ISSUE 9: FEBRUARY 2014

www.gRIFFIn-photogRAphY.co.Uk

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HELLO…

Well the New Year has started with a bang! I have noticed there are a lot of creatives busy planning new exciting work, creating new things and feeling some kind of 2014 buzz. Thank you so much for supporting us, we will be sharing some exciting news over the next few months so please watch out for updates via the Facebook page.

This month I am excited to say we have new contributors. We have a great contributor who is the designer of the well known brand Lexie Sport – Lily Rice. Lily will be sharing with us how to look after ourselves, and our ‘well being’. We are thrilled that we have had a lot of new photographers come forward and share their work, look out for those in this issue. As we get a lot of requests from our global readers, who would like to be a part of aesthetip, we are now going to take on submissions from around the world.

We are looking for artists, photographers, illustrators and designers who would like to share their creativity. I hope this will inspire our local artists.

We also have a wonderful new feature – ‘At Home With’, this has been a very inspiring piece to capture.

Thank you for reading, and never stop dreaming!

EMMA GRIFFIN / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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MoDEL / LAuRA MIuCCIMAkEUp / HALEY LARSONFAShIon / PENNY MACBETHphotogRAphER / GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY

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contRIBUtoRS

contRIBUtE…

If you would like to be featured in Aesthetip. We are looking for graphic designers, fashion designers, illustrators, designer makers, artists, performers and photographers based in Cornwall.

If you have an event you would like to share with us, please get in touch.

All submissions and enquiries:

aesthetip@gmail.com

FoLLow…

https://www.facebook.com/ pages/Aesthetip/ 385560578221024?ref=hl

http://aesthetipmagazine .blogspot.co.uk/

MAISIE MARShALLPHOTOGRAPHER

SILVIA MckIDDIECOOkERY WRITER

chARLottE DAVISARTIST

StEVE kEnYonDEPuTY EDITOR

cARoLInE pEDLERWRITER

EMMA gRIFFIn EDITOR

LAURA pARSonS WRITER

MARAnDA StEVEnS WRITER

hoLLY kEnYonWRITER

StAcEY gUthRIE WRITER

kAtE wALtERS WRITER

tonI cogDELL WRITER

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contEntS

FRont coVER

MoDEL / kATIE CHOWNMAkEUp ARtISt / HALEY LARSONphotogRAphER / GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY

04 ARTIST OF THE MONTH

20 CuRATORS DIARY

24 INSIGHT

30 THE MOvING IMAGE

32 AT HOME WITH

40 ARTISTS STuDIO NOTES

44 ARTOPIA

46 ILLuSTRATION

50 PHOTOGRAPHER / ANDREA PENNINGTON

54 PHOTOGRAPHER / MAISIE MARSHALL

58 PHOTOGRAPHER / jADE BERRY

64 STREET STYLE

66 FASHION SHOOT

80 quEEN OF HEARTS

82 BEARDS ARE BIG

86 GIRLS SkATE

88 A CORNWALL CONvERT

90 LANGuAGE OF LIGHT

92 EvENTS

94 uNLOCk CREATIvITY

96 WELLBEING WITH LILY RICE

100 STuDIO BITES WITH SILvIA MCkIDDIE

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ARtISt oF thE Month / ShELLY tREgonIng

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Shelley is a dedicated artist who strives to be in her studio everyday where possible. the artist who formerly worked from a home based studio has made the recent move to cast in helston.

Located in an elevated position in the old secondary school and occupying part of the old loft, this spacious and light environment has allowed the artist to work to a far larger scale than has previously been possible, and offers the opportunity to step back and review progress.

Shelly is probably the most passionate creative we have interviewed to date, she thoroughly loves being an artist and gets fidgety if something prevents her from working. One allowance made is for regular trips to the well stocked library at Falmouth university for research that helps inspire and keep her on track.

january has started with a fresh impetus, Shelley has been accepted onto a new mentoring course developed by the Newlyn School of Art. This pioneering course for Cornwall draws on the strengths of leading artists who tutor at the school. There were many artists who submitted applications to join, selection was made by portfolios reviews and interviews, standards were very high, so it is testament to Shelly’s work and commitment that she was excepted.

As the artist explained, it has been fantastic to have this opportunity to discuss creativity on a deeper level which she feels is already pushing her craft to another level. Lectures and talks by the course mentors have been fascinating, and the fellow members of the course who represent diverse disciplines of the arts have all helped move her art forward.

2013 was a very good year for Shelly with several group shows and the move to her new Helston based studio, 2014 stands to be an even better year with the artist looking to do more group shows, Open Studios and the tantalising mention of a solo show based on her recent works.

Spending more time in the studio and a changing personal attitude to her work has allowed the artist to create the kind of art she feels she should be making, which is truly from the soul. Shedding preconceived ideas about what the work should be or look like, has freed her from asking herself why she is doing something, justifying what it is she is saying and focusing on the image making itself.

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Her new body of work focuses on male forms, initially starting with small intricate drawings in a sketchbook, the pieces have elevated in scale to statuesque towering figures. Drawing remains the basis for the starting point of all her artwork, starting with loose sketches and moving onto small detailed pieces. The artist then goes onto explore mediums working up the same image multiple times. As Shelley explained, she loves paint, particularly the way it feels and moves on the substrate, however there is always a battle with colours and techniques to get the desired finish. Shelley has beautiful mark making techniques and enjoys the act of leaving areas free to allow the viewer to fill in the gaps and draw their own conclusions.

This is a very interesting visual artist who is permanently developing her own practice, we are very excited to see how this new body of work on a larger scale will pan out, and will look forward to her solo show later in the year.

http://www.shellytregoning.com/

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A nEw YEAR In thE gALLERY Now, back to Falmouth Art Gallery. We have had a ram packed january, enjoying the final few weeks of Andrew Lanyon’s The only non-slip dodo mat in the world exhibition, preparing to launch our Cultural Triangle Project for 2014, preparing for the next exhibition and finally hosting a Creative Industries Evening.

A cURAtoRS DIARY / chARLottE DAVISFLUXwell, well, well, what a start to 2014. It seems this year is going to be full of adventure, creativity and mayhem! I love it!

To kick off january, I had the pleasure to co-curate FLuX at Heseltine Gallery, an exhibition with Newlyn Society of Artists. joeleen Lynch and I have been working with the NSA for the past 6 months and this exhibition has offered a perfect pause between chapters to focus our research and showcase some of the members’ artwork in Truro. The title, FLuX, inspired by the stage from which the art society have found themselves over the past year, accentuated by the cusp of a new year beginning and is finally illustrated by the artists’ practices reaching a moment of revelation, experimentation and change.

On the morning of the install, joeleen and I found ourselves take by the plethora of styles, compositions and sizes presented to us, propped up along the wall. This really was going to be a exciting group show to arrange and explore and was going to be a challenge, however with the support of Miff Crockford, Gareth Edwards and Morwenna Morrison, we were soon under way! We were pretty pleased when we left the gallery that evening.

I would like to point out that we had to space and hang the artwork without a RuLER! Charlotte Davis, the queen of measuring and calculations managed to hang an exhibition without using a tape measure. Whether I enjoyed this method is another matter.... haha:)

The private view was a massive success and I think I can speak on behalf of all of the NSA members who were there, they were all proud to be part of this one month exhibition and were inspired to make things happen in 2014.

Lucky for me, Henrietta Boex (Director), has asked me to curate the next permanent collection display which will be opened on Friday 7th February, alongside Artists of the first Falmouth Art Gallery. My ideas and artwork selections are coming together.... abstraction, form and line... I am in heaven! I will no doubt cover this in a little more detail next month.

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And my highlight of the week was working with Marlborough School teachers to create mini exhibitions, using cake boxes... they were most inspired!

dRaw AnD pARtY RIngSYes - dRaW! is continuing for 2014 and ‘wow’ did we have a great session with Charlie Millington. Drawing lines (one handed) without a ruler, swirls with 1cm increments and bottles of wine with a bamboo stick. What more could you ask for in a drawing session? It was just a shame that Charlie couldn’t eat the ‘Party rings’... sorry for the temptation!

A LIttLE InSpIRAtIon In pLYMoUthThis weekend, I attended the Land2 Symposium at Plymouth College of Arts. I always find it difficult to summarise such a rich day of resource, material and networking... this is how far I have got with the doodling in my sketchbook (some ideas and points to consider):

Writing as drawing - can writing really be seen as drawing?

How do you define Artist Books vs Sketchbooks?

using equations to inform visual imagery... now that is something I would like to attempt!

Tacit drawing - drawing without thinking

Co-constitutional vs Relational

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A cURAtoRS DIARY / chARLottE DAVIS

And a quote I would like to finish with...

“IT BEGINS WITH A LINE IN SPACE”

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A cURAtoRS DIARY / chARLottE DAVIS

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InSIght / RIchARD BALLIngEREstablished artist Richard Ballinger is based in a studio located at the newlyn School of Art, cornwall. we popped in to get an InSIght into his head space.

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InSIght / RIchARD BALLIngER

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photogRAphER / GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY29

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How would you describe your practice?

I’m most interested in video and object in an installation setting. I never set out with an idea. I don’t say, ‘Right, I’m going to fill a room with this, that and the other and I’m going to project some video onto this bit’ but that’s what I always end up doing. Most of my moving image is non-linear and quite often just really short loops. There’s no story, no beginning or end. My most recent piece is only 18 seconds long. It’s just a flicker. It’s colour. It’s light and movement. It’s evoking a feeling or thought.

I met north cornwall based artist, christina Romero cross, to discuss the role moving image plays in her practice.

thE MoVIng IMAgE / StAcEY gUthRIE

History, memory and stories drive my artistic practice. I usually take a specific moment, a particular memory or an object to draw out a narrative. I see memory as an echo of events. It’s related to the event but it’s changed by time, like an echo is related to the original sound but it’s bounced back. It’s heard but you’re interpreting it not living it. It’s like an image reflected on water for instance. It’s related to the object but there’s room for re-interpretation. Or maybe the reflective surface is like an intervention; whether that’s in the form of a safety cushion or whether it’s another way of abstracting. It’s interesting to me even though I haven’t pinned it down yet.

When you look in a mirror you know what to expect, the reflection makes sense, we all understand what we are seeing and it’s less interesting than the reflection off a window for instance, which includes its background. It has a different quality’ there is also something unexpected about it. It’s harder to interpret, its abstracted. I’m going to continue my explorations with projection and moving image reflected off various surfaces including water.

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Why projection?

Single channel video is very direct. It’s digital to screen, there’s no interpreting that. Projection is one-step abstracted because it’s moving through air. Some of the quality of the projection must be affected by that. Projection feels magical because it becomes tangible. It fills and becomes part of a space. It’s light shot through colours.

What’s your first memory of moving image?

My dad got hold of a tiny movie projector. We lived on a houseboat. I was about four. My mum hung a sheet up and we watched a cartoon. It was the most amazing thing. I’d never been to the cinema, we didn’t have a television; we didn’t even have electricity in our house. All our lights were gaslights. I’d never experienced anything like it before. You could see this beam of light coming from the lens. It was like magic.

Do you think you were hooked from then on?

I don’t know if I was hooked but certainly but when I look back I can tie my interest directly to that.

Christina’s work can be found at: http://www.christinaromerocross.com

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At hoME wIth / AnnE whEttER

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Anne uses most of her home as a working space to create her art. She explained ‘ I like to be surrounded with what I’m working on so it’s always in my thoughts’.

Anne is about to show her work in Fannie & Fox gallery Penryn which opens on the 14th Feburary. The exhibition is called The Wallpaper Pages and also includes the artist Rebbecca Simms.

Anne has also joined forces with two other artists under the name of Meeting Of 3, who are planning to exhibit some exciting work together. The artists in this group are, Anne Whetter, Claire Baker and Sioban Purdy.

Anne is a true creative, not only is she surrounded by her art, she also upholsters furniture, turning unwanted clothing into covers.

http://annewhetter.wix.com/anne-whetter-artist

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Raven days, raven nights. Long pointed wings, eye-lashes of my sky lover sweep the blue sky, remind me.

the wind is shorn by your grazes.

I am awoken by a dream: you come quietly; you lie down beside me, behind me, heavy and dark. In the studio the lover comes again, he dances around me, plays with me, insists on providing the roots for the Mother of nature, the Mother who holds herself, who opens, who has a bruised cheek. he stands with his back to me, leaning against the wall. his shoulders are very broad, sloping, massy. I want to run my hand across them, as if he were a horse, but I do not. he isn’t there.

Making monotypes, remembering the human skeleton cradled by the horse’s skeleton I saw in the museum in Padua. How beautiful it was. How I hovered, desperate to photograph it, not to be seen by the aged invigilator, who knew exactly what I wanted to do…so I drew it…(and I took photographs)…

In my work, as I draw, I am thinking about being a mother, being bruised, yielding, providing the flesh for another to grow on, like a Tree. Meditating on being a Tree, standing tall, still, and quiet. I have a sense of opening from the navel, a feeling of connectedness from the navel. Like a river with only one ending and a vanished source, I can’t quite grasp the significance yet.

ARtISt StUDIo notES / kAtE wALtERS

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Sometimes when I feel as if I am losing my way it can take a tiny thing to put me back on track. After organising the show at Tower Hamlets last year, when I was feeling pretty empty, a friend and I walked into a charity shop in Richmond. She found a book for me on hysteria. I read a few words and immediately I felt my focus returning, thank goodness, and with it my energy.

Yesterday I continued with monotypes on lovely thin Gampi paper. Thinking about my images existing as they do in such a thin space, it never occurs to me to indicate that they exist in a pictorial space, because to try to indicate that, to create them a room or a corner of a forest for example, would not be true to them. They exist in a thin place, and come from a thin place. They are as a sliver of cells, such as you might see beneath a microscope.

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This morning the white peacock I often see was up on a roof, honking like a goose. I wondered whether he had a message for me. Should I be making some sense of his honking? I am reminded of the monotype made last week where a woman and bird are conjoined. But it isn’t working yet, I need to re-work it.

http://www.katewalters.co.uk http://www.katewalters.co.uk/blog https://vimeo.com/73134126

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Artopia is based in cornwall and London. they run an arts agency in Falmouth to support and provide exposure for both emerging and established artists and also run Artopia London, our gallery.

Artopia announces This Wild West, the inaugural exhibition to launch their London gallery. A celebration of new art with a link to Cornwall, This Wild West will feature a showcase of works by alumni of Falmouth School of Art.

Cornwall based artists Faye Dobinson, Alex Goodman, james Hankey, Alice Mahoney, Marc Messenger, Ben Sanderson, juliet Walshe are showing alongside jacob-Louis Beaney, Matthew Benington, Isabella Bostock, jessica Everitt and George Morgan, graduates who are now practicing across the uk.

Artopia have selected a group of emerging artists who at some point in their practice have laid down roots in Cornwall. They now weave together personal and historical threads that stem from ambiguous places and unexpected perspectives.

ARtopIAThis Wild West delivers a diverse range of media from traditional oil paint to digital print, with no named theme or style. But, the works hold a similar sensibility: they tell a story of something wild and mysterious.

“Artopia is inspired by the bounty of creative talent developed in Cornwall and we feel it is the right time to provide a platform for these artists in London.”

Eloise Wall, Co-Director of Artopia Cornwall has a history of producing cutting edge contemporary art and This Wild West, curated by Rosie Thomson-Glover, hopes to further develop this outstanding reputation.

For further information on Artopia:

www.artopiacornwall.com www.artopialondon.com

Artopia London Ivory House St katharine Docks London E1W 1LB

1st February — 19th March

juLIET WALSHE

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BEN SANDERSON

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PHOTOGRAPHY/ GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY

ILLUStRAtIon / cARoLInE pEDLER

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I haven’t been about and about much the last few months so another Falmouth based illustrator this month, claire chamberlain.

I know Claire’s work mainly from my brief collaboration with All the Fires, back in the day. She worked in the same circles and created the artwork for their first and final album before they sadly split in the summer. Since then I have been seeing her posts on facebook and really liked her sense of design and colour so decided to get her to send some pieces in. Working full time while working freelance on the side is what a lot of illustrators I know have to do these days. I did it for a while before securing a range of books to illustrate, meaning I could go full time in my illustration, but it’s not always that easy. Anyway, over to Claire to share a little piece of her illustrated life.

“I was born and bred in Cornwall and have spent the majority of my life in Falmouth where I studied illustration at Falmouth university. I moved to Bristol in 2007 but returned to Cornwall after 5 years of trying to live the city life. I currently work fulltime but I also do freelance illustration and design work alongside the humdrum of daily life!

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I have had a variety of commissions including promotional posters, album artwork, pet portraits, children’s educational illustration and logo design, all of which have involved using a wide range of materials and techniques.

A lot of people ask “what is your style?” and I find it the most difficult question to answer. I guess if I was running with the same projects all the time i:e children’s book illustrations or canvas paintings then I’d probably be using the same materials and techniques and people would get a general sense

of the “style”. However, the commissioned work I’ve had has ranged from fine art, illustration and graphic design projects, all of which have involved an entirely different approach to suit the client’s needs.

I’ve always experimented with paints and materials since I was a child and have never really managed to shake that habit (much to the annoyance of my past teachers and tutors). I personally think there is absolutely nothing wrong with having some diversity as an artist. Hopefully, you’ll see this in some of the work I’ve included here.

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photogRAphER / AnDREA pEnnIngton

MoDEL / ADAM PHILLIPSwww.andrea-pennington.com

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photogRAphER / MAISIE MARShALL

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http://maisiemarymarshall.blogspot.co.uk/57

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photogRAphER / jADE BERRY

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http://jadeberryphotography.com/63

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StREEt StYLE / coRnwALL

photogRAphER / GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY64

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pop

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pop FAShIonMODEL / kAtIE chown

MAkEuP ARTIST / hALEY LARSon

FASHION/ top Shop

HEAD PIECE / tIFFAnY coUtURE

PHOTOGRAPHER / EMMA gRIFFIn

MoDEL / kATIE CHOWNMAkEUp ARtISt / HALEY LARSONFAShIon / TOPSHOPphotogRAphER / GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY

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FAShIon /MoDEL / kATE REEvE-EDWARDSBAckgRoUnD ScULptURES / GARETH EDWARDSLocAtIon / THE NEWLYN ORIONUMBRELLA / WHITBREAD-ROBERTSphotogRAphER / OLIvIA WHITBREAD-ROBERTS

www.oliviawhitbread-roberts.com

https://www.facebook.com/oliviawhitbreadRobertsFineArtphotographer

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MoDEL / PEARL kS

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photogRAphER / DALE POINTONwww.dalepointonphotography.co.uk www.facebook.com/dalepointonphotography

MoDEL / BRYONY BuCkLAND

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MoDEL / TARA FLOOD

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qUEEn oF hEARtS / tIFFAnY FRIEnD

this month I decided to have a little queen of heart fun with valentines day on the horizon. In our house we decorate and dress in lots of red and hearts!

Commissions have been flying out of the door for fairy tale themes! And I got inspired for a personal project for myself, Alice in Wonderland is a favorite of mine and I managed to rope my eldest daughter into a little dress up photo fun!

I had a red wig ready and I quite liked the look of my crowns stacked up with a small crown on the top!

Crown inspired by Helena Bonham Carter’s character — £13

Red Roses Crown — £15

Cream Roses Crown — £15

You can order on Facebook: ‘Tiffany Couture’, on Instagram: ‘Tiffany Couturexx, or by email: pictiffany@aol.com

I make all kinds of accessories, nothing is to much of a challenge so don’t be afraid to ask, let’s get creative!

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BEARDS ARE BIg / EMMA gRIFFIn

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Beards are back in f ashion and will remain to be a popular trend during 2014. I don’t feel it is a ‘fashion’ thing but more being authentic for the individual.

I have noticed it is not just for the celebrities that have grown beards, I have seen all ages of men recently supporting wonderful full on beards.

I know a lot of women do not like beards, but myself I do rather love a good beard. After all my husband supports a cracking example of one. If you are planning to grow a beard I have some help for you.

Here is a guide to caring for your beard:

— If you’re going to trim your beard yourself, you’ll need the right tools. You will have to decide whether to trim using scissors or a beard trimmer. When considering beard trimmers, a rechargeable cordless model might be a good choice. You should also have a comb.

— Do not trim a wet beard or mustache. Wet hair is longer and will bounce back once dry. When it dries you may find you’ve trimmed too much.

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MoDEL / STAuRT WOODMANFAShIon / DAISY RAIN vINTAGEphotogRAphER / GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY

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— If you use a comb and scissors: Comb through the beard and cut the hair on the outside of the comb.

— Beard trimmers almost always come with an adjustable and removable trimming guide. By adjusting the position of the trimming guide, you control how closely it will trim your beard. Refer to the instructions supplied with your trimmer for details. until you’ve mastered the use of your trimmer, it is best to adjust the guide for a longer beard length setting at first.

— To trim your mustache, first comb it straight down over the lip. Then use either the beard trimmer or scissors.

— Start in the middle and trim first towards one side of the mouth, then towards the other. After you’ve trimmed your beard and mustache, then you should maintain the shape of your beard. use the beard trimmer to keep the neckline of your beard well defined. Or, you could carefully shave the lower portion of your neck to maintain the neckline of your beard.

— keeping a beard clean. just like your hair, wash and shampoo your beard regularly. Gently pat and wipe your beard dry with a towel. Blow-drying is not really necessary, that’s taking it a little too far! Comb your beard and mustache with a comb to remove tangles.

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gIRLS SkAtE coRnwALL / hoLLY kEnYon

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For this months article I have interviewed a young female skater – Izzy.

why did you start skateboarding?

I started skating because every time I met up with my boyfriend Felix he always had his board with him, I used to watch him skate and it looked really fun cruising around through everything. I got a Penny board for Christmas and Felix helped me learn some tricks.

why do you like skating? I like skating because when I do it I feel happy and free to ride anywhere I want. At the end of every session I feel like I have accomplished something, like a new trick or move. Basically I love skating because to me its a big joyride.

when did you start skating?I started in january 2013 on a Penny board, but when I was 7 I rode my first board… so I guess I really started when I was 7.

what type of boards do you have?I have a purple Penny board for cruising and a trick deck for other stuff.

I understand you like photography, does the skateboarding help with your creativity? If so how?Yes I do think it helps my creativity, mainly because I get random images in my head, I then incorporate these ideas into projects which results in a final image.

where is your favourite place to skate? where would you like to skate?If I am on my Penny board I prefer to cruise, so I really enjoy the sidewalk down at Gyllngvase Beach. If I am on my trick deck I really like the car park down at the Maritime Museum in Falmouth or the road behind Swanpool Lake. I would love to start skating at Mount Hawke Skate Park, and cruise down one of the roads towards the Lizard.

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I thought, this month, that I should change my prosaic pace, and cast my eye and pen upon something different. It’s only right, new Year and all.

In life, this life, our life, paths and trails wind and intertwine and narrow and expand according, and often correlating to, epochs that are defined by age. That ‘life’ is one long path, perpetually changing and obscuring itself, leading to dead ends and carving out clichéd new beginnings. That’s the wonder and wonderment of the bizarre normalities ascribed to that thing we call existence.

I bathe in such painfully self-conscious philosophising, because I have approached one of those path twisters, and as such feel the need to syntactically record my soon to be nostalgia of Cornwall.

A coRnwALL conVERt / MIRAnDA StEVEnS

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See, I’m leaving Falmouth; my warm cradle of a town I’ve called home for the last six months. The nostalgia has indeed already begun as I type, as this will be my last of only three articles I have written for Aesthetip.

Falmouth is a person to me. It has a heart strong and overworked, an unstandardized mind, and a character that dares the next Falmouth convert to be more different than its predecessor. It is one of those places: a vacuum packed, concentrated, new-thinking old-idealising town, where no pair of trousers can be ‘too fluorescent’. And that is almost its charm, because lacing this fruity concoction of wonderlust artists and beard trimming activists, is a time-capsuled generation of Falmouth forefathers.

So Falmouth is not just this physical being, a thing that breathes and lives and entices with enthusiasm and promise of difference, but it has depth and contours; a place that says to you that yes, those steps they call jacob’s Ladder may well be colossal in length, but there’s a pub at the top with music and pickled eggs, that says yes the sea may be like icy razors to your skin but how many people can say they have that view that you do; that says no there is no Greggs but thank god because they don’t make pasties like we do, and that actually spares no time for those

with no time to appreciate the quirky love of Falmouth and its sweet smelling sea.

And so I leave with heavy heart (and even heavier suitcase) to the Promised Land (of London). See Falmouth is also a part-time transit area, where people get dropped off on temporary relocations, for whatever reason, for love or lust of person or place, or because it is a welcome home for the missing, looking to be found. Because Falmouth is like that; it offers itself as a home, and throws in a cup of tea when you walk through the door. And I, in my stubborn certainty, will know this as I leave, and will wonder what on earth I’m doing, as others will wonder around me.

My answer to myself can only be, that I am a Cornish—and more specifically, Falmouth—convert. And as so Falmouth will always be in my heart, will be that extra suitcase that I take with me, and that place that I always come back to. That won’t change, as it won’t change. And so I will leave.

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Land surrounded by sea. An ornate sliver of rock pointing elegantly out into the ocean, almost entirely enveloped by water, weather gathering itself around it, in all its fury and lightness, the county of Cornwall is almost an island itself balanced delicately on the edge of the uk. The wildness of the surrounding waters and climate are echoed on land in the form of some of the most powerful and rugged scenery you’ll find anywhere, and that unforgettably strange ‘quality of light’ it owns which makes it unsurprising that artists of all kinds are mesmerizingly pulled towards it like spellbound moths to a flame. Cornwall is creatively magnetised. Personally chosen by the Muse as her hang-out. But what could it be in those light conditions and sweeping backdrops that mean so much art is made there, pulling in outsiders time after time, or even holding them there indefinitely.

When searching for reasons why so many Creatives are drawn to Cornwall, you may find someone eating a sandwich and waving their hand absentmindedly while telling you “oh, it’s the light, artists love it.” And it is a well-known and accepted factor, all that glorious sunlight bouncing off the waters of the Celtic Sea and English Channel back on to land, suspending the air around you in an epiphany of infinitely glorious reflected light.

Scientific sensory tests have been done which indeed concur, yes, the light is strangely unique. Artists looking for light, channelling it back into their work as Turner did in the early 19th Century when he visited the County, seems a perfect pursuit, and simple reasoning for travelling your creativity to the very ends of Britain. knowing something of the creative mind however, I feel it may run deeper than that.

To sustain the journey of making art, the artist needs fuel, to be enlivened and awoken regularly, to be given the keys to the primordial, inaccessible places within but with the safety of a breadcrumb trail to bring the adventurer back again. The deeply rooted mystery that moves in the land and in the light of Cornwall promises all this. In her gorse and heather wildness, the free-spirited weather that moves and changes quickly, spectre-like, across the land each day, she invites the willing contender with their losses and lonelinesses to lay down their doubts and pick up their bravery. To be as untamed as she is, nature, man and life living in tune with each other. The inescapable cycle of creativity, living like a breath or a heartbeat under the surface of all things. Largely unnoticed, yet integral for living.

This is Cornwall’s silent clarion call to make art, singing out to Creatives, with her multilingual light, speaking both the language of the visual and the soul. There is an arcane thread that runs between artist and Cornwall, a relationship and partnership, ship to port, child to mother. And whether we were born there, live there or are just visiting, we are always homeward bound.

thE LAngUAgE oF LIght / tonI cogDELL

90FEBRUARY

http://www.toni-art.co.uk/writing.html

91FEBRUARY

EVEnt cALEnDAR / FEBRUARY

when it’s gloomy, chilly and months away from the next Bank holiday it can be easy to lose your buzz. If you feel like you could do with a bit of a lift, one of these uplifting creative events might be just the inspiration you need to grab February by the horns.

nEwLYn SchooL oF ARt – chYwoonE hILL, nEwLYn

Over the next four weeks the Newlyn School of Art is offering its usual diverse range of courses. under the expert guidance of renowned artists (including jack Doherty, Gareth Edwards and jason Walker) students are introduced to new ways of experimenting with media like pottery, watercolour, oil painting and drawing.

Check out the Newlyn School of Art calendar for a full run down of all the classes coming up over the next few months.

http://www.newlynartschool.co.uk/ art-courses/

nEwLYn ARt gALLERY – nEw RoAD, nEwLYn

The Hayward Touring Exhibition ‘Curiosity: Art and the Pleasures of knowing’ was introduced to Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange at the end of january and will remain in residence this month. As explained in last month’s event calendar, the specialist display was created with the aid of Cabinet magazine and offers a fresh perspective on the industrial and creative revolutions of the 17th century.

Meanwhile, Newlyn Art Gallery’s Picture Room will be showcasing a new range of printed works by abstract imagist Elizabeth Waller until early March.

The Exchange is also proud to feature ‘Spectrum: The World Around Me’ until February 8th. This exhibition celebrates the different ways in which people with Autism react to the world around them and was created by Cornwall-based charity Spectrum.

For more information about exhibitions and events being held at Newlyn Art Gallery and The Exchange please visit http://www.newlynartgallery.co.uk/

92FEBRUARY

MILLEnnIUM – St IVES

From February 7th Millennium gallery will be uniting two intense exhibitions under one roof – Simon Averill’s ‘Splitter’ and Mark jenkin’s ‘An Air that kills’. Averill’s contemporary artworks are responses to landscapes and entwine the real with the imagined, while jenkin’s explores cinematic potential and the concept of movie image as art.

coRnwALL contEMpoRARY – chApEL StREEt, pEnzAncE

This year Cornwall Contemporary is celebrating valentine’s Day with ken Spooner, a British artist with an affinity for natural hues, metal and multidimensional design. His illuminating exhibition, Ignition, and an accompanying book launch will be running from February 14th until March 10th.

thE BELgRAVE – 22 FoRE StREEt, St IVES

Following on from the online-only exhibition of works by painter by Alice Mumford, The Belgrave will be adorning its walls with a wide selection of paintings, drawings, sculpture and printmaking in a visual cacophony of modern and contemporary artists. The names of individual contributors have yet to be disclosed but as the exhibition will be in place until March 3rd you’ve got plenty of time to check it out for yourself.

tAtE St IVES – poRthMEoR BEAch, St IVES

Tate St Ives is currently closed for phase two of the historic building’s extensive refurbishment and is scheduled to reopen in May. You can find out more about the renovation plans on the Tate St Ives website. http://www.tate.org.uk/about/projects/tate-st-ives-phase-two

In the March issue of Aesthetip we’ll have a spring in our step as we check out what creative seeds are being sown this season.

LAURA pARSonS

93FEBRUARY

UnLockIng YoUR cREAtIVItY

94FEBRUARY

As you begin to think about the ways you would like to be more creative you are putting a train of thought into play. use crystals within any of the activities you do especially quartz crystals, like yellow Citrine crystals. They may be found easily, as they are kept by most crystal suppliers. They have a strong manifestation vibration and as they have a strong amplifying action they are powerful stones to help you. Activities that boost your imagination, in themselves will begin to enhance your creativity.

Always wash crystal in cold water once you have brought one. This is to remeove past energy. Then hold your crystal and imagine what you want the crystal to help you with. Like, new ideas, to keep you focused or strenght. THen place your crystal neaar to where you work, or wear it or keep it on you at all times.

You will soon notice the difference in your creativity flow.

Enhancing creativity is something many people aspire after.

To begin enhancing creativity you need to choose some crystals to work with. A good way to do this is to keep the crystal on you, or wear them as jewelry. Alternatively you could have small crystals in your pocket, your purse, on your desk and under your pillow.

The following crystals are perfect for aiding a creative mind

Iolite, Goethite, Golden Rutilated quartz, Golden Yellow Apatite, Golden Yellow Labradorite Goshenite,Green Diopside, Green Tourmaline, Blue Topaz, Citrine.

95FEBRUARY

Even if you are lucky enough to have a team around you creating really brilliant creative work generally relies on yourself and your wellbeing. But once immersed in a piece or project with deadlines looming it can be easy to forget to look after yourself.

Instead, focusing on pay checks and clients is a sure fire way to run not only yourself down, but to run out of the creativity that powers your work in the first place.

With the relaxation of the Christmas break now a very distant memory and work schedules stacked; it’s time to start planning a recharge!

We looked at some of the best places to take a break and clear your head in Cornwall:

thE coRnwALL EStAtEAt the heart of The Cornwall Estate, a luxury four star hotel set in 43 acres of wooded parkland in St Austell, is The Clearing Spa. With an exquisite indoor infinity pool overlooking the gardens, the spa is the perfect destination for relaxation and recuperation. Offering a varied menu of treatments to help you de-stress, relax and feel good, our favorite is the unusual Lava Shell Massage, which uses real volcanic shells!

The hotel also offers superb food in the AA Rosette Arboretum Restaurant and al fresco dining at The Parkland Terrace, overlooking the Pentewan valley scenery, sure to re-inspirer even the weariest soul!

Spa treatments start from £35, Mini breaks from £44.75 PPPN

http://www.thecornwall.com

cREAtIVE woRk RELIES on YoUR wELL BEIng / LILY RIcE DESIgnER oF LEXIE SpoRt

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97FEBRUARY

thE ScARLEttAn award winning grown-ups only hotel, the Scarlett offers relaxing diversions such as the outdoor cliff top hot tubs, a natural reed-filtered swimming pool and an Ayurvedic-inspired spa – all with far-reaching views over the gorgeous Cornish sea.

The extensive spa is open to all so even if you’re tight on time you can still experience the delights. The day packages include a sumptuous two-course lunch served in the private spa dining space, which means you can stay in your robe while you eat, true luxury!

And if you fancy something more energetic then try the ‘Luxury Fitness Retreats’ provided by 38 North. New for 2014, the team of qualified fitness experts offer personalised training designed to re-awakening your passion for exercise.

The runs on the Atlantic coast paths, beach workouts and yoga in the Scarlet are sure to make you feel enlivened and refreshed!

Day Spa Packages start at £100 PP and use of the spa is free for residents.

www.scarlethotel.co.uk

gwEL An MoR A ten-minute walk from the golden sands of the North Cornwall fishing village of Portreath, is Gwel an Mor. Situated on the idyllic Cornish coast, equipt with hot tubs and log-burning fires, the five star lodges offer sensational views of the bay and staff that provide the type of personalised service you would normally find from a top hotel.

But it is the brilliantly activities that really set Gwel an Mor apart. Our favorite and possibly the most unusual has to be the Wild Food Foraging Walks.

Accessible for all ages, the walks are fun, sensory and provide hands on knowledge from Forager and Wild Food Guide Rachel Lambert. Rachel shares her expert knowledge on not only how to identify the surprisingly delicious food sources of the coastal and hedgerow plants, but also some amazing recipe ideas all while enjoying the unique Cornish scenery.

Lodge prices vary, Walks : Adults - £10, children (under 16) - £5, under 2s go free.

www.gwelanmor.com

98FEBRUARY

99FEBRUARY

hello dears…

well, when is this rain going to stop? It has been blowing a gale down here in cornwall and I for one am fed up with having to wear my waterproof coat every time I go out of the door. I cannot begin to tell you how annoyed Rodney is. his jacket keeps his back warm but his under-carriage gets very cold and wet. pugs don’t like having cold under-carriages.

I don’t know about you, but I have been on a bit of a fitness regime these last couple of weeks. I cannot embrace the whole jogging thing as I am a large lady from the waist up and no support bra in the world has been able to help. jogging aside, I prefer very brisk walking, poor Rodney struggles a bit to keep up but its doing him a lot of good too. I have started swimming again which is incredibly good exercise.

To keep motivated dears, here is a little Sylvia tip. Really go for it, put all your energy into your favourite sport or activity and then at the end of the week, treat yourself to something.....but not chocolate. Maybe a good book, some perfume or a new garden fork, the list is endless. keep at it at all times, that’s my motto and so far its working. Don’t get me wrong, I am not an over weight lady far from it, just want to keep all the moving parts in good working order.

Now, for our Studio Bites. I am making flapjacks. I can hear you all saying....Flapjacks!! when we are trying to get rid of the flab, but these can be made less calorific. Sylvia’s tip here is to use Soya margarine instead of ordinary margarine. So here we go..

100FEBRUARY

IngREDIEntS: 100g (4oz) BUttER, MARgARInE

oR SoYA MARgARInE75g (3oz) goLDEn SYRUp

75g (3oz) SoFt BRown SUgAR225g (8oz) RoLLED oAtS

This amount will make 24 flap jacks. Put the butter or margarine, syrup and sugar into a saucepan and place over a low heat until completely melted.

Stir in the oats and mix well.

Spread evenly into a greased 20.5 x 30.5cm (8 x 12inch) swiss roll tin and smooth the top with a knife.

Bake at 180c (350 F) Gas Mark 4 for 30 minutes. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then cut into 24 fingers.

These are a handy little energy boosting snack you can take with you whilst jogging.

Well my dears, its goodbye from me till we chat again. Take care and keep smiling.

Yours,

SILVIA MckIDDIE

101FEBRUARY

wE ARE now LookIng FoR IntERnAtIonAL contRIBUtIonS to FEAtURE In A nEw gLoBAL InSpIRAtIon coLUMn.

DUE to thE VoLUME oF cREAtIVES coMIng FoRwARD LookIng to SUBMIt wE woULD LIkE thE oppURtUnItY to ShARE wIth thE READERS SoME oF thE tALEntED InDIVIDUALS who kInDLY SUppoRt thE MAgAzInE.

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FRoM MARch 2014 wE wILL ALSo BE oFFERIng ADVERtISIng SpAcE In thE MAgAzInE to hELp SUStAIn ItS gRowth, A pAck contAInIng FURthER DEtAILS IS AVAILABLE VIA: AESthEtIp@gMAIL.coM whIch DEtAILS SIzES AnD pRIcIng.

102FEBRUARY