New Years Show in Barrie!

I am having a fashion show in Barrie Ontario, on New Years eve! I will be showing twenty-something designs (about 5 or 6 brand new things) based on the themes of Snow, and Party! Consequently, my jeep will be packed with lots of party dresses, and white floofy things! I will also be doing a feature shoot for Imago Magazine, which I am very excited about! Some examples of things to be shown:

In other news, because of the hype around the new Alice movie, lots of conventions and venues will be doing Wonderland themed events in the upcoming months. I have been writing a film based around the characters and setting of "Alice and Wonderland" for some years now, so I will be attempting to make some of the costumes in my concept folders for these shows. The writing of my film, however, I've put on hold, as no one in their right mind would make an Alice film at a time when Mister Burton is doing the same thing, but with a few more zeros in his budget.

Anyway, more on my future shows and the address of this one later! I hope everyone has a very happy holiday, full of family, warmth, and robotic starfish!

Seamonstery Afoot...

I have many things coming up, but for now, since I am tired, and must summon energy to find all those things in my calendar, let us just say that there are seamonsters on the brain... and in the sketchbook... and on the dress form...

More Seamonster Pictures!!

I was really lucky on this project to be working with many very talented people. I had 4 professional dancers, who not only looked great and danced spectacularly, but helped coach the non-dancers in being really expressive with their movement. I also was able to work with some great photographers, and of course the wonderful Shien Lee, who puts the Dances of Vice events together.

This photo is by Celine Gaille, a lovely photographer whom I am going to be working with a lot more in the future.

The following photos are by Michael Gwilliam.

Dancer Emily Edwards, who I first met that day, and was more amazing than I could have expected.

Me in my Nautilus costume, which at some point will probably have a new paintjob

Djahari Clark and Zahra Hashemian, dancers from Desert Sin

Renata Bergen, also of Desert Sin

Grant Newton, a ship enthusiast.

Seamonster Pictures!

MY Seamonster Show came and went, and it was a fantabulous night! My crew of seamonsters and ships danced and swam and intimidated each other, and I'm happy to say that I think the spectacle was worth it. It will take a while to knock this experience off the top.

Below are some photos from my friend Voon Wai, who is always a really great supporter of my work, and may soon be modeling for me!

Andy Jordan and I. He was a fish boy, and I was a nautilus creature.

A very entertaining picture of Voon himself with the lovely Sara Bender

Marc Robinson and I, Dancing together

Olivia Gagne and Sara Bender

Andy Jordan and Matthew Rogers

More pictures in a bit!

Seamonsters and Swhipwrecks!

I will be doing a show about seamonsters and shipwrecks at this event! It will occur around 11pm on Saturday the 21st. Everyone stick around for the show! the event itself will be marvelous as well!

More info on this event HERE.

Aftermath of Brooklyn Indie Market

No time for a real entry, so here is some feedback the event and I got from various blogs and websites. No news yet of anything in print. Pictures from my personal camera soon.

Model: Olivia Gagne

These are from Tor.com, and are super awesome because they credited the designers. And there's video! Go see it! (model:Genevieve Cerri)

THIS site also credited me! Wooo! (model: Patrick Harrington)

This one comes from HERE. This lady was taking pictures from behind a fence, while 3 other photographers where taking pictures of Olivia. It was surreal. (also note, a new unweildy dress is on the way... its about 2/3rds of the way done... this one will be grey and purple and brown)

Another photographer's Blog

And of course Metromix

and some VIDEO coverage

ONLINE SHOP!

Visit my ONLINE SHOP!

Brooklyn Indie Market show today! Steampunkery is afoot! Bring your zeppelins and your very best rayguns and exploring gear! And most of all, enjoy the show!

Soon I will have a permanent link on my blog leading directly to my shop, but for now, (10 minutes before I have to leave!) this will do.

New Stuff on Etsy!

Click HERE to see my new stock in my Etsy store! I will be posting about 9 or 10 new items before the week is out, including painted corsets, beaded bags, and beaded Medieval dresses. So tell your friends! Tell your grandmas! Tell your friends' grandmas!

My shop is now actually a shop! No longer am I just posting one or two items as a placeholder! From this day forth, my reasoning for having fashion shows is to publicize my shop! (Imagine all this being stated as I stand atop a wooden box in a town square, shaking my fists vehemently at the moon.)

Huzzah!

And in other news, after my Brooklyn Indie Market Show this weekend, I am going to start work on many nautical themed things. Sea monster mermaids for Desert Sin, shipwreck costumes for the Dances of Vice Festival (and for a ballet I am writing as well). And just yesterday I met a really interesting script writer named John who would love to have a mermaid tail that is realistic and can be used in the sea. And I would love to make it for him.

NEW SHOW!!!

Details HERE! No time for a real entry!

October 24th, 4 pm, Brooklyn!

Brooklyn Indie Market Show: Oct. 24th!

So I was googling Victorian and Steampunk costumery, to get my head in gear for what I have to bring to the Brooklyn Indie Market show this year, and low and behold, on the first page of images, I find images of my costumes from last year! Well, I guess thats a good thing, though it means I have to be extra resourceful in finding inspiration! I can do that, I take joy in such things. Come to the show, and see how it all plays out!

So in the past few weeks, a few things have happened.

1. I had surgery to get my mutinous gallbladder removed, (which put a damper on my creative urges, let me tell you. Difficult to make 40 pound corset dresses when it hurts to stand up! and that pesky weight restriction...)

2. While this bodily mutiny is going on, I had been feverishly finishing up the costumes for Desert Sin's performance, Twitchers, which closes this weekend. (Go see it! I heard from people who ventured to see it that it was splendiforous!) Luckily, I decided to put lots of beads on the costumes, and at least that is sitting-down work.

3. After I finished the Desert Sin costumes, (2 days before my surgery) I started making stock for my booth at the Medieval Festival at the Cloisters, up at Fort Tryon Park. At this point, I was finally becoming exhausted. I stressed about not having enough dresses, not having enough bags, the fact that some of my corsets weren't lined... oh how I stressed. Faire day came, and no one seemed to want any dresses. However, lined or not, I sold all but 2 of the corsets I brought. Well, this being my first vending experience, and certainly my first Medieval/Renaissance Faire used as a commercial prospect, I didn't know what to expect. I now know, I should just stick to corsetry, which is my first love, in costume terms. It was an overall good experience, and I intend to vend again. Hopefully with more corsets, with different sizes, and ALL of them will be lined.

I shall keep everyone posted about the Brooklyn Indie Market Show, pictures from Twitchers, and future vending endeavors. And perhaps even paintings of my surgery aftermath, since I dig that kind of thing.

Mermaid Skirt I made!

I made this skirt with Andy Jordan, and hand stitched those coins to a spandex base. Claire Aquila and Ananda Keator also helped us, especially at crunch time, right before it had to be picked up. I also had made a big tail fin, which took many hours, though true to form, isn't even depicted in the ad. I made this when I was working with Izquierdo Studios, which does many awesome projects like this.

We also like to try things on sometimes before we send the out, and you can see a picture of my beloved Andy trying on this tail HERE.

Corset inspiration

So, I got myself good and sick, and the doctors said I had to take a day off from work, so I have been researching other corset makers and wearers, and it brought me to THIS. A gallery of fun and inspiring corsets!

I will soon be trying to bring my love of making corsets to a more profitable level, and have been attempting to vend at various renaissance fairs and vend in fetish stores. More news on that when I have more to report. I am going to focus on painted corsetry, since it gives me a chance to paint more, and less people are doing it, so I presume it stands out a bit more. we shall see what the future has in store.

Funny thing is, I worked on a film a few months ago, (I can't say which one it was for contractual reasons) I was just starting to paint pictures on corsets, when one of the main actresses walked by in her costume, and she was wearing a corset with an old looking (and very lovely) painting on it. It was one of those "every time I have a good idea, someone else has already done it!" moments.

Oh well. Hopefully I can make something that will stand out and perhaps actually make me some money!

Twitchers!

I am doing some of the costumes for this performance! Everyone come out and see it! Also, go peruse the dance company's site HERE.

Steampunk Show for NHK

Though I take quite a few liberties on the steampunk theme, I think the show went very well. HERE is an article from Time Out New York, featuring many of my costumes, though I'm not credited at all.

See if you can find the new costume! (Hint: It is on a lovely blonde model named Anna Boman) I also wore a new pair of latex pants that I made, my first foray into the world of rubber clothing. They need some adjustments, and it was an interesting experience to say the least, but I am certain that there is more to come in the near future.

Next on my to do list, another steampunk wind up toy costume for next Saturday's Dances of Vice, and some bird costumes for Desert Sin dance troupe.

Sneak Peek #1

New Wind Up Toys collection:

A Review of FAT

HERE is a rather humorous review that made quite a few allusions to my pieces in the Imago Zine collection at the FAT show in Toronto. It made me laugh anyway.  It was a crazy show indeed.

Latex!!

I have my first few yards of latex coming to me in the mail, and they should be here by Monday!!!  I am very much looking forward to playing with them, and experimenting with the material. I already have plans to make leggings to go with one of my Wind Up Toy costumes.

The colors I ordered (because remnants of them were on clearance) are black and pearlescent purple. I'm so excited!

Updates and Inspirations

I have been very inspired as of late, and have my hands in many different pies. And hence, no one else really wants to eat the pies anymore, since my hands have been squishing them around, but that is just fine by me.

Here are some photos that have been inspiring me!

This is the model Elva, shot by the talented Nadya Lev. Unfortunately, I do not know the designer's name.

These two are looks from the House of Bias.

The reason photos such as these have been inspiring me is I have decided I want to try out a new medium for costume making: Latex! I have found a few suppliers of sheeting I am interested in, and once I can save up enough to procure a decent amount, I will be trying this stretchy material in many different ways. It also makes sense to me in a business sense, because it is more acceptable for latex clothing to be handmade, and then sold. I particularly like the idea of creating the things I sell, rather than outsourcing.

I may even use latex to accessorize my NEW COLLECTION! Hooray! I feel my break since my Red Riding Hood collection has lasted long enough! My new collection is based around the concept of wind-up toys, leaning heavily in a steampunk direction. Currently, I am almost done with the first costume, and will soon have a photo shoot with it, so it can be a preview for the 10 looks to come.

Also, I may be part of a steampunk documentary for NHK, Japan's public television, and hopefully will be collaborating with the very talented dance group, Desert Sin.

Also, Dances of Vice is having an event at Company XIV's space! I hope to see everyone there!

More news to come, when I know more about my collaborations!

Fan Page? Fan Page!

Blackbirds Baked in a Pie, 2007

Catherine Greninger as a Water Flagbearer, 2007

My friends, I have made a Facebook fan page. I have decided if Facebook is the next free advertising train, then I best be on it.  There, I can send updates about shows and new collections of costumes or paintings. I have posted a few galleries of photos, and more are on the way, ranging from my newer works to my older ones.

Hopefully soon, I can finish some new work, and make a new folder full of splendiforous new things that are better than the last ones! Above are some oldies but goodies from my time at Pratt Institute.

Group Exhibit Tuesday!

Some street graffiti I saw in Milan that has nothing to do with the rest of my entry.

I am participating in another group exhibit on Tuesday night at the Envoy Gallery. The theme is "Interior Beauty Parlor", and I should have a few NEW paintings exhibited, and hopefully I will show up in a costume that keeps with the same theme as the paintings. It is located at 131 Chrystie Street, in NYC.

I am also working on a few prop pieces for a friend of mine Jeremiah Reeve, who is creating a performance piece happening sometime in August. More info on that later, but it should be a rather exciting performance.

In other news, I am trying to figure out where it would be best to spend my free moments, creating a sea monster ballet, conceptualizing my film about the politics of Wonderland, or creating a fashion line devoted to wind up toys....

Necklaces for Sale!

I have made a few necklaces as preliminary designs for my small "Seabirds and Sandstone" collection, the first installment in my small ready to wear line.  Two of these are for sale, one I will save to release with the rest of the collection. Find them on my Etsy page!

Plans in the making...

I have decided today, that due to my love for expanding on a theme, I am going to create a mini collection of five looks, incorporating couture techniques and other handwork. There will of course be spine tingling painted corsetry and mysterious knitted objects. After these five looks are completed, they will be for sale on my Etsy page. 

I start creating them full force tomorrow. Await pictures.

Canadian Adventures!

I have returned from Canada bearing pictures, and too many stories to count! I went up first, to Toronto for FAT, Toronto's Alternative Arts and Fashion Week. I showed 12 or 13 pieces with the Imago Magazine Collection. Many other designers contributed, and had some really cool stuff. There was also a very talented body painter there. To see video of that collection, click HERE.

Then, after FAT, I went back up to Canada a week later to a city about an hour north of Toronto named Barrie. This time, it was for a show promoting the models of International Model Management. I met a really great photographer there named David Hou, and he took the below photos of my costumes. He has a great website that you should check out! I only know some of the model's names, but If I find out more, I will post them.

Modeled by Grace Cairns

I believe this model's name was Marta, though I could be wrong.

Modeled by Michael, and a lovely model who was a great sport about wearing my knitted dress which can be uncomfortably warm.

Modeled by Dani Thompson

When I went up this time, I got to stay at Sandra Robert's house, who is the editor of Imagozine.  She had an amazing house right by Lake Ontario, and it was filled with art, and inspired me greatly. I will definitely be working with her again, as she is a great stylist, and an awesome person. We might just be planning something for August. I shall keep you posted!

Back from the Great North!

I am back from my Canadian adventure, and it was AMAZING. I have discovered that I heart Toronto, even after spending one day there. I am actually going back up to Barrie, a city just north of Toronto again this weekend, for a photo shoot based around 18th century themes, and I am just as excited as I was before!

Pictures soon, right now, I have to finish the movie poster for Love For Sale, the film I was working on for the Cannes film festival.

Disappearing Bodies

The one night gallery show at Envoy Gallery has come and gone, and it was great fun to be there and see everyone's work and I hope to take part in more events like it in the future. It gave me a warm fuzzy feeling of belonging to a generation of young artists who make work because they are passionate about it, not necessarily because they are getting paid for it.

A news article about the event from the New York Press can be found HERE.

My Etsy Shop Open!

These loverly two paintings of mine are now for sale on Etsy!  They are my first two items, keeping my shop open till I can add some of my more ambitious art pieces and costumes.

See my Etsy shop HERE.

Currently, I am trying to pack the costume in the below post (the one on Andy) into a suitcase so as to bring it to Envoy Gallery tomorrow night.  It is an interesting process and I am using shoelaces to keep the zippers closed.  

Despite the interesting packing, it is part of a show themed around Disappearing Bodies. Envoy Gallery is located at 131 Chrystie Street, between Broome and Delancey. 

Aside from that, I am going to be starting to paint the movie poster for Love For Sale, the short film I worked on for the Cannes Film Festival. It will be showing in the short film corner.

I am also preparing to venture up to Toronto for Alternative Fashion Week, which is so exciting I am doing mental wiggly dances almost constantly. Though I am incredibly excited for the fashion show, and seeing everyone else's work,  I am also excited about being able to explore Toronto a little bit the day after the show. If anyone knows of  interesting things I should check out while I am there, let me know!

Agenda for April

Modeled by Andy Jordan

Modeled by Mary Benyo

Modeled by Genevieve Cerri

Well, I thought that after my shows were over, I'd be able to rest a bit, but alas, no.  But the good news about that fact is that I am going to be working on many great projects.

First, a short film for the Cannes film festival, with Director Itsi Atkins, and filmographer Stephen Stuart.  My title on the project is Production designer, and I also get to direct one of the scenes, which should be a challenge, since I haven't directed any film work for about 4 years. I also get to paint the movie poster, which I will relish. Alas, More on that later...

In other news, I am planning on venturing up to Toronto for Alternative Fashion Week, which I am able to do through Imago Magazine, A publication with some very lovely fashion shoots.  This was an amazing stroke of luck, and I figured I would have to wait for next year, as the organization had stopped accepting applications for this year. However, Shien Lee, who runs Dances of Vice, introduced me to the editor of Imago Magazine, and now I'm saving for gas money, and packing up my Little red riding hood costumes!

Oh yes, and though I don't know many details yet, the painted dress shown above will be in a one night exhibit, along with many other artist's creations. 

And The day I'm leaving for Canada, I am modeling for my friend and co-conspirator Claire Aquila in her Fashion thesis at Pratt. She is doing an amazing collection based loosely on the characters from Neil Gaiman's epic The Sandman.  I play the character of Death, fittingly.  Pictures to follow, when I have them. 

So decent amounts of sleep, it seems, may have to wait till after April!

Show At Dances of Vice This Weekend!

My show is at 11:45pm and with any luck will be even better than my last one. 4 new costumes were made, and my actual finale dress in currently in progress, and will hopefully be done by then. So far, it is coming along exactly how I imagined it.

In other news, I think my brain wants to be done with this project, and I am becoming more easily bewildered when new information is thrown at me.  Making something into a better show sometimes means juggling more parts, which is difficult when my brain just wants to be finished so it can think about octopus puppets, crowns that look like castles, and being outside as the weather is getting warmer.

After this is all done, I am going to try to take some time to paint. And make random costumes or puppets not having to do with a theme, and see where it takes me.  Hopefully I will get some sleep as well!