. 08/11/13 .

I was talking to my neighbors recently; who’ve moved to Canada from Martinique, and we were discussing winter here in Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada). They’ve never experienced the kind of winters that we get here. Temperatures frequently drop down to minus 30 and 40 Celsius, and that’s without the wind chill factor (for those of you who are fortunate enough to have never experienced wind chill, that’s what happens when the wind creates an even colder temperature) for example: if it’s -20 outside, but there is a wind chill of -30, that means that it will actually FEEL like 30 below. Anyway, we were discussing what kinds of clothing they’ll need (very soon I might add) in order to be fairly comfortable, and not freeze, get hypothermia, or frostbite (which SUCKS by the way, I know from personal experience). Being that I’ve never lived anywhere but here; it struck me as interesting the often taken-for-granted knowledge we have here about the cold and surviving in this climate. So, I decided, after giving them a list of typical clothing essentials for battling the cold, to create a little illustrated chart of everyday winter attire that we use here in Winnipeg. Some, all, or any combination of these can be worn depending on the day or activities you plan to do (from the female perspective since I was drawing from experience). Hopefully, after reading this you’ll know what you need to KICK WINTER’S BUTT...Or you could just, you know, live where it’s warm like a sane and sensible individual! haha. 

 

 

. 29/10/13 .

I recently had the opportunity to help a good friend of mine on a modeling photoshoot project of his. I'm always curious about how other people work, and what's involved with their process because I feel like I always learn something important from watching others, and reflecting on my own process as a result. So needless to say I was very excited, and felt it would be something interesting to write about. The photoshoot was in room in a larger hotel here in dowtown Winnipeg. I was pleasantly surprised by the model's easy-going attitude and friendliness, it definitely helped to put everyone at ease as this was the first time we were meeting her in person. I'm also a giant animal lover and she happened to have her dog with her, so naturally I turned into a goofy adult-child playing with the dog! Haha. My work involved doing the model's makeup, which I will admit I only have a little experience with, but I had a good idea for a concept and felt confident about it. I was also happy to help with the use of reflectors for lighting during shooting. We also managed to go on a location scouting mission after the hotel photoshoot and a much needed chow down! Haha. The whole experience was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot from everything I saw and helped with. The main thing I learned; It definitely takes A LOT MORE WORK than just the pushing of a button to get a good photograph!

[Here are some behind-the-scenes photos of the day.] 

 

. 18/10/13 .

Last night I was fortunate enough to spend some time with a good friend of mine, and we got to talking about our art, and photography, and ultimately a good deal of other very inspiring and exciting topics. One of the things we discussed though was the differences between trying to create on your own “in a vacuum” and creating when you’re surrounded by creativity and other artistic people. The conclusion that was drawn at the end of the discussion was how much artists and creative people really do need each other for a multitude of reasons, here are 3 of the major points that were made:

 3 Reasons Why Artists NEED Other Artists:

1] – Brainstorming:

The act of sharing and expressing creative ideas in an open environment where those ideas are expanded-on and encouraged is an invaluable asset to any creative person. Having a person or group to bounce ideas off of is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to solidify a concept. Whether you’re brainstorming ideas for materials, or just trying to problem-solve a structural issue with a piece of work; having others that you can turn to, to give support or to share that little piece of knowledge that takes your work further than it would have gone; is IRREPLACABLE!  

2] – Inspiration & Support:

Every artist has moments where they might doubt themselves, creatively, skill-wise, or even simply as a whole. We need each other both for inspiration, and for support. When I see a piece of artwork, or photography, or film, or anything created by someone else that truly gets me excited, I feel like I form my own connection with that person, where I take that inspiration is not always obvious in my own work, but it’s there. Without the exposure to other people’s work or their inspirations I don’t feel that I would be the same kind of artist. Sharing with others expands the mind, opens mental doors, and bridges gaps that couldn’t happen without other creative people.
Likewise, we need support from each other for the kinds of struggles that only other creative people understand. Not everyone understands the push and pull between the world of creating, and the so-called “real world”; it can be extremely frustrating to try to balance the 2 worlds, especially within the sphere of one’s personal life. Having people around who understand you, your process, and the act of creating is very important. Without them, it can feel sometimes as though you’re fighting just to be yourself and do what comes naturally to YOU!

3] – Networking & Connections:

It can’t be expressed how many times I’ve heard the lovely phrase “Well I have this friend who might be able to help you out”. Networking and making connections with other artists is one of your BEST tools for expanding and building relationships, skills, and your work. The saying “No one is good at everything, but everyone is good at something” rings very true for creative people as well. For example, when troubleshooting projects where specific equipment or materials are needed, and you personally don’t have access to what’s needed; having those connections comes in handy 9 times out of 10. I can’t say how often one of my pieces has been saved by a friend, or even a friend of a friend, and its great knowing that I have people around me that I can count on for HELP!


Because of these 3 things; I am truly grateful to all of my creative friends and family members, schoolmates, colleagues, and even those who might be referred to as “haters”. I learn from everything and everyone, and because of that I grow, expand, and move closer to where I am supposed to be.

. 08/10/13 .

The Canadian geese are leaving
to go South, where it stays warm.
My heart
My mind
leave with them. 
It's going to be a long winter.

- . KM .

. 08/10/13 .

. "A blog is just graffiti with punctuation" ...