More Snippets of Coursework

So I made a post quite a few months ago showing off some of my photography work which contributed towards my art coursework. Today I'll be posting the rest of it all both from my first year which was set around fairytales and the second year which was based on the combination of people and nature.

Fairytale (2011)

Little Red:

Snow White: 

Floral (2012)

Film Review: Ruby Sparks

Just a heads up, there will be spoilers throughout this, like a lot of spoilers. So if you don't like spoilers I suggest you close this page now and don't read ahead.

In case you haven't seen the movie yet, or have never even heard of it, the basic plot begins with writer, Calvin Weir-Fields, caught in a constant writer's block ever since the successful publication of his first novel (when he was 19). Since then he has been going to therapy to try and resolve the problem, and his therapist tells him to write a story about someone who likes his dog just the way he is; Calvin's dog Scotty is scared of strangers and also pees like a female dog (something Calvin finds embarrassing). Ruby appears to him in a dream where the task his therapist had set him is conjured. He gradually becomes more and more obsessed with her, describing the specific details of her background story and personality traits; he tells his therapist he's even falling in love with her. Then Ruby becomes real. The story then follows Calvin's struggle with morality, possession and obsession; all surrounding Ruby Sparks.

So Ruby Sparks...where should I even begin...? Well I loved the plot and the concept of control and manipulation in relationships. The ability to practically make a person do what you want, whenever you want, and the effect this has on both the manipulator and the manipulated. I love how as the movie gradually went on, everything got darker and darker with the climax scene of Calvin revealing to Ruby that he can control her. It was superbly well done, it could have been absolutely ridiculous; especially when he makes her act like a dog. But with the quick cuts between shots, the build up of tension as the scene goes on, and the horrified expressions on both actor's faces really makes this scene the darkest and most terrifying in the movie. My heart was absolutely racing throughout.

It also attacks the concept of a person's 'ideal' partner. The 'perfect' person who embodies all of these traits that you want in someone, yet if they go against this ideal for even a moment, the other doesn't like this and tries to manipulate things to go back to how they believe the person should be. This is an unhealthy relationship. A person cannot force someone to be how they want them to be. The movie depicts this amazingly; as soon as Ruby starts to exhibit signs of making her own choices and decisions, basically developing free will, she becomes someone Calvin doesn't like. It creates conflict in the relationship because she is becoming her own person. In order to counteract this, Calvin starts manipulating her again; he makes her unable to live without him, and then become ridiculously happy all the time, and then back to how she was before. This makes her become practically bipolar, although the subject isn't touched upon as heavily as it could have been, it is mentioned briefly when Ruby comments on how her emotions have been unstable.

The heavy representation of abusive relationships throughout is something I found unexpected; now there is no physical abuse, unless you count the part where Calvin roughly grabs Ruby's arm after being caught in her underwear with another man in a pool.(I will delve into the dialogue in this scene as it also discusses slut-shaming). What Calvin does to Ruby is mental abuse; he makes her develop a bipolar disorder, as mentioned beforehand, by tampering with her emotions and then in the climax of the scene where it is revealed to her that he can control her, practically traumatises her with the knowledge and also the forced actions enacted by Calvin. The movie itself is unsettling and it should make you feel uncomfortable to watch.

The pool scene where Calvin brings out his slut shaming attitude moreso is one of the scenes that really caught my attention. After finding Ruby in her underwear, about to get into a pool with another man, Calvin becomes livid. Does he cling to women because of the fact his mother left his father; he even regards his mother as a "heartless slut" at the beginning of the movie. Calvin is a misogynist and a slut-shamer who hides all this behind his apparent love for women. He's controlling because he can't stand the thought of being left by someone as his mother did to his father. He hates women like his mother. And as soon as it appears Ruby may be leaving him, or is flirting with other men, the manipulative, sexist part of him comes out.

Calvin: "Do want to know my rules? Don't fuck other men. Don't let them think about fucking you."
Ruby: "So now I'm responsible for what other people are thinking?"
Calvin: "Yes you are responsible when you act a certain way, it leads people on. When you take your clothes off at a party, it makes people think you're a slut so I'd really prefer if you didn't do that, is that clear enough for you?" 

I liked Calvin's character at the beginning of the movie but as he becomes corrupted by the power and control he has over Ruby, I found myself disliking him more and more. I also hated the hint that at the end he is able to have a second chance with Ruby, which I felt is something he does not deserve nor the character himself should pursue. We'll never know however if they do end up back together, yet knowing that Ruby has no idea what Calvin had done to her in the past is somewhat demeaning. Removing her knowledge of him is something Calvin had no right to do. He never asked her if she didn't want to remember. He felt that it was the right decision. But what if she had the choice and she did want to remember? Isn't that something she has the right to? But no, she is not given that choice, like with the rest of what Calvin had done to her in the past. He uses his last moment of control to erase the memories of him because he probably couldn't stand the fact that someone he 'loved' had seen him at his worst and rejected him for it.

Now onto Ruby Sparks, casting that sexist 'Manic Pixie Dream Girl' notion aside (which I find absolutely ridiculous, as well as the term 'Mary Sue'), Ruby does have depth to her. She's emotional, as Calvin made her be, she's rebellious, spontaneous and has that 'to hell with it' attitude. At moments I did find her rather irritating; she tends to forget about other people's feelings and how her actions could affect others. But that's her character. She jumps into things and then thinks things through afterwards. She's an action before thought person. I suppose that's what makes her an interesting character because you don't know what she's going to do next. She's not perfect. No character or person ever is. And that's what Calvin couldn't handle; the flaws of her personality, or what he believes to be flaws that he so desperately changes.

Overall, I give it a rating of 8/10.

Peace out readers!
-Natasha xx

Website Spotlight: whatsinyourbedroom.blogspot.co.uk

whatsinyourbedroom.blogspot.co.uk is a blog showing a series of portraits of people in their bedrooms.

To me a bedroom is a very secretive and personal place and I rarely let people into mine. So to see other people's is interesting. You can pick up on certain quirks and how it reflects their personality. Whether or not they are an organised messy person or just plain messy...

Bedrooms are a person's 'safe place'. We let our defenses down in bedrooms for example we sleep in them because we are comfortable and relaxed. We don't feel threatened or vulnerable. This is because we associate our bedrooms as a place of solitude and privacy. We can be ourselves in them. Inviting someone into a bedroom, as I mentioned beforehand, is making yourself vulnerable, and allowing them to explore a personal space is like having them explore your mind.

whatsinyourbedroom brings out the creative side in me as I analyse the layout, how they've decorated the room, whether or not there is a particular colour scheme, the small intricate details etc. It could also help others who are decorating there room to come up with ideas. So yes I am in love with this blog and I hope you will be too.

Peace out readers!
-Natasha xx

The Search for a Bike

In the last month I have decided that by September this year I will have to start cycling around to get to and from my lectures for university. This is because, whilst the house we are going to rent is not horrifically far, it is over a half hour walk alone, and I just don't feel like carrying piles of books for that long when I have to get an essay done (curse me for taking english literature). So I've been researching and researching, looking through women's bike blogs as I would like a traditional classic/dutch bike. And now I've got it down to two.
It's either going to be:

-The Pashley Poppy (£450)

or

-The Bobbin Brownie (£350)

My heart is set on a Pashley, but I have the feeling with money being tight at the moment, and in the future, that I'll have to go with a Bobbin Brownie. It's not a huge downer, the Bobbin Brownie is a gorgeous bike, plus it does have more gears which is helpful as Winchester is rather hilly. 

Actor Spotlight: Aidan Turner

Now if you've seen 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey', you may know who I am talking about. Aidan Turner has been acting for quite a while now, according to Wikipedia, since 2007. Now I didn't know who he was until 'The Hobbit' as I'm sure many of you may not have either.  The way he has played Kili is what caught my attention: he's a lovable, joyful, foolish yet fantastically brave warrior and Aidan has really built this character up. In the novel he's more of a side character thus preventing any characterisation.

Aiden Turner as Kili in 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'

Now after I had seen 'The Hobbit', I do my research as per usual on actors who have caught my eye and learn more about them and find other shows/movies they have been in. I found 'Being Human', the name of the show sounded familiar and I remembered how one of my friends had recommended it to me a few years ago but for some reason I put it off; something I constantly berate and curse myself for. Aidan plays the character Mitchell, a vampire, and he's truly remarkable in it.

Aiden Turner as Mitchell in 'Being Human'

The lore behind vampires has always intrigued me and often characters who are so flawed and worn down fascinate me even more so this combination ruined me (I mean this is a brilliant way). I've got through series one so far and barely recovered emotionally after so I had to force myself to have a break from it. The other actors, Lenora Crichlow and Russell Tovey are also fantastic and if anything I love their characters, George and Annie, just as much as Mitchell. (I'll review this show once I've finished all the seasons)
So through this break I found something else to watch with Aidan in it, and that was 'Desperate Romantics'. Now I love period dramas and to have a show set around artists, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, is just a huge bonus for me. In fact it's got me drawing more than ever.... Anyway, back to the main topic: I always find that the characters who make me jump from loving to hating them, and then back and forth throughout are my favourites, and of course this was Aidan Turner's character; Dante Gabriel Rossetti. I mean you can't help but be frustrated by his character's choices and how you can't tell who he genuinely loves and is constantly flitting back and forth between women.

Aiden Turner as Dante Gabriel Rossetti in 'Desperate Romantics'

I look forward to the future Hobbit movies and the rest of Aiden Turner's career. I can tell it will be a wonderful one.

Peace out readers!
-Natasha xx

Long Break

Hello whoever comes across this post. You may have noticed the big break in between this and the last post. Well, as usual I procrastinated throughout my first semester of university thus all assignments were done either a few days/the night before, or the same day they were due. Therefore I had no time to make any new posts. Then the holidays came along, and I know I could've done some posts of some sort but I had barely seen my family in the 3/4 months I was at university therefore I spent as much time with them as possible. But now it's a new year. 2013! (13 is my favourite number so I have high hopes for this year...) I'll be applying for internships at magazines for the summer so I won't spend my days wasting away on my bed with my laptop by my side as always. The next few posts will be reviews/recommendations and such as I've discovered many new things over the holidays. I better go now. My lecture begins in 15 minutes.

Peace out reader!
-Natasha xx

Taking Initiative

Recently I started thinking about my future career and how to get there. I want to work for a magazine one day, doing reviews of music and films but also getting to take part in the creative side if possible. Not only that, whilst doing so, I want to get my A Levels in Maths and Physics. Of course the question that comes to mind is 'Why?'. Well, I also want to do another course later on in life which is Astrophysics. I want to discover more about the universe around us and how it works. What theories other astrophysicists have come up with and also create my own. I've decided not to worry about student finance. It gets written of in 30 years so what's the point? Plus it's the only life I'm gonna get so I'm gonna do as much as I can in it. I want to write for a magazine whilst also discovering planets, and also paint portraits, go ballet dancing, go horse back riding and play the violin on the side. Hell I even want to learn to play the harp. So many things to do.

A video everyone should watch which helps you think what would you do if money were no object.

So I've decided to start pursuing my 'dreams', as you may call them, early. I'm taking initiative by creating this blog in the first place, but also submitting articles to online magazines. I just finished submitting some of my poems to another online magazine. I don't know if anything will come of it. If they do publish even one of them I will be overwhelmed with happiness.
So this is my advice to you that you've probably heard before many times but I'm gonna say it again anyway; Take initiative in your life. You want something? Go for it. Don't wait around for it to happen! This works more when I'm talking about careers rather than romance. I mean it could work for romance too, but that's more difficult to handle as there's other people involved.

Anyway, take initiative in your life today!

Peace out reader!
-Natasha xx

Song of the Day- 'Wonder Why You Want Her' by Goyte

On my twitter I do this song of the day every so often. When I first started it was everyday but some days I forget and I've decided to also begin posting it on here. Today's song of the day is, as you can see by the title, 'Wonder Why You Want Her' by Goyte.

Lately I've been in the mood for songs with a dark tone to them and this one doesn't disappoint. It practically oozes a morbidly seductive atmosphere. The quiet elongated vocals lure you in and then suddenly a series of erratic drum beats break out; successfully keeping the song from becoming dull. The lyrics themselves imply a sinister story as it depicts a man longing for a woman, a sex worker I presume as the lyrics state 'Bought, for a price you can have a piece', whom he can't 'possess'. The song really takes a hold of you. Perhaps it's the combination of the raw primal drum beats and the voice that successfully seduces you in. I feel as though I'm in a daze whenever I listen to it; totally enraptured by the song. Take a listen you guys so you can see for yourself!

Peace out reader!
-Natasha xx

'Declined'...

...A.K.A. 'Rejected'. So I submitted some of my poems yesterday and found out they were 'declined' today. It actually didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. I just remembered a quote I heard, along the lines, that the first step to success is failure. As long as I keep that in mind I'll be okay. A lot of great people were rejected by others in their first few years. So I'm gonna stay positive and continue writing poems and submitting them. And the day they are finally accepted I will have a momentary victory dance and go on my way; continuing to write and submit poems, articles and short stories. I'm pretty tempted next year to write a novel out of the short story I'm currently writing for my fictional writing module. That's still on for debate though. So remember guys, as the wise words of Jake the Dog once said, 'Dude, suckin’ at something is the first step to being sorta good at something'. So even if you think you suck at something don't stop doing it, continue on! It's no fun if there's no journey involved. 

Peace out readers!
-Natasha xx

People Who Changed My Life -Misha Collins

Okay, so I've decided to do this series of posts where I talk about a person who has had a huge impact on my life; basically someone who changed my view on the world, helped me in some way...etc... I've decided to start with the person who created the biggest influence so far and that person my reader is Misha Collins. Misha is an actor, and I was introduced to him through Supernatural where he plays the angel Castiel. Through websites such as tumblr I grew to become more interested in the cast themselves and began watching interviews, convention videos, reading fans own stories of when they met an actor...basically a lot of research. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, but Misha Collins is the one who really made me look at things differently.
Not only is this guy an actor but he also runs his own charity called Random Acts, http://www.therandomact.org/ .

Watching the videos based around this charity on youtube and reading future plans they were organising made me think about what I want to do in this life. It made me want to do charity work. I didn't want to be one of those people who just contributed through a payment and let that make me feel better about myself. No, I want to actually be a part of it and be there in a country helping people who are less fortunate than I am and animals that have been abandoned/abused. Sure, I haven't got to that stage yet. I'm only 19 and just started university. But I am looking into volunteering for local charities at the moment. And to think, if I hadn't come across Supernatural I may have never had that thought cross my mind.
That's not the only thing, Misha made me a more open minded person. Things that I once thought were strange, now wouldn't faze me at all. This guy is eccentric, sarcastic, kind, smart and doesn't give a shit what people think of him. He's true to himself and that's a rare quality nowadays. He's an amazing actor and person who deserves greatness.

Peace out readers!
-Natasha xx

Music Spotlight: Mikky Ekko

I'm well renowned for watching fanvids of my current tv show or movie obsession of the time, so when I came across a Loki centric fanvid with the song 'Who Are You Really?' by Mikky Ekko...well I was automatically hooked on this artist. (the fanvid is really good too!)
What else could I do but find out more about Mikky Ekko? He has his own blog where he posts his new songs, which are also free to download! Which, lets just say, shocked me slightly 'cause his songs are what I'd imagine to be on a £10 album in HMV.  What I like about him in particular is that he doesn't rush to get new songs out. With the time gaps between each one you can tell he takes his time and really puts all his effort into them.
The combination of dramatic drum beats and fiery voice in 'Who Are You Really?', gets me raring to go. You can feel the emotions conveyed in the song. It doesn't feel fake or bland. There's real power in everything going on; the instruments, the singing, the lyrics...etc.

Recently, Mikky Ekko released a new song called 'Pull Me Down', also free to download. It's light and relaxing with a slow beat. Yes it is currently my favourite song. The lyrics are undoubtedly romantic and is sung in such a way that washes over you whether or not you want it to.

So whoever is reading this, go and download the songs available on his website/blog, www.mikkyekko.com. Seriously, you won't regret it!

Peace out reader!
-Natasha xx

New Addition to the Family

So when I went back home for a weekend the other week, I had walked into the living room only to discover a new addition to our family...

My mother had managed to keep the whole thing a secret for a week and I was in shock. She's so tiny. Like really tiny! It makes me nervous when she walks around in case someone steps on her. She's adorable and feisty. I love it when puppies are feisty, especially with older dogs. We don't have a name for her yet, but I pitched the idea of 'Luna' to my mother and I believe she's contemplating between that name and 'Nessa'. But yeah it was a lovely surprise. She's a cross between a chihuahua and jack russell like our other dog Louie. 

Peace out readers!

-Natasha xx 

Halloween

It's that lovely time of the year again! Halloween is my favourite holiday. I love the eeriness of it all and what it's all about. For those who don't know, Halloween was originally a pagan festival derived from the belief that the veil between the living and the dead was at it's thinnest on that day. Therefore, masks/costumes were worn in order to disguise themselves so the evil souls would not harm them. Anyway, I just thought I'd show you guys what I went as...

I went as a 'broken doll'. Drawing thin lines on your own face is not easy when you're doing it yourself. It's a good thing it was meant to look messy. But yeah I actually went out this evening which is rare for me considering I prefer staying in at night. 

Peace out readers!

-Natasha xx 

Snippets Of Coursework

A few photographs from my coursework which were influenced by Francesca Woodman for my supernatural themed art coursework from 2012:

Artist Spotlight: Francesca Woodman

So I thought I'd start of this blog with one of my most favourite photographers, Francesca Woodman. I ended up being introduced to her work by my art teacher whilst trying to figure out what my coursework would be based on, and the instant I saw Woodman's work I knew that she would become a huge influence over me.

Untitled, 1975-1980

 Here's a few facts before I start delving in:

• She was born in 1958.
• Most of her prints are 8 by 10 inches.
• It is believed that she was influenced by Duane Michals, so not a fact per say but still an important speculation!
• Unfortunately Woodman committed suicide in 1981. The exact reason has never been stated but it was believed to be because of the lack of interest others had in her work and also her failing relationship. Both of which caused her to become depressed.  

House #3, Providence, Rhode Island, 1976

What I find captivating about Woodman's work is the setting which she surrounds herself in. 

Often it is a decaying or empty room creating a foreboding presence, emphasised by the blurred and distorted figure. The settings are simple and could be seen as underwhelming, yet the way Woodman frames and angles her work effectively defeats this notion, and instead creates this intriguing image that the viewer can't help but be pulled in by. This is because the framing gives the feel of it being contained; a world the viewer cannot reach or interact with.

From Angel series, Rome, 1977

Some may describe Woodman's work as disturbing and uncomfortable, or even dark and melancholy. However, with the movement and blurred figures, Woodman appears to be depicting freedom; it's as though she is limitless. With photography Woodman is able to explore and express herself without confinement, and she uses this to a great extent. It can be said that Francesca Woodman was also influenced by the supernatural, due to the influence of Gothic Fiction, and that her some of her work reflects portrayals of the afterlife. This leaves me wondering the story behind each photograph due to the ancient mood she creates,  making it feel as though the ‘ghosts’ in the photographs have stories which have been long forgotten.

Self Deceit #1, 1978

Her work isn't just focused on the blurring of figures, but also on exploring the female body. Woodman, rather than sexualising the female body, uses it as a way to explore herself and her identity through her work. This is implied as she analyses herself in the mirror in 'Self Deceit #1' (see above). A wonderful analysis of the photo, which I stumbled across as I was searching for Woodman's photos, is from the National Galleries website,  "Alone and naked, Woodman appears vulnerable as she undertakes a personal self-exploration, underlined by the small and intimate format of the photographs. The photographs are not self-portraits in the conventional sense, as the photographs explore the possibilities of representation instead of revealing the artist’s identity. In the photographs she uses a mirror as a prop – it becomes a symbol of artistic self-reflexivity, reflecting the ‘eye’ of the camera back upon itself."[link here] Unfortunately it does not state who has written this, but their interpretation of her work is truly fascinating. I have to agree with the concept of how Woodman's 'Self Deceit #1' reflects how artists are constantly analysing themselves and their minds as they produce their work. 

From Angel Series, Rome, 1977-78

When I first came across Francesca Woodman's work, I felt excited to finally find a photographer whose work I absolutely adored and hoped to find more recent works. That was until of course, I found out she committed suicide many years ago at the young age of 22. I was absolutely saddened. I wanted to find out more about Woodman and her mind and how she came up with these ideas and why she did this or that. I was fully intrigued and curious about her. All I had to go on was the small number of articles about her provided by the internet. I suppose it's the mystery of both Woodman and her photographs that continue to intrigue viewers even many years after her death. It's a shame when artists are not appreciated in their own time.

New Journey

Hello Reader!

So after a couple of years, a vast majority of schoolwork, procrastinating to an extent which even I didn't believe was possible, and finally completing my 'A Levels' and starting university; I have decided to start my blog. It'll be of the artistic variety, such as artists (of course), fashion, photography, actors, poetry...etc... I may even post some of my own work from time to time...maybe! Don't hold me to that.

So this will be a 'New Journey', hence the title of this post.

(This is me, in case any of you readers were wondering who this 'mysterious' blogger is)

I'll begin posting tomorrow, or maybe later today...we'll see!

-Natasha