Zara Von Benzon

 I am so grateful for the people I know. Zara Von Benzon is one of those people that you just can't not like. She is a dear friend of mine, and covers all creative mediums. I often wonder to myself how she does all the things she does, while keeping up with school work and not burning out from exhaustion...a mystery of the universe. 
Zara's photos are like something out of a dream, the story of a teenagers life with her friends, told through nostalgic photos which consist of rich colours and intimate moments; I can't help finding myself thinking how wonderful it is to be a teen when looking at her photos, despite the hormones and stuff! I hope you love her work as much as her personality, I cannot wait to see what this bright one does next !

Tell us about yourself?
I'm a sixteen year-old wanna-be photographer, philosopher, activist, artist, longboarder, musician and Alexander Supertramp. When I'm at home, I spend most of my time making and eating pancakes, reading, thinking, crying over bands, making lists, taking photographs and hanging out with my bezzies.

What creative things do you enjoy doing?
Everything! I love photography, fine art, doodling, attempting to be musical and making junk out of recycled scraps which I then subject my friends and family to as gifts.

Where do you get your inspiration?
Mainly people. As well as my two artist best friends and my sister (the most inspirational people I know) I'm currently obsessed by strangers - whilst travelling this summer, I met so many incredible people with such interesting stories! Other than that, the work of artists (in a broad sense, including writers and musicians) and, of course, life itself, especially travelling.

What is your preferred creative medium?
Film.
But I do love a good fine-liner. 

Ideally, what would you like to do as a career?
Ideally, I'd be a musician or a writer or an artist or a great philosopher or a poet - preferably all five! In reality, however, I have very little talent in any of those, and I'll probably end up in something quite different, like physics. Or maybe I won't have a career at all, and I'll spend my life on the road...

Where is your dream place to live?
Somewhere secluded and beautiful and wild, probably in America or Sweden - somewhere like that. Honestly, I feel most at home when I'm travelling, so I'm not sure I'd want to live in one place permenantly, however magical it might be.

Do you think age should limit a persons goals and achievements?
I don't think age has to - and I don't think it does - limit creative goals and achievements if the young person doesn't see their own age as relevant to their work, but it does change other people's perceptions of the artist. Whether it's focused on patronisingly or because people think it makes the artist more of an inspiration, most of the time age is seen as a big deal by others. I don't know whether I've really answered the question, but I guess I'm trying to say no. 

If you could change your name, what would you call yourself?
No idea! I don't particularly like or dislike my name, but I've never been called anything else (apart from nicknames like 'Boy' and 'Zed') and I've never really thought about it. If I had to choose a new name for myself, I'm sure I'd spend most of my life trying to think of one.

Do you like collaboration projects?
I've never done a collaboration, but it's definitely something I'd be interested in. I love the idea of sharing ideas and skills to make something even better than you could do on your own.

Could you give us a playlist of your 10 favorite songs?
I wouldn't be able to narrow my favourites down to just ten, so I'll give you a list of some songs I'm currently listening to.
Now, Now - Thread
First Aid Kit - Emmylou
Eddie Vedder - Society
Boy and Bear - Fall At Your Feet
The Growlers - Acid Rain
SoKo - We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow
Dry The River - History Book
The Cadbury Sisters - You Choose
Sixpence None The Richer - Kiss Me
Ben Howard - Old Pine

You really have to check out Zara's photos on her Flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/92481170@N07/
Her work is amazing !

Undiscovered: Abigail Jones

I have decided to take on a new project. I am fascinated by creative teens, who are making art and exploring all things creative, and doing things amazing, despite their age. However, I realized there are only a few of these teens out there that are making themselves really known, and their are many other teens who are  doing these inspirational pursuits, but are not recognized. Therefore, I have created this section on my blog dedicated to teen creatives, where I will interview them and take photos of them, not only giving them exposure, but hopefully inspiring other teens and people out there to follow their dreams and passions too.

So with that I give you my first interviewee. I had to choose this girl, as she is one of the biggest inspirations in my life. Her name is Abi Jones, and she is a 16 years old illustrator, fine artist, model and awesome teen!

Tell us about yourself?
 I don't really know a lot about myself. I mean it's such a broad and extensive topic, and I'd make it all weird and complicated, so I will just explore myself in terms of art and whatever. Yes, I'm really into mystery, mythology and disturbing, beautiful, sad, broken things-at the moment I have been voicing natural imagery in a fallacious synthetic way, kind of like many layers of decadent theater stage decoration, or pop up castles and paper ballerina's, like in the tin soldier fairy tale.

What creative things do you enjoy doing?
Creative things, idk man, I think everything creative, not in just obvious terms either. I mean, even dreams are creative. I like to think that the creativity stifled and undiscovered in my subconscious is able to manifest  over my dreams. Dreams are terrifying because they're biographical-last night I had a haunting dream about a terrible event/stress in my life that I haven't even thought about for many months-it concerned me because a section of my mind tortures itself without my unconscious knowing.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
Like I just said, dreams, literature and ideas, art , music. I'm really into a tumblr site called 'creepydesu' which takes art from peoples pictures, It's theme is that of disturbing and innocence. Sometimes I feel bad about finding corruption and innocence interesting, but I think it's because as a child maturing you become aware of corruption and it is traumatizing. Maybe I try to turn it into an independent power thing-the corrupted ones trying to understand and find themselves in a which alternates spirit from body and objectifies.

What is your preferred creative medium?
IDK, probably ink and pen, I am a compulsive drawer of detail and little whimsical things. I'm more into comics right now, combining story with illustration. I have also found it easier because I can completely zone out and meditate whilst drawing, it becomes more emotionally expressive and cathartic.

What would you like to be doing as a career?
As a career...idk, unfortunately the terrible corrosion of self doubt enjoys pissing on my dreams and setting them alight sometimes. So, I build the ideas up. I might say, ideally, I should be confined to a room with a window and inks and paints. I have a lot of emotion and anger at myself for failing at being normal and social isolates me so that I can express myself. I like to brood, I hope what I say makes sense?

Where is your dream place to live?
Probably some elaborate crippled manor house on a Gothic hill with a dungeon. I'll probably set up a bakery there. I like the idea of the neighborhood kids fearing me, when really i'm this awesome botanist, artist, witch!

Do you think age should limit a persons goals and achievements?

 I don't think age limits goals, people limit goals. Age certainly limits artistic independence, because most kids have school and find it difficult to make decisions between work and art creativity. Then you are told you will be unleashed into the world, and your like 'WTF'?!

If you could change your name, what would you call yourself?
That is the most difficult question of my life-man! I was previously known as Ramon because I like food. I realised-however-that this name was probably taken by a pale obese man dedicating his life to world of Warcraft in his parents spare room-Ramon was the username. So, yeah, I'll just be Arme or something random Arme for Amethyst because it is the stone of inspiration.

Do you like collaboration projects?
Well, I'm a social creep, so would probably fuck them up at this age. I work better alone, but would hope to in the future!

Could you give us a playlist of your 10 favorite songs?
Height Down-John Frusciante and River Phoenix
Cranes-Lillies
Hole-Asking for it
Debussy-Girl with flaxen hair
Contoy-Ronka
Grimes-Hallways
Blanche Blanche Blanche
Yura Yura Teikoku-Beautiful
Cocteau Twins-Peppermint Pig
Aphex Twins-Xtall

I need to add two more!!!
Smile from the streets you hold
Curve-Horror Head

Thanks Abi :) She does not when she does, I will let you all know!