The Painting That Started it All and Came Full Circle

The Pre-Raphealite Painting by Millias that I saw and wanted to try and do my own photographic portrait of.

My finished photograph of my version.

Another painting and version of Ophelia which inspired me.

And, two of the photographs that I took in my own verision of it.

This inspired me to dress up as this Ophelia for Halloween one year with one of my art students who wanted to dress up like one of my art dolls. I think she did a really good job!

The doll she dressed up as was the first art doll I ever made. Her name? Ophelia!

Recently, I have started doing digital self-portrait photographs. I took this self-portrait photograph in my own bathtub which I shrouded with dark black fabric, filled to the rim with water and about 4 dozen roses. Why? It has a bit of an "Ophelia" vibe going on.

The more photographs I took, the more I studied the Pre-Raphealites.  The self portrait photograph below is part of my "Prosperine" series which was inspired by Dante Gabriel Rossit's painting above-the famous  "Proserpine"

His imagination and my photograph inspired me to make another one of my art dolls(at this time I had made hundreds of them and learned a lot).  This time, I was focusing on Prosperine's gown and gorgeous, wavy dark hair in the painting. She was to be a gift for dear friend, but ended up in show instead.

(She is in just the beginning phase of getting her costume and hair together in this photo, but now she is done now. More photographs to come!)

Then, after many years of being inspired and making pieces of my own, I was given the opportunity to curate an Art Show in which I asked all the artists to do their own take on the Pre-Raphealites. It was so exciting to see what each artist came up with in their own style!

Above is a large painting that a local artist Justin Cooper did called "Jane Burden Recyled".  I love how he mixed the old with his own unique style!

Almost 15 years later, my original photograph of my first film version of Ophelia was blown up very large as a digital photograph and put in this same show.  No one had ever really seen her, especially this large, and she had never been in one of my shows. What a thrill to come full circle!



Things That I am Thinking About Now

That my sweet Little Mo 1 is has grown up to be a gorgeous and smart LADY!  Here she is modeling on the catwalk which kind of freaks me out because I don't see a trace of little girl-I see amazing woman(in a wicked cool gown made out of car seat belts!).  Wow! where did the time go? She was a wee baby yesterday.  She is such a stunner and so clever and funny!  We always said "YES!" to black lipstick even when we disagreed about everything else so it just too ironic that she is wearing it for this show.

A newly painted portrait of me by DJ Berger of Red-Handed Blogspot

(yes, I shamelessly just stole this image-I can't help it!  He makes me look like how I feel and how I wished I looked!  It's a very deep thing-hard to explain...He does have the family pout down perfectly too.)

I recently got the go ahead from one the Galleries where I work to curate a new art show that I have had on my mind about "New Pre-Raphaelites".  More details soon!  So excited!

New Dolls that are FINALLY getting done! New paintings are finally getting done as well.  And, a big THANK YOU to all the wonderful folks who have been so patient with me through this new illness and are waiting extra long for the commissioned pieces they have requested from me.  This HUGE as I figure out how all of this is going to work out.  I think that I will figure out how to do my art and work and deal with "the sick".  I'm not there yet, but like with most new things, it takes some time.

New and Amazing Jewelry from Jen of Parrish Relics Jewelry(http://www.parrishrelics.com/).  She made Rapunzel(left) for my dear sister/friend Gretchie and Snow white(right) for me.  Both are illustrations by my favourite Children's Book illustrator Trina Schuart Hymen who passed away just a few years ago(she was so close to me when I lived in New England! I am so stupid for not just knocking on her door!).  All her books are magic for me.  Having a piece with her Snow White is more magic thanks to Jen.  Watch this space for more magic!

An AMAZING AND SURPRISE gift of flowers showed up from dear sisters that have really made my week, month, year.  Their abundance of Unconditional Love and support is beyond words.  I am so grateful.  I love this movie as well(who doesn't? this is where I got yet another nickname at University-"Wild Irish Rose"-hehe...and yes, I did have to fall down drunk a few too many times into a trash can or wherever and then yell, 'I'm alright!, I'm alright!'  I find that so funny now.)

Turning those Flowers into head wreath and taking a new series of self portrait photographs to say "thank you" to these dear sisters was a gift to them and to myself.  For a few hours I was lost in a magical land and long past era or painting.  Pay it forward!

A New Auction of Gorgeous Jewels to Help the Faerie Queen!

Money is still being raised for Lisa Stock's Film Trilogy about the Faerie Queen "Titania" which I mentioned in my last post.  Now, you can go to Ebay and bid on a set of gorgeous pieces made by Jen Parrish of PARRISH RELICS

This Set includes an amazing head Piece and a gorgeous necklace both handmade by Jen without molds out of a special clay that she fires and then applies layers or gold finishes on.  She also uses semi precious stones as well as crystal beads in these pieces.  She has made one set for the Ebay Auction and one for the lead character of Titania to be worn in the movie.  You can check out the pieces at the ebay auction HERE

Here is your chance to own a pieces of Titania's own Faerie Jewelry! Fit for a Queen!

Calling All Lovers of the Fae and Fairy Tales! Please Support Lisa Stock's Amazing Indie Film Project!

Lisa Stock is an amazing film maker and story teller.  She is desperately trying raise funds for her Titania Film Trilogy and she needs your support NOW!  There are only a few days left for folks to donate to her Kicktstarter Project which you can find out more about donating HERE.

Here is some information about Lisa and her projects:

Lisa Stock is a writer and filmmaker working in the mythic arts. She pulls her stories from a varied background in theater, film, and anthropology. Her films include:

THE MEDISAGA TRILOGY (Titania, Purgatory, Neptune)
THE SILENT NICK AND NORA (screened in London - Rotoreliefs Series, Cannes - Short Film Corner, New York - Big Apple Film Festival)
BROTHER AND SISTER (featured in numerous online and print media)
DAPHNE & THE WILD HUNT (online series premiering in May 2010)
Lisa is also the author of the novella “The Sun”, and the popular online Victorian/Steampunk allegory "Through the Cobweb Forest”. She lives online at www.InByTheEye.com, and lives offline in New York City.

"I do think that your work delves into the questions of what fairy tales can tell us as women's tales more deeply than nearly any other contemporary artist that I know about."
-Daniel Fusch, Editor, Dantes Heart Journal of Myth, Fairy Tale, and Fantasy

 

 Even a gift of $5.00 is of great help.  Thank you!

Twin Brides by Cat Mallard of Darkling Woods

(just a peek!)

My twin and I(being twins) were born a month and a bit early.  We ended up being born in October and it is our favourite month.  We love the weather, how it cools again, and the "Spooky Factor".  Not all the gorey stuff(however, we do love Edward Gorery!), but we love old Ghost Stories and have always made our own costumes(thanks to our mom always making ours from the start).  We would start thinking about what we wanted to be for Halloween months ahead of time and be so excited for our birthday party which would be held in our family's barn with all our friends.  Lots of bobbing for apples, mummy toilet paper wrap rolls, s'mores around the fire and hayrides on the old tractor and wagon-fun!

(I do a lot of Halloween Art too! The Invitation and Gift of a mixed media painting for my twin and her husband for their Halloween Wedding)

Below is Jer is being the Bride of Frankenstein with one very goofy Dr. Frankenstein(She is with her then boyfriend and now husband Doug.  This photo was taken over 15 years ago. You can just see my 2nd attempt at one of my dolls in the background and I have made over 100 easily by now) I think her costume is just divine!  She somehow got her hair to stand up like that, added some black colour to it and the white streaks, made a collar of ribbon with bolts glued on it and is carring a bouquet of some dying flowers.  Her dress is vintage one that has been so long in our family that it is decaying.  I love my brother in law because he is always ready to dress up too, be so silly that is scary and loves it. 

He now makes all the costumes for his family(he is the stay at home parent) and last year he made each of their two little boys Power Ranger Outfits, as well as one for himself and one for Jer(she has a super stressful job and yelled, 'Make it Work!' as she ran out of the door. Doug is a triathelete, has completed many Iron Mans, and coaches many other atheletes, but his secret wish is to be on Project Runway.  He also bakes fabulous pies(makes up his own recipes) and makes the best cosmos ever.  I always see him baking in his cycling clothes.  He is truly a Rennisance Man!

(Run Doug Run! You have pies to bake and sewing to do at home!)

They even planned a Halloween Masque Ball Wedding in an old 1900s Ballroom Complete with Gilt Mirrors and Chandeliers covered in cobwebs.  They had black and white striped candles everywhere, purple and orange twinkle lights, tons of black spiderweb fabric draped everywhere, and Cinderella pumkins(those short and  squat cool shaped ones covered in glitter as the centerpieces).  Jer wore a purple velvet Regency style coat over a blush pink regency dress that I designed and my mom and I made and Doug wore his family's plaid kilt.  Everyone dressed in costume(I dress up as a bridesmaid-ha!) and I made one million hand held masks(ok, so it only felt like that!)

(Wedding Day October 30 1999)

They also both make a wee bit sick as here they are 10 years later dressed in the same wedding clothes with their two little boys(love these boys!) at a fancy Medieval themed Event.  My nephews are very serious about trying to find the Holy Grail.  May the force be with them. Are they not the cutest kids ever?  Both boys asked to take dates to the event and Doug and Jer were thinking little girls but they picked lovely grown women who are in the background.  Watch out ladies!

Now we come to the really fabulous part! When I came across the art Cat Mallard of  Darkling Woods  and LOVED IT ALL-especially her Fairy Tale and spooky Halloween pieces.  I contacted her(she really couldn't be any sweeter or more humble about her amazing talent and work)to commission her to do a painting of twin Brides of Frankenstein for my twin Jer as a gift. 

(This is Jer's Bride.  Look how much her gown looks like Jer's Wedding outfit!  And, I never told Cat about it!   Cat is amazing!) 

One would be wearing purples which are Jer's favourite colours and one would be wearing turquoise and aqua which are my favourite colours.  What Cat sent me was beyond what I could ever imagine! 

(Jer's Bride!)

She made a 3D piece with amazing layers of paper-divine! 

The "chandeliers" are made of lace.  Our ballgowns float off the paper which is attached to hard backing.  Our gowns are embellished with all kinds of velvet pieces as well as vintage flowers and ribbon. 

(My bride. I really want this dress!  I mean hanging in my closet to wear to the next fancy event or to wear everyday!)
 The end result just made me scream out loud!  When I gave it to my sister she did the same thing.  And then she just cried and cried and said, "This is one of my most favourite things ever!".  I knew it would be!

Now, the big reveal!  I wish I could have taken a better photo because it is a thousand times more gorgeous than this.

Thank you dear Cat! You have made us slightly freaky twins who mumble in our own language still and can scare folks off with our "twin stare" feel very cool.  We shall walk around like these gorgeous Brides now and remember our Spooky Beauty!

I'm gonna Let It Shine...

 THIS is so seriously funny and so dear at the same time! Thank you Red-Handed!

Hey DJ! This one is just for you!  It's me with little itty bitty Tobias Greenmoss!  And, we are both wearing new headdresses! We look so darn FIERCE don't ya think?  Aren't you so excited!  Well, of course you are!  Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer!

Anyway, I have to thank my crazy(seriously) friend DJ for an amazing package he sent me months ago. This winter was a hard one and his package of his original Art and Writings was just the most awesome thing to find in the mail.

He sent me a beautiful Pre-Raphaelite postcard, a very cool fold out original story that he wrote and illustrated all on one piece of paper which folds out(fantastic illustrations!  fantastic story!) and one of the coolest biz cards I have ever seen.  It also folds out and includes several of  his very unique line drawings.  Fabulous!

Also included was a hand painted Date Book(he doesn't understand that I see this as a work of art and would rather frame it then scribble appointments inside it but he is dense like that-oh well).  And, I love this super cool calender with magnents on the back.  It has a gorgeous painting behind the calender.  Gorgeous colours and I always love a masked person(in art, not some boogie man in my house or anything like that) and this mysterious lady has a gorgeous plum coloured mask on.  My twin will want this but she can't have it!

But wait, that's not all!  One of the biggest mysteries wrapped in a riddle was yet to be seen!  It was this innocent looking journal-no big whoo right?  Oh no, the cover of this journal is top secret!  My twin, younger sister and 2 boy cousins have made a religion around this saying on this cover-no kidding!  It started when we were very young.  It was our mantra and benediction.  We repeated it over and over and often mixed up the parts as a test of faith.  We each get random phone calls to this day.  They are very brief and very mysterious.  The person on the other end will simple say, "A loaf of stick" and hang up.  We all nod in silence knowing that our secret is still strong and that we are keeping the faith.  We all know that this saying will bind us more than blood, more than duty.  It is etched on our brain(well, we tried to etch it on each others' brain with the light bright, but that is a whole different story).  Say it proudly and loud or silently mumur it, but never stop!  A LOAF OF BREAD, A CONTAINER OF MILK, AND STICK OF BUTTER! So mote it be...

Tevlin! You don't have to cry about it!  The force is still strong with us all!  The best thing is when my mom saw this journal that DJ had made.  She picked it up and said right away, "Oh my God!  There is another one of YOU WEIRD KIDS OUT THERE!"  I couldn't stop laughing about that one for days.  Yes DJ, you are now officially ONE OF THOSE WEIRD KIDS OUT THERE!  Prepare yourself.  My cousin Tevlin and I are the only ones who look a bit, well, "unique" and act that way too.  The others are quite normal looking, but don't let that fool you.  Underneath their career clothes, Dr. lab coats and family cars beat the hearts of WEIRDOS!  Welcome to the family!

And, the surprises keep on coming!  Inside of what I thought was the "Weirdo Kids" journal, DJ had actually snuck in another one of his stories called Parachute Man.  Very sneaky indeed.  I have read it forward and it is very good.  I am going to however read it backwards for any secret messages about light bright and the 6 million dollar man or to see if there are instructions for going down to the corner store to pick up a "loaf of bread" wink, wink...

I just may be onto you DJ.  I also wanted to show you some photos of your gorgeous painting "Finally, She's Ready" hanging in my house.  I do love this painting so much!  I call my place "Mo Town".  I think she really suits "Mo Town" and I also think she is in good company.

All kidding aside, Thanks so much for the lovely gifts and your thoughtfulness DJ.  I hope all is well with you and that you are still creating away.  The world needs you Art-both your writing and your paintings and everything in between.  I personally need your humour and I am pretty sure I am not alone in that!