Trash the Dress

Steph and I did our first Trash the Dress shoot today--she's become my muse. Honestly, Steph is one of those girls that is so pretty I could take a picture of her covered in shit, and people would be like, "who's that girl--she's beautiful"....true.

Considering it was my first shoot for the project, I think it went quite well--here's a few pics, but please check out the entire stream of them on my flickr site . I appreciate all comments and critiques! (constructive crit is really okay :))





)



I'm lucky enough to have access to my in-laws farm--where we took ALL the pictures today...my father in law has "art" (as he refers to it in the backyard)...his "stairway to purgatory" so that was fun to take shots on, as was the pond. we've got plenty more ideas up our sleeve (or lack there of), and can't wait to do our next shoot!

new art, wet furniture and Clay Aiken's having a baby

WTF!?!?!? Clay Gayken is having a baby....with a woman?????? Hey, TMZ said so....it must be true (ish) wow. yeah, wow.

moving backwards from the title...wet furniture. It's RAINING like a mo-fo outside right now...too bad I have stuff in the bed of my pick-up truck. We've got 2 cars in the garage--so I can't pull it in--and it was too heavy to carry myself. :( I scored this kick ass vintage makeup vanity at the ReStore) and Steph found a gnarly electric fireplace there. I think/hope the fireplace should be okay, it's mostly made of metal....and hopefully the wood on the vanity won't warp...even after 3 fucking inches of rain....can you tell I'm annoyed!?!?!?!?!

Finally, some new art.




I worked on a small piece (the little birdie collage) a couple weeks ago for Al, but wanted to work on a cooler larger piece for him. This one is 14x14. Here's the info/meaning behind the details---first, Al loves the #5...he owns it (really, I've seen the title to the number, lol) second Al is a huge audiophile, hence the sheet music collaged on the 5, third his stage name for his band is "A*Star" so hence the stars, and finally if you look close on the bottom of the 5, one of the songs start with "AL"....so there it is, you know what I know. It's acrylic paint on canvas, with some happy glitter, stitching, collage and metallic pens.

If I stop crying about my ruined vanity perhaps I'll get to the post office tomorrow to mail it to Al.

fun and gifts

I was in a crafty mood last night, and didn't feel like working in my art journal...so decided to make a couple things for Steph and Mike with the pics I recently took. I went to Bliss (the coffee house) this morning and surprised her with my creations. The first images are a frame I made and inserted my favorite pic from last week. I simply distressed the paint with a mixture of black, brown , and white paint--applied separately and then wiped off. Some MM star stamps, a Heidi Swapp Fabulous stamp, a Marah Johnson Sticker, some buttons and vintage handle I found at the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store (ooh, I should go back there today for more goodies) and Voila, it was scrappy rocker fun. (I originally planned to put another pic of them embracing taken from a different angle, showing Mike's Star tattoos on his other arm--but it just didn't fit right....and besides, Steph deserves her own little shrine to her fabulousness) .
The shadow box like frame I simply altered by adding a crap-load (yeah, that's a word) of torn up old book pages with gel medium to the outside and inside (leaving the molding as is), adding a couple layers of gesso and brown paint for distressing, then adding stamped "love" all over. I then went a little crazy with the sandpaper (what else would you expect from me--remember, "don't stress--DISTRESS!!!") The frame is completely open (no back) so I mounted the picture from behind.
So, the final image here needs an explanation--I put the black and white in the frame, but had also been playing with some other things--one of them being watercolor paper. I love the texture it gives and goes through the printer very nicely. So I decided to add some water and play with the effect.....I cut out the negative space here as you can see and inserted it into the frame, to show Steph a different option--she actually likes the water colored full color version quite a bit---what are your thoughts. (yes, I'm pandering to the masses!)
Monty has come with me to get coffee the last couple days. I just had kennelling him up, and he doesn't do well by himself in the house. (he's such a mama's boy)...turns out, my doggie really likes coffee---sugar-free caramel soy lattes to be exact.


On a final, and unrelated note....I made the Ikea Hacker Blog! I bow down to the great hacks far better than mine....but love that I get to share a space with them----thanks Jules!!

set 'em on fire

Today Steph (the new friend mentioned in the last blog), and I went to a consignment store in town in search of a wedding dress. Well, we found 2.......and at the whopping total of only $40 TOTAL!!! I mentioned to Steph in an email last night that I'm looking for some willing subjects to help me add some Trash the Dress photos to my portfolio, and she was all over it. I understand her not wanting to use her own wedding dress (she's getting married the first week of July), so we were on the hunt for alternative dresses to use. One of them is so the bomb---it's like Gone with the Wind interpreted in the worst high 80's fashion possible--it's gonna be great....big and poofy and full of gaudy fabric roses. We're already thinking of some great ideas for shoots with her it in---on on horse, in the mud, playing with spray paint.....and finally, setting in on fire while she's in it. (don't worry....we're planning this out including fireproofing body lotion, a fire retardant crinoline, and assistants with extinguisher and water standing by) It's gonna fucking rock though, and that's all I can say! Stay tuned for pics! (oh, and a BIG thanks to Steph for being rad as hell and willing to go along with my crazy stunts....as a matter of fact I said to her while she was in the dressing room trying on said dresses, "it'd be cool to go down to the train yard and have you hop some trains.....if you're up for some illegal activity" and I heard from inside the dressing room, "ALWAYS!!!" I knew we'd get along perfectly!)

serendipity

About a month or so ago a girl here in mankato contacted me through my flickr site. She noted that she liked my photography and wondered if I'd been doing any freelance work lately and if I'd be interested in shooting a wedding. I've wanted to do some weddings but haven't had the opportunity yet, so I was really excited by the offer. Unfortunately it turned out that I'll be in Europe during her wedding. I asked her if she'd be open to the possibility of me taking some engagement (or general) shots of her and her fiance, as I'm always looking for guinea pigs to expand my portfolio. (and who's gonna pass up a free photo shoot!) Finally Steph and I got together yesterday at a local coffee shop she works at. Turns out....yeah, her and her fiance Mike are totally awesome and fun. Here's wear the serendipity comes in though---I've been looking for a tattooed couple willing to be "half naked" for me in some photographs--nothing too risque as they'd be embracing and therefore no breasts would be showing. SOOOOO...Steph and Mike have tattoo piece that travels from his arm to her back and meet up when the embrace---it's like it was meant to be! I took some impromptu shots yesterday, but am really looking forward to photographing them in a more controlled environment. Oh, and get this--Mike is working on becoming a tattoo artist. His drawings are fan freaking tastic and he wants to work on a piece for me.
Hello Serendipity, nice to meet you.

Need ANOTHER good reason to give up meat?

So, have you STILL not given up meat? Okay, so maybe the ethical angle didn't getcha, or the health angle...what about helping save the planet? (you know, that little round place we live)

Great informational article on the environmental impact of cattle raising. Farting cows are no joke.

crafty gardner

The weather was warm today and allowed me to work on a couple projects outside. So, I've had a bunch of old farm windows for a couple years, and haven't done anything with them yet--as a matter of fact, Jason got so annoyed with them that he put them up in the garage rafters---so I climbed up and got them. (that's totally a lie....I'm desperately afraid of tall ladders, so I asked my neighbor to get them for me, since Jason was out of town) Once they were down, I attached a Kroken rail from ikea. Then with the addition of the Kroken cutlery caddy, some chain, eye hooks, s hooks, a some happy annuals, I have this: It's not completely done yet, and that's where I need YOUR help...so I'm going to stencil (or reverse stencil/mask) something on it---I had originally thought about our last name--but Jason hates that..and also is not a fan of "no place like home" (why he's hating on the wizard of oz I don't know)....for sure I'm going to do a small hummingbird and additional flowers in the lower left corner...but as far as words, I don't know yet---what are your thoughts? nothing overly cutesy (so no, "live laugh love" shit) and it should be short . Let me know your thoughts and ideas!---comment!

I told my little sister Irene that I'd do some artwork for her today and post it on my blog--but between the nice weather and finally getting to do some yard work and my above project, and an early day migraine--I didn't get around to it--but good things come to those who wait, so tomorrow, I swear!!!

a little birdy told me

It still needs to be sanded down quite a bit and then a smooth layer of gel medium applied....but I'm far to tired to do that tonight. The morning maybe. It's a really tiny canvas piece, just under 3x5 inches. Sorry for the not so great picture--I'll post a better one when it's done.

I'm not in denial. I'm not a good painter, or a good drawer. There's no hope of me becoming the next Monet. But I draw anyway, I paint anyway...because I can. CAN does not mean that I possess a god given talent to do so, but it does means that I possess hands and passion. I used to be afraid to draw and paint, but I've come to realize that in embracing my lack of talent in this medium, I have no reason to fear. Since there's no chance of producing the next Water Lilies and Giverny, I'm free to happily produce crap. That's what I'm come to love most about my art journal---I'm not doing it as a present for someone...I'm not doing it as a magazine assignment....I'm not doing it for a book....I'm doing it for me. I've been happily surprised with a few pages that I've completed, and that's just an extra bonus. Here's my crap from this weekend.
Doing this "crap" has been a great escape from what I know and what's comfortable to me, as far as art and creatives are concerned. Eventually I'll have to get back to them--I have some deadlines coming up. Damn the man for making me clean my studio, lol!


Well, as I mentioned in my last blog, Jason and I went to the cities this weekend. Fast and Furless was great and I ordered a new pair of Earth shoes. Unfortunately the owner called me today to tell me that the shoes I ordered are out of stock with the company (except in pink, and that's SO not going to happen) So, I have to either pick a different pair (which is disappointing because their sandal styles were too narrow for me....grrr)

So, as a type I'm watching ONCE, which if you haven't seen it yet--you must--watch it again and again, and smile and laugh and sing along and let it break your heart. God, I love this movie. I promise you'll love it too. If you're not familiar with Glen Hansard, he's the lead singer of the Frames, and besides that, turns out to be a great actor. Falling Slowly, one the best song this year at the Oscars. Plus, I love Irish films, and Irish singers.

weekend plans

well, unfortunately, Mother Nature is giving us another icky weekend. (with slight potential for a nice-ish day on Sunday).....but I won't let it ruin my weekend!

So, tomorrow, Jason and I are off to the cities to go to our favorite pub. It has a FABULOUS beer selection, and anyone that knows me and Jason know that we're suckers for a good brew. They don't brew any of their own beers there, but there tap and bottle selection of fine brewers more than makes up for that fact.

We're also going to head to a new store I'm really really excited about. Finding good vegan shoes and accessories isn't easy in main-stream stores (yes most of the shoes at Target are vegan but they're not of the best qualities, or guaranteed to not be sweat-shop produced). I find myself having to shop on the web a lot--but this new store may take care of some of those issues---Check it out!

Maybe I can convince Jason to go to Ikea while we're up there---I think he prays to the shopping gods that he can occupy me elsewhere and I won't try to drag him into Ikea every time we head up to the Twin Cities! I can't help it though--Ikea calls my name (yes, I know there's medication for that)

I hope everyone has a grrrrreat weekend, wherever you are!