JON MARTIN PHOTOGRAPHY has DESIGNS on NEW YORK

So if the words of the song are correct, “if I can design and photograph here, I can design and photograph anywhere”, or something to that effect.

Anyway I’m here in New York, on the wrong side of the pond and the first job I got was to Photograph dried fruit, nuts, coffee, pulses, lentils, grains and candy for The Nut Box.

The Nut Box carries an amazing range of tasty dried goods (I forgot the trail mixes and the granola (that’s muesli to you and me)) and I shot them all. The food photography that I did is slowly making its way online to their website www.TheNutBox.com . Anyway thanks again to the Nut Box for giving me my first gig stateside.

I now have a light tent and am adept at shooting white rice and coconut flakes against a white background, I know my way around a Macadamia nut and have tasted Uzbek plums. Look out New York here I come!

Kinetica E8, wind of change

Kinetica E8 by Telford Homes and architects Waugh Thistleton, is my favorite new building in Hackney at the moment.

It is exciting to see its wind turbines which climb up from the 6th to 13th floor of this 14 floor building, whizz round in the east London breezes (to the left in the photo). The wind of change is really coming to Hackney, as Dalston Junction finally gets connected to the tube (London Underground network) and the 2012 Olympic infrastructure takes shape to its East.

Brown and Green sections of its roof encourage birds and wildlife but it is by no means a perfect building. I like the art deco feel to its ‘Flatiron’ building inspired edges, but the tiled curves should have had custom made tiles for a perfect rather than pixilated effect. Ok tilled pixilation could be exciting if it looks considered and deliberate, but this does not.

Also the building does not shine from every angle but it definitely beats your average neat collection of children’s building blocks chosen as good design by most developers.

Bowled over (Uzbek drip glaze bowls)

I bought some handmade bowls from Uzbekistan at an international fair in London. In their natural environment they are used for tea drinking. I wonder what I’ll use them for, apart from inspiration?

Probably for olives nuts etc, but I just love the drip glaze finish on their rim. I can’t wait to use that on something I design.

Dancing shoes

My own personal museum is becoming cramped and it is difficult to continue to categorise and study the artefacts that are the debris of my life, let alone live a life worthy of recording.

So I am embarking on a preliminary decluttering, loosing much of my ephemera and other items that can no longer justify their storage space.
Along the way I am photographing the few objects that are beautiful, (such as dusty, slowly decaying dried flowers) or still have some space in my heart, if not on my floor or shelfs.

Take a pair of Reebok basket ball shoes, spray them with gold paint, fly around the globe performing in sweaty night clubs for a few years till the soles are worn smooth and slidy and there you have these unique items that I recently consigned to the shoe recycling bin.

Hopefully they are having a second life somewhere in the third world as the prised possessions of some otherwise unshod human being, and not just leaching toxic chemicals in landfill.

Photos of Jon Martin from Press, PR and Modelling

I’ve finally got round to scanning and uploading some of my old press and PR photos from some of my Musical incarnations such as The King of Hackney, Norman Cook's Pizzaman and Boom from Mills and Boom as well as modelling for fashion house Burro.
Check them out here
Photos of Jon Martin (Press, PR, and Modelling)

Tiptree Jam's labels rock

I love the authentic and original simplicity of the design for Tiptree jam’s labels and lids. Tiptree is still an independent company and its jams have good simple ingredients, how refreshing in this age of change and addatives.
I'm not paid to say this, I just dig it and want to spread it on my toast and online See some of my own packaging and graphic design here

“So Right Tonight” by Groovalicious, BREAKING AIRPLAY NEWS....

Groovalicious's Soulful house track “So Right Tonight” is getting airplay on SSRadio - the leading online house radio station streaming soulful and deep house music - 24/7.

Soul Kandi Radio Show's Nick Power (godfather of Ayia Napa) played Rhody's remix on his 10/04 SSRADIOUK.com show.
Baked Soul's DJ Chris DC (purveyor of sexy and uplifting house music) says that he will spin ''So Right Tonight'' in his next SSRADIOUK.com show on the 25 of April.
Adam Vicious host of “Strictly House Sessions” says ”Hiya bro, I love the RHODY REMIX the most, very nice vibe on it!” U P D A T E So Right Tonight got picked up by American House label 3345music and was released in April 2011 featuring remixes by Timewriter, City Soul Project, Rhody and Moodswinger, buy these disco and jazzy grooves here.

"So Right Tonight" Soulful house track by Groovalicious, web page up

I’ve just got round to designing and putting up a web page for my cool new soulful house track “So Right Tonight” by me with my band Groovalicious. Now we have to send the track out to DJ’s and then start chasing labels.

Soulful house and smooth lounge duo Groovalicious bring you another head nodding floor filler. Keys, strings, funky guitar and a booming beat, back a silky smooth male vocal to make a groove to dance for. With great remixes by DJ MIDIMACK(USA)and Rhody (Sweden), U P D A T E So Right Tonight got picked up by American House label 3345music and was released in April 2011 featuring remixes by Timewriter, City Soul Project, Rhody and Moodswinger, buy these disco and jazzy grooves here.

Travel photography galleries added to Jonmartindesigns.com

I finally got round to adding some travel photography galleries to my website www.jonmartindesigns.com
They cover some of my trips, since I left film behind and went digital. The destinations covered are: Aruba and Curacao in the Dutch Caribbean, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Belgium, France, Israel and Kazakhstan.
I got the galleries online in a rush to showcase my travel photography and they are quite slow to load so please be patient.
As a mad photography gear-head I feel I must explain that Sri Lanka, Limoges, Aruba and Curacao were all shot with a compact camera (the Olympus C-8080) and not the digital SLR that I now have.
Please enjoy and tell me which ones you like!

The London Fields Lido History

Mike Martin my dad and chairman of London fields user group, has written
“The London Fields Lido History” chronicling its history from before it’s opening in 1932 to its closure in 1988 and re opening in 2006. It documents the tenacity of a small group of concerned locals who protected the disused Lido from demolition, and kept the dream alive for many a fallow year, until Hackney councils debacle with the building of the Clissold leisure centre caused the council to be open to relatively cheap solutions.
London fields Lido is once again a valuable and much loved local resource.

A history of London Fields by Mike Martin

My dad, Mike Martin chair of London fields user group, has written a history of London Fields.
London Fields is a much loved little park in Hackney where I have flown kites, played Frisbee and tennis for as long as I can remember.
Mike traces its history from the doomsday book to 1998. I particularly like the council plans from 1939 with 12 tennis courts, ah progress.

Hooky monkey on holy cool.net

Thanks Holy cool for Blogging hooky monkey
Nice Blog:
Holy Cool Design Blog

Caught in the web of time; Sri Lanka and Brittany Travel experiences

Hey I just posted some travel photographs and experiences on the Telegraphs Ultra travel site. The experiences are two of my most memorable from trips to Sri Lanka and Côtes d'Armor in Brittany France.

Chasing the setting sun westward (Côtes d'Armor)

Gecko infested room (Sri Lanka)

Spring fair

Found this handy intro to spring fair looks useful, but it misses out hooky Mooky the new look multi hook. Naughty book.
Be sure to check it out on the Addject stand 4E56.
Buy Hooky Monkey

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Hooky Monkey the new look multi-hook for sale on Addject

Thursday, January 28, 2010
Hooky Monkey for sale on Addject website
This elegant, incredibly strong hanging hook has not one, but four hooks to solve storage problems around your home and garden.

Designed by Jon Martin, this fun new decorative hook is a contemporary storage solution to suit urban lifestyles, and a great gift. Hang versatile Hooky Monkeys from an existing kitchen bar to store pots and pans, utensils and mugs from its strong arms and legs. Use Hooky Monkey to organise your hat, bag and keys in your hall, or hang tools, birdfeeder, lantern and hanging plants in your garden.

Once you get one Hooky Monkey helping around your home or garden you will come back for more.

You can buy it now at addject
Buy Hooky Monkey from Addject

Hooky Monkey hangs out at Top Drawer

Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Hooky monkey time
Current mood: breezy
Category: Art and Photography
I’ve been giving my valuable time to Hooky Monkey my new look multi-hook recently.

I went along to dress and arrange the cascade of Hooky Monkeys hanging out on the Addject stand at Top Drawer homeware show in London’s Earls Court 17-19 Jan 2010. I’ve never seen so many Hooky Monkeys in one place before, a veritable jungle of them.

www.addject.com

They are so handy to have around the home to hang keys, hats pots and pans etc on. But it’s hard to show their versatility without making the display cluttered.

Like in all things, a delicate balance is required.

Hooky Monkey finally appears on my design website as the only product I want to show off. The other products are in hiding till they get a proper release!

www.jonmartindesigns.com



I do hate having to learn the tiny bit of HTML, Java or CSS that I have to, life is too short to program.

So now I should know what to do for Spring fair (7-11 Feb 2010)

www.springfair.com

Groovalicious Summer Hi

Friday, March 14, 2008
OOOOOOOOOOh CD
Current mood: blissful
Category: Art and Photography
Our album Summer Hi has just come back from printing and CD duplication and it’s sooo exciting. At the moment it’s mainly the joy of the designer and photographer (as well as being the vocalist, lyricist, I did the design and photography (biggup da design posse)) seeing your work in print in the fleshy and plastic real world is a real buzz. The shiny digital perfection of the black print against the rainbow iridescence of the CD oooohhh I have to pinch myself.

And now the dreary slog of updating the band website and touting and tarting it about the place, yawn. But it will be nice to share it with friends. Here take a CD it is but one of the many golden thorns that worry my immortal soul.

Better out than in, I suppose.

Groovalicious Summer Hi: Listen here:

Love Candy by Groovalicious on GKF

Friday, December 14, 2007
My band Groovalicious release Love Candy on GKF records
Category: Music
..> Groovalicious FIRST RELEASE Love Candy on GKF records
Current mood: bouncy
Category: MySpace




Groovalicious are proud to announce their first release Love Candy, a totally tasty Soulful House track that won't ruin your smile.

Listen and buy it here.

Released December 2007 by Gotta Keep faith Records (GKF) gkfrecords , an independent Italian Soulful House label, specialising in quality dance music from talented international artists, have added four mixes by some of their hottest remixers, Spiritual Blessings, Dee C'rell, Steve Paradise, and D3 to the Groovalicious original mix.

Groovalicious are taking a break from putting the finishing funky touches to their Lounge album Summer Hi - twelve delicious servings of down tempo audio food (coming to a download site near you, Feb 2008), to share the good news - the first Love Candy promo reviews are back, and they are excellent !

Here are some of the first reactions to Love Candy :

- RICHARD EARNSHAW – "Really nice mix by Spiritual Blessings…would have been nice to have a dub version on this vibe...."

- RAY FENWICK (Converge ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />..:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 />UK ) – "First of all the Melcyor A remix of this track is one of the best songs I have have heard all year. The other remix are also very good but by far Melcyor A is the best. This remix is definitely in my top 10 tracks for the year and I can see this track doing very well. I have been playing it in my sets all week and i also played it in one of Newcastle 's top clubs last night and the reaction was very good. Keep up the good work!!!! "

- GREG KOZO – "Great package ! !Dig it ! ! Peace"

- LEVI (RADIOOO.DJ)-" We love your Love Candy! We put in On-Air playlist from Monday! Good music @ good place!"

- RUBEN ALVAREZ –"That release will be one of my favourites tunes for the year... simply.. love it!! full support!! , 9/10"

- CAY CATALAN (Couch Records) – ""Love candy Dee C'Rell Mix" IS THE BOMB!"

- DJ THERRY (Jerk House Connection) – "Great tune, good voice, principally original track Thanks for all"

- CORY SOULFUSION (Centric Music UK ) – "I love the original and Mechyor A mix you have full support from Centric Music and will play track in this week radio show."

-DOLL COMBERS – GREAT TRACK....soulful in the house. Our favourites mixes are the Steve Paradise mix....really old school..and the Spiritual Blessing mix so elegant and groovin...love the mood."

- ALAN LONG (Iradio.ie) –"I will play it in my sets when playing and will fill you in on crowd reaction."

-FRANCO MARTINELLI (Housepage.net) –"This is another funky gem on Gotta Keep Faith, enriched with totally hot mixes from Steve Paradise, Spiritual Blessings, D3 and Dee C. Hard to choose a favourite version."

- DEAN SERAFINI (Jjazproject Magazine) –"If you're looking for something really catchy and infectious then this should be right up your street. Subtle it's not but I just can't help but get enthusiastic whenever I hear it. The "Original" is a piano driven hands in the air number that's perfect for the more commercial audience while the remix cover off the more discerning ear. My pick is "Steve Paradise's Deep In The Disco Mix" with its endearing chords and lush strings. D3 provide a disco infused interpretation while Spiritual Blessings and Dee C'Rell take things a little deeper. For those who need convincing to check this one out, the vocals come from a certain Jon Martin who has amongst other credits behind him, the distinction of being the voice of Norman Cook's Pizzaman project."

- MICHAEL FOSSATI (SpiritOfHouse.com) – "In its original form, "Love candy" by Groovalicious is a feel good production featuring sweet vocals over a fiercely stormin' funktified backdrop that is topped with warm melodic keys. Steve Paradise provides the 'Deep in the Disco Mix' that gives the track a deep, disco flava spiced sounding, while Spiritual Blessings' 'Move in da Deepa Mix' is a groovy deep house interpretation that keeps things smooth and relaxed. D3's 'Classic Mix' is what its name denotes, an old-school reworking taking you back in time, while Dee C'Rell gives it a stormin' deep house sounding perfect for peak time play."