Photography

The Typeset - Melbourne

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In recent months, my friend and fellow creative, Leanne Franks and I started a new project to share our passion for typography and sign painting. We're collaborating to chart out the type and signs of Melbourne's yesteryear. Not only are we drawn to their aesthetic qualities, but they also provide interesting clues about the city's quirky past and social history.

The image below for example, is a recent discovery of a ghost sign in Carlton North, "DeWitts Otis Tonic Tablets". The name was an early twentieth-century product for "making your nerves stronger and your blood richer", released amid the post-WWI pharmaceutical boom.

You can follow the project via Instagram at @thetypeset, and join us as we continue to discover more hidden gems around Melbourne. Enjoy!

Ottis Tonic Tablet - Ghost sign, Melbourne

Ottis Tonic Tablet - Ghost sign, Melbourne

Tarax ghost sign, Melbourne

Tarax ghost sign, Melbourne

Newmans, ghost sign - Melbourne

Newmans, ghost sign - Melbourne

Vintage Coke, ghost Sign - Melbourne

Vintage Coke, ghost Sign - Melbourne

Urban Fragments

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This image is one from my ongoing 'Urban Fragments' series. Capturing the rich urban landscape of Melbourne's streets has become a consistent source of inspiration for my work. I'm drawn to the layers on the street walls, the accidental collage of torn street posters, the texture and the typography all provide so much visual interest that is so often overlooked. I love the contrast of the pink and yellow against the strong black and white type. I hope you enjoy it too... 

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'TREND' Exhibition - Presented by RAW Melbourne

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On Friday 10th of June I was selected to take part in the one night only exhibition, 'TREND', presented by RAW Melbourne. RAW is an independent arts organisation for artists and focuses on spotlighting independent talent to the public.

Every second month they hand-select and showcase approximately 40 artists in film, fashion, music, visual art, photography, performing art, hair and makeup. Naturally, I was very excited to be approached to showcase with so many talented artists.

Another awesome thing about RAW is that once you've showcased in your hometown, you can then showcase at any RAW city, anywhere in the world in places like New York City, San Francisco, London... and beyond!

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LesleyBourne_RAW_Melbourne

This was quite different to other group shows I've taken part in, as it wasn't you're usual white wall gallery exhibition. It was good experience deciding how to best display and hang the works. I created urban signage and designed some self-promotional postcards to accompany my display so that people could take away a little piece of my work, as seen below.

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All works are available as limited edition prints, framed and unframed. Email lesley.bourne@gmail.com for more information on pricing.

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Urban mixed media experiments

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I've been experimenting with some hand-made urban collages. Taking inspiration from Melbourne's vibrant streets, I've been exploring the possibilities of using my photographs as the source material for new mixed media works. By printing them out and cutting them up, I'm able to open up to a new, meditative way of working and the results have been very rewarding.

Here are some works in progress that explore layering, with a focus on type and texture like that of the torn street posters that surround us every day. There is so much visual interest and history to be found in the layers of the street walls.

I have enjoyed exploring decollage techniques with these works too. There's a fine balance between adding elements and taking them away. It also creates unexpected results when peeling back the images in this way, creating some playfulness to the work. The type is illegible and therefore becomes part of the design, rather to be read. I'm excited to explore this direction further and share more experiments with you soon...

Street photography, Melbourne

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I've been trying to challenge myself with my photography lately and experiment with more with shooting film. I seem to be more thoughtful about my composition and lighting, and I can anticipate the 'moment' better which brings a true sense of achievement. Here are a few images I shot around my neighbourhood in Brunswick and Northcote.

Diagonal collages

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I have been experimenting with some hand made diagonal collages. The idea with these is that you pair images that look like they belong together. Some are visually matched with their content, while others are paired in a more conceptual way. I really enjoyed the process of exploring the new meanings that are created when the images are recontextualised.

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Celebrating the ordinary

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I've started a new photographic series documenting Melbourne's urban surrounds. The focus is on the visual fragments surrounding as all on a daily basis, but are often overlooked or ignored. These details attract my eye and I have an irresistible urge to record them.

Melbourne in particular, has a very rich urban landscape of street art, posters, signage and architecture. The torn poster for example, in itself is not all that interesting, but occasionally the elements come together in a way that I find pleasing. This series aims to zoom in on the details and celebrate the ordinary. Here are a few new images shot around Brunswick. Enjoy!

Urban Fragments

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Welcome to my new blog! This is my first post and I am very excited to launch an exciting new project. For the past few years I have been fascinated with the urban landscape, and as a result focused much of my photographic work on this theme.

Since moving to Melbourne almost 2 years ago, my eye has become finely tuned on the plethora of stimulating texture, street art and architecture surrounding me. Working between collage and photography, the urban surrounds fuel my creativity within both mediums. The accidental collages of torn posters and the abstract formations of the power lines provide some very inspiring source materials to work with.

These often overlooked and neglected things are a constant inspiration to me and I feel an irresistible urge to record them. As a result, I have decided to begin an ongoing documentary of these abstract designs and fragments that reveal hidden layers, exposed once again to unlock new meanings.... Enjoy!