My Photography Work
Conceptual Design
- Mandi Pullen
I am sitting here wondering what to write. Trying to find the words. There are days in our lives where things happen that weigh in more than other days. I am remembering a day some time back that was just one of those days.
I remember one specific day, years ago, very clearly. I had just completed a beachfront run and was getting ready for work in a gym change room. I looked up and smiled at a girl who had just put her goodies on the bench opposite me. She smiled and her eyes just lit up. She had the prettiest tattoos and a Soul full of Sunshine. Fast forward a few years and we moved from chatting on a gym bench to sharing pizza and tequila with our friend Veronica. We discuss all things about life, the moon, being hippies, finding fairy’s, planting wildflowers, and wanting to save the world. All this cements this little circle of friendship even deeper. I reflect on the start of these friendships that started on a gym bench and with a little pumpkin plant and I am most grateful for woman like this in my life.
It all started with some soaps that I convinced The Green Fairy to make some of her beautiful soaps to match to the theme of our pending photoshoot.
Give me some sugga
Oh gosh, I’m crushing. I have such an obsession with skulls (must be from my early pirate days) Besides being such an incredible artist, can you believe she made her own mold for these out of my cookie cutters that I lent her!!!
Oh, and of course they have her own magic that she added.
A pinch of Fairy Dust
A spoonful of Sunshine
And tiny bit of mad genius
Sugar Skulls’ origin springs from Mexico. Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday, celebrated on the 1st and 2nd November in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saint’s Day and All Hollow’s Day. A Sugar skull represents a departed soul, they normally have the name written on the forehead and are placed on the home ofrenda or gravestone to honor the return of a particular spirit. Sugar skull art reflects the folk-art style of big happy smiles, colourful icing and sparkly tin and glittery adornments.
Now I hear you say Halloween…a commercialized American tradition where kids eat too much candy. But no, the traditions of Halloween go so much deeper than just a bucket full of candy and scary monsters. Stay a little longer and I will tell you the story the way I have learnt it and now understand it to be so much more.
History tells us that the end of October is when the Samhain (pronounced sow-win) season comes to an end. The last harvest is done and provisions for the cold winters days are stored. Celebrations are concluded with a dress up and bonfires. It is believed that during this time the spirits enter the earth and mix with the living to celebrate and often sweet treats were left for the souls to feast on.
It is known in more modern times as All Hallows Eve. The day before All Saints Day, a 3 day celebration ending on 2nd November with All Souls Day. Essentially a celebration of life for those that came before us. You see, nothing ghoulish or sinister at all!
Time goes by as it does, but we plan and scheme and create something magical. From, sugar skull soaps, flower crowns (including glue gun blisters) and a day full of positive energy. This magic evolved into one of the most exciting projects I have been involved in.
The Day of the Dead. Day of the Dead…What does it all mean?
Dia de los Muertos—the Day of the Dead—is a holiday celebrated on November 1 and 2
It’s not the same as Halloween. While Halloween is celebrated today, October 31
It’s an age-old tradition, that tonight at midnight, there is an opening between the world of departed souls and that of the earth, giving those that have gone before us a chance to come back and be with loved ones.
It originated in Mexico and Central America.
It’s a celebration of life, not death.
The ofrenda is a central component.
Flowers, butterflies, and skulls are typically used as symbols.
Assured that the dead would be insulted by mourning or sadness, Dia de los Muertos celebrates the lives of the deceased with food, drink, parties, and activities the dead enjoyed in life. Dia de los Muertos recognizes death as a natural part of the human experience, a continuum with birth, childhood, and growing up to become a contributing member of the community. On Dia de los Muertos, the dead are also a part of the community, awakened from their eternal sleep to share celebrations with their loved ones.
The most familiar symbol of Dia de los Muertos may be the calacas and calavera’s (skeletons and skulls), which appear everywhere during the holiday: in candied sweets, as parade masks, as dolls. In addition to celebrations, the dead are honoured on Dia de los Muertos with ofrendas—small, personal altars honouring one person. Ofrendas often have flowers, candles, food, drinks, photos, and personal mementos of the person being remembered
(Above text is an edited excerpt from National Geographic)
The whole reason for this photoshoot. A look I have wanted to create for so very long. I love conceptual work. I don’t do enough of it, but I want to do more. .
What is conceptual design?
Concepts are defined as ordinal ideas or general notions that occur in the mind, in speech, or in thought. They are understood to be the fundamental building blocks of the concept behind principles, thoughts, and beliefs. They play an important role in all aspects of cognition.
(Click on link to read more Wikipedia)
There is this term conceptual fashion. It’s something I have always loved doing. To put something in context, I was never a photographer. Or rather it was always a point of interest for me, but it wasn’t where this all started. My love for photography is something that was born in me with my dad and his love for taking photos. I started in the fashion industry as a pattern maker and designer. I worked from initial concept to production of the final product. I always made my own clothes and chopped and changed those that I didn’t make myself. I changed professions and spent many years in retail and product buying and well, life happened, and I suppose I forgot about the passion I had for concepts and creating. All the change in the past 2 years has brought that all back into my life again and my soul is richer for it. I started designing and reaching for the love I have of bringing an initial thought into an action plan (planning is my shizzzz), photographing something unusual, becoming part of the play in front of me, taking those photographs and bringing out a final concept that is now going to be a product range that I have been working on.
I’m very excited to be launching a range of stationery in a couple of weeks and all these conceptual ideas that I’ll be photographing will become beautiful pieces of art that will come alive on paper. The smell, the feel of paper. Seeing an idea morph into print in real life and have someone use it is the full circle of concept for me. The thing I love most about stationery is that it almost brings back the old-world charm of letter writing, poetry and gift giving. The excitement of brown paper bags all wrapped up with string is one of my favourite things (oh and The Sound of Music is one of my absolute favourite movies everrrrrrr)
So now I suppose I introduce to you from idea to concept to real life products and all the beautiful stories behind it.
Day of the Dead, so dark and sinister. But no, as you’ve read, its nothing like that. I look at this as a start of something new and vibrant. We have all been through such challenging times. It’s been hard and confusing, so why not celebrate and create new energy that brings light into our lives. This is the day that you should celebrate those that have gone on to the spirit world. Remember loved ones with happiness and keep those memories in the deepest part of your hearts and souls.
Bring new energy into your day and life and celebrate that rising and setting of the sun and moon. Enjoy the opportunities that each new day brings and only remember the past with love and light.
You can head over to the portfolio section of this site to see more images from this photoshoot.
Thank you so much for reading a bit about on this journey.
Mandi
xx
Related Posts
Newsletter
STAY IN THE LOOP
Don’t worry, I won’t spam you with endless lists and promotions and random goop that will make you want to unsubscribe (which you can obviously do at any time). I will also keep your information safe. No one here is selling your details for extra Tequila Money. Pinkie swear!