Creative Heros - Alice Moles, Photographer

You know when spectacular things happen in a kind of magical way? Like when sunny-bright daffodils pop up somewhere you can't remember planting them? Well I remember when Alice first seriously picked up a camera, and it was like her hands had been sculpted from birth to hold one, and her mind thought in megapixels and f-stops. I've never seen someone blossom in something they love so quickly and with such panache!

Alice's photos are quirky, bright, original, empathetic, sensitive... They also show a really high level of polish - I know Alice is a highly skilled planner, and I suspect she often 'sees' exactly what shes taking before she actually does, her post processing shows a huge amount of skill too.



I always hesitate at saying something is 'fashionable' as it can sound rather hollow and temporal, but where Alice is concerned I think its a huge compliement. She seems to be able to sense an artistic mood, that which is 'of the moment' and relevant and weave it into her work. No wonder her work has been snapped up (awful pun, sorry!) by Getty Images, I would imagine she is every editors dream!

I love this photo of Alice's youngest child. I know she had this tea cup prop stored away from before her darling daughter was even born, just waiting, waiting... The impact of the colours is really interesting. I guess I'd fallen into the trap of thinking vivid colours would overwhelm the delicate natural beauty of a young baby, but they work! And so well! Not to say that the image doesn't have its gentle and tender elements - look at that adorable expression!


You can visit Alice's gorgeous website at http://www.bellalunaphotography.co.uk/. She works in London and the South East of England, mainly specialising in on location portraiture (although to be fair she seems to turn her hand to anything with great skill and finesse).

You might also like to join her Facebook Fan Page, it's a real treat to have her lastest shots pop up on your feed for a little visual treat! Or if you are into Flickr, you can find her here.

Alice also works as one half of MoMoPhoto, the frighteningly talented South East based wedding photography power-duo.

Affordable Art Charity Auctions - first auctions ENDING TONIGHT!

Please do rush to click the link below - I currently have 10 pieces of original art for sale by auction on Ebay, and all profits will be going to the wonderful Camilles Appeal childrens cancer charity!

There everything from roughly A3 sized illustrations to a huge 24" x 31" abstract ready to hang canvas - including some works which have been featured in this newsletter!

Ebay Charity Auctions...

I'll be keeping the buzz and excitement going on the Facebook Page, so check in there if you are bidding, thinking of bidding, or could share the link with your Facebook fans and help spread the word.

An Award, How Lovely!

Many, many thanks to Graham Hanks and Julie Broom for nominating me for the Sunshine Award. The Sunshine Award is a blogger award for creativitiy and positivity! What a fantastic surprise…Thanks to you both!

I now have to pick 12 artists who I think deserve this award. So hard, as I am just overwhelmed by the wonderful, wonderful creative souls that surround me :-D

Here are my picks (just like the Oscars, in no particular order)...

Attic24 - is a wonderful blog full of vibrant colours and wonderful crafts and cooking. So uplifting!

Paintings Prints and Stuff - is the blog of Vivien Blackburn, a wonderful artist who has more than pure talent, also a fearless daring for mixing media and experimentation, and a deep affecton for nature and the sea. She's also been a very patient teacher to me on more than one occasion!

Art by Julie P - Oh my goodness, you MUST check out her macro flower paintings! Julie rocks!

Balnacra Arts Blog - Vicky is SO multi-talented - potter, painter, firewoman, cartoonist, tutor... She seems to be able to turn her hand to anything, so there's always something fresh and interesting here.

Painting on the Edge - by Caithness artist Keith Tilley. I always feel like I have accompanied him on his walks with paintbrush (which is good as I'm far too lazy myself ).

Tweetart - I've mentioned Maria on the blog before, still loving her work...

Nicks Arty Stuff - my Creative Hero this week, see previous post...

Kitty Balistics Creations - a genuis with jewellery and funny with felt!

Tiffany Budd at Work - Colour and joy in equal measures.

Storeyshop - maker of my kids fave Sock Monkey bedtime friends :-)

Airgrace Photography - fab photos. You can just feel the love...

My Art- Sarah posts the most facinating work in progress'. Her works just a little bit magic too!

Oh gosh I have this niggling feeling I have forgotten some wonderful blogs, but I have used up my 12 anyway, meh!


There are 3 ways you can make a real difference to this blog...

1. Share the link to this site with just one other artist, art collector, or someone who would be interested.

2. Post your thoughts in the Comments section.

3. Email your ideas and/or suggestions on what you would like to read/see more of at nicki@nicki-paints.co.uk


To those who received an award...
The rules for accepting the award are:
Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.
Link the nominees within your post.
Let the nominees know they received this award.
Link to the person from whom you received this award.

Creative Heros - Nicks Nobbs, Altered Artist

Another installment in this new regular feature, my Creative Heros - the people who's ideas make me think, and who's work makes me smile!

Today I'd like to shout from the rooftops about a lovely family friend, Nicks Nobbs - she's the queen of 'altered art' (amongst a frankly humbling list of talents - wood carving, papercrafting, encaustic art, felting, ATC making, and being a cook entrodinare...).

Her eye for colour is fantastic, and whatever her work the way she mixes textures is quite inspiring! Her creativity knows no bounds. She takes everything down to a very basic level, its so refreshing, combining things - art and craft materials and found objects alike - in magical ways. I don't think this woman knows the word 'can't'. She also has to be one of the most super motivated artists / crafters I know - I have no idea when she manages to sleep!

She'll read that and tut, and think 'oh get away', but she's that kind of lady...

I've enjoyed seeing so many of her projects, but the one that has always made me giggle and appealed to my inner sense of mischief is this 'altered shopping trolley'. Rock on!

Nicks has recently been made a Designer with the Altered Element Design Team (who by the way also have an interesting blog on mixed media and altered art, here). Woot!

Nicks writes a really interesting blog at http://nicksartystuff.blogspot.com, where she features her latest work, as well as showing off her warm wit and humour. Please do check it out!

Oh How Exciting!

My fab artist pal Graham Hanks recently asked if he could paint me (get me!), he's just today shown me the quick study in preparation for the full portrait, and I think it's so cute! He's been rather flattering, and for that I am very grateful indeed.

I wish my hair looked that great every day!

I know Graham was saying he wasn't quite happy with it, but really, even so, he knocked it out quick, you have to respect the man! I am really looking forward to seeing the final painting...

I am very scared, as for some crazy reason I agreed to do a portrait swap - now bearing in mind Grahams been my portrait painting mentor to date, this is a very scary prospect (and of course I shall have to try and put a bit of a 'Nicki spin' on it).

You can see more of Grahams work here -
http://greywolf-art.blogspot.com/
http://www.grahamhanks.co.uk/

Creative Heros - Mim Owen, Photographer

I thought I would start a regular blog feature on folk that inspire me. So many people see the world through creative eyes in ways that just get me so fired up and excited - hopefully you will enjoy them too!

First up is a very talented photographer pal of mine, Mim Owen. She's based down in Hampshire area and specialises in family portrature.

Mim has a wonderful 'touch' with a camera, it's hard to describe - it goes past being able to understand and capute people, there's something slightly ethereal about it that adds a further dimension.

She really understands 'childhood' and some of her images trigger little memories of my own youth and make me smile. She manages to capture that which is universal about being small, as well as creating images which are very intimate and personal to the subject.






You can visit Mim's website at - http://www.mimowen.co.uk . She also has a Facebook fan page which is regularly updated with the lastest photos from shoots. Do check out these sites, as this is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the beauty Mims work has to share!

Thanks to Mim for permission to share some of her work!