ellie goulding - lights

i just think this song is so cool. ellie goulding is a british singer/songwriter with a lovely voice (her cover of Elton John's Your Song is just beautiful). i don't have anything to say about this song, really. i think it's cool, and that is all.

civil twilight

civil twilight is one of my favourite bands. and what makes them even cooler is that they're South African :) 
their sound is a little Coldplay, a little Muse, and a little something else that is just beautiful.


they are technically amazing (after seeing them live last year, i can vouch for this completely. the drummer and bassist - who is also the lead singer - are mind-blowing.), but they also just write such cool music. some of it is dark and intense, some of it is pretty and melancholic, and some of it is powerful and anthemic. i am a big fan of emotionally powerful music, and this band makes me feel, which is a good  thing :)


i don't know what more to say, really. civil twilight is that rare, wonderful thing: a technically skilled band which makes beautiful, appealing music. have a listen for yourself:

this is a slightly more commercial, but still lovely and oh-so-catchy song:

she and him

it sounds nostalgic, like a very pretty blast from the past. Zooey Deschanel's distinctive voice croons over oldies background music, and takes you to a different era completely. 


She and Him is an American duo consisting of actress Zooey Deschanel (who acted in 500 Days of Summer and Elf  - two of my favourite movies :)) and guitarist/producer, M.Ward. this music is not everyone's cup of tea; it's like being in a time warp, completely and utterly. it's sweet, melodic, delightfully cheesy at times: it takes you to an era when love and relationships were romanticised and innocent. 


i love listening to She and Him after a long day - it always relaxes me completely and puts a smile on my face. Zooey Deschanel's voice is just so easy on the ears, the harmonies are beautiful... i love it.

i just love the way they perform this song:

street art

it's loud, it's irreverent, it's controversial, and it's sometimes brilliant: it's street art.
the term "street art" refers to any artwork in a public place, and can range from graffitti and installation pieces to flash mobbing (which is pretty much the coolest thing in the whole world).

breaking the law generally doesn't sit well with me (this is a good thing, i think :), but i think that some street art is absolutely brilliant. many street artists nowadays are moving away from the meaningless and mindless business of "tagging", and creating thought-provoking, meaningful works of art which actually make a social or political statement. some of them are ridiculously clever, and some of them are ridiculously rude - it's amazing!

one of the most famous (in infamous) street artists in the world is British artist, Bansky. his identity is shrouded in mystery, which is understandable considering his line of work is not 100% legal. Banksy's art works are often witty and tongue-in-cheek, poking fun at the government or making serious social commentaries. i love his sense of humour, and his disregard for social norms. he's like a rebellious older sibling who you disapprove of slightly, but secretly admire.

LOVE this!

har har...

and here's some street art i found outside the KZNSA Gallery in Bulwer Road recently:

cool, huh?

street art brings out the rebel in us a little bit. but sometimes it's a good thing: it makes us stop and think about what we just accept as normal. it makes us question what is right and what is merely accepted. it makes us remember our ideals and dreams... so street art is a good thing.

hendrik stroebel

Hendrik Stroebel is awe-inspiring. he's a South African artist who specialises in ceramics and embroidery (when was the last time you heard of a fine artist specialising in  embroidery??). i lovelove ceramics, and so i went to his exhibition a couple of months ago... and it blew my mind. completely and utterly.

the embroidery was just so detailed, so skilled; he uses a needle and thread like a painter would use paint: it's simply amazing. my mum spent hours staring at these little cotton "paintings", murmuring in awe and pitying his fingers and eyes :) so the embroidery was lovely. but then we saw the ceramics, and my heart did a million little flips in my chest: they were beautiful. my words don't even do them justice (and neither do these pictures! sigh.)

there is something about delicate, pretty ceramics that makes me soso happy - and these were some of the prettiest ceramic works i've ever seen.



there was a whole wall of these turquoise-themed ceramic stars (some are missing because they were sold). i was in ceramic heaven!



so beautiful!

artists like hendrik stroebel make me want to make art. it's just so beautiful - even the simplest little ceramic star - and it brings so much joy.



how lovely is this frame?



like painting with cotton, right?

There's a reason classics are classics

(posted by roanne)

Jane Eyre is a classic story of love and self-discovery written by Charlotte Bronte (Emily Bronte's- author of Wuthering Heights- sister). One book critic writes that "Jane Eyre is the rare book that manages to be good by virtue of ineffable charm alone, despite not having very much going for it in terms of overall plot."

It is the story of a quaint, plain-looking  orphan girl named Jane Eyre. Of course, when a story like this is translated to Hollywood speak, it is: a quaint, beautiful-but-modestly-dressed orphan girl named Jane Eyre. Hollywood doesn't seem to grasp the concept of plain-looking too well. The recent movie, "Jane Eyre" starring Mia Wasikowska, was (understandably) dramatized to reach a less-than-patient audience of the 21st century. It did, however retain a sense of it's innocence and softness. All in all, the movie was good, with a surprisingly comprehensive structure of a could-be-all-over-the-place movie, where many flashbacks were necessary.

The book tracks Jane Eyre's life in a score masterfully written. It is both deep and intricate, but still captivating and fresh. Basically Jane is on a journey of discovering how to love and be loved while remaining true to herself. This journey takes her from Lowood, a school for girls, to working for a man named Mr Rochester ( who is described as physically unattractive as well, rather different from today's books) with whom she falls in love, involuntarily and irretrievably. Jane then encounters life and circumstances and has to choose being true to herself over her feelings.

I love that Charlottle Bronte makes that distinction between who you are and what you feel. This book is incredibly outspoken through its subtle characters and boldly states radical views on gender inequality (for the 19th century), religion and morality. There are some really cool quotes from this book. the kind of quote that would make you either: a) be confused, b) be awkward or c) think. Here's a quote from my favorite character, Helen Burns (a girl Jane meets at Lowood), "Hush, Jane! You think too much of the love of human beings."

I really like this book. Maybe you should try reading it, because maybe you'll see the work of art and skill that it is. Maybe you'll see the reason it's a classic.

tokyo-go-go

Tokyo-Go-Go is Greg Darroll. he is one of the coolest young illustrators/ graphic designers around, and he's from Durban :)

i just love his detailed, quirky drawings: they have so much character and spunk. his designs are creative and bold; he does not shy away from bright, vivid colours and strong lines. his characters are unique, slightly offbeat and distinctive... they almost have personalities of their own.

i just love these characters!

he also designs decks!

this is my FAVOURITE thing ever. these are money boxes! the mouths are the slots for your money... have you ever seen anything cooler in your life?

this is just amazing.

Greg is an example of a young person who is stepping out and using his creative gift, and making it happen. i love that.

if you want to check out more of his work, you can visit his blog here