If Time Is Money, Then I'd Spend It All For You...

Experiments post! Yay!

And actually a couple of these I would consider finished pieces, but they are experimental in that they pushed me into using different materials (feathers!)or using materials I'm used to in a different orientation.

The Evolution of Dresses:

Or working with silk & tulle (to make a "presumed dress"), tulle and "feathered" and ironed wax paper, or plastic screen encircling photos of me as a child....

Based on the orange silk experiment, my next venture is this:

A (if all goes according to plan) 6 ft. wide silk drapery (the same orange color. It's so beautiful in the light!) with tulle details and wire armatures inside of it. It should be about 3 or 4 ft tall as well. It's going to take up my whole wall in the studio! I was going to work on it earlier this week (it was my spring break and I had so many plans!!), but for my 24th birthday the cosmos gave me Strep Throat. I went to the doctor on my birthday day and I think they gave me a free antibiotics shot - this is, afterall, the doctor that delivered me 24 years ago on this same day (he always calls me his "little stargazer" because I came into the world looking right up at him!) so I think he's a mite bias!

So, this weekend while doing my job in the studio as lab monitor, I will be working on this big silk project. And it's going to be great.

Yay!

In other smashing news -

In the last couple weeks I have been involved in starting up a National Organization for Women Chapter for Springfield, and a week ago I was honored to be unanimously voted President of said chapter. I hope I can make everyone proud, and keep up with my duties. I've got a spit-fire VP and a lovely 3rd officer working with me (not to mention our beautiful members) and I am excited for what we can do for the rights of women everywhere, especially Missouri women. Lord knows, our state has been a little wishywashy towards ladies the last two decades - let's see what we can do! For news and updates visit the NOW National Website, the MissouriNow website, or our fledgling Springfield Chapter Facebook Group.

If you're interested in joining, donating, helping out - click the contact link and send me an email! Equal Rights For Everyone!

Here's some music for you. This one's for my fella.

PS I'm feeling much better now (on the left, I had 102.6 fever and was on my way to the doctor)! XO.

You Left Some Stars In My Belly.

Hey all you crazy Star-crossed lovers!

Here are some artistic experiments I have created recently:

Plaster-Filled Black Velvet Dress. I am currently painting black house paint over the plaster spilled spots in the center. I think I might use this one for my Senior Show next semester...

I am going to lay it just like this in the show. It will just be more polished. I love that it looks like a dead mound of flesh in a fancy dress [click to enlarge].


Paper Dresses Galore!!


....office supply paper too.
Waitress checks, "Admit One" tickets, and carbon receipt paper....

I want to give the waitress check dress a large victorian bustle in the back - playing a little bit with the idea of "women in servitude." I've left it alone the last week thought because I was getting frustrated sewing the paper. Frustration while sewing delicate things is no good, it usually leads to tearing, slicing, and dicing. So I put it away for awhile so it'd be safe from The Monster (Me!).

From Dresses to Organic Paper Shapes:

Using ironed wax paper, old book pages, and sketchbook paper....

My printmaking professor just gave me a Bill O'Reilly book to use in these experiments. I must admit it will feel nice to tear the "bold fresh guy" a new one.

I'm really liking the concept of repetition right now. And cutting/sewing. Well, we all know how I feel about sewing already. It's my first love - after being silly of course!

My next piece/experiment involves a fancy dress bottom with a garbage bag stretched across for a top and then vice versa. I want to try to be subtly creepy (as with most of my work) with it.
Here's the sketchbook version [Right Side]:





Here's some tones for your lobes:


I am currently in love with Antony Hegarty from Antony & The Johnsons. As a transgendered person, he is completely androgynous in both voice and appearance. You can't be sure whether you are witnessing a person singing or some angelic event taking place.
Of course, that's not him in the above video, but here he is in a dress rehearsal for Marina Abramovic's newest performance "The Life & Death Of Marina Abramovic" at a festival in Manchester. [I do not own nor did I make this video, You can view that person's youtube channel here. I appreciate them putting the performance online though. I wish I could have been there to see it!]


I am off to make more organic paper objects and dresses. This is why it takes me forever to post things, but at least you will know that I deliver the goods when I do!

Oh and did I mention that my hair is blue right now? Because it is. It's blue. Yes. Yay. Hooray.
XO.