Loving every minute because you make me feel so alive, alive!

(I wrote this yesterday (Saturday) but I'm posting it today (Sunday))

Hello! So we're both very sorry that we haven't posted in nearly over a month :( It is the HSC that has consumed both of our lives, unwillingly but unfortunately even with the fight, school won. But today we both took a proper breather and went out into the city to see the Whitehouse Institute of Design Open Day (in all honesty not for the open day, we just wanted an excuse to get out but still seem educational) and despite the wet weather, we had a well deserved, well overdue little adventure today. We both kind of have been mentally and physically drained the past few weeks so we decided to just photograph the day through our iphones because being hand held, it was much easier and we're just really tired right now, please excuse us, haha. I'm about to fall asleep right now so I'll leave a few pictures from the day and I'll write a list about what we did that might be entertaining.

The day in a nutshell:

• It rained a lot
• and then it rained some more
• so we both naturally bought two cute Sportsgirl umbrella's that we later received a few compliments from in less than half an hour from buying them (double score)
• ate at Grill'd Healthy Burgers with a Jack Harries look alike but too young for us watching our every move and sound (I swear I pushed my chair just a tiny bit to get out and it was like a hawk watching me) (safe to say he's new at the game)
• Bailey and I both nearly killed a fair share of people with our newly acquired umbrellas as fore-mentioned
• we were pretty much front row at the Whitehouse Fashion Show and it was pretty damn amazing (see our instagrams for videos from the show @katsylaps & @bvidler_)
• the go was double denim for both of us
• male models were a highlight (but probably gay so I don't know why I torture myself like this)
• I was able to reunite with a few of my lovely friends and teachers from the Whitehouse and it was joyous
• we decided that we shall move in together after school finishes in an apartment somewhere close to the city (Bailey I'm writing this here so we can't back out of this decision) and the England Contiki tour too
• we slept classily on the way back on the train where it continued to rain down the windows
• It was such a chill, lovely day
• sleep

xxx Bails and Kat 

Instagram, anyone?

I know, Instagram is killing everything but it's actually something I tend to update more than anything lately! Because I'm constantly inundated by school work, Instagram is a little breather I suppose, I mean I wish I could update this blog more but I want to write quality posts, not rushed ones with clouded thoughts.

Despite Instagram being the butt of a lot of my jokes about me being a professional photographer and part time model and so forth, it is quite a savvy, fun app (And it gives me a reason to post my abundance of dumb selfies). So if you'd like more inspiration or insight into my boring life, feel free to follow me/us both. We'd love to put some faces to people who read the blog :)

Bailey created an account recently too (yesterday) (Y A Y) as she finally jumped on the bandwagon and bought an Iphone 5 so I'll link both ours below. ❀ ✿ ❁ 

Kat's: @katsylaps 

Bailey's: @bvidler_

Have a nice day or evening wherever you are,

xxx Kat

A little insight into my Yr 12 Body of Work for Visual Arts (In slow progress)

In action (kinda) progress shot taken a while back (yes, I have progressed)

So I thought I'd show and tell you a bit about what I'm doing for my Visual Arts because you know, that's what's keeping me away from posting on here more! I hope it's worth the time I spend on it in the end because otherwise I could have been running a blog, what a waste of time. Haha.

My photo (An alley way in the middle of the CBD) hand cut with layout overlaying some old England street 

Anyway, so the concept of my work is hard to explain (naturally because everything is with me) but I will try to communicate it to you and if not I guess you can just pretend to understand and look at the pretty colours. My concept was initially inspired by the artist Rosalie Gascoigne and her beautiful, serene, strangely calming but simple landscapes of her Australian outback surroundings. I lifted from that my own idea, which was to create intricate, harmonious works but use my urban surroundings as my backdrop to design from. I ran with that idea and then developed it into seeing the beauty in the streets, which we tend to overlook because we consider urbanisation as a bad thing wrecking the environment. I understand that (top geography student) but I have also come to realise how unconventionally beautiful the concrete mixed with the sharp lines of buildings with the glowing, battered street lights can be. Also the idea of street art and if it can be understood by the audience if it is put in a contemporary gallery context and vice versa is also what I'm dealing. I'm not going to go too artsy on everyone, so I shall stop now. 

1. Two of my photographs (One outside American Apparel in Surry Hills and the other an old police station in Newtown) photoshopped together and then hand cut layout overlaying text
2. Same photograph hand cut overlaying my photo of a main street in Newtown

Since I was born with talents that aren't really recognised as talents (like dressing myself well, cutting and pasting like a legend, having '''tumblr" hair) (sarcasm) for my body of work, I obviously did not choose to paint or draw or whatever traditional form but instead my work as a whole is a mixed media work. I don't even know how to describe what I do but I'm cutting up doily like intricate patterns but using my own patterns that are inspired by architectural lines and shapes. All the photos that I've cut out of are photos I have taken myself, adding another element, and I have collaged these with other images from Time and National Geographic articles and other bits and bobs I've found. There are photoshop elements in my work where I have taken into account the composition Rosalie Gascoigne but then re-interpreted it using photoshop and the urban landscape. I also plan to have a sculptural element where I'll spray stencilling using the cut out's I created as stencils, hopefully if time doesn't get me. The sculptural element will be out of wood and I want to have people carve thoughts into it or anything really, which will add to my concept of the street because that is how humans (which are also in fact part of the city urban landscape) leave their mark sometimes on the street. Something like that.

So I have more, but I think I'll leave them for the next progress post. Hopefully, this will also encourage me to continue progressing at a solid pace too. Hopefully. Oh wait one more thing, Matt Corby's new song 'Resolution'? It is my heaven on earth right now, it is the only thing keeping me sane, Matt Corby is just a stunning piece of art. Ha. Get it. This whole post is coming together quite nicely now isn't it? I'm going to go now and leave you with the song linked at the bottom.

My photo (an alley way in the CBD) hand cut overlaying some beautiful skyline

"I'm not you, nor you me

But we're both moving steady"

xxx Kat

Groovin The Moo 2013

The youth of Australia often face a harsh level of scrutiny in that they are  a) unable to behave themselves under any circumstances and b) no matter what age, gender or level of maturity, are all assumed to be hiding $300 worth of crack down their pants. And in saying that, I wont deny seeing several people acting under the influence of some substance during the multiple mosh pits I was in at Groovin The Moo music festival a few weeks ago.

Personally, this is one of my fave festivals. Not only does it guarantee a brilliant lineup but it's the happy-go-lucky vibes that makes the atmosphere the perfect setting. The tour, running over two weeks, brought live music to forgotten fans in regional Australia and kicked off in Maitland on 27 April. 

Majority of the acts on the line up i had not seen so i pretty much made it my mission to discover some new music and vibes. From this i discovered 

• I absolutely love Australian rap in the form of Seth Sentry
• The Kooks are and always will be the greatest British indie band
• The Temper Trap will never disappoint live. Ever.
• and Flume is insane. In the greatest way possible.

Hungry Kids Of Hungary - Moulin Rouge Tent

Despite the two people rocketing skyward  in a metal encased ball simply for adrenaline, Maitland gave a very pretty skyline.

x b.

All I want to be, is in your company.

K x

Newtown alleyways.

. B

Sweater weather is BETTER weather!

So, this is a little style update about how I'm thinking I'd like to dress for winter and what kind of colours and styles and """moods""" I'm feeling right now/for winter. My style/look at the moment seems to be leaning towards that model off duty look but with a twist of classy hippie? luxe hippie? I don't even know how to word it. In the collage I whipped up below there are images that are not mine so all copyright to those people. Below I will now try to explain in point form what I'll be wearing this winter. Well, what I could if I was loaded.

(Winter moodboard collage - Katrina Sylaprany)

1. ALL SHADES OF BLUE - Anything from powder blue to darker hues like navy blue. Lighter egg shell blue knit sweaters mixed layered with a navy overcoat.

2. JEWEL TONES - Rich, deep hues, ones coloured like jewels such as deep magenta and plum or emerald greens or teal.

3. MONOCHROMATIC - If you cannot already tell I'm quite loving the idea of dressing in monochromatic outfits but more exploring the shades of red colours rather than greys.

4. QUILTED BOMBERS - I found this reversible one at Sportsgirl which has jewel tones on the outside and then black on the inside and it's quilted. In other words it is perfect and I will make it mine very soon. I think these are great because since they are quilted they still provide warmth and they're kind of sports luxe too.

5. STRIPES 

6. MUTED PAISLEYS - Pockets of happiness on those cold winter days. Wear with black to still stick to the winter mood.

7. Music inspiration for getting ready for cool winter vibes - FLUME, HAIM, FOALS + M83

That'll be my winter inspiration, feel free to take inspiration from mine or get inspired for your own. It's fun, trust me, especially when there are textiles and art majors to avoid.

I hate cheetah print. That is all. Have a good day.

- Kat