The beauty of South Africa and its exotic mix of First and Third World cultures is that there is no over saturation of the same thing, I like to think of it as quality VS quantity and if you’re looking for your cute Japanese fix, Ke Ai is where you need to head to if you’re in Johannesburg. Bare in mind that not only will you find your Hello Kitty et al, but also some incredible art work and designer toys from around the world, perfect for adding some trendy talking points into your home.
It seems to be that absolutely every one I know is going through some sort of major transition. The theme seems to be that we are all losing everything we have; homes, jobs, relationships and not sure where to go next. If this sounds like you, don’t worry, it’s happening to everyone right now!
I really think it’s a universal thing. I feel like the world is getting shaken up in a major way and people are starting to wake up to themselves and to each other. We have spent so long on the grind, “doing jobs we hate to buy things we don’t need to impress people we don’t like”.
I’ve started reading a book by Jungian analyst Marian Woodman and she talks about the “birth canal” in terms of it being painful going through changes in our lives. I think this is why I had such a break down earlier this month, I had to lose everything to realise what I really, truly wanted.
And so I am happy to update you on what is happening with me:
I am moving back to London into a creative’s community right next door to where my best friend lives.
I put myself on a couple casting websites last week and now have an audition class and casting on the 28th and have been asked to send in a head shot for a feature film by Ron Howard.
I have aerial hoop classes, dance classes and pole classes lined up for when I hit London and have started doing work out DVDs to get myself into some sort of shape for when they start!
I am feeling good about life! It feels Iike I’m coming out the other end of the birth canal. I know where I’m going and what I want to do – be a performer. This has always been my dream and unfortunately I strayed from the path for quite a few years, but it’s better that I do this now than never.
I also plan on taking some acting courses and finding out what sort of singing voice (if at all) I have at some singing classes.
If you’re a creative living in London and want to meet up and even possibly be featured on my website, email me! Speaking of which, there will be a lot more interviews of people doing their own thing up on my site in the coming months so make sure you’re subscribed!
I’m excited and motivated! I LOVE performing, especially in dance. I am completely without professional training and utterly out of shape, but that’s even more exciting to me because my goal is to go from this to being trained and in perfect dancer shape to be able to apply to agencies and of course, be booked for shows!
I’m also excited to finally start working on the three burlesque performances that have been dancing around in my head for years.
By the end of this year, I want to be with a few agencies, regularly booked doing dance shows and at least be able to do some sort of acting if I feel its something I still want to do after Ive had some training. TBH, I have no idea how I’m supposed to remember my lines!
Are any of you going through a disruptive period at the moment? Lost and don’t know what to do next? How are you coping?
(Please click images for source)
Rêve de Bohème – Bohemian Dream.
Its late at night and I cant sleep so I decided to have a play around on Polyvore. For inspiration I clipped items from my purchased wishlist on Amazon and added a few other bits that I liked. I called it Rêve de Bohème because Im currently dreaming of living a fanciful bohemian life in Paris and the artist in the picture was French!
The champagne and the hand-blown champagne saucers were a gift and are so glamorous to drink from! Ive always wanted these 50s style champagne glasses! Now I have 12!
The perfume I found in a La Perla store in New York when I was lost and went in to ask directions, it’s currently my signature scent.
The background image is by one of my favourite French Art Deco artists, Tamara De Lempicka. This print hangs above my bed, I have another one in our lounge. I think you can tell a lot about a person by what type of art they like. I personally cant stand Dali – way too weird for my tastes! I think I like, sold, romantic and colourful. Emotive.
The lampshade pulls my bedroom together nicely as I have wine red curtains and purple bedding – yes, my bedroom is purple and deep red! 
I just got the dress as a gift and haven’t yet worn it, but I think Im saving it for my birthday in February, its currently hanging on the outside of my cupboard looking pretty because Im in love with it’s deep red colour!
I more often than not wear red nail polish, and my favourite colour is O.P.I.’s Vodka and Caviar.
The watch was also a gift as a replacement for the Guess watch I thought I had lost. This one is larger, more like a man sized watch but I love it although I only wear it when I leave the house. I find I LOVE jewellery but I dont like actually wearing it. Ive been through so many chains, bracelets and earrings because I have to take it off. I currently have 10 gauge silver and diamond tunnels in my ears and thats about the only way I can constantly wear jewellery!
I really wanted those shoes but they were sold out on Amazon before I could get them. I love that they make me think of the dancers in the “Roxanne” song in Moulin Rouge.
I dont know who the lingerie is from but I keep seeing it on Tumblr and it always makes my heart stop! I would feel just DIVINE wearing that under my dress!
You can follow me on Polyvore if you like although I don’t make a habit of spending time on there or I’d never get anything done!
Do you have a Polyvore? Add your link in the comments below! xo
I am a huge fan of Rik Lee’s tattoo artwork. I have two of his prints (Cat Lady and Start Breaking My Heart) with a couple more on their way to me as well as his print on a t shirt by Honour Over Glory, a fab casual wear label here in the UK.
Rik is currently having a sale on all his available prints and cards for sale in his store, if you like what you see, support an artist and buy them!
(My current Rik Lee collection)
I personally would rather buy gifts for myself and my loved ones from fellow independent artists, crafters and creators (yay Etsy!) instead of shopping in corporate shops that use slave labour and damage the environment to make products that are built to break within six months. (Don’t believe me? Watch The Story of Stuff).
Look what I got in the mail!
I dont know about you, but I have never seen a calendar that functions as more than just a calendar as well as adding fun ideas and joyful feelings into your life!
Not only does Sarah’s creative 2012 calendar have fabulous pictures, but they are accompanied by inspiring quotes and you can cut them out and send them off as post cards because they are printed that way on the back!
Within the calendar days themselves are fantastic and inspiring ideas for you to take on that day such as creating your own motto or taking a class in something that inspires you; reminding you that life is meant to be fun.
But the best bit are the various crafts you can make from this calendar, each month a different idea printed on the back of the days area.
Im in love with this interactive 2012 calendar from Yes and Yes!
Get yours (and your friend’s!) here now and if you haven’t yet checked out Sarah’s awesome blog, do it at the same time – because everyone needs more Yes! in their lives!
Somewhere in the middle of England, a (not so) secret garden party takes place around a beautiful lake, over hills, in valleys and under trees…
The Secret Garden Party started in someone’s back garden and slowly grew over the past 10 years into the fantastic festival it is today, attracting all kinds of crazy and quirky kin.
It was my first visit this year and I was absolutely amazed at what I saw and experienced. As a seasoned festival goer, I thought I had seen it all (although Ive never attended Glastonbury!).
What I loved about SGP was the theatrics and level of creativity. I have never been to a festival with just so much going on. It wasnt just a bunch of tents with different musicians and Dj’s. It was that plus a whole lot more. There were burlesque and circus and cabaret performances, in, out and between tents. There was magnificent food, there were art installations in the trees (one of which one of my best friends created), there was a roller disco, a medieval pub, a shisha tea room, many tea rooms in fact, a market full of the most amazing crafts and clothes and just about everyone was in fancy dress for the entire weekend.
Each year they have some sort of sculpture that is erected in the centre of the lake which doubles as a dancefloor and which they burn on the last night after a magnificent fireworks show. I was completely blow away by the level of production involved from everyone who attended. It really was a fantastical experience!
Take a look at some of my shots from this fantastic weekend during the summer.
Did you attend SGP? What did you think of it? Will you go again?
Artists, designers, hair dressers, models, usually you would find these in a group of people, but Follow2Square are just two guys with a vision. Hailing from Knoxville, Tennessee, I met Justin Valee at a Torture Garden event in London back in February. This writhing, tattooed, feather haired, exotic looking guy, somehow stood out from a crowd of freaks and fetishists in their latex and prosthetic costumes. It was his spirit of abandon that captured me and his willingness to connect when I approached him won me as an immediate fan. Whats kept me a fan is the work he and his friend, Jeremiah Taylor do, flowing easily from one medium to another, wherever they find themselves.
You see, theyre unconventional people who have chosen their own path in life instead of submitting to the status quo. They think for themselves and live for their hearts desires, expressing all of this through various mediums attracting and educating people to open their own minds to the possibilities of following their own hearts.
I am all about designing your life as you want it, not as society tells me I should live it. Follow2Square do just that.
(source)
What happened in your lives that made you decide to go your own way? Was it an event or did it creep up on you in time?
(Justin)
it’s strange ive always worked hard but i never felt like i was truly living up to my potential. it used to bother me i felt like i was wasting my potential. i was married before and after we split i had a huge amount of debt and bills to take care of. i can see how the world is changing and allowing me access to a new life and new possibilities. i am almost free completely and it feels great. i can tell that i am starting to fulfil my purpose.
(Jeremiah)
i started to search for the depth in my life, and i started realizing i was not where i wanted to be spiritually. i was working on the exterior but neglecting the interior. after that realization, my life style really started to bother me. i just started becoming honest and started living a life with discipline. i started travelling and selling the things i’ve gained, so i could go on more travels. little by little and travel by travel i own the least i have in 10 years, and im now the happiest, and the most creative ive ever been.
What do you think people can do to design a life they love?
(Justin)
sometimes i think the answer can just be sitting there staring you in the face. but other times i think its a little trickier. the first thing i would say is surround yourself with positive people or people that want to see you succeed. bad energy and people can weigh you down and make you second guess yourself. i think if you know what you want you should see it in your head and slowly or quickly work towards it, basically manifest it into your life. the laws of attraction. you can bring what you want into your life within reason.
(Jeremiah)
you’ve got to break free of the ideas of your current reality, and the reality of how others perceive what you should be doing. get to a place where you are honest with yourself and think and pray upon it. if it doesnt come quickly dont force it. be patient it has to come. I always say just be honest. honesty will free you. then you cant help not to do what you love. i wish i could give you more of an astounding answer but to me it’s this simple. it has worked for me.
What do you think is the best thing about being your own boss, free to come and go as you please and follow your heart?
(Justin)
being your own boss is a double edged sword. sure you are your own boss but you have to answer to yourself. so ultimately depending on what it is you are doing or what you are trying to achieve you have to decide what you want. how hard are you willing to work for your goals? how bad do you want them? some people are self employed and have the easiest job and some have the hardest it depends how you approach it and at what level you are comfortable staying at. ive always been my own boss and ive always worked hard. it is something not everyone can do. some people need to be told what to do and some people can’t be told what to do. if youre the latter and you have your shit together you may want to try running your own show. but once you make a decision it is made and you are the one held accountable.
(Jeremiah)
Justin is my boss!! haha, but really. he beats me. HELP!
im trying not to look at it as a job. so if there isnt a job then there isnt a boss. it’s just about finding your own way to succeed. success to me is measured in stories, friendships and scars. to me i’m already successful.
What makes it hard to live this unconventional lifestyle?
(Justin)
first i will say if it wasn’t hard everyone would do it. being your own person is hard for most people. we are raised in a society that want you to blend in and get in line, pay your tax’s, buy christmas presents, fit in, contribute. people are scared to stand out from a young age – act a little weird and everybody fucks with you. everyone has to find their own balance.
(Jeremiah)
the world is conventional and most of its inhabitants are conventional. there is always a resistance when a revolution is breaking out. this has been the past, this is my reality and how i perceive it.
Where have you been and where are you going in terms of your lives?
(Justin)
ive been a son, im a business man, ive been a husband, an illegal alien till i was 25. a home owner, a blue collar worker, a student, a prisoner to my own reality, an artist in many forms. i’m a dreamer, a lover, a fighter, ive been unhappy and happy ive walked to the border and lived on both sides of the fence. ive seen a small portion of the world but i want to see it all. thats what im trying to accomplish… ive been the mold, ive been in the box. i thought i was stuck in a job i hated that took a long time to get away from.
(Jeremiah)
wow. ive been so many things. some im proud of and some things im not so proud of. but im here, im right now, thats where I want to stay, is in the present, and if i can do that mentally and make good honest decisions it will take me where i need to be in life. i’m confident about that.
What would you say was your ultimate message to people attracted by your art in all its forms?
(Justin)
ask me on a different day and i could say something different. every painting, every poem, graffiti, everything, it all has different messages. it depends on my mood and when i put it down. but my overall message as a human? i would have to say is follow your dreams, if you have a calling, an urge, something that pushes you… go with it, it’s either your gut or your intuition. if you feel like you are capable of more, you are probably right. there is a reason you feel that way. if you are content then by all means be content, some people are, i just never was. thats why im here now.
(Jeremiah)
honesty. a sense of rawness, struggle. passion. insanity, comedy, tragedy, love, pure emotion and feelings. this is what comes out so i would say these are my messages.
What are you grateful for?
(Justin)
right now as far as material possessions i really have nothing. ive sold, given up or given away almost everything at this point. but i feel like i have the most ive ever had. i feel almost free and im so grateful for this feeling. im meeting my potential – maybe exceeding it and that feels amazing. my art is starting to be seen. we’ve made so many great friends from our travels. im finally doing something that feels right. its not about the money its about the experience and growth.
(Jeremiah)
the people around me, God, Love. Im most grateful for love.
What would you like more of in your life?
(Justin)
right now im almost content. i feel like the glass ceiling is about to break. i would like more time to travel. the time to create. more time with my friends. time. we all want more time. i feel its urgency always, it makes me work harder and faster.
(Jeremiah)
wisdom.
Follow2Square are currently on tour and as with anything in life, need money to keep the ball rolling, if you love what Justin and Jeremiah are doing and support their lifestyle, please consider a donation, after all, you get back what you put out there! (And they are offering nice gifts to go with your donation.)
(source)
Left brain: I am the left brain. I am a scientist. A mathematician. I love the familiar. I categorize. I am accurate. Linear. Analytical. Strategic. I am practical. Always in control. A master of words and language. Realistic. I calculate equations and play with numbers. I am order. I am logic. I know exactly who I am.
Right brain: I am the right brain. I am creativity. A free spirit. I am passion. Yearning. Sensuality. I am the sound of roaring laughter. I am taste. The feeling of sand beneath bare feat. I am movement. Vivid colors. I am the urge to paint on an empty canvas. I am boundless imagination. Art. Poetry. I sense. I feel. I am everything I wanted to be.
My dad is an artist and I did art in school. Im not the kind of person who can draw or paint things from my head, I have to look at something and draw it. But I have a deep appreciation for art of all forms, I myself falling into the Performance Art category. However, sometimes, I do wish I had a big canvas and some paints, sometimes, Im just inspired to paint something, whatever comes to mind.
So, today, I popped down to the £1 shop and picked up some supplies…
I felt like I was shopping for the new year at school again! It was exciting!
I definitely think it is important to keep the fire of creativity burning through the years, whatever medium you choose, its important to indulge it on a regular base.
Its been so long since I drew or coloured anything, so I started with my favourite coloured pens and a pattern book. Like a pre-schooler, I sat on my bedroom floors, legs out straight, tongue sticking out and coloured…
Right now, these are my favourite coloures, purple, orange, blue and yellow. I love them in interiors and on the runway…
(Image by Red Carpet Fashion Awards)
Who knows, maybe soon I will be able to showcase some cool art!
What are some things you like to do to stay in touch with your creative side? Let us know in the comments!