Blog relocated

Dear all,

Please note that my blog has relocated. Find me at:

palpable-pictures.blogspot.com

Thank you.

NEW WEBSITE

Madame finally bought a permanent home to her art.

www.palpable-pictures.com

I was so happy the domain name was not taken! Phew!!!!

Now I am working on the design, and it is lots of fun, though, it takes quite some time!

It should go live within few days!

Add it to your Favourites and come to tune in with updates regularly!

I am continuing with the blog, as it will remain my main platform for verbal expression! It is also linked on the website!

Thank you for reading!
Spread the love!

Madame

Sicilia!

The Artist is going on a photo trip to Sicily! It can't be more exciting! Palermo, architecture, temples, Mount Etna and Favignana Island! Here we come!

My Facebook Fan Page

Polina Pen @ Palpable Pictures on Facebook

UPDATE - National Portrait Gallery Competition

UPDATE:

I registered! Taylor Wessing Judges, Elle Magazine editors, hold yourself strong on your chairs - I am submitting photos!!!!!!!!!! Whole 3 of them!

I have a great feeling about this one!

Results come out end of August - September. Come back for updates!

Love,
Madame

New Lens :)

The Artist is very happy.

Upon the eve of her anniversary, she received a fantastic gift from her biggest love - a new lens!

It is a Tamron AF 70-300mm F4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2 Canon.

For the unfamiliar with the crazy terminology, the above translates into - a cheap lens in this range able to shoot at a reasonable distance and allowing you to capture the world in a miniature level as well.

I think it is a very good value for money at the moment. I can't wait to receive it and start experimenting. I thank my biggest fan again for the present. (Ti amo!)

Thank you all for sharing my excitement!

Love,
Po

Self Portrait with a Towel, June 2009

Yesterday I got a tripod! It might seem obvious that a self-respected photographer should have such a basic equipment, but I didn't.

Anyways, this is my first self-portrait using the new acquirement. The light was natural (and insufficient.) Nevertheless, I am happy with the result.

What do you think?

Love,
Po

Where is this world going?

Bruce Gilden, a Magnum Photographer, visited two groups on the Southern Poverty Law Center’s hate group list: The ‘Knights Party’ an offshoot of the Ku Klux Klan, and also the Detroit-based ‘National Socialist Movement’ (NSM) one of the largest neo-Nazi groups in the USA.

American experts are calling it the perfect storm for white supremacist recruitment: the sinking US economy, the election of Barack Obama, and increased attention to immigrants from Mexico and elsewhere. At the same time, extremist groups are trying to enter the mainstream and they’re having some success.

All this above is deeply disturbing to me. I wonder what experts and politicians make of it. And as usual, the images provide much more descriptive narrative to the story and visualize it perfectly. Seeing young boys dressed as Hitler and grotesque-looking white people thinking they are better than the rest, coupled with religious symbolism, makes my stomach shrink and shiver.

I thought we passed the Middle Ages. I guess we have not. I really want to read some more research in greater depth about the reasons behind this rise in hate groups. There are so many things that come to my mind, so I will leave it here for now. Take a look at the photo story here:

http://www.magnumphotos.com/Archive/c.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.StoryDetail_VPage&pid=2K7O3RTM1J8G

Where is this world heading to?

Polina Pen
June 11, 2009

My World Through My Lense

FOOD CORNER - SIMPLY DELICISOUS!

Galleries added

Please take a look on the right column, you can find a little "Gadget" named "My Galleries", which you can browse through or click on and it will take you to my Picasa web page. There you can browse at my photos freely!

Enjoy!

Yours,
Madame

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 09

I laid my eyes now on another renowned competition. This time it is a portrait photography competition - the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize organized by the National Portrait Gallery.

This prestigious international competition, has established a reputation for its diversity of photographic styles, encompassing editorial, reportage and fine art images submitted by a range of photographers, from gifted amateurs and photography students to professionals.

In the Prize's search for excellence, photographers are encouraged to interpret 'portrait' in its widest sense of 'photography concerned with portraying people with an emphasis on their identity as individuals.'

Since this is how I would exactly describe my approach to portrait photography and I dare to claim that I have a few portraits that would definitely fit into the style and spirit of the competition, I am very excited about its outcomes.

To view previous winners, please visit the site below. I am very fond of all the featured portraits. My favourite is "Bag" by Hendrik Kerstens.

Enjoy.

http://www.npg.org.uk:8080/photoprize/site09/index.php

Awards and Competitions in the UK

I don't know if it is the fact that I am relatively young in the artsy circles here in London, but I don't seem to be lucky enough with art competitions. Every expert or an artist seem to be not just old, but rather - ancient, almsot antideluvian. On my last application form, there was not even a box for my age group - and I am not a teen! What happened to the belief in and encouragement for young talent? Or it is the conservative nature of the artistic society here that does recognize only wrinkles as art expertise. England does indeed love its Middle Ages traditions!

I thought that art competitions are a good medium to get your work "out there." I am not even striving to attain high recognition at the moment. Alas, I can't get those judges agree with my vision. The Royal Academy made their final decisions this year and since I haven't yet heard of them, I assume I don't have the privilege to entertain the world with my vision this year. Maybe next. If I could be bothered.

I am a bit disappointed by several factors around the exhibition in question. Or maybe I should not be since I should have expected them. First of all, the lack of communication between the Academy and the artists - I had to chase them up with three phone calls to receive my application for submission; and regarding results - no feedback whatsoever. It is both frustrating non-professional. But the Academy wouldn't bother since they will organize their exhibition anyways. The exhibition, full with their students' work. A very democratic approach. Indeed.

PORTRAITS

Tanqueray gin Photo Competition

As an artist looking for fame and recognition, I have dived into several endeavours lately. One of the most recent ones is my participation in the Tanqueray gin Photo Competition.

The makers of Tanqueray gin have teamed up with Magnum Photos to capture the rich, intense flavour of Tanqueray. The winning photographs from ‘A Taste for Life’ will be exhibited at Liberty of London later this year and your photograph could be there. The judging panel includes Jeremy Langmead, Editor of Esquire magazine, Alan Sparrow, Picture Editor of Metro and Nicky Catley, Picture Editor of The Daily Telegraph.

‘A Taste for Life’ is a celebration of rich, intense moments in life. The judges are looking for you to capture your own rich, intense moment in life which epitomises the taste of Tanqueray gin. It could be anything from a celebration, an adventure, or an expression that captures Tanqueray’s rich intensity.

So, I uploaded few photos that I have taken in the last year or so. The Admins approved three, two more are pending. You can see the pictures here and vote for them (not that it would make any difference in the final ruling).

http://www.atasteforlife.co.uk/index.php/gallery/#/3453327489/

http://www.atasteforlife.co.uk/index.php/gallery/#/3454170636/

http://www.atasteforlife.co.uk/index.php/gallery/#/3454529206/

As usual, I am hoping for the top price! There are two age categories and since I still fit into the younger one (18-24), I think there is a big chance I score high this time. Provided they approve the rest of the pictures!

Il mio cane

Oh, I almost forgot. Let me introduce you my dog. Her name is Nikita and she is half a German Shepherd. Her dad is a bastard. She is very smart and has quite an opinion, which makes her hard to handle most of the time. Though I love her utterly. In return, she let me take her picture while she was having a siesta.

The light is natural; the camera is not professional; the post-processing is extensive. Enjoy.

Summer Exhibition

Two weeks ago I submitted two works for the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Art in London. The Exhibition is held every year without interruption since 1769 and attracts around 10,000 works. The Summer Exhibition is the largest open contemporary art exhibition in the world, drawing together a wide range of new work by both established and unknown living artists
After careful consideration by a special appointed committee, around 1,200 works are selected, the majority of which are for sale.

On May 29, 2009 the Royal Academy will announce the selected works. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I put mine for sale as well. There are also few awards in different categories. I am hoping for the biggest one - £25,000. (How humble of me ;)

Unfortunately, I cannot find a picture of the painting on my computer. I shall upload it shortly.

Welcome

This blog is intended to provide a platform for exhibition and reflection of the works of art that I create. I occupy myself with various forms of expression though my favourite at the moment are prose, photography and painting. (Random fact: all start with the letter "P," same as both my names. For some strange reason that makes me happy.)

I am impressed with the world around me. Nature fascinates me; because it is perfect. I like to photograph it and share its beauty with other people.

People fascinate me too, though differently; mostly in the insane way we act most of the time. That in turn provokes a lot of thought and it's a great source for reflection. In writing.

I like painting and drawing. It feels like I am in trans and someone else is leading the brush.it is very relaxing. I am still experimenting, trying to develop my own style. Haven't fully succeeded yet, but I am on the way.

I like to make people think, question their ways and way of doing and existence. I wish my art would provoke thoughts in people's heads. It seems to me most of us live on autopilot nowadays. And that makes me sad. If I could make one person think, I would be happy, my purpose would be fulfilled.

I work with my partner sometimes. He is a great source of inspiration, ideas and criticism (though not always constructive :) and reflection. He is a regular subject in my photography and art as well.

I hope you enjoy my little world. Please share your thoughts with me. I appreciate them.

Needless to say, I own full copyrights to all pieces of art and thought expressed on this web.

Thank you.

Polina Pen