Being Gay in a Heterosexual Society | An Interview with Ella

1.       Heya Ella! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions and being so open! Firstly, would you mind telling me a little bit about yourself? For example: what are your passions and interests?

My interests are playing video games, photography, writing, drawing and reading.

2.      Do you think that labels are necessary when it comes to sexual orientation? Are they restrictive or do they provide comfort and security?

I think labels can be restrictive depending on the person really. Some people like that they can name their sexual orientation and be able to tell others exactly and others feel freer without labelling. I label myself because I like be able to explain to others easily what exactly my sexuality is.

3.      When did you realise that you weren’t heterosexual? Was it something you learnt as you got older or something you’ve always known?

It's a bit of both really. I had small crushes on other girls when I was younger but I wasn't bothered about it. I was about ten when I started questioning and then a year later I realised properly.

4.      Are there ever times that you find it difficult to accept your feelings towards other people? Does society ever make you feel pressured into acting and behaving a certain way?

There have been times where I've thought being straight would be easier but I've been raised so that I know that homosexuality isn't wrong so I just accepted myself.

5.      Have you ever experienced discrimination or prejudice based on your sexuality? Do you think that it’s because we live in a society where straight people are favoured that people think it’s acceptable to belittle people who don’t fall into this category?

I have faced discrimination from people who see it as a joke. Like when someone asked me if I had a girlfriend in a very mocking tone to make fun out of me. I've also heard some girls say that they don't want me to have a crush on them.

6.      How does it make you feel to know that in some parts of the world, it’s still illegal to marry as a same sex couple?

I think it's very upsetting to be honest that people are still against it but hopefully there's going to a rise in the future of people supporting same sex marriage, especially for Australia!

7.      Is there anybody who has helped you in any way that deserves any recognition? Whether that be simply being a friend who has stood up for you or a public figure who has fought for your rights?

Well, I look up to celebrities like Ellen Page because I find it amazing that they're proud of who they are and they stick up for lgbt rights in America.

8.      Finally, do you have any advice to give to anybody reading who is either questioning their sexual preference or considering ‘coming out’?

Well, for someone who's questioning their sexual orientation, my advice would be just to wait, be patient and be proud of themselves no matter what and for anyone who's thinking of coming out, make sure you're in a safe place and your parents are accepting. If not, maybe move in with an accepting friend or extended family if you feel you are in danger or wait until you move out.

Again, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity Ella, I wish you all the best! :)

Health and happiness,

Marti xxx

Art with Claire O'Brien!

1.  Heya Claire! Thanks so much for taking the time to collaborate with me! Would you mind starting off by telling us about who you are and what you do?

Hi Marti, thanks for having me! I live in Leeds, I’m 36 and I’m a mum of two boys. Having left my job in university administration two years ago I’m now working full time on my artwork and writing projects. I struggled for years with managing the right work-life balance as well as trying to develop my art skills so I made the decision to quit my day job to commit to it fully. I’ve recently reached a point where I’m ready to share my artwork (which is quite scary!) so I’ve now started to post some of my work online (see my Facebook page here www.facebook.com/claireobdraws ). So far, I’ve shared some of my traditional drawing/painting of portraits but I’m also working on moving into illustration and sequential art. 

2. What is your preferred  creative medium and why? Is it pencil and paper, sculpture, textiles or something else entirely?

When I began drawing I worked mainly with paper and pencil (or charcoal for life drawing). About 18 months ago I invested in a digital drawing tablet and it’s completely transformed the way I work. Digital is a forgiving medium which allows me to edit and correct mistakes easily but you can also play around with composition, texture and colour.

3. Where do you find your inspiration? 

 I take inspiration from all sorts of places; personal experiences, places I’ve been, things I’ve read. Film and music are important influences in my life which is what led me to start drawing portraits of musicians. I’m a huge fan of comics and graphic novels so this style informs a lot of my work.

4. Are there a specific message you are trying to communicate through your work?

In my portrait work there’s no specific message, other than showing an appreciation for the subject. But when it comes to my writing and narrative art, I take a more personal approach. A large part of my work is autobiographical so it’s just a way of putting a part of myself out there. I’m quite a shy person so being able to express myself through my art is important to me.

5. Which art movement or artist would you say influences your work most?

I was always interested in impressionism in school, not only from a visual point of view but also because my other great love in life is France (I studied French at university). I love Manet’s use of contrast, Renoir’s city scenes and Degas’ poses. At university, I took a course in photography and discovered Henri Carter-Bresson and Robert Doisneau. I was captivated by a photograph’s ability to tell a story and it made me want to create something which you look at wonder “what’s the story behind this?”. 

6. Are you working on an projects currently that excite you?

A while ago I wrote a script for a graphic novel and once I finished it I didn’t know what to do with it. At that stage, I didn’t feel like my drawing was good enough to illustrate it myself and I didn’t have the confidence to approach an artist to collaborate with me. I feel like things have moved forward since then so I’m starting to work on the art for this. It’s a big project but I’m really excited about taking on the challenge.

7. How would you define the word 'creativity'? Does a piece of work need to be admired by others to be creative or is it more about the process and ideas that have gone into it that make it creative?

Wow, great question! As far as I’m concerned creativity is the act of making something and it doesn’t matter if something never gets seen, let alone admired, for it to be creative. I have so many pieces of work that will never see the light of day but it doesn’t take anything away from them being creative. Of course, admiration for work is nice but it shouldn’t be the reason for creativity. 

8. What is the biggest challenge you face professionally?

Having a family and a career has always been a bit of a juggle and creative work doesn’t necessarily fit into a 9-5 pattern! There’s also the fact that I came to art a little later than most so I feel like I have to work much harder to catch up. It took 10 years working in an office for me to realise that what I really wanted to be was an artist!

9. You have the opportunity to invite a famous artist from the past round for dinner- who would you choose?

 I would really love to meet an American street photographer called Vivian Maier. She worked as a nanny and spent her spare time taking thousands of these incredible photographs while she was walking around the streets of Chicago. Sadly, her work wasn’t discovered until after her death. She was supposedly quite an eccentric character and had a really fascinating story. 

10. And finally, what is the best piece of advice you can offer to people who want to be more creative?

If you’re interested in in art, even if you’re a beginner, seek out local art classes you can join. It’s a great way to meet like-minded people and I found doing this increased my confidence. Online drawing tutorials are great or even just get some paper and pencils (or whatever you have!) and just draw anything: your family, friends, pets, or use your imagination to create characters. Don’t worry if you don’t feel like you’re any good straight away, keep at it and you’ll notice yourself get better every time. Art is a skill, not a talent! 

Veganism with Rosie!

First of all, how long have you been a vegan and what drew you to making the big switch?

 I have been vegan for around 10 months now. I was interested in veganism for a while before I made the transition. The thing which drew me towards it, was the environmental impacts, as well as the ethics behind it. I knew quite a lot already, as I had been vegetarian for 5 years, but then I watched Cowspiracy and realised how much I didn't want to contribute to that cruelty and climate change.

Have you faced any setbacks or experienced any negativity along the journey?

I haven't found any personal setbacks thus far; I can almost always find alternatives and vegan recipes. However, I have experienced quite a bit of negativity from other people. My family are really supportive of it, however, quite a lot of people can tease you and say stupid things, so I'd say this is one thing to prepare yourself for :))

What does your typical day look like in terms of mealtimes?

I usually have breakfast around 7.30- I like having more time to make yummy things on the weekend, so usually my weekday breakfasts are pretty weird haha. Lunch time is at 1;30 at school so I eat it then, and dinner around 7-ish. These tend to change in the holidays though :) I also have a few snacks and mini meals during the day

Would you say that changing your diet has had effects (both positive and negative) on your mental and physical wellbeing?

4)  I feel more positive since becoming vegan and it has really put things into perspective for me. I haven't really noticed many changes to my body as I didn't go vegan for that, but I do have more energy, feel less tired, and need less sleep.

What's your favourite thing about veganism?

5) My favourite thing about veganism would have to be knowing I am making a difference! I also love all the yummy vegan alternatives :))

Does your ethical attitude extend past the dinner table? Do you support cruelty free cosmetics and fair trade?

6) It definitely does! I've always considered myself an environmental and ethical person. I am very passionate about human rights and politics. I am extremely conscious about the environment, and plan to spend my life working for the world and its people. Although I don't wear makeup, I make sure all my items I use such as soap, toothpaste, etc, are cruelty-free, preferably vegan, zero waste, recyclable, etc. I support fair trade as well; I try not to buy unnecessary things, however, I ensure that anything I buy is either second-hand, or ethical and fair trade

Would you say that you have inspired anybody else to go vegan? How does this feel?

7) I don't think I've inspired anyone else to go full vegan, but 2 of my friends became vegetarian, which felt great! I think I've inspired some people around me to be more environmentally-friendly too, which makes me sosososososo happy!!! <3

There are lots of different 'fad' vegan diets out there. You are given the choice of either eating all carbs (like the potato diet) or all plants. What's the verdict?

8) I don't think I would ever choose, as I want to have enough nutrients and foods from all groups hahah

What's your go to vegan meal?

9) I have so many ahhh! But I especially love Asian food, so maybe something like a Thai Peanut or Pad Thai. I also love pasta and rice based dishes with lots of veggies! But I can't choose just one thing, but if I had to it would be some sort of Asian dish :)

And finally, what advice would you give to somebody who wants to make the switch to an all vegan diet?

10) Educate yourself! Watch documentaries, read up, etc. Prepare yourself for people asking lots of questions. Make sure you know all the things you need to eat. Make sure you will be getting enough calories. Talk to your parents and let them know about the lifestyle. Good luck! <3

Resources:

http://www.cowspiracy.com/facts/

http://bonnyrebecca.tumblr.com/whyvegan

http://www.nationearth.com/earthlings-1/

https://www.forksoverknives.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79GtQ58CEMc

And if you have netflix, check out Cowspiracy!

Thank you for interviewing me!! <3

http://rosiemaearoha.blogspot.co.uk/

And thank you very much for giving me this opportunity! Some fab answers here and I found it very interesting to read about your perspective!

Health and happiness,

Marti xx

Why I love sixties fashion

Recently, I was given the opportunity to write a guest post for the legendary Dreamcatcher Blog written by Cathy Cassidy! You can find it here or simply continue reading to see it on my blog. Thanks so much for this Cathy and thank you to everyone reading!

:

What I love most about the 1960s is how different this period is to any other that had gone before. Skirts were shortened, colours intensified and fashion boundaries were broken. The teenager was born and young women no longer had to dress like younger versions of their mothers. Fashion broke so many rules and came up with so many innovations in the sixties - the now so-popular bikini came into fashion in 1963 and the miniskirt, symbolic of the decade, is still a timeless fashion piece today.

There was so much diversity in what people wore, too! Fashion mirrored the social movements of the time - the early sixties were relatively conservative with styles reminiscent of the late fifties, such as classic prints and knee-length dresses, whereas by the late sixties things had changed beyond all recognition.

It's no surprise that the sixties was a decade of great change in other ways, too - this was the decade when man first walked on the moon, when women gained more equality and when British pop sensations such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones took the world by storm.

Fashion was not about to be left behind. Skirt lengths became ever shorter and men wore tunics and capes and began to grow their hair longer! Many of these styles seemed to come from the streets - suddenly fashion was for everyone, and not just the rich elite who could afford designer clothes. Young designers such as Mary Quant opened shops selling the things young people wanted to wear - youth was leading the way in fashion for the first time ever. Unsurprisingly, it wasn't long before London stole Paris' position as the centre of the fashion world!

I think my favourite era of the decade is probably the mid point, around 1964-1966. Fashion was at the point where people were choosing how they wanted to dress, and prints were bright but not yet overly busy. Culottes, box-shaped PVC dresses and even paper clothes were popular. This rebellious and energetic vibe is one that inspires me and one I try to carry over into my own fashion choices - only with my own flair, of course! (Wait... aren't flares 1970s?!!! Haha!)

Health and happiness,

Marti xxx

My thoughts on Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

(image source: http://claireobdraws.deviantart.com/art/Kate-Bush-Wuthering-Heights-645213052) How beautiful is this?

Perhaps one of the most absolute classics.. a thrilling, chilling and haunting tale of the tragic love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff. Without spoiling too much of the plot (as it's one of those books you just have to read yourself to appreciate), here is a more than basic summary of the 400(ish) page novel:

The story is at first narrated by Mr Lockwood, a tenant of Heathcliff's, and we are told of his visit to the home of his landlord. Whilst spending a night at Wuthering Heights, he encounters a haunting apparition and seeks reassurance and answers from the maid, Ellen. The story then continues and is narrated by Nelly for the most part. Unraveled are the lives of Heathcliff,  Hindley and Catherine, far into adulthood and death. 

Now onto my opinion of the book.. I blooming well loved it! It took me about two months to read which is absolutely atrocious, I know, but I did read other books in between! Being set not far away from where I live in 19th century Yorkshire, I loved the personification of the moors. They felt like a character in themselves, and played a key role in the Gothic theme.

 I can understand why so many readers have major issues with this Brontë sister's style though; the characters are really quite detestable with very few amiable qualities AND there are a few characters like Jacob with hard to comprehend Yorkshire accents. It was actually painful listening to the eBook voice on my Kindle trying to comprehend it...so much so that I gave up and read it myself!

Emily's use of doubles, though thoroughly perplexing, is very interesting. There's Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, Edgar Linton and Heathcliff, Heathcliff and Hareton, Heathcliff and Cathy...not to mention Cathy and Cathy! Some of these are polar opposites, though some (like young Cathy and her mother) suggest to me the repetition of lives.

Have you read Wuthering Heights? What are your thoughts on it?

Forever heath and happiness,

Marti xxx