Author: catacosmosis

Mextures Artist Feature | @mrmenellis

The last Mextures artist feature article posted a day late, so I’ve decided to up my game and get this one to you a day early. Surprise! (hahaha) Today I’m going to introduce you to Kelly (@mrmenellis) from Instagram and I hope you’ll enjoy getting to know him as much as I did. Kelly’s gallery is filled with all sorts of natural beauty and Mextures wonder, from macro to landscapes to emotive edits, and even the architecture/street shot here or there. I think that’s one of my favorite things about these articles – as Kelly and I talked a bit about in our chat, the Instagram rules tell us that we’re better off to stick to one particular style and subject but I find it extremely interesting that almost none of you guys do that – and, of course, neither do I! We’re clearly all from the same tribe. On to the article, now, and please don’t forget to show Kelly your support on Instagram! Enjoy!

Getting to know @mrmenellis

Hi there! Let’s just get right into it! You’re @mrmenellis on Instagram, but who is @mrmenellis? Tell us a little about yourself.

Well, my real name is Kelly. I am a 43 year old graphic design/web developer, born and raised in Toronto, Canada. I moved to New Zealand thirteen years ago.

Ahhh. Travel. I dream of traveling but I”m terrified of flying. Hahaha! That’s really interesting – was it your work that took you to New Zealand?

Actually, work was not what brought me here. I was hoping to come here and find a new job. In reality I ended up just becoming a contractor for my current employer and just tele-commuted. We had planned on spending a couple of years here and then travel the world, but NZ was so beautiful we fell in love and stop one became the final destination. I also have a fear of flying, so the fourteen hour flights here are a little stressful.

But, you’ve survived your flights! That gives me hope. New Zealand is definitely beautiful. I don’t know if I’d be able to leave either – although I’ve only seen it in images and yours are definitely incredible. So what was it that got you involved on Instagram?

I joined Instagram over five years ago when it was just a fledgling little app that had some talk of being a great concept. I just downloaded it to check it out, and spent a year with it off and on enjoying the sharing aspect of it. But, not having an iPhone at the time, it was just a minor hobby. That all changed when I got my iPhone and I started posting at least once a day. From there I just fell in love with most aspects of it.

Same here – being obsessed with art and photography, I was always downloading every art community app that came around. In fact, that’s the main reason I got an iPhone to begin with – art and photography. Instagram has been the most community-oriented and the one that I’ve stuck with. I love it. That’s how I discovered Mextures. How did you discover Mextures?

I have been on most social art apps as well, most of which have long disappeared. But nothing touches the IG community! As for Mextures, I discovered it through other artists on Instagram, as I was always looking for inspiration and something to push my art in a new direction. This was back when Merek Davis was just letting people use his beautiful textures as light leaks. You had to layer it all up old school in an app like Photoforge. So when he released the app, I bought it the day it was released!

Merek Davis is a hero in my world. I discovered his original textures when I was still using Photoshop on my computer, and when he released the app I was doing a major happy dance. I didn’t know the app had been released until a couple of months after the fact because I was off and on IG, but through a couple of IG artists I saw the tag and then realized it was the same as I’d been using on the computer. Hahaha! I think, in general, art is therapy for me and I suppose that’s why it’s such a constant in my life – and Mextures has seriously played a sort of “therapist” role in my life in the last year or so. People often come and go on IG, I suppose, but now I just can’t stay away from it. What is it that keeps you active and involved on Instagram? Community, art, all of the above? It’s hard NOT to be inspired there, in my opinion.

It truly is difficult not to be inspired by it all. The community and inspiration of others is probably what keeps me coming back most of all. I don’t know how many times I have seen an image and just been truly inspired to go and create something and share it. I have made so many great friends; friends whose encouragement and support are beyond words. To be honest, without that support I would have difficulty posting some of what I do.

Absolutely. There have been a couple of really big life changing events happen for me since I’ve been really active on Instagram. One of those things was the death of my father. Without the inspiration and the support of the community on Instagram, I don’t know what I would have done during those times. It’s funny because a lot of people in “real life” put down how open and personal I often am on Instagram and my personal blog, but it’s because – unlike the judgmental, stressful “support” of “real life” people – the community on Instagram tends to be more open and inspiring. They embrace me – through my art and as a human being, and they teach me so much. Maybe it’s because of the art, the mutual understanding of being a “deep, artistic person…” Many of us are that in this community. It’s not always about the art, though. There are many other aspects, as you have said. But, back to the art, what is your background in photography?

I am just an amateur enthusiast, really. I have always had a love for taking pictures and creating, going back to my early teens. I have played with all sorts of analog equipment from 35mm to medium format to expired Polaroids. But I ALWAYS had a fear of clicking the shutter. I just lacked the confidence in what I was doing. But digital changed all that. I shoot whatever, when and however I want at zero added expense. This just set me artistically free.

I remember those film days. My first camera was a Polaroid and my first “real” camera – where you had the ability to adjust settings and so on – was a 35mm Canon SLR. I was the same way as you – TERRIFIED to actually shoot. Film wasn’t cheap (and at the time, I wasn’t buying – my parents were), and then after you used up the film you had to develop the film. It was interesting for me because my mom knew how to do all of that sort of thing and so sometimes she’d get together with me and we’d work film…but mostly, it was sent off. Either way, it wasn’t cheap. So, I completely understand the being “set free” point of view of digital photography.

And that kind of answers the next question I was going to ask – what’s changed about your photography/practice over time… Instead, I’ll ask…what do you enjoy most about your art and photography? What themes do you pursue?

I just enjoy capturing moments of time and light. I am always of two minds: one is to hunt and find the perfect light to capture just the way it is and do not manipulate it; the other is just shoot whatever and create what I want. Couple that with the fact that I hate pigeon holing myself, I end up with images of everything and anything.

For themes, I seem to focus a lot on macro and florals. Mainly because flowers don’t complain that I am taking yet ANOTHER photo of them, I think. Hahaha. Macro photography has always amazed me, so I build my own lenses and use those. I also love portraiture, though there is not much in my feed for various reasons. But it’s something I wish I could do more of.

Yes – I love photographing nature, and macro is my absolute favorite. It’s my “thing.” The fact that you build your own lenses is fascinating! That’s a whole other conversation, but I’d love to hear more about that in the future!

Yeah, I shoot through pretty much anything. I put things in front of my phone just because I can.

Hahaha! That is just awesome. No rules! I find that I’m always breaking one rule, though, more than any others – the one that you read in so many blogs and “courses” about how your Instagram feed should, for all intents and purposes, stick to a particular theme. I can’t do it. I tend to stick to nature as a general theme, but there’s too much nature to pick from and I love it all! I can’t pigeon hole myself – I’ve tried. There’s just too much inspiration and too much I want to try. What is it that inspires you the most? I find it’s hard to pick one thing, personally, but I always love asking this question.

I have too many tastes to stick to one theme. I agree. Inspiration comes in so many forms for me but music is a huge factor – that is almost always an instigator. Books or quotes are also quite high on the list. But one of my greatest inspirations is my little girl. Just seeing her love for life and the way she sees things inspires me in so many ways.

It’s so interesting to me how much I find that I have in common with everyone that I interview. I am a HUGE music fan, and I find myself blending images with words and quotes so often. Sometimes, I will look for a quote based on whatever an image has brought to mind and end up writing a whole, long blog instead. Haha! But my biggest inspiration, like yours, is definitely my child.

So, you’ve said that you’re mostly a hobbyist when it comes to photography, but do you have any dream or goals with your art professionally? Do you have any sort of dream project?

A dream project. Hmmm… I have been lucky and had some images published and used commercially so I can check that off the list. A dream project would probably be to have some of my works printed, mounted and displayed in a gallery showing. I think that would be my ultimate dream goal.

Wow – published! Although, I’m not surprised! What it takes to get your work into a gallery or showing is networking. I learned that last year.

The publishing was just lucky, really. Right place, right time, much like a gallery. All in people you know.

Isn’t it funny how so much of life works that way? Ok, last arty question – what couldn’t you do without regarding your art and photography, besides your camera(s)?

Ha! As simple as it is, my lens cloth. Having had a small child with sticky fingers grabbing at whatever I seem to have in my hand, it seemed to be an essential item. I usually have two with me at all times.

I LOVE that answer! It’s funny to me and makes me laugh because since becoming a parent, that is one of the things I am VERY aware of. He always wants to play with my camera and my phone, and I always want to encourage him in that way when he wants to take pictures, so like you I ALWAYS have a cloth and I also always keep a little small pen-sized tube of lens cleaner spray in my bag for tough jobs. Hahaha!!!

It’s just the truth! Hahaha! I wish it was a classier answer but tis the life of a parent.

It sure is. I wouldn’t have it any other way, personally. I have really enjoyed chatting with you, Kelly. One last question – my favorite one: if you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Oh, just one!? Well, that is tough. Probably the ability to heal myself and others, or the ability to time travel. I love the concept of both.

I think, if one had the ability to heal themselves/others, then they would automatically have the ability to time travel because they’d need to be able to reach people at any moment in time. Yay! Hahaha!

HA! I like how you worked that. Perfect!

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me and for being involved in this adventure on the blog. I wish you all the best in the future – both with your art and in life.

Thank you for the interview. It’s been a huge pleasure and honor, and I’ve been enjoying reading your blog and IG pages. It’s been wonderful to “meet” you!

Thanks so much for your kindness and support! It’s been a pleasure getting to “meet”/know you! Have a very nice day, Kelly!

Same! Have a lovely evening!

Sampling of Kelly’s Mextures Formulas

Wet Valleys – YGVJLNI
Moist Petals – EXBNIHX
All of My Tears – LSJGDIT
Wildlings – LDNGYAE
Ewe and Me – PPXRETQ
The Glorious Dead – IIYBJXG

Art from the Instagram Gallery of @mrmenellis

August 1, 2016
Mextures Artist Feature | @JosephAsbury

Hello and welcome to the another Mextures artist feature! Today’s article features Instagram user and artist @JosephAsbury and his fabulous street/city style work. He’s got some pretty awesome nature and rural shots in his gallery, but I was particularly drawn to his fabulous street and city shots and the feel he gives to those shots with Mextures. I hope you’ll enjoy getting to know @JosephAsbury via our chat, and enjoy his art as much as all of those who follow his work do. As always, thank you for visiting and supporting these features, artists, and blogs!

Getting to Know @JosephAsbury

Hello, @JosephAsbury! To start, could you tell us who you are?

I am Joseph Asbury, @JosephAsbury on Instagram. I am from Columbus, OH, born and raised. Married with two kids, I grew up with a typical family life – grandson of a preacher and son of a salesman. My father would tell you I’m a momma’s boy. Haha!

That reminds me of my own upbringing, except I was a Daddy’s girl. How did you get started with Instagram and Mextures?

I actually got involved with Instagram because my wife was on it and she kept telling me it was fun. I got involved with Mextures after reading an article about Tony Detroit. In the article, he referenced liking to work with Mextures so I looked them up. It was a game changer for me.

Word of mouth is how I learned of Mextures, too! So, you signed on to Instagram and your art has clearly been well received. What is it about Instagram that keeps you active and sharing your art there?

It is mainly because of my love for photography but at the same time, photography pushes me towards Instagram. It’s funny because I always enjoyed looking at photos but my life for taking photos didn’t come until after being on Instagram. Plus, the community feel within certain circles of Instagram is awesome.

Instagram and art both play a huge role in my life. Art has always been around in some form or another, and growing up the big one for me was always music. My family rarely did anything without a soundtrack, everything from gospel to classic rock. My wife and I try to keep that tradition alive with our kids. Art and Instagram also has a big role in our life – my wife and I love to go take pictures together. She runs a page called @churchesofcolumbus so we go out searching churches quite often and I just take pictures of whatever is around. My wife has always loved photography, she will deny. But she has a much better eye than I do. Her talent seems to have been passed down to my daughter, which is awesome.

We have so much in common – church, music and art are the three building blocks of my youth. Haha! You mentioned that you started taking photos after your wife got you onto Instagram. How has your technique or practice changed over time?

Over time, the main thing that has changed has been the idea to go out looking for pictures as opposed to waiting to happen on a picture. That has been fun, and this notion has also afforded me the opportunity to meet some really cool artists.

That is a very cool concept – looking for the picture as opposed to waiting for one to happen. I like that. What arts do you identify with the most?

Photography and music.

What work do you most enjoy?

Editing, for sure. I love taking pictures but I could edit forever. Hence my love for Mextures.

What themes do you pursue in your work?

Soul. I try to find the soul of the picture, whether it’s a person, building, or car (my three crutches). I try to capture how they feel.

I think you are very successful at that. In fact, that is why I selected the image that was used as the Featured Image for this post (the thumbnail beside it in the link list and the header image for the post). The story behind the image, as you shared on your Instagram post of it, is so powerful. Definitely my personal favorite. What is your favorite artwork?

Photography on Instagram – I feel like it’s one giant piece of art that is constantly changing. Everybody adds a little.

Absolutely. It’s almost this organic thing that happens, and it grows itself as an art community but it also grows us as individuals. That’s been my experience, as well. Why do you think that is? Why art?

I feel like it’s inside of us to be creative. I’m a Christian and looking at things with that world view I believe God created us in his image and because of that we have a desire to create.

What do you dislike about your work?

I’m constantly second guessing pictures. I’ve been known to post a picture and delete it shortly after.

I think many of us do that – I certainly do. What is your favorite subject?

People, for sure.

What memorable responses have you had to your work?

I think the most memorable was a time when my buddy Micahel (@noonerblast) said in passing, “you’ve got your own style.” That was pretty cool.

One last question – what couldn’t you do without regarding your art?

Mextures and Lightroom app.

Of course! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat and for being involved in the Mextures Artist project at Catacosmic. Wishing you abundance and many good things in your art and in your life, Joseph!

Thank you, it was a pleasure.

Sampling of Joseph’s Mextures Formulas

Turning Lane – SBJLETW

Tree Magic 1 – LBJZVVG (edited from @ionsounds original)

Exit 2 – KPEEKFA

Home Sweet Worthington – BQZFIBA

Sugar Cookie – QTSZKQA

The Force – MABRKYN

Spinsters – RPLQFRD (edited from @wrendolin origin all)

Bus – NXADPDF

Art from the Instagram Gallery of @JosephAsbury

July 18, 2016
Mextures Formulas #4

Mextures formulas from my personal collection, blogisode #4.

As always, I hope you enjoy these formulas. Please remember that blend modes of layers (and the layers themselves) may require tweaking depending on the light/style/tone of your image and they will not necessarily look exactly the same on your images as they do in the provided versions.

If you have any questions about Mextures or using formulas, feel free to ask them in comments or via e-mail or social media/messaging.

Formula Name: Spring Snail

Formula Code: ERXXZJD

Formula Name: Gator Swamp

Formula Code: UTSJFIT

Formula Name: Wendell Turtle

Formula Code: JMJXZFA

Formula Name: Shake It

Formula Code: NGJJPJB

Formula Name: Tongue

Formula Code: DVQNBWB

Formula Name: Greensnake

Formula Code: NGEVXKE

Formula Name: 8 Eyes

Formula Code: JHYNKXA

July 18, 2016
Mextures Artist Feature | @orbabgirl

Happy Monday, y’all! I hope you’ve all had a pleasant start to your week this week – I have, as I’ve been given the opportunity for a quick interview with the amazing @orbabgirl for today’s Mextures artist feature article. Kristi (@orbabgirl on Instagram) shares with me a love of the details of nature, and with all of us a love for all things Mextures. I hope you’ll enjoy getting to know her a little better and, if you’re not familiar with her amazing photography and art, I hope you’ll find yourself as enthralled with her work as all of her followers and fans are. Enjoy the article, and have a beautiful week, friends!

Getting to know @orbabgirl

Hi there, @orbabgirl! It’s a pleasure to have the opportunity to chat with you. Let’s start with getting to know the girl behind the username. Who are you and what do you do?

Hi! My name is Kristi, aka @orbabgirl, and I am from BC, Canada. I am married and the mother to a bunch of cats and one awesome little 6 year old boy. I live on a small island of about 3500 people and I work in the local pharmacy. I love to garden and spend as much time as I can outside taking photos. I love nature, art, and photography and with Instagram I am able to combine all 3.

I’ve been spending a lot of time in pharmacies lately – I wish I was getting paid for it! ((laughs)) How did you get involved with Instagram/Mextures?

I started Instagram 4 years ago as a way to keep in touch with a friend who had moved overseas. My first posts were of the usual things: cats, coffee, inanimate objects around my house (lol). But, it wasn’t long before I discovered new friends there and was introduced to the JJ forums and all of that. Fast forward 2 years and I see an edit a friend did for an @mexturescollective editing challenge. I had never heard of Mextures before but I had to try it out. I hadn’t really done much editing before then but I was really interested in giving it a go. Especially to have the chance to edit such beautiful photos! So I downloaded Mextures and I was hooked! Such an amazing little app.

Yes it is! How and why do you do Instagram and photography? How has it changed for you over the years?

I just love photography and have always loved taking pictures. Over the years I’ve had lots of different cameras but getting my iPhone 4S for Christmas in 2011 was a huge game changer for me. Not only was it super convenient, I could take it with me everywhere, but the camera was also really amazing, too. I’ve upgraded since then to an iPhone 6 and new Olloclip setup. As for why I do Instagram, I do it as a way to express myself and share my photos but also as a way to connect with others. I just love the sense of community and all of the friends that I’ve made over the years there. There are truly some amazing people out there. I just hope one day I have the chance to meet them in person.

Me, too – I’ll be staying in New Orleans for an extended time in a couple of weeks and I hope that while I am there I’m able to meet up with some of the great friends and amazing artists I’ve gotten to know through Instagram. It’s interesting to step back and really look at the role Instagram and art plays in my life. What role does Instagram and art play in your life?

Instagram plays a huge role in my life. It is an amazing little community that not only connects me to so many incredible people, but also helps to inspire and motivate me to create more and push myself further. Every single day I am inspired, encouraged and motivated. It is amazing! I have always loved taking photos but now I feel like I have a purpose and a drive to get out and find new places and new angles. Of course those macro treasures are my favorite finds.

Same! The macro aspect comes naturally to me because I’m so aware of details in general. I suppose my obsession with macro photography helps me to channel that constant, overwhelming sensory input and focus it somewhere that allows me to express what I’m seeing/realizing. In doing that I’ve been able to help myself to not feel so overwhelmed by my sensitivities (both physically and spiritually) and those two things have changed my daily practice with each them dramatically – if that makes any sense. How has your practice changed over time?

I have definitely matured as an artist, especially over the last 2 years. I’ve found myself stepping out of the box more – trying new styles with my edits, collaborating with crazy talented people, and really trying to create some sense of emotion with my work. That’s where Mextures fits into my world perfectly. Before, I would rarely edit my work. I was proud of the fact that my photos were unedited. I would maybe add a little lux but I tended to stick to more no edit/no filter images. But since discovering Mextures I’ve found this ability to take my work a step further, to create more than just a photo but an actual piece of art. It’s magical and I love being able to do that. I still do post quite a few unedited photos but my go to editing app is always Mextures. I just love it.

One of my favorite things about Mextures is that it allows the opportunity to create any mood/theme out of almost any shot. What themes do you pursue?

I’m not are I ever really base anything on themes but more so on my emotions or the emotional feel or potential of an image. But, I tend to post based on the aesthetic look of my entire IG gallery. I try not to post back to back photos of the same things or have it so that similar photos are on top of each other in the rows. Not sure if that really makes sense…

Yes, it does! I have my own little system lately where I tend to post in threes and using the same style/theme to the image (as far as the edit). Sometimes it’s different angles/interpretations of the same subject, sometimes completely different subjects. But lately, color themes in my edits are a big thing. Hahaha. It’s interesting because I’ve gotten a lot of feedback where people have noticed the change in my posting style. What memorable feedback and responses have you had to your work?

I’ve had some great responses over the years, many on IG and quite a few in real life, as well. I love knowing that someone else has a connection with my work. To me, that is what art should do. It should speak to someone, almost call to them. That is what I want from my work – to create a connection.

So very true… Do you have any professional goals with your work? What’s your dream project?

I just want to keep growing and perfecting my craft. I would like to get more comfortable photographing people as well as nature. I don’t have any specific project in mind, but I would love the opportunity to collaborate more with some of my favorite artists and friends on Instagram, either my editing their work or vice versa. I recently had the opportunity to do this with the incredibly talented @ja_s0n and I just loved what he created with my photos.

You mentioned a bit earlier on the great inspiration that comes to you from Instagram and the people there. Do you have a favorite or most inspirational place?

My favorite place to take photos is just around my own yard. I have a tag #kristisgarden for all the photos I have taken over the years around my house and it’s a huge percentage. It’s just so easy to step outside my own door and find the treasures I’m after, whether it is a droplet covered spider web, a beautiful dandelion puff, some foggy trees, or some flowers.

I dream of finding that droplet covered spider web someday. I go out hoping it’s there regularly in the warmer seasons and I haven’t found it yet. I find that my favorite subjects live in my own back yard, as a general rule. Maybe it’s the comfort zone I’m in at home…who knows. Hahaha… What is your favorite or most inspiration subject?

My favorite subject would definitely be a tie between dandelions and spider webs covered in droplets. I am madly obsessed with both of them. All you have to do is look at my photos and you will see it for yourself.

I think your work with droplet covered spiderwebs was the first time I’d ever seen that subject really showcased. It fascinated me and inspired me so much, and I’ve been after that shot ever since. Someday I will find it. Any advice on that? Hahaha! Speaking of advice, what is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

One thing that happens a lot on IG and in life is that people get caught up posting for other people and what they think other people want to see. Obviously this will probably get you more likes, but at the end of the day you have to post what makes you feel happy – what you want. It should’ matter what other people think. If they like it half as much as you do, bonus!

Well said. I often get frustrated with the ever-shouted “rule” that you should limit your IG gallery to certain styles and subjects because that’s what makes viewers/followers happy. I disagree with that “rule” completely, but you see it all over the web in articles and such about Instagram. I don’t tend to do well with rules – especially those related to gear and how to use it. Besides your camera(s), what couldn’t you do without regarding your art?

Well besides my camera, I couldn’t do this without my Olloclip lens attachment. It’s like my trusty sidekick and it goes with me everywhere. I have a 4 in 1 lens but I only ever use the macro lenses, particularly the 10x zoom. I would be lost without it.

I have been so close to buying the Olloclip so many times. I’ve heard nothing but good things about it, and I’ve tried other lens kits for iPhone but they don’t really do exactly what I want them to. I should really look into Olloclip again!

This has been a lot of fun, Kristi. One last question – my favorite “fun” ending question: if you could have any super power, what would it be and why?

I wish I had a magical finger snapping power, so I could snap my fingers and make whatever I needed or wanted to happen, happen. I don’t know how many times I’ve uttered the phrase, “wish could just snap my fingers…” Hahaha!

That would be a perfect superpower because you could use it to make other superpowers happen! Hahaha! Thank you so much for taking the time to be a part of this series, Kristi. We love your work and wish you all the best going forward!!

Be sure to check out Kristi’s work by heading to @orbabgirl on Instagram. While you’re there don’t forget to show her some love and support!

Sampling of Kristi’s Mextures Formulas

Lace – JLWNTRZ

MC MYA – XDTLEEG

Forest Rays – SBKJTBW

Childhood – QEQFYWC

Daisy – EYEACWR

Path – JILYEFK

Broken Fence – SFFWBZE

Foggy Days – FMVMLDM

Art from the Instagram Gallery of @orbabgirl

July 11, 2016
Mextures Formulas #3

Mextures formulas from my personal collection, blogisode #3.

As always, I hope you enjoy these formulas. Please remember that blend modes of layers (and the layers themselves) may require tweaking depending on the light/style/tone of your image and they will not necessarily look exactly the same on your images as they do in the provided versions.

If you have any questions about Mextures or using formulas, feel free to ask them in comments or via e-mail or social media/messaging.

Formula Name: More Shadows

Formula Code: HYEFIGG

Formula Name: Pastelish

Formula Code: XBQSVBY

Formula Name: Monday Morning V.2

Formula Code: ESQHIVS

Formula Name: Peaceful

Formula Code: PPDWKUZ

Formula Name: One Tulip

Formula Code: VCEWERD

Formula Name: Absentia

Formula Code: FSLNDMQ

Formula Name: Clover

Formula Code: MMTMUUD

Formula Name: Sunny Rain

Formula Code: DBZTLIR

Formula Name: There She Goes

Formula Code: HMQMYJM

June 29, 2016
Mextures Artist Feature | @mrsangryferret

It’s that time again! Welcome to the latest installment of the Mextures Artist Feature series! Today’s article features Instagram user and artist @mrsangryferret (Jemma), a photographer/Mextures artist that I’ve only just discovered but am already a huge fan of. Mainly fueled by nature, Jemma’s gallery has a little bit of everything – a treasure trove of beautiful imagery and sweet Mextures edits from skies to landscapes to cows (we all know my love for all things bovine!) to architecture. I hope you’ll enjoy getting to know @mrsangryferret via our chat, and enjoy her images as much as all of those who follow her work do. As always, thank you for visiting and supporting these features, artists, and blogs!

Getting to Know @mrsangryferret

Hello, @mrsangryferret! Could you tell us who you are and what you do?

I’m Jemma, aka @mrsangryferret. I’m 31, from Staffordshire, UK. I have a passion for photography and enjoy spending my spare time in nature.

Ahhh, nature. YES! Why photography?

I’m very creative and I’m always finding new ways to unleash that. I enjoy photography the most. Capturing a snapshot of something I find beautiful even if that’s not in the traditional sense. I tend to find beauty everywhere.

How did you get involved with Instagram/Mextures?

I started on Instagram just uploading normal, boring photos and left for a few years. During these years I took thousands of photos but never had anywhere to share them. Then I remembered Instagram and found the nature communities, and it went from there. I discovered Mextures by accident in the App Store. I thought it sounded great so I bought it and then found the #Mextures hashtag and discovered so many beautiful edits and photographs. It was really inspiring to me.

I think that’s my favorite question – I love learning how others came to the IG communities and Mextures! Why do you do Instagram/photography?

I love capturing a moment frozen in time. It’s a form of meditation for me. Nothing else matters while I’m shooting, surrounded by nature. It’s like therapy! I enjoy the whole process from start to finish. I look forward to getting home and starting to process the photos and doing my edits. It’s a really good anxiety and stress reliever for me.

What’s your background in photography?

I have always had an interest in photography since I was a child. I really got started in 2015 when I started to establish my Instagram page. I am self taught. I just take photos of what I think looks nice. I don’t really follow any set rules. I’m just passionate about it.

How has your practice changed over time?

When I first started with Mextures, I struggled. It took me a while to get used to it, I’ll be honest. But with lots of trial and error, I think I have the hang of it. Although I have only recently found the blends button! I sometimes like to look back over my old pictures and see just how much I have grown and developed my own style.

Oh yes, it’s always so interesting to do that – I find that I see not only my photography and style growing and changing, but also myself as a human being. What work do you most enjoy doing?

I really love doing dramatic and dark scenes. But I truly enjoy all of what I do. Sometimes I may be in a dreamy mood and will create a dreamscape. Other times I may make dark and sombre work. I let my mood and emotions control my art.

I think that’s very much a part of the therapy of the process. What specific themes do you tend to pursue?

I mainly like to photograph nature but I enjoy other subjects and have started branching out into new things that I find beautiful or good to shoot. I like lots of types of architecture and have started to photograph it more.

From my point of view, it takes a lot of courage to branch out. I LOVE street photography and architecture and have tried off and on to shoot it but find that it’s just not something I’m good at so I run away from it and back to “what I’m good at.” I think you’ve inspired me to give it a go again. What inspires you?

I am massively inspired by music. When I’m processing and editing my photos I love to listen to all different genres of music. Again, that depends on my mood and will be reflected in my finished work. Sometimes a lyric can inspire me, sometimes I may use a song title for my work because I feel it captures the mood.

We are massively alike in that way! I am listening to Deftones as I am writing this up. What do you dislike about your work?

I am highly critical of myself and my work and often struggle with anxiety and confidence in posting my work but it’s something I work hard on to be better everyday.

What do you like about your work?

I like the creative release I get. I like being in my own little art bubble. Hours can feel like minutes. I can put my music on and start editing photos and the troubles in the world disappear for a little while. I do like that I have taken photos and captured scenes I could only ever dream of taking, and this is just the beginning. I can’t wait to see where my journey will take me.

Do you have any professional goals?

I’m really enjoying growing and learning! I don’t really have any professional goals – I just know that I enjoy what I do and can’t wait to see where this journey takes me. It would be great to be paid to do what I love though!

What is your dream project?

I would love to photograph the northern lights. It’s always been a dream of mine to see the aurora. Hopefully one day it will happen!

That’s something that is on my bucket list, as well. I can’t imagine the beauty of it in person…but I, too, hope to someday see the aurora in person and photograph it. What is your favorite or most inspirational place?

It’s a place that features regularly in my Instagram gallery. It’s a very high point in my city that is known locally as Chesire View. There’s a little drive in lay by that gives breathtaking views over the English countryside. Watching a stunning summer sun setting on the horizon is a favorite thing of mine to do, and on a clear night you can see the Milky Way. It’s just a beautiful, inspiring place for me.

That is wonderful! What is something that you love, and why?

I love nature! It’s full of color, beauty, textures… Life and death. The beautiful cycle of the seasons. I’m such a hippy chick at heart. Nature is my nome. I’m happy there.

Ditto. I totally get that. Regarding your art, specifically, what’s something you couldn’t do without?

This is the perfect time for me to say my followers and various hubs on Instagram. I have had so much support and encouragement. It’s such a huge boost when your work is well received. It’s often a shock and I’m so grateful for all of their amazing support. Each and every like, comment, and/or follow and feature…it’s all amazing to me and when I started I never in my wildest dreams thought this would have happened.

Instagram is probably the best art community I’ve ever been a part of for that reason. My first art community was deviantART and it was such a hard community – there was a fair share of positivity and support but there was SO MUCH drama. The same has been true of other art communities I’ve been a part of. But Instagram is somehow different – I have had only a handful of those not so pleasant experiences on Instagram and 99% of my experience has been exactly as you described. That is precisely why I wanted to start doing these feature blogs – I just wanted so badly to give back to the community and to all the wonderful people and artists that have been so encouraging and inspiring to myself and so many others.

On that note of gratitude, I want to thank you so much for being a part of this adventure here on the blog and for taking the time to chat and answer these questions! Wishing you much growth and success in your art and in your life as you continue on your beautiful photography journey, Jemma (@mrsangryferret)!

Sampling of Jemma’s Mextures Formulas

WINDCHILL – NKACBTG

TRUEBLOOD – BHEXRTW

PRISM – EVADTUV

SNOWJOKE – HKFJQYH

BEYOND – KZBLYCS

Art from the Instagram Gallery of @mrsangryferret

June 26, 2016
Mextures Artist Feature | @hptuk

Good afternoon and welcome to the latest Mextures artist feature. Today’s article features Instagram user and artist @hptuk, and is a bit different than the last feature. @hptuk and I had ourselves a sort of “interview session.” I thought, “I’d really rather let the artists tell us about themselves versus talking about what my own opinions are. I’d like to just talk with them, and let these features become whatever they become from artist to artist.” That is, after all, the whole point of these articles: to allow the artist to share their own story and expressions about their art, Instagram, and selves as an artist. I hope I’ve given Heather an opportunity to do that, and I hope you’ll enjoy getting to know Heather (@hptuk) and fall in love with her art as much as all of those who follow her work have. As always, thank you for visiting and supporting these features, artists, and blogs!

Getting to know @hptuk

Hello, @hptuk! To start, could you tell us who you are and what you do?

I am Heather, I’m British and have been living in Florida for 19 years.

For many years I homeschooled my daughter, who is now a sophomore at University of Florida. Once my daughter was dual-enrolled at college a few years ago, I started working part-time as a computer skills teacher for preschoolers. I also own an online vintage store (coming to IG soon!).

That’s so exciting! You’ll have to link us to that when you create your IG account. How and why did you get involved with photography/art/Instagram?

Photography has always been part of my life. My father was a newspaper photographer in Yorkshire, England as a young man. He always had, and still has, a camera with him. At a young age I started taking pictures and loved getting my processed film back. When I started working for the travel industry, based in London, I became even more passionate about photography, capturing shots from all the different destinations I was lucky enough to go to.

In my late twenties, I decided to leave London to pursue a job as a scuba instructor, a hobby I had fallen in love with over the years, having dived in many different countries. I worked on a liveaboard dive boat in the Turks & Caicos Islands for 2 years and became the underwater photo pro, using a Nikonos V camera and developing the film for myself and our passengers, in the boat’s darkroom.

Life then brought me to Florida and I continued with photography, as a hobby. I had my own darkroom and developed black and white prints on fiber-based paper, then hand tinted them with Marshall’s oils, the same way photos were colored a century ago. I did the art show circuit around Florida and had my work exhibited in several galleries and establishments. I was adamant that I would never stop using film…and here I am with a Nikon DSLR posting photos on Instagram every day, while my film camera gathers dust 🙂

I have taught kids’ photography classes over the years and sometimes do family portraits and headshots locally. I created a website a few years ago, and being involved in Instagram has provided me with the impetus to get it active again.

I started my Instagram account in May 2015, thinking it would be another way to keep in touch with people, and post photos of my daily life. I had no idea that there were so many creative and wonderful hubs showcasing people’s work. Instagram has been an uplifting and enriching experience for me, I have formed incredible friendships and always feel validated and encouraged by followers who engage regularly and comment on my work. They, in turn, really inspire me. There are some incredibly talented people on Instagram and I love seeing all the different styles of photography and editing. I have an android, but typically post photos from my DSLR, and sometimes my iPad, which I purchased last summer in order to download all the amazing editing apps! I use Mextures, VSCO, Unionapp regularly. I fell in love with Mextures because I almost feel like I am hand-coloring again, adding layers of color and / or texture to the piece. I tend to be drawn to warm, soft tones and feel that they complement my subject matter, which is primarily Florida scenery and nature. I am most inspired by the ocean, I love capturing images there and listening to the sounds of the sea. I find it both soothing and rejuvenating.

After a few months on Instagram, I was asked to be a moderator for @Mellow_ Mextures, a hub featuring artists who edit their shots with Mextures. On January 1st, I took on a similar role for @Flowerzdelight, featuring..flower shots. It’s been a wonderful experience, curating beautiful work to share with others. The level of talent is astounding and inspiring. It motivates you to step up your game!

Wow! What an interesting journey it has been… What has been a seminal moment for you since you began your journey on Instagram? What memorable responses have you had to your work?

A huge IG moment for me was when Walgreens chose one of my photos to be used as part of an advertising campaign, last summer. The photo was used on social media in August, and will be shared again on Instagram in April 2016. Also, I was very happy and honored that @Mextures featured one of my formulas (Foggy) last week.

That’s fabulous! “Foggy” is one of the formulas featured at the bottom of this post, as well – a beautiful one, indeed! What’s your next goal for your art and photography?

Going forward, my next goal is to master the GoPro that I got for Christmas. I plan on posting underwater shots etc once the weather warms up. That will probably be under a separate IG account. I would also like to expand my editing skills and spend time learning how to use some of the other apps.

I love it! Those are both goals for me here on the blog this year, as well! So, what’s the most important or best advice you’ve been given to reach your goals?

The most important advice people have given me is to enjoy each moment, I do tend to be impatient and rush through things, so I am working on that.

Excellent advice. What is your favorite form or style of art?

My favorite form of art is definitely photography, especially black and white. I also love hand-colored landscapes by artists like Wallace Nutting.

And what would be your dream project?

My dream project would be to capture some different, dramatic landscapes. I love Florida but some mountains once in a while would be awesome.

This has been quite an interesting adventure, interviewing you. Thank you so much for taking the time to chat! Let’s end with something super fun. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

If I could have a superpower, it would be flying. That would be cool. And I could get rid of my car.

Sounds good to me! Thank you so much, Heather (@hptuk) for being a part of this feature series. We all wish you great success and joy as you continue your art and Instagram journey!

Sampling of Heather’s Mextures Formulas

(find more at her Instagram, @hptuk)

Foggy – KDKYBJX

Alive – PFSWPFC

Reach – BIBBGFM

Glow – VTVRREP

Palms – PUVLPSR

Purple Sky – SMMHAPP

Art from the Instagram Gallery of @hptuk

If you love Heather’s work, be sure to follow her on Instagram @hptuk so you’ll never miss her fabulous posts!

Thank you again, Heather, for being a part of this series!

June 13, 2016
Mextures Formulas #2: The Teals

This morning I am just going to share a few formulas from a series of photos I did recently. This is pretty much a test post, posting from the WordPress app on my iPad.

As always, if you have any questions about how to use Mextures or formulas, feel free to comment, or contact me by email or on social media.

Formula Name: Teal

Formula Code: ZHUHLGH

Formula Name: Teal V.2

Formula Code: BECQIYU

Formula Name: Teal V.3

Formula Code: VJTYQZF

May 25, 2016
Mextures Artist Feature | @boco_blondie

Welcome to the very first Mextures Artist Feature! Partly because she agreed to be a guinnea pig for this project, and mostly because her art is just awesome, this first Mextures artist feature brings you an artist who has been a huge inspiration and encouragement to me, both in art and in life: Sarah (@boco_blondie).

Based in Boulder, CO, and some of the most beautiful scenery in the US, Sarah (like many of us on Instagram) started out sharing random blips of life and her surroundings that she’d shot and edited with her phone. It was a sort of a therapeutic, relaxing thing to do that helped her to express her creative spirit. Over time, she has grown artistically and, like me, as a person, thanks to all the friends and connections that have been made through Instagram.

Her Mextures edits of both her own images and collaboration pieces are always received with high acclaim and excitement, and her signature style of deep colors with faded highlights and almost dreamy tones always inspire me to embrace both the light and the darkness of my own images and my own existence. Sarah’s work is all about balance and self-expression, even when she shares no words or explanations in the captions, and she has expanded her (and our) Instagram and Mextures experience with the founding of her own hubs and mini-communities.

Sarah is the founder of @shotzdelight, @cloudzdelight, @flowerzdelight, and @mexturezdelight – a grouping of feature accounts for the subjects respective to their names. @Shotzdelight features “delightful artists daily,” all manner of subjects, styles and locations around the world. As a nature lover and a lover of all things “nature photography,” Sarah has expanded the @shotzdelight hub to include @cloudzdelight and @flowerzdelight – hubs that focus on the beauty and wonder of nature and feature some brilliant work showcasing the beauty you can see in the world if you just slow down and pay attention. And, of course, there is the @mexturezdelight hub – my personal favorite of her family of hubs – which is geared specifically toward featuring the amazing and beautiful creations that you guys share from the Mextures app.

Below is a listing of hubs/tags, some of the Mextures formulas Sarah has shared, and a sample of her amazing and inspiring gallery. Be sure to check out Sarah’s Instagram gallery, and visit her feature accounts to explore and find some amazing art and artists that will no doubt encourage and inspire you in your own photography journey, and in your life. If you share images that fall into those categories, be sure to tag them so that Sarah and her crew can explore and be inspired by you and your work, as well! I know they will all be excited to see and share in what you’re doing on Instgram.

The Shotz Delight Family:

@shotzdelight | tag #shotzdelight

@cloudzdelight | tag #cloudzdelight

@flowerzdelight | tag #flowerzdelight

@mexturezdelight | tag #mexturezdelight

Sampling of @boco_blondie’s Mextures Formulas

@boco_blondie™ #1 – VGMGQLK

@boco_blondie™ #2 – RDYLXZU

@boco_blondie™ #3 – WIQFSZN

East Rock @boco_blondie™ – KZZVDEV

Whiteout @boco_blondie™ – FUICVKR

MexturezDelight @boco_blondie™ – NTTMQJH

Art from the Instagram Gallery of @boco_blondie

**For this first, very special feature, I want to close with a special note:

My dear Sarah, thank you so much for agreeing to help me jumpstart this Mextures blogging adventure with your amazing art. Thank you for supporting my random fancies and the twists and turns of my journey, and for inspiring and encouraging myself and others – not only through your words and art but also by your actions in your own life – to never give up and to never stop trying. Thank you for all that you give of yourself to the communities that we all love on Instagram, and to us personally. You do, and you give, more than you could possibly know. Your presence makes our worlds brighter and our Instagram feeds more beautiful. In short, you rock, and I am so very excited to share your work and your awesomeness with readers here. Wishing you so much success, happiness, and everything you have offered to us all, always…

~C

May 22, 2016
Mextures Artist Features Introduction

Mextures. It’s a fabulous tool and it’s a fabulous toy – a very verstaile image editing app for iPhone and iPad. If you search the hashtags related to Mextures on Instagram, you’ll find hundreds of thousands of images – all manner of styles and all sorts of subjects that have been edited (or even created) from Mextures alone or by combining Mextures with any number of other awesome editing apps.

Behind the apps and behind the art, there are people – really cool, really talented, really amazing people. I’ve gotten to know some of them through Instagram and different hubs there, and each day it spiderwebs out and I am either shown or I find more amazing art and artists. So often, they blow my mind. From them I learn different styles and techniques to play with. Formulas are shared and tweaked between us. My creativity is pushed and grows, and my sanity is kept in line.

I talk about this (Mextures and how it and the community surrounding it inspire and encourage me) a lot in different posts, and it’s why I started sharing Mextures formulas and blogs here in the first place. The Mextures community on Instagram grows and grows, but it’s hard to lay it out and format it in single posts there because of limits on posts lengths, so I brought it here so that I could share how-to’s and more expressive posts about it. That, however, has been limited to my own forumlas and self-expressions, and I am dissatisfied with that. I want to make it more. I want to make it bigger. I want to make it about the people in that community who rock my world so much and so often.

And that’s what Mextures Artist Features will be all about. I am going to be sharing posts all about these artists and their work, sometimes interviewing them and sometimes just throwing some stuff that I think is just amazingly awesome at you. I have written and scheduled a few of these posts already and am just waiting for the artists to OK them. The first post is scheculed to go live tomorrow morning, and it’ll be a sort of “practice” and “example” type post featuring some of my favorite pieces and formulas from my own gallery (a sort of random take on the “top 10” I was doing before, this time focussing on the formulas themselves and not just the images).

I hope you’ll enjoy these very different posts as much as I enjoy these artsits and their art, and as much as I enjoy creating the posts. This is all just part of my hobby, and I’m not sure that it’ll always be a defined, cut and dry type layout or post. I’m not sure how regular it will be, or how often I will post, based on how insane my life is at random times. It’ll be what it is, but what I hope it will always be is fun.

If you are interested in being a part of this, guest posting or suggesting art/artists, or even seeing your own work and formulas featured here if you work with Mextures, please feel free to contact me here or via Instagram @catacosmic. The bigger the community the better, I say. The more people, the more art, the more styles, the more subjects, then the more creativity and inspiration.

Wishing you a very happy Sunday and a very good week…

~C

May 18, 2016