Thursday, March 31, 2011

Somewhere in the Smokies/Done!

Untitled (so far) 48" x 24" acrylic on canvas
Last weekend, G and I went back to the Smoky Mountains with some friends. While doing a little bit of hiking, I started thinking about this painting again. I had started it last year after going to the Smokies in May...and got a little overwhelmed. But I was inspired after going back, brought the painting in to class and finished it up in one session. It is now hanging happily on our wall over the bed; I would show you but that would require some serious cleaning up action on my part.
It's 4 feet by 2 feet and I think I'm proud of it. But I can't really tell, I'm sort of blind to it right now. All I can see are little spots on it that I rather like and I ran out of little spots that really bother me, so it must be done!
Do those of you who can actually see it as a whole painting have any title suggestions? I based it loosely on a painting I took while hiking in the Smokies in May...

And, just for fun, here's a picture I took through the car's sky light. I like how the trees show up so well in the raindrops. It rained most of the weekend and a lot of the trees were bare, so it had an eerie, ethereal look in the woods.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Art Class

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Still Life Graphite and Watercolor

So Art Class is back up and running, and the assignment I assigned was to do a still life (any medium, any subject) and to focus on textures and how to differentiate them from each other. Of course, it seemed simple at the time, but these things always take on a life of their own. So the above is mine, I maybe had Alice in Wonderland on my mind a little bit at the time, hence the theme. But yes! I am still doodling a bit!
For this one I started out in pencil on watercolor paper, but a lot of what I liked about my set up were the little bits of color. So I thought maybe I'd add little touches of water color in the vase and on the rose and maybe the red heart ring...Of course then, the rest of it had a different texture. So I watercolored on top of the entire thing. The effect is sort of a gritty, faded illustration look, which is kind of cool, but more work than I wanted it to be, so I doubt I'll ever do it again...at least on purpose.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Which Reminds Me...

How would you describe this style? Sort of flapper-ish, sort of saloon girl, a little bit Indian princess...?
I don't have any idea myself, but it has a strangely modern romantic look while incorporating disparate bits of vintage and ethnic. I still can't decide how I feel about it.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Marie Antoinette Shoot

So Jennie Vicious (Vicious Threads) and I worked our butts off the end of last week for a last minute photo shoot. Initially, we were going for a sort of Marie Antoinette look. Jennie made an asymmetrical floral dress with vintage floral fabric and gold accents and a lace sleeve. I made a faux pearl choker and earring set, and my most over the top hat yet. And then somehow, when we met the adorable model Emily, we put her in an adorable auburn bob, and suddenly had a pseudo '60s look:
So we tried out one of my flower hats for a bit of a Jackie O' look
Jennie made this giant bow out of the same material, and suddenly it's a babydoll look

While we had our awesome team assembled, we got some pics of one of Jennie's dresses for an upcoming runway show and a giant peony hat that I made to match:
We teamed together to make this fabulous boho/flapperesque necklace combo:
And, getting a little crazy towards the end, we threw together this look, which somehow worked...
I made the clip to attach to the pearl choker, and the beaded pink robe is a unique find of Jennie's.

Josh did the photography again, and once again did an awesome job. All in all, it was a fun shoot, and once again, I have all kinds of things to load onto my site!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

New Upcoming Project: Marie Antoinette


Goodies Assembled....
Jennie Vicious of Vicious Threads and I are getting together for another collaborative project, this one, Marie Antoinette! I love that period for the head fashions of nobility. It was over the top in a very opulent and extreme way! What's not to love for a milliner?

"Fine and Dandy"

Thursday, March 10, 2011

A Mad Tea Party - Etsy Sellers Team Up for an Alice in Wonderland-Themed Photoshoot

A Mad Tea Party in the Winter Woods

So Sunday was a very cold day in Nashville. Highs in the low 40s with a "feels like" in the high 20s. Nonetheless, some stalwart designers, models, hair and makeup professionals and a photographer made their way to a muddy and somewhat dead-looking spot in the woods next to a swollen creek. Their mission: a collaborative Alice in Wonderland Tea Party fashion photo shoot! The models were shivering and skewering leaves on their stiletto heels and the designers and photographer's hands were somewhat numb, but the result is a beautiful contrast of brightness and color against a gray winter wood and sky and a rushing blue green stream.

Josh, the photographer, did an awesome job. I've re-processed some of his pictures here because I wanted them to match my style and show more of the true color of the pieces. And, I can't help myself. To see them as Josh intended, you can go to the photo stream here.

Organizing the party was Jennie Vicious of ViciousThreads, as the design coordinator and primary dress maker. Her vision was of beautiful party dresses inspired by the Alice in Wonderland canon, avoiding a costume-ish look but still referring to the characters. Seven models were brought in, each playing a different role (Note: Some of the original models couldn't make it and I'm missing the names of some of the brave souls who filled in, I might have to come in and fix it later).
CAST:
Olive the Patient (in a Sai-Sai Arts mini top hat) and Alice (Nikki Ryan)


The White Rabbit (late again) and Alice


The Elegant Queen of Hearts


The Maaad Hatter (Brittnye)


The March Hare (Victoria)


The Dormouse (Miss Danielle Turner)


The Grinning Cheshire Cat (Tiffany Angulo)

After the initial tea party was shot, Jennie pulled out some formal dresses she'd made for Alice and the Queen of Hearts (now being played by Victoria, the previous March Hare). I tried to decide which one I liked better...but in the end I think I want them both. I need a prom or something as an excuse...
I may have made three Queen of Hearts crowns. I do get carried away...

The hair and makeup artists did amazing work:

Hair by Amanda Davis

Makeup by Julie Elizabeth

Heather Thompson of GatheringVintage brought in some beautiful shabby chic vintage table ware and made a beautiful spread

And Sai-Sai Arts (that's me!) made an excessive number of little top hats, some mini crowns, and a rose fascinator for the occasion. As well as the Queen of Hearts' Royal Flush necklace. I will be working on getting everything into the Shoppe over the next few days.
Oh mini hats, why do I love you so? I must be a mad, mad hatter myself

It helped that there were cupcakes