Last night, Lindsey-less - me and Be headed down to this, the first solo exhibition of illustrator SOWA.

At 3 Blind Mice Bar this delightful little hole tucked away in Shoreditch, there were drinks, canapes (caramelised onion puff pastry, OH GOD - and puddings!!!!) and the music was spot on, Stand By Me and RHCP, yes please.

Religious Milk is SOWA’s black and white illustrated enterpretation of catholic traditions and myths - Justyna Sowa draws the best eyes in town, and the inspiration is clear. She says find out for yourselves what Mary and Jesus have to do with Clockwork Orange… We most definately WILL!

The beautiful Justyna, what a cracking exhibition. Prints are for sale on her site, and you can pick up limited edition exhibition posters too. Treats

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If you are free tommorow evening, then you should totally attend this!!

SPACE FOR CHANGE : THE ART CABARET

Kentish Town, London, 26/11/11-04/12/11

Space for Change is an experimental project exploring the positivity and possibility of change, and the impact it can have on individuals, groups and communities. The main element of the exhibition features the work of twelve young artists, exploring how the individual can create personal opportunities for change within our current global society and the individual’s capacity to affect their surroundings. Laura Yuile playfully experiments with building sites in her native China, photographing softly lit glass bricks she builds at night when the developments cease, whilst James Irwin attempts to provide breathing room, creating spaces that disengage with a world that can be reached in real-time. As an art exhibition, it attempts to move away from art elitism and to provide a space for artists to have their ideas communicated and expanded upon, without sacrificing quality of presentation.

Inspired by the community that has sprung up at St. Paul’s cathedral, replete with library, university, free kitchen and an amazing diplomatic decision making process, the project explores how dialogue between art and creative pursuits can paint a much richer picture of a situation and provide exciting ideas. Featured alongside the work will be objects painted with blackboard paint and chalk, allowing visitors to comment, replicating the ability to leave comments online and alter the meaning and interpretation of the exhibition. A program of live events will run over both weekends including a free film evening ending with a feature presentation and Q+A session with DJ turned filmmaker Alex Reuben (27th November), and an ‘Art Cabaret’, combining speakers from the Occupy London movement, contemporary dance, live performance art and spoken word (3rd December). Space for Change will also hold creative writing and movement workshops in and around the gallery space over the run-all are welcome.

You are cordially invited to the private view of Space for Change on the 26th December 2011, 6:30pm – 9:30pm, which will feature a faux-political rally by Sophie Nathan, poetry from Dennis Just Dennis, and conceptual spiced chickpeas from Velvet Zoe Ramos. We hope you can make it.

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Keeping in complete and utter horroresque amazingness we really would love to show you the work of Rebecca Ruby Jackson. The Witching Hour was styled by our lovely Rebecca and shot by one of our firm favorite photographers Natasha Mann. Well done ladies, we are 100% HORRIFIED. x

Make Up Artist - Samantha Brownell
Model - Kim Fisher
Assistant - Harriet Maud Street

We’re over the moon with how many of you lot have given the Petrifying Petra Doe’s wake a little blog mention! Thank you guys! So pleased you had a good time, and that you’ve got the love for the latest edition to the family!! These are some of our favourite blogs around, so if you don’t know them, head on over!

Bumpkin Betty

Bible Blog

Maria Rita

Lamb & Lion

Sacred Geometry

Gabriella De Martino

Harriet Gray

Supercool

Just Jaja

I need curtains for the window in my head

Velvet Johnstone

Does your mother know

Thanks guys!

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We are having a total love affair with Maria Rita’s photography right now. You know how we get here at Ballad HQ with our crushes, and Maria is our girl of the moment. We’ve taken these shots from her diary, be warned - you’re going to see a lot more of her over the next few weeks, while we explore the wonderful archive of images. If you want to get a head start, head over to her blog - we’ll see you there!!

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Incase you haven’t seen, and incase you haven’t tagged, and incase you couldn’t make it down to The Old Blue Last on Friday here are the official photos shot by the divine Maria Rita, who is a pleasure to work with and an amazing talent, head over to her site to quench your tired eyes and your day will be immediately calmer and nicer… You’ll need to go there after these. RIP The Outcast Dead, we really did give Petra Doe a good send off. The 1st floor of our favourite bar in London Town; The Old Blue Last was rammed from 7 until late where guests to Petra Doe’s wake were welcomed with a glass of Petra’s Punch, a Ballad bracelet (as is tradition) and a bag of keep sakes, a few of Petra’s favourite things; Boudoir Prive, Illamasqua, I Love…Cosmetics, BigRuby, Scarlett Hearts and W7. What treats!

We had a blummin amazing night! We’d been nervy bears all… month (!!!) and had a hard core day of stuffing goody bags and preparing the perfect Petra Poison - Black shots to keep people dancing all night. They worked their magic for sure, and we weren’t the only one to be gutted when the WHAM! the Ace of Base and the 90s treats stopped.

It was so lovely to meet everyone, people who we know so well on line, FINALLY getting to put a face to the submission and deciding who would be which Spice Girl for the inevitable 3 mins of bliss!!

Brace yourselves… we have a lot of love here…A special thank you to Thomas, if you made it along, you know who he is, he works so hard making sure everyone is having a great time. Thank you to Yuya, Daisy, Faye, Be, Cam, Debbie, Carlos and everyone who helped keep people drunk, raffle tickets and with the magazines, you know we appreciate you more than words. Balladette Camille, the music was amazing thanks to ELMA WOLF (Twat Boutique/Cockabilly) Camille Ballad vs Connie Infectious Music UK Djs (back to back set) and Tash from StickyLips Music (artist management) also to poor Lauren of Do IT Again DJ (fomerly Modern Romance djs) who wouldda been there but she was poorly bear - thanks to Thanks to Katie, Ross Russ and the whole team at The Old Blue Last, Thank you to all those who travelled from far and wide. Thank you again, everyone who made it down, everyone we spoke to, all the sponsors involved - all the artists who have submitted and continue to submit, and every single one of you dancers. We love every moment of Ballad, and can’t BELIEVE we have to wait another 6 months to do it all over again - BOOO! Here is to Petra Doe, RIP Love xxx

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We only have a liiittle longer to live life in morbid - While we wallow in Petra Doe sorrow for a few more moments before the explosion that will be the next issue theme (hints, hints..!) we are still embracing our sinister side. Which is why we head over heels with this dark shoot from Laura Glasso; fashion illustration on a Tee with Rock Chicks, Ravens and bed hair. We just LOVE. Black, White and RED, the pallet of Petra, and we can’t wait to get our hands on one of these beauties. LG’s consept is too fitting, her T’s have names just like the Ballad crew so you can choose your fave! (Merlina for Lindsey, Giulia for Claire) Shot by Ballad LOVE Gabriella De Martino (you know we can’t get enough of this beauty here at Ballad!!) Lets all of us embrace our sinister side and hang out all pouty, raven-esque and rock chick sulky.

Hair & Make-up Nico Surian
Models Gabriella & Natalia

You can give Laura a LIKE here

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We know there are far too many photos here, but we just had so much fun on Friday!! 10 am we left the house to prepare The Old Blue Last for Petra Doe’s Wake… First stop Costa for supplies

Then load up the van with all our goodies and head on over to The Old Blue Last with Carlos. We spent the next five hours in Goody Bag bliss, as we set out the 100 Boudoir Privé bags and the 100 I Love… bags and filled them to the brim with all the wonderful products and post cards - just the two of us! It was like the early days before The Balladettes.

You know how we’ve been all nervous for weeks..? Well you should have seen the nerves once it started getting dark! We couldn’t get it into our heads that there were hours yet before you lot arrived and there was no need to worry about our false eyelash application time, and getting into our widow get-up!

It was so lush to see the wonderful cover star Paulina Otylie Surys get the first glimpse of her two stories in the issue. We were close to tears with how pleased she was! So lovely to see!!

Tired, Late night Lindsey & Claire! What a wonderful night xxx

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Have you ever seen a world captured with such beauty and magic? No? Thought not. You have definitely come to the right place for such wonder. Maya Fiala is today’s Ballad love with her stunning photography and the mood to her work sets us off into some far away land.

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You’ll all admit that the goody bags at the Petra Doe Wake we’re something a bit extra special right? We just can’t help giving one last shout out and MASSIVE THANK YOU to these amazing companies. Boudoir Prive, Illamasqua, I Love…Cosmetics, BigRuby, Scarlett Hearts and W7. Another huge thank you to the artists who also contributed with their artwork and amazing postcards. We love you all.

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