ISSUE NO.2 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 EDITOR & DESIGNER Kristie Webster CONTRIBUTORS Kelsea Kennedy, Aleksandra Kojic, Flora Deborah, Leanne Marie Carmichael, Claire Huish, Jennifer Davis, Jeannie Phan, Caitlin Shearer, Ismay Ozga, Laura Jayne Weeks. COVER Photographer: Kelsea Kennedy Model: Brooke Jamieson CONTACT General enquiries: hello@ponyanarchy.com Website: www.ponyanarchy.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/ponyanarchymagazine Twitter: @ponyanarchy Instagram: @ponyanarchymag ADVERTISING For rates and information on advertising and sponsored giveaways please contact us for a media kit. Copyright is reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited. Email addresses are published for professional communications only.
CONTENTS Editors Note
Page 04
Fun Finds
Page 05
Interview: Izmay Ozga
Page 06
Interview: Flora Deborah
Page 08
Interview: Snakadaktal
Page 10
Summertime Sadness by Kelsea K
Page 12
Interview: Laura Jayne Weeks
Page 16
Interview: Jennifer Davis
Page 18
Interview: Caitlin Shearer
Page 20
The Secret Garden by Flora Deborah
Page 22
Interview: Caitlin Huish
Page 28
Interview: Jeannie Phan
Page 30
The Little Deer
Page 32
EDITORS NOTE Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi once said “try to be inspired by something every day, try to inspire at least one person every day” and that’s precisely what this issue is all about. We’ve spent the last month eagerly searching for people that inspire us so we could then share their stories and inspire you. We had a chat to Snakadaktal, the 2011 Triple J Unearthed High winners about their journey and what’s up next, asked our favourite illustrators and photographers what inspires them and sussed out some pretty sweet up and coming fashion labels. We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas filled with yummy food, smiles and most of all, love. See you in January! Kristie x
MADE 590
WHOKILLEDBAMBI
VANISHING ELEPHANT
ELA HAWKE VINTAGE
Tucked away in the streets of Newtown, Sydney is one of our favourite Australian stores, Made590. Opened by Christina Kelly in 2004, the store stocks independent designer gifts and clothing that are super colourful and oh so cute.
If you like one off quirky outfits you’ll love WKB. Think eccentric patterns, vintage cuts and flowing dresses. Queensland based owner Ally, specialises in customised vintage and new clothing that makes you feel absolutely lovely!
This stylin’ Sydney based brand was designed by Felix Chan, Huw Bennett and Arran Russell in 2008 after they decided to create a mens line committed to producing clothing of real quality, purpose and originality. We love it!
Ela Hawke Vintage is a tightly edited collection of on-trend vintage finds, based here in Australia. With a keen eye for highly covetable fashion, EHV search far and wide to bring you a unique range of top quality vintage clothing and accessories.
www.made590.com.au
www.facebook.com/shopWHOKILLEDBAMBI
www.vanishingelephant.com
www.elahawkevintage.com
NAUTICOCO
ZIGGY DENIM
MOOSE&BIRD
JIMBOART
UK label, Nauticoco have created a collection of versatile and timeless silk ‘add on’ collar accessories that are to die for. Make your outfits even cuter by personalising new and existing wardrobe pieces with a detachable collar.
Born into Melbourne’s glorious street art alleyways, and raised in the debaucherous Fitzroy warehouse parties, Ziggy is the lovechild of a plaid-clad bassist and $10 jugs. Ziggy garments are liveable, wearable and every kind of fabulous.
Creator of pretty bits and pieces, Melinda Hume, designs and makes all of moose & bird products with love and care from new and recycled fabrics. If you need some feature cushions or bunting head over to the moose & bird etsy.
James Ward has created a range of hand drawn ceramics that are fun and centered around animals either protecting, stealing, eating or asking politely for your food. We love everything about them and have a feeling you will too....
www.etsy.com/shop/Nauticoco
www.ziggydenim.com
www.etsy.com/shop/mooseandbird
www.etsy.com/shop/jimbobart
ISMAY OZGA WE CHAT TO UK BASED LLUSTRATOR AND PHOTOGRAPHER ISMAY OZGA ABOUT HER CREATIVE PRACTICE AND WHAT’S COMING UP NEXT. What are you working on at the moment? At the moment I’m working on a couple of private commissions, as well as running the jewellery company that I’ve just started with my oldest and best friend. The jewellery is taking up a lot of my time, but it’s really fun to be working with my best friend! I’ve also just made some episodes for Monki Tv - Swedish clothing brand Monki make tv episodes about creative girls around the world- that was really fun to do! Do you have a particular favourite work that you’ve done? It’s hard to choose favourites, but I really like a drawing I did this year of a photo by Mariam Sitchinava. And I’m also really fond of the portrait I did of Erin from Calivintage.com. What does “being creative” mean to you? I feel like I’ve always been a creative person, to me it’s meant finding artistic ways to express myself. I like making beautiful things for people to enjoy. Have you shown your work in any shows recently? Earlier this year I was part of a group exhibition called ‘Heavier Than Lead’ which focused on pencil work, and it was a great little show to be a part of. Do you have any creative rituals or routines? If so, what are they? I don’t really think creativity goes together that well with routines. I think my creativity gives me a bit of a ‘messy mind’ so I’m not too good at routine behaviour. My only ritual is checking blogs and websites that inspire me- I do that every day. I love arty blogs, fashion blogs, and sites like Pinterest and Tumblr. I think they’re a great source of inspiration. What are you doing when you’re not creating? I post on my blog - I like to post about things I find inspiring, whether it be art or fashion related. I spend a lot of my spare time reading- I love books, and I have a bit of a magazine obsession so I’ll flick through those a lot. I also have two awesome cats so I spend as much time as possible cuddling them! What inspires you? I’m inspired by photographs, femininity, beauty. Where else can we find you? I have a blog ismayozga.blogspot.com and my website is www.ismayozga.com
FLORA DEBORAH we chat to london based photographer flora deborah about her work and what being creative means to her. Who is Flora Deborah and what does she do? I’m an art oriented fashion photographer. I was born in Evian (France), grew up in Milan and moved to London in 2008 to study photography. I’ve been taking pictures ever since. What are you working on at the moment? I’m working on a new editorial, a couple of lookbooks and a secret personal project that I can’t wait to reveal! Do you have a particular favourite shoot that you’ve done? The Secret Garden was one my favourite, the location, the model, the clothes, the colors everything worked in great synergy I think. What does “being creative” mean to you? For me It probably means waking up in the middle of the night with some surreal ideas and then going after them trying to make them somehow happen in the real life. Favourite book and film? Pride and Prejudice as a book and Little women as a film.. the edition of 1949 with Liz Taylor, just amazing! What elements do you
consider when thinking up concepts or themes for shoots? I concentrate on creating a story, it’s very important for me to add a meaning to the images. I also think a lot about light and colors. Favourite quote or saying? “Beauty is a feeling of reaction inside of one self, sometimes experienced simultaneously with others or in complete solitude. Beauty is undefinable but you know when you see, feel, hear, experience it” found this quote on I-D Magazine a couple of years ago, written by Ari Marcopoulos. Do you have any creative rituals or routines? If so, what are they? If I’m not working on a deadline I usually go for a walk by the river as soon at the sunshine comes. I also love to sit in an old cemetery next to my house with a nice book. What are you doing when you’re not photographing? I was a figure skater for most of my life, but It’s not easy to keep skating in London.. so recently I started dance classes! I do ballet and hip hop every week, I love it. What inspires you? The sunlight, shadows, the rain, the birds singing, the sea..everything about nature really. Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others? Someone once told me that the main goal in life is to be happy, I think he was so very true. To see more of Flora’s work head to www.floradeborah.com
SNAKADAKTAL We chat to snakadaktal guitarist Joseph, about the journey from high school to producing a debut EP. Give us a brief history of Snakadaktal - How did the band form? The band originally started when Sean, Barna and Joey came together and got all inspired to play some new wave, indie shite, wanting to channel Mgmt and the Arctic Monkeys. After struggling through some woeful gigs and tedious band practices for around half a year, Phoebe Louise joined the band and things started to look up due to acombination of Phoebe’s influence and a change in attitude. We started to really concentrate doing our own thing, having our own sounds and being completely original. The last year has been a whirlwind, writing, recording and producing our debut EP (available through Itunes and In stores) winning Triple J Unearthed High, filming music videos, gigging our little bums off. You’ve been gigging around Melbourne over the last year or so supporting local acts like StrangeTalk and Red Ink among others - how did that come about? Were were always keen, and still are keento play music as often as possible. To have been given the opportunity to play with these bands is fantastic we are thankful. such opportunity has come, largely, from the hard work of our ever loving Manager, Jackson. The band obviously already had a solid following before winning Triple J’s Unearthed High competition but how important was it to you guys in terms of exposure, to win? It’s been unbelievable. We have had such loving support from our friends and families, and by no means do we ever forget them or, but to have strangers friendly faces smiling at our gigs, to hear about the stories of people who have heard Snakadaktal being talked about, to have all the amazing opportunities that have come our way and of course the support from Triple J themselves. We will always be thankful for what they have done, not just for us but many other young talented artists. What’s the funniest thing that’s happened at a gig? Early on in the piece, perhaps before the band was
even called Snakadaktal and consisted of a different line up, the lead singer, then Luke, cracked it and didn’t turn up. Sean Kelly, our current singer, who was 14 at the time was forced into singing and having never sang to any one in his life, quietly spoke into the mic, hands shaking “I have never sang to any one before, so please, don’t be mean” Later that same year he sang ‘FixYou’ and all the girls at school were in tears. He’s gorgeous and he can sing. How does it feel to be signed? Has it even hit you yet? I Don’t think it has hit us, and i don’tknow if it ever will. We feel incredibly privileged to have been picked up by our label at such an early stage in our potential careers. Fortunately, we did not have to slog it out for endless years, producing everything ourselves and we certainly understand that there are truckloads of bands and artists out there who all carry incredible tallent but never have the good fortune of being signed. The music industry is a game and it’s brutal. Your debut EP is out 25th of November and then you’re on the road for your east coast tour in December - You must be pretty proud of yourselves to have come so far in such a short amount of time, not to mention at such a young age? We feel greatly proud. We know we have achieved a lot, especially during VCE. We feel incredibly lucky to have been given this opportunity and we most certainly keep ourselves on the ground, surrounded by friends who give us heaps, tease us but most definitely support us. Our Melbourne, Sydney And Brisbane shows sold out and that feels good, to know that people are listening to our songs and are keen to be a part of the Snaka experience (entirely different to Jimi’s). What’s been the best experience so far? Having my mother wake me up in a joyous eruption of ‘Hey, Hey wake up! you’re on the radio!’ Are there any other exciting plans for the band in the near future? There are definitely many exciting ideas being talked about in regards to the future with new songs being written, potential tours being schemed and the possibility of writing and recording an album. nothing, however, is set in stone and we are currently just enjoying the laid back atmosphere of the Christmas break after the busiest year of our lives. To find out more www.triplejunearthed.com/artist/snakadaktal
SUMMERTIME SADNESS MODEL - BROOKE JAMIESON PHOTOGRAPHER - KELSEA KENNEDY
LAURA JAYNE WEEKS WE CHAT TO UK BASED ILLUSTRATOR LAURA JAYNE WEEKS ABOUT HER CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS AND ARTISIC PRACTICE. Who are you and what do you do? This is a difficult one, I suppose I’m a slightly mischievous, extremely loyal, simple fellow who likes to drink coffee, draw, mix paint and be around people who make me smile. At the moment I am in the final year of my BA in Illustration at Plymouth College of Art, enjoying the comfort of being a student and slightly nervous about rejoining the real world. What are you working on at the moment? I am currently working on a little zine/book which is based around the title, ‘My best friends are tiny dinosaurs!’ I am also working on eating less cheesecake. What’s your favourite thing you’ve ever created? Mmmm well I suppose that would be the trusty little bandit foxes, bless them. What does “being creative” mean to you? It means I’m happy and never bored. It also means I drink far too much coffee. What inspires you? My girlfriend inspires me to keep drawing even after I have had a huge strop surrounded by a ‘screwed up paper’ mountain (which I recycle of course). Oh and pigeons I love those little guys, I think they are misunderstood. Your illustrations are so playful and cheeky. Reflections of your personality perhaps? I doubt it, I am extremely
serious, except on Thursdays. Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others? Inspiring words, blimey that’s a challenge, I’m not great at the deep stuff. I do have some advice though... mix paint, (preferably gouache) its one of my favourite things to do, always make the colours slightly dull, they will look better. Oh and hang out with people who are amusing, and kittens, kittens always help. Favourite book and film? I have far too many favourite books, normally the last book I read is my favourite book (which was One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest for those who are interested). I suppose the book that I enjoy reading the most is ‘If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things’ by Jon McGregor, oh and the Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. I’m rubbish with films, my attention span is too short but I love MirrorMask, Dave Mckean is a genius. Do you have any creative rituals or routines? Sometimes my kitten Amelie sits on my shoulders whilst I draw, she also likes to chew my paintbrushes and bop me on the face, is that a ritual? Other than that I have to have coffee to be creative. If there was no coffee in the world I would probably be a scientist or something. What are you doing when you’re not making your art? Not much at the moment, uni has taken over my life if I’m not drawing then I’m usually thinking about drawing, I do however like to go to the beach and the pub. Where else can we find out more about you and your work? Normally in the park drawing pigeons, or you could have a nosy around my blog www.laura jayneweeks.blogspot.com
JENNIFER DAVIS WE CHAT TO MINNEAPOLIS ARTIST, JENNIFER DAVIS ABOUT HER QUIRKY PAINTINGS AND WHAT BEING CREATIVE MEANS TO HER. What are you working on at the moment? I am working on a bunch of custom pet portraits and starting work on my next big gallery show- at GrayDuck Gallery in Austin, TX this spring. Do you have a particular favourite artwork that you’ve done? My favorites come and go but recently I’ve felt a great kinship with the guy in my painting “Lucky.” What does “being creative” mean to you? Creativity is not just for making art. It is a way of living… looking at things with an innocent eye and being bold enough to do things differently. Favourite book and film? I generally favor dark and twisted things. I love “Blood Meridian” by Cormac McCarthy. I am a film fanatic so could never pick just one. Is there any medium or media you’d like to explore, but haven’t yet? I’m getting more and more interested in painting on 3D objects so maybe sculpture is around the corner for me. I love to try new mediums so I’d “never say never” to anything. What’s your favourite quote or saying? “Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities crept in. Forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you should begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson. Do you have any creative rituals or routines? I try to paint everyday or as often as possible. I really can’t sit down to work until I have cleared the rest of my to-do list and set aside a good chunk of time to work uninterrupted. This sounds like a procrastination technique but it works for me. What are you doing when you’re not making art? I love watching films, reading, walking around the lake by my house, going to art shows, eating, drinking and being merry. What inspires you? People who follow their passion. To see more of Jennifer’s work head to www.jenniferdavisart.com
CAITLIN SHEARER WE CHAT TO AUSTRALIAN ARTIST CAITLIN SHEARER ABOUT HER WORK, INSPIRATIONS AND WHAT SHE’S WORKING ON NEXT. Who are you and what do you do? I’m a girl who is happiest with a paintbrush in her hand, i’m also a young illustrator and an aficionado of black dresses and the golden age of hollywood. What are you working on at the moment? An EP cover for a band i’ve been in love with since i was sixteen years old, a christmas portrait for a family in America and some personal paintings chronicling the romantic torture i’ve been through these last few months. What’s your favourite thing you’ve ever created? There’s a painting called ‘the Siren’ that for some unknown reason i am always extremely fond of. It’s of a tragic mermaid with hooded eyes and swirling hair. She lives above the bed that i left behind at my parents house. What does “being creative” mean to you? Making things with your hands and letting your heart guide these decisions. Cooking, dancing, photographic, painting, the way you approach life - if it’s done in a heartfelt way. What inspires you? Beirut, David Lynch, alienation, autobiographical comics, my mothers garden, old timey glamour, fetishes, overindulgence. Favourite book and film? Eloise by Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight, or the Bell Jar by
Sylvia Plath, and then for films - it’s so hard to decide…. Mermaids, Fire walk with me, to wong foo, the wizard of oz, jawbreaker, the virgin suicides, scott pilgrim, funny face, stage door, picnic at hanging rock, the rocky horror picture show, the bliss of mrs blosso. Last year you created some amazing textile illustrations for designer Karla Špetic - how did that came about? Well, i was a big fan of Karla’s work and just sent her an email one day saying that i’d love to work with her. I think at the time she was searching for prints for her collection, and so i suppose it was just perfect timing and good luck that karla liked my work in return. Do you have any creative rituals or routines? I need sunlight through a window, some music, and a bottle of water. I like to be entirely alone to work. What are you doing when you’re not making your art? I nanny two days a week so i can pay the rent, i cook dinner for my friends, i go treasure hunting at markets, i watch local bands and drink gin and tonics, i dance to kate bush in the kitchen at 2am and make our neighbours call the police, i read biographies about old hollywood movie stars, i stand in line at the post office, i lie in bed watching movies. I try to enjoy myself. Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others? Work hard and with your heart, be honest, continue to nurture your passions, become obsessed. Favourite blog? The Loved one by Hannah Metz. To see more of Caitlin’s work head to www.caitlinquiet.blogspot.com
THE SECRET GARDEN Photographer - Flora Deborah Model - Hannah May @M&P Hair & Makeup - Michelle Dacillo Stylist - Olivia Wright
CLAIRE HUISH WE CHAT TO FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER CLAIRE HUISH ABOUT HER CURRENT PROJECTS AND WHAT INSPIRES HER. Tell us a little about yourself. My name is Claire Huish, I’m a 21 year-old fahion photographer based between Bournemouth & Oxford currently, but soon to be based in London. I work digitally and I’m currently starting to experiment with the moving image and fashion film, too. What are you working on at the moment? I’m currently working on a personal project called Never Let Me Go which is a series about nostalgia, of which I’m producing a limited edition run of 10 books. I’ve finished shooting fashion until 2012 but I’m already plotting my S/S shoots! I also have various upcoming publications featuring editorials I’ve been working on over the last four months. Do you have a favourite image or project that you’ve shot? I can’t pin it down - but I am eternally grateful to my friend Vic who I shot a lot when I was getting started, because she was something of a muse for me, and allowed me to experiment with my style - I have the happiest memories of crazy long days shooting just me and her, somehow pulling the make-up and styling together. One of these images I took of her won the Young Fashion Photographer of the Year award in December 2009, and that’s still one of my proudest moments! Even today, I like to work in the smallest teams possible as I like to keep that intimate feeling, and rarely shoot with a team larger than four or five. What does “being creative” mean to you? Being creative to me is never switching off - even though it’s probably a little unhealthy, I think about what my imagination can create next from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep, and I try and shoot as often as possible, too, juggling editorial and client shoots alongside the final year of my degree. Favourite book and film? My favourite film is Breakfast at Tiffany’s - Audrey Hepburn is my hero, I would have loved to photograph her! I love films with beautiful cinematography & non-linear narrative - some of my favourite directors are Jean Cocteau, Baz Lurhman and
Sofia Coppola. I don’t think I can pin down a single book, but I think I would have to say the stories from my childhood, as they really fuelled my imagination and continue to inspire me year after year. I also love the way in which Audrey Niffenegger and Kim Edwards write - their style is very evocative and descriptive. Do you have any creative rituals or routines? I don’t think so - most of what I do is very intuitive, but I do always like creating moodboards prior to contacting a creative team about a shoot. I always shoot with natural light, so maybe that’s a creative ritual! What are you doing when you’re not photographing? Thinking about photographing, and getting inspired by the world around me! My favourite thing ever is going to the cinema, I love watching films on a big screen and getting fully immersed in another world. And as I mentioned, I love fashion, does collecting clothes count as a hobby - my collection is totally out of hand!? Favourite quote or saying?“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” - Goethe. To me it means, don’t sit and think about what you want to do or be, just do it! What inspires you? Colour, films, clothes, lines in songs, light, certain sentences in books or poems, classic fashion photography, illustrators like Arthur Rackham and Erte, PreRaphaelite paintings, the natural world, but above all, I’m inspired by my fleeting memories and nostalgic feelings for my childhood, and always trying to capture something of that. Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others? I don’t feel like I’m really equipped to answer that question because really I’m only just starting out myself - but I would say try and stay true to your own vision and don’t be too influenced by what other people are doing. Nothing is truly original anymore, but by accepting your influences, and then focussing on your own imagination and trying to channel that, I think you’ve got a shot at regurgitating something that’s already been done, but with a streak of originality and your own personality coming through. Favourite blog? There are no blogs I read on a regular basis - I tend to just dip into lots of different magazines, sites, books etc. and make sure I’m as well read as possible! To see more of Claire’s work visit www.clairehuish.co.uk
JEANNIE PHAN WE CHAT TO 21 YEAR OLD ILLUSTRATOR AND ZINESTER, JEANNIE PHAN ABOUT HER MOST RECENT PROJECT & BEING CREATIVE. What are you working on at the moment? I’m working on a new series of painted illustrations that is themed around coping with paradise. It’s a fun new experience! I’m also trying to squeeze in time to finish up the second issue of my comic “Indigestion” where everything starts to unravel. Dun, dun, dun… Do you have a particular favourite work that you’ve done? At the moment I’m fond of my “Hair is Dead” series but my favourite piece within it always fluctuates as new work always replaces the old so I can never decide! I don’t like to get hung up on only one piece. What does “being creative” mean to you? To me, it really does mean to be fearless, a fearlessness that is fueled by having a constant passion and drive to make things. Creativity is a great thing to have whenever you’re in a rut and feel aimless; it leads you back into a better state of mind. Favourite book and film? Like everyone else, I am a huge Hayao Miyazaki fan, amongst his works I really enjoy “Howl’s Moving Castle.” It’s so fantastical! With books, I actually prefer reading self-published zines than novels. I can connect with the writer and artists on a much more intimate and completely uncensored
level. Favourite quote or saying? “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”- Albert Einstein Do you have any creative rituals or routines? If so, what are they? Unfortunately, nothing wacky. I’ve only recently managed to condition myself to work with others around me (usually I could only work when completely isolated). I prefer working in the early afternoon to late evening when natural sunlight is out and shining on my face. A few podcasts softly playing in the background is a nice addition. What are you doing when you’re not creating? I’m kind of a nerd. I love video games, though I try not to get too thoroughly involved because I fear of what I could become. Strategy games and adventure games really capture my heart and allow me to get away from my work and relax myself into a new realm. What inspires you? Biology. I am so unbelievably inspired by how the human body can manage to function despite the abuse we put it through. Learning about different organisms and their own worlds really gives me a lot to think about in regards to my own. Do you have any tips or inspiring words for others? Constantly create; which I know is something a lot of people say. It is sound advice though. Don’t let the fear of having a lack of technical talent stop you because you can always learn it. It’s most important to keep a constant flow of creative juices going, don’t ever be ashamed of your ideas. Where else can we find you and your work? www.jeanniephan. com and you can also find me as “super phantastic” over at these places: Flickr, Tumblr, Behance, Dribble, Society6.
THE LITTLE DEER The Little Deer is a UK based label and store, set up in the April of 2009 by Jade Golding. With the intention of passing on her passion for clothing to others, Jade’s misson is to create a feminine style with an edge. The label only stocks brands that believe in creating something experimental and different ~ beautiful and quirky. Their vintage section concentrates closely on unusual vintage clothes that relate to the trends and current looks of today. The Little Deer is for women who strive to be themselves and express their thoughts and feelings through fashion. Shop The Little Deer look at www.thelittledeer.co.uk
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