Relished Artistry

Finished Padding Pics and Some Resin Jewelry

2012-01-28T22:54:00.000-08:00

My last post described some of the work that I was doing at La Jolla Playhouse for their POP Tour, a travelling show for children called Recipe for Disaster. I put up some pics of the fat padding that I was working on "in progress", but today I've pics of the finished product!

After completing the the sculpting of the pillows, I machine-sewed fabric covering over the pillows--a beige-toned spandex that would almost appear "flesh-like" under his clothing. The spandex stretches over the pillows, keeping them secure and whole as a complete unit. All the actor has to do is step into the suit and zip it up the back. Under his clothes, it has a bouncy quality that is very similar to actual flesh, but without the weight. The actor can do all kinds of physical tricks that are unrealistic for a man of this actual girth, without harm to his person.

Because some of the actors are in unusually shaped bodies, we had to adjust the clothing to accommodate. We had to let out some 5X shirts by adding panels in the side seams and center back. We adjusted the pants by shifting down the waistband a bit at the side seams so they would fit better. I also made a chef's hat that was almost 2 feet tall, making the actor even taller than his natural 6'3"! The hat I had to put rigilene bones into so it would stand up, as well as a chin strap so it wouldn't fall off. The pic is of the actor, not me.

My colleague, Claudia La Rue, also made a fat padding of her own in a different shape for an actress significantly smaller than the actor I made mine for--the goal was to make him tall and pear-shaped, and her small and round. I think Claudia did a great job on her padding--it made the actress look like a giant basketball!! Haha!! Her's was a bit more complicated than mine, requiring padding on the arms and legs because the actress is much smaller and it would look too fake if it wasn't there. In the pic, it's not quite all covered yet. Her's took much more time than mine, as mine had very basic shapes in comparison and Claudia was using two different types of foam--pillow foam and air conditioning foam (which is significantly lighter but requires more sculpting as it doesn't "compress" the same way as the pillow foam).

But they're done!! And I think they're going to be incredibly useful for the Playhouse in the future--they're quite unrealistic and comical, so if they ever require something in that vein sometime in the next 3 or 4 years they'll be available. Foam degrades over time, so they won't last forever, but they'll still be flexible for a while so hopefully they'll get their money's worth.

The other projects that I've been working on in my home studio include resin-cast jewelry that has turned out pretty cool. I've played with resin casting before, but this is the first time I've been able to experiment with inclusions. My favorite features some wire faerie wings that I glued tissue paper onto and then coated in resin, further developing an example that was in Enchanted Adornments by Cynthia Thornton. I used armature wire form the outer edge of the wing, then took smaller guage gold wire to create the striations. Gluing a layer of tissue paper behind it, I coated the whole thing in resin which made the tissue translucent. I dangled a bit of my amber-colored resin in front of the center wing, on which I attached rhinestones. Add some charms, beads, and some interesting chain and voila! I put a magnetic clasp in the back--do those work better than when they first came out? They seem a lot stronger nowadays...

But I have to slow down. I've completely run out of chain, frankly, so I can't make any more jewelry pieces... I understand now how they're so addictive--I have to stop. I. Have. To. Stop. Making. Jewelry. I'm feeling a bit at a loss, as I can easily lose HOURS of my day to it... Sigh...

But the resin casting is a lot of fun, too--I've tried some amber-ish coloring and some aqua coloring that have resulted in some wonderful pieces that I'm going to use in some of my tin can mobiles. All in all, I made eleven pieces, but not many of my pics are actually useable as the quality is too poor without some form of editing. I think I'll need to retake most of them using my little paper "lightbox" that I made and contrasting them with some textural but featureless background or props. We'll see. I certainly won't be posting any of them on Etsy without improving their quality, that's for sure.

I'm heading into the last two weeks of my contract at La Jolla Playhouse, and then I'll be diving back into Relished Artistry with a vengeance! I've got more to share regarding a special black ruff and a couple white velvet capes... : )

Until then--Live Life with Relish!

"And what do you do for a living?" she asked. "Fat Padding," I replied.

2012-01-22T12:12:00.000-08:00

Seems like I'm always apologizing for not posting enough on this blog... Not this time. I've been busy, and I simply haven't prioritized writing new entries for my blog because I've had other things on my plate. Like holding down an overhire position at La Jolla Playhouse working on their touring children's show, which they call POP Tour. This year's production is called Recipe for Disaster, and features a cooking school with comedic chefs that try to undermine each other in their efforts to teach a young apprentice. Food fights, climbing in and out of a refrigerator to visit Antarctica, and general hilarity ensue.

One of my jobs has been to make a fat pad for Chef #2. He's 6'3", and we're making him taller!! I made a chef hat for him with boning on the inside that makes him another 2 feet taller! I also have to make his padding, and I'm pretty happy with it. I've used these types of pillows before to make padding in the past--especially pregnant pads. But this is the first time I've used them on a large scale on my own to actually create a fad padding from start to finish--I've only ever worked on teams before and simply did what others told me. Not this time. It's all me. It's my responsibility to get it done.

The process of making this type of fat pad is interesting. First off, selecting the right kind of foam padding is essential--the wrong kind of foam can create an artificial body shape that doesn't move naturally, and looks even more fake than it actually is. We chose a special kind of pillow foam that has a soft, gelatin quality with a lot of reflexive response, making them seem very "flesh-like". The pillows are pricey, though--around $50 for a king size--so when you're using 3 of them you can imagine how expensive these things can get. (Add in the other needed fabrics and then a week of labor... Fat-pads are not cheap...)

The foam is mounted on a body suit or leotard, depending on how much you actually need to cover. We used Powernet--a nylon spandex fabric more commonly used in girdles and other undergarments. We make the original body suit a bit smaller than the measurements since it needs to fit the body snuggly so the weight of the padding doesn't cause sagging.

Then padding gets pinned on in whatever rough shapes are needed. You really need a dress form to do this--I can't imagine not having one that I could pad out to the actor's measurements... This requires some sculpting skills. Some padding is ultra-realistic, some of it is more abstract and comical. My particular body padding is supposed to be "pear shaped", and relatively non-realistic. So I didn't have to pad out the arms or legs because that would have been a bit too real, and taken away from the comical pear-shape we were trying to achieve.

Then the whole thing is fit, the padding modified for any changes, sewn onto the powernet by hand all around the edges, and then sealed in spandex "pockets" so it doesn't shift around. The photos at the right are right were taken right before the initial fitting. The front pillow dangling down in front hadn't been trimmed into the proper shape yet. After the fitting, some changes were made and I finished it up by draping beige spandex all around it.

And that's what I've been working on for a bit. Among other things for this project--pants, neckerchiefs, sashes, chef hats... It's been a busy couple of weeks, and it all has to be done by this coming Thursday, as they begin technical rehearsals.

You can see the costume shop at the University of California-San Diego in the background of these pics--La Jolla Playhouse and UCSD share the space. Honestly, it's a great place to work--the floor has a special rubbery quality that makes it easier to stand on, and there's an entire bank of windows on one wall that make it bright and sunny. The people are very nice, and it's thoroughly outfitted with alost anything that might be required (everything from a custom fabric button press to a corset bone tipping machine). I think the most impressive aspect of their shop is their costume storage--it's catalogued, mapped out, and fantastically organized, making it so easy to find things it's ridiculous!! I'm enjoying my time there.

On top of all this, I've had several projects that I've been trying to work on at home, ranging from resin jewelry (11 pieces completed!), a ruff inspired by a movie vampire, two 3-yard-long white velvet capes with gold trim, and a Greek goddess outfit. My plate has been very very full, but the weather here has become quite chill so it's been hard to work outside in my garage. My poor little space heater just can't keep up...

But more about all these projects very soon, and more pics of the completed padding! Until then, Live Life with Relish!

Getting Myself Excited

2012-01-03T17:38:00.000-08:00

It's tough to remain motivated sometimes. I don't know whether it's just that I'm not excited about what I'm doing, or I'm feeling frustrated about my projects. Perhaps it's because I feel like I'm not earning the amount of money I should. Sometimes it's just that I'm too lazy, or there's something on television I am entranced by (something I'm remedying within a couple days--see my last post). Sometimes I'm feeling depressed that I haven't sold anything in a while, and it's easier to whine and mope than it is to feel like I'm doing something constructive. You ever feel that way?

Bottom line, though, is that you just have to do it. No one can provide impetus for you. No one can inspire you if you don't want to be inspired. No one can generate excitement in your heart unless you are already pre-disposed to being excited.

I've found that I have several recurring thought patterns that I experience when I start to feel unmotivated to do work. The first one is to feel guilty about feeling unmotivated. I have no excuse, really, to not be working, as there are a lot of artists that can only dream of being as lucky as I am, and I haven't done enough work to feel tired.

The second thing I start to think is that perhaps I am not supposed to be doing what I'm doing if I find I'm "forcing" myself to do all of this.

The third is to wonder if I'm really actually good at anything.

Ultimately, all this thinking is simply a nihilistic spiral of depression and angst that I have too easily developed into a habit. I've had a bit of experience battling depression, and let me tell you it's not as easy to kick as one thinks. But one thing that helps is knowing that defeating depression is often about teaching your brain to reconfigure it's comfortable pathways of thinking that we all retread over and over again... Making new pathways is hard, and until we start following them repetitively (thus making new habits) we are doomed to slide down the familiar road of angst and artistic self-deprecation time after time...

Stopping it requires developing new synapses so we start thinking differently. Our brain patterns take the optimum path of least resistance, and thus our electrical neurons fire along paths that are well-used through habit. If we don't use them, they're not as developed. Over time, we literally program our brains into a set way of thinking. Until we start to think "outside of the box", with new habits and new synaptic pathways for our neurons to follow, we'll continue to get depressed because our brains can't do anything different but use the only paths they can. We're inadvertently stimulating parts of our brain that make us feel sad, tired, and bummed. And we're so used to it our brains find it hard to do anything else. The pathways become interstates, and the old roads degenerate to deer trails.

The key to changing that is making new habits. And that's where it's necessary to provide structure and control over your day and creative endeavors as an artist. Again and again I've read that true artists aren't willy-nilly free-thinking extroverts but self-disciplined, diligent practitioners of repetition. It's hard to imagine that discovery and experimentation can come through repetition and regulation, but without parameters there can be nothing "outside of the parameters".

Mac Version

One of my professors in college called them "Delimitations". He said without the rules for writing papers and the formatting already in place, we'd all struggle with the "how" of saying things instead of pondering the "why". Without rules, there can be no games and no winners. Without rules on what we could and couldn't write, and how, we wouldn't be able to move beyond them. So rules, in a way, aren't boundaries--they're actually gateways to moving beyond boundaries.

I think my struggle for this coming year is going to be forcing myself to create my own limitations, my own rules, my own schedule, and thus my own self-discipline.

Because without them, I am doing nothing.

One of the crutches that I have always used in the past to feel more creative is to buy stuff--tools, paints, fabric, books, whatever... Suffice to say, art supply stores, book stores, and fabric stores are very dangerous places for me!! Haha!! I let the materials or fabric or magazines create a false sense of accomplishment in me. In other words, I contemplate making things without actually making them. I plan to make things and dream of variations of what inspires me, but I never really follow through and make anything. Thus my collection of tools, supplies, and fabric gets bigger and bigger while my actual body of work doesn't seem to increase at all.

And my cyclone of guilt starts all over again. Wasted money, wasted time. Grr.

Experts say this might be a symptom of our cultural "spectator" mindset. Television, sporting events, reality programming, social networking--even texting--all stimulate dopamine in our brains, lulling ourselves into a stimulating yet fake and vicarious sense of experience. We feel like we've done something or experienced something, but we really haven't. The brain responds by firing synapses along pathways, and we're happy. That's why armchair quarterbacking is so popular and satisfying: our sympathetic response is translating into empathy, and we feel actual elation when we see a team score or angry when something goes wrong. (Incidentally, some say that's also why texting is so popular amongst teens--whenever they get a text their brain goes "bing" with a tiny shot of dopamine and it makes them feel happy/needed/socially secure/validated/important, etc. Remember Bye Bye Birdie's telephone scene?) But it's all just empty calories.

Today I got a shipment of things from Amazon. Some books I ordered on Steampunk, a third hand to help me with soldering, and a wire jig to help me with creating some jewelry I want to make. But all these "things" aren't going to help me in the studio unless I have the internal discipline to follow through on the investment I've made in them.

Today, I stood in my studio on a bright sunny Southern California day and felt relatively inept and helpless. I was surrounded by toys, and had no will to play.

So I did what I could. I played around on my computer in Photoshop and created a new desktop wallpaper using one of the images from one of the books that I had purchased--Steampunk Sourcebook published by Dover. Then I wrote this blog post.

I'm finally realizing that if I don't start acknowledging what is happening and start doing at least one thing that I feel is constructive, I end up staying in a "nowhere funk" and nothing gets done... If I can just keep doing one little thing after another, I can start to develop those new habits. If I can keep myself busy and not procrastinating, I'm on the path to moving forward. It doesn't matter what direction I'm going--in moments like this anywhere is forward.

PC Version

I'm not sure if sharing all of this is good or bad or if you're even still reading... Not much of an artistic post or even a business-oriented one. But I think we all experience these feelings once in a while, and for those of us who are completely self-reliant upon our own skills as artists, it's important to share with each other how to recognize and deal with these parts of life before we become completely incapable of doing anything about them.

Getting yourself excited is hard. If you can develop routine, you don't need to rely upon self-motivation as much--it's already a habit. And you can move on to contemplating much more important things in your creative life, and pondering the "whys" instead of the "hows".

And start Living Life with Relish.

Brain image from perpetualplum via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

New for 2012: No TV for Me!

2011-12-30T19:10:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I posted--I've been doing my part-time job and exploring some new ideas that I'm trying to get to fruition... But on Saturday, my part-time job comes to an end, and I have about a week to work on some other projects that I need to get completed before I enter a more "traditional" job at La Jolla Playhouse with hours that equal 40 per week.

It'll be a shift for me--meaning I'll have even less time to get my personal projects done than I have now.

But a hard "reality check" (prompted by examining myself as 2011 comes to a close) has made me realize I've not spent the time that I had wisely while I had it...

This new year will bring new changes that will help me focus a bit more on what I need to do. Several things are developing that will guide my attention more toward my studio and away from time-wasting activities that seem to suck all my drive and determination away.

First off, we have decided to get rid of cable TV from our household. Now, for someone who has never lived life without a TV, I think I will go through a period of adjustment and withdrawal... We are shifting to streaming viewing, so I'll only end up watching TV that I can get through Netflix and Hulu and such. Which, in the end, isn't that bad really. No longer will I be able to simply plop down on the couch and flip through 250+ channels and find something mindless to absorb my attention. No. Now my viewing will be a bit more "consciously chosen", and the television will no longer take up as much of my life as it did. Honestly, I've lost too much of my lifetime to programming that hasn't resulted in much of an impact on me, and suffered through enough commercials prompting me to buy stuff that I'm just tired of it all. I'm done with it.

This decision will save us at least $50 a month. That makes me happy!

This may seem like a baby step, but for me it's a big move toward committing to an artistic lifestyle that will help me be less angst-ridden and a lot more diligent. I can't watch news channels anymore without feeling completely wound up and frustrated by the lack of objectivity, and it's getting harder and harder to find quality serial programming as shows don't have stories with a beginning, middle and end anymore--they just keep going ad nauseum for the sake of generating ad revenue... And if I see another Kardashian, talent show, or celebrity reality drug rehab show I'm going to puke. Thanks, but no thanks. Turns out the only thing decent to watch anymore is the Simpsons, and I don't have to pay so much to do that.

It's interesting how I have a whole book of ideas that I collect when I'm not at home, but once I get the chance to work on them I instead sit and let my brain turn to mush in front of a glowing box... Well, no more.

I realize that once I get into my studio, I get lost and absorbed and thoroughly enjoy my time there... But lately I've felt like I've had to force myself to get down to work, and that really worries me. I can't seem to remind myself enough of the rewards that I inevitably feel when I create. It comes so naturally, and yet this last couple of months I've felt really adverse towards investing myself in any project whatsoever... I'm hoping that removing even a single temptation like my TV will help redirect me toward doing what I know I love.

Anyone else have any experience with this? Impact? Advice on what they did to help them not miss it? I have a feeling that after a lifetime, it might be like trying to quit smoking, in a way... Bit nervous about it, but confident it's the right thing...

Wish me luck? Please? : )

And Live Life with Relish!

Image from .reid. via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

There's Gold in Them Thar Hills! And On Your Neck!!

2011-12-15T20:26:00.000-08:00

I ordered some gold metallic lace in the same motif that I've done some of my other Neck Laces in, and it arrived the other day. I bought it from Cheeptrims.com, where I've made a lot of purchases lately... I thought it might be fun to try some fabric painting on a different type of surface than simply black or white. I didn't really know how my fabric paints would react to painting on a combination of mylar and rayon, quite frankly, and I knew I'd use the lace in some capacity at some point, so I took a chance.

The result has been three new Neck Laces that remind me of a retro-inspired kitsch-fest!! I love them!! The gold is just "fake" enough that it looks like the polyester lace from the 1960s and 70s (you know the kind--the stuff that's now crunchy and sorta feels icky to the touch?). I was absolutely thrilled with the results--it's like the lace is just trying a bit too hard to be sparkly... I look at it and think "lace on steroids". I guess you can never have too much sparkle!!

The teal color that I used to enhance the first piece really reminded me of some of the vintage prom and wedding dresses that I've seen from the 1950s and 60s. The colors are almost technicolor! The AB Jet rhinestones just add more punch to the whole thing, and the dangling teal rose cabochon that sort of looks plastic is really the finishing touch... It's just so "perfect", I think the only thing that could make it more so is to wrap it in clear vinyl to preserve it as you wear it. Remember the pictures of plastic covered furniture? Hehe....

The second piece is a bit more daring with brilliant red. The charm that I attached to this piece is (to me) Goth inspired, so it has a bit of a dark edge. But the gold lace contradicts this dark horror... This particular red fabric paint is more translucent than the teal metallic paint, so the gold fibers peak through a bit more... It reminds me of cinnamon rock candy. The whole piece comes off as rather "Dark Shadows" to me... Remember that horror soap opera? The crimson rhinestones set into the lace's motif simply serve to make it seem brighter...

The third piece I tried to get a bit more rustic... I painted the gold with pewter metallic fabric paint, as well as solid opaque black in spots. This created a kind of two-toned effect that contrasts quite a bit with the solid, overpowering gold of the lace. Over this, I put one of my homemade polymer clay cabochons that I created by pressing the clay into a mold and dusting it with metallic powder before baking it. It has beautiful gold wings attached to a heart. I put holes in it and dangled base metal charms (a frog, a fish, and another heart) and beads from it as well. It's an interesting eclectic look that I'm not quite sure how to categorize...

I'm not sure if this gold metallic lace is something I really want to pursue using, but I need to contemplate other ways of using it before I give up on it. I am considering washing it with some browns and tans to age it a bit, or even sponge some bronze or copper on to it so I can add a true metallic patina. I think at this point, I either need to figure out a way to make the gold work for me in pieces that have a more pop-art oriented tone, or distress it down so it's not so overpowering. I like it's vibrancy and gilded nature, but it's just so over the top even I can tell it these pieces are beyond subtly dramatic! Haha!!

In a way, they lend themselves to the "circus" idea of flash and splash. I just need to contemplate it's various uses and experiment a bit more to achieve different effects. Time will tell! These will all be available on my Etsy store very soon!

In the meantime, Live Life with Relish!

Diligence in the Face of Weariness

2011-12-11T21:45:00.000-08:00

This last week was a tough one for me. I was working during the day at La Jolla Playhouse on a velvet suit primarily, but sporadically I would be assigned other tasks that varied widely. At a certain point, a suit becomes a "one person job", so I never knew how long my day was going to be, nor when I was going to shift back to doing what I was actually hired for (which was doing the laundry and maintenance for the musical that is currently running). The weekend concluded with a sick colleague needing to take some time off and figuring out how to fill in for him. The end result was a completely disjointed work week that has left me a bit frazzled and exhausted, even though I didn't really do much that I felt required intensive concentration or effort to warrant how I'm feeling...

You ever have weeks like that? I was left with fewer blocks of time to work on my art, and even then I couldn't really focus my attention to work on anything...

Hasn't been an incredibly constructive week, lemme tell ya.

You have periods like that? I can't complain, really--I have a job, which is more than some do right now.

I just wish I could figure out a way to hone my attention and have substantive results without using coffee! Haha! I feel like I don't have any margin for whining, so I'm trying not to do that. I'm reminded of a great book I read a while ago, The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, and it's sequel Do the Work. He talks about "Resistance" as an ever present mental demon that artists are constantly battling. I understand that in spades. It would be so easy to simply write off my free time as I "recuperate" from my part-time workdays... It's finding a way to bridge the transition from one work place to my own studio and still maintain momentum that is the hard part for me. I recognize my demon is lurking behind that feeling...

Twyla Tharp also wrote a great book called The Creative Habit that touches on many of the same things that Pressfield's books discuss, but she emphasizes the need for structure in an artists' life. The presence of a consistent schedule, a discipline in one's approach to creating that is sort of "baked in", and a recognition of one's own inherent creativity that can't be replicated by anyone else as an inspiration toward investing in yourself...

I see the demon in my lack of a developed habit. And I think that's because I haven't embraced the execution of repetitive action as a key to creation. I think that often there's a cultural emphasis on the freedom of being a creative artist, but so little understanding how that very freedom can be as inhibitive as it is liberating. All the free time in the world does not mean one will actually bend their will to the act of making. All the options and inspirations at your fingertips do nothing if one doesn't actually turn away eventually and apply them.

It's the act of doing that is the truly liberating part of art. And often, an artist needs structure and repetition to do the doing. And one can't get that if one isn't ready to buckle down and fight the demon.

Time to polish up my longsword.

Live Life with Relish!

Sword image from Albion Europe ApS via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

Velvet Adventures

2011-12-03T18:35:00.001-08:00

Panne Velvet

As some of you may know, I've taken a part time job at La Jolla Playhouse doing laundry for their pre-Broadway production of Jesus Christ Superstar. I start at 8:00 in the mornings, sort and press the laundry and do any notes from the previous performance, and generally get things ready for the dressers to pre-set everything. Most of what I am doing is mending rips and tears, darning holes in knitwear, and repairing hems. Not something that requires a lot of skill, but sometimes there are complicated repairs that require a bit of attention to detail so it's best to have someone doing it that can knowledgeably fix things if necessary. I go in on the weekends, too, and Saturdays between shows.

It's not a huge amount of time, but it's a supplemental paycheck that I'm glad I'm getting. Because it doesn't take all day, I can come home and turn my attention toward making my artwear, and that's a great blessing. It's a win-win for everyone.

Dolce & Gabbana

But lately I've been asked to help make a suit for an actor that will be assuming a role in the production soon, and my hours have increased a great deal. The last couple of days I've been elbow deep in burgundy velvet. I don't know if any of you have ever tried to make a suit out of velvet, but let me tell you--it's a NIGHTMARE.

There's a reason why there aren't more suits made of velvet. It's a beautiful, lush fabric that is deliciously textured and sumptuous. It reeks of luxury. In the middle ages, it was a fabric that was only affordable by the richest of noblemen, and completely sewn by hand (of course). It seems naturally warmer than most fabrics, as the thin pile of fibers that gives velvet it's soft feel naturally keeps the heat in. It's like wearing a layer of fur all over. Yum!!

But an entire suit of velvet... Argh. Most men don't wear velvet suits. The more you sit in it, the more it looks like you've been sitting in it as the pile is pressed down and becomes shiny. It's considered rather pretentious, I think, to wear a velvet suit to the office quite frankly... But this particular velvet suit that I'm helping with is for one of the higher class characters, and it's making a statement about his monetary and social status. So it's perfect. The original actor wore a panne velvet suit, where the fibers are already pressed down in one direction creating a luxurious sheen. And it's a brilliant royal purple.

Velvet Board

But our velvet isn't panne velvet. It's a darker burgundy, and you really can't press it without a velvet board--a board that has thousands and thousands of tiny little needles in it that prevent the pile fibers from laying down flat when you press it. It's a must-have for working with velvet, really. An expensive tool, but completely worth it.

And our velvet is really, really difficult to work with. First off, the entire suit is cut with the grain going upside down (which is apparently the norm for velvet suits) so the darker tone is more evident. When you run your hands down the front, the pile of the fabric "fights" you, sort of like rubbing a cat the wrong way. But that's not the hardest part. Every stitch leaves a mark, every seam leaves a trail, every pressing job is permanent... It's enough to drive a person insane!! You have to approach the construction with absolute confidence in the fit, and hope that it's going to turn out all right!

Which is a challenge, because the actor we're fitting has a unique body shape so the pattern has to be developed specifically for him. It's not our decision to decide if he's "worth it" or not--we're paid to make the suit regardless of who it's for, so we have to make it work. And let me tell you, when you're worried about something fitting, every tiny stitch and seam is extra stressful because they really can't be taken out to be redone with this fabric.

Embossed Velvet with a Stamp

Needless to say, it's been a stressful couple of days. We've been fighting the fabric to make it behave in a presentable way, and it's been a hoot. Yeah. A. Real. Hoot. <sigh>

There are a lot of beautiful things you can do when you "emboss" velvet on purpose, as this blog, Inklings and Imprints demonstrates. You can use stamps, leaves, or even lace. You can take your lace, put it on your ironing table on top of a terry cloth towel, and place the velvet face down on top of it. You gently press with a steam iron, and the lace makes an impression in the velvet by crushing the fibers it comes in contact with. This creates a beautiful contrasting pattern that is evident in the light. It's not permanent, of course, as the moment you steam it the pile fibers lift back up and the image disappears a bit. But the effects are beautiful!

But NOT when you don't want to emboss your fabric on purpose. When you're pressing a seam, it's practically permanent as there is always some flattening of the pile in some way or another.

So that's what we've been fighting. Along with puckering, bubbles, stretching, and track marks. Oy!!

But in the end, it's promising to be absolutely stunning and beautiful. When it's all done, it will be a remarkable piece that is gorgeous. I'm really glad I'm just helping to stitch it together and not responsible for the actual patterning or fitting. That is someone else's responsibility. But I can say that it will be quite lovely when it's all done, and it's taking an entire team of people to make it happen the right way.

Okay... ON that note, I'm done venting. Haha!! You all have any interesting velvet projects or experiences you'd like to share? I'm all ears!! : )

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Velvet image from oskay via Flickr. Creative Common License.

Black Velvet suit by Dolce & Gabbana from Fashionising.com

Velvet Board image from Sunnygalstudio.blogspot.com.

Embossing image from InklingsandImprints.net.

Sales and Christmas

2011-11-26T21:10:00.001-08:00

I've not been really big on Black Friday, nor Cyber Monday... It has become a contemporary tradition to go shopping the weekend after Thanksgiving here in the US, and it has become the biggest shopping weekend of the year for some businesses. Even our local fabric store was having big weekend specials they were calling "Doorbusters", and I made the mistake of stopping in for supplies... Argh. Big mistake.

I understand the idea behind saving money. Really I do. I don't have anything against a person looking for the best deal and spending as little as they can. But the last couple of years have seen a lot of customer "recklessness" in their attempts to get that outlandishly priced sales item. People line up for hours as businesses open their doors early, or even stay open late for "pre-sales sales". This year, there have been various reports of a woman assaulting other customers with pepper spray to prevent them from taking all the sale items before she could reach them. There's also been customers shooting each other over sales, and I just heard about an entire line of people that let an elderly gentleman collapse from illness, stepping over his body as they proceeded into the store...

I shake my head at these things and think, "Is this what we've become?"

I don't participate in Black Friday. On purpose. But then again, maybe that's because I'm a guy. I've read that guys approach shopping as a "tactical experience" while women approach it as a "philosophical debate". Have you ever tried to simply find a parking spot at a store so you could even get inside to shop at all on Black Friday? I have. Simply put, my "tactical experience" ended in the parking lot, and I've never looked back.

I'm not sure I understand why there's such a frenzy to spend money on this particular weekend... I guess I just value different things when I shop. Like my sanity. And my ability to breath. I'm willing to forgo a sale to keep these things. No savings is worth giving them up. I guess I don't value "things" as much as others do.

I have a theory about that. I think it boils down to the skills I've developed over the years, and my ability to "make" things. I don't feel the need to buy them. I enjoy the process of making and giving if I can. I think that sort of short circuits the overwhelming need to buy stuff, because I know that a gift from my heart is worth much more than a stereo component or a new flat-screen TV. I just don't get it. I don't think I ever will.

So for all those people who don't find what they want on Black Friday, Cyber Monday has become the biggest sales day in the US online as people turn their attention from brick-and-mortar stores to online shopping opportunities. I've seen so many sites this weekend offer free shipping, it's almost smarter to simply let your fingers do the walking and stay home while it's all mailed to your door. That might be what I'll do, but I still don't feel the need to shop, then shop some more, and then shop even harder...

I know that sounds antithetical to my own business success (as I should be encouraging others to spend their money on my stuff) but there's something inherently "artificial" about these conjured up opportunities to spend money... Honestly, if you want something, I hope you'll buy it, but it's already at the lowest price I can offer it...

And as an artist, do I really want people to buy my stuff who are looking for "deals"? Is that the demographic that I'm marketing to? I don't think so... Those kinds of shoppers would inevitably be disappointed that I don't have a "buy one, get one free" offer, nor a percentage discount. I do include tax and shipping in my price for orders in the US--but that's regardless of whether it's the holiday season or not. The whole point is to encourage relishing artistry, not relishing thriftiness...

So I encourage you to shop this holiday season with your heart as well as your wallet. Consider what you're paying for and where it came from, not just how much you'll be saving. Ponder the experience of giving, not the item given.

And be careful out there... It sounds dangerous.

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Top Image from sffoghorn via Flickr. Creative Commons License.
Bottom Image from tshein via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

Art Fairs vs. Craft Fairs

2011-11-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

I've got the tent. I've got a list of equipment. I'm slowly accumulating the pieces I need, and working on the body of work to sell. I'm developing a "look" for the tent interior that's going to be really cool. I'm even contemplating getting an iPad or a smart phone so I can start taking credit cards. In short, I'm moving forward on my art fair/festival presence.

What I don't have is a good list of places to go. I have a local farmer's market that will be my first experience doing an art fair--I decided to start small and see what it's like--but I haven't signed up for it yet until I can make sure I have my tent exactly the way I want it with enough of a body of work to make it worth it. But the quandary boils down to my unfamiliarity with the art fair "circuit" and whether my work would actually fit into something that would be appropriate at an art fair.

I recently read an article called "Art Fair Applications: Words Have Power" that can be found here (scroll down a bit on the page). The writer quotes another article printed in Art Calendar Magazine in 2008 about the perception of the difference between "Art" and "Craft". She says that craft fairs have a different atmosphere than art fairs, and part of the reason is the perception of the difference between the to ideas. She comes down a bit hard on craft fairs, but in all fairness her work doesn't fit into the craft stereotype, so it's no wonder she's less successful at craft events.

This started me thinking--at most art fairs that I have attended as a visitor, there are particular rules about what may and may not be entered. More often than not, a piece has to be a sculpture, wall-hanging fine art, or photography. Rarely are pieces like wearable art considered "art fair appropriate", so that eliminates a lot (if not all) of the jewelry makers and clothing vendors.

I understand the philosophy behind this--where do you draw the line in your definition of what is "art" and what is "craft"? How does a coordinator define the line between the two? It's simply easier to define entry parameters around what's traditionally considered appropriate so there are as few misunderstandings as possible.

So attendees to art fairs know (generally) what to expect in relation to what most would consider a craft fair--or at least those fairs that are categorized using more traditional definitions.

It seems that wearable art has, at least in my understanding, been relegated to more craft-oriented events that accept jewelry, millinery, retro-inspired aprons, knitting, and other fiber arts. I think this hearkens back to how one defines art: does it serve a purpose other than being art? Is it too functional or utilitarian? I haven't, in my limited art festival attendance, seen much art that can actually be anything other than just art. You might find the rare furniture piece that is considered artistic, or some other artistic expression that is also "operative", but it's rare to find much at art fairs that can do much more than be beautiful and decorative and inspire others to think or appreciate life. At least in my experience.

That's a laudable characteristic for art--good grief, it's what art is for isn't it? Commenting on the human condition and expanding our understanding of ourselves is really what the purpose of art is all about in it's multi-various forms and permutations, I would think! At least I hope!!

I would also hope that crafts, in their own way, do the exact same thing! Plus, they serve another purpose--a functional one (to varying degrees)-- whether they're Christmas decorations or embellished towels. I've noticed that art can even repurpose previously practical things into the world of impracticality, thus "transmuting" them into something that has a singular purpose that denies the purpose of it's previous existence... Doors as canvases, or sawtoothed blades as painting surfaces, or assemblages of kitchen items, and art quilting just to name a very few. It requires the viewer to distinguish between form and function, and evaluate it's merits on two different scales. Perhaps art tips the scales from one to the other?

So why is it considered more pure to create an object that has no other purpose than to be a piece of art than it is to create a utilitarian object that can be both? Is distilling all other functions of an art piece "out of it" somehow considered more pure? A higher aspiration? I sometimes wonder if this isn't the great quandary for all art--it's curse and it's blessing simultaneously...

To bring this down to earth, I would venture to say that art which has non-utilitarian roots is, in some respects, more "elitist" than items that are considered artistic in addition to their function.

Honestly, I'm not sure I can appreciate art pieces as much anymore, since I've spent all my life working on developing my skills in making beautiful garments, which are inherently functional by their very nature. I've come to love the process as much as the product.

I think that might be why there is such an upsurge in the DIY movement, and an appreciation of the making of things, and thereby bestowing a beauty that comes from the process of the making that is appreciated as much as the beauty of the final product itself.

Yet, art is intrinsically DIY. It really can't be anything else.

Which brings me back to my first quandary: What really is the difference?

And where do I fit in? Do I pursue art festivals, and maybe push harder into creating soft sculptures and assemblages using fabric that happen to be based on garments? Or do I go the craft fair path and start making things that are beautifully functional? Is it even possible to do both? I would imagine it would require a bit more "repackaging" to market myself in the Fine Art circuits, with a distinct effort needed in creating less practical pieces and more contemplative creations...

Hmmm.... Thoughts? Does anyone else have these wild tangents in their head? When you were signing up for things when you were starting out, did you already know what kinds of fairs and festivals would be appropriate for your work?

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Top image from backseatstreet via Flickr. Creative Commons License.
Middle and bottom images from NatalieMaynor via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

On Purchasing a Fair/Festival Tent

2011-11-21T11:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally bit the bullet. I bought a tent so I can go to art fairs and festivals. It was a pretty penny, to be sure, but I plan on having it for many many years, and I got a lot of features that I find appealing. Thought I'd share what I went through to make it happen...

There have been a lot of different things said about different types of tents, and everyone has their favorite brand. There is a huge variety of different kinds of tents to choose from when you're thinking about making a purchase, and there are a lot of people out there willing to tell you exactly why you should choose their preference over another.

Being in the "clueless boat", I had no idea where to start. There are a couple of great blogs that I started following, but Michelle Sholund's Quick Craft Artists Tips You Need to Know seemed to be the most interesting and helpful. I also joined a forum, Art Fair Insiders, and found a helpful group of posters that were very willing to assist newbies as long as I took the time to explore the site for answers to my questions that had already been given numerous times. I had an unfortunate run-in with a flamer who tried to stir up trouble, but the forum proved her completely out of character and really stepped up to make me feel welcome. I wrote about it in my blog post, here.

So today, I just had to put my money where my mouth is and dive in. I bought a 10x10 TrimLine tent from Flourish.com. I'm very happy with my choice. I had lots of alternatives--Light Domes, Craft Huts, EZ-Ups... I decided that I was going to potentially have a lot of weight mounted to the walls of the tent with gridwalls, etc, so I opted to go for something a bit sturdier than an EZ-Up which can sometimes be a bit flimsy (I've read). That, ultimately, was the motivating factor behind my decision to purchase a TrimLine tent instead of other brands.

Ease of assembly was not an issue for me--I was a Boy Scout for a while (albeit a short while) and I'm quite capable of putting up tents. And as long as I'm organized, I'm pretty sure the tent assembly process is not going to be a burden. I'd watched the videos. I'm feeling pretty good about it. So that meant the ease of assembly for an EZ-Up tent was a non-issue, and their main selling point was moot on me.

It really boiled down to whether a Light Dome was my choice or a TrimLine. And the TrimLine simply seemed sturdier and had more features that I could choose. I got more structural stability, a semi-translucent roof so I don't have to worry about lighting too much, and some awnings that are really going to be nice. And I was able to purchase it at a height of 8 feet, not the standard 7 feet.

Yes, I'm sure the Light Dome has all these options, too, but I would have had to ask in a phone call how much they cost, and I didn't want to have to debate things with a salesperson. Instead, I simply called up TrimLine in Florida (a far cry from San Diego--shipping is going to kill me), talked with Luke and told him everything I wanted, and it was done. Luke was nice, affable, and extremely helpful. He offered some great advice, and walked me through the whole thing.

Ultimately, I don't anticipate that there is much price difference between the Light Dome and the TrimLine when you add everything up. And both are in Florida, so I couldn't save money on shipping either way...

So. It's done. I'm sure there are lots of people that may say, "You should have done this or that or the other thing," but I refuse to have buyer's remorse! I have been planning the layout of my tent for a long long time, and I'm really excited about having the opportunity to practice packing everything into my little Nissan Cube and assembling it all, then disassembling and packing it all away again... I have been contemplating display mechanisms for a while and fleshing out the "look" that I want. I still have a lot of exploring that I want to do (mirrors, hanging display forms, battery-powered lighting) but I'm not worried. I feel like I have a starting point to work with now. And that makes it less conceptual and more real. Buying the tent has provided some limitations which I can work within, which in the end actually become "de-limitations" because they allow me to move forward.

Whew! Now to start exploring local farmer's markets and street fairs--the next steps toward actually getting myself out there, and then on to bigger and better art festivals.

Time to get back to the studio! Live Life with Relish!

Image from Flourish.com.

Some Etsy Tactics and More Neck Laces!

2011-11-19T11:31:00.000-08:00

I figured out how to use the "Draft" tool on Etsy. I can prepare a whole bunch of different listings for Etsy, and then when I want to actually post them all I have to do is publish them individually whenever I can quickly get time to sit down at the computer once a day. It's a real time saver that I didn't know existed--now I can use the daylight hours in my studio instead of using them up to make a listing and posting it each day. Prepping a listing can happen at night, and all I have to do is then go back in to my Draft section and make it "live".

How did I not know this? Oh, well--we live and we learn, right?

I realize there's not as much need to post something everyday as the default setting on Etsy is now Relevance instead of Recency, but you can still make a search for recently listed items, and there are several Etsy features that center on recency, so it never hurts. I've managed to slowly build my Etsy page views over the last couple years in part by either renewing a previous listing or posting something new.

Recently, I took the plunge and decided to use some of their internal ad services, and it has worked quite a bit, honestly.... I don't think there are a lot of people taking out advertising for the "ruff" search term, so I've been lucky. Of course, my little ads are showing up on some 50 different search terms so I'm getting a lot of exposure... It's hard for me to determine the validity of the ads, even with all the data and statistics Etsy provides, but I can see that it has made a difference in the number of people who visit my shop and the number of sales I've had recently. Whether I understand it or not, it's working for me a little.

I've also joined a number of Teams on Etsy, which has allowed me to expose my stuff to a wider variety of makers both in my local area as well as thematically among similar artists. This has gone a long way to making me feel less alone on that site--I mean, Etsy is a HUGE site. It's one of the top 50 visited sites in the WORLD.

Etsy is not without a bunch of problems, I know. I won't debate those here. Suffice to say, I'm just excited about the Draft tool.

Now if only Artfire had one... Sigh.

Anyway, I'm sharing with you a bunch of images of my latest pieces, rather than drag it all out into one long series of commercial postings that would last excruciatingly forever and ever... I don't like to get "sold to", and I'm assuming you don't either. I try to keep that to a minimum. Maybe that's because I'm a guy, and I read recently that men perceive shopping as a "tactical execution", and women perceive it as a "philosophical decision". I don't know. Mars and Venus. Is that actually relevant, anyway? Ultimately, I think sometimes it's only advantageous to pigeonhole and categorize people for the pigeonholers and the categorizers. I don't want to sell to demographics. It's useful information, but I'm not doing art for the greatest number of consumers...

Wow, that was a tangent, wasn't it?!?

Anyway, here are some pics! I have much more, but I'll save those for later. Live Life with Relish!

A Certain Style

2011-11-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

I think most of us think of a certain "look" when we think of the Goth movement. I don't know that much about it beyond a general sense of what I understand that "look" is--probably stereotypically, but I've never really explored beyond that. I also know, much like most other style statements, it's been subsumed by commercialism and sort of bled dry, killing a lot of the enthusiasm when it became "packaged and sold". It has happened to a lot of "grassroots" movements--punk, grunge, hippies, hiphop... Even handmade/DIY is, from a certain perspective, being commoditized. And that has caused a lot of people to rethink the how and why behind what they do.

I bumped into an interesting inspirational website today that made me ponder these ideas... Over on Makezine.com they published a video interview with John Dunivant, an interesting man that hosts a huge Halloween party every year called Theatre Bizarre. And like some of the better Halloween parties, John's got very big over the years. So big, in fact, that the Detroit city police shut it down in 2010. It had operated under the radar for years, drawing crowds of 2500 people into a uniquely macabre experience that was enhanced more and more with each passing year. Costumes and masks were encouraged to protect the anonymity of the attendees.

Completely assembled by volunteers, the party environment and coordination was a labor of love for the participants, and I can only imagine that the illegality was a component part of the magic for them... This was an expression of self, an expression of creativity and individuality that flew in the face of organized (and legal) activities. There is something empowering when groups of like-minded individuals gather together in spite of laws. The youthful part of me understands that it is indeed a stance against the "machine" of legitimacy. Being on the outside forces those on the inside to acknowledge that some may not think the way they do, and they are not the center of the universe. That they cannot determine and define success or happiness or legitimacy for everyone else. I get it. Deeply.

I think, in many ways, dressing outside the norm is a way of doing the same thing on a smaller scale. It is a reminder that there is more than one way of appearing, and by extension living one's life. It's a statement of it's own.

Anyway, it makes sense that Theatre Bizarre would eventually draw the attention of the local authorities. I'm sure Mr. Dunivant and the organizers understand the necessity for public safety and such (apparently they were cited for a variety of different safety concerns as well as selling alcohol illegally), so now they're trying to go a more "legitimate" route with size-accommodating venues and more attention to crowd control and safety. This last year was in a Masonic Temple apparently. Sounds brilliant!

But this is all stuff that I don't really know that much about, and here I am trying to explain it like I'm informed. I may have the facts completely wrong. You'll have to do a Google search to get the whole picture. And ultimately none of the backstory has anything to do with what I'm trying to direct your attention to...

What I'm trying to do is point out his party's sense of style and decoration! It's a dark carnival atmosphere--very adult and very mysterious. I connected with this feeling right away as inspiration for Relished Artistry. Not only is it carnival/circus in flavor, but the rundown, rustic feeling of the entire venue seemed to hearken to a feeling of lost yesterdays that I liked. While this particular carnival is a bit more Halloween-flavored than I would normally go for, and it certainly has an edge that I don't necessarily need for my art, it is an incredible curiosity anyway.

I don't want to post too many pictures of the event, as I want you to go and experience their website. Again, it's a beautiful statement of style in all it's dark glory. Not only is it unique and eye-catching, but there are media stories, pictures, and videos that demonstrate much better than I could what the whole experience is like. Someday, I'll attend myself. If I can ever get out of California to visit Detroit. We'll see.

Until then, I'm going to marvel at their creative expression, and perhaps translate some of their design sensibilities into a piece or two of my own! It's certainly fun to explore!

And Live Life with Relish!

Part-Time Work, Television, and Diligence

2011-11-16T00:50:00.001-08:00

When I started out on my own after my 10 years teaching at the university level, I was very concerned about making it. I felt that if I couldn't make a career of my own happen, I would essentially be branded a hypocrite that simply taught stuff so I could hear my own voice. Success was paramount. There were no other options.

As a consequence, I have always been hesitant to accept work because I stubbornly thought it might "get in the way" of my vision for what I was creating. I thought I might, somehow, be selling out and betraying my dream. I've come to realize that's a common feeling amongst artists... One I should have recognized all along since the students I was teaching were taught that temp work and part-time positions were bread and butter to their work as actors, designers, and technicians. I wasn't listening to my own instructions. In fact, it's considered professional to have the job that pays the bills as long as your working the rest of the time on advancing your chosen career. There is a big difference between a job and a career. Big difference.

And what--I'm so good I have people knocking on my door for my art? Think again. I'm not so full of myself that I don't realize I have a lot of growing to do...

But a decision like that is still hard to swallow when you're raised in a family that values education and employment the way my family does... Stepping back from what is perceived as forward development in order to pay your bills is a bitter pill to swallow and hard to rationalize sometimes when, if your career was so stable and growing in the first place, you probably wouldn't need that part-time gig to pay the rent...

I don't think that way anymore. I understand now how that's a self-defeatist, immature, and just plain unrealistic philosophy. It's insulting to the hard working artists who have come before me, and completely egotistic. I've had a couple part-time positions in the last couple of years since teaching, and I refuse to be "embarrassed" by them. I think the trick is to understand that they are making my art possible to move forward, not detracting from the time I'd be in my studio. The jobs I may take here and there are simply ensuring I can keep going in the long run.

There may come a time when I opt not to take part-time work, but for right now I have a position on the Laundry crew at La Jolla Playhouse. It's for a production of Jesus Christ Superstar, directed by Des McAnnuff, that started at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada and will continue it's tour after it has completed it's run at La Jolla. I have a position for the duration of the show through New Year's Eve, and that's a big relief right now. Because of the nature of the work, I'll only be spending half days and partial weekends working there, allowing me studio time during the day, too.

Which is the key. I have time to work there and do my art. I'm looking at this as a growth opportunity: how not to let a part-time job devolve into a full-time job. This is going to test my mettle as I will need to continue working on my art as well as work at La Jolla. If I let my position overwhelm my work week, or (conversely) rest on my butt too much when I'm not making my hourly wage, I'll fall behind on what I want to do for my art career. This will not be easy for me, but my partner is also mulling over something that will help me avoid temptations: getting rid of the television.

Yes, we think we are going to be one of those households that makes the leap from having a TV as the focal point of the living room to having a TV that is used when we want to watch movies. Honestly, right now we spend way too much money per month for the amount of time we watch television, and as I really examine how I partition my day I have come to realize I've wasted so much time in front of that machine that I simply can't get back... I may enjoy reruns of CSI and Dr. Who, but c'mon... I mean, really... People lived without TV for hundreds of years. I. Can. Too.

Could this mean that I actually start reading again? Could this mean I actually increase my work output? Could this mean more attention to marketing and blog writing and educating myself through workshops? I'm excited by the potential.

In essence, it's a step toward controlling what I do with my time. A big one, but a good step forward. And an investment in my career, I think. It's about learning how to be diligent, how to shed some passivity and assume some responsibility.

So. [Big Breath.] : )

This is a step toward living in the moment, and not vicariously through TV. This is a step toward career control and development and growth. And I think I'll go through withdrawals (I can feel it now) but it'll be good for me in the long run, I know.

I can get to Living Life with Relish. : )

Below is a preview vid from Stratford of the production at La Jolla... Thought it might be fun to include it! : )

Hand image manipulated from source material from JelleS via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

Television image manipulated from source material from dailyinvention via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

Playing with Styrofoam Heads

2011-11-11T20:15:00.001-08:00

I've been slowly working on display elements for my potential fair and festival booth of the future. I bought some styrofoam display heads a while ago and experimented with applying old sliced up patterns to them with acrylic gloss. Then I applied brown transparent ink over them to age them, and finally a layer of thick glass-like gloss. They turned out pretty well, but I realized quickly that they were too potentially distracting, pulling attention away from what I was trying to actually sell... They were so visually interesting that they were a "thing" of themselves, and whatever I was trying to use them for to display would simply get lost...

While this was discouraging, it was also inspiring. I had three thoughts--1) try something else to coat them with (other than pattern paper, which you can see here), or 2) try a darker base than the white of the styrofoam and perhaps the lines wouldn't be so apparent. They were looking rather "cybernetic" and not "rustic", so I had to try something... I put them up on my Etsy shop (in the hopes that they might sell to someone else who could use them more readily) and bought some more heads to experiment with.

My third thought was completely different--"Wow, I could really do some neat artistic stuff with this... Like some really cool found object sculptural assemblage work..." I've been contemplating using the heads in something bigger, something more substantial. What that is I don't know, but they look so intriguing and creatively stimulating I have to think of something... I haven't done anything with them yet--they're displaying some of my ruffs in my own living room right now. Any thoughts?

Anyway, I finally got to a point where I could take some photos of the work that I've completed on the new heads thus far. I used colorful tissue paper with a "circusy" feel, and then I bought some simple unmarked wrapping paper used by stores to wrap up clothing and and other items at checkout counters. It has a papery color, and was very cheap in bulk. I have SO MUCH of it left--it really doesn't take that much paper to coat one of these... I've even used multiple layers... Anyway, these photos are the results of my experiments.

The four colorful ones in the top photos are coated in that Triple-Thick Gloss Glaze that I bought, but the last two aren't dry enough do that... The last two heads I coated in black and grey gesso before applying the paper so they would contrast to the one I'd done on plain white styrofoam. It took a couple coats of gesso, but I think they're going to be the best of the lot. They have a "rock" feel to them that is really interesting... I may end up adding striations with acrylic paint on top of the gesso if I continue to do this...

You know, as I type this, it occurs to me that it might be interesting to manipulate the features of the styrofoam by adding paperclay to it, subtly changing the face to something less "perfect" and possibly more realistic. Lots of dollmakers start with styrofoam balls for their doll heads and do just that--building up features they then paint. I'm now wondering if it's possible to then paint clown features on it with acrylic paint, and layer the paper over the top of that, giving a very aged and weathered look like I've seen others do with crackle medium... Hmmm... Then add a ruff, and a hat... Hmm... Sounding more and more like an interesting sculptural experiment for the future...

If I actually sell any of these heads on Etsy, I'll make a lot more indeed, but right now the original ones done with the 1980's Butterick patterns are just being "favorited" a lot. It's a great idea and too easy not to do one's self, so I can understand that. I haven't listed any of the others. And besides, they look great in my house!

I've been working on more neck laces, but I don't want to inundate everyone with post after post of new "product" through my blog. So I'll wait to make a post about a bunch of them all at once, and try to focus on some other things first.

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

An Interview and a New Piece

2011-11-10T11:05:00.001-08:00

I'm tickled pink to share with you that I've done my first guest interview!!!

I was contacted by Alyice Edrich (aka The Dabbling Mum) to do an email interview, and I was just floored. Alyice found me through CreatingtheHive.com, a blogging community that provides a venue for artists and crafters to share their blogs with others of similar interests more directly than a site like Stumbleupon can do... My blog is automatically reposted to CreatingtheHive, and shared with an audience that is focused and narrowed toward fields like my own. Alyice found my blog, and asked me to do the interview!

Frankly, I had never done anything like that before... I taught for years at the university level in front of hundreds and hundreds of students, rambling on and on, droning them into hypnotic states of drowsiness--I was a little worried that my interview skills would... well... suck. I was happy that not only was Alyice an expert editor, she provided me with questions that demonstrated she had an informed perspective on what I actually did for a living!! Her questions were juicy and open-ended and simply easy to answer... I was able to complete the interview in one evening without much thought to what I was doing--it just rolled out of me! Angst free!

Whether the interview is ultimately any good, I'll leave to you the reader. But I think it's informative, and she edited my rambling beautifully. It was a fun opportunity to put back on my "teaching hat" after a couple years.

Alyice does interviews and columns for EmptyEasel.com, which is a great resource website for both professional and aspiring artists. Not only do they have dozens of interviews with artists in a plethora of different disciplines, their major focus is helping artists help themselves develop their own work, ultimately to sell online. They have tutorials as well as resources on how to set up your own art website, and they offer links to various sites artists would find helpful. I highly encourage you to explore them--they're worth it!!

You can find the interview here:
http://emptyeasel.com/2011/11/10/an-interview-with-costume-designer-and-wearable-art-creator-corey-johnston/

The second thing that I want to share with you today is my next neck lace piece!! I posted images of the black and brass piece from yesterday's post on my personal Facebook page, and one of my former students bought it as a gift! So it's gone. Woosh! I had to post another as soon as I could, and cranked out a bunch more last night that need finishing as soon as I can get to them.

But this piece is using the new lace, too, and I added a polymer clay centerpiece I made a long time ago. A couple glass beads, some antique brass chain, and a beautiful heart charm (and a bow!) finish off the piece. I'm happy with it--the navy blue and deep purple accent the brass fabric paint in a way that's much more subtle than other pieces I've done... I've been playing with gradations in the fabric paint application, and seeing the results once it's all pleated up is exciting to me.

Anyway, it's on my Etsy and Artfire sites, so if you need it for your own collection it's there for ya!

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Trying out a New Lace

2011-11-09T14:29:00.000-08:00

A New Look with a New Lace

The new lace

The lace I already had

I'm excited about my newest creations--new neck laces using an alternative lace!!

I purchased some new lace from my source--Cheeptrims.com, and started making some new pieces that look subtly different than what I had been making... These have a motif that falls downward in a teardrop shape much more obviously than the previous lace I was using. This gives a slightly different effect to the overall impression of the piece than before.

Similar use of
the old lace

I had been seeking an alternative motif for a while, and finally I took the plunge and bought some. I had to find the right width (3" to 4") with a motif that splayed out on the outer/lower edge so the lace would lay flat correctly against the neck... A lace that is too "solid" throughout won't radiate outward properly--it just wrinkles up on itself. But using a lace that doesn't have any substantial body to pleat up renders the lace pretty useless as well. So I looked for a lace that had one moderately "dagged" edge and one straight edge.

And I finally found something that I wanted to experiment with here. And luckily, this came in black as well, so I didn't have to dye it!

I also bought some of the same lace I had been using, but in white (so I can dye it a variety of different colors) and metallic gold!! So we'll see what happens! That should be exciting!!

So without further ado, here it is! I've already added this to my Etsy shop, so if you absolutely MUST have it (haha!) it's there... I am really excited about the potential for making more neck laces out of this particular type of lace. I may have to purchase some more lace in the future just so I can have even more variety, but right now I want to fully explore the alternatives this inspires in me! I already have a wider variety of colored rhinestones than I actually started with, and my polymer clay and resin experiments have rendered a lot of toys to use as focal points...

There's a lot on my plate, now I just need to dig in and Make! I've made several already that I'll be sharing in the future. For a tutorial on how to make these, you can go here.

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Some New Items, A New Wallpaper, and an Update

2011-11-07T14:54:00.000-08:00

I recently made to new listings on my Etsy and Artfire shops, and I also made a new desktop wallpaper for you to download.

I need to tell you about the site where I've discovered a lot of the graphics for these wallpapers that I've been working on--it's called The Graphics Fairy, and it's a blog that (in part) provides free vintage images for your own personal work and crafting. Karen, the woman who coordinates it all, sometimes buys old out of print vintage books and scans the images of the illustrations to share them with us. I've found them particularly delightful! She has them all organized into categories and everything...

Anyway, I thought I'd share and point you in that direction if you're interested. Here are the two desktop images--one for a Mac (with the graphics on the left of the screen) and one for a PC (with the graphics on the right of the screen.

If you want more desktop images, you can go here to choose from several more! You'll have a selection! All of them are completely free--no charge!!

Mac

Secondly, I want to share the two new items that I've posted on my storefronts. Both beautiful and unique neck laces are hand-painted, rhinestone enhanced "drama" to wear as a choker! Visions in either black and copper or black and sea green, these little ditties are continuing the Relished Artistry feel that means eye-catching and distinctive. I've got a whole bunch more prepped and ready to go for paint application and embellishment, so there will be more coming soon!

I've been hard at work decorating more styrofoam display heads (this time with fancy printed colored tissue paper), as well as making some unusual fabric bunting for my tent display (someday in the future). I'm starting to develop a "dark circus" feel for my booth, and it's feeling very "Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland" slowly but surely... The new display heads have stripes and polka dots and filigree, but I've distressed them down with transparent ink and dabs of acrylic paint to make them look a bit less shiny new. But I've then coated everything in that triple thick gloss sealer, so they're sort of "vintage-looking", but not quite... It's an interesting visual juxtaposition. I'll post photos next time.

I finally ordered a male mannequin so I can take pictures of some of the vests and other mens attire that I'll be making in the future. It's not perfect (it's not a dress form--which makes it difficult to use it for actually working on anything) but it's knit-covered foam so I can pin into it, which makes it a lot more practical than a hard, fiberglass display mannequin that so many stores use. This one is still made for display purposes, but it had the biggest chest I could find (a 41" chest measurement) and a good waist measurement (36") so it's a tad bigger than most display mannequins. I'm excited by the potential--it's just going to take a while to get here, I think.

And finally, I ordered some braided rope "trim" that is militaria-inspired (aguillets) for my upcoming Ringmaster coat (tee heee--more on that later). I ordered some soutache to help with the Hussar jacket look, so I anticipate I will be doing a lot of hand sewing in the future.

Okay, that's enough! Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Fashion Designers doing costumes? But, Isn't that too theatrical?

2011-11-02T22:01:00.000-07:00

La Source at the Opéra National de Paris with Lacroix costumes

The New York Times published an article on Halloween called "What Christian Lacroix Did Next" (by Suzy Menkes), about the famous fashion designer's work in a recent ballet since his fashion house closed down. It's an interesting article in which he explains what the difference is between working as a fashion designer and working as a performance designer. He says, "I was often accused--when people did not like my work--of doing couture that was too 'theatrical'... Yet when I was a child, I never thought about fashion but only about making costumes."

I've heard of other designers who have worked in theatre, ballet, or movies. There have been quite a few--fashion and costuming are closely related fields. Zandra Rhodes did a very famous version of Mozart's The Magic Flute for the San Diego Opera. Jean-Paul Gaultier has done movies, most notably The Fifth Element that featured some 934 different costumes. Even the late Alexander McQueen worked for the theatrical costumer supplier Angels and Bermans in the 1980s.

I've often lamented the derision that is communicated when one calls a fashion piece "too theatrical". I've heard Michael Kors use it many times on Project Runway. I've never understood how one can summarily classify things so easily when attire is so obviously such a matter of personal taste. In the end, I have to suppose that making a statement like that is informed by his understanding of the industry and sales and such.

The Magic Flute with costumes by Zandra Rhodes

But I don't put too much stock in his opinion anymore since the traditional way the fashion industry works is, as a whole, dying... I'm not sure anyone can truly "know" the fashion industry anymore or describe what works and what doesn't. It's beginning a big shift from what it was for the 20th century into something new for the 21st. I'm not sure what that's going to be, but being able to say anything as a "surety" about the fashion industry is a rather risky venture... It's changing too quickly for anyone to be able to predict where it's going. The advent of the internet has "democratized" fashion in a way that nothing has before, and taken the major distribution channels (that were the advantage of brick and mortar stores) and turned them on their heads...

Perhaps Mr. Kors can speak to what sells in stores, but I am not sure he can speak to what people are choosing to wear. There are many many people out there that aren't impacted by the fashion dictates of Fashion Week in New York City, London, Paris, Tokyo, or Milan... Since World War II, young people have followed the dictates of what they like over what they are told to like, and that spirit has grown stronger with each generation. Witness the 1960s hippie look, then punk, then grunge, then goth, then hip hop, then retro, then emo... I would venture to say that there might be many more "style tribes" out there today than there are shoppers of current trends! Mall stores have their place, but they're far from the overwhelming influencers on attire that they used to be. Believe it or not, today's kids look at the major store offerings as a "stereotypical" look all it's own... It's left the fashion industry in a tailspin, unable to sustain itself...

With today's economy the way it is, I feel people are more apt to purchase one of two styles. The first is the essentials that they need as a base--t-shirts, pants, shoes, etc. These are the things that might be subject to slight shifts and changes in looks but are basically staples for anyone's wardrobes. The second style are the "interesting" pieces that people will buy to flesh out their closets--the nice pieces that are more expensive, or unique, or that they wear for special occasions. I.E. the "Luxury Items". There's a range of course--more expensive basics and less expensive luxury items--but the two extremes still create an axis around which everything rotates...

Alexander McQueen from "Savage Beauty"
at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC

So my question is, if you're going to spend the money for something special, don't you want it to be something you can't find at a mall? Isn't the newest direction for the fashion industry really anti-fashion and reinvention? Isn't being theatrical, dramatic, unusual and unique actually a selling point? To some extent?

We celebrate the unusual and dramatic in attire all the time--from Madonna's cone bra to McQueen's museum exhibit, Savage Beauty. We may not be "brave" enough to actually wear these things (or actually have anywhere to wear them to), but we appreciate and marvel at their uniqueness and allure. Finding the line, finding the balance, finding the personal appeal that empowers us (rather than embarrasses us) is what it's all about. And there are more and more people taking more and more chances in attire all the time, choosing to embrace the empowerment rather than succumb to the judgement. "Theatrical" is becoming relative, I think.

Live Life with Relish.

An Opportunity to Return to Exploring

2011-11-02T16:49:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate enough to make a big sale a couple days ago, and sold 11 of my Neck Laces all in one go! That means that I have a wonderful opportunity to replace the pieces that I sold with new ones! Woohooo!!!

I've collected some charms over the last year, knowing that I would need to use them eventually and contemplating what colors and arrangements I would use with them. I've really enjoyed making these little things, but when I got to a point that I didn't feel I could justify making more of them without at least selling some of them, I stopped making them and turned to other things. But now I really do have to start cranking them out again--and I am really looking forward to the process! It's not a burden, really, it's a great chance to stretch and think outside the box again...

I quickly cranked out a couple new ones, but now I'm thinking I want to get a bit more complicated with them, a bit more intricate... I'm going to start adding a bit more beading and embellishment than I have in the past. I had done a tiny bit of it on my first pieces and thought, "Oh my goodness this is too time consuming for the results", but I think I just need to figure out exactly how to make it worth it... It may mean finding the right kinds of beads, or going deeper into the actual painting than I have in the past. There's also the opportunity to draw correlations to different inspirational materials, using color palettes that are provided by paintings and such.

I've ordered some more lace of the same motif that is gold metallic, so we'll see if the effects change on a different colored surface than black or white. I ordered more lace so I could begin dying it in different colors as well. I have a larger stock of heat set rhinestones now as well. I am also considering weaving ribbon through the lace, and making some ribbon flowers to enhance the pieces. I'd also like to explore multiple cascading layers, making the piece a true "jabot" that is much longer in the front. Or layering it onto a soft ruffled sheer layer that may or may not be slightly distressed... Any thoughts from any of you out there in the blogosphere?

I'm really looking forward to exploring this!

In the meantime, I thought I'd share with you the first of my "getting back to Neck Laces" efforts... This one is done in a variety of metallic golds to enhance a cute owl charm I found at my local craft store. The rhinestones are certainly "glinty"!

This is available on my Etsy and Artfire sites if you're interested! Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T13:12:00.000-07:00

In honor of the holiday, I'm posting two more desktop wallpaper! Enjoy! And Live Life with Relish!

Mac

OK, One More...

2011-10-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist. I had to make another one. This one with an elephant.

Making these is really quite fun. I'm not sure if it's that I can create something without having to have the commensurate skill to execute it in real life (which is common for a lot of Photoshop artists) or I've fallen in love with the speed and ease of the process. Regardless, they happen quickly for me and I get to feel like I've accomplished something.

I've discovered how to make Brushes in Photoshop. Look out. Whole new world.

Anyway, here it is! Enjoy!

Mac

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Yet Another Wall Paper

2011-10-30T01:39:00.000-07:00

I've been a little under the weather lately, and the climate here in San Diego is finally shifting toward the cool side (it's almost the end of October, so it had to happen at some point). I've spent the weekend inside at my computer, playing with Photoshop, and making yet another desktop wallpaper for your computers. I like doing this--it results in something that is stylish and I can give it away like a "free gift with purchase". Well, there's no purchase, but it's still a fun novelty that doesn't cost me anything to make and I hope it brings a little joy to your computer!

This one is in the blue tones. As you can tell, I've been playing with grunge brushes, and I may have "gone to town" a bit more than I should have, but I'll pull back on the next one. Enjoy!

Mac

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Creme Puff Ruff

2011-10-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

This new little ruff is one of my softest and romantic looks yet. It's a soft curtain sheer I found at a local fabric store, and snatched it up right away. The stripes radiate outward from the neck, but they're not so strong that they make a "sunburst" effect. Tiny brown stripes wrapped in delicately petite gold thread are shot through the sheering, giving it a sophisticated, mature look that is both dramatic and simple.

I like this one very very much. It is elegant in it's simplicity, and can enhance any number of different outfits for ladies, as well as serving it's purpose as a costume in a variety of different situations. I could easily see this being worn with a warm winter coat (that happens to have a slightly open neck) in lieu of a scarf. And at the same time, it would be gorgeous with a black leotard and tweed pencil skirt.

This one, like all my other ruffs, is available at both my Etsy and Artfire sites.

I have a small handful of new fabrics that I want to make a few more ruffs of, and then I think I'm going to stop on them for a while... I think I've played enough with that idea for the time being. I feel a need to move back to creating more substantial garments. I'll be making some more swallowtail men's vests, and I am strongly considering making some shrugs with an idea that was given to me for a beautiful collar effect... I have some basic ruffled drawstring petticoat skirts that I want to try making for fun (just to see if they'll sell), and some adjustable men's neck wear pieces (ascots and such) that I've been saving fabric to make. I also want to get back to my doll making, too... Who knows, after all that I may be going back to make some fun women's coats like I had done in the very beginning...!

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Pink Ruff and Cuffs--My First Set!

2011-10-25T21:51:00.000-07:00

I've reached a bit of a snag on my Ringmaster coat that I shared with you from my last post. I'd like to wait to see what I can find in the Los Angeles fabric district for shoulder cords and pre-fabricated trim for the "hussar jacket" look I'm working for. So in lieu of waiting until I get there, I decided to move forward on some other projects and expand the "body of work" a bit more.

I assembled my first ruff and cuff "set" last night--a soft pink piece of striped fabric that I embellished with antique rose rhinestones around the collar piece. The cuffs are narrower versions of the ruff, but without rhinestones. I'm thinking this piece is probably closer to the "circus-esque" theme that I've been playing with for Relished Artistry than almost anything else that I've made.

And while I love that vintage circus feel, my gut starts to worry when I relegate my work too thematically tight, as I truly believe some of my pieces could be used for other purposes than just costuming... I have no qualms about making high-end costumes that are recognized as such. I just want to elevate them out of that narrowly perceived niche into a wider, more artistic expression that is appreciated a bit differently.

This is the first "set" I've made, and I'm not sure if that makes it more of a garment and less of an "art piece", but we'll see.

Regardless, here is the soft pink ruff! I think it has a charming character. I'll have it on my Etsy and Artfire sites, soon!

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Sneak Peak of Ringmaster Coat

2011-10-23T00:38:00.000-07:00

So I purchased a pattern a long time ago for a show that I designed that needed an American Civil War outfit. McCall's 4745 worked out pretty well for me, and it was a lot faster to construct than I anticipated. I was a little wary of what they were eliminating from the whole tailoring process that goes into a coat, but it turned out looking alright in the end... I think I can definitely say this is not a tailored coat, that's for sure, but for a Civil War look, and knowing that a most of those coats were not made by tailors, I think this look is fine for it's purpose. I wouldn't know if it's "historically accurate" at all, but in the end it's a good costume version of a military coat from that era.

I knew that at some point in the future, I wanted to explore some more possibilities with the pattern. There were a lot of things that I didn't like about it--a lack of shoulder pads, no real internal structure, and (what I felt) were funky "pleats" in the back--but for all that I wanted to give it another shot. It simply came together too quickly not to give it another try.

I got some fabric that I fell in love with and felt fit into my newly developing Relished Artistry identity, and the last couple of days I've thrown together a new coat using that McCall's pattern. I also taught myself how to do some bugle cords (still looking for a source for the metal tips) that I can put on the shoulders, and I want to do some Hussar Jacket style corded embellishment on the front, but for the most part it's assembled... Well, at least enough to take a couple preview pics! And I wanted to share them with you really quick, as I'm excited about the potential for the future. I've purchased more fabric in a similar vein as this diamond check (with smaller checks in antique gold & cream, and antique gold & sage green), and I think I'll make some "frock coat" looks with those. Because of the nature of the high collar, this look is much more in a military style, and begs to be embellished. I'm thinking about purchasing some epaulettes that will go well with my bugle cords, too!

I made this one quite large--a size 46/48--just to see if something like that will sell in my Etsy and Artfire shops.

Anway, we'll see where this goes. Once I had cut it out and started to assemble the top portion, I suddenly worried that it looked too much like a horse jockey's outfit, but then the lower half of the coat came together, and I realized that no, a jockey wouldn't wear something like this. It almost has a Persian feel to it, I think. With the embellishments I'm planning, I think it may pull it into a circus realm quite a bit. This coat is already very "costume-y" though, and if I push it even more toward that specific circus world, I think it loses some of it's versatility. Right now I could see this being worn with a turban for a crystal ball scryer, or even with a baldric or fur cape for a pseudo-Russian court feel. It's just neo-Victorian enough that it could smartly enhance the right Steampunk cosplay character if one was looking for an eccentric or aristocratic look, too.

My goal is to start creating garments that have a certain "flair and flavor" to them. The colors in this particular weave are kind of "muted" with a slight brown tint, giving it a rather antiquated feel. I could even step into a world of "faux-vintage" by distressing all the decoration that I'm planning on putting onto it, but I'm not sure if that's a move in the right direction... I must say, however, that I am incredibly attracted to the "aged found object" feel of assemblage, and the jewelry that is being put out by Deryn Mentock of Something Sublime is really very interesting to me. If I could translate the style of her jewelry work into clothing, and incorporate bits of that feeling into my own work, I'd be a very happy man. I'm not interested in copying her style or even reproducing it, but if I could figure out a way of infusing how it makes me feel into my own expressions I'd be very very excited.

I think this is a good addition to my body of work, and certainly much more along the lines of what I'm thinking of for Relished Artistry. It's an odd piece, by itself, but it's still got some growing up to do. : )

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Halloween, Sexy Syndrome, and Costume Alternatives

2011-10-21T17:40:00.000-07:00

When I taught at the university level, the theatre program I worked in often had a show that would open around the last week of October. We regularly had an evening performance the night of Halloween, and many students would show up in costume with plans to go out and "party"after the presentation.

I remember walking to my car in the parking lot on those nights, seeing young ladies with devil horns and high heels, or cat ears and mini-skirts, or angel wings and bikini tops. Almost overwhelmingly, these costumes were rather revealing and a bit salacious... Now, I know these were college-age kids and that's what college-age kids do. They're not under their parent's roof anymore, and they're developing a sense of self. Part of that is exploring boundaries and learning what it means to be an adult. And that means developing one's own sense of gender empowerment (or not) and identification (or not).

At least, that's what they think they're doing.

There has developed quite a controversy over the last few years about gender. Many are feeling that Halloween, in particular, has become a season of female objectification--that the costumes for women that are most popular are the ones that are the most revealing and "sexy" in nature. Many lament the holiday as they see woman after woman dressing up as a "Sexy Snow White" or "Sexy Nurse" or "Sexy Pirate". These people ask, "Why is there such a preponderance of sexy costumes for women around Halloween? When did every costume for females start to require fishnets and high heels?"

I was contemplating posting a long and rambling commentary on the empowerment/disempowerment of women, the presence of misogyny in our culture, and the emasculation of men... I actually spent an hour trying to wrap my head around a cohesive, well-thought-out statement about the whole thing.

And I can't. The most I can say is, "As a professional costumer, I think there's a lot more out there that we're missing when it comes to Halloween." I scrapped my long and overly effusive "book" on what I was feeling and why so I can actually get to the point of why I'm making this post.

I found a website that I like. It's called Take Back Halloween at takebackhalloween.org. It's a guide to the creation of different costumes for Halloween that don't focus on the "sexy qualities" so prevalent in so many of the costumes for women that are on the market today. It tries to offer alternatives by providing guides to how to make your own costumes. It doesn't sell anything, it simply provides links to different places to purchase the items they suggest. It's actually sponsored by the Real History Project, what their press release calls "a non-profit organization devoted to cultivating a grassroots, pop culture approach to women's history".

These guides include Queens from a variety of cultures including Egyptian, Minoan, Biblical, Sumerian, and Celtic. There are "Glamour Grrls" including Mae West, Rita Hayworth, and Josephine Baker. There are Goddesses like Isis, Mama Quilla, Athena, and Brighid. Finally, there are looks for other Notable Women including Susan B. Anthony, Lizzie Borden, Sojourner Truth, and Sappho...

Albeit, you may need to explain who you are if you go out, but everyone else will look like the Spice Girls so you'll stand apart from the crowd! And maybe, in the end, you'll feel a little more comfortable while still looking fabulous, allowing you to enjoy your holiday a lot more.

Live Life with Relish!

My Friend Ben and Ceramics for the Revolution

2011-10-20T22:35:00.000-07:00

Ben and one of his pieces

"Untitled Vase"

Ben and I used to work together at the same university. He was Production Manager and Technical Director for our theatre program. He was kind of the "go to" guy when it came to making all things happen. Each semester, he supervised a class of up to 10 beginning theatre students in how to build sets, hang lights, and generally know their way around a scene shop. This would regularly include being responsible for their health and safety as they learned how to use power tools, table saws, jig saws, and dangle 100 feet in the air as they adjusted the focus of hot lighting instruments.

Ben was a brave man, and an incredible teacher. On top of that he was responsible for managing the theatre spaces for their booked in events, supervising the construction of all the sets for our theatre productions as well as the production budgets, and mentoring the education of the student Stage Managers.

I'm not sure, but I think a person needs to be a bit insane to do all that.

But Ben was determined, and he handled it with dignity and aplomb. He was horribly busy all the time (which demanded inhuman organizational skills commensurate to air traffic controllers), and it's easy to see why people in Ben's field in educational theatre statistically burn out very quickly.

"Bar Fly"

Ben and his son, Kieran

Underneath all of Ben's work at the university, he maintained a sense of his own artistic direction by developing his personal skills with ceramics. Yes, on top of all that Ben was striving to become a ceramist and assemblage artist.

Ben has since moved on from theatre and that institution of higher learning, and moved to Colorado where he is working on a new project all his own: Ceramics for the Revolution.

Now, I had heard of Kickstarter Projects before Ben developed his own, but when he sent me a message saying he'd taken the plunge and decided to make part of his dream a reality through Kickstarter, I had to go check it out in more depth.

Kickstarter is a program that allows people to elicit pledges to whatever project they'd like to develop. There are a variety of different categories. You upload a video explaining your the idea, designate different donation levels and commensurate rewards, create a deadline, and set a monetary goal. People donate pledge money on their credit card. If the project reaches it's goal, the money is collected from the donors and the credit cards are charged. But if the goal isn't reached no money is collected at all from anyone.

It's incredibly successful and quite legitimate. It's a safe way of supporting new ideas, endeavors, business opportunities, etc. There are hundreds and hundreds of different programs at Kickstarter looking for visionaries and faithful supporters.

In Ben's own words:

I seek a world in which we all live with intention and mindfulness in everything that we do. I want to make bowls, mugs, plates, and other dish-ware that mirror that intention. For me, that looks like the prototypes you see below. We all seek connections these days and I've got an intensely sneaking suspicion that eating, drinking, and cooking can have more intention and be more meaningful when the mug from which we sip, or the bowl in which we mix was made with attention, care, and love. It's nice knowing that your coffee mug was handcrafted, that somebody MADE it, that it wasn't mass produced in a sterile factory, and that it wasn't sold to you by an impersonal clerk. This line of dish-ware will be uniquely crafted with no two bowls, plates, mugs, or teapots the same. This line will be sold at farmers markets, craft fairs, boutiques, and galleries with smiling, knowledgeable, talkative people most of whom will actually be... well.. just me I guess. And that is sort of the point. I want the connection with the patron as much as anything. I seek those connections too. Nothing would make me more happy than to take these bowls and mugs directly from the kiln and into your hands. It's that personal connection with our transactions and exchanges that I want more of in my life. That is the Revolution!

The design and technique that I've developed is time intensive and delicate, which means that every item in the collection will have hours of my attention and care lovingly poured into them, so every time you take a sip from your unique work of art, not only will you pat yourself on the back for being a part of this project, you'll laugh quietly to yourself at the thought of some guy bent over a wheel in his garage while the heat of the kiln scorches his brow.

Another of Ben's rewards

One of Ben's rewards

One of Ben's reward bowls

I can identify with what Ben is trying to do. Historically, in Europe, most crafts and goods that required skills to create were monitored by "guilds". There were Bakers guilds and Blacksmithing guilds and Potters guilds. A young person would normally apprentice to one of these guilds to learn a trade. There was a personal connection between the maker and the user in those days--a recognition of the years of discipline it took to develop the expertise necessary to create something vital to one's life.

Of course, the industrial revolution has taken the human element out of creating a lot of our goods. Today, it's rare to have the ability to make something by hand. Ceramics, like sewing, is a lost art for many of us. I think today especially we're all striving to get that human element back in our lives. And if we can't do it ourselves at least we can appreciate it when we see it, and honor the skills of the makers that are creating beautiful, practical, and endearing pieces. Pieces that have depth and soul and personality. It's more than "trendy" to make something yourself, or purchase something handmade. It's and investment in our own humanity, in a way. It's a conscious choice to embrace each other's presence and contribution on this big blue marble in space that we call home.

Now I know that sounds rather heady and hippie and peace lovin' and kumbaya, but it's really what I believe. And I think it's important. If we don't support each other, who will?

So. If you have a few moments, follow this link and show Ben some support. He deserves it. He's got until November 1st, and if he doesn't make it all his effort will be for naught.

And Live Life with Relish!

Trying Some New Display Methods

2011-10-19T00:32:00.000-07:00

I've been collecting items for my future table display in my future tent at some future art festival or craft fair. Recently I bought some styrofoam wig heads with the most "realistic" necks I could find so I could display my ruffs without needing to put them on a form. I had designed a free-standing display that used recycled margarine tubs and dowel rods in slots, but then realized the ruffs would looks like a bunch of balancing plates in a vaudeville act... I needed to display them on something that had a bit of "context" so people would know what they were looking at.

So I bought the styrofoam heads and decided I absolutely had to do something with them because 1) the styrofoam would get really dirty very quickly, and 2) I hate the look of styrofoam itself, and 3) if I didn't do something with them I would be missing a design opportunity to enhance the "feel of my shop" and help with the branding...

So I was going to texture them with paint. I sprayed one with grey primer, and realized I had made a mistake about a minute into spraying it--I used Krylon primer and it started to melt the styrofoam!! I quickly dabbed the surface hoping to wipe off as much of the primer as I could, but it was a little too late... My poor styrofoam head looked like it was a bit... well... "pekid". The melting holes were far from attractive. I thought I'd ruined my first display piece.

Then I thought, well, why not cover it with something? I thought about kraft paper (I have a huge roll of it that I use for patterning) and paper mache or something similar. But the paper was too heavy to retain the shapes of the features of the face. I thought about old pages from a book. I thought about old maps. But as appealing as those ideas were, I didn't have anything like that on hand... So I opted for the tissue paper of an old 1980s Butterick pattern instead...

I sliced up the patterns into long strips, and then randomly adhered them to the styrofoam with a cheap, clear acrylic "gloss" sealer and a paint brush, making sure to cover all of the surface of the foam with a couple layers. While it worked great and the tissue paper was lightweight and transparent, it was hardly glossy when it all dried. And it didn't look old enough for me.

I went back and sponged on a transparent ink that was developed specifically for aging and distressing. It had an antique sepia brown hue, and added a bit of shadow and dimension to the different layers. It accented the texture of the tissue paper by making it more pronounced and popping out the little wrinkles.

Then I painted over the whole thing with a new product I found at my local craft store tonight: Triple Thick Gloss Glaze. I like this product. I'd used the spray on kind before, and tonight I discovered a couple different thicknesses of the paint on kind. I slathered it on and let it dry, and it created (as it said it would) a thick glassy glaze over the whole thing. Shiney!

So I took some pictures of them, and now I need some advice.

Do they look creepy? I was hoping for an "artsy fartsy" feel, but I look at them in the photos and I'm a bit weirded out... They aren't like this in real life. They're somehow more "distant"...

I thought I could use them for my product photography, too, but now I'm not so sure... I absolutely LOVE the look because it's so different, and it's the closest I've been able to come to an assemblage feel, but is it right for this purpose? Is it distracting? I had been using a dress form covered in a black velvet sheath, but dress forms don't have heads so I worried it would look odd. Now that I have a head, I don't have a body. And that looks weird to me, too, now...

I'm also trying a different background. The checked background provides a bit more "character" to the product photography, but it's definitely lighter in tone than the plain gray I had been using with the dress form... I'm not sure that's good or bad...

Anyone have any thoughts? I know the new display heads and background are more visually interesting, but is it in a good way?

Hm. I can't tell...

Until next time, I'll try to Live Life with Relish but this is a quandary that's going to bug me... hehe...

Different Contexts

2011-10-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of things that we look at differently when they're placed in a different set of surroundings. A color can seem brighter or darker depending on the colors around it. An object can seem dirty or old but when surrounded by a different setting it can instead seem to have age and character. A piece of jewelry takes on a whole new light when worn with the right outfit. It's all about "context".

When you look back on the different styles of clothing we've had through the different eras of mankind, one really begins to understand that we can wear a lot of weird looking stuff depending on the "context" of the situation. When one looks back at the Renaissance Era of Western Europe, one might look at the weird shoe shapes and the incredibly heavy cotes and surcotes and ridiculous hats that they used to wear and wonder, "How on earth could they have thought that was okay to wear?"

One only has to turn around and look at today's young men wearing jeans down at their hips to answer that question. Peer pressure and social acceptance can be a powerful force. It's common knowledge that royalty sometimes set the tone for their courts--Marie Antoinette and her "shepherdess" looks were quite the rage (as she played with romantic notions of being "simple", but was really striving to make herself feel more "authentic and real"). One can see the power of some of our TV, movie, and music celebrity fashion decisions and the impact that has on our culture (albeit, I think this is decreasing as we're all coming to recognize it more as "media-inspired imitation" that doesn't say much about our own personal tastes, nor our ability to make them for ourselves...).

A ruff is a perfect example of a garment that became a symbol of aristocracy, then succumbed to social pressure so much it disappeared. It started out as the top of a shirt collar. It got bigger and bigger, and soon it developed into large pieces that were tied on and propped up with wire understructures. Soon they were being held up behind the head in a sort of "halo effect" (called as "wisk") that was rather akin to walking around with your own green-screen background...

Someone popped the balloon eventually, and the ruffs went flat. That's where we get the "pilgrim collar" look--it's descended from a ruff with all the "poof" let out. At the time, it was less ostentatious, and showed dignity and seriousness. From there it morphed once again, this time to be worn upwards with cravats and jabots, and then eventually to the more contemporary expression we have with ties.

So essentially, today's men's collars are descended from ruffs. Who knew?

Since ruffs died out from traditional wear, they've been relegated to a more costuming arena for various types of "clown" figures... Clowns in ruffs are, incidentally, a rather subtle political comment on class... When wearing a crazy accessory like a ruff, a clown figure is saying something about the ridiculousness of one's appearance. Historically, only the extremely traditional, rich, or conservative would wear a ruff and most clowns are none of those things. In fact, it is more common to see a clown getting into ridiculous, out-of-the-ordinary situations that are hilarious by virtue of their incongruity or extremism. It makes it funnier to see traditional, rich, conservative people (who are stereotypically concerned with their appearance) struggling to deal with situations beyond their control.

Gives a whole new context to those circus clowns, eh? Or rodeo clowns? Interesting how circuses were usually made up of travelling "freaks" ostracized by society... Were they subversively making fun of the upper classes in plain sight of their audiences?

Regardless, the ruff has experienced a resurgence in the fashion world this last couple of years... It seems that it's one of those "over the top" accessories that you really have to be wearing something chic with to pull off. Some of them are made of feathers or polar fleece--not traditional materials to be sure! But when you change the context, the purpose and effect of a garment piece can change as well. And if they're going to change, why not change the materials?

That's what I've done with the ruffs that I've created over the last couple of months--selected non-traditional materials that have resulted in ruffs that have a very different feel and look than ruffs have traditionally held. It changes the context of how we view these accessory pieces. they may be beautiful pieces to own and have and display but not to wear. Some may be perfect to use with that Venetian Masquerade costume, or even with a Carnivale celebration. Some may be just what is needed to spice up that Steampunk cosplay outfit by putting it just enough "out there" to make it seem aristocratically extreme and quirky. Some may simply be used in costume situations for performances, regardless of whether they are worn by acrobats or clown or ring masters.

It all depends on context.

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Jed Clampett, Fabric Gold, and Wearable Art

2011-10-10T14:02:00.000-07:00

Let me tell ya a little story 'bout a man named Jed...

Well, not Jed, really.... His name is Corey, actually... That's me...

I found a fabric this weekend that was very unusual for me--a luscious teal and chocolate stripe with a gorgeous golden brocade woven through it... The brocade looked like the kind of pattern that would be on a ribbon, but it was woven over the stripes in this small piece of yardage... I found it in the scrap bin at my local upholstery fabric store (again) and had to snap it right up, because I'd never seen anything like it... I thought, "Wow, something really cool could be made with this--I don't know what, but something awesome, I'm sure!"

This was a raw material resource mined from the undulating hills of the Bargain Bin expanse. This was crude that would provide food. Fabric gold. Textile Tea. Time to head back to my studio, the Beverly Hills of my backyard...

I've never been interested much in wearable art that is made out of "unusual" materials... I think that's a one-trick-pony in a way... It's interesting to make a dress out of sporks or grass sod or condoms, but those kinds of garments are only "wearable" for about 10 seconds... They're beautiful, whimsical, and awe inspiring, but not practical. And who wants to buy wearable art that you really can't wear anywhere? And you can't sit down in? And chafes?

So I've never been a big fan of wearable art made from non-traditional materials, as each piece I've seen has been less and less "wearable" and more and more "art" that needs to be propped up in one's living room or just appreciated on a hanger.

I'm not saying that's not a valid, beautiful method of expression, it's just not what I prefer... And I'm not saying there aren't other kinds of wearable art. The hand painted pieces or unusually inventive fibers, the unique construction methods or the wild sewing technique--these are all things that can make a piece of wearable art that I, personally, appreciate a bit more. Wearable art of this nature straddles the two contrasting worlds of the artistic and the utilitarian, but leans more toward the "wearable" side.

I think, if you're going to buy "wearable art", you should at least be able to physically wear it.

That being said, I'm not sure an artwear maker can provide you the venue at which to don it...

Which leads me back to my fabulous fabric find this weekend. I had a material that I knew I wanted to use, but no idea what to do with it. It's very nature was different than anything I had encountered before. It was silk, had a "refined" character about it, and ultimately had big broad vertical stripes... Those stripes were so wide they dictated that anything made out of it had to be of a scale that was also commensurately large. Like a large, full bustle dress. I didn't want to make a bustle dress. I only found a yard and a half!

So instead, I made something else relatively useless to a contemporary person: another ruff! But this one had bands in it and texture that was absent from the previous pieces I had created. It was also large enough to go all the way around the neck, like a traditional ruff. And I haven't seen many ruffs "on the market" that are made out of something other than lace or linen.

I'm not sure I know what this piece is actually good for. I'm not sure I could say to a customer, "Oh, this would be perfect for such and such!" because I can't really envision an event where something like this would be appropriate attire (outside of costume purposes).... But then again, it's easy for me to imagine events and affairs where my other artwear might be appropriate, so why not this?

And suddenly I found myself in a quandary: I had just created a piece of wearable art that can be utilitarian, but is more likely an art piece purchased to simply look at. I had created exactly what I didn't like about wearable art... [Open mouth, insert hat, begin eating...] And yet, I loved it...

And THAT got me thinking: If a person is going to buy a piece of mine simply for display in their home, I need to consider what it is displayed on as a part of the complete look. I need to provide the mounting mechanism that a person uses so my pieces can actually be displayed proudly as a unique and visual piece of art that happens to be wearable. In short, my piece becomes soft sculpture, or even a mixed-media assemblage if done well.

You remember when it was all trendy to collect African masks and pieces of armor and bracelets and simply display them, mounted, on a wall or in a corner on a stand? (Incidentally, people have displayed pieces of what they considered "exotic culture" in their homes for centuries--it wasn't just a mid-80s phenomenon.) For that matter, what's the difference between accessorizing your house in the Baroque style, or with Native American pieces?

So why can't I do that for my stuff? Why can't I create a beautiful stand for the ruffs I make that is an extension of their personality and character and charm? And then sell the entire unit as a sculpture? It would be like Dega's dancing ballet sculptures, or a museum mannequin but with more depth and participation in displaying the personality about the piece?

So. If I'm going to continue exploring this nostalgic carnival world of dreams and dust, magic and memories, I think I may need to explore the "framing mechanism" that bridges the work I'm doing to the justifications people might need to actually purchase it. If a person can't actually wear a piece of wearable art, what do they do with it? What then does it become? And what does a person need so they can be convinced they should buy it? Perhaps a display tool for their home would be a good start...

Maybe, in some mansion somewhere, there's a Jed Clampett that might find my fabric gold creation appealing to them. I'm certainly looking forward to exploring it!

Live Life with Relish!

An Update on the Business Side of Things

2011-10-08T18:18:00.000-07:00

Midnight Trellis, a hand painted coat

Little Red Riding Hood, one of my art pieces.

I don't know if I'm simply part of a trend or not, and maybe I'm just more aware of them now that I'm doing it myself, but I seem to notice a lot of independent small businesses opening up lately... And not the brick-and-mortar store front kind, but the small DIY'er stay at home kind.

I'm not sure if that's a sign of the economic times, or if it's a result of more and more people reaching retirement age, or whether it's a symptom of the rising Handmade/anti-manufacturing ideology... And it's probably actually a combination of these factors as well as a bunch of others that I don't know about. But regardless, I'm feeling like I'm one among many nowadays.

It hit me that, being a blog about my wearable art business, I've rather "avoided" discussing my business beyond posting new stuff I have up for sale. In the interests of being transparent and actually writing about what I said I was going to write about, I have to confess something: I'm a bit embarrassed.

A vintage fabric swallowtail vest

Relished Monarch, a "neck lace" choker

You see, my business hasn't really taken off like I thought. I keep telling myself it's a sloooow process, and it may take a couple years. There are lots of factors that have resulted in my lack of "business impetus", and I can outline them all for you quite articulately and concisely, but the bottom line is that I've simply not put into it what I could have. It's interesting--there are days when I am all "gung ho" about it, and spend hours and hours making, then there are days when I simply can't tear myself away from Facebook. I know that I have to have even more discipline as an entrepreneur than I would usually, and as an artist even more so. But discipline is hard to develop when I've worked a life as an employee on someone else's schedule. I have to learn how. I have a feeling that's going to be harder than kicking crack... <sigh>

There are different philosophies about how honest an entrepreneur should be about how their business is doing--how much do you share, how much do you keep quiet about, how much do you outright lie about... I'm not one for telling lies. But I worry about exposing too many of my foibles for fear of coming across as completely inept and naive.

Recycled Tin Can Mobile

Joplin, one of my Art Dolls

And ultimately why share anything at all? What's the compulsion to tell others how well things are going for you anyway? Who cares? Why should they care?

Some say "for community and camaraderie". Some say it's our obligation to support each other. Some say because it's just the right thing to do, because one should always "do unto others as ye would have done unto you"... None of that makes the embarrassment go away, though.

But if I can't be honest, what's the point? You don't have to read this. And I won't share everything, but I think a certain level of "transparency" is what's missing in today's business world, and I'm not going to be part of the problem by adding to the cloudiness. So.

The state of Relished Artistry, LLC: Pretty much the same as when it started. Still working at home, still have both Etsy and Artfire sites, still have my blog, still flitting from one shiny idea to another, and still haven't entered any shows. Still no actual website of my own. Selling about 1-2 pieces per month, and have never paid myself (I'm glad my partner has a job...). All the profit goes right back into the business. I've made more money contracting my services out through Relished Artistry as a costume technician than I have actually selling any items I've made--but that's not a bad thing, considering that my work as a technician is part of my business, too. My New Year's Resolutions from January have sadly been left unmet--the majority of them anyway... I'm thinking maybe I made too many... Haha!

Porcelain China Choker

Oriental Brocade Frock Coat

1) To participate in 2 Craft Fairs/Trunk Shows.

2) To develop a body of work that includes 150 pieces/items for sale, including garments, polymer clay items, and art pieces.

3) To enter a Wearable Art show.

4) To create 2 Art Exhibitions/Shows or enter my work into 2 juried Art Exhibitions.

5) To go to "Market" in Los Angeles and investigate what it's like.

6) To join professional organizations that lend themselves to my discipline--wearable art, art, and crafts.

Relished Brún Swallowtail Vest

Satin Ringmaster Swallowtail Vest

7) To investigate the San Diego Art scene and community by attending exhibitions, openings, and asking questions at art fairs.

8) To create a stronger sense of community around myself by posting more open and engaging posts to my blog in a more regular fashion, investigating artist-oriented community websites and forums, and commenting more regularly on the blogs I am subscribed to.

9) To explore local boutique and retail spaces, finding out what it takes to sell my work in those venues.

10) To cut down on my television and computer habits by more carefully monitoring my time spent using them, recognizing when I am using them as a crutch, and replacing the habit with something more constructive.

At a certain point, a person just has to DO instead of talking about doing.

Princess Choker

Polymer Clay Mosaic Velvet Jacket

And so I go to do. When in doubt, I go back to developing my body of work. I purchased some new fabric for some frock coats and vests today, so I'm very excited about that. I think I'm going to make some in a variety of different sizes, rather than just a mens 42. Perhaps that will open up some sales opportunities. I'd love to be able to "take orders" to make my garments on demand, but I can't afford to front money for the fabric I might need for potential orders and just have it sit there in my stock hoping someone will come along and order it... And the possibility of it disappearing from my local stores is always there, as I discovered today--I bought three yards of a fabric from a bargain bin, went back for more this afternoon, and it was gone. So if I don't buy in bulk, I'm sorta screwed if I can't find the fabric again. Best to make individual pieces.

So I make single pieces of unusual character and (hopefully) artistic merit and pray that they will appeal to a certain kind of customer. I'm not interested in making a "line" of clothing, and manufacturing them in a variety of sizes. I'm more interested in the artistic aspect that comes with the creation of each piece of wearable art, with it's singular personality and definition. I don't want to make dozens and dozens of exactly the same thing. And I am looking for the type of customer that doesn't want to wear something that dozens and dozens of other people are also wearing, either...

Caramel Relish corduroy coat

Wavy Relish Asymmetrical Coat

Is it an uphill battle? Probably. Would I rather be doing this than anything else in the world? Definitely. So I can't complain too much. Slow is better than backward, you know?

In this last year, I refocused my "corporate identity" and tried to start narrowing my style down into something that I could articulate in my head a bit better. I provided myself some boundaries regarding what's "appropriately Relished Artistry" and what just won't work for the brand. I've also developed more items to expand my range of price points so it's not all high-ticket items. I've explored a variety of social networking venues, but I'm having a bit of a problem finding the right audience for my stuff... It's all well and good to have communities of crafters and artists, but that's not where the customers are. Awesome and invaluable support, though! : )

I'm sure there are others out there that are experiencing the same things I am. It's a weird feeling isn't it?

But I'm not going to let this feeling stop me from Living Life with Relish, you know? And it shouldn't stop you, either.

I Think This Fabric Likes Being a Ruff and Not a Curtain

2011-10-08T00:39:00.000-07:00

I love my local upholstery fabric store. It sells a lot of fabrics that I simply cannot afford, but there is a bargain bin area in the back that features several racks and tables full of all kinds of small scraps. Some of them are big enough to make a pillow out of--some aren't--but there are sometimes chunks of stuff that are big enough to make a vest front out of, or even... a ruff.

I've made quite a few of these little "gems" lately--I'm really having fun making them out of unusual fabrics, and this time is no exception. I found some curtain sheering at the upholstery fabric store amongst the piles of strips of damasks and brocades, and it reminded me so much of a "vintage circus" I had to get it. It was screaming out for me to take it home. What could I do? I like to think I did a good deed and saved it from fabric purgatory.

I hoarded it for a while... I made a cravat for myself to wear with one of my vests that I made, and mulled over what else to make out of it for a long time. Then I decided I just couldn't sit on it anymore, and quickly cut it up into pieces so I had to actually use it for what I was cutting it up for! It was painful, but exhilarating to be moving forward with it...

The reason I held out on it for so long is because the fabric has a wonderful appearance that I haven't seen anywhere else... It's gorgeous silk. It's woven with a gold thread and a deep maroon thread in stripes that gradate from predominantly maroon on side of the fabric to predominantly gold on the other... The reverse side echoes the gradation but in the opposite direction (like most brocades would show the reverse of the image). Between all these silk stripes is a woven, semi-transparent stripe, giving the entire fabric a transparent quality that, frankly is... just... frickin'... beautiful. To me. It is gentle, and masculine, and refined, and vintage-feeling all at the same time. It has this wonderfully warm golden tone that is just hypnotic to me, and a soft sheen that isn't "slicky shiney" but somehow mature and reserved. It steams and presses like butter.

After cartridge pleating it, I mounted the whole thing on a gold organdy ribbon completely by hand. Well, it's hard not to do a ruff by hand, actually... I finished off the ends of the ribbon with aglets so they wouldn't fray, and once I had each ruffle mounted by hand, I actually took out the cartridge pleating threads so it would fall more naturally and informally.

You can't really tell the fabric is semi-transparent much from the photos, but the other items I made out of this fabric make that much more apparent.

This is one of those things that I feel gives "dumpster diving" a good name. I swear--most of my best items in my stash are from these discount bargain bin areas!! I mean, really! I've purchased oriental brocades that were inadvertently stained, which I washed away (and made a frock coat out of it). I've purchased rayon velvet that had holes in it (hello collar and cuffs). I've discovered old wools (that became a retro-inspired jacket). My fabric stash is bursting with potential projects and fabrics that I just "know" I'll use someday... What is that saying? "She who dies with the most fabric wins"? Well, I know I'm a guy, but at this rate I'm gonna give every single one of you a run for your money!! Look out!! Haha!

From ruffs to scarves to cravats, this was some of the best fabric I had ever purchased, and all of these things are going onto my Etsy and Artfire sites soon. I am going to go back and look for more, but I'm not expecting much... Isn't it fun to make these little "one-off" gems? It's like you have to commit to whatever it is you've decided to make, and know deep down inside that this fabric was meant to become what you've planned for it.

I sometimes imagine those TV commercials that animate common everyday objects like window cleaner (Arm and Hammer) or tastebuds (Snickers) or dirt and mud (Swiffer). I "personify" my fabric sometimes, in my head (yeah, I know... "wacko"... But I have fun, darnit!) Somewhere long ago, on a factory loom, this fabric's fellow yarns were all excited about becoming window dressing. But this couple of yards of yarn found a home as a real, authentic piece of wearable art. These yarns are going to see much more of the world than the curtain sheers will.

I think they're excited about that.

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Must... stop... making... wallpapers... Argh!

2011-10-06T14:28:00.000-07:00

So here is the last desktop wallpaper I'm going to make for a while... I'm having WAY too much fun, and it's distracting me from doing the other work I should be doing--like actually making wearable art. Hm.

This image, by the way, is taken from the collection of Double--M through Flickr's Creative Commons License. This level of attribution license allows me to alter and reuse the image she has collected in her Flickr account for my own work, as long as I attribute the inspiring image back to her.

So that's what I'm doing. : )

I hope you enjoy the wallpaper as much as I had fun making it... It's fun to do "grunge" in Photoshop... And juxtaposing it with something beautiful is really quite interesting, if I may say so myself. This style of contrasting the old with the new, and capturing a feeling or essence is something that I think a lot of mixed-media and assemblage artists are going after these days. I think that touches on a contemporary cultural feeling that we're all sort of sharing--going back to our past and celebrating the simple beauty that is so different from the complicated world we live in. By appreciating the small, authentic, and true, it somehow makes it easier for us to sort out our incredibly convoluted lives and makes them easier to live and enjoy. I like that sentiment, and I'm all for it.

And here is a desktop wallpaper that is influenced by that philosophy.

Just click on the top half of the image appropriate to your kind of computer, and you'll get a larger image that you can download. Then simply tell your computer that you want to make it your desktop image by adjusting your System Preferences.

Live Life with Relish!

Mac

Another Downloadable Desktop Wallpaper

2011-10-05T12:26:00.000-07:00

Just a quickie post today to share the new downloadable wallpapers I've made for Relished Artistry... This one is on the darker side than the one previously. Not in tone, but in color value... It's more brown than the previous, and is a bit more "graphics heavy".

But it's still much more functional than many of the desktop pictures that I've seen around. Just click on the top half of the images below for your type of computer (Mac or PC) and a larger version of the same picture will appear. Click on that image to download it to your computer, and from there it's a simple matter to tell your System Preferences to use that particular image as your desktop! Ta-da!!

And Live Life with Relish!

Mac

Romantic Fluffy Pierrot Ruff

2011-10-04T18:08:00.000-07:00

Costumes have become more and more popular over recent years for all kinds of celebrations, the most popular of which (in the US) is coming up at the end of this month! Halloween is famous for goblins and monsters, witches and ghosts, but there are lots of other costuming possibilities that don't require exploring the spooky or scary... Which leads me to the second of this week's posts about the recent pieces I've put together.

I purchased some curtain sheer fabric from my local "fabric warehouse" a long while ago, and I've been slowly using it up for a variety of projects. My latest piece is a soft, romantic ruff made for ladies with long hair so they don't have to put it up in a bun. It's made almost the same way a "traditional" ruff is made, but this drapes gently over the shoulders instead of standing out stiffly from the neck.

This kind of ruff is more popularly seen in clown figures rather than historical reenactments. It's got a quality about it that is decidedly less "formal" than most historically accurate ruffs. I doubt it's something you'd find at a renaissance faire since it's not "authentic" enough, either. It's simply what it is--a pretty expression that's more appropriate to Carnivale, Mardi Gras, or a Venetian Masquerade than in someone's Elizabethan attire... It's for sale in both my Etsy and Artfire sites.

There have been some famous clowns of yore that have worn soft ruffs like this, but most notably the Commedia dell'Arte inspired "Pierrot". From Wikipedia:

"In short, Pierrot became an alter-ego of the artist, specifically of the famously alienated artist of the 19th and early 20th centuries.[3] His physical insularity; his poignant muteness, the legacy of the great mime Deburau; his white face and costume, suggesting not only innocence but the pallor of the dead; his often frustrated pursuit of Columbine, coupled with his never-to-be vanquished unworldly naïveté—all conspired to lift him out of the circumscribed world of the Commedia dell'Arte and into the larger realm of myth. Much of that mythic quality still adheres to the "sad clown" of the postmodern era."

This ruff embodies many of the characteristics of the Pierrot clown that inspired it--an artistic naïveté, an innocence, and an optimism that is very different from the harsh and strong edges of a regular ruff. Unlike Elizabethan ruffs with blackwork around the edges, this relaxed and informal ruff isn't haughty or stiff, nor formal and direct. It is gentle, childlike, and hopeful.

Live Life with Relish!

Some Fun Downloadable Wallpapers

2011-10-03T21:57:00.000-07:00

So I've learned a lot about Adobe's Photoshop over the years, and it's been an agonizing experience. Not that I didn't enjoy learning, it's just that I love to play with the program a little too much, and I know in my heart it could suck the lifeblood out of me... I could spend hours and hours and hours with that program and never get to the bottom of it. It's like learning how to play with a set of paints--the possibilities are endless!

I started to learn the program so I could use it for my costume design stuff. Yeah, it all started with theatre, as most things do for me... I wanted a way of doing easier renderings, since I felt my drawing skills left a little to be desired. Well, little did I realize that there's no way of getting around it, really... If you're going to do renderings, you kind of have to bite the bullet and learn to draw, because the computer program can't really do that for you--it has to have something to work with in order to do it's stuff.

So I went from repackaging collected research images (so I could present my ideas to the directors) to "presenting" them in a format that was a bit more expressive (layers and shadows and fonts--oh my!). Then I started providing a neat little "framing mechanisms" for all my commercial photos of my artwork, to finally taking the leap and applying those skills for my own purposes by making my own Etsy and Artfire banners and diddling around with wallpapers...

And that brings me to today. I decided that if I have these skills, why not use them for a little fun? So I designed a desktop wallpaper and I'm making it available for everyone to download, with the promise that there will be many more to come! Dunno if they're actually going to be of any use to anyone, but I think this one is a pretty good start, and I've made it for both the Mac and the PC (which, in essense, means switching the saying from one side to the other).

I've always been a bit frustrated with desktop wallpapers--they just have too much "stuff" in them, and I end up losing my files in the illustration... I spend more time trying to find what I'm looking for than they're worth. The reason why computers come with pre-programmed wallpapers that are so boring is because they have to be so you can find what you're looking for! Simple is best, I say.

I think I'm going to explore making more wallpapers that are designed around the "essence" of what I think I'm trying to promote. I think these images will be very near the heart of Relished Artistry, style-wise, and I can't wait to make more. Enjoy!

All you have to do is click on the upper portion of either the Mac version or the PC version of the image to have it pop open in another window--full sized. Then save that image to your desktop, and go to your computer's System Preferences. You can tell your computer to make it fit the size of your monitor as the desktop image! Easy as pie! : )

And Live Life with Relish!

Mac

Great-Grandma's Painting

2011-10-03T00:45:00.000-07:00

I'm still exploring the neck, I guess. Most of the stuff that I've been making have been centered around that particular body part. I know that I'm a tad ticklish around my neck, and it's the first place to feel uncomfortable when I get warm. Do I have a fixation with necks? I'm not sure. But whether I do or not, the items that I'm posting in my Artfire and Etsy shops these next couple of days are all about it...

The first piece I'll talk about this week is something that is near and dear to my heart--a choker I created using sage green organdy ribbon and some vintage gimp trim. I just got excited about using my ruffler, I guess, and decided to play! The transparent quality of the ribbon reminded me of my great-grandmother's hand painted porcelain cabochons. So I decided to use one. It was given to me by my aunt, who is a talented "china painter" herself, and inherited my great-grandmother's tools and equipment and supplies when she passed on. My aunt gave a few to me to use in my own work.

I've mentioned great-grandmother before... Her name was Ferne Marie Carver. She lived in southwest Iowa, in a small town named Coin--population 250 at the most, if I recall correctly. My entire family grew up there--both sides--and my younger sisters and I lived there for a while until we moved south to mid-Missouri. I barely knew Ferne (she died when I was very young), but I remember her Depression-era aprons that she wore all the time, and the smell of turpentine, and the huge walk-in closet of porcelain dish ware and jewelry pieces...

I swear, she that closet held everything a person could possibly make with porcelain clay! 900 billion different types of plates (each for very specific purposes, mind you), every size and shape of cabochon ever invented, and enough small glass vials of powdered pigment to make me wonder (as a small child looking up onto the shelves) if she wasn't some sort of mad scientist!

She taught classes, of course, so she needed a lot of supplies. But wow--it was literally like walking into a Crate & Barrel. Surreal.

So using a piece of her work in my own work is really special to me. She had tried to teach us china painting--but I think I was 7 years old, so hey, I was a bit distracted... My mom and her two sisters have inherited the body of work that Ferne created over time and didn't sell. Multiple sets of floral-themed place settings, relish trays, candy dishes, cookie plates, tea pots, pitchers, coffee pots... Even toothpaste dispensers that wind up your tube as you use it up, tiny porcelain baby shoes to commemorate births, toy tea sets, switch plates, and lamp shades...

She painted it all.

And this rose cabochon is just a piece of her wonderful artistic genius. And I'm hoping that someday, someone can put this piece around their neck and show it off and be happy. Because it deserves to make someone happy as she made a lot of people happy with her wonderful talent.

There's a quality about Ferne's painting that is soft and gentle... It's almost misty or foggy. There aren't really any hard lines in the floral arrangement like there are in contemporary decorative painting (or "toll painting" as it used to be called). The white of the smooth porcelain surface almost acts like watercolor paper would, allowing soft gentle gradations and disappearing color. It's impressionistic, in a sense.

I've since learned that this style of painting on porcelain is called the "American Style", and is still quite popular today. Painting on porcelain is an expensive hobby nowadays. But I do love the softness that it creates with simply placed swipes of color.

I think that combination of softness, nostalgia, wonder, and beauty that I felt growing up is how I'm approaching my work making wearable art today. It's not a literal "recreation" of the small things that made childhood great, it's a "re-stoking" of the exact same feelings in a different context. When I finish one of my pieces, I feel like I felt when I was standing in that supply closet looking up at the collection of possibilities... I add it to the body of work that will someday stretch out into the world. There is a sense of magic. Of artistic grace. Of celebrating the simple and authentic.

Yeah. I think that's a good thing to aspire to, you know? : )

Until next time, Live Life with Relish.

Why I've Stepped Away from Pinterest

2011-09-30T22:04:00.000-07:00

I used to collect images on Pinterest until today. For those of you who don't know what Pinterest is, it's a site that allows you to collect images from the web in "collections" based on whatever theme you assign to them. You can even allow others to add images to the collection if you want. The collections of images (style boards, if you will) are then available to be viewed by the other members of Pinterest, and individual images "re-pinned" into their own collections.

I found this to be an incredibly helpful method to organize my own thoughts regarding inspiration and projects that I would like to try on my own. I even had a category of "Potential Future Projects" that was filled with images I had downloaded from various sites, things I wanted to make on my own at some point in the future.

Then I read some posts on various blogs that started me thinking... Here and here...

The issues they discussed were a bit different, but it got me going down a path that led me to some conclusions of my own...

If I take an image from someone's site, and post it to my own public collection without their permission nor attribution, am I ethically doing the right thing? It's one thing to collect them for personal use, but isn't it quite another to post them onto a site out of the context of their original setting, then put them into a searchable index, and then allow others to repost the same image, all without needing to visit the original website... At all?

I've started going out of my way to try to attribute where the images come from that I use on my own blog, and I'm now only using images from the Creative Commons collection on Flickr for my blog, making sure I provide a link back to the Flickr user's photostream where I got it. The Creative Commons Attribution License allows for me to use the images from their photostreams as long as I meet certain criteria ranging from giving them credit, avoiding "derivations" of the work, and whether or not I can use it commercially. I know that the people who offer their work under the Creative Commons License have given me permission to use their images. If I use them in a way that's outside of the parameters of the kind of license they choose to share them with, I can be sued for copyright infringement.

As I mentioned before, I used Pinterest primarily for collecting research, inspiration, and projects I'd like to modify or try myself. I didn't allow others to post images to my collections. For me, it was a glorified filing system.

And then I found Evernote, a program that is much more robust in it's ability to organize a wider variety of files--including video and sound. I can bookmark webpages and include notations, and keep them in collections with inspirational images and scanned in sketches, photos, and raw images of my own from a variety of creative programs. It can be used for a vast number of applications--from writing to business as well as hobbyists. On top of that, you can share your files over email with whomever you choose, so it has a lot of collaborative possibilities also--even though I'm using it as a filing system, not to share images. It's also free up to a certain level, but then it requires a fee to get into higher levels of storage capacity.

And it hit me--why do I need Pinterest if I'm not collecting images to share with others? Why do I need Pinterest at all if I'm only collecting images for personal inspiration? Why not use the program I'm actually paying for to do that?

Further, it alleviates some of my stress over inadvertently sharing images that the owners may not desire to be shared, and I cover my bases legally. I collect the images for my personal use.

Beyond that, it focuses me a bit more. It's less about my ability to create interesting groups of images, and more about what I actually do with them... I'm not saying that creating style boards of things that have a certain "somethin' somethin'" isn't a fascinating thing to do, but ultimately it's what we do with that inspiration that's important. I wonder if the act of collecting isn't a poor vicarious substitute that provides us with a false feeling of accomplishment instead of helping us get actual work done... At least that's how I personally feel sometimes... Collecting research can be a satisfying process, but eventually it has to be put aside to pick up the tools and make choices...

I just didn't want my personal inspirational process to be the focus of things for me. And spending my time collecting the images instead of doing the work was inadvertently making it my focus.

So I transfered all my image collections to my Evernote notebooks today, then deleted all my boards on Pinterest. I feel better about myself now. I feel like I took a step toward self discipline, and a step away from what I was starting to feel was a sorta "narcissistic" side of sharing myself that really didn't have anything to do with my work... It's probably not that way for others, but it was a big step for me, personally.

Frankly, most of the quandary over Pinterest in the crafting community is how often craft work has been appearing in collections marked "DIY", rather than purchasing the actual work. I can understand the frustration, really. As I said earlier, I had my own board of "Potential Future Projects" that I wanted to do. But there isn't anything anyone can do about that, really, except be conscious of how that makes others feel when you're taking an image of their work and essentially telling them you're going to steal their idea and do it yourself. It's rather like taking photos of someone else's work in a craft fair booth, or a museum. It's considered rude when you tell an artist, to his face, "I can do this myself. Thanks for the idea, but I don't care about what you put into this. Thanks for doing all the work for me and figuring it out so I don't have to. See ya, sucker!" I don't want to accidentally contribute to those hard feelings--or at least not assist in the spread of those feelings through thoughtlessness.

I'm more than happy to share my work with others, and I know my Etsy site (like so many others) may have had several images uploaded to various "DIY" Pinterest collections. That's okay by me--If people feel that they can do what I do then I guess they're not my sales demographic, and I should be looking for customers who might not have the skills or who simply might not care to do it themselves. And maybe, in the end, that's really why I took my inspirational resources off of Pinterest... Because I'm doing the work. If you'd like to do the work, you can find the inspirational materials on your own just like I had to.

Bleh. Enough of that. Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? I'd love to hear what you think, of if you feel I've forgotten some aspect of things that I hadn't considered... Let me know. : )

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Camera image by Jonathan Baker via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

Have you seen my head? I think it just got bit off...

2011-09-26T15:13:00.000-07:00

Yowch. Lemme tell ya a little story...

I'm finally getting around to getting my first tent for art fairs and festivals. I'm earning enough money, and I have enough of a body of work (I hope) that I can start to go to some local farmer's markets and street festivals. I'm excited about the potential, and I've thought about it for a long time. I think it's the next logical step for me to try and get my stuff out there.

I started exploring different kinds of tents on the internet and come to the conclusion that there are two kinds of tents in the "festival world"--EZ-Up tents and tents that require more assembly (I don't know if there's a name for those).

The EZ-Up tents have a canopy that expands open, and legs that simply drop down from inside, locking in place. It's all one piece. It looks pretty easy to set up and take down by one's self.

In contrast, the other kind of tent requires a lot more piecing together as the legs and joints are all separate pieces. The tarp for the canopy is separate, and has to be place onto it by hand.

I went to my local Costco and looked at their EZ-Up tent that they had in stock, and was stunned by how flimsy it was. A simple gust of wind would send it flying. And the complicated expanding mechanism that allows it to work seemed to be potentially plagued with problems--a bent strut or popped rivet could render the whole tent inoperative very quickly.

And I wanted to find out if it could handle any weight--I wanted to find a tent in which I could suspend a bar from side to side and possibly dangle clothing or mobiles from it. I needed to ask someone if it was possible to do that using an EZ-Up tent--if it was strong enough.

I went online to a favorite site of mine--Art Fair Insiders--and posted my question on the forums. Not 5 minutes later, I got a reply post. But it was less than useful--it was filled with such venom and anger and spite that it took my breath away... I was accused of being a clueless hillbilly who should get a real job since I was obviously going to fail if I all I could do was post stupid questions.

Burn! Not only did my hackles rise, but they were literally singed off! I was feeling a bit crispy!

Of course, I know enough about the internet to realize this happens. It's part of the anonymity of it all. I know that.

But it made me really step back and wonder, how on earth someone could be so bitter about an honest question? The reply post expressed a deeply seated frustration with dealing with "newbies" wanting all their answers without figuring things out for themselves... I just wonder how a person reaches that point... A good portion of my background is in teaching, and I know what it's like to teach introductory theatre courses to folks who don't know what they're doing, so maybe I'm a bit numb to the quandary she's feeling. But it made me feel... naive. It made me feel angry that the kindness and generosity that seems to be a hallmark of the new crafting and arts movements was so upbraided and ridiculed like that. It felt like a denial of everything we've all worked so hard for, of the examples that so many people I know set for one another.

I was breathless. I'd never experienced that outright hostility in this industry. And I was surprised! Art Fair Insiders has always been a wonderful resource of great professionals willing to help and offer advice. It was uncharacteristically mean for postings on that site. I'd never seen anything like it there. And I did get several helpful replies and much lamenting of the hostility of the first reply...

But I wonder, now, if I have indeed been too naive as I've tried to make this business work. I worry that what I don't know is what's really going to tear down my optimism.

I don't know how much I don't know, but I do know that if I let myself lose hope I'll be lost before I begin. Ignorance is bliss, true. But I'd rather choose it over pessimistic, jaded experience if that's my future.

I refuse to give up hope. And I'll staunchly continue to be naive even if bitter frustration is the inevitable alternative.

So if you see my head rolling around on the floor nearby, let me know. I've got to resew it on, because I've got work to do.

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Top image by plutor via Flickr, Creative Commons License.
Bottom image by CedarBendDrive via Flickr, Creative Commons License.

Halloween's Around the Corner

2011-09-25T15:53:00.000-07:00

Halloween is around the corner, and I'm sure that some of you already have plans for your costume! Some of you may not really care too much about that, and instead are planning for a quiet evening at home, possibly passing out candy to neighborhood kids or simply watching TV.

Regardless, Halloween has become quite an interesting phenomenon as far as "contemporary holidays" are concerned. In my lifetime alone, it has changed dramatically from something relatively small-scale to a big commercially supported holiday. When I was growing up, we bought costumes in boxes with plastic masks held on with elastic behind our heads. But now... Wow. It's not that way anymore!

Nowadays, we have the internet, of course, and that's changed everything. Now we have instantaneous access to any number of tutorials about how to make our own costumes, how to create decorations, and how to make cookies. Gone are the days when a vacu-formed costume was cool--nowadays there are some awesome looks that simply can't come in a box. I think Halloween's standards have increased a bit.

On a personal level, I've come to love and hate Halloween at the same time... It's always been a double-edged sword for me. I have very high standards for costuming, so I rarely get dressed up myself. It's easier for me to assist others in their endeavors, but I rarely if ever don a costume myself.

And it seems that just about this time of the year is when many of my theatrical costuming jobs have happened. It's common for a shows to open around Halloween in academic venues, and most professional theaters like to have a multi-week run of a show happening about this time as they prepare for diving into their Christmas shows. So October, for me, has usually meant lots of people asking for my help and me not being able to give it to them... Which always makes me frustrated. And even less inclined to be in a celebratory mood.

But this year promises to be different. This year, I actually went out and bought some pumpkins and gourds to decorate my house. This year, I'm actually helping a couple friends with their costumes.

I think this may be a good Halloween after all.

Live Life with Relish!

Image by lobo235 via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

Friends and Contracts

2011-09-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

It's been a bit since I posted, simply because I haven't really had anything to post about... I've been working quite a bit in my studio on some contract work for a friend of mine who is designing a children's show through Kaiser Permanente. I've been making dog pants, fur suspenders, food label robes, polar fleece hats, cargo skirts, and acrylic resin cherries and apples.

It's a long story, and I wish I could show you pictures, but I can't because that would be a violation of my contract...

So instead, I thought I might just put that question out there for everyone to consider--what's life like as an Independent Contractor?

There's a bit of a controversy about that term--are you a "Freelancer" or are you an "Independent Contractor"? Some feel that the term freelance is a bit demeaning in today's world. Personally, I've never given it much thought.

I thought I was new to the contractor/freelance world, honestly. I'd spent most of my sewing career working in theaters as part of their costuming staff, or in higher education on the faculty as a teacher. So when I started Relished Artistry, LLC to start making wearable art, I thought I had a major learning curve to get through. I started reading all kinds of books about the fashion industry (some can be found here), and the business of art, as well as becoming one's own entrepreneur. My thoughts were, "Hey, I need to do research!"

Then I realized I'd been working as an Independent Contractor for a huge part of my career. The vast majority of my theatrical costume design work had been like that. They had hired me for a stipend to do a particular show.

Flash forward a bit, and suddenly I am approached to make costumes for a show done by a company that doesn't have a costume shop of their own. Not design them, simply construct them from designs already created. I found myself making estimates regarding construction time so I could make bids, and breaking down my process into different hourly rates. The nature of the contracts I was signing was a bit different than what I was used to as a designer--different verbiage, different requirements, different expectations. I didn't know what was the norm for construction contracts, and had to ask some more experienced friends for their opinions.

Then it seemed like all at once I was asked by several friends to help them with specific costume items that they desired--a Hussar military-esque jacket, a couple hats, a priest cassock... These requests came from friends. They weren't people that I would normally sign a contract with...

And I've discovered that it's the friends that are the biggest challenge to making the Independent Contractor concept work... With my friends, I find myself spending way way too much time on their projects, or investing money on equipment or supplies that I shouldn't. I've not figured out how to help my friends with what I do best, and yet honor my own professionalism. I think it would be rude to say, "No, I won't help you sew that or do those alterations even though this is what I know how to do better than any of your other friends."

What's worse is that it's difficult for me to take money from my friends for doing the work I do. So in the end I'm losing time, supplies, and income. And I know that in the big picture that's a big entrepreneurial no-no... I should have enough integrity to be okay with it, and confidence that what they're paying for is worth it to them. It's actually insulting in a way to not charge them for work that I do--I know that if I were in their shoes I would want to pay them for their skills.

I've sold a lot of custom work on Etsy and Artfire that didn't have contracts--simply messaging exchanges. And I've been lucky, I guess--I've never been asked for anything ridiculous, and I've always required payment up front before I begin my work... I keep them in the loop and get what they've requested to them when I said I would. And the one time something didn't work out (a boyfriend who bought a coat that ended up being too small for his girlfriend) I remade it and had them send back the original to sell again...

So here's my question--I'm now starting to get larger requests from my friends for a scale of work that I would normally expect some written affirmation and recognition of the agreement--a contract. At what point do you transition from a favor for a friend to a professional arrangement? What criteria do you use? Is there a philosophy or formula you've adopted? How do you approach the quandary of friends and contracts?

Until next time--Live Life with Relish!

Top image by NobMouse via Flickr. Creative Commons License.
Middle Image by lafa.pixellutions via Flickr. Creative Commons License.
Bottom image by The Intrepid Traveler via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

Reflections on Vendors, Designers, and Theatre

2011-09-07T01:11:00.000-07:00

Heartbreak House

Seth Brogan published a blog entry today called Talent and Vendors. It was an interesting ditty about the difference between how one treats a "vendor" and a "talent". It reminded me of my experiences in my theatrical past. This post is written in the hopes that others who might be working in a collaborative artistic position that is also hierarchical in nature (like being a designer for a company) might find it useful.

In my work as a costume designer, I often lamented work situations where I found myself providing a "product" for show producers that didn't really know what I did or how I did it. Sure, they had a rudimentary understanding of my job, but little knowledge of how things specifically got done, nor the amount of time it took to accomplish things.

But part of what they paid me for was taking responsibility for those aspects of the theatrical production, so "making them aware" of what went into costuming was a moot point. Consequently, I often found myself doing the job of several people which would have traditionally been distributed among different positions on a costuming team. The scale of the theatrical endeavors that I worked on didn't usually allow for more paid hands, and simply put: I was it. If I didn't do it, it wouldn't get done.

Marat/Sade

This was complicated by different directors and actors having a wide variety of working relationships with theatrical designers--some wanted a "gofer", some wanted a technician, some wanted a visualizer. Most didn't know how to explain what they wanted in clothing or sewing terms, so it was up to me to actualize the ideas they had in their heads. I inevitably found myself trying to read their minds, providing endless choices and options so I could prompt a better understanding of what they were trying to express through the characters and the production. So much for designing.

I think a lot of creative people experience this with their bosses, regardless of their field: Throw something at the wall and see if it sticks!

In time, I sometimes found myself feeling like a "costume vending machine", where a producer puts money in and a director pushes buttons to get what they desire from a field of choices at hand. I felt the roots of my education slowly evaporate beneath me as my hard learned skills in color theory, history, the elements of art, principles of design, and textual analysis were shunted aside in favor of my professional connections to those who owned costume collections and my familiarity with malls, thrift stores, or website resources. It became a race to provide options for others to make choices. And I slowly let myself degenerate from a collaborator to a facilitator. When I finally realized I had done that to myself, it was a bitter pill to swallow. What was I doing? Is this what I had set out to do?

Six Characters in Search of an Author

I finally realized that perhaps I simply don't have the temperament to be a costume designer. Unfortunately, it took me a long, long time to figure that out.

So now I'm trying a different kind of expression that isn't as collaborative, where I am solely responsible for making the design decisions and the actualization (and consequently must deal with the ramifications on my own). There is a great luxury in working with others in a group artistic expression--you are not alone if it turns out to be a piece of crap. But for me, I felt like I wasn't doing my best work. I wasn't contributing what I could. I wasn't doing what I was educated to do.

So then comes Mr. Brogan and his blog post. And I realized there is a huge difference between working with an artist and working with a vendor. A vendor doesn't approach their work in the same way. They aren't interested in the expression as much as they are interested in the logistics. Mr. Brogan says a vendor, "is agnostic about what's being sold, and is focused on volume, or at least consistency." It hit me that my directors may have sometimes seen me more as a vendor than an artist. I'm not sure I presented myself in the way I wanted to be accepted.

Don't let yourself descend into an artistic quagmire like I did. Make sure you know the situation that you're getting into... So much of our work culture has commoditized artistic expression as a product in and of itself, where creativity on demand is the norm. It's important that as an artist you know you're stepping into those circumstances.

Your boss may not know what you do, and may not care to. Your creative output may be a product to them. Therefore--

The Illusion

1) It's important to personally acknowledge your creative contributions as a means to an end, and not invest yourself entirely in particular artistic choices others may not love as much as you do. Fall in love with the possibilities, and don't eliminate alternatives.

2) It's important that you develop the skills and language to articulate why you've made the choices you've made so you aren't just practicing deference and leaving it up to someone else to make the decisions. You know what you're doing--believe in yourself enough to be able to explain yourself if necessary.

3) Develop people skills and learn how to interpret the verbal cues that are expressed by your clients or supervisors. It's important that you not spend all your time struggling to understand what someone wants--you need to figure that out quickly so you can move on to the creative act of actually doing the art. And if extended conversations are anticipated in order to reach a mutual vision, you may have to plan for that as part of the process.

Most of the directors I worked with were of two camps--they either wanted a lot of conversations to figure out what they wanted as they talked it out, or they wanted very few conversations and had very specific ideas about what would work appropriately and what wouldn't. The former took a lot of time and planning, the latter required less contribution and more facilitating from the designers.

Bed and Sofa

The best directors expressed an interest in how the nature of collaboration worked by using methods and systems of conversation that provided structure to the design discussions--games and interactive tools (for example) that focused the dialogue toward constructive and concrete decisions that then allowed work to be accomplished. The worst directors didn't know what they wanted until they didn't see it, or until it was way to late in the process to do anything about it. Riddled with hesitancy, those experiences were ultimately nightmares to work on as the bulk of the work came very late in the process, and placed everyone in reactionary mode that was uncreative, uninteresting, and unprofessional.

Don't let yourself become a vendor if that's not what you were expecting and you don't want to be. There are ways to prevent it before it's too late.

Because life is too short to do something you don't want to do.

Live Life with Relish.

More Fun with Tin Cans, Patina, and Magnets

2011-09-05T00:24:00.000-07:00

I've made some more tin can "room jewelry" I want to share with you all... And I tried applying the copper, bronze, and patina to the back of glass floral cabochons and glued magnets on the back. I think they've turned out quite unusual--they certainly look awesome on my refrigerator! Haha!

I'm enjoying this! A friend stopped by the other day, and said she could easily see my mobiles featured in an Anthropologie store, which was very flattering. While it seems there are a lot of pros and cons to that store, and I've never actually been in one myself, I'm going to take my friend's comment as the compliment it was intended to be! It tickled me! I'm hoping they may "take off" as I get more of them into my Etsy and Artfire shops. I'm also starting to think about how I will display them when I go to my first art festival or street fair, but I have a long way to go for that. I still have a lot of "stock" to make and I don't even have a tent! Nor display forms, nor storage bins, nor registered for any of them... Like I said--a long way to go...

(On a side note, I'm thinking a street fair might be a perfect excuse to invest in an iPad so I can swipe credit cards for point-of-purchase sales... Hehe... I guess I'm just a big boy who wants more toys. Haha!)

Anyway, I thought I'd share these with you and get some feedback if you care to leave a comment--the product or the quality of the photos, it doesn't matter... This was my first time using a little foam core lighting box that I hurriedly put together. Wow did I have to manipulate these pics in Photoshop--they started out dark and colorless... I had to adjust all kinds of things to make the hues and contrast appear like they do in real life... In reality, the colors are surprisingly vibrant and rich. The copper stands out and the blue patine practically glows! I'm not sure if I'm lighting them the wrong way or what. But pulling out the rich tones through the layer of thick glass is a bit of a challenge! Thank goodness I know Photoshop enough to make up for my lack of camera skills. Argh!

The magnets are a great experimentation on my part--I've always enjoyed magnets, and when I found the metallic finishes would stick to the underside of the glass, I was excited by the potential to use it in my Neck Laces and as brooches. I'm wondering what other kinds of chain and charms I could use in conjunction with it. Hmmm...

Regardless, this is all going into my Etsy and Artfire shops, soon.

Anyway, until next time--Live Life with Relish!

Reminiscing and Oilcloth

2011-09-01T16:09:00.000-07:00

It's interesting how a person changes, given time. I'm not the same person that I was when I was in my undergrad program 20 years ago at the University of Central Missouri. Back then, I was still trying to figure out who I was and what I was going to do with my life. I think that's what we all go through after the shock of leaving high school--if you don't have some sort of plan for your future it can be disorienting.

I thought I had a plan. But things rarely turn out how one intends...

Today, having stepped off the pre-planned path that guided my life, I find myself looking at the lives of my fellow college students that experienced many of the same things I did when we were there together. It's heartening to me to realize that many of their lives didn't stay "on track" either. It's a great relief to know that they, too, have taken the uncertainty of their futures and carved out lives of their own that are just as satisfying and enriching as the paths they had intended to take. Just because plans change doesn't mean the quality of life is degraded.

It's in the spirit of discovering new qualities of life that I would like to share with you a new book by a former peer of mine from college: Kelly McCants. Her new book, Sewing with Oilcloth, just hit the market. I'm ecstatic for her!! I'm not at all sure this is the path that she had intended to trod, but it's obvious her enthusiasm and drive are working to her benefit!

Kelly and our friend, Ron in the early 1990s

When I knew Kelly, she was a year ahead of me in our theatre program, and we were both working toward the same BFA degree in costuming. Kelly was a wonderful friend, and a true go-getter. I remember an incredibly ambitious and strikingly beautiful children's show that she did with Asian inspired costumes and makeup influenced by the Chinese Opera singers. I remember when she was cast as Cha Cha in a summer stock production of Grease. I remember how I stumbled to her apartment across town in the middle of the night, angry at the world and crying on a drunken binge (hey, it was college) and how she took me in and calmed me down, never judging. I remember how she used to have thick, red, curly flaming hair that went on for miles and miles. I remember sharing a house for two years with her on-again/off-again boyfriend that we all seem to have a version of in our past. But most of all, I remember the good example she set for me, and I strove to rise to her level.

Kelly McCants today

All those years ago, I don't think she intended on running her own oilcloth fabric distribution service over at Oilcloth Addict, and products made with oilcloth at Modern June, each with their own blogs (here and here). But that's what she's doing. She's doing a book tour, appearing on podcasts (I CAN'T WAIT--Sept. 9th on Craftsanity, Sept. 12 on Craftypod), and generally doing the "author thing". I didn't realize she had a love of oilcloth, but hey, I guess we all grow and develop interests and become bigger and better than we were in our youth. It's called maturity. And this path that she's on is a wonder and delight!

Who knew she would end up doing this all those years ago? Today she home schools her two kids, has a wonderful husband, a beautiful home, and determination enough to create her own livelihood and write a book on top of it all. Can anyone know what they're going to be when they grow up? Kelly is an author. And I have to admit that's not a bad thing! It's inspiring. It makes me want to strive to rise to her level. :)

From the blog, "Made"

I urge you to check out the links above--Kelly's websites are chock full of tutorials and beautiful design ideas. She has a Flickr account here that features different swatches of both the oilcloth and laminated cottons that she sells. She's also on Facebook and Pinterest (which I just joined myself, and I'm Loving It). And finally, here's another link to a recent blog post on Made that features her book, complete with pics of the inside and everything. I'm thinking I'm going to have to explore this stuff--it's so fresh and crisp and airy! Fun Fun Fun!!

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

The Great Tin Can Experiment

2011-08-28T19:12:00.000-07:00

I've started to save all the cans that my vegetables come in... I have tuna cans and olive cans, cans that had corn or green beans, even cans that had ravioli in them. I've started saving all of my bottles, too--wine bottles, cream soda bottles, mayonnaise jars and soy sauce containers... I'm starting to feel rather like a hoarder. I've got boxes of trash all over the place!

I've been slowly soaking the labels off off them, and this weekend I tried some experiments. I told myself I was going to find something to do with them, and I hadn't figured out what, but I would rather have them than not because my soul told me they'd be handy at some point. So my collection got bigger even though I had no idea why I was hoarding these things, trusting that soon my creative muse would share with me something fun and inspiring. I think I finally took a step forward.

I had used Sophisticated Finishes before for some mask making projects that I experimented with, and wanted to try them again. So having this pile of tin cans provided the perfect opportunity to explore a rustic side of my creativity that is decidedly non-sewing inclined! I jumped in and started painting these cans with primer, then copper and blackened bronze finishes. Then I applied a solvent to them that made green and blue patina! So not only did I have rust, but I had oxidized copper and bronze as well!

So I had piles of cans and bottles with faux copper and bronze surfaces that were all antiqued and old-looking. What to do? Make them fancy.

I whipped out my armature wire that I had purchased for my doll-making projects, and my leftover polymer clay tiles, chopped off some shanks from the back of buttons, and added some glass floral gems. Add some left over metallic trim and fringe, and some beads strung on the wire and held with glue, some rhinestones, and voila! A whimsical mobile with a carnival/rustic/steampunk edge!

I've been working with my dremel tool a bit, and tried to learn how to solder but realized that was a learning curve I was a bit too impatient to conquer this weekend. It's fun to eat into my stock of beads and findings, but I did end up going to the bead store to get more simply because I don't have a lot of items in the blue/teal ranges... I needed more. And while I was there, I found copper rings and chain and even more beads and... <sigh> Isn't it interesting that even when you're recycling something it can be expensive?!? Haha!

So I'm now the proud maker of around 12 different little "room jewelry" ornaments that I'm going to put in my Etsy shop. All of them different, all of them unique. I'm incredibly happy with how they've turned out--I'll add more pics as I get them processed. I have to say the looping wire with the beads is a real favorite of mine--it's delicate and guides the eye wonderfully. I'm going to explore what I can do with it. And I'm going to try more "circus" oriented pieces that might be interesting. We'll see.

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

'tis the Season to Turn Fear Inside Out

2011-08-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just around the corner--a little over two months away. The pattern companies are sending their kiosks to our favorite fabric stores, and yards of sparkly spiderweb fabric is piling up in seasonal displays. Moms across the US are pondering how they're going to make their little tot's costumes without breaking the bank, and savvy web-surfers are already collecting options for alternative looks that are completely out of the norm.

Halloween is a DIYers dream holiday. Not only is making one's own costume an adventure, but creating the accoutrements and accessories to make it a complete package is a golden opportunity for stretching one's wings and exploring new things. There are home decorating alternatives galore, and those with real electronic skill are beginning to ponder what wizardry they can create around their own abodes.

Halloween is also a great time to experiment with those cooking concoctions of the kitchen like the inner mad scientists we've always wanted to be. Dry ice? Crackle Pop candy? Food coloring? Baking Soda? Throw them all in for the exploding sugar volcano sure to rock the neighborhood! Black cat cookies? Zombie bars? Hearts of watermelon? It's time to play in a way you don't get to usually. Perhaps those Christmas favorites can get contorted and twisted to become Halloween favorites as well. Sugar Plum Faeries were never so wicked!

In my neighborhood, we go through several bags of candy as our neighbors play host to kids that seem to crawl out of the woodwork to visit our street and Trick or Treat. My partner sets up a handmade "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" Peanuts scene in our front yard that he's assembled out of painted plywood. Each of the figures is in their halloween garb, and stands about 3' tall... We used to light them, but were told that we couldn't because of city regulations.

But it's interesting how the Halloween holiday has put an emphasis on community where Christmas is about family. All of the kids that visit our front door in hopes of scoring their next sugar high trust the adults in their world to not hurt them. Their parents linger nearby, sure, and they may go get their candy x-rayed for safety, but under all of that it's really an exercise in trust. For a holiday like this to work, parents put themselves on the line and trust their communities to help provide a wonderful experience for the local children. It takes a village to raise a child? Well, on Halloween it does. Ironically, it's the antithesis of fear and fright that Halloween ultimately celebrates. No scary monsters can douse that spirit of optimism.

Maybe that's why all the activity brings out our adult neighbors to banter and laugh with each other. I think we're closer as a community on that night than we are normally. And that's good. The two guys directly across the street have been here as long as we have and they know all the kids and their parents. The Latino family next door to them is incredibly friendly. The divorced single dad living next to us has always been nice, even when his girlfriend's convertible was stolen from right in front of his house the first day he moved in... The older lady on the other side of us is charming, and the Marine and his wife who live behind us are the typical young married couple in their first home--socializing and hosting parties for their friends into the wee hours of the night... But we have a nice group of neighbors that look out for one another. And we all give out candy to the kids that appear from nowhere with their parents in tow, or arrange to provide candy to each other so they can give it out in our stead.

Maybe Halloween is about the costumes and cooking and decorating on one hand, but it's also about community on the other. Dressing up and having fun is a way of sharing that uplifting feeling with those that live nearby you. It's a great tool to step away from the computer or TV and rise to the occasion.

I encourage you to explore a DIY Halloween project this year, and use it as a bridge to express community solidarity and togetherness. Live Life with Relish while you can.

Top photo from aforestfrolic via Flickr. Creative Commons License.
Middle photo from Makelessnoise via Flickr. Creative Commons License.
Bottom photo from Stevendepolo via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

Visual Style

2011-08-20T19:18:00.000-07:00

I've become a big fan of Pinterest lately. I've been trying to collect inspiring images of things that I like, things that I would like to try my hand at making my own versions of, things that I feel a certain connection to.

It's been an interesting journey, and my collection has grown larger and larger waiting for me to do something with it. I've bookmarked dozens of websites that I find have intriguing images and formats, and subscribed to hundreds of blogs written by people that create jaw-dropping pieces of art that I would just love to own or make variations of myself.

I've been told that good artists steal things--they don't borrow. They take the best of the inspiration and shape it to their own vision, making it uniquely their own and distinct from what it was before. It's not copying. It's filtering through an artistic sieve, taking the ideas that connect and discarding what doesn't work, forging an entirely new expression. Some ideas are closer in essence to their originals, but if you get too close the artist is simply copying and not allowing their own essence to make it's mark. Copying is a denial of creativity. It's a tool, not the end product. Good artists copy so they can get better at stealing, but in the end copying is cheap imitation. No true artist wants to copy. That's not artistic.

So my collection of inspiring images has been growing, my searching growing wider and wider, my blog subscriptions taking longer and longer to read every day.

But today, I got an email from a singer/songwriter whose mailing list I subscribed to: Mark Cote. When I found his website (I can't remember how) I was struck by it's style--circus themed! I had to remember it, I told myself, and bookmarked it instantly. I eagerly awaited news about his future album, and told myself that his nostalgic vaudeville flare in visual choices could be quite inspiring for my own work.

I really like his music. His musical instruments are fun to listen to, he's safely radio-friendly pop, and sorta reminds me of the Beatles. Then the email came with his new video. I watched it. And I've got to say, I feel a real penchant toward it. It's sorta dark, sorta vintage, sorta steampunk... It's not goth--it's a bit brighter. It's warped, yes, but not in a horrible way.

The video reminds me of the 1983 movie, Something Wicked This Way Comes (which by the way, is a wonderful piece with a positive uplifting message in the end). I found this video to be incredibly intriguing. And I'd like to share it with you.

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Story Garments

2011-08-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to a few audiobooks lately. I just finished the two Patrick Rothfuss novels, the latest installment in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files, and also his Codex Alera series. I've rediscovered my fantasy fiction geek roots from when I was in junior high, and I'm thoroughly enjoying myself.

Playing D & D

It's put me in a storytelling state of mind. Not only have I rediscovered that great " I can't put it down" feeling, but it's started me on a path of thinking that I can't seem to stop following... I don't want to turn around and go back--I'm really enjoying my idea trajectory even though I don't have a clue as to where I'm going...

I've always wanted to tell great epic stories, too. I think that's why I was such a D&D geek growing up--I like sitting around a table with friends experiencing a great story and participating in it's creation. I used to read books that allowed me to "structure" my imagination with rules and dice, spinning contexts waiting to become stories with the help of my friends. That game gave me a method to play "pretend" as an adult.

Set Design for a Play

I think underneath all of that, I've always wanted to comment on the human condition, and create work that is as involving and enveloping as these grand fantasy narratives. I think theatre provided me another way to share my imagination: plays and dramatic structure. I think the theatre became my new set of rules, and I eagerly dove into each story to share in it's telling with an audience.

Now, I think I'm ready to move on to my next step.

But not with words. I can't write worth diddly--not in that structured form, anyway.

Joseph Cornell

This led me to start thinking about how artists tell stories using objects and not text. Almost any artist does this to some extent--some art is more narrative than others, but every image, painting, sculpture, or performance tells a story somewhat. I thought of Joseph Cornell, the famous assemblage artist and sculptor, who made wonderful shadow boxes that evoked a sense of nostalgia, abstraction, and reflection, and really set the tone for our contemporary assemblage art. His little box worlds were fascinating peeks into a sliver of expression that hearkened to any number of emotional states, drawing out of the viewer an individual connection unique to each person. He juxtaposed everyday objects next to each other, and created an sort of visual poem that elicited an emotional state from each viewer.

Joseph Campbell

Which led me to think about another guy I like. For a while now I've been an outside fan of the ideas of Joseph Campbell. For those that don't know anything about him, he's a philosopher that is probably most famous for his work with mythology, and he's often held up as an influence on George Lucas for his Star Wars trilogies. Lucas used a lot of Campbell's ideas in the formulation of his story.

I've just begun to scratch the surface of Campbell--I've not read any of his work but I plan on it. He's one of those people that I know I need to familiarize myself with, so I'm exploring his foundation's website and ordering some of his books. I'm enticed with his ideas regarding the similarities in our global mythologies and epic storytelling. I'm intrigued by his Jungian expansion of the collective unconscious.

Cat Johnston, "King of Wasps"

I also thought of Cat Johnston (same last name!! Haha!), a newer sculpture artist that has made her own pantheon of "personal gods".

But all of this is leading up to creating stories without using words, by using art and symbols and garments to draw upon a universal narrative... I've been trying to wrap my head around this idea as it's been skulking in the corners of my brain lately... I'm not quite sure how to articulate it, but it's kept my mind buzzing for a while now. It feels kind of half-formed, really--I don't know how it's going to turn out in the end or if it's even going to result in anything.

But I have this feeling, this protoplasmic idea that I can tell stories with clothes. "Story Garments". I'm not sure how... I'm not sure I can really explain what I mean since I can't even describe what I'm trying to do, but there's something about this that won't let me let it go... I've been thinking about it for a long while now, and I'm no closer to an end result than where I was when it bubbled up inside me...

Snape Costume

But it's more than a mere costume. More than a physical distillation of someone's personality or social status or job... These garments wouldn't rely upon a vocal narrative or theatrical expression to make sense. They wouldn't be a snapshot of a particular emotional state or idea--they'd be deeper than that... Can a garment tell a narrative story on it's own? Can a painting?

Should it? Can a narrative (or suggestion of one) be incorporated into a garment so intrinsically that when one looks at it, one comprehends a tale that's more than the sum of the garment's parts?

We have lots of practice working in the other direction. We create garments that suggest characterization for different roles--Snape's flowing academic robes ooze "pretentious bad guy". But do we look at them and distill a story from his attire? Can that be done? Can we look at a garment like we do Joseph Cornell's boxes?

"Deathly Hallows" Necklace

I see these collections of props and accessories based on popular literature and movies, marketed by large companies and riding on the backs of stories and movies that have sparked our collective interest and imagination. Companies like Warner Brothers and The Noble Collection that are making jewelry and wands and chess sets for various movie franchises... Harry's wand, the One Ring, an Avatar choker or dagger... These are objects representative of a larger whole, indeed. But you don't look at these items and read a story.

But is it possible to create personal heirlooms, totems, jewelry or garments that aren't just "parts" of the story, but communicate the story themselves? Is it possible, in a Sherlock Holmes-ian fashion, to read an object's history or personality like a person would read a book? Is it possible to guide a person's observations, or "how" one looks at something?

I don't know. I've heard that Chinese writing is actually made up of characters that are representative of a picture. That each "letter" is actually an idea abstractly codified in a series of lines and distilled from a picture or image. Is it possible to do something similar with garments? One of the fantasy books I read has a language in it that one writes by tying knots in a string, and reading with one's fingers instead of one's open eyes. Is it possible to sew a language into a garment?

Hm. I need to ponder this some more. Any thoughts?

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Slow Fashion, Bespoke Suits, and Wearable Art

2011-08-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

The other day I stumbled upon a term that I had not heard of before: "Slow Fashion". It was on an Etsy blog, The Tyranny of Trends, which offered an interesting perspective of how the fashion industry affects our global psychology, industry, and environment. It's not a "gentle" article--it harshly lambasts society's desire for consumption--but it's perfect for Etsy, the internet's home for handmade goods and the 53rd most popular website in the world.

Clothing Bin of discarded clothing
at a Salvation Army in Nebraska

In the blog posting, they used the term "Slow Fashion" in reference to sustainable fashion that removes itself from trends and rises above the rapid shifts in style to prevail and last over a longer period of time. Slow Fashion is the antithesis of Fast Fashion. It doesn't rely upon the latest, coolest look to be sold. It doesn't encourage rapid obsolescence so a consumer can purchase yet another item in the newest fad 3 weeks later. In fact, it discourages it. Slow Fashion is usually ecologically and construction conscious, made with pricier materials, and is therefore usually more expensive. But it's built to last, and to be cherished for a longer period of time than something disposable from a Fast Fashion manufacturer.

This reminded me of yet another blog entry that I read about a company that is making made-to-order men's attire, Custom Men's Suits, i.e. "traditional tailoring." The blog, Denver Bespoke, is written by a company in Denver, Colorado, that makes individual men's suits and explains what the difference is between their version of "custom tailoring" and the more contemporary (and manufacturing-influenced) understanding of what that term means. It briefly describes how men's clothing, in particular, gradually become less individual and more streamlined and similar. Suddenly men found themselves wearing very similar clothing. VERY similar.

In fact, I'd venture to say that if a guy were to wear something outside of his perception of the the social norm, he'd feel he's taking a risk that simply isn't worth it. Wearing clothing that has obvious individual flair is, for men, setting yourself outside the pack. It's against a guy's instincts. There's a line that most guys won't cross--a "hard deck" below which they feel they stop looking respectable and lose legitimacy. That line varies for different people in different situations, but there's little worse for a guy than to be socially ostracized, which instinctually translates into being without a pack and therefore no future. It's dangerous. It's simply instincts.

As a general (and oversimplified) rule, men avoid bright colors except as punctuation or accent to their wardrobes when appropriate to the social parameters of individual situations. If they wear clothing that is stylish or trendy beyond the norm, they usually belong to a social circle where it's potentially appreciated. If they belong to a sub-culture (goth/punk, etc) the pressure to dress in a manner that demonstrates one's membership is even more overpowering. If men take risks in their attire, they've usually decided they can handle the disparagement if they make a wrong choice, or their desire for their own preferences has over-ridden their deep-seated genetic instincts. For as careless as men may seem regarding their appearance, underneath that haphazard disregard is a hard-wired concept of what they perceive is ultimately socially acceptable and what is not for their gender.

Perhaps women are better at handling a wider variety of styles and trends, somehow being more permissive and appreciative of difference in attire and variation. I know that's a vast over-generalization, and I know that women struggle with their own burdens regarding appearance, judgement, disparagement, and acceptance. But it is still overtly obvious to me that females have a much wider variety of socially acceptable garments than males do. The option to wear attire from different cultures and still "fit in" in a wider variety of social situations is an example. Cross-gender attire is another. Jewelry, headwear, and shoes are all examples of types of garments where women having a wider socially-permissible variety of styles and trends to select from for their wardrobes.

It's logical that our instincts are driving our need to fit in by looking the part. It makes sense that having the right garment and looking one's best settles a number of what Maslow called our Hierarchy of Basic Human Needs. It's clear that the desire to belong and engender respect is deeply rooted in our psychology.

But do we, as a culture, need to give it so much credence? Are we that insecure? At what cost have we wrought such economic, environmental, and emotional havoc on our globe? Haven't we learned that a person is more than the sum of their parts? Haven't we learned that appearances can be deceiving? What we wear informs others about who and what we are, true, but that's easily manipulated as well. How informative is it? Does it really legitimately tell us anything in the end?

Perhaps that time has come for us to embrace a slower pace of fashion. Perhaps we should start considering that we can wear what we like, not what others tell us we need to in order to make them feel comfortable around us and secure of their own place in the "pack". Perhaps it is finally time to stop our consumerist ways, and embrace our individual and unique wardrobes in a non-disposable manner, and as extensions of our own personalities not as connections to insecure and ever changing societal trends. Is it really about us, or them?

Recognizing, embracing, and demanding one's own preferences is the first step in appreciating someone else's. And when we can do that, imagine what possibilities open up to us!! Maybe slow fashion is the beginning of that? Who knows?

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!

Top image by kate* via Flickr. Creative Commons License.
Middle image by hectorir via Flickr. Creative Commons License.
Bottom image by henryjose via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

Growing and Aging

2011-08-03T02:38:00.000-07:00

When did I get old enough to have to start worrying about heartburn? I've never had to before. But just this last year I've realized there are foods that I just can't eat anymore without feeling very very sorry for myself in a few hours. I'm learning that there are more foods out there that have it out for me every day! Things that I used to love, things I heartily enjoyed, and things that I wouldn't think twice about even though I rarely ate them... But the consequences of indulging are getting too painful to ignore, and lemme tell ya I'm tired of paying the price!!

So I'm up at 1:30 in the morning, making sure I am sitting upright so my stomach doesn't eat me alive. I've listened to enough of my current favorite audiobook to feel guilty that I haven't done something constructive, so now I'm making a blog entry. Because, darn it, I'm getting too old for this... I should have much better things to be doing than concentrating on my breathing and maintaining a zen state while my antacid tablets are kicking in...

Which has led me down the merry path of comparing and contrasting myself with other people I know, pondering age and health... and life choices.

I'm 42. My parents had four children when they were my age--the oldest (me) already 2 years into college. I admire them a great deal. I wonder if they didn't have a deeper pool of wisdom than I do now.

We've lived very different lives, of course, and their life experiences are obviously different than mine.

But I don't remember my father having to deal with heartburn when he was my age. I don't remember him having to be careful about what he ate like I'm having to be. He had other issues to deal with, though--a bum knee from high school football that plagued him later on and eventually required surgery. Four kids and their leftovers that he managed to consume so things didn't go to waste. Radically transitioning careers that left the family richer and poorer at various times.

I guess we all have our challenges. Mine are in my stomach.

And I guess things like this happen as we get older. A lot of things have happened to me, anyway... I've become less patient of others in some ways. Much more opinionated. I've become less social than I used to be, and avoid crowded restaurants and movie theaters. I'm much more content to stay at home with my partner, and work in my garage studio as he works in his office den. My circle of friends is much smaller, but my circle of acquaintances is much larger.

I'm more selective regarding my time spent on TV, and choose to watch the news much more than I ever have previously. I find it less desirable to comment on what others say or share than I used to--maybe because I'm more content to be quiet rather than risk coming across as obdurate. I read a lot of blogs, but rarely post anything.

It's interesting what growing up does to a person. Things tire me much more easily than they used to, and I sleep more. I get less done, I feel. And while I grew up feeling intense pressure to plan for the future, I'm just not so concerned about it anymore... It's an interesting balancing act between complete panic at the approaching unknown and subsequent lack of planning or direction, and a kind of zen approach of accepting what may come. Looking back, I can see that what I thought were priorities in my life may have really turned out to be "gifted" to me--they were someone else's priorities for me, not mine. I was building a future on their fears for me. And I'm tired of running around trying to shore up a future that simply isn't a reality.

Honestly, I don't know if my heartburn is from food or stress. I'm not sure I'm not suffering from some depression, or mid-life crisis. It could be fear of the unknown, or some generational angst. Maybe it's just American cultural ennui, or an over-privileged "white whine". Or just the fact that it's now almost 2:30AM, and I'm tired and rambling.

But I do know I have heartburn. And this post was helpful. For me. : )

Live Life with Relish! But in moderation--too much of any condiment could cause stomach upset. Haha!!

Image from Bacon Sputnik via Flickr. Creative Commons License.

"I Look at Fabric from Both Sides Now..."

2011-07-24T21:04:00.000-07:00

Some of you may recall the stack of upholstery fabrics that I purchased on a recent trip to one of my local upholstery fabric stores. I wrote a blog post about it (here's the link) and posted a picture of what I purchased.

Well, I finally got two projects done from that stack--two mens size 42 vests, both with the same fabric but using opposite sides! I couldn't decide which side of the fabric I liked the best, so I channeled Joni Mitchell and decided, "Hey, why not use both?"

So I did. The lining and the lapels are the same fabric for both projects, but the buttons are different.

I really had a lot of fun with this--it felt like I had actually purchased two fabrics instead of one. Even if I hadn't decided to make two vests from the same fabric, I still had two wonderful options for whatever I might have decided to do when I had only paid for one! It made me feel like I won a surprise bonus or something...

Here are the pics of the two vests. I used some stock fabric that I had on hand for the lapels and welts for the pockets--a beautiful polyester changeable taffeta with machine embroidered flowers on it in burgundy and pine and mustard. I used the light brown silk (on the top left in the picture of the fabrics) for the lining of both of the vests, and it turned out great. And I got to choose two different sets of buttons that went with it... You know how difficult it is to sometimes make up your mind about stuff like that in the fabric store? Well, blissfully, I didn't have to this time! Haha!! I felt like I was in the Land of And. "I'll have this AND that!" Wheee!

I have just enough lining left over for a handbag or something small. I may end up piecing it together into another ruff, or maybe I'll try my hand at crazy quilting for a reticule. We'll see. : )

I like this particular weave because it reminds me of fabric that would have been more popular many years ago in the Edwardian and Victorian eras. Even this print (for some gentlemen of today) is too bold for most attire, and it borders on "costumey". But I think that's perfect for my stuff. There's something "period" about it that makes it seem not quite contemporary. It's got a vintage feel without being actually vintage.

It's also heavy enough to be firm and retain it's crisp quality, but not so heavy that it requires any internal flat lining to provide body or structure. Upholstery fabrics can be a gamble sometimes--under intense heat from an iron they can curl up or melt, so it's always wise to check the fiber content regardless of it's hand or weight.

I don't have very much of the fabric left (less than a yard) but I'll find something to do with it. Being a big fan of James Christensen's art, I think the print lends itself to some form of doll clothing inspired by his work. I know that he was really popular as inspiration a long time ago (like 15 years ago!) but I still really enjoy his creations. I urge you to follow the link to his website--it's beautiful stuff!

I still have many many pieces of fabric to experiment with--I think my next project is going to involve the chocolate bucleé (at the bottom of the picture) with a really cool brocade motif in it. I think it's going to be a single breasted vest this time, since double-breasted vests need a sort of "event" to wear them... These aren't "every day" attire, really, are they? Not that they shouldn't be... In fact, it might be nice to bring some class back to the work place, wouldn't it?

In fact, to encourage that very idea (and to cut down on the excuses not to) I'm also experimenting with some neckties to wear with these vests... For some reason, wearing these over a t-shirt seems a bit "off" to me... But more on that later!!

It goes without saying that these will be available at my Etsy and Artfire shops, so keep your eyes peeled if you're interested...

Until next time, Live Life with Relish!