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“A poetic study of the beautiful spaces women create for themselves. Rooms of serenity & calm, to retreat from the everyday…solace.”

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About six months ago, visual artist Helene Athanasiadis wrote to me asking if I’d consider letting her come into my home to photograph me in my sanctuary as part of her upcoming book, Solace. It was two months after my mum died and I was in deep mourning, retreating daily to the very intimate place in my home that Helene was asking to photograph. After perusing her website, something about her collection of beautiful work made me feel calm and open, and I found myself saying “yes”.

It’s with such pleasure that I am able to share with you today some of the pages from her book while it’s still in the making. Take a look at this selection of wonderful spaces she has photographed from some incredible creative souls around the country…

Helene is based in beautiful Castlemaine, a creative haven in the state of Victoria, Australia. She has degrees in fashion design, archaeology, and art history, and has been creating  fine art photography & mixed media collages for some time now. Her background and influences are evident in her work: “In both mediums I am guided by archaeological concepts; layered, stained & aged, all of which are rendered in muted & textured tones”.

In my next post I’ll show you some of the photographs she took of my special place, but in the meantime you can check out the artist’s havens she has photographed so far.

Thank you Helene for allowing me to share your wonderful project here.

xx

A number of years ago when I was living in Paris, I was asked by Sydney-based visual artist, accomplished photographer and friend David Knight if I would consider coming in to his studio on my next trip back to Australia to do some very raw (very nude) photographs.  I knew it was a great honour to be photographed by David, his portraiture is beyond words, and his exploration at the time was capturing raw beauty, sans makeup which resonated with me. I knew I could trust him. But my timidity rarely allowed me the courage to place myself in front of the camera throughout my life, so I took my time to think about it. On the following trip back a few months later, I went into his studio, nervous but ready to bare all.

Recently David began a wonderful blog titled Paper Aeroplane where he interviews talented people he knows and has worked with over the years and today, I have been featured. Another honour. Along with the interview David has combined a selection of the photographs (warning: some nudity) from that session as well as some of my music.

I hope you’ll enjoy both the interview and the photographs. To read and view, please click here. Thank you David.

xx

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portrait photograph by David Anthony Knight

Emma is a textile designer, teacher and researcher based in Sydney. Her blog, feeling fuzzy, is a great source of inspiration as Emma features her latest textile creations and exhibited pieces, like you see above. Emma also holds workshops, and last week for Country Style, I interviewed Emma to find out more about her upcoming workshops, her love for felt, and her inspiration. Read the full interview here.

Photographs by Emma’s sweet sister, Hannah, featuring Emma’s work at COFA.

Beautiful, non? Created by Missouri Bend Studio, which I found via the delightful Emma Peters.

Visit Missouri Bend’s etsy boutique here.

photograph by miep jukkema

photograph by String Gardens at Pompon Bloemen & Flowers, Amsterdam

photograph by miep jukkema

photograph by annelie bruijn

…they are.so.beautiful.

photograph by me at Flower Salon/, Droog, Amsterdam

More about them here.
(fyi they are created by Dutch artist Fedor van der Valk.)