Angels in Ireland

My sister, the lovely Serena Jean, toured Ireland last month with the band Favourite Sons. And while they are a great band, she is also an insanely talented musician in her own right. 


So one balmy evening, she enlisted the help of fellow canadian Sarah Pagé to make musical magic on one of her songs... Angel Song. What with the whole being in Ireland thing, and the running river in the background, and the guest appearance of a little kitty, the whole performance gave me chills. And guess what? You can all experience it too, cuz I made a film about it, innit!

The song is about the light and dark we all have within us and the desire to overcome our demons. It is stunning. You need to hear this.


Oh, and for any Canadians out there, she is embarking on a tour of that great country in just a few short days! Check it out, yo!

This wasn't the only fun that was had in lovely Ireland. Besides tooling around Galway and Dublin, Favourite Sons played Electric Picnic, and my friend Mary and I tagged along. 

Mary was reading Liz Taylor's biography. It was more than a little inspiring.

Ken Griffin of Favourite Sons.

Serena Jean being a cool musician and stuff.

Mary O'Connell is kiiiiind of a big deal.

And she sure loves her some cheesy chips.

This was me and Mary's supply list for Electric Picnic. Please see the second to last item...19-20 year old boys. A definite necessity.

This looks more like a TREE than any other tree I have ever seen.

Flags.

I heart Flags.

This young man described himself as my "virtual daddy". Um, ok.

Hottest girl at the festival.

Look how many famous dead musicians decided to turn up!!

Mary smokes a cigarette and brushes her teeth at the same. fucking. time.

Matt plays bass in favourite sons. My sister knows some good looking men.

And this is their trumpet player. Like I said. Cute boys.

And look how pretty I am.

Last day of the festival....aaaaw.

America the Brave

In a month, I will be in NYC and Vermont with these people...probably doing exactly this.

AMERICA SESH!!!

Daddy

Daddy, 2011

This was the film that I showed for my Degree show. A special thanks to Martha Lou Henley, Serena Southam, Nancy Southam, Stephanie Carlson, Matthew Robertson, Danny Robertson, Pia Shandel, Paul Manning and Pam Skelton.

Winkball Interview

Winkball was the official sponsor for our degree show. This is a website that aspires to be a social networking site, but with videos. They interviewed me a few days before the show opened.

Degree Show Preview, Lucky You

My practice involves working extensively with the archive. For my degree show project, I am creating an archive of the varied experiences of a Death of a Man. In this case the man was my father. By working with archival footage, non-archival footage, photographs, drawings, interviews with family members and psychic readings, I am attempting to understand an event which is impossible to understand - a suicide. 

 Still from Daddy, video, 3 min 30 sec

Cov

YAOAY went to play a gig in Coventry a few weeks ago. So I made this.

Help End a War! Do It!

(click the photo to learn more)

My sister Mercy works for an amazing organization called Invisible Children. Their mission statement?

Invisible Children uses film, creativity and and social action to end the use of child soldiers in Joseph Kony's rebel war and restore LRA-affected communities in Central Africa to peace and prosperity.

This war between the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of Uganda is the longest running war in Africa and has been going on for 25 years. This means there are generations of young children who have never known peace. One of the most horrible side effects of this war is the army of child soldiers that have been created by Joseph Kony. Kidnapping children in the middle of the night, he then forces then to kill their families and civilians, and robs them of their freedom and humanity. Click HERE to read a more comprehensive history of the war, and what Invisible Children has done so far to help end it. I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU CLICK AND READ!

So my sister is currently raising donations for the 25 event. For 25 hours, Mercy and her colleagues will remain silent in protest against this 25 year war. At the end of it all there will be a massive party, obvi. So please help out! Any donation you can make is so so helpful and so so so important. It literally takes a few minutes. Please click the photo below to donate!

Presenting the Amazing Kelly Family!!!

Ok. So. This is absolutely the creepiest most confusing and hilarious thing I have ever seen in my entire life. I kind of hate my friend Louise for showing this to me. But I mostly love her. Enjoy, nerds.

Apparently, this frightening family has sold over 20 million records worldwide. WHAT!!!

Basically, they are a multi-generational, possibly inbred, gypsy family that traveled around Europe in a double decker bus making horrendously frightening music like the gem of a song I just shared with you. Apparently they have traded in their long hair and vagabond clothes for a more mainstream look...which is OBVIOUSLY a mistake.

Life would be so boring without Youtube.

My Brother is Principal Tater

My brother, the illustrious Milo Shandel, just so happens to play a dim witted high school principal on a Canadian tv show called Mr Young. Until recently, I hadn't been able to see any episodes, but the premiere episode was just posted on Youtube!

Unsurprisingly, I find this program aimed at CHILDREN to be absolutely hilarious. Seriously. Slapstick gold.

Diary of a Gringo Part 1

I have been in San Jose del Cabo Mexico since December 28. I have learned a few things in my stay thus far.

1) My sister and I are in love.

2) If you arrange to meet friends at a certain bar, make sure that said location did not burn down the night before. Oh, and be punctual.

3) New Years Eve does crazy things to my hair.

4) My cousin Cody and I are total badasses.

5) Santa is even creepier when he sings in Spanish. Read this post to compare.

So far, so good.

Canada Part 2

The world's scariest Santa, my brother and his son in front of the world's biggest mailbox, me at age five, me after the Agent Provocateur Boxing Day Sale and me as a baby with my grandma. Tomorrow, Mexico.

Canada Part 1

I have been in Canada for a week. I have been vomiting for most of that time. It may have had something to do with the massive party I had the night before I left...typical me. Pictures will appear on the interweb within days, I promise.

I am in Vancouver now, staying at my mum's apartment, but before that I was in Toronto for a week seeing friends. It was also my sister's 24th birthday, and in typical Mercy fashion, we went cosmic bowling. God, that girl will ALWAYS be a little kid, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I also got to hang with my niece Taylor, and my friends Erin and Morgan and Rebecca. I was in dire need of an injection of friend love, which is what I got.

So now I am in Vancity, seeing family and gearing up for Christmas insanity. Here are a few shots that I took on my mobile phone device...for your viewing pleasure....

 This is an actual Banksy that was vandalised...twice...by different graffiti hooligans

 My beautiful niece Taylor

 This is my Mum's mouse pad...AWESOME photos of me and my sister looking gross. HA!

This is so awesome. It is a computer generated "drawing" of me and my sister. We got it at the Cosmic Bowling Alley. SO worth the four bucks. Ain't we pretty?

I guess this means I am God? God-like, at the very least...you know, cuz I can do the worm...like God...

Yay Canadia! Stay tuned.

Happy Birthday Dear Sister

Yesterday was my sister Serena's Birthday.

She is a musician, and a very talented one at that. Check out her myspace here. 

It has been over a year since I saw her. She lives in New York city, which is not exactly around the corner from London. I seem to be able to see most close family members a few times a year (over Christmas at the very least), but for some reason a proper visit has alluded us for a criminally long time. 

We are both busy. I get that. And living in a city like New York or London can be overly exciting, overwhelming and hectic. There is always so much to do, see and experience that it can be easy to forget about those who are far away.

But is this crazy life really worth it?

This is a question that I often ask myself on my darker days in this town. Yes, for the most part I love my life here and it is endlessly exciting and filled with new opportunities and adventures. But I love my family, and it can be extremely isolating and lonely to be so far away. These are the people that will ALWAYS love me, that I will ALWAYS feel connected to, no matter how my life might change or what path I choose to walk down next. I suppose the unconditional nature of familial love can make it easier to then neglect said family members. But I think this might be bull shit. Even if I can't be near to my family as often as I like, they are often in my thoughts, and I will try to make a better effort to notify them of this fact, i.e. pick up the phone. 

So Happy Birthday Serena. I am proud of you and please know you are often in my thoughts and always in my heart.

More Friends, More Pia

Some photos from Bristol a few weeks ago. Oh ya, and one more of Pia.