Emma Jane Kelly

A Moment Transformed

2011-01-10T15:32:00.000-08:00

A Moment Transformed: An exhibition of prints and book transformations by Emma Kelly and Kate Bufton.

Emma Kelly’s prints and Kate Bufton’s book transformations are showcased together from 27th November 2010 to 19th February 2011 in Warrington Museum & Art Gallery’s newest gallery space.

This space is designed to showcase the creative talents of local artists working in and around Warrington, and Emma & Kate are the first artists to be chosen to exhibit.

Emma captures moments from personal travel experiences and transforms them into printed visual memories. The outcome becomes that of a personal visual diary. With her unique way of manipulating and applying her inks Emma’s work has been hailed as ‘a visual feast’ by Linda Goodman, editor of Printworks Magazine. Kate uses old books as an art medium and, by various cuts and folds, transforms them into pieces of art. Each sculpture emphasizes the beauty of the book, taking the object from a carrier of text to an object of art that can now be admired. Each book has its own individual presence, as it is statically fixed in an open position.

Together their work celebrates giving new life to memories and printed matter. The images reflect the printed element of the books, whilst the books demonstrate through manipulation how innovative a book can become.

Warrington Museum & Art Gallery is located on the corner of Bold Street and Museum Street in the centre of Warrington, in a Grade II listed building which it shares with the Central Library

Warrington Museum & Art Gallery
Museum Street, Cultural Quarter, Warrington, WA1 1JB
Tel. No. 01925 442733

LEEDS 13TH CONTEMPORARY ARTIST BOOK FAIR!!!

2010-03-11T14:15:00.000-08:00

A Cheap Affair March!

2010-03-02T15:04:00.001-08:00

Come down to Isslington Mill this Sunday for Arty goodness!! FREE ENTRY!! Myself and Hannah will be selling Prints and Artists Books - come get your mother's day presents!

There is a vegetarian cafe on site serving hot and cold food.
Stealing Sheep will be playing at around 4:30 and other music playing through out the day.

All the info about artists involved is up on the blog,  http://cheapzine.blogspot.com/

Hope to see you there!!

A Cheap Affair!

2010-02-09T13:04:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all those who came down to Islington Mill for A Cheap Affair on Sunday!

Was a great day meeting lots of lovely people! For those of you who were interested in buying more prints please have a look at my updated website. The fair run by Tommy and Nikki creators of Cheap Zine is going to be a monthly occurrence and Im definitely going to get involved again! So hope to see you there next month!

BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS!!

2010-01-23T09:30:00.001-08:00

I am back and ready to take on 2010! No rest for the printmaking wicked as I have been churning out the books for Lancashire Zine + Artists Book Fair fair next weekend! hope to see you and your purses there!

Heres a little sneak preview of what I will be bringing to our lovely table. I will be selling original prints in decorative presentation boxes, wax encaustic books, sketchbooks, traveling diaries (edited :) ) and much much more!

Christmas Magic!!

2010-01-23T09:23:00.000-08:00

I hope everone had as much of an amazing festive season as I did!!

To have my sisters home was the best gift! It was a truly enchanted Christmas that Belle would have been proud of!
And it felt like an extended Kellymas with the snow! Delightful times!

And New Years Eve: No words! Good Times! Laughter Times!

Zine Artist Book Fair

2009-11-30T12:50:00.000-08:00

Myself, Hannah Fray and Sara Stabb will be having a stall at the Zine fair on the 29th and 30th January just to give you all a heads up come and spend your Christmas money from Santa on some original prints and artist books supporting local artists!

http://www.zinefair.com/

Mini Print Exhibition

2009-11-30T12:48:00.001-08:00

I am taking part in the Mini Print Exhibition at Artlink, Hull! Check it out! It will be showcasing some of my Four Colour Gum Arabic Work including Lagoon shown here.

Mini Print website to come soon showing all participating artists....

Carborundum Demonstration

2009-11-16T08:55:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all who took part in our expressive Carborundum printmaking demo at Hot Bed Press Open Studios this weekend!
Hope you feel a little bit inspired to come back and try it out for yourself!

I heart books!

2009-11-08T08:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I found a new love in my life! Artists books! Its was the fourth Manchester Artist Book Fair and the quality of work there was outstanding.

I literally circled the room 3times before I could let myself loose on buying things!

I have now cleared out a specific shelf in my studio for the new books and with a bookbinding order on Amazon I will soon hopefully be producing my own.

A Maze book of Life Drawings

Gum Arabic Four Colour Separations

2009-11-08T08:03:00.000-08:00

This week I gave gum arabic four colour separations a whirl at The Bluecoat. I loved the results and decided to experiment further with this and so the next day with guidance from the master of Gum Arabic Justin Sanders myself and Hannah Fray both produced some amazing prints for our first trial of the process. Sometimes referred to as paper lithography, this method of printmaking uses photocopies saturated with gum arabic. The ink of the photocopy attracts the ink on the roller and can then be printed. Four Colour Seperations involves inking up the CMYK layers of an image separately then overlaying them.

I hopefully will be entering these images to the mini print exhibition in York.

Collograph with Ruth Thomas

2009-11-02T09:30:00.000-08:00

Again the perks of a studio manager saw me on a course with Ruth Thomas
Ruth Thomas is a contemporary artist specialising in printmaking, whose work reflects a fascination with natural forms. She came to Hot Bed Press and gave a fascinating workshop in Collograph Printmaking.

Its something I have practiced before but never with natural forms. So me and Benji went off into the garden and collected all kinds! Its amazing the detail that will show up. One of Ruth's prints involved dead spiders!

These are part of my Peru series I love the idea of working with natural elements to present natural landscapes.

My first Photo Etching

2009-11-02T09:20:00.000-08:00

My first attempt at photo etching!
A landscape of New Zealand - hopefully many more to come - I need them to go in my new box!!

Skill Swapping

2009-11-02T09:12:00.000-08:00

Check out North West Printmakers to keep updated on all mine and Hannahs skill swapping antics.

If you are interested in joining us on our next skill swap or would like a 1-1 training session with us then please get in touch.

Carborundum Skill Swap

2009-11-02T04:10:00.001-08:00

Carborundum Skill Swap

On Thursday we offered the first of hopefully many skill swapping sessions to Printmakers in the North West. The free demonstration took place at The Bluecoat Liverpool and gave an insight into Carborundum Printmaking.

We had a great afternoon experimenting with various styles of application and the participants produced some great work even with slight problems with little drying time for the varnish!

Thank you to all those that attended if you would be interested in future workshops please send us your details.

Creative Box Making

2009-11-02T03:41:00.000-08:00

While you guys were making costumes I was making creative boxes with the lovely Lucy May Schofield!

The perks of a volunteer are beginning to shine as I took part in the weekend course at Hot Bed Press. We had a great group and produced some great boxes each using them for various contents; jewellery, books, photographs prints. A great deal of concentration is needed and be careful of Mary's gremlins hiding things, but the end result is very satisfying.

Its the perfect way to present prints so I am very much grateful for Lucy's workshop and I am hoping to produce Colander boxes on a much larger scale to use as a portfolio to present my prints in.

So all you lucky friends be prepared for Christmas in a box!

This Saturday is The Manchester Artist Book Fair and recommend you all to come along Hot Bed have a great 4 stalls and Lucy will be giving a performance of her Bibliotherapy.

Radiate/Cultivate

2009-10-04T10:22:00.000-07:00

“Yet the fully enlightened earth radiates disaster triumphant.”

Radiate/Cultivate is an ongoing public intervention project initiated by Lisa Bulawsky under the pseudonym of Vertigo Press and implemented with the help of volunteers all over the world. I met Lisa at IMPACT Printmaking Conference in Bristol and was very keen to get involved. The project capitalizes on the democratic quality of the print/multiple to disseminate its political and environmental message.

In the broadest sense, Radiate-Cultivate is a warning and a comment on humanity’s capacity for destruction, indeed for self destruction. It involves the planting of wood cutouts of screenprinted mushroom clouds that are the shape and size of a small bush or oversized flower. Attached to the wood is a garden stake so that it can be easily pushed into the ground.

The aim of the project is to call attention to the idea that we are ultimately cultivating our own destruction.

I planted my mushroom at Jaume Plensa's Dream sculpture in Sutton Manor. I love how its contours and reflectivity change according to the time of day and the weather. And now knowing its an international collaboration space for printmakers makes it that much more special.

Let me know if you've seen it there and send photos!

IMPACT 6 Printmaking Conference

2009-09-28T13:29:00.000-07:00

Last week I went to IMPACT Printmaking Conference in Bristol. There where over 400 delegates there from 32 different countries! They included Artists Printmakers, Print Historians, Students, Educators, Curators, Collectors, Digital Artists, Print Studios, Book Artists, Conservators, Print Technicians and Print Industry.

The conference was held at the Bristol Council House and School of Creative Arts, University of the West of England. It consisted of Academic talks from panels including the creme de la creme of Printmaking, Poster events, Product Fairs, Open portfolios, demonstrations and exhibitions at various venues across Bristol. The demonstrations was my highlight!

Dan Welden talked us through Solar Plates which exposes images onto plates using daylight. Creating both intaglio and relief plates.

Paul Thirkill & Kent Rush gave a demonstration on the lost art of collotype

Andrew Baldwin presented his B.I.G which is a new etching ground with great qualities and has unique ways of using coffee as a sugar lift and icing sugar as aquatint!

Alfons Bytautas talked us through how to create Cupric Chloride which has an eternal lifespan by regenerating the mix when needed.

Open Portfolios was a great chance to network with other printmakers

Hot Bed Press gave great representation of its members at Spike Island. This is me and HBP Development Manager Sean Rouke.

IMPACT was a fantastic experience and gave me so much inspiration. Its biannual and the next is in 2011 in Melbourne! Im starting to save up now and recommend all printmakers to do the same!

Reaching Machu Picchu inspiration for recent prints

2009-09-28T08:57:00.000-07:00

Reaching Machu Picchu after four days hiking the Inca Trail in Peru was possibly the biggest challenge I have ever encounted. It was stunningly beautiful a physical and mental challenge. The Spirits of the mountains and the energy of those past before us still present guiding us on the 4day hike.

The inspiration for my current prints.

Recent print Inca Trail inspired

The Spirit of The Incas

Carborundum Print

Travel Diaries

2009-09-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

These are my travel messages sent to family and friends whilst I was away. Some are brief and mostly contain very bad grammar but it gives you an insight to all the adventures we got up to! images can be found on my facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=549040216&ref=name#/profile.php?id=549040216&v=photos&ref=name

10 November 2008 at 05:40

Hello everyone!!

OMG were having the most amazing time! only been here a week but jeez! right to some up its bullet point time!

Bangkok - Grand Palace/ FLoating market /

Tiger Temple - shell bitten on bum buy adorable baby tiger/

Snake Show - scary this guy 'snake man' actually caught a snake in his mouth! then was swinging a cobra round!

Bangkok nights were nuts we will put photos up soon we were partying with a thai rock band! buckets are lethal! they but half bottles of vodka in 1!!

Then got a 8hrs coach then 2hr boat to Ko Tao island! which has been party time!! Met 3 hilarious essex boys n an irish chick called jade who we have adopted. Nights resulting in late night swimming - painting our faces with black ink??? n trying to sing paint it black on a thai mans guitar!

Been deep sea diving n for those of u who know me well - WOAH!! yep I faced my fish fear! was amazing! but then I was sea sick! yep!

Were heading to koh pagnan next for full moon party! don't know how were gonna cope! think we need a ban on the buckets!

Hope all are well! love to u all n miss u

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

16 November 2008 at 14:33

Ok so last two weeks have been pretty much brits abroad esq..!! Amazing tho! Omg Koh Pagnan was nuts! Full moon amazing head to toe neon hippy'd up! Night before we sat on deck chairs in the sea waiting for sunrise! Playing Ching Chang Walla till we pass out. Dancing on podiums to beach soundtrack. Limboing under fire n fire skipping!

But we blame the weather for lack of being able to do much apart from get pissed so we moved to the west... detox time!

At Khao Sok its a national park n the most beautiful place ever seen!!!

Been Elephant trekking shel actually sat on its head!!up through rocks n streams feared for life!!

Tubing - think alton towers river rapids but for real!! All in own lil tyre tubes floating down stream trying unsuccessfully to dodge tress n bushes n snakes!! Yep actually saw 2!! Shel rickershaed of the bamboo trees. We stopped off for rope swing fun. Waterfalls n viewpoints along way...

Had most amazing day today! we went on a trip on a lake 60km gorgeous - to a raft houses, jumping off bamboo diving board- in 2 a lake!! Then I ate fish!! ME???!! then went trekking in jungle with crazy 'Jungle Man!' Actually real life ray mears!! pointing out the poisons n natural remedies! hes lived in jungle 4 all his life!

Then through caves full of bats had to swim through some parts!! HUGE SPiders!

Then saw bout 30 wild monkeys! Ahh its amazing!

Proper travelers now were hoping for tattoos in Phi Phi were we are headed next its were the Beach was filmed-

Love 2 u all

xxxxxxxxxx

30 November 2008 at 11:47

Were in Kuala Lumpur its amazing!! didnt expect it to be so huge/clean/busy, its great going to explore now! arrived last night met up with our essex friend jamie and toured the city a bit in the night time was ace all lit up. Went up the petronus towers then another tower to see the petronus from a distance! google them biggest twin towers in the world...

Before here was Cameron Highlands, had tea n scones at the tea plantation was spiffing darling!! Had a great day for shells birthday went jungle trekking/ blow pipe hunting/ swimming in waterfall- FREEZING!!/ tea plantation/ drinking from bamboo/ butterfly farm/ strawberry farm/ aboriginal village! ah was lovely. The strawberries were amazing n they made home made jam- yum!

Then before that it was langkawi, an island at the top of Malaysia on west aboriginal was, surrounded by 99 smaller islands- hired a car and drove round going to secluded beaches and waterfalls. only cost 3pound each to hire it for a day - cruising yo!

Er what else.... yeh just uploading some actual nice photos have a gander- and some party time ones too!!

Yeh we did the maya bay camping trip!! That was camping on 'the beach' was gorgeous! about 20 of us! made some ace mates guy from holland raving to his ipod had some hardcore trance. cliff jumping! monkey island!

snorkeling! rich saw a shark so no chance I was going in!!

Met a girl who went carmel n worked at ikea! small world!! on checkouts Katy anyone??? shes 28

its been nearly a month now gone so quick!! but don't want it to end!!

Accommodations been good so far.... apart from few cockroaches and HUGE lizard in the jungle but im coping pretty well!

Yeh done a lot of waterfalls rich has got an amazing waterproof camera so took some great snaps.

Melaka for a few days then of to singapore then fly to oz on 7th!

Love u all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

19 December 2008 at 00:26

Well hello.......

Yep its been a while apologies we seem to have got to Oz n well.........the goon (a box of wine) has taken our hearts and soul!

So cant remember were we left u

Singapore?? Loved it! such a mint city its true was cleanest in the world! So nice, Went to see an exhibition on Koren Art and then local artist had a show on. Had some amazing issy myake animations.

We met a guy in KL who s dad lives in Singapore so he took us out showed us the sights- a bar called Clinic! Best bar ever its all hospital based- sit around operating tables, under huge operating lights! Sit on hospital beds or in Wheelchairs! wrong but so right! Then if u get a cocktail it comes on a drip! Yep actual trip that they attach to u! Amazing!

Best skyline ive ever seen went up in millennium eye style wheel - shel shitting herself!

Then plane to OZ!!!

Arrived in Cairns!

*Lagoon chilling most days

*Party bus! -pub crawl frm bar to bar which was only 10metres apart! caused a bit of a rawkus. Was open top double decker blasting the party tunes!

Down to Airlie Beach-

*Foam party! o dear yet no one in there part frm me n rich- photos will have to explain, then ended up in the lagoon after!

WHITSUNDAYS!!!!!

This has been the best time so far!!! We went on a sailing trip around the islands- 3days to nights - sleeping on the boat! 50 of us! the crew were ace had so much fun- The beaches were the most beautiful ever seen! Omg whitest sand! U had to wear stinger suits even just paddling in the sea!

Back on boat had the healthiest meals wev had all cooked for us. Party games with the crew! nudity was common altho not us! We had such a good group, met some ace people a lot of who our all heading to byron for crimbo too!

Did a dive on the great barrier reef! Not that great visibility but stil the coral was gorgeous! Did my dive with some leeds met girls! small world!

Jumping of the top of the boat/ there was a slide! and even a spa on the boat - a small paddling pool really.

Got woken up by the crew banging pots and pans in our ears! The sailing was something else dosed up on sea sick tablets mind!

Then we headed to Rainbow Beach with some of the sailing peeps. Two hilarious irish guys think flight of the concords meet it crowd! Love them!

Had a messy night on goon in the bus shelter - u can take the girls out liverpool.... ended up in the hostel pool! yep CANNONBALL!!!!~~ good times! 'O im definitely not going in the pool...' 'o im definitely not putting my shorts on...' 'o im definitely not diving in...'! Sorry the inside jokes have started!

So thats were we are now! Going to Fraser Island tomorrow! so excited get a 4x4 huge groups n explore island yourself- camp were u like. gonna b amazing! so thats for 3days 2nights.

Then its heading to byron for a bohemian crimbo!

O year n wev got piercing!!! Me with my ear cartilage and shelps the madonna! just call her lesley ash! They look ace tho kind of addictive tattoo will follow soon!!! sorry mum!

So thats us!

Hope your all well! tell me some stories!

Love u all! Big love Em, Shel n Rich xxxxxxxxxxxx

28 December 2008 at 10:31

Merry belated Christmas wishes to u all!!

We celebrated true ozzie style with a barbie on the beach! And gooning it around bonfires on the beach till way in to boxing day!

Hope u all had a great crimbo and have a top New Year!!

speak 2u all in 2009!

oz num is 0061 45829 9646

Big Love xxxxxxxx

14 January at 10:50

Ok no idea were we left of will update u soon but for an idea weve just had a mammoth photo upload sesh esp rich so have a gander - if anyone feels like a tagging session please feel free!

Wev just been traveling around for 8 days in a wicked camper van! Amazing had written on the back 'if u loved me you'd have swallowed that' amazing was best week wev had just pulling up at campsites near lakes! Amazing! Altho we had to sleep in a car park at surfers paradise- that was close to tears!

Just went back to byron 2meet some friends frm thailand, now were in coffs harbour - activities galore. We went canoeing up a creek today, then boogie boarding - shel got rescued by a lifeguard! hilar! it wasn't necessary but so worth it! then horse riding in rainforest and a booze cruise at sunset for richs bday!

xxxxxx

27 January at 04:46

Gday!!

well catch up time!!

wicked camper van around gold coast and sunshine coast

- amazing freedom

*brisbane

*noosa - nearly drowned biggest surf ive ever seen!

*surfers paradise- very commercial and Americanized with skyscrapers on the beach

*wet n wild water park!! - Omg had a drive in movie style (dive in movie!) floating about in the wave pool whilst watching High School Musical 3!! yep hollie and mands! Zackery!

* Australia Zoo - Playing with Kangaroos and Koalas - check the photos!

* Camping around lakes - getting attacked by mossies but amazing!

Byron Bay Again!

Met up with some friends frm thailand for another night of bohemian byron fun yet we ended up at the backpackers bar dancing on tables.....

Then Coffs Harbour!

Was just gonna pass through but turned out it was adventure time here!! so went canoeing down the creek through the botanical gardens spotting koalas in the trees! spotted a water snake! Shit ourselves paddle paddle!!!

The boogie boarding where shel was rescued by the life guard!

Then was richs bday! Went horse riding through the rainforest! amazing my horse was called Penny shels the Real Deal and Richs Bambi!! haha! our backs killed for days after! was mint tho got to canter through the valley!

Then booze cruise in the eve with our hostel and a bbq for his bday! met some great peeps here.

then blue mountains!!

Stunning! Mountains just east of Sydney Blue from the oil of the euclaptyse tress that line them! Actually look blue! was gorgeous! stayed in a little art deco style town. really small lil boutiques and kooky cafes.

Our hostel was an old nursing home conversion! was well nice but kept tripping us out thinking who had been in our room previous!

SYDNEY!!!!!!!!

Ahh love it! Think London but better!! yep! Amazing city layout around the harbour!

Opera house - yep in sydney when see that! Walked across harbour bridge! Darling harbour- drinks on the waterfront. To walk into centre we pass the botanical gardens everyday so have had a few days chilling in the rose gardens - mainly hungover days! doing a few sketches.

Then a trip to rozelle to see Parkers bro (miss ya Kate!)

Bondi Beach! More hype for what it is but still pretty mint tried to feature on bondi rescue!

Galleries are ace really getting into the aboriginal work! Inspired!

BIG DAY OUT FESTIVAL!!!! ahhh amazing!!

Top 5 - Hot Chip, Arctic Monkeys, Prodigy, Simian, Pendulum - hilare! TV on the Radio were ace 2! some ace djs was a fab day! sunstroke like! so hot! it was at the olympic showground. main stages was a stadium! ace!

Our friend Beeri from Israel came with us. we met him in byron at crimbo and been traveling around with us hes so funny we reckon wel all move in together at one point.

staying in Kings Cross in Sydney notorious for prossies! but cheap so alls good!

Mint nights out in the cross - world bar shots from teapots! met some people from widnes!! ha! Remember Grimsy and then a guy called Si (fairfield peeps he says he knows u?? Hayley Dawn and Annie??) look at photos..and then Ronnie 2! small world!

So thats us! were melbourne bound next for a few days! then were parting ways with shelpo while we head to ayres rock and go westside for a stint.

Excitement!!

How is everyone?? Tell us some stories! Miss u all loads!

Check out all new photos on profiles -rich has put loads up!

Em, Shelps n Rich!

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

23 February at 07:32

WOW!!

WIld dolphins swimming around feet! Wild kangaroos at roadside! dead and alive!! Emus! just casually strolling down the road! traveled 3000km in a week!! wozer! saw so much! the landscape of the west is something else! so secluded! we had a camper van and camped right on the beach! watching sunset over the ocean was beautiful whilst enjoying some stove cooking! Then the dolphins appeared! woke up to sound of waves!

travelled down to Margaret river then as far up to shark bay(!) and monkey Mia! so much fun did some millage that week! perth was spent relaxing in the park - recovering from melbourne! neighbors night meeting Dr. karl took it out of us!

Ayres rock - did I mention that! loved it very spiritual! hiking round the base for 3hrs! kings canyon was beautiful! we sleepy in swags which are glorified sleeping bags! surrounded by cockroachs/scorpians/black widows! yep! who am I!! loved it had a great group! the aboriginal artwork has inspired me visited some galleries in alice springs watching the artists at work!

In NZ now! not prepared! booked on to a bus for tomorrow to start the adventures inc canyoning, white water rafting skydiving! and meeting up with shelly again!

xxxxxx

10 March at 06:13

Some up time so far......

Mon -arrived Auckland

Tues- Kayaked around cathedral Cove

Wed- Has a surf Lesson in Ragnan

Thurs- Tubing and Caving in Waitope Caves

Fri - White Water Rafting!!! 7m Grade 5 waterfall highest in world that u can raft down

- SKY DIVED!!!!!!!!!! 15,000 ft!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!

Cross dressed in Barrytown!

GLACIER TREKKING!! stunning! cant describe! mesmerizing!

Karijokied!

Jet boat Shotover!

Hiked!

Whats next .... BUNGY!!!!

= GOOD TIMES!!!!!

To some up New Zealand - FUN FUN FUN!!

was a highlight! such a beautiful country but more importantly it was the people that made it what it was!

We were so adventures doing everything that was thrown to us!

23 March at 23:36

OMG! was sad to leave NZ -serious close to tears! made the best friends there....

seriously loved every minute and cant believe how much we did there! skydive, white water rafting, kayaking, shotover, tubing, caving, luging!!-the ultimate activity!! basically go karting down the mountain! wow! sheep shearing and quad bike razing! glacier trekking! memories for life and new life friends too! the scenery was un describable im waiting for a good computer to upload more photos but got a good selection up already!

Wozer in South America now n its bloody amazing!

South America!!! as soon as got here its a second wind again!

Buenos Aires loved it! tangoed in LaBoca ! it was like the streets so vibrant with colour was fake! something from a film put on just for tourists but nope actually real life! street performers at every turn! amazing! chilled in park watching spiritual dancers and authentic spanish dancers cant describe! way of life here is something else!

been to loads of markets want to buy every bit of tat going!

Recollatte cemetery!

In Lima now! bit dodge through main town feared for life from drive from airport but staying in nice area near the sea! few days chill-axing before we hit the amazon jungle this weekend! ahhh!

05 April at 03:36

Inca Trail- Macchi Pichu!! google it if u dnt know what it is and see what wev just done! wish I had before I got myself in to it!! jeez!!

hiked for 4days! pretty much non stop! 1st day 4hrs 2nd day 8hrs, 3rd day we hiked 10hrs non stop!!and today 4hrs before we reach machu picchu!! its constant up and down mountains! the Andes!

it was stunning and breathtaking and kinda surreal! nearly cried was so tough! seriously! couldn't breath frm the altitude! was 4200m above sea level! the height our skydived!

we were all very emotional wen finally reached the lost inca city! cant explain over email but it was a personal experience! the spirits of the mountains and the energy of those past before us still present!

Before that we went into the amazon jungle!! WOW!!

took us 4hrs to reach our lodge on canoe! did few treks in the night and longer day treks. tarantulas! killer ants!! cant believe we were actually in the Amazooooonnn!! was a moment!!

Wildlife spotting from ox lakes! lots of bird-watching(!)

Were of to lake titicac next then on to Bolivia!

big love to everyone

xxxxx

15 April at 22:47

Ola amigos!!

Lake titicaca was beautiful! we stayed in a mud house with a family who fed us n put us up in lil room.. then gave us traditional peruvian atiire to dress up in! they put on a show at the community centre just for our group then took us all back to our houses which we then pretended we went to bed - buenos notches!! but really all snuck back out to party in the square was like actually sneaking out frm papa!!

floating islands of the Uros people- they actually live on man made islands of reeds!!

then we stopped in COPA COPACABANA!!

then into bolivia! la Paz was quite scary but we stil managed to party till 7.30am here! good times here! wev been travelling with a 3girls frm london who we met in the jungle.

then night bus which was horrid in that couldn't see where we were going but probably for the best as it was cliff edges!! to uyuni. here we started one of my travelling highlights...

SALT FLATS!! stunning!! they were huge 12000sq km! had a 4x4 we did a big tour of them then went onto view lagoons at 5000m above sea level!! geysers! volcanos! saw nothing like it before in my life! breathtaking scenery - those who can look at photo links..was like we were on a different planet!! u know that part in Armageddon when there in their buggies driving accross - seriously like that! stayed in a lil hostel middle of nowhere!

Now were in Chile!! love it here! so chilled out! were in town called san pedro.. didnt plan on coming to chile but hey! another stamp in passport!!

and I have a coming home date u will be pleased to know... after brazil im going to usa with rich for 6weeks so back home 11th june! so birthday bbq will be arranged with plenty of photographs to bore u all with!

miss u all

love u

16 May at 20:2

Iguazu Falls- Something from a fairy-tale!

rainbows into waterfalls, stunning!

Rio - wow going to christ the redeemer statue and the sugar loaf was a travelling moment. stayed in copacabana, most days spent chilling on the beach watching all the beautiful people in there thongs and tighty pantys! just indulging in rio culture!

USA!!!!!!!!

ok so I added on another 2months to my travels sorry guys but wasn't quite ready to come back and im so pleased I came here! never had that much of an opinion bout what id do here but now I don't wanna leave!

NYC!

I arrived few days before rich and went out in the upper east side gossip girl stylie with some peeps from hostel. I forgot how much the city takes over u! MOMA!! everytime! went up the rockafella, classic touristy things like statten island ferry/madam tusauds/ time sq/ ground zero seeing the developments stil looks like a building site but got 4 trade towers planned with memorial gardens

had a few wild nights inc a comedy night where I got pulled up onstage and sang to! tres embarrassing!

Washington

Main sightseeing of political capital buildings! knocked on the white house but Obama wasn't home to play! stayed in lil funky area called adams green. Ate falafel.. regretted eating falafel!

TAYLOR TIME!!!!!!!

MEMPHIS!

now best part of it yet was meeting up with Richs family in Memphis! musical week of my life! and loved every minute!

We had such a laugh! obviously true taylor way smashed every night! Singing the blues with Dr. feelgood potts in memphis! graceland/sun studios - surreal same floor tiles as elvis/ jerry lee lewis/ johnny cash! so much musical history in Tennessee!

ate so much though we all seemed to morph into us waddlers.. ok no-one can get that bad but was so much luxury for us! and staying in hotels!

we all then drove up to Nashville!

didnt spot any of the kings but we got down country n western style! all kitted out in cowboy hats we went line dancing! Seriously! fookin hilar! im bringing it home as well a s 'y'all' sang on the Ryman stage! found a traditional letterpress workshop and they shown us round theyve been printing all the ryman and memphis posters since forever. obviously me n rich stocked up!

back in memphis again we watch the famous peabody ducks... yep!

me n rich get called onstage to shake our grove thang to 'proud mary!' and we did!

so thanx again to u tays my adopted family! for such an amazing time! were hitting the blues of london wen we return!

want to upload photos coz wev got some corkers! but computers in these towns aren't the best so hold that thought

next is Austin TEXAS (omg excitement more music coming our way!), then sante fe/ grand canyon/ las vegas....before meeting my florence friends which so excited to see in san fran to LA!

only 28days left now!!

see u lovelies all very soon!

xxxxxxx

I seemed to have stopped after this blog probably down to too much fun much fun being had so the end of traveling consisted of

Austin Texas - carried on the musical culture with streets lined full of bars with live bands this time more contemporary rock. Would live to return for SXSW Festival. We spent the days floating in giant natural swimming holes in Austin's parks.

Sante Fe - Quaint artist town! stayed in a cowboy run motel that had Clint Eastwood as a past tenant! Beautiful town very Mexican full of galleries and artist studios practicing a range of art.

The Grand Canyon/Flagstaff Its hard not to take things for granted after everything we saw but then this is presented to you and your breathe is taken again for the millionth time on our trip. We were led blindfolded to the edge of the south rim then opened our eyes to the canyon - stunning.

Las Vegas - Now how can this 'playground' be on the same planet as the previously visited floating islands of Lake Titicaca in Peru? Was so much fun everything you hear about Vegas NYc hotel.

California -

Now we lived it up with friends!

Staying with the lovely Deems in San Francisco - I loved San Fran such a quirky city with so much buzz surrounding it! Mark flew us around the bay which was spectacular seeing the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Napa Valley. Couldn't imagine being able to do that! We spent time in Laura's studio which was fantastic getting printing again.

Down to LA we stayed with Rick in his Hollywood Hills Mansion! was beautiful. I loved the LA lifestyle was a perfect end to perfect travel! sipping wine in private Malibu Mansion with its own private beach! Roller-skating in Venice Beach !and taking in a Dodger Game VIP style!

Traveling is never a bad decision I recommend everyone to do it!!

Life changing, inspiring, breath taking mind blowing! Loved every day wasn't a time when I wasn't blown away! Laughed ecstatically every day! Now wheres next........