Melbourne artist & photographer Hilary Sloane...

Gloss Posse Feature

   

 

1. I've noticed you work across a range of mediums - what is your preferred medium?

This is a tough question. I would say I'm most at ease with photography, but there's nothing quite like painting or drawing in that you can create something completely original that did not exist anywhere other than in your mind. Drawing doesn't have the restraints that photography does.

2. What concerns you most in an artwork or photograph: colour, composition or subject matter?

All of those elements are very important, but colour is something I particularly pay a lot of attention to. I tend to have an inclination to subdued, natural and organic colour palettes.

 

3. How important is art in your life, and what would you say you gain from it?
Art is everything to me. Absorbing others, attempting to create my own. But I confess I create art for mostly hedonistic reasons. There is nothing quite like the high from creating something from scratch and the feeling you get afterward when you gaze at it, surprised at what you can execute and the subsequent infinite possibilities thereafter.

4. a. Do you have to be in a certain mood or mindset to sit down and compose a painting?

Most definitely. Unfortunately most of the time I'm usually pretty lazy and deterred by the process of having to set everything up and clean up the mess afterwards. This is where having a studio or specific painting space - with no distractions, would make all the difference. Hopefully one day I can acquire such a thing. Then I will have no excuse!

b. Is there much preparation involved, or is it whatever spills from the pen or paintbrush?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. If I have specific subject matter in mind, I will usually go to a bit of preparation such as sketches, drafts, then onto the final surface. I wasn't blessed with a photographic memory or natural drawing ability, so I may also need to source imagery to remind myself how something looks.

5. If you could exhibit anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

This will sound incredibly cliché - but it definitely has to be Paris. Because:

a. Paris is internationally and historically the hub of all the great artists - you can safely say you've made it if you have exhibited in Paris

b. To say I have exhibited in Paris

6. What do you hope will happen with your art / and what are your long term creative goals?

My long term creative goals are to expand my use of different mediums (perhaps give animation or film a go) and continue to build my skills. At the moment I guess I feel like a jack of all trades and a master of none. I am still locating my niche and finding what medium is truly for me.

Hopefully one day I will have a strong body of work that I can look back at and smile when I see what I have achieved. And that others have enjoyed seeing it too. And of course (hopefully) make enough money from it to have a roof over my head.

 

Thanks Hilary and we look forward to seeing more of your fantastic artwork and photography. Definitely keep Gloss updated with what you have been up to in the future.

Feel free to contact Hilary via email if you're interested in showcasing or purchasing her artwork.

Interview by Meg Bauer

Black Eyed Peas...will.i.am & Hollywood's 'LM Pagano'

will.i.am

 

I found these fantastic images of the home of Black Eyed Peas singer and artist will.i.am. The lower level of his three-storey 1920s Spanish residence in Los Feliz has been transformed into a lasciviously 'pimped-out' studio by interior designer, Liana Reid, with a modern French style and plenty of luxurious finishes.I especially like the fact that will.i.am wallpapered his fridge with the damask motif theme, the same used in the lounge room, as well as replacing the handle with a vintage door pull. Liana Reid has opted for high-end flocked wallpaper (raised velvet from Diamond Foam and Fabric) and furnishings that specifically absorb the sound.(Sourced from Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

LM Pagano

I stumbled across the photos above from LM Pagano's mansion in Hollywood Hills and thought I'd share... If you've never heard of LM Pagano read the paragraph below and you'll appreciate her style even more.

"As a teenager, Pagano made shirts out of antique fabric for Bob Dylan and embroidered jeans for David Lee Roth. In her 20s, she worked as a chef for Steven Spielberg. Later, when she was Nicolas Cage's assistant, the actor came by her house in Santa Monica, fell in love with what he saw and asked her to decorate a beach house for him in Malibu. Since then, Pagano says, she has done 15 houses and two boats for Cage and members of his family. Other clients include Johnny Depp, who hired Pagano to turn a yacht into what she describes as a "combination of the Orient Express and an Art Deco gypsy caravan."

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

I love Pagano's eclectic style. She's not afraid to incorporate lavish furnishings with vintage worn lampshades and old Chinese sculptures which add character and charm. I especially love the 19th century French bronze hot-air balloon lamp which hangs in the hallway (image 2).

Wednesday Lust List

Or could it be love...

OK so it's only a few days till Valentines Day so I thought I'd feature a few  Lust-have recipes for delicious treats you could make for your special someone. Let's face it, food is definitely the way to your lover's heart and I'm a big believer that when you make food with love you can taste it! So I'll start it off by sharing an Antipasti platter recipe I made last week which would be perfect for a little romantic picnic... Guys if you're reading this print it out.

Wine of choice: Essenze Sauvignon Blanc (NZ)

"Bright and vibrant pale green. Bouquets of luscious summer/ tropical fruits, hints of herbaceousness and grassiness. Bursting with lifted fruit salad aromas, passion fruit and sea breeze undertones.

Refreshing, intense palate with good structure and excellent balance. Flavours of gooseberry and lemongrass, snow pea, grapefruit and thistle. Essenze finishes with a crisp, zesty minerality." Wine List Australia.

Antipasti Platter

'Antipasti' in Italian means 'before food', designed to bring a little warmth to your palate and feed the senses!

Sun dried Tomato & Rosemary Bruschetta

ingredients

5 organic tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
3 sun dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed

Handful of fresh basil leaves

2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

salt & ground black pepper

1 large garlic clove, halved to serve

6 slices of Italian-style ciabatta bread

1. Place the tomatoes in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 30 seconds, then peel, seed and chop the flesh. Heat oil in a frying pan, add the fresh and sun dried tomatoes, garlic and rosemary. Cook for 2 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down and soften.

2. Rub the cut sides of the bread slices with the garlic clove, then toast lightly.

3. Spoon the mixture on top of the toast. Sprinkle with the basil leaves and drizzle a little extra olive oil before serving.

 Marinated Vegetables

It's great to have a variety of fresh marinated vegetables and the best thing is that they're easy to prepare. Go to your local markets and grab:

Red & yellow capsicum peppers, field mushrooms, olives and rosemary sprigs.

Add oil, basil leaves, salt and garlic, cover and marinate for 3-4 hours, tossing occasionally. Make sure you get some delicious cheese such as camenbert cheese, water crackers and fresh warm turkish bread. Don't forget some slices of salami, proiscutto, pesto and hummus dip... The list could go on! 

Happy Valentine's Day x

Wednesday Wish List - Make Your Own iphone App!

This week I found a link to create and publish your own iphone App using AppMakr! I can't wait to create one of these for Gloss Posse so keep an eye out because the G*P App will be coming soon!

Thanks to Sarah Prout from Sprout Publishing, if you include the code GUYK (Guy Kawasaki) when purchasing your App you can get a discount of $100. Otherwise the App will only cost $199, which I think is reasonable when you're able to upload it onto the itunes store and even make money from it!