? It is in Bristol City Centre at the top of the famous Christmas steps. The address is 51 Colston Street. We are also involved in Re:So in Southampton, so a few pieces of furniture is in the pop up shop in there too. If you had to describe Dig Haüshizzle in a sentence, what would it be? We sell “Shizzle” for your house. Haha. The name of your store is quite unusual, how did you come up with it? We were originally just Dig, but while my friend James Watkins and I created the graphic designs things started to sound a bit German. That’s where we got the Haüs part and Haüshizzle then explained what we do (well kind of). The name also looked cool and made us laugh. It was perfect. How did you come up with the idea of opening up an antique and taxidermy store? The business first started online. We were then asked to stock some bits in the Antlers gallery Christmas store in 2011. From there we went on to be stocked in other stores as well as doing our first Dig Haüshizzle pop up store in Cabot Circus in March/April 2012. This went amazingly well but we were left with a very bare shop. On 09/ i love my shop
the last day we only had about four pieces left in store. From there, many of our original customers returned and started to rebuild our stock. The pop up store was such a good test to see if people would like our stuff, and thankfully they did. It also made us realise how important the premises was, so we went on a hunt and found the store we are now in. Where do you go to find your stores gems? EVERYWHERE. Okay slight exaggeration, but anywhere we can. We often buy through people who contact us with items to sell, so we go straight to their houses to purchase the items. Other dealers often ring us when they have something they think we would be interested in. We also go to a few auctions and markets too. We try to make sure we are always well stocked. What have you learnt about the world of antiques and taxidermy? We are learning all the time and I don’t think we would either call ourselves experts in this field either. We always look for originality, it doesn’t always have to be antique but something we love. Everything we buy we would want in our homes. That is most important thing we consider before buying a piece. We now buy less and less pieces that need any work doing to them. We just don’t have the time at the minute, although I am looking forward to having the time again at some point. Working on the edges of the Antiques trade is a great place to be. We get a great insight into that world, but we also get to step back and be just what we want to be.
What do you love about what you do? Everything really. Buying is always extremely fun; the people we meet along the way make it such a lovely job. I love to take pieces to peoples homes and businesses and see how they are going to be used again. There is a lot of satisfaction in that. What are your plans for the future? Do you plan to open any more stores around the UK? That’s exactly our plan. We see ourselves as a chain of stores rather than expanding into one large premise. We will be looking to expand within the South West, to keep things just a little bit easier. Any tips on keeping antique pieces in good condition for any budding antique loving readers? I would say use them! Don’t be afraid of something that is expensive or old. If you don’t use it you will enjoy it less. I have had that philosophy for a long time, whether it’s designer clothes or a lovely bottle of wine. I never keep anything for best. Wear and tear usually adds to most pieces but just be careful and treat it well. It’s most likely that things from us have been enjoyed by some else before it gets into your hands. If you look after it, hopefully you can pass it on for someone else to enjoy it too. Any tips on finding some good gems in antique stores? Don’t be scared to go in, look at everything and think of the other things you already have and whether they would work together. It’s a bit like shopping for clothes really.
What has been your favourite piece that you have found from antique hunting? It’s hard to say really as it can be hard to part with some things. One of the first pieces we bought when we got our flat together was a coffee table with letterpress blocks under its glass top. It was the first expensive thing we bought and I don’t think we will ever part with it, we love it. You stock some of your furniture pieces at Re:So Southampton. How did you get involved in this project? I studied Fashion with Photography at Southampton Solent University and have stayed in touch with a few of my lecturers. Lisa Mann is behind the Re:So store and contacted me to see if I was interested in bringing some pieces down. I was really chuffed to be asked as it was the first time we had had products outside of Bristol. Have you had an increase in business since being involved in Re:So? We sold quite a few pieces at the store; however it was mainly small things. I think it has helped create awareness of our brand outside of Bristol, which is sweet. I think part of our brand identity is having knowledge on what we have bought, and passing on the enthusiasm and knowledge to the customers. This makes for quite a unique shopping experience and this is what we are trying to push forward with. T Website: http://www.dig-haushizzle.co.uk/ Email: info@dig-haushizzle.co.uk 10/ i love my shop
Project Re:So/I love my shop
THE BODY REFORMED: PHOTOGRAPHER: NISHA HAQ Nisha has had some of her work displayed in Re:So, here she explains her Body Reformed series and why she wanted to become a photographer.
Name: Nisha Haq Place of study: Southampton Solent University studying BA (Hons) Photographer, 2nd year. Hometown: Bridgwater, Somerset. Why did you want to become a photographer? I love photography and all creative outlets. Growing up as a kid I would always be enthusiastic when it came to family snapshots, posing in front of the camera until I became more interested in what it was like behind the lens. I’m influenced by graphic design and the media around me, especially magazines and I had this desire to create things. I am influenced by music that’s intertwined with the love of expression and art. Family shots, portraits and documenting life around me became a full-time hobby when I was 13, and since then have been snapping away. After practicing portraiture and composition on myself I became more confident photographing others.I eventually turned my hobby into study, where I learnt more on the traditions of photography and its origins in film. I would stay in the darkrooms during my spare time at college printing to the high standards that I set. From there I went to study photography at Southampton Solent University. Here I have found my new love for medium format film and darkroom colour printing. I have embarked on many projects using this medium as well as enhancing my studio skills. What is your favourite thing to photograph? Portraiture and fashion first enticed me into the world of photography so they are my favourite subjects to photograph. However after embarking on a photography degree I am trying new topics including more fine art, some landscape, documentary and still life. I have found a new interest in researching art history and its influence on contemporary art and drawing inspiration from the classics. When you use models do you cast them yourself? If I’m doing a fashion shoot or portraiture I always cast the subjects myself as I think it’s important to create the connection between the photographer and sitter. I like to find people with personality and interesting features that can convey different emotions to the camera. I often use friends and build a photographic relationship with them over time, though it depends on the shoot and look I’m going for. 011/i love my shop
What gave you the idea to do the body reformed series? I wanted to make something intimate and personal, so I cast my boyfriend to model for this series. I was reading an influential art book, ‘The Ways of Seeing’ by John Berger (1972) where he wrote: ‘To be naked is to be oneself. To be nude is to be seen naked by others and yet not recognised for oneself. To be naked is to be without disguise. Nudity is a form of dress.’ His explanation between the differences of the nude and the naked: how the nude is arousing and comforting whereas the naked as shy and embarrassing. I wanted to explore this idea of whether the viewer can differentiate between the two or if we simply assume all naked images of the body are nudes. This then led me to Kenneth Clark’s book ‘The Nude’ (1956) where he wrote ‘The word “nude,” … projects into the mind a balanced, prosperous, and confident body: the body re-formed.’ This is where I got the title of my series; I feel that these images show a balanced, prosperous and confident body whilst creating a soft, warm atmosphere that is quite abstract to look at. I used natural lighting to create an intimate feel to them. What’s next for you? I’m currently the Photography & Fashion director for Lost & Found magazine. Their blog will be launched March 2012 and hope to publish the magazine this October. I also created the logo and blog that has taken me back to my graphic design roots; I hope to create more work using graphic design and typographical influences. I’ve got new photo shoots coming up, so I hope to publish that soon and develop more fashion shoots enabling me to work with more people in fashion, such as Hair/Make up artists and more models. I’m also working on a short art film that will be another new venture; I hope to share that soon as well. I’ll continue to pursue a career in photography and gain as much experience as I can. My ideal job would be getting commissioned to do portrait and fashion shoots for top magazines and perhaps create my own magazine like Rankin did for Dazed & Confused & Hunger. Oh, and I’d love to have a solo exhibition in the major art galleries such as the Tate, National Gallery, Photographer’s Gallery, National Portrait Gallery… maybe one day! *where can we see more of your work? http://nishahaq.blogspot.
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learn something new Origami. You may have heard of it and never tried it. Pronounced Or-i-ga-me, ‘ori’ is the Japanese word for folding and ‘kami’ is the word for paper. Origami was initially known as Orikata (folded shapes). However in 1880 the craft became known as Origami. Today people are attracted to the idea of learning how to fold Origami because paper is a cheap craft to supply. When it was first practiced, it was only the elite who could practice this craft. Folding paper butterflies were used in formal ceremonies to adorn sake bottles for a Japanese weddings. Japanese monks also folded origami figures for religious purposes. Origami doesn’t usually allow cutting or gluing to create intricate pieces, although standards have loosened considerably over the years. Many origami books nowadays involve some form of cutting or sticking to provide stability for the design. Pretty papers such as wrapping paper, typing paper, handmade papers or even papers you have designed yourself are accepted in the practice of Origami. If you are a recycling buff you can also turn unwanted junk mail into pretty animals. Yay!
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Origami Pelican (easy)
•Start with your paper white side up. Fold in half, along the line shown, then open out again. •Fold the outside corners into the centre line, and crease well. •Fold the outside edges into the centre once again. •Turn model over and fold bottom point up to the top point. Crease very well. •Fold in half. •Rotate model so it is now lying down. •Raise the inside triangle upwards slowly, then flatten and crease well. •Inside Reverse Fold the head along the crease shown. •Fold each wing upward as shown, then fold it back again slightly. The pelican will now rest on its wings and sit up. •Finished Pelican!
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2) Origami jumping Frog (intermediate)
3) Origami Lotus (hard)
•Start with a rectangular sheet of paper white side up. Fold it in half, and open out again. •Fold both top corners to the opposite edge of paper. •Where the diagonal creases meet in the middle, fold the paper backwards, crease well and open. •Hold the paper at the sides, bring these points down the centre line, then flatten. The creases should do most of the work here. •Fold the uppermost triangles up to the top point. •Fold sides in to the centre line. •Fold bottom upwards so the end sits in the centre of the top of the diamond. •Now fold the same part downwards, in half. •Turn over and your frog is finished.
•Start with white side up. Fold diagonally both ways and open. •Fold each corner into the centre. •Fold each corner into the centre once again. •For a third time, fold each corner into the centre. •Turn model over and fold each corner into the centre. •Fold each corner inwards a small amount. •To form the petals, press down on the point shown, while slowly pulling the petal from behind, to the front. Its almost like turning the corner “inside out.” Repeat on all corners. •The second set of petals are formed the same way, but the corner from the point shown. •The third set doesn’t need to be turned “inside out”, just folded normally from below the first set. •Finished Lotus!
* Hold with a finger and release to jump.
Origami Owl (hardest)
•Start with a square piece of paper, coloured side up. Fold in half one way, then open. Then fold in half the other way and open. •Turn the paper over to the white side, Fold the paper in half, crease well and open, then fold again in the other direction. •Using the creases you had made, bring the top 3 corners of the model down to the bottom corner. Flatten model. •Fold top triangular flags into the centre and unfold. •Fold top of model downwards, crease well and unfold. •Open the uppermost flap of the model, bringing it upwards and pressing the sides of the model inwards at the time. Flatten down, creasing well. •Turn model over and repeat steps 4-6 on the other side. •Fold front flap down. •Fold back flap down. •On the top layer, fold the top corners in the centre line, and repeat on back. •Form wing by lifting up from the inside, and twisting the wing forwards. Repeat for other wing. •Fold top of the model down as shown. •Fold back up along crease shown. •Fold whole top down along crease shown. •Cut ONLY TOP layer, along the line shown. •Fold upwards to form feet. •Turn Owl over and cut the top layer only as shown. •Turn back over and lift up ears. •Finished Owl. **step by step guides from: http://www.origami-fun.com http://origami.about.com/od/History-Of-Origami/a/A-Brief-History-Of-Origami.htm 014/learn something new
Look What I made....
Blacksmith Munro The wonderful world of black smithing. a dying art that not many people practice nowadays. Twisty bits of metal to form new artistic pieces, from sculptures to hair pins. Twenty-three year old Katie Wright talks to frankie about how she got involved in this craft.
What make you decide that you wanted to go into blacksmithing? I wanted to be a jeweler; I’m quite an artistic person and enjoy making things from hand. A goldsmith introduced me to blacksmithing and it was from there that I fell in love, before I had even picked up a hammer. I was fascinated by the designs and the making process. When I started practicing my fascination grew, learning the different processes and putting my designs into actual pieces was even better than I expected. What attracts you to blacksmithing? It’s all about the processes for me, the idea of using a metal like steel which is so strong and hard and making fluid and elegant forms from it. It is challenging and always exciting. You can always push yourself and your designs further, it is said that it takes ten years or 10,000 hours to be ‘good’ at blacksmithing. It is a craft that takes years to master, this is what attracts me, there are always obstacles to over come, and you are never bored. For me, the best place to be is next to the forge starting a new project. It seems like it is such a tough skill to learn, do you get lots of injuries from blacksmithing? It is a tough skill to learn, however its all about understanding the material and what you can do with it. I have never been seriously injured, but it is an occupational hazard to get burnt. You need to be aware of the health and safety issues and use all equipment properly. What’s the process behind your work? I use technical blacksmith processes that haven’t really changed since the beginning of blacksmithing, I also combine these processes with modern equipment including welding, power hammers, grinders and drills. Where do you get inspiration when you are designing pieces? My inspiration comes from a variety of places. Art Nouveau is a huge influence on my designs, with fluid forms and unusual twists. I also enjoy original blacksmith scrollwork and putting my own unique twist on it. Fluidity is a key. Within my designs there must be a natural flow between each movement, trying to capture elegance and femininity within the piece. Blacksmithing is something that not many people choose as a career or a hobby, is it something you want to bring back? I am very passionate about the craft of blacksmithing, and bringing it back into the public eye. The awareness of blacksmithing and craft is growing, and people now want hand made products, things that last. Although it is not as well known as most crafts, it is getting there to be publicly acknowledged. Within my range of work I try to create pieces that bring blacksmithing into homes, creating a variety of pieces from jewellery to sculpture.
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What is it you love about blacksmithing? Everything! There is nothing not to love really. From drawing out a design to working on the fire and then creating it. Every element of blacksmithing uses such physical effort that you really put everything you have into it. When you have your finished piece in your hands there is such a sense of an achievement. I am a perfectionist so I can always see ways to improve on what I have made. Another aspect that I love is the materials I use, I mainly forge Steel, Stainless Steel and Silver. Each material is totally different and you have to approach each one accordingly. What I love most about it is seeing something that is solid and changing its form into something beautiful and elegant. Do you sell your pieces? If so where? I do craft fairs and stalls at local events, this is mainly where I sell most of my work and get commissions. I also sell smaller pieces on the website Etsy. If you type in Blacksmith Munro into the search page on Etsy I will pop up. Do you have any up and coming exhibitions? I will have a stand at the Milton Keynes Handmade and Vintage fair in June. I am waiting to hear back from other events I have applied for that will be taking place over the summer. Some pieces are being sent to America, what’s the exhibition for? It’s been sent to the Velvet Da Vinci gallery in San Francisco for the FERROUS exhibition, which is a show exhibiting jewellery made from steel. Where did you study for such a niche craft? I studied at Hereford College of Arts, doing the BA (hons) Artist Blacksmithing course. Any tips for someone who is keen to take up this skill? I would advise doing a taster day either with a local blacksmith, or at Hereford School of Blacksmithing as this gives you the chance to understand what you will be doing as a blacksmith. If you love it then look into studying at Hereford as they have fantastic facilities and brilliant tutors. You would have two options there, you can either do the technical course where you learn all the processes and welding and fabrication over three years. Another option is a degree course in Artist Blacksmithing. You learn most processes however it is mainly design and make based. I would advise doing a foundation in technical blacksmithing then doing the degree course. http://crafthaus.ning.com/group/ferrous. https://www.facebook.com/BlacksmithMunro?fref=ts
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Artsy Stuff
Gina Maria-Marchella McCarthy
Hair.
Everyone has it, (well most people…) Women are obsessed with hair, from long luscious locks like Zooey Deschanel or wavy retro curls like Lana Del Ray. We all have had that moment when you brush it rather too vigorously and look down in horror as it comes into clumps on your hairbrush. We also can’t help the disgusted notion of looking at hair that isn’t attached to our head... It’s just gross right? So, what do people make of a fine artist from Farnham’s idea of felting hair in the name of art? We delve into the full head of hair that is Gina Maria Marchella McCarthy. (what a mouthful!)
Tell us a little something about yourself? I’m a twenty-two year old student living and studying fine art at Farnham UCA in Surrey. I have so many interests it’s almost impossible to list, but most of them will somehow find their way into my professional practice and work. What do you love about fine art? Fine art is so open. Gone are the days of ‘I am a sculpture’ or ‘I am a portrait painter.’ Fine art encompasses all of my interests and works with the way my mind works. What kind of art do you make? I work predominantly with crafts such as sculptures, performance, film and sound. How did you learn the skill of felting and how did you get the idea of using human hair instead of wool? It has always been my intention to use human hair, as the material itself is what mostly interests me. I find it dictates the methods I end up using or experimenting with. I first learnt to needle felt when my college tutor was trying to persuade me to ditch fine art and go into textile design. I went along with it so I could sit in on some extra classes. I learnt needle felting, crochet, and slip mould making before breaking the news to her that I was firmly a fine artist!
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Why are you fascinated by hair? It’s a material I personally have an abundance of and I love it. I always have. I’ve secretly collected my own loose hairs for a long time as I felt it was such a waste of ‘material.’ I just had a feeling that there was so much I could do with this and I didn’t want to part with it. How would you describe your work? If I had to describe my work I would describe it as intricate, beautiful, enchanting, recognisable and distressing. How would you describe the process of your work? The process of the work and the work itself are one in the same, if that makes sense? Most of my pieces are ever growing and constantly changing pieces, they demand time. Particularly the performance pieces, which are never the same. My main practice surrounds human hair both as subject and material. I think human hair has the potential to represent so much; it’s a relatable and beautiful metaphor that I’ve been able to adapt and utilise throughout my work. The use of hair in my practice is a way for me to use the fabric OF the body to represent something WITHIN the body.
What is the name of your latest hair piece? This particular piece, is currently named after every woman/girl who’s donated their hair. So… *draws breath*… ‘Gina McCarthy, Kym McCarthy, Justine McCarthy, Jacqui Browne, Hannah Strickland, Grace Goodhind, Poppy Veale, Amy Butler, Zoe Greening, Kiki Wan, Clare Gallagher, Hannah Mockridge, Jo Scales, Kim Williams, Sue Chadwick, Bethan Luffman, Amy Howels, Lotti St.Aubyn, Frankie Wright, Elisa Smith, Natalie Smith, Maria Hamilton-Buyukkara, Kim Verney, Maura Gallen and Lydia Simpson.’ The title grows as the piece does, and there are names I have yet to add. I need to chase up friends of friends and mums of colleagues! It has been going on for well over a year now and it will only stop growing when I stop. What sort of reaction do you get from people who see your work? There are various reactions I get and I welcome all of them. I’ve had tutors ask to smell the work, but I have also had some tutors who will refuse to touch it. There will always be a certain degree of disgust. It is unusual and does invite questions, but that is fine because it makes me think about my practice more and more. I think the fact that people can laugh and people can be grossed out about it, but still be willing to hand over their hair and want to be involved is pretty telling. You get people to donate hair, who do you ask and how many people have donated? It started off just asking people I know such as family and friends. Then slowly I worked up the courage to ask work colleagues and people from university. Eventually I had people approaching me asking if I wanted some of their hair, giving their mums hair, giving me their friend’s mum’s hair. It’s just growing and growing, ha-ha, sorry for the pun. I think the piece is like a beautiful community. People like to invite themselves in and be part of something they deem to be important. Like an investment.
Gina and her hair piece
Human hair and polyester yarn woven on box loom
Is there a specific hair type that works best? I will use all human female hair in this piece so long as it’s from a hairbrush and not cut hair. I would be lying if I said it’s all lovely and easy to work with. Curly or straight doesn’t matter, neither does ethnicity, but I’ve had some incredibly coarse hair that’s given my knuckles carpet burn! I often wonder how the person who’s hair that is deals with it brushing against their face daily. When do you expect to finish this piece? Is it ongoing? This piece finishes when I die. This might sound melodramatic but it’s true. That was going to be the title for a while ‘It stops when I die’ but I’ve changed it to all the women who have donated the hair to!
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Young me, Now me....
Do you have any other pieces you are working on? I am working on numerous pieces because each one is so slow in progression. I’d get bored waiting if I didn’t get going with other projects. My most recent work, other than the felted hair piece, is a performance in which I have a pile of human hair, a basin, shampoo, conditioner and water. I crouch over the basin, naked and wash the individual hairs with great care and attention. My most recent performance of this piece lasted for two hours. It’s an incredible test of endurance but it talks about obsessions and love passion that can result in loss. I’m very interested in the ritual of hair washing. Again, I think it has the power to represent a lot. What’s next for you? I have big plans for a few sound pieces but I’m keeping those under wraps until they are in production, you never know! Other than that I’m building connections with artists and interesting people in Brooklyn, Edinburgh and Glasgow, applying for jobs and looking to move to Scotland right after University. It’s all very busy but very exciting. Have you exhibited any of your work? Yes, I have just finished the NU exhibition from the 22nd Feb- 2nd March. I will also be exhibiting some more of my work sometime in June. All details will be uploaded onto my blog when dates have been cleared. www.ginamaria. co.uk.
the family dress up photos.... Childhood photos. Two words that fill most teenagers and adults with absolute dread. What is it about them always make you internally cringe? Why does your mum feel the need to bring them out whenever you have a boyfriend/girlfriend or even friends to visit?
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Oh wow, ten years? In dream world I will have lived in Edinburgh for two years before moving on to Brooklyn for two to three more years. I think I would probably like to be back in England somewhere in ten years’ time but who knows. I might fall head over heels in love with another city and escape for a little longer! Wherever I am I want to be happy and successful in my practice, getting solo shows, getting written about and doing a little writing myself!
We have the... Awful outfits. Did anyone else’s mum put you in a dress made of curtains and lace? You then move onto the outfits you chose yourself. Tammy Girl was a favourite of mine, flared embellished jeans and a pink leather jacket anyone? The holiday snaps. Digging a massive pit in the middle of the beach in a truly awful multi coloured swim suit. Burying family members in the sand is also another family favourite. Parents with dated hair styles and outfits, reminds me that looking back at family photos can be just as embarrassing for them.
Details of Gina and her work https://www.facebook.com/gina.maria.9461?fref=ts www.ginamaria.co.uk ginamariamarchella.blogspot.co.uk ginamariamarchella@gmail.com Stills from her performance pieces
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How about photos involving food? One photo from my childhood I remember is where my sisters and I are eating some sort of messy burger. Out comes my mums disposable camera and bam, we have a lovely reminder of said dinner around our mouths. Lovely. Who wouldn’t want to remember that? Another gem for most families have photos in which you are baking, licking the spoon and have the mixture everywhere.
Of course birthdays and Christmases are a favourite time for your family to whack out the beloved camera. From the surprised and excited smiles when you open a present you have wanted for a whole year to the distraught faces of an unwanted gift, my nan’s camera, even now fills my whole family with dread. She has always loved to treasure the moments whenever the whole family is together. Her film camera was the worst piece of technology ever. Whenever it ran out of film you would hear the inside of the camera slowly dying inside. Thankfully she has now moved onto a digital camera, unfortunately for us she will, still capture every moment. The internet is a wonderful place. Pinterest, Tumblr and YouTube are all my favourite procrastination tools. My recent discovery is bound to bring a smile to your face. ‘Young me, Now me’ is a lovely website where the public upload their favourite childhood photo and reenact it when they are an adult. From your first day of school, to you in the bath surrounded by bubbles, there are some lovely snaps that have been reenacted. Now, we have managed to get our friends at frankie to reenact some of their family favourites for your viewing pleasure...
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