By cherry | Published:
November 20, 2009
Sawa of Get-Her is a friend and fellow artist based out of Downtown LA. She’s multi talented and can often be found behind both still cameras and the kind used on movie sets. Aside from her busy life as a photographer she’s often involved in many different projects including printing and pasting her own propaganda on the much adorned walls of the city. Earlier in the year I stopped in LA after working on an intense project in Las Vegas for the SuicideGirls (along with Sawa who was behind one of the movie cameras on the project). We decided that since I was in town for a couple of days we should make the most of our rare time together and work on a set of photos that shows this ninja-like secret life of the night.
I met Sawa for the first time in 2005 on another movie project for the SuicideGirls in Italy. Straight away I knew she would be one of the people that would definitely be in my life one way or another for a long time to come. Over the four years in the interim we kept in touch here and there and I admired from afar the projects she worked on (she’s also been the front woman of a fantastic and successful metal band). In 2008 we were able to collaborate on a couple of photography projects and I was honoured to be her photo editor. Then 2009 finally brought us back together in person and we just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to shoot together again for the first time in 4 years.
It’s really amazing the opportunities life brings our way sometimes. When I visited LA in 2005 I vowed to never go back, but looking back I realise I wasn’t in the right place in my life to appreciate the culture and art that LA has to offer. Not to mention that having friends in a vast and endless city like LA really makes such a difference. Some cities you can just stumble into and find your place, but as every one knows the City of Angels is a mass tangled web that is so very easy to drown in.
Since I moved to Canada and could freely travel again I’ve found myself in LA twice in a year and I am all set to go again for the Haute Macabre show in two weeks time. If you’d told my 2005 self that I’d be visiting the city that much and enjoying it every time I’d have taken you for an idiot. With a better understanding of how the city works and with a good handful of very close friends in the city it’s a very different place. In February when we took these photos Sawa told me of the big projects she had coming her way and the rich Downtown art community that she was heavily involved with. LA really has been in my mind ever since and I’ve taken a keen interest in the scene there, when I came around to working on these photos for Sawa this week I was reminded of the incredible fun we had that night and hopefully what marks a great future for Sawa and get-her.la
I can’t wait to see her in a couple of weeks and perhaps even work together again!
Posted in people | Tagged artist, city, downtownLA, get-her, graffiti, LA, night, Photography, portrait, posters, Sawa, Street, street art, wheat pasting |
By cherry | Published:
November 19, 2009
Since there were so many people who entered into the draw for a pack of cards and it is the holidays, I decided to draw two winners from the list! Much better odds than the lottery; even if you don’t end up a millionaire at the end of it, hopefully you’ll get some happiness. Congratulations to both LouLou and HelenaFae. Your cards will be with you soon!
For everyone else, don’t fret, there are still packs available! I’ll be doing a mass airmailing tomorrow, so if you order your cards in the next 24 hours they’ll be guaranteed to make it into tomorrow’s shipment. Head to the shop my friends!
Yay! Thanks all xx
By cherry | Published:
November 18, 2009
I’ve been to Columbus, Ohio a few times in the past year and while it’s my close friends that always draw me back it’s places like the Surly Girl Saloon that really make me feel at home there. Everything from the little details to the atmosphere, the music, the sublime salads and sandwiches make it the perfect little room to curl up in and forget there’s a world just a few feet outside the door. If I could really describe it to you in words I would, but somehow it’s never sufficient for a place like this – there’s just always too much going on.
The décor is a little southern gothic and mid-western cheer all delicately collaged to every surface and every available space. For someone like me who grew up in England with all of our wondrous histories I still always pined over a romanticised image of the old west, Surly Girl is a dream come true. One of my favourite things about living in North America is there is an incredible history here despite what people think. Even in Vancouver where some of the oldest buildings in the city are barely over 100 years old I still cherish that history and I’m fascinated by it.
Truth be told the old western style of Surly Girl is definitely a bit of a modern reverence of a time long forgotten by anyone alive today, but I adore it none the less and and sitting in that bar brings me far more happiness than any fancy 90s style wine bar. Now, all I need to find is somewhere that’s a cross between Surly Girl and the shiny bars of the future and I’ll be in heaven.
What do you say, are galleries of my favourite places something you’d like to see more of?
Posted in little places | Tagged bar, bokeh, columbus, ephemera, favourite places, locations, ohio, people, restaurant, saloon, surly girl, travel, USA |
By cherry | Published:
November 16, 2009
Look what we have here! Eira’s cards are back from the printers and ready to make their way to your doors. I’m so excited to have this limited edition run for the 2009 Holidays. They’re beautifully printed and folded to 5×7″ and will come in a pack of four cards and envelopes for you to send out to your nearest and dearest. I left the cards blank inside since I know we don’t all celebrate the same winter holiday, and without a generic sentiment you’re free to be as creative as you want. The price is $10 plus the usual shipping. There will only be 20 packs available! Available in the shop now
I’m also going to send out one pack completely free anywhere in the world! To enter into the random draw leave a comment below with your name (can be a screen name if you prefer) and be sure to leave an email address to contact you at or if you feel more comfortable comment below and then send your email address to [email protected] The draw will be made on Thursday at 12pm Pacific Time so get your entry in before then!
Here are a few more photos for your viewing pleasure:
Also now available is the 8×8″ print of Eira which will only be available to order until 10th December 2009.
It’s definitely winter here in Vancouver now, we have our trademark Heavy Rainfall Warnings almost every day and a couple of windy nights. This year I feel like I mostly missed the autumn. Normally I’m out taking far too many photos of the leaf-filled streets and pumpkins in porches but this year I’d been so busy with all my various projects and work that I’d completely forgot to stop and enjoy the changing season! This just means I’ll have more to look forward to next year, right? 2010… I can’t believe it; such a futuristic date! Growing up I only ever thought as far forward as the year two thousand and couldn’t possibly imagine anything after that and suddenly it’s 10 years after it already. I turn 28 this month and the past year or two I’ve been talking about things as if they happened yesterday but then I realise it was over 10 years ago. I honestly thought I’d look (and feel) a lot older at 28, it always seemed like such a grown up age! Still, I’m constantly amazed at how futuristic the world really is already and I’m becoming the person who remembers things that some of her friends don’t. Now I know how all of my older friends have always felt around me. It’s fun to be the one in the middle of it all!
