It's all over now, Baby Blue

I can't believe it's already Tuesday. June seemed to go by so slowly...I had weeks of summer to spend however I liked; I could go swimming in the ponds with friends, have spontaneous sleepovers, explore London on day-long shopping trips, get the train back and forth and generally do whatever popped into my head. Then all of a sudden it was July, and now it's almost August; my two-week holiday in France is getting ever closer and the days are slipping through my fingers like sand, leaving me slightly panicked and desperate to fit in as much as I can before I go.
I started this sort of last-minute rush on Saturday by seeing the Matisse and Malevich exhibitions at the Tate Gallery. I had been meaning to go for ages, especially as Matisse's work not only influenced a lot of my childhood experiments (many failed attempts to reproduce The Snail) but is beginning to influence me again - I like his bold use of shape and colour, and would like to channel some of his creations physically with clothes, as well as taking inspiration for my own artwork. Also, I adored the photoshoot by Eleanor Hardwick and Maria Inés Gul for Rookie which was inspired by the exhibition (and features the perfect Rachel from Toby Knows).
I didn't know much about Malevich, although the name was familiar, but the tickets worked out to be only £2 more to see both, so I was introduced to his work as well. It was accidentally perfect really, as he was influenced by Matisse and so seeing his exhibition after Matisse's worked really well. Basically it was definitely worth the trip, and is worth a look (even if you aren't a desperate future art student like me).

I had been shopping the day before for my holiday and had gone a little overboard in my new favourite place ever: 'Pop Boutique' in Covent Garden. It's a tiny little shop but is full of so much vintage treasure and I can't wait to wear everything I bought. The shirt is one of these new pieces, and although it's not visible under the dungaree dress (from Beyond Retro but embellished by me with some antique fair ribbon) has the sweetest elasticated bottom that then frills out a little like the puff sleeves. The bag is from Camden Passage in Islington, the socks are from Topshop and the shoes from Clothes Show Live.

I wore my Mum's old parrot brooch with my locket, which has become something of a jewellery staple for me recently. I think that might have something to do with the little picture of David Bowie I put inside it, though. My sunglasses are from Camden Market.

(Images from here and here)

After the most amazing hazelnut iced coffee (I don't even like coffee so it must have been good) we went along to the Tate and luckily managed to get tickets straight away, which is sometimes hard for popular exhibitions like the ones we wanted to see. I was definitely surprised by just how much was on display - I had no idea about just how much work Matisse had produced over his lifetime, and how amazingly stylised and personal it was. From a distance it looks simplistic, but I'm sure it would be difficult for any one of us to just sit and be able to put together such effective compositions as his; it is clear he had an exceptional eye for colour and pattern that not many other people have. I loved being so surrounded by his huge collages and prints...it makes you really reconsider just opting for a simple canvas when you could be using a whole wall instead. I sat on the floor and drew for a while, as is my custom in art galleries, and spent a long time wandering and trying to commit my favourite pieces to memory. 

The Malevich exhibition was amazing too - unlike Matisse, his style changed and fluctuated seemingly as his environmental influences changed. He also had produced an immense body of work that was fascinating to be able to see all in one place, and it was perfect to see his work just after seeing Matisse's. 

I love the bright and vibrant colours of Matisse's work - I tend to avoid it in my own as previously I've always been a little tentative and cautious with paint, but I'm trying to bring about a more carefree feel to my style. I think with a little more practice my own work will match up to my expectations a little more. I intend to spend a lot of my holiday painting so you never know, some kind of creative gene might come to light in me yet.

Unfinished sketch from the exhibition, postcards and leaflets. I always buy some postcards of my favourite pieces after I see an art show, and of course I was over the moon when they had Red Interior: Still Life on a Blue Table, which I am holding along with a Blue Nude in the photo below. For some reason I absolutely love it. I think it's the fact that it is so unrealistic; I've grown tired of things being typically 'good'. Art is expression -  it doesn't have to be perfect, as that goes against the whole point of 'expression' as it's unusual that the thing you are trying to express or get across is actually perfect itself. It's hard to explain but I much prefer impressionistic pieces at the moment...I think they capture emotion better.

Anyway, I hope you are all having a good week...please come down to Great Portland Street this Thursday to bag yourself some super cute vintage goodies from Motel, I'll be helping out! It's going to be a great event so I really hope you can make it!