The Blue Brick

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Unexpected Gifts

August 1, 2012

The Senpai (Martial Arts Teaching Assistant) of our school is grading for his 3rd degree black belt next month. Last weekend I got to be the photographer for his Sandan photos. They’re very dramatic and with his permission I hope to share some after the grading is done.

I wanted to give Senpai a gift before his grading – and while Tito and I were walking through Chinatown we found just the perfect thing. This man was running a booth at a small charity event called the Night Market and he carves Chinese stamps. It’s rare and special to find someone skilled in this craft and I asked him to make me one with the word ‘teacher’. He kindly agreed to let me take photos of him while he worked.

A good Senpai is an invaluable part of a dojo. When I first began at this school I had a really hard time; I had lost my first due dojo due to irreconcilable differences and spent 3 years trying out different schools looking for a good fit.

When I finally found my current school I was nervous and reluctant to wear my black belt to class – it’s the hardest thing to go stand at the front of the line when you know that ‘out of practice’ is putting it mildly and ‘I’ve gained 15 lbs, my knees hurt and I karate like I was born on my face’ feels more accurate. Going back, with double knee injuries and 3 years of almost no practice is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

January 2009 was my first class at TGRK. I remember that my gi didn’t fit right, my belt was shorter than I remembered and the sad shape of my old crest was reversed out on the chest in bright white where I had removed it. Class was tough, but Sensei and the person who would become Senpai walked me through the drills with seemingly infinite patience. I got through it, remembered how much I loved karate, and re-committed to my training. Through the entire period of adjustment I remember how much support I had from my classmates, Sensei and Senpai in particular.

It’s been 3.5 years since my first class, I graded to my own 2nd degree black belt last summer, rehabilitated the knees (against the expectations of a team of doctors) and became a Senpai myself last Christmas. The kindness, support and camaraderie I enjoy with my classmates and Sensei are a precious part of my life. I aspire to be an effective, knowledgable and compassionate instructor – and I’m confident I’ll get there – after all, I’m learning from the best :)
Le Pop – Quidi Vidi Lake

July 31, 2012

Le Pop! Was on the weekend, and I think we can say it was a success. I got to enjoy the other booths and artists, a super tasty brunch at Nyood Bar and chat about creativity all day long. Lots of people stopped at the booth and admired the photography and asked me where my favourite place in the world to shoot was. And I told them “Newfoundland”. Here is the bracelet created for Quidi Vidi Lake:

Quidi Vidi Lake, Newfoundland

Inspired by a lake just outside of St. John’s, Quidi Vidi Lake is a beautiful, serene spot. I took this long exposure, capturing the movement of the waves and the rocks and it gave birth to my last bracelet:

5 different sizes and colours of Swarovski are paired with charcoal and earth coloured Japanese glass delicas, and strung onto 7 different strands that cross cross each other to form this organic little bracelet.

It was fun preparing for the show, but I’m definitely ready to re-focus and move onto other projects. And summer is in full blast here… maybe I should even take some time off to have some fun!
In honour of a great guy

July 31, 2012

My uncle passed away in Mumbai this morning. He and I didn’t speak much, because of our total language barrier – but my favourite memory of him is this: Whenever he left his home to walk to work there was a troop of stray dogs that followed him everywhere. They followed him because they knew that he always had some food and (perhaps more importantly) some affection to give to them. He was a kind and thoughtful man.
Rest in Peace Uncle.
Le Pop! Florence

July 25, 2012

This is the last one in my short series of delicate little charm bracelets, and for my last one I’ve chosen the beautiful city of Florence. The Ponte Vecchio at blue hour, that perfect sky colour and the Arno river so still and reflective inspired me to create this last bracelet – with a deep blue Swarovski in antique copper, filigree charms and one beautiful piece of Italian Murano glass to set it off.

I’m tired, but very pleased with how this latest round of Inspira jewellery has worked out. Now to see how they do at Le Pop! this weekend!
Le Pop! The Paris bracelet

July 24, 2012

This one was a blast to make. As with the Venice bracelet it’s genuine Swarovski crystals and whimsical antique copper findings in a delicate, romantic little bracelet reminiscent of my time in beautiful Paris.

It was October when I went and the trees in the jardin des tuileries were in full autumn mode.

This show is this weekend, here’s the link for details!
Le Pop! – The Venice Bracelet

July 23, 2012

Be prepared this week to see a lot of jewellery – I’m in full prep mode for Le Pop! this weekend and thinking, breathing and dreaming out new designs for my selection. Each piece will be part of my Inspira series – jewellery inspired by my photography and travels. I try to convert the feeling, the colours, the textures, and even the materials where I can, into a piece of wearable art. This one is from my time in Venice:

Silver plated findings, genuine Swarovski crystal details, a large Swarovski rhinestone set in a silver plated bezel and filigree charms make up this whimsical little bracelet inspired by, and sold with, a print of a photo I took from the Rialto bridge in Venice of a gondola going by.

Check out the FB page for Le Pop! here for more info!
Rocky Panorama

July 20, 2012

Just a shot – finally got a chance to stitch this baby together :)
Have a great weekend everyone!
Evil Boxes of Fluff

July 20, 2012

There is a box with a spindle and some fluff sitting in a corner of the apartment that I’ve cast guilty looks at every evening for weeks. I thought ‘I’ve let it go so long I probably suck at it now, better to not open the box and find out!’. I’ve been travelling so much that spinning has really taken a hit.

Last weekend I resolved to confront the evil box of guilt-inducing fluff and opened it up and gave it a try. I achieved something that felt like Malabrigo Rasta’s obese brother. I swatched it anyways, and even on 8mm I was pushing it. I thought ‘I can do better than this’. I did it again.

This time, something that was officially a bulky yarn, and actually knittable! 6mm needles gave me this swatch. I knew I could do still better. I was getting the hang of this fluff, and showing it who was boss.

At last… the worsted weight. Comfortable on 4.5mm needles and I think with enough of it I could actually make something.

This all made me want a wheel, but alas that’s out of the budget right now. However, I feel good about the progress.

I felt so good that when I took time out in Vancouver to visit a yarn store (in search of Sweet Georgia yarn of course) I surprised myself by purchasing roving instead. I got these 2 gorgeous colours from a company called ‘Two Sisters’.

And of course one skein of Sweet Georgia ;)

With these I hope to finally use the beautiful bottom whorl spindle gifted to me by my pen pals in Boston. Can’t wait to see what comes of it!

And of course, while I was shooting I finally took pictures of the other, even more beautiful spindle that was gifted to me from my pen pals – this one is from monks in the Bedouin desert. I love it because it reminds me that very little is needed for beautiful spinning!
Rocky Mountain High

July 19, 2012

Blogging today from beautiful sunny Vancouver where I’ve just completed 3 fantastic helicopter shoots – one of which included a trip through the Rockies and two of which were in absolutely magical golden hour and blue hour light. Today I wanted to just share the Rockies pics. I’ve flown over them before – the foothills outside of Calgary, but this was far more spectacular.

My assignment was to shoot a selection of properties in the downtown core, but we had 4 hours of flight time, so I figured it was time for a bucket list item.

It’s one of those things. I’m trying to figure out what to say here that can possibly convey what it was like to witness and to photograph them. Lacking as I am in words I’ll go with a poem by Emily Dickinson that I love: “The Mountains—grow unnoticed”

The Mountains—grow unnoticed—
Their Purple figures rise

Without attempt—Exhaustion—
Assistance—or Applause—

In Their Eternal Faces
The Sun—with just delight

Looks long—and last—and golden—
For fellowship—at night.

I’ll share the pics of Vancouver too – but these had to come first ;)
Aurora, earrings and Le Pop!

July 17, 2012

Le Pop! will be part of Toronto’s Frugal Fashion week, and features a selection of local artists curated by my talented friend and creative colleague Dylan Dias, and I’m one of the featured designers!

The event is taking place here in Toronto –
Where: Nyood Restaurant – 1096 Queen st. West
When: Saturday July 28th, from 11am to 4pm

If you’re in the area come down and check it out, there will be a great selection of local artists and designers to browse through.

For my pieces I’m going to be focusing on my Inspira work – pieces of jewellery I have created inspired by photos I have taken. My latest piece, created just last night, is (no surprise here) inspired by photography of the aurora borealis.

A pair of dramatic, 4″ long earrings in a black hematite finish display the colours of the aurora in genuine Swarovski crystal before ending in a hematite tassel detail.

The crystals were picked to evoke the spectrum in my photos, and will be sold with a print of the aurora photo that inspired them.

I decided on hematite instead of silver to draw attention to the crystal gradient, as the night sky framed the light show.

They, and many more of my pieces, will be featured at the Le Pop! event – if you’re in the Toronto area on July 28th come on down and check us out :)