Eggs – AmeliasMagazine

Amelia’s Magazine | Easter 2013: Illustrated

I don’t know about you but this feels like the least Eastery Easter for many years: normally the weather is becoming properly spring-like and the daffodils are blooming in abundance. In 2013 though, it still feels like the depths of a ridiculously long, cold, wet winter: and many animals are suffering due to the prolonged cold weather: sheep and lambs have been buried in snow drifts across the country, hedgehogs and other hibernating animals are unable to wake up because the weather is not warm enough yet, many birds and insects are unable to find food because the plants on which they feed are not yet in bloom and seabirds such as puffins are dying of starvation because they can’t eat enough to keep up their energy and keep themselves warm. And on that sobre note I present to you these Easter illustrations: all of them focused on pagan symbols that have been part of spring equinox celebrations the world over for thousands of years. Let’s hope new beginnings arrive soon.

Easter Bunnies by Katie Eberts.

Easter Bunny by Ruth Joyce 2013
Easter Bunny by Ruth Joyce.

Easter Drawing by Holly Maguire.

Garden of Eden by Lucy Bishop.

Easter Illustration by Constance Posey.

Easter-by-Sylwia-Szyszka
Easter by Sylwia Szyszka.

Easter Bunny by Jo Chambers.

Easter by Madi Illustration.

Easter by Jo Rose (Dear Little Forest)
Easter by Jo Rose (Deer Little Forest).

easter by Benjamin Phillips.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday March 28th, 2013 10:04 pm

Categories ,2013, ,Benjamin Phillips, ,Bunnies, ,Chicks, ,Constance Posey, ,Daniel Alexander, ,Deer Little Forest, ,Easter, ,Eggs, ,Holly Maguire, ,illustration, ,Jo Chambers, ,Jo Rose, ,Katie Eberts, ,Lucy Bishop, ,Madi Illustration, ,Pagan, ,Rabits, ,Ruth Joyce, ,Studio Legohead, ,Sylwia Szyszka

Amelia’s Magazine | Half Japanese and The Lovely Eggs at Scala, Kings Cross: An illustrated review by Slowly the Eggs

Half Japanese 'Fire in her Eyes' by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs
Half Japanese ‘Fire in her Eyes’ by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs.

One Tuesday evening at the end of last month I found myself going along to the Scala at King’s Cross to listen to punk rock band Half Japanese supported by The Lovely Eggs and Let’s Wrestle mainly because the name I have given to my illustrating activity is Slowly The Eggs – as good a reason to go to a gig as any other, right?

The Lovely Eggs by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs.

I have not managed to discover why the band The Lovely Eggs – a husband and wife indie rock band from Lancaster – think that eggs are lovely or think of themselves as eggs who also happen to be lovely, but I can tell you the reasons why I chose Slowly The Eggs as my aka title.

Half Japanese 'Red Dress' by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs
Half Japanese ‘Red Dress’ by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs.

Slowly The Eggs is what my native Greeks would say when faced with a slightly sticky situation perhaps in an effort to put things in perspective – it loosely means ‘relax’ – undeniably a useful, philosophical catchphrase to keep in your pocket and use as widely as possible. Admittedly I also chose the phrase due to a little obsession with eggs – my Fine Art degree show featured a section within an installation filled with dyed red eggs which I stepped onto and broke during a performance; it felt good, but do not ask me what it meant – and the fact eggs seem to have a cosmic significance and an infinite potential, they are a beginning. And then of course there is the fascinating debate concerning the chicken and the egg.

The Lovely Eggs by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs.

I was pleasantly surprised to find, however, that The Lovely Eggs did not only share with me a soft spot for eggs but also one for the general use of food in their art – they sang about it, they chatted and joked about it in between songs, and I love to use food in my collages. In fact, it turned out that The Lovely Eggs were my favourite of the three bands that played, with Let’s Wrestle unfortunately leaving no significant trace in my memory other than a numb feeling of dislike and Half Japanese humorously adding with some of their lyrics to the food related imagery conveyed through the evening – one of their songs I enjoyed most was titled Cherry Pie. Here are a few illustrations inspired by the evening and some of the words in the songs.

Half Japanese 'Cherry P-eye' by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs
Half Japanese ‘Cherry P-eye’ by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs.

Written by Maria Papadimitriou on Wednesday June 29th, 2011 1:14 pm

Categories ,Cherry Pie, ,Eggs, ,Fine Art, ,gig, ,Greek, ,Half Japanese, ,Kings Cross, ,Lancaster, ,Let’s Wrestle, ,Maria Papadimitriou, ,review, ,Scala, ,Slowly the Eggs, ,The Lovely Eggs

Amelia’s Magazine | Art Car Boot Fair 2011 returns for the Apple Cart Festival in Victoria Park

Art Car Boot Fair 2011 review-all photography by Amelia Gregory
Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

It amazes me that I’ve never been to the Art Car Boot Fair before… but there you have it, buy this year was my very first time, despite it’s proximity to my home. I think I may have been inadvertently put off by the hype surrounding limited editions by very famous artists, sold out of the boots of (sponsored) cars to the desperate queueing hoardes.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011 review- Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
But if you could put aside the hoopla there was a lot of very interesting stuff to see and buy, especially by lesser known up and coming artists and collectives… here’s some of my favourite discoveries.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Renegade ceramicist Carrie Reichardt was there, selling amusing tiles and bastardised royal plates. Love her stuff – she’s invited me over to her studio in West London, so hopefully I will find the time to visit soon.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
On stage Hot Breath karaoke entertained as Tranny Tarot predicted the future.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Over the way there was face painting for trendy art kiddies, and adults. With some impressive and unusual results.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Holly Freeman was selling a Pint of Art for just a fiver. Pints of liquid in various guises, sold as art, was a fashionable theme.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Billy Childish was selling crumbled limited editions out of a large metal trolley. Here seen chatting to Gavin Turk.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
I particularly liked the recycled wall plaques of self taught artist Cliff Pearcey – tribal wooden faces created from found objects: old chopping boards, keys and hinges given a new lease of life.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Busty Babes on Bank Letters was a real winner – how to turn debts into cash. Kelly-Anne Davitt persuaded at least one of my party to help her out with that mission. Here she is seen celebrating a sale to Gavin Turk.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. The Girls All photography by Amelia Gregory.
I finally had the chance to meet The Girls, who were posing for pictures beside the boot of their car which featured a carefully curated exhibition of postal memorabilia. POSTED celebrates the dying art of letter writing.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Things best ignored: Gavin Turk‘s eggs. (I mean, really. I would break it straight away. Or eat it by mistake.)

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Tracey Emin in dark glasses doing a book signing. Bovvered.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Good stuff: I picked up a lovely signed print from David David. A real bargain that.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
A man with a rainbow umbrella.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Ridiculous edible art: chocolate biscuits, beans, cheese, you name it.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
Public snogging.

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
And how amazing is this girl’s hair?

Art Car Boot Fair 2011. All photography by Amelia Gregory.
There was hula hooping, public spanking and bubble blowing. And if you think this all looks like rather good fun but missed the Art Car Boot Fair this year, then there is still a chance to catch a bit of the magic at the pop up Art Car Boutique in a few weeks time at the new Apple Cart Festival in Victoria Park on 7th August. Lovely.