A Lesson in Romance with Sara Baldi

Name: Sara Baldi
City: Gatineau (Quebec)
Date: July 15th 2012

1. What book(s) are you reading currently?
 I’m reading The Promise by Jessica Sorensen. It’s the 4th book from the Fallen Star Series. I really enjoy that series because there’s so much supernatural aspects. There’s always lots of action, new and intriguing things to learn. After that series ends, she creates a spin-off series called the Lost Souls. It’s nice to know that the characters will be able to go onto another series.

 2. If you were a mythical being, which would you like to be and why?
 I would be either a Witch or a Faerie. I can’t decide between both.
I love magic and I love the look of the faeries.

3. What subject matter is your favorite to photograph, and why?
 I really enjoy personal work. To me, that relates to emotions, whether it’s a place, a person, or a thing. I want to try out a Self-Portraits series soon regarding Self-Esteem. I also love Portraits, if I had my own business that’s what I’d be shooting.

4. Spike or Angel? Why?
 It’s hard to choose… I enjoyed Spike’s dark and twisted humor. He was sexy in his own way, but I’d have to choose Angel.
 He was way more good looking, had a really
interesting past and then he even had his own show!

5. If you were asked to be a photographer for a major wildlife magazine, which animal would you be most excited to photograph?
I wouldn’t want to photograph wildlife in the first place… but if I had to choose an animal it would be Cats.

6. Where is your favorite place to eat out?
Well, I’m from Gatineau, so the places I like are: Scores, St-Hubert, Chenoys, Luxx Deli and La Station.

7. Describe your perfect vacation.
 If I could have a real vacation soon, I’d love to travel to Disney World again. This time, I’d like to go with my boyfriend, on a romantic getaway. I loved Disney as a little girl and I still do! I like vacations where there’s entertainment and fun stuff to do.

8. There are many ways to make wishes (ie: pennies in a fountain). What are some ways you make wishes?
 My wishes are more like my hopes & dreams. I have many ways to find out if they will come true. I do Tarot Readings, I have an Angel Predictions book and I recently saw a Medium to get some answers to my questions.

9. What has been your most enjoyable photography project so far?
 Honestly, I’ve really enjoyed creating my Digital Scrapbooks. It wasn’t something I did for school or anyone else; it was for my mom & me. You can read more about it on my Tumblr blog and see the Covers.


10. What is your favorite cereal?
 Oatmeal Crisp Triple Berries
 
 Eevee Asks: "Do you haz  book recommendations for those who like romantic novels?"
Yes. I can tell you my favorite YA Fantasy Romance books. Series: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, House of Night by P.C. & Kristen Cast, Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick, Fallen by Lauren Kate, Nevermore by Kelly Creagh, Parallel by Claudia Lefeve (Travelers series), Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter (Shadow Falls series) and Ethereal by Addison Moore (Celestra series). You can also find more books on my Goodreads page.

11. Do you have any fun photography projects you are going to be working on in the near future?
I want to do a series of Self-Portraits. It’s about issues I’ve had this past year. The subject matter relates to Self-Esteem. I’d like to mix photographs with words. It would be a sort of personal journaling project. I just need to work up the courage to get started on this first.
(We believe in you! Don't be shy. There are thousands of people who would benefit from such a project ^_^ )
If you'd like to know more about Sara's projects take a gander at the following links!
http://sarabaldi.tumblr.com/
http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6710971-sara
http://darkduchess4.deviantart.com/

Only the Beginning for Casey Jones

Name: Casey Jones
City: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date: July 15th, 2012
 

 1. What type of work do you do? I am in charge of making all the video content for a tiny little website called andPOP.com. I'd much rather be editing videos with more substance than they've got me working on, but at least I'm getting paid, right? 

 2. What are some of your favorite parts about your job? I like it whenever we have a contest on our website, and I have to slap together a video explaining how to enter. These videos are always extra goofy and fun because the powers that be don't take them very seriously, and I'm thus free to stretch my creative goofy muscles and make these mundane videos into fun little presentations. I think they're probably my most entertaining work, even though they have zero substance to them whatsoever.
 

 3. Do you do any fun on-the-side artistic projects? A couple months ago, I woke up hungover and had to walk eight blocks to pick up a camera to start shooting some footage of people doing their every day activities on a beautiful Sunday morning in May. Getting random footage of people enjoying their day cured my hangover completely and put me in a lovely mood. I'm currently in the process of buying myself a camera so that I can go out and do this more often, and just save up all this pretty footage of people doing their thing. Maybe some day I'll do something with it, but otherwise I just like the process of making that footage, even if I never show anyone at all.

I also try to write tiny little one-pager short stories out of the random ideas that pop into my head from time to time. Partly as a writing exercise at not over-cooking an idea, partly as a bite-sized, enjoyable bit of writing without the crippling anxiety that comes along with coming up with an idea for a story that could only be properly written as a short novel. I haven't written a one-pager in almost a year because I've been so busy with work, but it's always been a nice outlet for me.

 Oh and I also draw goofy comics. Though I won't lie, I've hit kind of a dry spell for comedic inspiration in the last little while. I feel good about it right now, though, as I'm writing this. Who knows? Maybe I'll get back in the cartoonist's seat, starting now.

 (I'm glad to have sparked subtle inspiration!)

 4. What are 5 things you despise seeing on online videos?
1) Boring introductions of some jackass sitting in front of a webcam explaining what they're about to show you. If you need to explain what someone's watching, there are much better ways to present it than by sitting in front of a webcam.

2) Any self-important ME-ME-ME vlogger on youtube who gets better traffic by talking in a dumb voice and saying jokes that aren't even remotely funny than a channel that is legitimately funny and well-crafted. (ie Ray William Johnson and Fred.)

3) Web videos intended to sucker people into becoming activists or to start caring passionately (for 24 hours) about a subject that they didn't even know about beforehand. I'm looking at you, Kony 2012.

4) Those dumb "Let's Play" videos where some unfunny knob plays a video game and makes lame jokes about it as he plays. Save comedy for the professionals, save gameplay videos for speedrunners and people who are actually good at the game in question.

5) Instead of staying all negative, I'm going to list something I love to see in internet videos: I love seeing long essay-style videos about what makes a certain movie or game good or bad. (ie Plinkett's 60+ minute Star Wars reviews, or egoraptor's Sequelitis shows. I could watch those dozens of times because they're all legitimately smart and incredibly funny without sounding forced.)


5. What is the first thing you think of when you read/ hear the word "Gamelan"?
Me wearing some Halloween mask and screaming the word. This image is then immediately followed by extreme sorrow at the fact that I have no idea where that tape lives anymore.
(Yes, I am saddened by this, as well.) *Casey and I were in the same percussion class in high school where he made a very strange video about "Gamelan". I believe the halloween mask was a gorilla face...* (Gamelan seen below)

 6. What are some things you do to relax?: I always feel good after I spend some time sitting down and reading a good book. I feel like good writing greases the gears in my mind and makes living on this planet a bit easier to process.

7. If you could tame any wild animal to have as a pet, what would it be and why? I would personally love to have a pet squirrel that would ride around on my shoulder, but if I had the ability to tame just one animal, I'd probably try and tame a Koala because my lady friend is in love with them and that would be the best gift I could ever give her. (That's so sweet !!)

8. Let's go time travelling! Where are we going? Why did you choose this time/place? How is it better/worse than 2012? I totally already ask people this question, and I always have my answer ready in advance: I'd go back to the Wild West, and I'd live as a Clint Eastwood-style bounty hunter, High Plains Drifter style, going from town to town chomping on a cigar the whole time, roughing up bandits, and saving farms and towns everywhere I went. It's better than 2012 because 2012 is a sensory overload of everything and a simple life hunting bandits would be a lot more fun, I think.
(Sheriff Jones? Has a good ring to it!)
 
9. How do you take your coffee? If not coffee, then what would you get?
I drink my coffee black. My Dad always took his coffee black when I was a kid, and I just grew up assuming that's how you were supposed to drink it. Double Doubles are nice, but they don't taste much like coffee to me. Also, I think I'm becoming lactose intolerant or something because any time I put cream or milk in my coffee I get a belly ache.

10. What are a few annoying/tedious things about your job? Having to hold my tongue and not constantly scream and protest how all we do as a website is worship celebrities. I've grown to live with the knowledge that I'm not enriching or enlightening anyone's life or mind with my work, but I still don't like it. I'm part of the problem and I'm using my gifts for evil instead of good.
(Chin up, Mr. Jones! You'll find a better use of your skills and talents in the future, I just know it! :D )   

Eevee Asks: "Hello, Uncle Casey! What kind of shampooz and conditionerzes haz you been using lately? Is it naiyce?" I use boring old Head & Shoulders shampoo/conditioner, the kind that is supposed to give your hair more volume. I don't notice a difference, though, my hair's still pretty quiet. BADUM PSHH.

11. Do you have anything coming up we should know about? This is a stumper. I don't have much that I'm working on right now because I'm trying to switch jobs, but I suppose that you should keep an eye on my Tumblr blog, because I'm always trying to add more and more content to it. I'm also trying to crack this cartoonist's block that I've got going on right now, so if you follow my blog and light a fire under my ass to not lose motivation, that'd be lovely.(You can do it!!!)

If you'd like to follow Casey's progress and light that fire, check out the links below! ^_^

 http://caseyisrad.tumblr.com/
www.twitter.com/dcaseyjones

Zen Times With Celer

Name: Celer
Date: July 13, 2012
City: Tokyo, Japan

1. What inspired you to choose the name Celer? It was a little random and almost accidental, looking through some old French letters of childhood stories from family. Though, the name later really fit with the whole project, music hiding in itself. It stuck, and was simple.

2. When you're creating a piece, what message or feeling are you intending to deliver to your audience? Usually I'm not thinking anything intentionally when making something. I make things in a really directionless way, sortof like writing a diary without really thinking too much about what I'm writing, just copying down anything that comes into my head that happened that day, or what memories and images flash by. It isn't purely improvisation either, just more patient, and exact. I think maybe messages come out more when the album or piece is coming together in full form, with the artwork, the titles, and so on. It's difficult to send a message very clearly through largely instrumental music, aside from directional samples (though those too are largely misdirecting). Putting the titles together to have a feeling and imagination beyond dreamy description gives it more than just a title, it feels like.

 

3. I see you've created a large number of albums. How long have you been composing for? Maybe since the early 2000's, though for those first years I never recorded anything, or only played live shows, which was also more harsh noise-oriented. Though it is a large number, it isn't something I expect listeners to hear everything of. If they miss something, I hope they'll be able to get another one. If one person has heard one of my (or our) records and enjoyed it, that is special for me. Those who push farther than that I appreciate so much, and at the same time can't believe it.

4. Out of everything you've created thus far, which was your favorite to work on, and why? It's difficult to say, because as you make something and listen to it more and more, then it gets released and you see it more, your opinion changes for things. It's another reason I make so much, is to hear something different than everything else. I always try to make something more interesting to listen to, some more pure type of music, but maybe it's difficult to be content with just one thing. I guess that Tightrope is a particular favorite, just because it was made at a really special turning point for me. There's a lot of personal things connected to that one. Then again, there are to everything, so I'm not sure. Some things like Recumbent in Wishes I'm very proud of, but at the same time the memories are so difficult, that I'd never be able to say it's my favorite. I guess there's a difference..

5. What is the strangest method of producing a sound/tone you've ever encountered? It wasn't making a tone, but I chased a pelican around with a microphone to get his quack while making the follow-up to the Spekk album Mesoscaphe. That was pretty strange, I'd say.

6. Who are some of your favorite artists? Angelo Badalamenti, Asuna, John Barry, Auburn Lull, Slowdive, Basil Poledouris, Bowery Electric, Christoph Heemann, Clinic, The Durutti Column, Ennio Morricone, The Field,

George Gershwin, Mazzy Star, John Carpenter, Terre Thaemlitz, Lalo Schifrin, Nico, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Scott Joplin, Spectrum, Spiritualized, Steve Reich, Steve Roden, William Basinski, Tangerine Dream, Underworld, Vangelis.

7. What kind of audience are you hoping to reach? Comfort and inspiration for those familiar with experimental music, and open ideas and individuality to those not familiar.

8. What parts do you find the most difficult about creating and releasing a new album? Finding the right label, and the releasing process.

9. What is your favorite thing to do with your day off? Go to the park; cook with someone at home.

10. What is the first thing you think of when you hear/see the word "Delicious"? Mango.

 

Eevee asks: "If you could haz any wish what would it be?" I feel lucky to be where I am today, I don't need to ask for more.

11. What is your next project you're working on, and when is it scheduled for release? I'm finishing up and album called 'Crazed Fruit' tonight, it will be released later this year, maybe in November. It's 79 minutes long. Otherwise, a lot of others have been finished lately, so I can rest for a while.

If you'd like to hear some of Celer's work, or find out more information, check out the links below! :3

site: www.thesingularwe.org/celer

twitter: https://twitter.com/closing_remarks

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Celer/238117246247301

Sweet Nothings with Jennie Lynn MacDonald

Name: Jennie Lynn MacDonald
City: Ottawa
Date: July 8, 2012


1. Which media is your favorite to work with?
I love fluid acrylics, watercolor and pen/line drawing.
 
2. What would you call your art style?
 I'm not sure...pop?

3. Do you have any pets? Do they help you make art?
I had a pet lizard (bearded dragon that only just passed away recently :(  He was cool as hell! He didn't directly inspire my art...or at least, not that I'm consciously aware of.

4. What are your 3 favorite movies at this moment?
Only 3??? Oh man......hmmmm.....I have a massive collection of terrible/awesome movies that I file through on a nightly basis...let's see now...Ghost World, Hot Tub Time Machine, and Less Than Zero are always at the top of my list, but I could add so many more.

 
5. If you went camping for a week and could bring any 2 people, who would you bring?
Is this in real life or fantasy land? If I could pick the best of both worlds I would bring my best buddy Emma and Robert Downey Jr.

 6. What's the first thing you think of when you hear/read the word "Magic"?
Lots of neon smoke and sparkles.

7. What do you think people in your city are looking for when it comes to art? What is popular?
I don't think I really know anything about what people in my city want. I don't pay close enough attention, but I guess I should. I know it's a select crowd of people that are looking for the type of stuff i do. You can't please everyone, nor should you want to. I think the art in Ottawa is growing though and it's exciting to think about where it will go in the next 20 years.

 8. When you're painting, do you have other things going on? (People over, music playing, etc.) If so, what?
I always have music on for sure. sometimes a weird movie helps. Music definitely drives the more emotionally charged pieces. I prefer to work on my own. I get too distracted if there are others around and it prevents me from really fully enjoying the process.

9. What is the best dessert food?                                                        
Ice cream
                                                                                       
10. You have such beautiful hair! If you could
 change your hairstyle to anything right now,
 what would you do to it?
Why thank you! If I could pull ANYTHING off, I would do something way more drastic than just my big long mess of hair I have now. Maybe have neon green hair for a couple days. Maybe some neon pink hair. Mohawk. Lots of things I suppose. But I do like and appreciate the head of hair I have now.
 
Eevee asks: "What are some silly things your pet eatses/do'z?"
My pet lizard Wisau use to eat silk worms, horn worms, crickets, lettuce, carrots, bananas, and raspberries.

 

11. Do you have anything coming up soon we should know about?
I'll be showing at Invisible Cinema's Wurm Gallery this coming October. no date set yet.

Here is Jennie Lynn's exceptional website that you can all follow her progress on!


http://jennielynnmacdonald.blogspot.ca/

Getting to Know Andy Paciorek

Name: Andy Paciorek

City: North of England
Date: 9th July 2012

1. What is the best weather, in your opinion?

All weather is good. I love to see the turn of seasons. Here this year alas, there is very little summer.wettest June on record and July looking the same way. I like the rain, but not perpetual it would be good to see a bit more sunshine.

2. Which creature has been your favorite to draw?
I've drawn the portraits of hundreds of weird creatures and strange entities now, that it'd be pretty impossible to pick a favourite. The work I'm currently doing and other possible projects that have been in recent discussion do include yet more bizzare beasties. Good job I rather like drawing monsters! Another good thing with myth and folklore subjects and also new weird fiction, is that with some of the more obscure beings, I may be the first person to have rendered them and with more known ones there is always scope to re-imagine their likenesses.

3. Have you written any books of your own?

I researched, wrote and illustrated a book entitled Strange Lands: A Field Guide to the Celtic Otherworld (available to purchase from - http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1957828  ) . In time I may complete a book entitled 'Black Earth', which is about the beings and beasts of Slavic folklore and myth.

I have not yet written a novel, but it is something that I may possibly do one day. At the current moment I am content with illustrating the words of other authors, but writing is something that I do more sporadically when the urge takes me.
 

4. What is the best flavor of ice cream?

Cherry ... no Rum n Raisin ... no Tutti Fruity .... hmm, I dunno I don't think there is a best. There's lots of great flavours!

5. What is the craziest haircut you've ever had?

My barnet has had some adventures from shoulder length ringlets to shaved crop, but the worst was probably the one I sported through a lot of my secondary school days - basically a mullet with extra long fringe which at times bore streaks of black, auburn or burgundy. At one point it was short at the back and long at the front.

6. Do you play video games? If so, what are some of your favorites?

I haven't played any video games since the days of Sega megadrive - then it was mainly Sonic the Hedgehog and Streetfighter.

Sometimes I can get too easily distracted and if I got into video games now, I could see more hours whiling away and less work getting done, so I'm best keeping off.

7. What was your first paranormal experience?

Hmm ... the first was quite possibly not paranormal at all, but it was odd enough to stick in my mind. Basically all it was that one day when I was about 6 I was out playing on the field near my house and climbing the old ash tree, when I was joined by a boy I hadn't seen before. I recall he was very quiet, but also notably pale and had very white hair. I think he said his name was Samuel. Anyway we played alongside each other by the tree for quite a while, but then I was called in for my tea. He said he had to go too, but he didn't go to a house but to the chapel in the street. I never saw him again and nobody else I'd spoke to in the street knew who he was or claimed to have seen him.
 

8. What do you do to further your education?

Books, documentaries sometimes, conversation with varied people on myriad subjects.

9. What were your three most enjoyable subjects in school?

Art (no surprises there, I guess), English Literature and Biology. Though oddly enough, my highest exam grade was in Religious Education.

 

10. If you could receive any gift from a good friend right now, what would it be?

I guess a good friendship itself is the most valuable gift ... though as good friendships mean accepting others as they are, if someone were of such a character to want and afford to lavish other presents upon me, well hell, it would be wrong to try and change their nature  :P

Eevee asks:"What doez Shah (Andy's cat) like the very most?"

Ha! Welcome to the online Cat-dating service! Tell Eevee, that Shah seems mighty contented with cuddles, combs, catnip, chilling and mad nocturnal spider-hunts. ;) Shah is a star. I love nature and animals but I do have an especial soft spot for cats.
(Shah is seen to the right)

11. What do you have coming up?

I've just signed a publishing contract for a book written by the author Karl Shuker, that is accompanied by full colour illustrations of mine. It is entitled 'Creatures of Shadow and Night' and should be available next year. I'm currently working on illustrating a book by another great writer Bob Curran, which is entitled 'Carnival of Dark Dreams' which is progressing really well and touchwood that should be available also in not too distant future. I have also been in conversation with both of these authors about other possible future collaborations and some very interesting ideas have arose.

Also planned for release either later this year or possibly into next, is the 'Cumbrian Cthulhu' anthology which is a selection of new 'Lovecraftian' weird fiction but set in the English Lake District. I have illustrated those stories as well as writing a number of my own for it. As well as being a really good read, all profits from this book will go in charitable donation to the organisation that deals with lake and mountain rescue in Cumbria.

I've also been asked to contribute a short story to a different horror tale anthology, which is planned for release at Christmas this year. So fingers crossed on all those projects.

If you'd like to learn about Andy Paciorek and see some

 of his artwork, check out the links below :D

https://www.facebook.com/TheArtofAndyPaciorek

http://www.blurb.com/user/store/andypaciorek

http://visionaryartgallery.weebly.com/andy-paciorek.html

http://www.batcow.co.uk/strangelands/

Prelude to the Interviews

This section of my blog is for interviewing artists from all over the world about their lives in their respective fields, but not exclusively.

The goals of these interviews are as follows:

• To promote art and artists worldwide
• To create avenues where people can learn about art and artists
• To share inspirational stories
• To show similarities and differences between individuals worldwide
• To keep myself out of trouble
• To make people smile

During each interview, I allow one question to be asked by my bratty kitten, Eevee. She always wants to be involved, but just doesn't quite understand the interview process.

*Note: I leave in all grammatical errors to show that everyone makes mistakes. *


If you, or anyone you know would like to be a part of this project, feel free to email me at:harmony.hawthorn@hotmail.com


(And please, don't be shy. I don't know all the artists in the world, so I need for you guys to come to me. I can only go so far on my own.)


All of the interviewees have volunteered their precious time for this, so please take the time to acknowledge them, if you're able to!
I'd like to thank everyone who has been interviewed for sharing a little piece of themselves for this project.

I hope you all enjoy the interviews you are about to experience.