13/52

unbearable lightness of being, originally uploaded by avalilly.

I'm not generally a big fan of overexposure, mostly because it seems anytime someone gets access to photoshop or the like for the first time they just find the brightness/contrast tool and go to town with it. I attempted to achieve this look as best I could in the camera, so there wasn't that much editing to be done.

At the last minute, while about to pack up the camera, I noticed a couple decorative hair pieces sitting on the ledge by the door, so I popped one on and managed to get this in just a few frames. I always find it strange when that happens, but I've made it a rule that once I think I've got the shot I want in the camera - take a few more just for safety. You never know!

I may make this one of my business cards.

marat/sade

A friend of mine is in the Theatre Production program at York University. She contacted me about taking photos of her lighting design for the play Marat/Sade. Here is the university's press release about the play if you're interested in reading more about it.

I took photos of basically every lighting change, so I'll just post a few of my favourite shots:

 

 

 

 

 

 

I sat in on a dress rehearsal, so these aren't shots from any of the real show times. It was a really good play! The lighting design was done by the lovely Laurie Merredew (of whom I have done headshots for in the past)! I love getting to see the kind of fun stuff my friends get to dedicate their talents to.

12/52

secret heart, originally uploaded by avalilly.

Follow the Flickr link and the original shot is in the comments. I cropped it down since it seemed more coy without the eyes in the frame. I also need to fix the smudgier one of the kisses...


This week is going to be a mad dash to the finish it would seem. I thought classes were ending sometime around the first week of april. It would appear I was mistaken... everything is due at the beginning of next week! Argh.

On the plus side, I am feeling more confident with my drawing series (I actually HAVE a series!!), so I'll hopefully be able to show them all together soon. It feels so strange, but I'm going to be done school soon... anything I work on now is going to be because I want to...

open house

Yesterday was York University's Visual Arts Open House. The entire Goldfarb Centre for Fine Arts was transformed into an exhibition space for all students of 3rd, 4th, and 5th year standing to show their work. I just showed a few of my drawings in the drawing area, as the only other studio I'm taking at York right now is a historical painting techniques course and my painting isn't that far along yet. There was a lot of really great work being shown, so I ran around with my camera taking photos of my favourites:

As you can see, I kind of stuck more so to the drawing and painting areas. The sculpture work was scattered throughout the building and had some really good pieces, but I just don't think my photos did them any justice. I didn't take any photos in the photography area, mostly because there were so many people in it and also a lot of the work is smaller so you wouldn't have been able to see it very well unless I posted like 100 close ups of each work. There was also some time based art and printmaking areas showing work too.

Essentially what I'm trying to say is, go to York University's open house next year. There is so much to see and it encompasses so many different styles of art. We installed our work in the morning and the show went from noon until 8pm! If you have a chance to see it sometime, I definitly recommend going. It's one day only~

11/52

olde, originally uploaded by avalilly.

ingenue, originally uploaded by avalilly.

I'm not really sure which one to make my official weekly shot. I like them both. The boy-type preferred the second one, I like it a lot too mostly because I generally reject photos of me from that angle. There's less awkward shadowing in the first one though.

PS: that's a new hair colour! Finally tried a real dye... if you consider semi-permanent real. It'll wash out in about a month or so, but I like it. Looks very red under sunlight. I think I still prefer my natural shade though.

drawing area exhibition

Over the past week (March 3-12, 2010), some of my work was shown in York University's Drawing Area Exhibition in the Gales Gallery. Basically any work done in any of the drawing classes could be shown. I selected two of my most recent drawings. It's strange in these photos, it looks like I'm one of the only people utilizing bright colours, so they stand out a bit even though they're in the background.

The blue ones are mine!

By far one of the coolest drawing installations I've ever seen. She had some faint lights coming from various points around it. The actual paper is so fragile! I can't imagine how much patience is needed to pull this off.

 

The two portraits on the far left and far right were done with ink stamps, which I thought looked really neat. One girl used a butterfly stamp, one used stars, and the way they stamped them created the portraits. It was really neat to see up close and then from far away.

Overall I was quite impressed with the work and how the show was set up. The drawings were done by everyone between 1st and 5th year, so it was interesting to see all the different strengths and styles beside eachother.

bonds

I did the production design for Bonds; a film written and directed by Janice Lee. If anyone remembers the show Ready or Not, the woman who played Busy is the star of this film.

Unfortunately due to massive need to be in classes, I could only be on set for a couple of the days, but the wonderful Crystal Basaez took care of the on set art tasks while I was away.

Here's some stills from the two main locations:

It will be screening on the evening of April 20, 2010 at the Price Family Cinema at York University. Can't wait to see how it turns out!

10/52

pale, originally uploaded by avalilly.

I just noticed all I've really been uploading here is my 52 week project as of late. I think I'm a bit more back on my feet as of this week in terms of having time to focus on me again though, so I'll try and get some more variety up in here. I have a couple art show related things to post, another film, some headshots, and work from my red lipstick photoshoots!

Life gets a bit crazy sometimes though.

9/52

sequin wave, originally uploaded by avalilly.

Didn't really have a plan for this week's portrait, so I decided to just play and see what would happen.

I really don't want to be in school anymore. I want it to be over so I can just work on what I want to work on... but I know even that won't happen, because I have to go be a real person and get a job and then that'll be getting in my way. Maybe I'm just craving a change.

My birthday is tomorrow!