Florence Rose’s Guide to Juggling Different Artistic Mediums
Creative direction and Styling: Tereza Markova | Photographer: Icy Pasika Kavanna | Make Up Artist: Tamsin Ballingall | Hair Stylist: Timothy Furssedonn
If you’re a creative person, it’s probable that you have a few different mediums. Maybe you’re a writer who also likes to illustrate, or a painter with a sideline in sculpture. In Florence Rose’s case, it’s music and film that tend to take up her time, and she also juggles this work with a day job as a model agent at Milk Model Management.
When you’re trying to work across different creative outlets, it can be tough knowing what to prioritise and how you can best express yourself – so we consulted Florence for her help, as an expert in doing justice to all sides of your creative self. Here, she explains how being multifaceted can strengthen your practice overall, and why a “jack of all trades” is actually the best thing you can be.
Embrace being multi-faceted!
Sometimes I feel like I don’t manage it very well, but then I remember that life is so long. I have so much time to play with all of my interests. I used to think the saying “jack of all trades, master of none” was a negative, but as I’ve kept going and creating more I’m like thank God I’m a jack of all trades. When you’re rushed or tight for money there’s nothing better than being able to do it yourself. In terms of paying attention to all interests I think there’s always one or two big ones that take the front seat for a while. But it’s so natural for that to change, and that’s how you become multi-skilled.
Coat: Stylist’s Own Shorts: Topshop Shoes: Vintage
Let your mediums influence each other
I’m constantly changing and shape shifting the way that I present myself through my work and how I show myself online and in person - my wardrobe makes no sense. I think it’s because I have a Pisces stellium. Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac, we contain parts of all of the signs, and I like to express all of those parts in different ways. Sometimes even in the same medium. Take songwriting, I’ve tried so many styles, the first album I made was those styles jammed together with a through line of lyricism and having the same vocal of course. I think I’m just naturally a very visual person, when I’m creating a song I can already see what it would look like before I’ve even finished writing it. I’ve always loved that moment in a great film when the perfect song / soundtrack comes in, it’s the moment that I remember clearest in films. Having made films and watched so many films, I find it lends itself to great music videos and cinematic songwriting.
Mistakes can be helpful
I think I had to make a short film that I wasn’t totally happy with in order to understand what works and what I’m ‘better’ at. As a year later I started working on an album that I didn’t realise at first but was very inspired by ideas I worked with on that short film. This time executed better. There’s a lot of similarities there, the film is like the younger sister of the album. But more raw, more DIY, not as technically ‘good’ but now reflecting back on both the projects, I’d say it’s almost better because of that.
Dress: Vintage Shoes: Vintage
Jersey: Vintage Shirt: Vintage Skirt: Rapetto
Sometimes, it’s OK for some things to take a back seat.
I can really hone in when I’m working on fully formed idea for a large scale project such as a film or an album and group of songs. But when I’m in the research and working it out stage, I’m constantly moving between mediums to see how I can act out themes I’m interested in across different mediums. These usually contain still imagery, sketching, writing, film and songwriting. But ultimately, life is long and it’s not a race. If something calls to you right now, then you should do that thing.
