♦ Art Appreciation Monday! ♦

Welcome to another Art Appreciation Monday!
Today I am very happy to spotlight a very special, talented artist, Oh Jessica Jessica!!
To my horror, I realized, it will actually be Art Appreciation Tuesday for Jessica by the time I post this! (Oops!)

Cityscape

Not only has she let me post some of her excellent artwork, like this lovely pastel city skyline, on my blog to share with you, but she has also included some behind the scenes pictures of Crochet Noir in the making!

Although, I cannot put the video directly on this blog post, if you click on the title "Crochet Noir", you will be taken to Vimeo where you can watch the short film in full.
Crochet Noir, is absolutely spellbinding, it breaks the fourth wall with it's crochet references and at times I completely forgot that I was watching stop motion crochet dolls! It has all the professionalism and quality of a big budget film, the only downfall of "Crochet Noir" is that it is devastatingly short!

Ariana: What's your name?
Jessica: Jessica Harris, but since it's two very common names, online I go by 'Oh Jessica Jessica'
 
Ariana: Are you human/boy/girl?
Jessica: I'm a lady.

Ariana: What Country/Planet/State are you from?
Jessica: From Australia, based in Melbourne at the moment.
 
Ariana: Do you have brothers/sisters/only child?
Jessica: I have one full sister, and three half sisters.
 
Ariana: Do you have any pets?
Jessica: No, never had any pets. I'm allergic to the fur.
Ariana: Do you have a favourite food/drink?
Jessica: Definitely chocolate. I have such a sweet tooth. And my favourite drink would have to be beer. 


Ariana: Birthday?
Jessica: Let's just say I'm a Virgo. And a Dragon.

 Cave

This picture holds SO many questions for me, I feel like there is an untold story that only, OhJessicaJessica, knows... I cannot help but be drawn back to look at this picture again and marvel at it's air of mystery and how the colours add to this effect!

 

  

Ariana: What inspires you most to draw?
Jessica: That's so tricky to answer! I don't know. It's just something that I've always done. I draw every single day.
 
Ariana: How do you cope with lack of inspiration?
Jessica: Oh that's funny, I'm feeling that way at the moment. Sometimes, I take a break, other times I try and push through it and try to produce something, anything, even if it takes a lot longer than normal. At the moment, I've decided to focus on something else (colouring things that I've finished inking) and it's helping.
 
Ariana: What are you currently using to create your art with?
Jessica: Right now I'm doing a lot on the cintiq. But still I draw my roughs with pencil on paper. When I paint I mostly use gouache and acrylics.
 
Ariana: Do you have a favourite media to draw with?
Jessica: Pencil on paper. It's so relaxing.
 
Ariana: Do you do custom artwork for people?
Jessica: Yes! I'm available for commissions. Feel free to contact me through my website ohjessicajessica.com
 
Ariana: Would you say the area where you live inspires some of your artwork? 
Jessica: I'd say my work is inspired by my life in Australia. The comics I'm writing at the moment have a lot of influence from growing up in Perth and how everyone knows everyone there.

Ariana: Do you feel like the place you live, or things that you've grown up with, influence your artwork?
Jessica: I don't know, but as far as my style is concerned, it's a melding pot of all the things I loved to draw when I was starting out. So a bit of Disney, some anime like Berserk and Cowboy Bebop, a lot of the Pre-Raphaelite artists, and also Edward Hopper and Jeffrey Smart.
 
Ariana: Your drawings are fantastic, what would you suggest for someone who is just beginning?
Jessica: Don't give up early on. A lot of people come into my work (I work in an art supply store) and explain how they're just starting drawing again after twenty or thirty years. They're always so nervous and scared about it, which is understandable, but I always think if they'd kept it up, even just casually, they could've used those decades to work on their skills and be much further ahead.

Belinda 

A character designed by, OhJessicaJessica! The facial expression and body language of this character is a key element in projecting an opinion about her, she seems shy or perhaps unsure about something.

Ariana: What is your current favourite finished work?
Jessica: I have a problem with finishing things at the moment. I would say my favourite thing I've done is all the Inktober pieces from last year. It was really exhausting but pushed me to create a lot in a really short amount of time. You can see them here: http://ohjessicajessica.com/inktober15/

 Inktober

 

These are just two of the many amazing Inktober illustrations that Oh Jessica Jessica created. There is so much sadness in the first picture of something lost, while in the second, the two women look so excited and curious! The contrast between these two pictures is not just emotional, but the colours too, while in the first we have mostly black and white, whereas the second with the two women has the pop of red in it too! 

Ariana: How long did it take you to get as good as you are?
Jessica: About twenty years. I'm still learning lots, and have areas that need improvement.
 
Ariana: How long does it take you to finish a picture?
Jessica: Depends. A sketch might only take half an hour. A fully inked piece can take a couple of hours, or a couple of days depending on the details. If there's backgrounds involved it takes a lot longer.
 
Ariana: Do you have a favourite thing to draw, movies, people, animals, etc.?
Jessica: Definitely people and faces. I really like drawing hands as well.
 
Ariana: When did you decide you wanted be an artist?
Jessica: Very seriously in the last year of primary school, grade 7. I used to have all these pictures of Meg from Disney's Hercules' blu-tacked on the wall in front of my desk. And I just really wanted to be an animator. I'd been drawing way before then, but I think that's when I really knew that's what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
 
Ariana: Do you have any interests outside of drawing?
Jessica: Yeah! I really enjoy cycling. I commute to work and it's become super addictive. I also like to sew and crochet. I made a film with crocheted puppets a while ago now called Crochet Noir. At the moment I'm making a blanket and it's taking forever.

Ariana: How long did it take you to make "Crochet Noir"?
Jessica: It was my graduate piece, so I made it in my last year of Masters at the Victorian College of the Arts. We had one year to create a short film. The first semester was mostly writing the script and designing the puppets. The puppets took the most amount of time. I had a lot of trial and error with how to put them together. And at one point the wire in Joe's arm snapped, so I had to remake that whole limb. The shoot was really intense, I think it was only six weeks. And we were still making sets in between scenes.

Ariana: For those who don't know what a film noir is, how would you describe it?
Jessica: Oh gosh that's hard. It's partly a visual style, the high contrast lighting, set at night mostly, but it's also got recurrent themes, such as emasculation, and the disillusionment of the American dream in a post-war era.

Ariana: "Crochet Noir" reminds me of the Maltese Falcon, (Joe made me think of Humphrey Bogart!) did you watch that film before/while working on "Crochet Noir"?
Jessica: I watched so much Bogart when I was doing research for this film. And because I was fan-girling over him a little, Joe slowly began to take on his features. Especially the eyebrows. My favourite Bogart film would have to be “In A Lonely Place”.

Crochet Noir - In progress! Here is a picture of Joe in the making, it's crazy to think that there were tiny skulls carved for these dolls (there is a picture one of the skulls used for the dolls below), when I look at them I don't think of them being filled with wire so they can bend, but they are and it's absolutely incredible!

Ariana: What inspired you for the plot? Did you think of it while watching a noir film?
Jessica: It was spawned from conversations with my partner, Adam. We were talking about this puppet I had made the year before, and since we're both fans of action/crime films we were joking about how weird it would be to have these cute puppets being really violent. The plot was something I struggled with, partly because I knew it would have to be concise as there's only so much you can accomplish in eight minutes of screen time. I also wanted there to be the themes of disconnection and entanglement (played up by the fact they're all made of yarn).

Ariana: How did you fix the eyes on the crocheted dolls? They're very lifelike, sometimes I forgot that I watching crocheted stop-motion dolls!
Jessica: They're actually doll eyes from Ball Jointed Doll supply websites. I used them because they were so lifelike. But designing the puppets heads was really tricky, because I had to make a socket for them to sit in and also be able to pivot around. I ended up carving a lightweight skull from balsa wood and smoothed the eye socket with some soft air dry clay. The eyelids were really tricky too, I molded them from plastic and painted them. I moved the pieces ever so slightly with a pin during the shoot.

Crochet Noir - In progress! The skull of one of the puppets, with the eye sockets already carved for those amazing realistic eyes!

Ariana: Do we get to look forward to a continuation of "Crochet Noir"?
Jessica: I really hope so! I've been thinking about the rest of the story in my down time. I'll begin writing it soon, and then it's just a matter of applying for funding.

 

Crochet Noir - In progress!  Joe is about to go into the cafe right here! It's so amazing how they worked this scene to where it really looked like a street. I can't believe there isn't really another building right in front of the cafe!

Ariana: How big are the dolls used in the stop-motion short, "Crochet Noir"?
Jessica: Not very tall. I think they were about 20-25cm in height. I couldn't make them too big as the sets would have been massive and the studio at school wouldn't have been large enough!

 

Crochet Noir - In progress picture! I always find it fascinating to look behind the scenes, and to see a work in progress like Crochet Noir, stop-motion is a very time consuming process and you have to be very careful not to move anything too drastically from scene to scene. 

Ariana: Did you teach yourself to crochet or did you take classes/learn from a friend?
Jessica: I taught myself. From a book on how to make amigurumi robots. I think it was called “Crobots”. They were super cute! I liked that book because the instructions were really simple and clear and easy for a beginner.

Ariana: How long did the dolls take the make?
Jessica: Months. They took the most amount of time, just because there were so many parts to stick together. Also, I had to make clothes for them and sew in the hair (I used embroidery thread for that and set it with hair gel). Then I had to make the mouths and eyebrows. They turned out really complex, which is what I wanted, so I could get a large range of expression.

Ariana: Did you sew the doll clothes with a machine or by hand?
Jessica: A little bit of both. I think the larger seams were on the machine, and then any details or small things were done by hand. The material for Joe's suit was a pain because it kept fraying. So there's a lot of glue in there too.

 

Crochet Noir - Costumes in progress! While this picture of dolls without their heads may look a little creepy, it is important to focus on the other details like the wardrobe of the dolls too. Notice how both dolls have different style shoes and aren't uniform, despite wearing the cafe uniform, they are both completely different individuals with different lives!

Ariana: Are you ever going to write any books? Or film scripts or something? I loved the plot line, it would be really amazing to see more films/or/read more of your work!
Jessica: I'm working on comics at the moment. Not in the same genre, these are mostly romantic comedies and slice of life stories. I've got quite a few of those written up and I'm in the process of inking the first short story called “All My Crushes”. I'm going to post them on Tapastic and also Tumblr when I start posting pages. And of course, I've got lots of other ideas I need to consolidate and start scripting, including the full story of “Crochet Noir”. There's just not enough hours in the day.
 
Ariana: How do you wind down after drawing? 
Jessica: Usually I would draw as a way to wind down before bed, but since I've been working a lot on the cintiq recently, I crochet to wind down. I find it helps to do something that doesn't involve staring at a screen to switch off.

Ariana: What would your advice to other artists be?
Jessica: Don't compare yourself to other artists. Just compare your work now, to the work you've done in the past, because it's always changing and evolving (and improving, although it may not feel that way). I've got all my old drawings from when I was in primary school up until now and it's really fun and rewarding (sometimes cringe-worthy) to look through them and see my progress. Everyone starts somewhere. 

 

My sincerest gratitude and thanks goes to OhJessicaJessica, who agreed so kindly to do this interview with me! Not only was she kind about my slowness on getting the questions to her, she also answered the additional questions (that I sent later on) about "Crochet Noir"!  She also sent me all the fabulous pictures of her artwork and the "In progress" pictures of Crochet Noir! 

OhJessicaJessica, is yet another wonderful inspiration that I hope you will all learn from, and that she'll inspire you to go out and make artwork of your own! 

Thank you so much for participating, OhJessicaJessica!

If you enjoyed OhJessicaJessica's artwork, you should visit her website here!

♦ Follow her on Instagram here! ♦

♦ Like her on Facebook here! ♦

 ♦ Follow her on Tumblr here! ♦

And keep a close eye on her tapastic page where she'll be posting comics in the near future! 

Eddie

Another one of the characters that, OhJessicaJessica, designed! This one is called, Eddie, and in contrast to Belinda, he seems to have a bit more confidence or is not in a situation where he is unsure of himself. Compare the two characters and while it is difficult to compare two people who are different in so many respects, it's really fascinating to see how OhJessicaJessica drew the facial and body expressions of these characters.

*****All the pictures/videos/artwork belongs to OhJessicaJessica!!!! There are links in blue which will direct you to the originals/and/webpages.**********
DO NOT USE ANY OF THE PICTURES/or/WRITTEN WORK POSTED HERE WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!!!!!
If you wish to contact OhJessicaJessica please click here.

♦ Art Appreciation Monday! ♦

Hello and welcome to another Art Appreciation Monday! 

It has been awhile since I've been on my blog, (apologies) but I've been busy, and as they say never ruin an apology with an excuse so...I'll leave you in suspense as to what I do. :)

This Monday I get to feature a band, it's my first time interviewing two people in one go, but I think it was absolutely amazing! I want to introduce you to:******drum roll*****

The extraordinary band, love+war and it's members, Ron Robinson lead guitar/production and Coury Palermo vocals/production!

Monument

With a beautiful music video to go along with it, love+war puts a new twist on Monument like you've never heard before, I cannot get their version of this song out of my head and it is like a wonderful pain- to hear this song over and over and over again in the dark of night and not be able to sleep because it is stuck in your head! 

Ariana: What's your name?
Coury: Coury Palermo

Ariana: What's the name of your band?
Coury: love+war

Ariana: How many members are in your band?
Coury: Two.  Ron Robinson & myself


Ariana: What Country/Planet/State are you from?
Coury: We are both from California and currently live in Nashville, TN

Ariana: Do you have any pets?
Coury: Yes.  A dog named Hank

Ariana: What is your favourite colour?
Coury: Olive/Army Green

Ariana: Do you have a favorite food/drink?
Coury: We are huge foodies in our house.  There are a few favorite spots in Nashville that always hit the spot: Favorite coffee shop: The Post.  Favorite Burger: The Pharmacy.  Favorite Pizza: Two Boots.  Favorite Dinner Spot: Lockland Table.  I’m a cappuccino/black tea with a baked good kind-of-guy.  That is comfort to me.
Ron: A perfectly cooked medium-rare New York Strip or Filet will do the trick at J Alexander’s here in South Nashville.  (along with their baked mac and cheese on the side) I’m a big fan!  For coffee it would be just a good French Pressed black coffee or a well-made espresso drink.  And finally, finishing off the day with Jameson on the rocks, or two, or….

Ariana: Favourite movie?
Coury: Too many to name.  A recent new favorite is "Wild".

Ariana: Favourite song?
Coury: Again - tough to name just one.  If I had to pick just one it would be "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These)" by the Eurythmics.
Ron: In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel)

Ariana: Favourite book?
Coury: Anything by David Sedaris or Maya Angelou (especially "Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey Now")

Ariana: Currently reading?
Coury: "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim"

Ariana: What inspires you most to sing and perform?
Coury: The melancholy in life inspires me the most.  Failures – the broken parts of us all.  I tend to be drawn to anything that punches you in the gut (emotionally).
Ron: It’s always something different. Whether it’s the place I’m performing, the material, or both. Even if it’s just a night in the studio, every time is different.  It can be needed therapy for daily life,  a chance to check out/escape from it or even “use it” for inspiration.


Ariana: How do you cope with lack of inspiration?
Coury: I write something everyday.  I can't say that I've ever "hit a wall" or not been inspired by life around me.  Now that doesn't mean what comes of it isn't total shit (most of the time), but I've been pretty lucky thus far :).  No writers block yet (knock on wood).
Ron: Most of the time I write with someone else (or multiple people) in the room. We’ll all start throwing around ideas we’ve had, or maybe just a line or 2 one of us has wrote down, then it’s off to the races.  When it’s multiple people writing it helps a lot with inspiration. Everyone is just feeding off each other.


Ariana: To return to singing...do you perform live anywhere?
Coury: We have yet to do a live show, but that is in the works for this fall.

Ariana: love+war released the album, Ghosts Volume One on Noisetrade, (Which is SUPER AWESOME!) Are you pleased at the response you've gotten from releasing the album?
Coury: Thank you!  Very pleased.  We were blown away by the response and are so excited to get some of our original music out there.
Ron: Very Pleased! It was more then I expected.  All of the re-posts and comments from people were so positive and inspiring.  I loved to hear how something that moved me in a certain way while working on it would move someone else in a different way. Music is powerful, and I love that people enjoy ours so far.

Ariana: Why did you choose the songs you did for the first volume of Ghosts?
Coury: Some were favorites (In Your Eyes), and others we just kind of stumbled upon (Monument).  We were finding our sound during the recording of Ghosts, and I feel like "Monument" really represents a piece of where we'd like to be sonically.  I’m a huge Robyn/Royksopp fan and had been singing that song in the car all summer.
We took a stab at a mellow, more “singer-songwriter” version – in an effort to show off the lyrics a little more.  I think there’s a tension in our version that wasn’t in the original; something a little more mournful.  I still bump the original on the regular – so good.
Ron: Sometimes they’re just favorite songs of ours. I believe we found a way to make these our own (arrangement/sound wise) while still paying homage to the original in some way.

Ariana: Why release the album Ghosts as free for download? Surely for all your hard work you ought to be paid for the time you spent on the songs.
Coury: It never hurts to have an "introduction" as a new band.  I think in today’s landscape you have to establish a conversation when you're "the new kid".  We wanted to give people a taste and let them know what they can expect on our proper debut.  I love what Noisetrade is trying to do for the community.  Partnering just felt like the right way to say, “hey, we’re here”.

Ariana: Of all the songs you've written/altered/sang/performed so far, which one is your favorite? Coury: There's a song off our forthcoming debut EP called "Lies" that I'm crazy about.  I've waiting my entire life to write and record a song like this.  To me it's like the first song I ever wrote.  This is the new “bar”.  I can't wait to perform it live.
Ron: I would imagine that’s like trying to say as a parent “I love this child more then that one” lol.  To be fair, there are “kids” who haven’t even been “born yet” or are still “in the womb/development” so how can I chose my favorite kid?? (*side note* that said, I love our “In your eyes” child the most of the “born children”)


Ariana: What would you suggest for someone who is just beginning with their musical career? Coury: Do it because you can't breathe without it.  If you want celebrity, fame, wealth or any of the other trappings that only diminish why we create - just stop and be ANYTHING ELSE.
Ron: 100%. Be yourself no matter what it is you bring to the table. Don’t imitate someone else’s sound or image. Your music needs to be “your” heartbeat.  Music fans are looking for the next “new thing” that will move them.  Why would I want to buy your CD when it sounds just like another one I already own? You know?

Ariana: You also change the feeling of popular songs in a way that, almost makes them a completely different song except for the lyrics, how do you begin re-writing the sound?
 Coury: A cover is not worth doing unless you can make it your own and somehow retain the familiarity of the original.  We tried to approach each song as if we were putting it on an album of ours.  Since we had yet to record an original "love+war" song when we began cutting Ghosts, it was a challenge to make sure we were staying true to what our sound would eventually be.  I never want to "make something sound a certain way" for the sake of appeal.  It's really about sitting down with your instrument and letting the song come out naturally.  That was the goal at least.

Ariana: What is something that you haven't gotten to do yet, but really want to do someday?
Coury: There is a venue in Nashville called the Ryman.  It's an old church that was converted into a concert hall.  I've watched the favorite shows of my life in that building.  It would be the ultimate dream to play there someday.
Ron: Absolutely agree on The Ryman. I would also like to take our original material and play live to audiences in different countries as well.

Ariana: Is there anyone you'd really, really want to sing/perform with in the future? Maybe even have a cameo in a film or show?
Coury: There are so many singers I would love to perform with.  I would have to say top of the list goes to Annie Lennox.  She has been my greatest influence.
Ron: Peter Gabriel AND Annie Lennox.  Other notables (not in any order) , Paul McCartney, Prince, Tony Bennett.
As for a cameo in a film or tv show, Well if things go south in the future “musically” you may see me on “Pawn Stars” selling all of my gear. Fingers crossed to never meet “The Old Man and Chumlee” at the pawn shop.

Ariana: Do you believe in trade secrets for your music, or would you help other musicians by sharing your knowledge?
Coury: I think everyone's journey is different.  I'm not sure there is a trade secret.  If there is, it's hard work and realizing you never stop learning.  There's never a "I finally arrived".  The quicker you learn that the better.
Ron: I don’t think there is a grand all trade secret (At least not for the music that I love to create and listen to). Then again, depending on what you want to do there may be. I guess if you want to go into music for the fame and just to be popular then your trade secret would be “Say yes to everything, be willing to do anything and be willing to be the puppet while someone else controls the strings. Ugh, that world of “music” just makes me ill, wait, not “music”, let’s just call it “entertainment”. It’s all about the money and the fame, not the art.

Ariana: When did you decide you wanted to get a group together and perform such soulful and beautiful covers?
Coury: It was a bit random.  Ron & I started writing together last summer after not seeing each other for a few years.  It was a gradually evolution into what has now become love+war.  I've never been more proud to work with someone in my life.  He's ridiculous.
Ron: It’s a mutual respect to start with. We work well together. We’ve worked on multiple albums in the past together but it was never “our own” project. Until now, It’s really exciting. Coury is honestly one of the best singers I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with.

Ariana: Do you have any interests outside of music?
Coury: I love to cook/bake. Travel.  I hope at some point to release a book of short stories and a collection of children's books.
Ron: I’ve always been a sports guy. I’ll pretty much watch it if it’s a sport.  Baseball is my favorite.

Ariana: What would you be doing now, if you hadn't pursued music?
Coury: I would more than likely do something in video production or photography.
Ron: Making more money then I do now. (that’s a joke… sort of) ha

Ariana: How do you wind down after a day of performing?
Coury: Sweats, food and the DVR (or Netflix).
Ron: Jameson on the rocks. And those pointless TV shows that help us all feel better about our own lives. Haha.

Ariana: What would your advice to other artists and singers/songwriters/musicians be?
Coury: Remember you’re different for a reason.  Be that and not what someone thinks you should be/sound like.

Ariana: Finally, can you give us any spoilers for your next song?!
Coury: We are three songs into our first collection of originals and two songs into our holiday EP.  Expect even more soul and maybe a song or two you would hear at the skating rink ;).

If you enjoyed this interview with Coury Palermo and Ron Robinson, and you would like to find out more about the band love+war visit their website here!

Follow them on Facebook, and Twitter!

You can listen to love+war on SoundCloud! 

Thank you so very much, Coury and Ron for taking the time to respond to my questions (and for their patience waiting for my questions!). I also want to thank them for their inspiration and their kindness to the community for creating such fantastic music for everyone to enjoy! 

*****All the pictures/videos/music belongs to love+war!!!! There are links in blue which will direct you to the originals/and/webpages.**********

DO NOT USE ANY OF THE PICTURES/or/WRITTEN WORK 

POSTED HERE WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!!!!! 

If you wish to contact love+war please click here.

♦ Art Appreciation Monday ♦

Welcome to Art Appreciation Monday, I'm really excited to present to you another brilliant musical guest this week! Not only is she a superb singer, but she writes original songs as well! She also sings covers of songs from popular shows like The Game of Thrones, NBC's Hannibal, Outlander and movies like Hunger Games, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and many more! I must confess I was spellbound when I first heard her lovely voice and songs and I shall continue to be so! May I present to you... Karliene!

Ariana: What's your name?
Karliene: My real name is indeed Karliene.
(It’s pronounced, Kar-leen)


Ariana: What Country/Planet/State are you from? 

Karliene: I think a lot of people think I’m from another planet because I’m a bit strange but I am actually from a lovely wee historical town called Dunfermline in Scotland.

Ariana: Do you have brothers/sisters/only child?

Karliene: I do have a beautiful little sister, Gemma. She’s 28 now and happily married with a gorgeous wee 2 year old daughter, my niece, Eleanor.

Ariana: Do you have any pets? 

Karliene: I have a very, very evil, naughty, sadistic rescue cat who was originally called Hercules but I renamed him Joffrey after the evil kid in Game of Thrones. He is a crazy wee man but I adore him to pieces as he gives me so many giggles every day. He is spoilt like most pet cats and he knows he can’t do no wrong. I think he plays on it if I’m honest.

Ariana: What is your favourite colour?

Karliene: Favourite colour is green. I think because it’s the colour of nature and life, plus it goes beautifully with red hair. If anyone wants to propose to me, do it with an Emerald ring and I’ll almost definitely say yes. ;-)


Ariana: Favourite movie?

Karliene: Gaaaaah, ok, this is a really hard question for me because I am a huge, huge movie lover and I tend to have a new favourite every couple of months. I guess I’ll just have to condense it down to the movies that really shaped my life and those would be ‘Labyrinth” with David Bowie ( best kids movie in the world with the best soundtrack ), James Cameron’s ‘Titanic” ( my sexual awakening I think ), Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy ( my birth into full-blown nerdism) and more recently, ‘A Royal Affair” with Mads Mikkelsen. I can’t even describe how beautiful and heartbreaking that last film is. I cried for about an hour after watching it and then wrote a song for it called ‘The Man I Loved” which is on my You Tube channel. It’s a really amazing movie.


Ariana: Favourite song? 

Karliene: Again, I don’t know if I can pick just one song in the world which I love because I have so, so many that all take me back to different moments in my life. I will say that my favourite music growing up was actually film music and anything by James Horner was always on loop. I loved his ‘Braveheart” score which still inspires me to this day. One song that I always loved was a haunting little Gaelic song sung on the Rob Roy soundtrack by Karen Matheson called ‘Ailein Duinn. It’s a really sad and gorgeous song that I was pretty obsessed with growing up. I actually just recently did a cover of it which is on my You Tube page.

Ariana: Favourite book? 

Karliene: Ah, this is easier. My favourite book will always be "Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt. It’s a stunning memoir of a an Irish catholic boy growing up in 1930’s Limerick in Ireland and I just love it. It’s funny, it’s sad, it’s inspiring, it’s everything you could want in a book. His second memoir called "‘Tis" about his time in New York is also a brilliant read. I can’t recommend those books enough.


Ariana: Currently reading? 

Karliene: I’m currently reading "Dragonfly in Amber" by Diana Gabaldon which is the second book in the Outlander series. It’s about a WWII nurse who mysteriously falls back in time to 1743 while on her honeymoon in Inverness, Scotland. There, she meets a rather gorgeous highland soldier called Jamie who she eventually falls in love with. These books are truly epic and addictive. Once I start reading, I can’t put them down.


Ariana: Do you have a favourite food/drink? 

Karliene: My favourite drink is chamomile tea when I’m recording because it soothes my vocal chords and helps me stay hydrated but on my days off, I love Coke Zero. I know... I know... it’s meant to be terrible for you but I love the stuff. It’s my drink of choice when I’m composing because the caffeine keeps me alert and energized. I also love Bubble tea which is huge here in Melbourne. I don’t even know how to describe it but it’s amazing and so moreish.

Ariana: Guilty pleasures?

Karliene: Oh ok, my guilty pleasures. I have a few but the ones I’m willing to admit are binge-watching Netflix while eating chocolate. I’m quite a lover of baking so I like to bake something nice for the weekend and then I shamelessly consume it all while snuggled up in front of the tv with my cat. Like most girls, I’m addicted to chocolate so anything with chocolate in this house is usually mine. I actually have stashes of chocolate hidden in my bedroom so Nick can’t get it. I’m terrible.


Ariana: Birthday?

Karliene: My birthday is January 14th.

Become The Beast

In this song the dark chords of the piano enhanced by the light plucking of the violin strings in the background blend beautifully with Karliene's hauntingly light voice. Her original lyrics capture the theme and feeling in the NBC Hannibal series, as well as the character's personalities. The line, "So look in the mirror and tell me what do you see? Is it still you or is it me?" This is so true for anyone who has seen the series! 

Ariana: What inspires you most to sing? 

Karliene: Inspirations tend to come from something I’m obsessed with. It can be a tv show, a movie or a book or it can even be another song. If I’m emotionally invested in something and I get that prickly feeling up the back of my neck then I tend to want to make music about it. It’s my way of channeling all those emotions and it’s really fun.


Ariana: How do you cope with lack of inspiration?
Karliene: If I’m going through an inspiration slump ( which happened very recently, actually after I released Thunderdome ) then I actually think the best way to deal with it is to get away from the piano and the mixing stuff. I like to take a break, go do some shopping or some baking or just get out for a few days and enjoy being outdoorsy. Inspiration always returns easily if I don’t force it. It’s not something that can be commanded really.

Ariana: To return to singing...to perform live anywhere? 

Karliene: No, I’m afraid the live stuff isn’t on the cards right now due to how inconsistent my voice still is with my LPR. I am hoping though that I don’t have this forever and that one day I can do some small tours. I keep getting invited to various conventions and festivals around the world and it kills me to have to turn them down for now. It would be great to sing for my fans and meet them face to face, what an amazing experience that would be.

Ariana: Is it frightening or exciting to upload a new song to YouTube? 

Karliene: I do still get very, very anxious when I upload a new song as I’m such a perfectionist and a worrier. I sometimes feel like I’m having a mini heart attack it can be so nerve inducing. I guess because making music is such a personal thing, even with my covers, I get very, very emotional when I perform them and really bare my soul. When I’m uploading something new, it kinda feels like I’m about to walk out on a stage with no clothes on. It’s that kind of fear. You just feel very naked for that first bit and then when everyone starts commenting, all that fear and anxiety turns into one big head rush. It’s like climbing off a roller coaster and having that amazing, adrenaline rush where you’re just so happy you did it and it makes you want to do it all over again. It’s quite an addictive feeling.


Ariana: Of all the songs you've written/sang so far, which one is your favourite? 

Karliene: As I said before, I think of all my songs as my babies really and I don’t know if I really have a favourite as they’re all quite special to me. At a push, I think I’d say ‘The Dornishman’s Wife” as it felt like I’d really found my style with that song and I so enjoyed making it. I think it’s my partners favourite song too. As for a song I’ve written and produced myself, I’d say my recent ‘Become the Beast” because it was so challenging to write something for Hannibal who is such a deeply complex and fascinating character. I had to really, really push myself with that one but I loved how it came out. I’m really proud of that song.

Ariana: What would you suggest for someone who is just beginning with singing/songwriting? 

Karliene: I say this to everyone who comes to me for advice on singing and making music, get yourself on You Tube. I started uploading with nothing but a web cam, using the web cam mic, my klunky old keyboard and Reaper which is a really cool, free music editing program. My sound wasn’t great back then but people were really complimentary on my music and my style and I started to grow my audience. That’s how it all started for me, nothing fancy at all. You really don’t need much, just a lot of heart and passion for what you do. You Tube is such a great platform to start on so that’s really the best advice I can give. Get on You Tube and start singing.

Ariana: I understand that you write a lot of your songs, which are always beautiful and so inspiring, how do you begin writing a song? 

Karliene: Again, this answer will probably go back to question 12, everything I write, compose or create is born out of some kind of obsession. If I love something, I’ll start writing and hearing melodies in my head long before I’ve even sat down at my piano. Sometimes I’ll watch a movie and I’ll have to pause and quickly record a melody or a verse or something on my phone so I don’t forget it. It all happens really naturally for me really. My best songs tend to write themselves, I feel like I’m just being told what to write by something deep inside me, I’m not sure how to explain it.

Ariana: The lyrics for your songs always describe and fit very well with your subject matter, how do you fit those puzzle pieces together, do you use a rhyming dictionary, or what? 

Karliene: Oh and yes, the website, Rhymezone is my best friend when I’m writing. I also use a thesaurus a lot to try and come up with cooler words or ways of saying something. I like to play around as much as possible when I’m writing to try and get the best lyrics I can. I don’t think of myself as a particularly strong lyricist, just someone who loves telling stories. I think I’m more about creating moods and scenes than anything else.

Ariana: Also, what makes you pick which series/movie/book you're going to write your songs from? 

Karliene:  I don’t pick them, they tend to pick me. If I’m all emotional and obsessed with something, be it a movie or a book or a tv show, music will always come to me.

Ariana: What is something that you haven't gotten to do yet, but really want to do someday? 

Karliene: Long before I got into singing, I used to do a lot of acting and theatre musicals. I’ve always wanted to play Nancy in Oliver but never got my chance. I auditioned for her once back home but I was told I was too young at the time. I’m 30 now so I feel like I need to try again. That’s the role of a lifetime for me, I love her and I love that musical.

Ariana: Is there anyone you would really, really want to sing/perform with in the future? Maybe even have a cameo in a film or show?

Karliene: I’d love to have a song on the end credits of a Game of Thrones episode. That’s a pretty big dream but it would totally blow my mind if that came true. I love that show and those books so much.

Ariana: Is there anything you would go back and change in your musical career? 

Karliene: I don’t think so. I think I have been incredibly blessed and lucky in this musical career so far. I can’t believe I’m making a living out of something I love so much. It’s incredible.

Ariana: I saw on your previous Q&A video that you make your songs on the computer program- Mixcraft pro six, what is that essentially?
Karliene: Mixcraft is a music editing software for recording, editing and producing. It’s brilliant and so easy to learn and I always recommend it to new musicians and singers because it’s so affordable and fantastic. I’ve been using it for about 5 years and I doubt I’ll ever switch to anything else.

Ariana: Do you believe in trade secrets for your music, or would you help other musicians by sharing your knowledge?
Karliene: Oh I’m not a trade secret kinda girl, I think it’s lovely to help other singers and musicians. If anyone ever knocks on my door for help, I’m always happy to do what I can. Sharing tips is brilliant and if other musicians didn’t share them with me back in the day, I wouldn’t know some of the great things I know now. There’s so much I’ve learnt from others and I’m so grateful to them for helping me evolve and fine-tune my sound.

Ariana: When did you decide you wanted to sing?

Karliene: I’ve been singing all my life since I was a wee lass in love with Ariel from ‘The Little Mermaid”. I used to try and mimic her singing style all the time with ‘Part of Your World”. I don’t think singing was ever a decision in my life, just something I’ve always loved doing. It’s always been something that makes me so happy.

Ariana: Do you have any interests outside of music?
Karliene: I love to draw and act and I also love baking and playing a lot of video games. I’m lucky that I have a lot of hobbies that I can indulge in when I run out of musical inspiration. I love sleeping…is that a hobby?

Ariana: Yes, sleeping is a great hobby. :)


Ariana: What would you be doing now, if you hadn't pursued music? 

Karliene: I really don’t like to think. I mean I wanted to be an actress but that’s such a difficult and punishing career to try and get into. I really think I’d have ended up working with animals in some way. They bring me a lot of joy so I think that would be a nice career move.

Ariana: How do you wind down after a day of performing/singing?

Karliene: Video games, baking, lots of chocolate and movies. That’s my absolute favourite way to relax.

Ariana: Finally, can you give us any spoilers for your next song?! 

Karliene: Oh and music spoilers. I do have a few ideas that I’m pondering but I’ll give you one definite one. I’m planning on doing a cover of ‘A Hero Comes Home” by Idina Menzel from Beowulf. It’s been a very highly requested one over the years so I’m going to actually record it in the next week or two.

The King Beneath The Mountains

The next song I must share is Karliene's adaption of J.R.R. Tolkien's song, not only are the lyrics beautiful, but the tune that Karliene has set to this masterful set of lyrics is haunting. While I don't want to give away spoilers for the final Hobbit film, I do want to say hearing Karliene's song makes me very thoughtful, because the song brings to mind what could have been.  The deep and melancholy instruments in the background, make this a truly enchanting piece.

♦

Please support Karliene by purchasing her music on Itunes, CdBaby, Loudr, Amazon and GooglePlay!

♦ 

Follow Karliene on Twitter, Like her page on Facebook, subscribe to her channel on Youtube, listen to some of her songs on SoundCloud, or visit her website!

♦

I really want to thank Karliene, for her kind and considerate answers to all my questions. (For putting up with my late reply to her email, and being such an absolute darling about it!) ♥ I cannot thank her enough for her time, not to mention her contribution to the community of artists, and especially for her music because it is as much of an inspiration as she is! :)

The Song of the Seven

I could not help but add a final song by Karliene, and trust me it was so difficult picking a final one! I wanted to add many, many more....so if you enjoy these as much as I do, please check out Karliene's links above and let her know! :) 

*****All the pictures/videos/music belongs to Karliene!!!! There are links in blue which will direct you to the originals/and/webpages.**********

DO NOT USE ANY OF THE PICTURES/or/WRITTEN WORK 

POSTED HERE WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!!!!! 

If you wish to contact Karliene please click here.

♦ Art Appreciation Monday! ♦

Hello and welcome to another Art Appreciation Monday!

I hope all of you had a lovely holiday weekend! For this Monday I have been very fortunate in interviewing the remarkably talented costume designer and seamstress behind Olivanders Creations! Olivia not only designs costumes that she dreams up, she also makes replicas of film costumes! 

I have always been amazed at the amount of work that goes into sewing a dress. Can you imagine the work in a dress like this? This black and white masquerade dress with hand made silk roses is an original design by Olivia and gives only a glimpse into the talent in this amazing designer's mind. 

Ariana: What's your name? 

Olivia: Olivia

Ariana: What Country/Planet/State are you from? 

Olivia: Kentucky, but I'm pretty sure it was the result of a stork with a broken GPS. 

Ariana: Do you have brothers/sisters/only child?

Olivia: 5 sisters. No brothers. #4 out of 6...I suffer from severe middle-child syndrome. 

Ariana: Do you have any pets? 

Olivia: 3 precious kitties, 2 stinky dogs, 1 fluffy Tribble (angora dwarf rabbit), and a random assortment of fish.

Ariana: What is your favourite colour? 

Olivia: Depends on what it's going to be on and if glitter is involved. 

Ariana: Favourite movie? 

Olivia: Depends on my mood, but usually the Little Mermaid.

Ariana: Favourite song? 

Olivia: Depends on my mood and how close the deadline of a project is.

Ariana: Favourite book? 

Olivia: Catherine Called Birdy by Karen Cushman

Ariana: Currently reading?

Olivia: The script for Into the Woods

Ariana: Guilty pleasures? 

Olivia: Hah! Way too many to list. 

Ariana: Do you have a favourite food/drink? 

Olivia: Depends on my mood. 

Ariana: Birthday?

Olivia: Cake.

Olivia creates costumes for theatre plays like this production of Les Misérables. Each character must be unique and different as well as still being accurate to the historical period of time! She has done numerous productions including: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Treasure Island, Charlotte's Web, The Hobbit, 101 Dalmations, A Christmas Carol,(which was completed in under three weeks), High School Musical, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown and this spring she is making the costumes for Into the Woods!

Ariana: What inspires you most to create such lovely sewn masterpieces? 

Olivia: Usually the design itself. If the design of a garment or project doesn't get me excited, I struggle to make it work.

Ariana: How do you cope with lack of inspiration? 

Olivia: It depends on the situation. Caffeine helps when I'm struggling to push through a project and music or talking things through with the kitties or the hubby helps when I'm struggling with a design issue. 

Ariana: Are you open to commissions? 

Olivia:Yes. Check out www.olivanderscreations.com

Ariana: Is there anything you would not want as a commission? 

Olivia: I don't have the skills required for spandex or latex fitted bodysuits. My talents lie with the fluffy and fabulous. 

Ariana: What would you say, is one of your favorite fashions to create? 

Olivia: BIG AND FLUFFY! Oh, and SPARKLY!

Ariana: Best fabric to work with? 

Olivia: Silk Shantung 

Ariana: Worst fabric to work with? 

Olivia: Ugh...Linen or Organza...

Ariana: Of all your masterpieces so far, is there one that sticks out to you- as a favourite? 

Olivia: My Giselle Wedding Dress from Enchanted. That dress involved a ton of research and hand-painting and I couldn't be more proud of how it turned out. 

Ariana: What would you suggest for someone who is just beginning to sew, or embark in the world of art in general? 

Olivia: Find something that inspires you. You can tackle "easy" projects, but if you're not excited about them, then you'll struggle with the learning process because you don't want the end result as bad.

Ariana: Are there any blogs, or books that you would recommend to other artists out there? 

Olivia: It would really differentiate based on your medium.  

Ariana: What is something that you haven't created yet, that you really want to? 

Olivia: Oh, *tons* of stuff. Costumes, paintings, drawings, shoes, home projects....you name it. 

Ariana: What is your favorite thing to sew?

Olivia: Skirts. Especially skirts with ruffles. 

Ariana: When did you decide you wanted to start sewing such beautiful creations? 

Olivia: I was 13 and was inspired by the Lord of the Rings movies because I wanted those dresses for myself. 

Ariana: Do you have any interests outside of sewing? 

Olivia: I dabble in anything that perks my interest. 

Ariana: Roughly, how long does it take you to sew something, start to finish? 

Olivia: THAT depends on the project. 

Ariana: How do you wind down after a day of sewing? 

Olivia: Usually, I  pass out from exhaustion. Creating art, with any medium, is a physically and emotionally exhausting process. 

Ariana: What are you currently working on at the moment? 

Olivia: Wardrobe for the entire cast of the Bowling Green High School Production of Into the Woods

Ariana: What would your advice to other artists be? 

Olivia: Don't let self-doubt or negativity bring you down. Surround yourself with loving and supporting people and create what you feel. 

Olivia's pride and joy, Giselle's Wedding dress from Disney's Enchanted! This gown was completely hand-painted, which requires a lot of patience and practice! This dress is so gorgeous with the front ruffles and hand-painted details, the amount of time and work truly makes this dress something special! 

I would very much like to thank Olivia of Olivanders Creations for her participation in Art Appreciation Monday, I know this is a very busy time of year for her with the upcoming production of Into The Woods, and I appreciate the time she took to share her wisdom with us on sewing and dreaming up her beautiful creations! 

I am always so blessed and excited that I have so many talented and unique artists who participate in Art Appreciation Monday and I hope you, the reader are enjoying Art Appreciation Monday as much as I am! :) 

Discover more about Olivanders Creations on the website!

Follow Olivanders Creations on Twitter!

Follow Olivanders Creations on Facebook!

Follow Olivanders Creations on Pinterest and Instagram too!

Check Ebay and Etsy for listings from Olivanders Creations!  

*****All the pictures belong to Olivanders Creations!!!! 

There are links in blue which will direct you to the originals/and/webpages.**********

DO NOT USE ANY OF THE PICTURES/or/WRITTEN WORK POSTED HERE WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!!!!! 

If you wish to contact Olivanders Creations please click here.