Headpiece accepted into SWAG

'Archetype Mystic' got accepted to this: http://www.surfacedesign.org/events/saskatchewan-wearable-art-gala-swag   It's a wearable art gala happening for one night on October 26, 2013! 

As part of the application process, I took a ton of photos- here's a couple of the free form fun shots below:

It reminds me of performance art, and that in turn reminds me to begin that practice once more.  In time, it's easy to forget that to be an artist means you need to be constantly thinking of how to reinvest yourself into your chosen path.  It's hard to remember to do so during a daily routine of day job working, paying off debts, and breaking out into an emerging artist. 

I need to believe that although it may take years, eventually I will be an established artist being paid in some form to do what I love to do.

July no show, enter August

My plans for felting the rest of the wool into yardage and secondary structure wraps were postponed when I moved to new apartment, upon which I organized my fabrics and gave the sewing machine back to my aunt.  I got another one, and started a job at the Capitol Theatre doing costuming for a youth summer program of Sweeny Todd.  July was a month of two jobs, and minimal internet time. 

It's August, and I'm attempting to tackle a project that will be due next Friday~ I will be posting updates and photos on a more regular basis in all due course!  In the meantime, I'm waiting for my headpieces to be sent back in September, and I'm planning on what to make/send to other exhibitions that are coming up.

Cosplay complete!

Character: Sayaka Miki
Series: Madoka Magica

Made for a friend in Newfoundland, it will hopefully be in her hands this Monday.  Also very much willing it to fit as this is one of the few times I've made something without having the person physically around.  The costume is made from a bed sheet, cotton, gold ribbon, and blue synthetic stretch upholstered onto an existing bra.  Knotted ribbon fake buttons, hand pleated ruffles and lots of hand stitching make this one of a kind for sure. 

In other news, the leather jacket is coming along- the third pocket is attached, the hood is in a working stage (I need to see how it fits the client) and then it can be attached to the jacket via snaps.  I am quite possibly going to add an inner flap that will also snap on, so that the wearer's face can be covered when they are wearing the hood up.  It's black leather scraps, and looks pretty cool considering I don't usually work with leather.  My view on the material has moved from not using it at all to not buying any of it brand new.  If I can get leather secondhand and reuse it by making something new, that's great!

Vancouver Art Exhibiton

I got accepted to the Talking Heads: A Contemporary Take on Headdresses!  It opens July 25th, in North Vancouver.  'Archetype: Amazon', 'Archetype: Bishop', and 'Archetype: Pharaoh' are all going there by postage in the next week or so! 

Excited and proud to be an artist- mainly I'm just reminded that hard work pays off and you do get some breaks in the art world if you keep going.  Getting your art out into the public sphere is fantastic. 

I need to put together some video and photos of the headdresses in action before they leave Nelson, as I haven't managed to do that yet (now there's extra motivation!).  Currently, I am finishing the hood and a pocket for the leather jacket, and still putting together the cosplay. 

Things are certainly rolling along...

Costume work in June

 -Leather jacket continuations- been putting the lining back in, adding inside pockets, choosing a proper hood design.

-Making a cosplay (Sayaka Miki from Madoka Magica) for a friend.

-Scouting out fabric for a blue jacket for another cosplay, and I have just finished finding the clothes for another.  Now I need to find a blue and white striped yardage for a coat.

 

presenting: 'Conscience'

And it's been submitted to an exhibition/ fashion show: http://www.felt-feutre.org/feltfeutre-2013/ 

felt dress is complete! (along with: shawl/headpiece)

Now, to get some quality photos on a neutral landscape other than my bedroom- almost ready to fill out the entry form!

Felt: form to dress

 Here it is, the felted pieces all pinned together to make the form, which turned out to be my first fibre dress.  I don't usually make such things, but the inspiration felt I had before making the new ones (see past post) wanted to be a fitted shape.  Thus, we have a dress.

The next step is to hand stitch it along the sides and shoulder, and maybe play around with making a second piece that can be a shoulder wrap or a head wrap.  It is displayed in the top picture, covering up the back.

Very pleased so far.

Felt: The first evening

 

Just outside my door, I put out two pieces of wool to felt.  They are at the soft felted stage, and can use another hour or so of felting before they will be ready to work with.  I am planning on integrating these pieces into a costume due at the end of the month.  Here is the link to the goal I am pursuing: http://www.felt-feutre.org/exhibition/  

The photos I took today remind me of an ocean's fray/ especially the close ups below:

 

 

Studio Moving Day

It's a bit messy, but it's home.  I moved out of the school a couple of weeks ago, and I've been slowly putting together a space in the downstairs living area to work in.  It's right in front of a large window, perfect for light and a view to look out on.

I will be drafting up some original costume ideas this coming Monday, along with some thoughts as to summer production lines for the markets around here.  I want to consider putting most of spare time into making things for the winter sales, and my one of a kinds so that they can go into galleries/ showrooms.

Small ideas, but like all others, they'll grow I'm sure.  I've applied to the headdress show, Talking Heads, and also to the Touchstones Gallery along with another fibre/textiles graduate in my class, so I'll be waiting to hear back from those in the next couple of months.  Going to continue to look at residencies for the winter/spring of 2013/2014 and see what emerges. 

Touchstones Gallery, Nelson: Headdresses Body of Work 2013

top to bottom: 'Archetype: Pharaoh', 'Archetype: Amazon', 'Archetype: Bishop'

last image: far left, 'Archetype: Mystic'


Over 100 hours of work during a three month period, my body of work for the last semester of school.  The graduation show which displays all of the studios work runs into June~ see it while it lasts!

Make It show in Vancouver, April 19- 21, 2013

 (I had on display for sale my hoods, far right and centre, my face mask/scarves lower centre...)

(...and the pink patterned pants on the right)


http://makeitproductions.com/vancouver/welcome-to-make-it/

The Make It show in Vancouver was quite the experience: the graduating students (who were interested, minus the metal program) of KSA made the journey to the city to sell art.  We took our production lines and the school's elaborate booth (it was made of solid wood, metal frames, and was 10 feet long I believe).  We did a mock setup that took around 3 hours- good thing we did, for the actual setup time was much shorter because of it.  The drive to Vancouver was good, only a bit of rain at the end of it while entering the city.  I ended up staying with 3 different past classmates (their couches were comfortable and their homes inviting), and it was good to catch up with what they were doing in their lives.

For the actual show I brought my printed hoods, pants, and scarves/masks, as well as decorative wraps and arm bands.  I haven't been to a show as large as this one, and it was quite packed with vendors selling anything from photographic jewelry to engraved wood and metal to pillows to intricate printed clothing.  The quality of everything was quite high; I didn't see any 'shoddy workship' as my mother would say.

We split the weekend into shifts, I had sunday afternoon.  From the information given by the class and from the vendors around, I heard that the show was slow, but work still sold.  There were a lot of people who came to the event, and I got some great feedback that will be useful for future sales.      

 photo credit: Jeremy Addington

 photo credit: Jeremy Addington

 photo credit: Jeremy Addington
Love these (top to bottom: 'Lace.01', 'Shroud', 'Swashbuckler')

 -Today I submitted my body of work (headdresses) to the Touchstones Gallery.  It feels great to be finished, and I'm looking forward to helping set up the show this week.  I will be taking photos of my work in the gallery and posting them as soon as I am able.  The last few weeks I have been printing on clothing, dying more pieces of cloth and wool, and weaving (4 wraps of hemp/cotton).  I plan on dying those too, and maybe try to print on them... should be interesting, as handwoven cloth is very textured. 

-I have applied to some residencies and art exhibitions this past and current month, and I will continue this until I am out of school... I believe the last few studio days are April 15- 17.  You can imagine I am making the most of my time- or as much as I can- these last few weeks.

So far the list of things to do is this and counting:
-dye remaining wool
-dye and print on woven wraps
-production line: shirts: material needs to be dyed and printed
-continue the 'Elven Spade' print
-making a corseted jacket 
 
Wish me luck! 

-got another commission/ job: repair and alter a leather vest.  I ended up working on it a bit today, and had to take it to the industrial sewing machine.  It is a beast and quite trigger happy with the foot plate- and apparently known to break fingers.  But, I did get the major seams done.  All I have to do now is handsew a few inner parts of the lining. 

-used up the last of my leftover dyes in overdying clothing/ a purple striped shirt, a brown striped shirt, and a yellow one that may be dipped in indigo for a green.  And, I want to try and print over some as well, just to add more to them.

-tomorrow is body of work day, which I am done, so I am going to continue my side projects/ photos and lists to come! 

Busy in Printing

1. Bleached out black polka dot fabric made into pants
2. Myro nature dye print in progress (full size bedsheet)
3. Bleached out cotton shirt

-been slowing finishing the final headdress, Amazon; it should be complete this week with any luck

-I have spent the majority of my week job hunting, and handing out resumes- preparing for the end of school next month when I will have time for things other than art again ^__^ well, that may not be entirely true as I hope to continue making things for the market

-been doing a lot of extra side projects at school lately, trying to make the most of the studio space I have right now.  It's sad to think that soon it won't be available to use as I'll be graduated.  But this means I must devise an alternative space...

-speaking of which, I cleaned out a corner in the basement, and it could become the perfect summer haunt...

 

Above we have the aforementioned headdresses, grey is Mystic, blue is Pharaoh, and below we have my 2 production lines of hoods and face masks (8 pieces each) in progress. 

 And then there is headdress #3, Amazon.   

Should have them all done this week, and then be able to do some performance pics/videos with them- making them is just the first step.  One of these will be submitted to the Talking Heads show in Vancouver, which shall it be?

Or mayhaps I will make a fifth one.

-Headdress update: almost finished 3 of 4.  The fourth one is nicknamed Amazon, and is slowly taking shape.  I am aiming to have the entire series done by the end of this week, so I can move forward with my other classes (namely, my commission work, side projects, and my graduation paper). 

-Tomorrow begins more bleach experiments, and perhaps I will be able to cut out some block prints...

keep it simple- update

-finished my book miniatures, making another book for a narrative project (art/craft schools love narrative projects, don't they?)

 -working on the third headdress

 -finished two production lines (8 pieces each)

-another commission~ altering a coat and bag.  the coat is done, the bag should be finished today

 -ideally, I would love to have all my courses finished this week so I can begin/continue all my side projects while I still have access to a full studio, but I think I'll have to wait and see what I can do- go time!

Major progress with headdress #1, now with a working title of 'Pharaoh of the Reef' (I began incorporating shibori dyed wool alongside the silk printing). It may turn out to be the submission for the show I want to apply for... though I will have to let the other three evolve first before I decide.

The goal here is to attempt to fit into the theme of a show without having to make a new piece, though I that is what I have to do then no complaints here. It's a good challenge I think, to either fit a piece into a theme or to make a piece based on that theme.

Tonight, I aim to finish a second book of text, and maybe decide on what I want to do for the set of three I have left. I also would like to start hand stitching the shibori felt pieces together for 'Pharaoh of the Reef', though I will have to just let this time be what it will. Learning to slow down sometimes is hard to do.

Bookbinding: stitch and glue

-for the miniatures project-

time for a tease

Some finished and in progress projects/ enjoy!