Afternoon Tea with Miss Babacilu and the Sixth Blog Anniversary
So perfect, so poetic, so simple! Each time I receive mail from Miss Babacilu, I'm eager to open the box to see what gracious marvels hid inside. This time around was no different, once the box was opened, tea flavors hit my senses and charming jewelry sparkled, being ready to be worn. I feel blessed by the beautiful friendship I share with Ioana, the very talented jewelry designer of Miss Babacilu, that creates feminine and delicate adornments inspired by the tea's aura and rituals. The poetic spirit she puts in her handmade jewelry lives in the moment and serves today, at my 6th blog anniversary, as the inspiration behind my photo essay.
Being pen-pals and sharing our artistic thoughts for so many years already, many of the stories you can find here, on the blog, I felt that it was right to create a story inspired by the things that influence myself and Ioana. Tea, memories and how time, past and present, shapes our thoughts and existence, were at the root of my artistic inspiration. My favorite, Jane Austen, couldn't have found a better time to let her romantic influence on this beautiful friendship and artistic story.
It's been six years since I first begun to write, cook and photograph on this blog, and so many stories I have shared here, and many more will come. Looking back, I see my progress through this adventure, determination and desire to create and share the things in which I believe. I do hope that my journey has and will inspire the ones that read this blog and find inspiration in my creations. It's right to remember, be nostalgic and appreciate these memories, and given this occasion, Miss Babacilu's creations were perfect to celebrate how wonderful this blog has been over the years.
Thus, my afternoon tea photo essay celebrates and contemplates the meaning of nostalgia of home viewed through the aura of the British life of the 18th century. The series makes a powerful case for the importance of memories, and paints a charming portrait of the feeling of stepping back into a simpler time infused with calmness and beauty. By romanticizing the elegance and etiquette of Jane Austen's writings, this series is honoring the ritual of drinking tea in an intimate home setting, and is imagining a more noble approach to social conventions. Featuring Miss Babacilu's jewelry perfect for any gatherings, the series takes the viewer into an imaginative and charming home story inspired by an Austen's atmosphere. Enjoy my living stills inspired by Miss Babacilu's jewelry and gifts, Jane Austen and the essence of this blog!
Avocado Cream Spread and a Sneak Peek of my Tableware Collection
This avocado cream is the perfect recipe for your breakfast because is so simple to make. It has a light consistency that you can pair with cheese, radishes and mix of your favorite seeds to sprinkle on top. It's quick to make and keeps you full till lunch. I always love to make out of breakfast a thoughtful ritual with good, simple ingredients to enjoy each morning. And so this expression of simple pleasure of life couldn't be better paired than with my recent tableware collection I created for my artistic acts.
Since discovering sculpture at SCAD I've been experimenting with getting my hands dirty and building my own small sculptures. I'm always interested in exploring other disciplines, and sculpture has opened my eyes and mind a lot with its practice, much more different than photography's. And so, in the past months I've been working on a small handmade collection of organic tableware to use in my photographs. As a photographer I've always stumbled upon beautiful props to use in my photography, however not always they have represented exactly what I've looked for. By bringing my ideas to life through objects created by myself, I gained a better appreciation and involvement in the creative act and been able to fully capture the mood I was envisioning for a certain story. Thus, this tableware collection inspired by raw materials has an innate, real beauty with a tactile focus. These are now my obsession and simple props to laid out in any photograph, and you can spot them also here! Happy summer!
Ingredients (makes about 1 cup):
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled
1 tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
sea salt
feta cheese (for serving)
chia seeds (for serving)
country-style bread (for serving)
Directions:
1. Using a fork or the food processor, mix avocado, yogurt, lemon juice, oil, and salt until mixture is very smooth, light, and thick.
2. Transfer avocado cream to a small bowl and serve on country-style bread topped with feta cheese and chia seeds.
Communication Arts 57th Photography Annual Competition Winner
It feels amazing when you receive good news, and today I'm so over the moon to finally be able to share this good one here. I'm so honored to have my photograph Shore, from the series Expressions Around the Table, selected as winning photograph in the 57th Photography Annual Competition held by Communication Arts. The selected projects, among which my award-winning photograph, will be reproduced in the July/August 2016 issue of Communication Arts, both in print and digital editions (more than 34,000 copies of the issue will be distributed worldwide). For my winning photograph I will receive a personalized Award of Excellence, milled from solid aluminum, that I will soon share here with you all. I'm so proud to represent SCAD with this work in this prestigious competition!
Published each July, the Photography Annual incorporates special reproduction techniques developed by CA, including quality 200-line color separation and printing on premium 70 lb. coated paper by one of the finest printers in the United States. Of the 4,024 entries to the 57th Photography Annual, only 137 were accepted, representing the work of 127 photographers, making the Photography Annual the most exclusive major photography competition in the world.
