Self Portrait Challenge: the bathroom (week 4)

Earlier today I was feeling like I was kinda done with this months spc theme 'the bathroom'. My bathroom is pretty little and somewhat uninspiring. But on my daily adventures I snapped some shots that are my favourite of the whole month.

Here are a few outakes that I can't resist but post!





Check out more Self Portrait Challenges here.

I love taking pic's in public bathrooms. I rarely have the guts to take it outside the stall, but the above black and white were taken in at my favourite movie theatre after seeing a matinee of '2 days in paris' and the b-room was empty so away i clicked!this has been my second month of doing the spc's and i'm full o' gusto for the next month!

its taking a bit to get back in the swing of things after my recent travels. before i left i was in a great daily art making groove and i'm yearning to get that back. i'm also super glad to be back in the swing of things over at the visually lovely citygirl/countrygirl

artfully yours,
v

painted on the bathroom mirror

Tuesday flew right by me (rather busy playing monopoly and such).

I'm shocked that I forgot too because I'm pretty excited about the new Self-Portrait Challenge theme 'the bathroom'. I'm a big fan of bathroom self-portraits. Public bathrooms, decorations in bathrooms, yes even on the throne, and most of the best pictures I've taken of myself have been in the mirror in the bathroom. So to start off this month's theme...here is a little bathroom mirror action.



It is very common for me to paint on my bathroom mirror. at first it was affirmations to encourage myself to have a better relationship with the person in the mirror, stating things like 'you are beautiful'. since then it has been poems, quotes, hearts, really anything with intention. plus its something to read while you are sitting on the toilet!

the most recent words are from this poem that i first read in a post at superhero designs. it goes like this:

Love after Love

The time will come
When, with elation,
You will greet yourself arriving
At your own door, in your own mirror,
And each will smile at the other’s welcome,

And say, sit here, Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
To itself, to the stranger who has loved you

All your life, whom you ignored
For another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

The photographs, the desperate notes,
Peel your image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.

~ Derek Walcott ~

for more bathroom themed self-portraits look here.

gratitude and attitude

i'm at a cafe on main street drinking a most delicious fruit smoothie. today is another 'gentle' day (a.k.a. post-night-shift-sleep-deprived). though some days i feel most happy curled up on the couch with the kitters wandering around blogland, today i knew it was a get-outta-the-house-day.

yesterday was oh so beautiful. my friend fenner and i went on a photo-adventure to my favourite photo spot, which is this factory by the train tracks, complete with an ever changing aray of grafitti. this was my first time there with my new camera, though i must say i will never get sick of this spot. its the perfect amount of urban decay but in a setting that isn't sketchy...so i don't feel like i need to be watchin' my back!



i've always liked things (and people) that are a bit rough around the edges. and now that i live in the fancy-pants part of town, its nice to return to that rugged beauty to remind myself that perfection and destruction can sometimes be the same thing.



this weeks happy list:

sounds: richard shindell's new album South of Delia is knocking my socks off, as his work usually does. i'm also super excited to see miss paula cole with mandy moore this weekend...!

words: i'm lost in two books, one fiction: Walking to Mercury, by Starhawk as well as one nonfiction: The Red Book by Sera Beak

plans: along with the concert on sunday, the Vancouver Queer Film Festival is starting! Super exciting because other than taking photos, watching films is pretty much the next best thing. I'm starting to go to more events in this town which feels lovely, and i'm hoping to make a few friend-dates to go to films!

gratitudes: this week i'm feeling mighty grateful for the lovely families i work with, bright blue skies, fruit smoothies, photoadventures alone and with friends, learning about my camera, feeling seen, mini skirts, my silver birkies, a plentiful life, making new friends, richard shindell's songwriting, connections with my family, words from friends afar, good communication (others are having with me), being called on my sometimes poor communication, flowers oh beloved flowers, lugz cafe on main, free wireless and mostly i'm very very thankful to be healthy and have the ability to ride my beautiful new bicyclette.

the best spot in vancouver.

there is this old factory on the east side. broken glass, shingles falling, wood faded. its beautiful. it now houses artists studios and it is my favourite spot for a photoshoot in vancouvs. along side the factory is the train tracks. my friend j and i went today and got lost in the nails, grafitti, rails, rocks and the way the sky looks against the wood. we took pictures until it started to rain. it was lovely to get lots of material for the citygirl/countrygirl photoblog and to be both photographer and model. i love living this artful life.

a beautiful day to make mischief

today was just lovely. as part of our sunday dreamseeds creative adventuring, we had a plan to get dressed up real silly and go take photos. just near the purple thistle (art centre) is an old factory that is now studios, train tracks and grafitti filled alleyways...perfect for photo fun. these are some of my favourites of the day that z took of me.