{new work} with Happinez...

It’s been a while since I’ve updated my published work here on the journal. There has been so much going on in the world and in our own personal lives - not just mine, everyone’s, everywhere. I won’t get into it, I need a break, we all need a break. So I’ve set myself the task to update this journal space with the work I’ve done with Happinez these past 6 months, and then I am aiming to get back into online journalling, with the hope to get a rhythm and flow with writing and sharing.

This visual story was special - I know I probably say that for all of them! And it’s true, they are all special, but I’ll explain what made this one special for me…

These photographs were featured in the Happinez Astrology edition, and the brief was to create and photograph six ideas that readers could make astrology-inspired objects. I shot it back in June 2021, so I had the beautiful soft Australian winter sunlight to play with. The reason this particular visual story is special is because it features so many of my friend’s incredible creations.

I commissioned Kaspia to make three of the ideas and I love what she made! I also shot two of the photographs at her house. Above, she is modelling the zodiac sign talisman necklaces she made - her beauty knows no bounds. And below, she made this gorgeous hand-stitched moon & stars embroidery hoop which nestled so well on the shelf in her sunroom…

I wanted to make this visual story dreamy. I loved playing around with the light and layers.

It’s such a pleasure to be able to work with the creation’s my friends make. This unique drinking vessel is made by Nat, using clay from the land she calls home, on Moorang Moobar Country, nestled into Wollumbin National Park. I added the stars inside the tea cup to symbolise the magic of drinking tea under the stars. But I also loved the idea of creating a constellation in the base of a tea cup - would any claymakers out there like to create this idea? If so let me know!

I am holding the cup - and taking the photograph - yep I like to make work challenging sometimes. It’s mostly because I come up with the idea and no one else is around so I have to figure out how to do it with what I have. It’s also a good reason to paint my nails gold.

The stunning top I am wearing? This is made by textile designer Joanne Broederlow. I urge you to check out her offerings, they are incredible, I’ve got a growing collection of her wearable art and I love using her textile creations for my photographs.

I created these zodiac rocks by borrowing some of the amazing fallen rocks on the beach of Broken Head near where we live. The colours of the rocks are amazing - rich red, yellow and orange. I used gold leaf to create the zodiac signs, and photographed them on my studio floor, with dried grass and water splashes to create different textures. After the photoshoot, Laly and I carried the rocks back to the beach and placed them around for beachcombers to discover. I wondered who might spot the gold shimmer and wished upon the stars for the discoveries to create some magic in their day.

Kaspia made these gorgeous little matchstick boxes with tiny copper moons and vintage gold velvet. Can we not reimagine matches this way, dipped in copper-coloured posphorous sulfide?

The shimmery fabric I’ve had in my textile stash for as long as I can remember - I think it was in mum’s collection, maybe she had an idea for it, I wonder what, I’ll never know.

And the last photograph in the story is this one above - creating a journal for your planetary learnings. I was so happy to be able to showcase Sam Mackie’s gift to me, her hand-bound Everyday Alchemy book which I absolutely cherish. Have a look here for more of her book creations and you can see her photographs here. I added a golden moon bookmark - I made it by wrapping some gold foil from my snack-time chocolate bars (yes I save all the gold foil and have a big pile of it for projects!) around a cardboard disc, then attaching some gold thread to it, and a pink stone pendant. The background is Jo’s hand-dyed velvet garment, the same as the one I’m wearing in the previous photograph - dreamy.

The gold moon you may have noticed, is my symbol - I use it everywhere. In my next book, you’ll find out what it means to me.

I hope you enjoyed this visual story and the stories behind the visuals! As always it was so much fun to create. Thank you to all the makers who I featured, you’re all amazing and I love that we can all inspire each other in our creativity, it’s truly what makes the world go around!

With love,

Pia

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{new work} with Renae Cohen...

This is my beautiful friend Renae and her sweet boy. Back in July, I had the pleasure of creating a collection of photographs for her new website. We took our kids down to the creek at the bottom of her garden and let them guide the visual story, no styling and minimal direction, as natural as can be. I’m thrilled to be able to share them with you here now…

I’ve known Renae for… well, let me say instead of how many decades, that we met when we were 15 years old, when I came back from my early teenage years overseas to finish high school on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Guringai nation, where I originally grew up. We now both live on the North Coast of NSW, Bundjalung nation, so it’s been great to see more of each other again. Renae has always had a calming, collected nature. She’s gentle and kind, warm and open. And supporting others in healing, when I look back, has always been present in her. It’s taken different forms over the years, but it’s consistently been there, and it’s been special to witness this part of her evolve and shine as she’s moved into her work in energy medicine up here in this incredible part of the world, surrounded by lush forest and sea breezes.

It was an absolute joy to get my camera out and capture some moments of her life in her own back garden, a very special place with meaning and personal connection for her family. There is a creek at the bottom and native bush everywhere. An orange tree which was planted by her mother-in-law many years ago, sits alone but not forgotten, the kids love gathering the fruit to eat, no doubt connecting with their grandmother every time they dance and play around it.

Renae is a bioresonance therapist, which you can read more about on her website, but simply put it’s working with energy in the body. Emotional energy is something I’ve been interested in over the past decade, and I am open to trying different techniques and ways to connect to them within our bodies to be able to shift that which is stagnant and supressed. I’ve had two sessions with Renae so far, and both were really relaxing experiences for me. I felt my adrenals calm within minutes along with a release of grief. I loved feeling the sensations moving through my body, and Renae is such a beautiful soul, her calming presence supports the process.

Here is Renae’s beautiful website, and you can find out more about her work here at The Health Lodge.

Renae and her husband have added a stunning cabin on their property for guests, overlooking the garden and creek, you can check it out here too, some of the images above are taken within the cabin and cabin surrounds.

xx

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Subtle hearts in unexpected places...

“This became my new way of surviving, contentedly, the emotional turmoil of leaving the known for the unknown. I would spend my time looking for subtleties that connected me, subtleties that would touch and inspire me…” pg 30, My Heart Wanders.

Where is all began.

A powerful wave of gratitude to every soul who was drawn to the wandering heart collective when I sent the idea out into the ether 13 years ago, which then turned into the book 10 years ago. The words & wisdom in this book have been a companion to me all these years and with all we are going through in the world, we need them more than ever. I’ll be sharing excerpts from all my books in coming months as I celebrate the work I’ve put out into the world, as a backdrop for the work that is coming. A new collective has been found, my dear like-hearted souls. Magic abounds.

More on instagram.

{new work} TEA TIME ALCHEMY...

Carrot top tea served with carrot and date mini muffins with beetroot frosting. Teapot and tea warmer from Organic Merchant, plates, coasters and shell spoon made by hand by me.

Letting them make their own teas with different ingredients, like little alchemists.

"Brewing potions from vegetables and herbs, it looks like witchcraft"

This shoot was for Happi Kids, shot this time last year, August 2020. The brief was "a winter tea party for kids, with 5 different themes" and "very little or no sugar, with gluten and dairy free options" and also "unisex, so that boys can get into the idea of enjoying tea time too". Challenge accepted!

"Don't throw a bag into a cup of water and you're done. We go into the kitchen together and then, just like the English, take the time for it: tea with lots of goodies. For example, on a rainy Sunday afternoon or when grandparents come to visit. There are four themes - which one do you choose?"

I do love using google translate! This is the opening paragraph. While living in Amsterdam, we realised the Dutch have their very own version of English, complete with its own rhythm and word scrambles. And I do feel google translate has captured it rather well in this translation!

The most incredible handmade tea set by Peacharoo, who made it especially for me for this shoot. Complete with mini teapot, cups, saucers, spoons and milk jugs, all with the most wonderful glazes.

While on the Patreon collective in December last year I posted the whole story as well as a PDF of all the recipes - because they are all delicious and easy, and so great to make with kids, especially now if you’re needing some inspiration while we stay-at-home - here I’m going to share some behind-the-scenes stories for you. First of all as I mentioned in the caption above, I commissioned Peacharoo to make this mini tea set for the shoot, it was such a joy to play with on set, and reminded me of the joyful days working with Peach on commercial shoots a decade ago when I was an interior stylist, and she was an art director. It was always so much fun working with her, my favourite art director for sure.

Props galore, all made by hand: pink pin cushion made by my great grandmother, Vera, tea set by Peacharoo, spoons by Erins Window and the little My Hearts Wanders dish by Paper Boat Press. On the right, shell spoons made by me using found beach shells, twigs and copper wire.

This was ‘high tea for all’ so I made it rustic and earthy, using rocks as platters and some plates and cups hand formed by Laly and I over the years. Featured here are chestnut cookies dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt - these were absolutely delicious, the recipe is on Patreon. The black bean brownies have become a staple at our house ever since my friend Penny introduced them to me, so I had to include these in the story. And one of my all-time favourite treats, since living in Rovereto, Italy as a teenager and having them straight from the street stall in a newspaper cone every Winter - castagne… roast chestnuts with sea salt.

All props are handmade, found nature, and vintage. Twigs and feathers are a must on all my shoots.

Mini Matcha Donuts! Ceramic platter made by me, dishes by Peacharoo, whisk from Organic Merchant.

Mini Matcha Ceremony, anyone? How fun to create this for a little tea party! Laly and her friends taste test all the recipes for me so I know how they go with younger tastebuds and these too were a hit, more than I thought they would be! I topped them with a pistachio yoghurt icing.

Making beauty and mess in my old studio in Balmain. August 2020

This shot was epic. The concept was “three ingredient cookies” and it needed to be in one photograph. I was the only one on set - recipe testing, baking, styling, photographing, and art directing. This capture tested my multi-tasking and organisational skills to the max.

For this I made Tahini, Honey and Oat Cookies, Cocoa, banana & peanut butter fudge cookies, and Pumpkin cookies with cream cheese filling. All recipes are on my Patreon collective, dated December 21, 2020.

Winter White Tea Party

I have saved my favourite to last - the Winter White Tea Party for Two. Do you recognise the background? Who knew this vintage chair I picked up at Rozelle Markets 6 years ago would get so much attention!

On the menu for the winter white tea party…

Wild Blueberry and "White Chocolate" Bark

White Chocolate popcorn

Snow Drops

Milky Chai

White Tea

A big thank you to all the makers and creators who have contributed to these feature stories over the years and are inspirations in my every day. I feel like there is just never enough gratitude expressed and communicated, so I won’t hesitate to keep sharing the love. I have more visual stories to catch up with you here. This one, as it turned out, was the last shoot in my Balmain studio, before we relocated to our new home up north, and my new studio.

For the recipes and more about shoot production, head over the the wandering hearts collective on Patreon. Pia xx

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