URBAN ART & STREET REVOLUTION

So this morning we got the train to Hartlepool to see this.........

Street Revolution 2013 is a fresh and exciting event brought to you by Hartlepool Borough Council. 

A four day event running from Friday 13th to Monday 16th September 2013, and will run between 11am and 5pm each day.

The event is focuses and celebrates street culture, showcasing all things ‘street’. There will be three main aspects to the event which are;

Street Art - Hartlepool Art Gallery located in Church Square will Host and Urban Art exhibition 'In from the Outside', running from Saturday 7th September to Saturday 9th November. The exhibition will give an overview and celebrate all art forms that come under the street art banner. It will contain local, regional, national and international leaders in this field incorporating everything from graffiti to stencil street art.

Street Performances - Visitors to the event will be awe struck by an exciting range of street performances. These will vary from street theatre, street dancing, buskers, skateboarding, free runners and more.

Street Food - The 'street food scene' is taking the world by storm and we want to bring that scene to Hartlepool. There are a new breed of chefs appearing who create a cultural mix of food from all over the world and deliver it in a unique way that can only be described as ‘food theatre’.

http://www.destinationhartlepool.com/whats-happening-hartlepool/event/640/street-revolution

Get us.....
Feature blog at Jupiter India Blog Awards

              Just thought I'd write that extra large in case anyone didn't hear! 

Newcastle Quayside Market

The market runs along the banks of the Newcastle side of the Tyne, and features a whole load of fabulous local creative talents. Heres a selection of the best stalls from today.

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The Northumbrian Fudge Parlour - Deliciously Handcrafted with local ingredients 

Our fav is the Caramel.....and the peanut butter!

Contact Debbie on 079719132334

Find them on Facebook /TheFudgeParlour or Twitter @TheFudgeParlour

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Supremily Jewellery - aka Emily Jane Adam - Polymer Clay Artist and Jewellery Designer

Our favourite item on todays stall was these super cute crochet hooks. 

Shop online at www.supremilyjewellery.etsy.com 

Visit website at www.supremilyjewellry.com

 Facebook /supremilyjewellery or Twitter @Supremily1

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NO BONES - Quality Canine Confectionery

       


Love your dog.......then treat it to some fancy yummy doggy treats 

www.no-bones.co.uk   or Facebook /No Bones Quality Canine Confectionery

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Top Hat Teacakes - Devine Handmade Teacakes 

Meet the stunning Casey Lam owner and creator of Top Hat Teacakes....  
Here at F6.Studios, we're not a big fan of that well known vastly produced commercial variety but could gobble up several of these TopHat beauties...and indeed we do!! 

Find Casey on Twitter @TopHatTeacakes  on Facebook /TopHat Teacakes
 or check out her website www.tophatteacakes.co.uk

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The *TeaShed - A Design led Tea and Homeware company

                 

Fresh from a stint in Fenwicks Food Department. The *TeaShed uses quality whole tea leaves wrapped in silky pyramid bags, which are imported from Sri Lanka and then packaged with some cool designs for you to enjoy. 

They also help promote young designers (which is always good in our book) Using their designs to produce limited edition homewares.    

Check them out at www.the-teashed.co.uk  or   Twitter @The_TeaShed

.........they also have a fabulous blog - theteashed.wordpress.com       

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Quotation Candles - Handmade as always

Meet Shirley Cable who creates colourful cocktails of candles..... 
Our favourites are the inspirational quote candles...(which i failed to get a photo of..sorry!)
     you can reach her on 07538073845 or find her on the Quayside market every Sunday

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Paris & Angels  - Art & Angelics

You know the stalls you find in Paris along the banks of the Seine at Quai St Michel - yeah those ones:  Well we have our very own along the banks of the Tyne. 

Its run by Paul Bruce and stocks a wonderful mix of authentic artisan Parisian products.

    email him at parisangels@hotmail.com or 
                           find him on the Quayside market every Sunday (unless its raining)

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Bria Organics - 100% Natural 

This is Lee Heads owner of Bria Organics. Unable to find a natural treatment for her son's ecezma, she trained in natural skincare and devised her own unique recipes.

We already use her chapped skin balm which, comes in very handy after a day using nasty drying inks & chemicals in the print room- it soon gets our little mitts feeling normal again.

Today one of our Directors- Helen (who has psoriasis) tried the Eczema & dry skin balm.
 ' Within minutes my red, flaky skin was soothed and calmed, and remained so for hours. 
     no need to re-apply every five minutes like some creams and a little goes a long way'

It is also now widely used by Doctors and Nurses and recommended by some hospitals

check out her website for outstanding reviews and testimonials www.briaorganics.co.uk   

           find her on Twitter @BriaOrganics  or  Facebook /BriaOrganics

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Geordie Banger Co - Handcrafted Sausages

What can we say, quality delicious handcrafted sausages from a 3rd generation butchering family.  Always a firm favourite for F6.Studios barbecues and communal meals.

Check out their Facebook page if only for the Geordie Banger Tyne Bridge photo from this mornings market....

                      Facebook /GeordieBangerCo     or     Twitter @GeordieBanger

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Fruit and Veg Man

This is really bad but i don't know the name of Fruit and Veg man, even though i'm there every week buying his cucumbers. All grown in his allotment, they may not be the prettiest looking but they are by far the tastiest....and cheaper than the supermarkets!! 

Last week we paid 2 whole pounds for a huge (and we mean huge) bag of greenhouse tomatoes, all different kinds, we made roasted tomatoes and garlic soup. Far nicer than any shop bought one and way cheaper!

Today our Director Helen bought a huge (and again yes we mean HUGE) cucumber (yes she is obsessed with them!?) for 50p..... 50p dont even buy a half of a one in most supermarkets these days.

  Find him down the Quayside every Sunday, comes rain, hail, or sunshine!

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David Nash - Leather Goods

This guy has some serious banter, hilarious, we could listen to his craic all day! 
Along with the banter he sells his handmade leather goods from purses to pouches to ipod cases....all with their own humorous signage.

    Find him in his usual spot at the far end of the Quayside market and as the sign says                   in London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, Rome and Blyth (but mainly Blyth)

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Prince of Pies - Proper Pies

This is another of our firm favourites, indeed as i write this blog post, I am scoffing one of their Steak and Stilton pies I bought today! Aswel as being at the Quayside market they were at Wolsingham show...they get around!

  check out where they will be next on Twitter @PrinceOfPie_s

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The Smoking Barbecue Company 

 This little stall always has a queue, always gives off that smell which instantly makes your mouth water and is always sold out early. We can highly recommend  the Hickory Slow Smoked Baby Back Ribs and the Pulled Pork, ah who are we kidding  we recommend it all....... 

      www.smokinbarbecue.co.uk   or   Twitter @SmokinBbqNE

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Poppy Likes Dresses - Vintage Clothing

Probably not the best photos i've ever taken, they just don't show the fabulousness (yes it's a word) of the skirts, dresses, trousers, jumpers, blouses and coats.  

The best selection of vintage Levis Jeans and Jackets in town without the 'vintage' prices...

        Twitter @poppydresses   or Facebook / poppy likes dresses

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..............and that concludes our review of this weeks Newcastle Quayside Market

For more info about Newcastle Markets go to 

www.newcastle.gov.uk/business/markets   or   Twitter @Nclmarkets  

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'Centrefold' - an Animation by Ellie Land

As part of National Science Week on of our residents Ellie Land (see blog post 15th Feb) will be showing her award winning film 'Centrefold' at Tyneside Cinema on Sept 10th 6-8pm www.tynesidecinema.co.uk 

The film is a touching account which follows the stories of three women who have undergone labiaplasty, their voices document their thoughts and insecurities before and after the surgery. 

'Centrefold' looks at the medical but more importantly the psychological problems of what is considered normal, and doubts that media and porn seem to exacerbate. It contributes to the argument that perhaps the way womens' bodies are portrayed in the media and particularly porn can affect every day lives.

See Ellie's award-winning film 'Centrefold' by following the link below:

http://thecentrefoldproject.org

In addition to the film, the showing will include a panel debate with leading experts including Dr Lih Mei Liao, University London College Hospitals, Diana Mansour, Newcastle Hospitals, Dr Debrah Peacock and Ellie Land herself. We caught up with Ellie today to discuss her investigation into the ethics of labiaplasty.


F6.Studios: Watching 'Centrefold', it shows a different example of how much women's insecurities can affect their daily lives. Why was it that you decided to base an animation on the subject?

Ellie Land: Well I'd previously made a film about genital cutting and it was with women from Somalia, so it was cultural reasons you know the type I mean, FGM? So I made a film about that and then I saw in the newspapers that British women are also cutting themselves, and I was interested into finding out why they were doing it.

F6: So it's a similar subject as it is still cultural, but a different type of cutting?

EL: Exactly.

F6: I actually read an article recently of a student magazine in Australia that decided to show the female students genitals across the front page in reaction to the fact that more than 1200 Australian women undergo labiaplasty per year. Do you think that this particular surgery is becoming a bigger issue?

EL: It's really big in Australia. It has been suggested it's a growing problem as more women are getting it per year. The NHS figures have shown a rise in the number of surgeries but we don't know to the extent of how many people are getting it done privately.

F6: What do you feel were the main objectives of creating the short film, would you say to raise awareness?

EL: Yeah it was to raise awareness but also to talk about it an open way, as most women don't feel comfortable talking openly about their genitals. We talk a lot about boobs and about our bodies, but we don't really talk about our fannies! In creating the animation we are helping women become more open and comfortable in themselves and their bodies.

F6: There has been much debate recently on the moral ethics of porn magazines being easily accessible and affecting young girls, do you feel this is just as much an issue for women?

EL: Yeah because we don't see normal looking women in porn magazines, they tend to be very highly styled, often airbrushed and in an unnatural way. Often, I think that UK women don't see natural women as we don't really look at each other. Most of what we see of womens' bodies is through the media and through porn magazines, as culturally we're very private.

F6: Following the event at Tyneside Cinema, it won't be long before you go on maternity leave. Are you looking forward to the change of pace?

EL: Oh yeah definitely, it'll be interesting. I still expect I will still be working even when I am on leave on different projects.

F6: Oh my god there's no rest for the wicked!

EL: Exactly (laughs) I mean yeah it will be nice and it will be different, but I'll be doing different projects so I'm definitely looking forward to it. I'll probably end up busier once I have gone on leave!

F6: Well this is probably the last time we'll talk for a while, so good luck from everyone at the studios with your new role as a mama. 

To buy tickets for the preview event on Tuesday 10th September, you can get them at: https://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/whats-on/films/view/designer-vaginas-the-ethics-of-labia-surgery

To see more of Ellie's work, check out her website at:

http://ellieland.com

Alternatively, here are Ellie's contact details:

Email: ellie@ellieland.com

Mobile: 07791958336

Tiago Galvan for 'Move_on_Baroque'

Tiago Galvan is one of F6.Studios more lively residents. Specialising in fashion design he spends his time working on commissions and new collections. He began his studies in art and design when he was aged fourteen, paying particular attention to fabric manipulation, eventually progressing to investigating the use of science and technology in fabrics. 

His collections are very much inspired by the fusion of materials, and incorporate his interest in holistic therapies with his sensitivity towards how people react to colour and touch, elevating their moods through fabric choice.

At aged just twenty-one, Tiago launched his own fashion label, focussing mainly on limited-edition club-wear and theatrical garments. Past projects include designing and making outfits for presenters at a Mercedes Benz car launch in Germany, as well as various commissions for dance and theatre productions.

His most recent project involves creating costumes for Baroque-style dance piece 'Move_on_Baroque', which previewed on Friday in Newcastle's Dance City. The drama and gothicism of his fully lined black and red skirts contributed to the chiaroscuro style of the production, said to be inspired by Carravagio, contrasting sharply with the minimal white light. The costumes played an important role in the piece, adding visual drama and movement, which was emphasised by the sophisticated use of water in the production. Shot from an elevated angle, the images below demonstrate the pared back yet dramatic imagery created throughout the dance, and were taken by local photographer Tracy Daniel, owner of Denial Photography (http://www.denial-photography.com).

We caught up with Tiago earlier in the week. This is what he had to say on the project:

F6.Studios: The show on Friday was really interesting to watch, what made you interested in the commission for 'Move on Baroque'?

Tiago Galvan: I like to push my boundaries, and when you work on daily wear, you don't usually challenge yourself to the limit. It was a good opportunity to bring the best out of the fabrics in an unconventional way.

F6: We can see how it might be more challenging than creating a ready-to-wear dress, is the project as good as you expected?

TG: Better than I expected! I still have a dress to make. As the art council liked the show so much, they have funded Anthony Lo-Guidance to continue and to develop the fifteen minutes show to a full performance that will culminate in Italy with a cast of nine international dancers.

F6: Congratulations, sounds like it's been a great success! Do you feel encouraged to work with dance again in future?

TG: Oh yeah, I've always loved dance and theatre. I've always loved to make costumes for dancers, as you can expand yourself a bit more. It's a stage thing so you're not restricted by architecture or modern transport.

F6: So say there was no boundaries, what would be your dream commission?

TG: To be commissioned to make clothes for people in Africa that cannot afford them, specially shoes. A part of that may be so they can enjoy the things that we enjoy. Maybe it would be safe to design outrageous clothing for a classical orchestra, as they tend to dress in black. I think that the contrast would enhance the performance, and even add an element of theatre.

F6: We've seen one or two amazing costumes you've worn yourself for various parties. Costume or no costume, describe the best one you have ever been to.

TG: It was the swimming pool closing party for the demolishment of the Palácio Estoril Hotel where the James Bond film 'On her Majesty's Secret Service' was shot. Oh it was fantastic. It was held in the magnificent gardens surrounding the pool on the border of the Atlantic Ocean. They took all of the water out of the swimming pool so it became the dance floor, and they had lots of entertainers and there were people coming with fruit kebabs to refresh you, and at midnight we were all given a glow stick and at midnight the DJ said throw your glow sticks in the air, so at midnight everyone threw their glow sticks in the air, and it was just...fantastic. Seeing thousands of glow sticks flying in the dark was quite simple and impressive at the same time. I like to enjoy the simple things of life.

To see more of Tiago's work and keep up to date with his current projects, take a look at his Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/tiago.galvan.75

To contact Tiago, he is available via email at: tiagogalvan@hotmail.com

Image credits to Michael McGuire and Tracy Daniel.

'Renew Newcastle'...in Australia

Here at F6.Studios, we are lucky enough to be situated in the heart of what has been described by the Washington Post as 'the North's culture capital', with its historic bridges, beautiful architecture and numerous galleries and studios littered across the city. Commercial Union House, home of F6.Studios, has six floors of sheer talent and creativity, ranging from performing arts and games design to a variety of designer-makers at F6. 

Interestingly, on the other side of the world in Newcastle, Australia, there is an ongoing project (Renew Newcastle) which 'aims to find artists, cultural projects and community groups' to occupy disused buildings until they are 'commercially viable or redeveloped'. The project injects some much-needed excitement and vibrancy to Newcastle's decaying or vacant buildings, filling them with colour, creativity and inspiration. 'Renew Newcastle' is unique in that the project includes not only studio space, but various events and creative talks, skills workshops and gallery space, covering pretty much every aspect of the creative industry.

Their most recent exhibition which carries the theme of owls, birds, beauty queens and killer bees, named 'Winged Things' (at the Emporium Galleria), features recent works by local artists Sarah Louisa, Lu Quade and Jo Dyer shown below.

Sarah Louisa

Sarah Louisa's brand 'Paper Kitschen' demonstrates a fondness of paper and how it can be adapted into sculpture, collage and installations through the technique of hand-cutting, a tradition she has recently stumbled across. Her work shows an influence of pop-art with elements of Richard Hamilton or James Rosenquist with an appealing combination of imagery which gives a dreamlike effect to her art. Sarah sells both original and reproduction works online, at markets and also through local hand-made shops in Newcastle, Australia and Melbourne.

photo credit  Shana Dennis & Sarah Lousia

photo credit Sarah-Louisa

photo credit Sarah-Louisa

To see more of Paper Kitschen: http://www.paperkitschen.com


Lu Quade (Luke Wade)

Lu Quade is a local artist whose work is very much focussed on illustrative owls with quirky personalities. Unlike the standard patch-work style owls which have recently exhausted the high-street, Lu Quade's inspired characters include 'Mexican wrestler batowlman', butterfly owl and 'Blues owl' (as seen below). The motivation behind his illustrations was prompted following the birth of his daughter, so he could 'kick a video gaming habit' and 'engage in a more creative activity' with her. Since he has drawn hundreds of owls in a beautiful and distinctive fashion, with bold, intricate detail and selectively placed colour. His work can be viewed around the city pasted on walls, as stickers and even magnets.

all photo credits Luke Wade

Luke's illustrations can be seen on his Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/LuQuArt


Jo Dyer

Jo's work combines drawing and painting for a delicate, multi-layered and romantic appearance, and she says of her own work "I've come to appreciate that my creativity can be a timid and unpredictable creature". The soft, smudgy rainbow colours compliment the fine linear illustrations, and the expressionist style of overlaid mark-making gives her work it's wonderfully playful quality. The thoughts behind Jo's work is the 'freedom from the every day complexities of human existence', which is often explored symbolically using birds. The past few years have seen Jo being very involved in 'Renew Newcastle' projects, including becoming co-founder of company 'Little Paper Cup'.

all photo credits Jo Dyer

To see more of Jo's work, check out her blog at: http://happilyeverafternoon.blogspot.co.uk

The information on this blogpost is just the tip of the inspiring iceberg that is 'Renew Newcastle'. If you are interested in finding out more about their projects and artists in residence, the website is http://renewnewcastle.org. Go take a look as there is plenty of exciting things to look at on the website, and there are even ways to get involved with the project.

Image credits to; Marni Jackson, Renew Newcastle, Luke Wade, Sarah Louisa, Jo Dyer

Mr Mexico - Self-taught Photographer

Mr Mexico (aka Michael Gordon) is one of our newest residents at F6.Studios. Fast making a name for himself not just regionally but nationally, he specialises mainly in portraiture, including fashion, physique and head-shots. He is impressively self-taught; this gives him a competitive edge as he creates his own rules and boundaries. Using minimalist pallets, his style is bold, streetwise and seductive. He has an ability to utilise light and texture to create an eloquent ethereal quality.

Recently Michael has been busy photographing for several clients, including Phaze Clothing which he shot last Thursday. Phaze Clothing specialises in gothic, punk, PVC, steam-punk and alternative clothing. Thursday's shoot consisted of fetish-style PVC in the form of spray on leggings, tight corsets and a Rihanna-style hooded cape. All of the clothing showcased can be found at http://www.phazeclothing.com. Here are a few behind-the-scenes images of Honorata modelling the garments.

And here's a sneak peek of one of the final edits:

 To see more of Michael's work or to get in touch with him, here are a few contact details:

Website: http://michaelgordonphotography.virb.com

Email: michaelgordonphotography@gmail.com

Phone: 07528362182

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrMexico