Editor’s Letter
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If you want to be good, brilliant even at what you’re doing, no doubt you’ve got to put the time, energy, thought, action and skill into it. We all know that, right? Sometimes finding the will for that input can be an effort in itself. We talked with two creative artists this month, to find out how they keep themselves moving forward. Our first interview is with the exceptionally affable, Paul ‘Don’ Smith, a London based graffiti artist who has been painting for 27 years, beginning at the tender age of 12. He shares his love for street art and the big career changing decision he made 5 years ago. We visited stateside to chat with the multi hat wearing soul singer/songwriter Timotha Lanae. Soon to be releasing her debut album Red, here in London we learned certain rules she lives by to stay in motion. We hope our guests inspire you to continue, to keep going, to push through. It’s important that we learn from each other. One final word from personal experience, stick to what you love, persist with it, you can only get better.
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Contents ISSUE 5 / JULY 2013 /INMOTION
3 Editor’s Letter 7 The Big Question 8 It’s All About You: Paul ‘Don’ Smith 12 Creative Feature: Dance Like No One’s Watching 20 We Love Music: Timotha Lanae 22 A Different Kind of Recipe: For Those Who Think They Can’t Dance
24 Satisfying Object: On Your Bike 26 Reinvent Yourself: Starting is the Hardest Part 28 Mary’s Cakes: Lemony-Lime Cheesecake 30 Top Tips: Seven Ways to Stay Inmotion 31 Thanks
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BIG QUESTION
MASTHEAD/
Editor-in-chief Sharon Simpson Creative Director Nicola Dillon Executive Consultant Edele Kelly Contributors Guillermina Romero Mary McDowall Photographer Sharon Simpson Email questions to editor@thereinventiondiva.com Additional words and photos credited where applicable.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by our contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of The Reinvention Diva Life & Style Magazine, or its management or owner. The Reinvention Diva Life & Style Magazine has not verified the accuracy or completeness of the content of the submission but has relied on the warranty of the creator as to these factors. Please address any comments directly to the creator. No part of this publication can be reproduced or copied by any method, electronically or otherwise, without written permission from the publishing company. All information within is deemed to be true and reliable. The Reinvention Diva Ltd and all those associated with this publication assume no financial liability for any misinformation or typographical errors in advertisements. We may at times recommend various businesses that advertise in the pages, but we make no claims as to their promises or guarantees or products or services. The Reinvention Diva Ltd.
IT’s all about you | PAUL ‘DON’ Smith
The Satisfaction I Get From Painting Words and photography by Sharon Simpson
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aul ‘Don’ Smith is one of the UK’s longest running and most prolific graffiti artists. His excellent work can be seen all over the East End of London, bright stencils from his icon series, his signature Banker logo and the cheeky bold SuperDon.
What is the meaning behind the piece?
It was general sympathy, the whole stiff upper lip thing. The crying Queen was just breaking that whole thing. It’s like seeing your mother or father cry. The Queen is this iconic figure...it’s saying, it’s okay to show your emotions. They could even be I wanted to find out how he tears of joy. keeps his career moving in the Tell us about the portrait of transient world of street art. We met in Central London where he was working on a job for a big corporate client, a new gym. His discernible passion and commitment to producing an outstanding job were evident as we discussed his 27 year career.
Al Pacino?
Al Pacino was a massive thing, I’m so proud of it. I wouldn’t have done that because I thought he’s been done before. But it’s very unique, the other Al Pacino stuff I’ve done is clichéd: Scarface, Godfather. This is something different.
How have you transitioned to Are you doing more commercial commercial artist? than your own stuff? I wanted to challenge myself to do I still work on my stuff. Doing more an interesting piece that people commercial work means I can get would want to buy, to launch me as money for my own thing. I feed it an artist. I did The Queen about 5 back into what I want to do. There’s years ago, it’s one of my early pieces. thereinventiondiva.com
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IT’s all about you | PAUL ‘DON’ Smith
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You can’t be too protective or attached to it because graffiti does GO Paul ‘Don’ Smith
”
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IT’s all about you | PAUL ‘DON’ Smith
a fine line though because I get satisfaction with commercial work because I do things that I wouldn’t normally, then it’s like wow I did that!
positive, you can be your own business nowadays. It’s still art, you’re doing the motion and that’s what I really enjoy, what I love.
How does it feel having your work To read the rest of this interview click here. all over the capital? You can’t be too protective or attached to it because graffiti does go, you’ve got the photograph. But it is kind of soul destroying because of the time and intricacy that goes into it. That’s why I make sure I can do my graffiti in an hour or two.
LINKS Why not try and create your own street art?
Graffik Gallery in London’s Notting Hill offers you the opportunity to create your own graffiti with I challenged myself to do the specialist workshops. On hand are simplest, simplest stencil (the experts to guide you in making your banker, Paul’s “logo”). I try to make ideas and creations come to life. sure there’s about two things going on in my pieces. The banks investing Go for it. in water companies, the whole thing Visit Graffik Gallery’s website here. money and water. It’s about control. For a tour around the East End’s The message is important, it’s about street art, check out Street Art what the image is saying. London’s website. What’s next? The commercial work is an avenue, an option, a possible journey. It’s
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CREATIVE FEATURE
Lik No One Watchin
Photography: Sharon Simpson / Art Direction: Nicola Dillon / Make-up: Guillermina Romero
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Dan
nce
ke e’s ng thereinventiondiva.com
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CREATIVE FEATURE
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CREATIVE FEATURE
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CREATIVE FEATURE
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WE LOVE MUSIC
Photography: Album photo credits are Kyle Camerer and Jason Norden. London shots are Ben Obi
Red is. Words by Sharon Simpson
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The love I have for music and creating it is what keeps me focussed
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inger/songwriter, Timotha Lanae from Minneapolis is doing what she loves and getting paid for it. Her debut album Red, combines her many passions, we caught up with her to find out how she brings them
of Timotha Lanae, the musical theatre performer, actress and recording artist. I put that character in the video as a way to bridge that gap.
all together.
That’s a good question. I guess my top rules would be, I try to keep my relationship with God in as best shape as possible.
Tell us about your album. Red is the culmination of all those things I love: music, dancing, acting, musical theatre, and performing as a recording artist. I started doing musical theatre professionally about 7 years ago. I’ve written a musical called Reddington, which introduces a character called Eva Reddington. She’s in the video, Talking with Myself. Is she your alter-ego? I feel like I have two sides to me, dual sides
You’ve got a lot going on, what rules do you live by to keep momentum?
I really focus on my health so I can feed this vessel, which embodies my voice, my brain and keeping my love of life through relationships with my family. The love I have for music and creating it is what keeps me focussed. Timotha Lanae’s album, Red, is released in the UK in September 2013. She tells us more about it here.
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A different kind of recipe
Photo Credit: jbhthescots (flickr)
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Those Who Think They Can’t Dance
SERVES:
Ingredients: A measure of rhumba, several large funky beat (en) eggs, sweet sound in your system, some tasty tomato salsa, and a jug of just do it. Method: To get the sweet sound moving your system, mix all the ingredients together in your just do it jug, add your favourite loud music and lose yourself. Dance as if no one’s watching. Have you answered our big question on page 7? Tell us your answers on Facebook.
/thereinventiondiva1
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Satisfying object
photo credit: Gloria Daniel
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Available from Unite & Type, 341 Portobello Road, London W10 5SA
Bicycle Mug thereinventiondiva.com
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reinvent yourself
Are you going for it? Tell us about your projects over on Facebook.
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I don’t know who said that, someone who was having problems beginning. I think the phrase was invented to mitigate our failure in starting (insert your latest project here), if you’re like me deadlines are a great motivator. Seth Godin’s book Poke The Box, encourages getting on with it. The tone is go for it. Do it. There are no rules, no manuals, no maps, no restrictions, no qualifications, all you need is yourself. Then once you’ve started, how do you keep it moving? Seth suggests curiosity. That could work. So much can happen when you just get started.
MARY’s CAKES
Quick ‘n’ easy lemony - lime c For a scrumptious dessert serve up my lemony lime cheesecake, a delicious citrusflavoured concoction of cream cheese and cream. This is my easy replacement for a key lime pie as I have to be in the mood for making pastry, so this quick biscuit base and throw together recipe is much less risk and effort.
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INGREDIENTS
175g digestive biscuits 75g butter Grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemons Grated zest and juice of 3 limes 115g caster sugar 350g full-fat cream cheese or mascarpone cheese 150ml double cream A punnet of raspberries
Can you juggle? Take a photo of you juggling lemons before you make this recipe and share with us on Facebook. /thereinventiondiva1
cheesecake METHOD
into the cream cheese mixture.
1. Crush the digestive biscuits into a 6. Put the combined mixture into the fine crumb. loose-based flan tin lined with biscuit 2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan crumb mixture. over a low heat. Thoroughly mix together 7. Chill overnight in the refrigerator until the biscuit crumbs and melted butter. set (for at least 4 hours). Serve with the 3. Press the biscuit crumb mixture into raspberries. a 20cm loose-based flan tin, press it up AND.........if you want something a bit against the sides of the tin. special push some raspberries through 4. Place the cream cheese in a food a sieve with the back of a spoon and processor or mixing bowl. Add the then stir in some icing sugar and make sugar, lemon zest and juice and lime a fresh raspberry sauce to drizzle on zest and juice. Mix together thoroughly. top of each slice! 5. Whisk the double cream until soft Easy! peaks form. Fold the whisked cream thereinventiondiva.com
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Top tips
7 ways to stay in motion Gleaned from Paul and Timotha.
1 . You’ve got to love what you’re doing 2. Stay focussed
3. Surround yourself with people who
believe in you and your vision 4. You are the vessel, feed it well 5. Get your message out there, but 6. Don’t be too protective or attached 7. Challenge yourself 32
Thanks/ Thanks to Paul ‘Don’ Smith, Timotha Lanae, Diane Dunkley from RM2 Music, Frankie Roche from Graffik Gallery. Chiara Favaretti, dancer/ model and Guillermina Romero, make-up artist for our creative feature. Gloria Daniel at Unite & Type. Mary for delicious recipes, @WATC_Updates for their ongoing support and @ALCH3M15T and @Monopix on Twitter for directions to the street art of PDS. The biggest thank you, with a really big wet kiss goes to you our readers, your feedback is valued and what keeps us going. Help us make The Reinvention Diva Life & Style Digital Magazine a success. Share with people YOU like. The winner of this month’s competition is..........announced on Facebook!
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Issue No.5 out 1st Aug