Sunday, October 30, 2011

Friday, September 30, 2011

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Creative Inspiration

I am often asked where does my inspiration come from -- even my best guess would have landed on something like "I don't know exactly - specific images just enter my mind and exit via my sketchpad (in most cases)."

But then some weeks back -
At about 4 am - I woke up to some words that entered my mind before I opened my eyes.
Apparently I had become sleepy while sketching & I had forgot to turn off the television (happens alot!).

Carrying on with the original thought - The words I heard through my sleep some hours later were from a religious program on some "off channel" .... I have no idea how the TV was tuned to that space...

What I heard was the following sentence (and the truth of it woke me up instantly) - "Inspiration paints the image of what is to be in our mind."

I know the gentleman who spoke the sentence was not speaking of artistic inspiration...but I also know that all inspiration is equal and unto the same.

My brain wrapped the rest of the words below around his point of absolute truth ....and now I know why I am always anxious to move forward to the next thing ...and then the onto the next with such furry. I understand why art - craft and creativity -will move forward with a life of its own, even if I or anyone were to try to jump off the creativity train...

The Rest of the "WORDS"
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"Inspiration is the harbinger of the future, it is the seed that paints the image of what is to be in your mind.

Creativity is the undeniable universal seed of existence. Your hands are the tools that bring it into being once the seeds have been sown. Like the hands -so our words become the seeds of healing. With that being said, what inspires us are the seeds of our future.

Why must we create and inspire others to create? Because when we are creating we have become our own evangelistic force to shine a light over doubt which is hiding in all the dark corners in our minds. We own the responsibility to shine that light in order to move forward so we do not lose our way on the path to overcome all that ails us. This becomes the answer to the question, "why now?"
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Somehow, even through my rough sentences -- I felt others with the same driving force to create would understand exactly what I was hearing - and subsequently what I keep saying with my sketch pad ...even to those people who think they are idle and not listening.

Funny - I always have to marvel at how stuff really works.

I always liked to think that when these rather preachy religious shows pop on the screen, that I too -- I am idle and not listening. Apparently the mind is never truly idle.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Altered Couture is a a Secret Love of mine

I have always loved the art of altered couture, ever since I learned that I am not so great at sewing, but always wished for a little more in the outfits that I am attracted too. That's when I figured with all the great fabric paints now available why not just move my painting skills to fabric. So here you see the altered couture outfits that I created (some elements are stitched into being from raw materials, when I say "stitched" I mean by hand with thread and needle, I do not own a sewing machine). Smokin Shambhala and the practice of Modern Macrame are the focus of my next two books (Fox Chapel Publishing) due out late next year. We begin project set up and photography for the books in the first weeks of August this year...yep only a few weeks away the process will begin when I travel to Pennsylvania for the photo shoots.

I have two beautiful manikins - who wear my creations well... I am so grateful for their statuesque beauty and to have them just for the fun of giant barbie dolls in house. Here my Platinum Blond is wearing my Steam Punk Wedding Gown

(which includes the hand painted Hat with Veil, Hand beaded Choker Necklace, Hand Stitched Edwardian style Corset which is painted and beaded - Painted and beaded three tier petty coat, and the hand painted and beaded dress with crystal and pearl caplets at the shoulders.)Oh and I forgot to mention the FEATHERS.... I love feathers the steam punk outfit is laded with white ostrich and turkey feathers... you can see them here at the top and bottom of the corset...but are also included on the Coachmen's Hat. Also on the hat you'll see antique french lace which is bead with pearls and Swarovski Crystals.... along with three hand rolled satin roses.


Smokin Shambhala is the second outfit in 2011, just completed for a trade show debut in Milwaukee, WI. She is wearing a hand painted gamblers hat, also sporting Turkey Feathers in the form of brown and black feather floral fascinators. There is again beaded and sequined french lace and hand knotted modern macrame(Shambhala) as the hand band.... and all through out the outfit.



The greatest challenge was painting the Liquid Black Leggins... it was an interesting fabric to work with. My favorite portion of the Shambhala outfit was creating the Tulle and feather Bustle.




























Modern Macrame, or Shambhala as it s know in the Eastern Cultures, is an incredible zen craft. Meaning that it is relaxing to do and you end up with such beautiful works of art that you can wear.

Here you see my Steam Punk Shambhala (design: "Frozen in Time")

But the design possibilities are limited only by your imagination!








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