Habit

I did it! I got my ass out of bed this morning and did a session of yoga. Now I would like to say 'this is me every morning' but that would be a lie. Don't get me wrong, the intention is always there but you know, the snooze button is so enchanting. However, yesterday, Mastin Kipp from The Daily Love suggested reading this article that recognises the three phases of creating habits. The first is the 'honeymoon stage', this is when we find something easy to do. The second is 'the fight thru' when our goal or resolution begins to get tough and we allow it to drift away. The third is the 'second nature' stage and there are three pointers to watch out for that will send us back into stage two. One of the techniques to get us pushing past our blocks in the second phase focuses on emotion. So whilst I was lying in bed debating yoga I asked myself "How will I feel if I do this? (answer: amazing, peaceful and triumphant) How will I feel if I don't so this? (answer: shit)" The rest is history, welcome to my blog.

~ Lala ~

'Life begins at the end of your comfort zone' - Neale Donald Walsch

Kita

At the age of 17, Nikkita Alexander, singer/songwriter and model, is well on her way along her own path in life. Kita, as she is musically known, plays gigs up and down the East Coast of Australia, jamming with members from her old band 'Scattered Lights' and preparing for her up and coming Lion Hat EP (available 23rd March). I had the pleasure in finding out a little more about Kita....her collaboration with Jordan Millar.... her other creative talents and her journey so far...

First of all your album cover for your EP is beautiful, how long have you been working on it and what has been the most exciting part?

'Ahhh thanks a billion. Well technically I've been working on it since half way through last year, constantly writing and being inspired. The most exciting thing would have to be working with so many creative souls that are so enthusiastic to help others out.'

So you're collaborating with Jordan Millar, how did this come about?

'I did, I did. I supported him a couple of times when he came to play in my home town (Port Macquarie) last year and he liked my stuff and I liked his. When it came to having to decide who I'd record with he seemed like a fun option, since he has recorded and produced the majority of his own EP's.' Check out Jordan Millar here.

When did you start writing your own songs and what/who do you take inspiration from for the content of your songs and the sound?

'I began writing about a year ago, although I've been playing music since I was 9. I honestly take inspiration from everything, from: nature and the environment, to world issues to the human unconsciousness. Sound-wise, I listen to as many genres as I can, I think old music is rad. Especially Fleetwood Mac.'

What is next for Kita??

'Next... I suppose after LION HAT is released, I'm going to spend heaps of time and energy trying to promote it. Then as soon as the time is right, record, record and record again!'

Apart from creating music, what other interests do you have? And when did you start playing the guitar?

'I started playing guitar when I was 8, bit didn't take it seriously until a few years back. I've always been into creative arts: painting, designing and acting; anything that stimulate my brain. I do pilates and I waterski (you'll find me at the beach every other minute of the day). And just wandering around nature..'

Your modeling photographs are stunning, how did you get into modeling and what is the best aspect about it?

'Thanks. A friends who's an aspiring photographer asked if I could model for her one time at school, I thought it was a joke. But yeah, everything kind of just led on form there. It it not my ideal/dream job at all, I just do it for a bit of fun on the side and getting to meet so many creative people!'

When you're not focussing on your music, what do you get up to with your friends?

'It's kind of rare that I don't focus on my music. But we go to the beach, road trips or walks. Port is such a cruizy town. I love it.'

Like Kita on facebook here!

Forest Man of India

"The snakes died in the heat, without any tree cover. I sat down and wept over their lifeless forms. It was carnage. I alerted the forest department and asked them if they could grow trees there. They said nothing would grow there. Instead, they asked me to try growing bamboo. It was painful, but I did it. Nature has made a food chain; why can't we stick to it? Who would protect these animals if we, as superior beings, start hunting them?" - Jadav Molai Payeng

Years ago, a young boy began to plant small seeds along the barren land of North India's Assam region. Thirty years later, Payeng has single handedly created a 1,360 acre forest that is now called Molai Reserve after his nickname. Dedicating himself to creating a lush forest for the wildlife, he has re-boosted the eco-system, providing a safe haven for elephants, birds, rhinos, tigers and deer.

Molai, his wife Binita and their three children live in a small hut in the forest. They sell milk from their cattle and buffalo for their income but he spends most of his time in the forest with his two sons and daughter. On 22nd April 2012, Jadav Molai Payeng was named 'Forest Man of India' at a public event organised by the School of Environment Sciences at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

This man is truly great and deserves to be honoured. He is a true soul and I have great admiration for him. He shows us the power of one and what we can achieve as individuals.

Sweetibition

Australian artists, Nicole Andrijevic and Tanya Schultz, better known as Pip and Pop, create installations using sweets, sugar, glitter and miniature plastic toys that result in seemingly infinite psychedelic landscapes. Looking at them closely you wish you could take a trip to Charlie's Chocolate Factory to be shrunk so you could spend the rest of your days in this fairy-tale sweet land. These meticulous creations of sugar peaks send you to the dreamy nostalgia of youth. Pip and Pop recently created a neon lit installation for Smart Illumination and are currently exhibiting in Australia, hopefully  Silverspoons will sponsor them with a donation of sugar and the sweet kingdom will come to England.

Matt Corby

Over the past year, all things Australian have caught my eye, including blue-eyed, 22-year-old singer Matt Corby. His sensational voice led me and my friend Jack to one of his gigs in Shoreditch, London where he silenced the intimate crowd with his thrilling 'Brother'. Read on to hear Jack's review of the evening...

'The wolfman has jumped ship to tour the UK and I have to be honest, after being invited to see Australian folk singer Matt Corby at trendy bar Queen of Hoxton in London I had no idea what to expect, even forgetting his name at one point. However I found myself mind-blown by his raspy and distinct tone which is a rarity only shared by the likes of Jeff Buckley. Not to mention his insane vocal ability as he tore up the stage in Shoreditch in front of a small crowd of 200 – max.

There’s something about an acoustic guitar that makes a live gig more intimate for the audience. He performed tracks from his latest album ‘Into the Flame’ which was a huge success in the Land of Oz and now us Brits have been privileged enough to get a taster of what this truly original artist has to offer.

After some tuning issues and a moment of humour after confessing ‘that sounds f*****g sh*t’, Matt Corby belted out arguably the best performance of the night with his track ‘Brother’ accompanied by a sing-along audience, including Radio 1 DJ Fearne Cotton who has since publicized the wolfman on his unforgettable gig.

After seeing Mr. Corby, I couldn’t help but head to the online source of music hype YouTube to check out some of his covers for bands such as The Black Keys, particularly his cover of their hit song ‘Lonely Boy’. As a Black Keys fan it’s safe to say the original is a tough one to beat and anyone who dare challenge to ruin this powerhouse tune should go f**k themselves, however Matt Corby did the impossible and put his own unique spin on the alternative track, captivating once again with that insane vocal ability and of course his much-loved guitar, which by the way was made for this man. I was also thankful to hear that his stint on TV talent show Australian Idol resulted in him placing second, which was enough to generate publicity but not enough to destroy the outstanding musician that he stands for.

The future is bright for Mr. Corby and I pray that he returns to the UK soon to share the stories of those who influence his powerful music.' (Published XYZ Magazine)

That pretty much sums up the night, apart from that we nearly missed our train because I was insistent that we couldn't leave without meeting him... Unfortunately we left just before our chance, but I feel privileged to have been there that night because Matt is something special.

Paul Alexander Thornton

I came across English artist Paul Alexander Thornton's artwork a while ago and was instantly drawn into the beautiful colours and photo-realist approach to his pieces. Intrigued to find out more, I read that most of his pieces were created using ball-point pens and was amazed at the depth achieved using a medium that we use so casually every day. Intrigued to find out more about how Paul achieved such effects, what his fascination with skulls was and where his other creative talents lay, I emailed him with questions and was happy to receive a responding email...

1. How and when did you become interested in drawing?

'I have been drawing all my life, as far back as I can remember. I think this is due to the fact my Mum was an art teacher so she always encouraged me to draw, paint and things like that.'

2. What is it about ballpoint pens and felt-tips that make you like to use them?

'What I love about ballpoint pens is the way the end product looks, I really love the way the lines show up. When used properly I really think ballpoint pens are one of the greatest tools for drawing. They are very versatile, and they also force you to draw in a particular way building up layers which gives the shading a lot of depth in the end. Felt-tips are OK, I'm not as crazy about them as I am ballpoint pens but there are some amazing uses of felt-tips. They are best when they are running out of ink, the faded appearance on the paper is very interesting. I really love to use coffee stain and watercolours when adding colour, marker pens are good too for drawing on the back of the page and letting it bleed through.'

3. What has been your most favourite piece of yours so far?

'This is very hard for me to answer. I really don't know. I have made so much work already in my life, I can't even remember all of them. If a piece of work is successful then I feel it has its place in my body of work and ultimately they all compliment each other.'

4. What is it about skulls?

'Skulls are very interesting to me, not just for their symbolism but also because they are complex. Drawing them is a lot of fun.'

5. Have you studied art at any point in your life?

'Yes. I studied art GCSE at school, I took art AS level at college and then moved onto studying Art Foundation, again at college. Later I went to University in London where I studied Surface Pattern Design.'

6. Who and what has influenced you?

'Aphex Twin, David Hockney, Tupac Shakur, Leonard Da Vinci, Picasso, Modigliani, Thom Hooper, Paul Smith, Alexander McQueen, Ludovico Einaudi... all sorts of people ranging from musicians to painters, fashion designers and tattoo artists. I suppose everything you see/hear just goes into a big melting pot of inspiration and later on ideas come out. I like to just go with the flow and see how my work evolves and changes, and it makes sense that different outside influences will always be steering me in one direction or another, but it's not always easy to pinpoint the exact causes for ideas.'

7. Apart from art, what are some of your other interests?

'I write and play guitar, most the videos of my work are soundtracked by my own guitar pieces (click here). I also like designing clothes, furniture, wallpaper.'

From Paul's life-like skulls, flowers and birds it's no wonder that his plans for the future include more sculpture work! I really look forward to seeing more of his wonderful creations. If you have not already liked his facebook page click here and check out many more of his pieces!

Tippi

Growing up, you tend to have a best friend, young girl Tippi Degré was no different.... her best friends were called Abu and J&B. Abu was a 28-year-old elephant and J&B was a wild leapord. Born in Africa to French wildlife photographers, Tippi made natural bonds with the untamed animals of the African wildlife, including lion cubs, giraffes, an ostrich, a snake, crocodiles and baby zebras. As a young girl, she said, "I don't have friends here. Because I never see children. So the animals are my friends." Throughout her years growing up, her parents documented Tippi's friendships and in 1998 published the book 'Tippi of Africa.' Tippi Degré - you are the coolest girl.