A Hedonistic Foodie: Angel Food Cake with Lemon Curd

September 16, 2015 Nichole McVeigh

So my husband and I watched The Great British Baking Show together last year, and I was so inspired by each episode. I appreciated the feel of the show - not much stress, and the photography... (still do, by the way). We noticed the contestants tend to be quite supportive of each other, and there is no yelling. Thanks be.

Well, this year, we are watching the show as a family, and loving it. And, after watching the first episode of the current season, I decided to make the weekly challenge recipes. I'm so glad I did, because I learned things about Angel Food Cake (Epicurious discusses this reasoning for not greasing the pan in Angel Food Cake and Its Perfect Pan: As angel food cakes bake, the air that was beaten into the egg whites, along with the moisture in the batter, expands and the cake climbs the sides of the pan) over the weekend that I didn't know before. And, I'm learning even more about my new oven - like, I need an oven thermometer. It will happen soon.

Creative Spotlight: Carlos SanMillán

April 1, 2015 Nichole McVeigh

I came across Carlos' work late last year, and his "Interiors" especially drew me in. His use of light and colour...! He engages the viewer with painting through a more conceptual view of traditional subjects such as figures or landscapes. He says that "there is a subtle narration into the paintings, a presence that overlays on the viewer's perception and loads images with tarnished evocation." Beautiful.

Carlos graduated from University of Baske Country School with degrees in painting and design in 1995, and has been featured in solo and group exhibitions in Spain and Latin America. I do hope you will take in with relish Carlos' interview and work!

Creative Spotlight: Lara Cornell

March 4, 2015 Nichole McVeigh

I met Lara Cornell through - yet again - Jen Lee's Indie Kindred Creative Community. Can you tell I really resonate with a lot of creatives there? The liberal use of colour and words in her mixed media work drew me in straight away, and I knew I had to feature her on Embody Your Muse.

Though Lara felt drawn to painting for years, fear held her back (something many creatives can relate with), and it took a rough emotional patch for her to actually connect with that calling in 2013. She decided to try a course with Brave Girls Club, and learned that she loved creating art! And, create art, she most certainly does - even while working a full time job, caring for her family, and going through yoga teacher training! Lara says, "It's in my soul," and I think that shows.

With Ease...

February 18, 2015 Nichole McVeigh

Embody Your Muse - Lucent Vignette Photography

"I beg you, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer." - Rainer Maria Rilke

Over the past couple days, the state of Tennessee has been declared a State of Emergency. We have ice everywhere, and while it makes moving around difficult, it is gorgeous. Achingly so, at times. My husband convinced me to go with him on a photo expedition of sorts yesterday (we are photographers, yes), and the photos you see here are some I took in my moments of bravery. Having grown up in the North, one might think - and, rightfully so - that I would find the wintertime here very mild; but, I don't. I acclimated to the area very quickly, and can be seen wearing jackets in the 50's. Yes, I have come to accept that I am "that" woman...

Aleah Chapin

February 4, 2015 Nichole McVeigh

I came across Aleah Chapin's work a few months back, and was moved by the life in her art. The realism, combined with her use of colouring, had a real impact on me. Aleah has been an artist since she can remember. She remembers her mother (Deborah Koff-Chapin) showing her how to draw a face, and her father teaching her how to draw a cube in 3D; and sees those experiences as the foundation of her work today. Aleah started drawing people at a young age, progressed to sculpting around 10 years of age, and painting when she was 14. Once painting, Aleah had the opportunity to use a local artist's studio (Pete Jordan), and spent a few hours weekly working there.

Aleah wanted her art to make a positive difference in the world, but that lead to a lack of direction in her work. She struggled a while to find her voice. While in graduate school at the New York Academy of Art, she realized that she just needed to use her own voice to talk about things she knew - she could definitely add value to the conversation in that way. And, what value she has added. She decided to start her Aunties Project, which has grown to an even larger project, including more and more women. It has shown her "the power of a simple image, the strength of vulnerability and the connectedness of individualism."