http://www.sarahnatsumi.com Sarah Natsumi Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:11:40 +0000 http://www.sarahnatsumi.com en http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/City-Posters-Postcards http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/following/sarahnatsumi.com/City-Posters-Postcards Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:11:40 +0000 Sarah Natsumi 3246215 European Cities Posters and Postcards from my travels around Europe. Prints can be purchased here. <img src="http://payload47.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3246215/cities_2000.jpg" width="700" height="495" width_o="700" height_o="495" src_o="http://payload47.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3246215/cities_o.jpg" data-mid="16629945" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload47.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3246215/venice_2000.jpg" width="700" height="531" width_o="700" height_o="531" src_o="http://payload47.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3246215/venice_o.jpg" data-mid="16629950" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload47.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3246215/Amsterdam_2000.jpg" width="700" height="636" width_o="700" height_o="636" src_o="http://payload47.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3246215/Amsterdam_o.jpg" data-mid="16630015" border="0" align="left"/> http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/Ceramics http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/following/sarahnatsumi.com/Ceramics Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:50:59 +0000 Sarah Natsumi 3134619 Hand painted illustrations on ceramics. To be sold in my web shop. <img src="http://payload41.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3134619/Bunny Plate illustration ceramics 670.jpg" width="670" height="447" width_o="670" height_o="447" src_o="http://payload41.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3134619/Bunny Plate illustration ceramics 670_o.jpg" data-mid="16014373" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload41.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3134619/Rice bowl illustration ceramics 670.jpg" width="670" height="447" width_o="670" height_o="447" src_o="http://payload41.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3134619/Rice bowl illustration ceramics 670_o.jpg" data-mid="16014391" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload41.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3134619/etsy illustration ceramicslady mug_1 670.jpg" width="670" height="447" width_o="670" height_o="447" src_o="http://payload41.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3134619/etsy illustration ceramicslady mug_1 670_o.jpg" data-mid="16014402" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload41.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3134619/etsy illustration ceramics cats mug 670.jpg" width="670" height="558" width_o="670" height_o="558" src_o="http://payload41.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3134619/etsy illustration ceramics cats mug 670_o.jpg" data-mid="16014406" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload41.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3134619/etsy illustration ceramics rain mug 670.jpg" width="670" height="577" width_o="670" height_o="577" src_o="http://payload41.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/3134619/etsy illustration ceramics rain mug 670_o.jpg" data-mid="16014414" border="0" align="left"/> http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/Mobile-Work-Week http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/following/sarahnatsumi.com/Mobile-Work-Week Sat, 10 Mar 2012 12:58:24 +0000 Sarah Natsumi 2975816 Identity and visual diagrams for Liquidspace's Mobile Work Week conference. <img src="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2975816/liquidspace 2.jpg" width="670" height="502" width_o="670" height_o="502" src_o="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2975816/liquidspace 2_o.jpg" data-mid="15152617" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2975816/liquidspace1.jpg" width="670" height="502" width_o="670" height_o="502" src_o="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2975816/liquidspace1_o.jpg" data-mid="15152618" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2975816/Logo-3_3.jpg" width="670" height="503" width_o="670" height_o="503" src_o="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2975816/Logo-3_3_o.jpg" data-mid="15152623" border="0" align="left"/> http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/Dutch-Pick-Up http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/following/sarahnatsumi.com/Dutch-Pick-Up Sat, 10 Mar 2012 11:54:46 +0000 Sarah Natsumi 2975635 <img src="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2975635/Picture 2.jpg" width="670" height="457" width_o="670" height_o="457" src_o="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2975635/Picture 2_o.jpg" data-mid="15151830" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2975635/boo 2.jpg" width="524" height="763" width_o="524" height_o="763" src_o="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2975635/boo 2_o.jpg" data-mid="15151862" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2975635/sandals.jpg" width="572" height="703" width_o="572" height_o="703" src_o="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2975635/sandals_o.jpg" data-mid="15151834" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2975635/motorcycle.jpg" width="572" height="572" width_o="572" height_o="572" src_o="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2975635/motorcycle_o.jpg" data-mid="15151833" border="0" align="left"/> http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/2926153 http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/following/sarahnatsumi.com/2926153 Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:44:11 +0000 Sarah Natsumi 2926153 <img src="http://payload31.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2926153/Picture 1_2000.png" width="999" height="617" width_o="999" height_o="617" src_o="http://payload31.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2926153/Picture 1_o.png" data-mid="15127045" border="0" align="left"/> http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/Christmas-Greeting-Cards http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/following/sarahnatsumi.com/Christmas-Greeting-Cards Thu, 08 Mar 2012 09:40:35 +0000 Sarah Natsumi 2962438 <img src="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2962438/greeting card 1_2000.jpg" width="700" height="459" width_o="700" height_o="459" src_o="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2962438/greeting card 1_o.jpg" data-mid="15083701" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2962438/greeting card 2_2000.jpg" width="700" height="467" width_o="700" height_o="467" src_o="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2962438/greeting card 2_o.jpg" data-mid="15083703" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2962438/greeting card 3_2000.jpg" width="700" height="467" width_o="700" height_o="467" src_o="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2962438/greeting card 3_o.jpg" data-mid="15083705" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2962438/greeting card 4_2000.jpg" width="700" height="423" width_o="700" height_o="423" src_o="http://payload33.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/2962438/greeting card 4_o.jpg" data-mid="15083706" border="0" align="left"/> http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/Romantic-Treats http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/following/sarahnatsumi.com/Romantic-Treats Mon, 16 May 2011 10:54:09 +0000 Sarah Natsumi 1450097 Illustrations for The Ten: Romantic Treats, Amsterdam Magazine. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/1450097/Screen shot 2011-05-16 at 12.44.05 PM.png" width="670" height="464" width_o="1495" height_o="1037" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/1450097/Screen shot 2011-05-16 at 12.44.05 PM_o.png" data-mid="7073177" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/1450097/treayis.jpg" width="572" height="429" width_o="572" height_o="429" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/1450097/treayis_o.jpg" data-mid="7073210" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/1450097/spa.jpg" width="572" height="429" width_o="572" height_o="429" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/1450097/spa_o.jpg" data-mid="7073244" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/1450097/apron.jpg" width="572" height="429" width_o="572" height_o="429" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/1450097/apron_o.jpg" data-mid="7073226" border="0" align="left"/><img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/1450097/movies.jpg" width="572" height="429" width_o="572" height_o="429" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/1450097/movies_o.jpg" data-mid="7073281" border="0" align="left"/> http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/Unlocking-the-City http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/following/sarahnatsumi.com/Unlocking-the-City Sat, 14 May 2011 22:03:33 +0000 Sarah Natsumi 1445067 Produced & wrote the series "Unlocking the City". Interviewed various Amsterdam locals for a unique perspective of the city. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/1445067/vintage-1.jpg" width="242" height="334" width_o="242" height_o="334" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/1445067/vintage-1_o.jpg" data-mid="15818572" border="0" align="left"/> Unlocking the City: Vintage Style By: Sarah Moore Allow our clued-up ‘dam dwellers to help you unlock this city! In this issue, all around vintage fanatic Faranak Mirjalili gives us the inside scoop on living the vintage life. What’s your definition of ‘vintage’? An inspiration or feeling that brings back the past. With clothes, vintage is anything from between the 1940s and the 1980s. But to me, it can also be music, paintings or decoration. Where is the best area in Amsterdam to shop for vintage clothes? De Negen Straatjes (The Nine Streets) in the Jordaan district has loads of vintage boutiques. Waterlooplein is a bit more hippy but you can find a few gems there too. Also, the monthly IJ-Hallen market in North Amsterdam is a great place for vintage finds. What about furniture and household items? The weekly Noorder-markt in the Jordaan is a nice place to find vintage furniture. Next to the market there’s a little shop called the De Weldaad that has beautiful antique and vintage pieces. There’s also a lighting store called Art Deco Amsterdam Djoeke Wessing in De Negen Straatjes. They make beautiful reproductions of 1920s-style art deco lamps. Where do all the vintage-lovers hang out at night? I love the 1920s style and 1950s rockabilly parties. Or The Bootleg, a bi-annual party that goes all out in vintage flair: a big theatrical performance with live dancers, bands and 800 guests attending. Everyone dresses up in flapper costumes and no-one knows the location till the day of the event. There’s a smaller party called Razzin’. That happens around six times per year in various locations such as Tuschinski or De Nieuwe Anita. The organisers of Razzin’ live in the twenties! Any other ways to live the all-round vintage lifestyle? Sure! We have vintage cinemas like Tuschinski, a beautiful art deco theatre, and The Movies on Haarlemerstraat. Café Brecht is a really cute Berlin-style vintage bar filled with vintage wallpaper and furniture. For music, Café Alto is great place to go and step back in time. They have daily performances of live jazz in a cosy room where everyone used to chain smoke. It has a very vintage vibe. How’s the Amsterdam vintage scene compared to other cities? Amsterdam is more in-tune with vintage furniture and home décor than clothes. Even in cafés like De Bakkerswinkel I see old paintings and vintage furniture. Clothing wise, people are still a bit careful. They wear a lot of 80s and that’s the style here. I miss the romantic elegant feel in Amsterdam in comparison to London, Paris or Scandinavia. I Love Vintage is both a web shop and physical boutique that sells vintage clothes and accessories for women. Opened five years ago as an online vintage seller, the I Love Vintage concept has now expanded internationally and is a popular vintage shop for women in Amsterdam and abroad. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/1445067/Picture 1.jpg" width="177" height="242" width_o="177" height_o="242" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/1445067/Picture 1_o.jpg" data-mid="15818764" border="0" align="left"/> Allow our clued-up ’dam dwellers to help you unlock this city! In this issue, green entrepreneur and co-founder of Strawberry Earth Mette te Velde gives us the inside scoop on Amsterdam sustainable living. Besides biking, how sustainable is Amsterdam compared to other international cities? Overall, there is much more happening in other cities like New York, London, and Paris. We’re very far behind when it comes sustainable food and fashion. In London, all the new, hip restaurants are organic and local. Amsterdam does have a sustainable scene but it’s a much smaller circle and I know everyone in it. There are many inspiring local green entrepreneurs, and although they are frustrated sometimes with the politics here, they are still doing really well. Where are some restaurants that focus on local, organic produce and ingredients? One of my favourite restaurants is Proef set up by food designer Marije Vogelzang. They know exactly where all their ingredients come from and the great food is served with a fun twist. De Kas is a really nice restaurant focusing solely on seasonal fresh ingredients. They actually have their own nursery where they grow all their own produce. Merkelbach’s philosophy is all about eating seasonal and they even host the Youth Food Movement, an academy for young upcoming food professionals. For shopping, Delicious Food is a nice little organic supermarket in the Jordaan. What about Amsterdam based eco-fashion boutiques or labels? Sukha is a beautiful new boutique where everything is fairtrade with some organic clothes. Studio Jux is a Dutch organic and fair brand that has a special project in Nepal where they pay all their tailors good wages and you can learn about their lives online. Charlie + Mary in De Pijp is another great social and environmental concept store with trendy brands at reasonable prices. What other environmentally conscious shops and brands are available in this city? Friday Next on the Overtoom has a lot of great furniture and interior design products. C. Cosmetics and Care is a sustainable spa and shop where all of the products are naturally made without harsh chemicals or animal testing. If you’re visiting Amsterdam, Conscious Hotel’s interior is built from recycled materials and they also serve organic, local food for breakfast. While it’s more literally ‘green’, one of my favourite spots in the city is the Hortus Botanicus, a great place to go if you need to escape the city and find nature. http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/Tattooed-Under-Fire http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/following/sarahnatsumi.com/Tattooed-Under-Fire Sat, 14 May 2011 18:57:53 +0000 Sarah Natsumi 447990 Assistant video Editor for the PBS feature Documentary "Tattooed Under Fire". A unique, intimate, character-driven portrait of Iraq-bound and returning US soldiers as they go under the tattoo needle: openly professing their pride, sharing their secrets and confessing their fears. http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/Interview-with-Spike-Lee http://www.sarahnatsumi.com/following/sarahnatsumi.com/Interview-with-Spike-Lee Sat, 14 May 2011 18:24:21 +0000 Sarah Natsumi 892913 Wrote and photographed Spike Lee's double interview for Amsterdam Magazine. <img src="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/892913/importexport-spike201.jpg" width="350" height="242" width_o="350" height_o="242" src_o="http://payload.cargocollective.com/1/0/3323/892913/importexport-spike201_o.jpg" data-mid="15144717" border="0" align="left"/> When Bijlmer Meets Brooklyn He’s an Academy Award nominated filmmaker from Brooklyn; they are the Dutch-Surinamese, Antillian and African youth of the Bijlmer district inspired by Spike Lee’s career. His advice on how to get there? ‘You gotta help your own self.’ By Sarah Moore It's 10 AM and I find myself sitting in No Limit, an arts and culture centre located in Amsterdam's infamous south-east district. It's my first time in the neighbourhood and after hearing the Dutch media talk about the high crime rate in the area, I expect something heavy. The area is full of high-rise housing and incomparable to the picturesque Jordaan, but I'm mostly surprised by it's saneness. Granted it's a weekday morning but the streets are clean with no drug addicts or crazies hanging about. An appealing array of multicultural restaurants and shops line the streets and the there is diversity far beyond anything I've seen in Amsterdam’s city centre. Inside No Limit, there is an energetic buzz in the air and everyone seems excited to get their chance to talk to Spike Lee. The audience is mostly Dutch with African and tropical ethnic roots. After entering to a standing ovation, Lee’s first statement is met with a roar of laughter from the audience: ‘I was wondering where all the people of color were, I guess they're all here.’ The question and answer session begins. No Obi Wan Kenobi The audience jumps straight into questions concerning racial relations in the Netherlands: ‘What can Antillian and Surinamese immigrants in the Netherlands learn from America's battle for African-American civil rights?' asks a young audience member. An older woman joins in, suggesting that Lee should make a film about racial issues in Europe. The director sets the audience straight immediately: ‘I'm just a filmmaker, not some type of Obi Wan Kenobe. I don't really know about the situation of black people in Holland, so any answer I give you would be an answer out of ignorance.’ It was amazing to see the audience look to a film director for such serious political advice, but Lee seemed used to it. ‘I travel all over the world,’ he explains, ‘and people of colour abroad seem to think that African Americans have all the answers because of Oprah Winfrey or Will Smith but on average, we have more black men in prison than in college and half of them don’t even graduate high school. Clearly these problems are affecting us all and hopefully you won't go down the same line.’ It was clear by these initial questions that while the Biljmer may be cleaner than the ghettos in America, similar problems continue to exist there . Race and Cinema Halfway through the Q & A session a public dispute occurs revealing some of Amsterdam's own racial problems. A representative of the International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA) asks Lee about the future prospects of documentary filmmaking. After Lee's positive response about the flourishing diocumentary industry, a local filmmaker voices his own concerns, ' I just hope IDFA selects black filmmakers as well. I have a problem with their selection process.' The budding filmmaker goes onto explain that the selection committee consists of 'mostly white people.' At this point the IDFA representative invites the filmmaker over for a conversation, but he refuses the offer. 'Everytime I make this complaint, I get an invitation and nothing ever happens.' The debate leads to a discussion on race and cinema. A Science Fiction fanatic wonders why no black artists are making sci-fi films. 'You wanna make a black science fiction film?' Lee asks. 'I couldn't get a film made about James Brown and he lived on this planet! There's so many stories that have yet to be told. We're ghettoized. We're in drug films, low-brow comedies, or big hollywood films that stick a Will Smith into a general market.' Audience members were also interested in the choices Lee made in his own films. One guy asked about Lee's opinions on mixed-race couples after making Jungle Fever. 'The whole mixed couple thing was not really what the movie is about. Jungle Fever was about the devastation of crack on the African American community.' The audience member responds, “So the main character didn’t get on crack because he was with a white woman?’ Lee laughs: 'You think the United States crack epidemic is because of mixed couples?! Does somebody have the DVD? Give it to him! Do your homework.' Another audience member asks Lee if he often tries to cast unknown African-American actors in his films., '’I've always tried to pigeonhole one or two roles for people who have never acted in a film before’ says Lee. ‘Do The Right Thing was Rosie Perez and Martin Lawerence's first film; Jungle Fever was Halle Berry and Queen Latifah's first film. There is an abundance of talent, the problem is, there's not enough roles for the talent so we try to help them when we can.’ Lee was then quizzed about how young people can start making good films of their own. The advice: do as Spike Lee did and check out the director's commentaries on DVDs. ‘Good directors will explain the choices they’ve made. As the discussion continued, Lee made it clear how influential he felt films could be on youth culture. ‘When I was a kid I went to see a Bruce Lee film on 42nd st. and afterwards kids: black, white and Peurto Rican were running up and down the street doing flying kicks and Ninja stuff. That shows the power of film.’ Call to Action Towards the end of the talk, it was clear that the predominant theme of this session was “How”. How do we make a film? How do we get help? How do we progress politically? How do we find inspiration? While Lee offered valuable and inspiring advice throughout the discussion, he ultimately suggests that the audience must find the answers to their own problems. ‘Every time I go to London and give a talk you know what I hear? Why can't you, Denzel, and Tyler Perry come over here and help us? You gotta help your own self.’ 'So what if we form a union of coloured filmmakers? Would you come and support us?' a lady asks. 'You make a film, I'll come,' Lee replies. 'But I'm gonna co-sign what you said. Collectively, you have enough to get it done right here. You got the knowledge, technology, drive, and stories. But you got to want to do it.' Lee’s conclusive statement seems to suggest, quite simply, that the Biljmer doesn't need Hollywood: 'With the digital revolution you don't have an excuse anymore. Put your stuff on youtube. Coalitions have to start at grass roots level too. How many of you here are filmmakers? You need to start right here. Fuck what Hollywood's doing.' Name: Shelton Jackson “Spike” Lee Date and place of Birth: 1957, Atlanta, Georgia. U.S.A. Study: Morehouse College and New York University What He's been up to: In 1985, he made his first feature film “She's Gotta Have It.” The film was made with $175,000 and grossed over 7 million in the box office. In 1989, the film “Do The Right Thing” was nominated for an Academy award for best original screenplay. Since then he has directed and produced dozens of films, including another Academy Award nominated documentary in 1997 titled '4 Little Girls' for best feature documentary. Many of his films are set in Brooklyn and examines racial relations, urban crimes, and poverty.