Black Magic

INTERMISSION

Looks like My Soul x

DI∆MOND ST∆R

INTERMISSION

CHANEL

PARIS ÉDIMBOURG MÉTIERS D'ART 2012/13

Linlithgow Palace, KIrkgate Linlithgow, West Lothian Scotland

Gorgeous clothes and setting but shame about the music.

Dashi Namdakov: A Nomad's Universe

“I would like to understand Buryat and Buddhist tradition rationally, yet I believe something within me knows it better than I do." Dashi Namdakov

Dashi Namdakov lives in the South Eastern part of Russian Siberia near the absolutely magnificent Lake Baikal, the world’s cleanest and biggest fresh water container - one of the Worlds Natural Heritage Sites. The local people Buryats believe the Lake to be sacred.

Dashi was born in 1967 in a small Buryati village near the Russian Chinese border. His father was a well-known craftsman in the village who was famous for his versatile abilities to make things with his own hands furniture, metal handles and even carpets. His wood-carved sculptures of buddhist gods and tangkas (Buddhist icons) were installed in monasteries. So, from early childhood the kids learnt different skills through helping their father.

This is the atmosphere Dashi has grown up in and by the time he became a young man he had a good command of various manual skills. But at the age of 15 Dashi suddenly got very sick and for 7 long years no doctor could heal him. The boy was near the death's door.

Finally the parents found themselves at a shaman who found the cause of the sickness. It was the negligence that people show to their roots, their predecessors and their names. She made her ritual. Incredible enough but the pain stopped instantly. And 7 days later Dashi was in another city looking for a job. That shaman predicted that Dashi would see a huge success due to his ability to observe the beauty of the surrounding world and to recreate it in metal.

He moves to Ulan-Ude, Buryati central city and starts his carrier in the workshop of the locally well-known sculptor G.Vasilyev. In 1988 Dashi is admitted to the University of Fine Arts in Siberian Krasnoyarsk city. This is where Russian famous artists Lev Golovnitsky, Yuri Ishkhanov, Azat Boyarlin and Eduard Pakhomov taught him the academic art.

After graduation in 1992 Dashi returns to Ulan-Ude. In the year 2000 after his first personal exhibition in Irkutsk it becomes clear that a new star was born in the world of arts. The exhibition came as a furore to the art establishment. The first exhibition was followed by other successful venues in Russia and other countries.

The mysterious images often haunt Dashi during nights when the consciousness is in transition to another world inhabited by celestial creatures and spirits. Dashi scrupulously renders these visions to the paper for him not to forget - and then the night dreams are imprinted in bronze or silver.

Dashi's sculptures belong to other, remote worlds where the man and the cosmos are one, where every single thing is an integral part of the universal construction each having its own individual place and yet constantly reincarnating. This is the oriental idea of the world seeing beauty in the fragile harmony of things and fearing to break this beauty with an awkward move.

This is why old shamans talk to the spirits and heal people in Dashi's world. His old warrior does not look barbaric at all rather he is tired and wise. However one feels that his wisdom does come from a lot of pain. Knowing the real cost of the victory the warrior becomes wise and thus more humane than anybody else. Dashi's women are sensual but shy in the oriental manner. Looking at a wild fallow deer how can anyone fail to see a beautiful girl? If one takes a close look at the world around he must be able to see its beauty.

"The Creator is wiser than you", - say Dashi's sculptures.- "If you take the world as it is its secret beauty will come out to you".

"My Grandpa was a very gifted story-teller. He knew a lot of legends and stories about Buryats. And I remember them with my bones, inwardly. This feeling is very strong and more on subconscious level. I would like to understand Buryat and Buddhist tradition rationally, yet, I believe, something within me knows it better than I do. My teacher at the Art School was Lev Golovnitsky, a very fine and good Russian sculptor. And he helped me to appreciate and understand the art of sculpture and world tradition. And I am a student of Michelangelo and Bourdelle, Bruegel and Old Japanese art. And I am also myself. " (Dashi Namdakov).

Text above from Halcyon Gallery,

I have always been fascinated by Nomadic Tribes and the lands of Mongolia , Siberia, Russia and central Asia. Especially their traditions and mystical faiths of Shamanism and storytelling. Dashi Namdakov has managed to capture all of these things and more in his incredible sculptures, paintings and jewellery design. This is is his first solo show in the UK, The collection includes 45 sculptures and drawings created by the artist over last 12 years and showcases the artist’s extraordinary craftsmanship and highly original style which combines traditional spiritual imagery with present day realities, make sure to also go and see this and the sculpture in Marble Arch. Out of this world.

Thank you Halcyon Gallery for bringing us such a magnificent talent,

16th of May-7 July 2012

Halcyon Gallery

144-146 New Bond Street

London

Photos sourced via,

www.halcyongallery.com

www.dashi-art.com

www.khankhalaev.com

Dora Daar

The Creative Duo Anndra Neen

Annette and Phoebe Stephens of Anndra Neen Via Dossier Journal

Anndra Neen Collection via Fallow

Coral Necklace via Couturelab London

Hiroshi Suzuki via Adrian Sassoon London

Shell Choker via Couturelab London

 Pieces by Modernist Jeweller Art Smith 1917-1982

Anndra Neen Birdcage Brass & Alpaca via Milk Made

Tequila Shot Spiking The Sun via Chris Knight

Anndra Neen Clutch via Fallow

Aztec Inspired Patters at Balmain

Trojan Horse Anndra Neen Show

Anndra Neen Telescope via Shop Grey Area

Hiroshi Suzuki via Adrian Sassoon

Anndra Neen Cage 2

Andraa Neen via Erin Jeen

Pre- Colombian Nose Ring

On my Birthday I received a beautiful piece from Anndra Neen,  I wear all the time and get so many compliments.I had seen the pieces before and really admired them, there is a native and modern feel about them which marry together exceptionally well.

You can see their influences of their own culture, the Beautiful and stylish Sisters Annette and Phoebe Stephens were born and raised in Mexico City where they have their pieces made in their workshop by artisans , Mexico is known for its ancient craftsmanship especially in silver, but these pieces are not made out of sterling silver which would weigh a ton and be extremely expensive, Anndra Neen collection is made of Alpaca a alloy metal that is coated in silver , it is light but yet has substance and has a beautiful finish to it. So much better than feeling like you have a ton of bricks around your neck.

The sisters have a very mixed and creative cultural family , their grandmother was a well known artist and their grandfather was a avant-garde composer, so they grew up a home filled with creative people. The influence of these collections come from all their travels especially Japan where their idea was born into fruition, the Japanese are gifted with creating incredible work with silver, but you can also see their inspiration of Pre-Colombian , Tribal , French Medieval Armour and Modernist jewellery as I have shown in some of the pictures.

Keep it up ladies and Viva Mexico  xo

You can buy Anndra Neen at www.couturelab.com which based out of London and ships worldwide.

Farewell Baroness Thatcher

Baroness Thatcher in 1974 by Terry O'Neill

October 13 1925 – 8 April 2013

"Any woman who understands the problems of running a home will be nearer to understanding the problems of running a country." 1979, the year she became prime minister.

Read All About It

I love books, it would be so wonderful to have my own library but with a built in database that curates your books according to the choices you put in and of course then delivers them to you onto your coffee table with a butler to make you drinks.

Back to reality, I have selected a variety of choices all of them which intrigue me for different reasons, some for its images others for their design aspects, others to learn something and some are from my favorite Authors. There are so many to choose from so am sure I will do several of these postings.

All books are available at the following sellers,

www.amazon.com

www.rizzoliusa.com

www.barnesandnoble.com

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Saluti da Capri

Arrivo!! Photo via Google

Ave Ceasar Photo Vision of Splendor

Il Mare Slim Aarons

Love the signs...One of these is my Hotel.. photo via Tumblr.

Capri Style 1970's by Slim Aarons

Pink Heaven photo via Tumblr

Mama Mia the best plate of Pasta in the world! Photo by Vision of Splendor

Long beautiful walk to Marina Piccola Via Krupp..

Nothing to do with Capri...but David Gandy looks Italian and dresses beautifully like the men did in the past..and basically no need to explain. Bello

A room with a view, blue and green...photo by Vision of Splendor

Bella Marisa in Capri 1970's by Slim Aarons. This is how I wish I looked on the beach.

Capri Traditional "gozzi"...me on this very soon.

Arrivederci London! On my way to the magic of Capri sun, sea, beauty, Amore and mangare mangare and mangare. xo

Happy New Year 2012

A new dawn is here, may it be  blessed, may you have the strength and courage to make the changes you always wanted to make, may your dreams come true and your spirit soar. Remember you are not alone, 2012 here we come! Happy Happy New Year to you all! With Love xoxo

"Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself."

Rumi