The World by Us

A stockholm girl, Linnea Strid has been painting since she could hold a pencil in her hand. The subjects in her impressive photorealistic oil paintings are typically submerged in or dripping with water.

Linnea first found her talent for painting water in 2007 by experimenting with how she would look underwater, as if she had drowned. She fell in love with the concept and it has remained a primary focus of her work.

 ”Most of my pieces are like snap shots of my (or someone else’s) every day life, and most likely there’s a small twist added to it, in the painting itself or in the title. Like some sort of underlying irony, a more serious or political touch, contradictory feelings, or something else. ” (via My Modern Met)

Gasp

Solutions and Decisions

Deformed

In the end, there’s only persistence left

Tear me apart

Daily routines

Cry you a river

The TED 2013 Talent search is underway and we’ve gathered the auditions of a few inspirational women to share with you!

With each talk just 5 minutes, there is no reason not to take a teeny tiny break from whatever you’re doing to enjoy these enlightening and life affirming ideas.

Chantelle Baxter – Changing the World one Sanitary Pad at a Time

Chantelle Baxter is changing the world one sanitary pad at a time with her latest initiative: Launchpad – providing girls in Sierra Leone with sanitary pads to ensure they stay in school. Chantelle is the co-founder of One Girl which exists to give girls in Sierra Leone access to education. One Girl is relaunching an exciting campaign in October 2012 – Do it in a Dress – inviting us all to pick a challenge, raise $240 (the cost of one education scholarship), and do it in a dress.

So watch her wonderful talk and commit to putting on a school dress, so that girls in Sierra Leone can wear one too.

Hannah Brencher – The World Needs More Love Letters. 

After regular letter correspondence with her mother throughout her college years in the US, Hannah moved to New York, fell into depression, and began writing letters similar to those her mother wrote for her…to strangers. She promised the internet that if asked, she would write anyone a handwritten letter (Yes please!). For the generation that’s grown up in a paperless world, communicating in 180 characters or less, Hannah sheds light on the art form that is letter writing.

When was the last time you gave your  facebook/twitter/iphone a rest, and sat down to write someone a letter? 

Orly Wahba – Kindness and Consequence

Orly Wahba describes the beauty in the world she sees around her and encourages us to embody that beauty a bit more often in a lovely talk on the importance and effects of random acts of kindness (with a moving short film to accompany it!)

Julie Wangombe – A poetic reintroduction to Africa

Through the brilliance of the spoken word, Julie Wangombe boldly introduces us all to the beauty and complexity of the continent for which the rest of the world has always been quick to label from afar. A beautifully articulated talk and one that we think certainly deserves to be heard at TED 2013.

Nadya Nadreeva – A healthy Lifestyle you can Stomach

And finally a light-hearted & educational one for you! Apparently ‘digestion is the cornerstone of health’ and if we haven’t ‘taken a satisfactory poop’ today then we may have something to worry about.

Nadya teaches physical movements based on ancient practices which aid digestion and make sure we are ridding our body of toxins which can lead to disease.

 We hope to see these lovely ladies on the stage at Ted 2013. You can check out more of the up and coming TED talent and vote for your favourites here. 

While we in the Southern Hemisphere are rugging up with our warmest winter wear and flocking to pubs with fireplaces, we look longingly at our Northern Hemisphere counterparts as they strip down to their bikini’s and gather at pool parties and backyard BBQ’s.

Here’s what’s been on repeat and getting us through the colder months!

And when we say ‘on repeat’ we mean literally with this one. It is 24 minutes of pure bliss and we can’t get enough. We know the last album was only released last year, but we’re ready for more gold Mr. Vernon…

Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon & Sean Carey live at AIR Studios for 4AD and Jagjaguwar

A lovely new discovery:

Noble Oak – We Decide

Love this track. And a thought-provoking message from the creators of this unofficial video…

Major Lazer – Get Free

An old favourite – the whole album perfectly accompanies rainy days:

Coco Rosie – Werewolf

Another beautiful live performance – Florence’s cover of Drake & Rhianna’s version of Gil Scott Heron’s ‘Take Care’

Florence & the Machine – Take Care

This one’s a collaboration between Fawn Myers and Oliver Tank. A gorgeous ambient track. Love the sax!

Fawn Myers – You Know Me So Well

For a little boogie…

Electric Guest – This head I hold

And finally one to conjure up sunny days…

Teen Daze – Brooklyn Sunburn

What’s caught your ear this month? 

A few weeks ago we reflected on the importance of our stories…and then we stumbled upon this one.

This little guy’s got a lot of wisdom for a 10 year old…

“Money is important, but not as important as love”