New Photographs Inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites-Art and Letters

I haven't been up for art much lately, but I am trying! This new set of photographs was inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites(yes again!) and my love of my glass pen and sepia ink brought back to me from Italy by my dear friend and former printmaking professor.  She knows me too well!  I was inspired by this JohnWilliam Waterhouse Painting.

My series is more "Writing Letters"(with one of my light up Art dolls and one of my framed Paintings in the background) than the Sorceress in this Painting, but what a beautiful inspiration! I was also inspired by the arrival of a lovely Relic piece of Jewelry by Jen Parrish of Parrish Relics Jewelry which I love! They always inspire a new series of photograhs so thank you Jen! Here are the other photographs from the series as well as Jen's Relic.

Thank you Jen! This piece is "Margarita of Florence" and I adore it! http://www.parrishrelics.com/ you will find her pieces on Etsy now.

As always, that was a lot of set up, wardrobe and monkey business for just a few photos, but that is me!  And yes, it all went down in my crazy house which is very old and full of unique archs and other magickal details.

This is also why my whole life my clothes are more a collection of costumes and vintage pieces than anything else. This is also why I have collected this and that from antique stores and places all over the world with the thought, "OOh, this doo-dah will look cool in a photograph!".  Just don't expect me to wear anything but a black t-shirt, jeans and black boots in "real life" but, do come on over and for tea and I can tell you some stories about all the "doo-dahs" as they fill every nook and cranny. Hope you are all well!

It's Been Forever-Photographs I Have Been Working On-Swan Dancers!

"Swan Brothers"

I took several photographs of my two nephews as the male Swan Dancers from the all male version of Swan Lake.  They like this version of the Ballet very much-the dances, the costumes and the magic of it all.  Then, they put their own twist on it by wanting me to paint their faces and their arms-well, everywhere.  They wanted to look like my paintings with Tribal body and face painting.  The 4 year old(teeny tiny Swan) had to be dragged away or he would have never stopped with my face paints.  This may be my favourite photograph from the shoot.  This is a pose that the "big Swan Dancers" do in the Ballet.  My boys did such a good job!

What they were making me try to live up to!

Their version became very "Wild Child Lost in a Forest" too as they can't take a photograph without a stick looking like they are going to use it as a weapon of course.  They also wanted to look "like an ancient tribe of Swan Boys" so there is a little of this and a little of that.

Magic Acorn from Delila of Robin and Sage!

Hee!  They crack me up because they are so good!  We watched the Ballet a few times and they still want to watch it more.  People have asked me 1)Where is this amazing place I took the photos and 2)How do I work with kids and "get them" to do these things in photographs.  Well, this is just their back yard with the sun setting and, I didn't make them do anything.  They thought of all the poses themselves.  I just had to keep reigning them in or they would have flown away.  They had way better ideas for photographs then I could have thought of so I let them do their own thing!

And, it was the oldest's Swan's Birthday last week and when I asked him what he wanted he said, "Duh!  I want a Swan Photo!".  So, I gave him the one of him "flying".  Everyone in our family got Swan photographs-that's all I have to give!

Photographic Inspiration:Pre-Raphaelite, Botticelli and Others

So, for now I am working on dolls(the same ones still!) and taking more self portrait photographs.  I still feel the need to tell a story and keep being inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites and recently by Botticelli's "Primavera"

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Sometimes, I feel really stupid taking these photos of myself, but I can tell when I am ready to take more when I start to go back and edit one set over and over again.  I get all antsy for new photographs and I never know when that will strike so it is just easier if I take them of myself-especially since recently my old enemy insomnia has come back to visit me.  Anyway, finally have to set up everything, figure out a scene and costumes and just do it.

 They are by no means masterpieces but they are something to me-Something I feel I must keep doing(Probably something people would like to see less of but what can you do).

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The ones above were inspired by a gorgeous bouquet of green and white flowers that I made into a headpiece.  This was good because the flowers were on their way out so I had to make myself get going and do the photos.

 You have seen one from this set before when I did my Divine Diptych of an "Allegorical Painting" and chose Botticelli's "Primavera.  I went on to take a few more(It took me forever to get this outfit together and all that so why not?).

 A lot of silly stuff went into getting these photographs together, but I'm not telling!  I finally finished a new set that I will share later.  And, I am really excited about 2 new vintage dresses I found for super cheap prices that will work for so many ideas.  I also have a grand project I am working with 2 amazing models.  I will give you one hint: it involves lots of white feathers!

New Old Photographs

"Ghost of Me"

"Looking Forward to the Ancestors"

"For Dear Rosebud"

I have always been so in awe of the photographer Julie Margaret Cameron.  How she learned to take photographs later in her life and so following her own vision and her heart though she often got so much criticizm.  She purposely made them blurry, dressed people up like characters from Authurian Legends, Shakespeare's Plays and Mythology.  Many at the time thought this was just "silly". 

Alice in Wonderland Grows Up

One of many of Julia Margaret Cameron's Photographs

 But for me, this is magic.  I have always been the most interested in taking portraits of people-everyone has their thing.  I had to try taking landscapes and other photographs in college and they were horrible and I knew they would be because I just didn't love them.  I warned my Professors that they would be horrible and expected my grade on these pieces to reflect this and they did and my Professors laughed with me.  I didn't care and they didn't really care.  The main thing that was important they said is that I had figured out what my passion was and my style.  So, if I don't have a person, I will take a photograph of myself because I can do whatever I want and I don't have to explain myself to anyone.  Some folks may find these photographs "silly", but hopefully I will stay strong like Julia Margaret and just do my thing and not worry where they end up.

A New Diptych-Week 11

Our Week 11 Diptych with Me on the Left and Susan 

on the right.

For Week 11 of the The Divine Diptych Project

Susan and I had the theme of "Allegory".  We both chose visual Allergories.  She chose to do her own photographic version of the Tragedy/Comedy Masks that were first used by the ancient Greeks in their plays where they wore masks to mimic life at their time.  These masks now symbolize Theatre all over the world.

I chose an Allegorical Painting done by Sandro Botticelli: his classic "Primavera" which depicts many Roman God and Goddess representative of spring.  Overtime, this painting has become a symbol of springtime.  I tried to turn myself into my version of his "Venus" pictured above. Whew!

Please visit the Divine Diptych Blog for more Diptychs!

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!

Finally a New Post and Maybe a New Look

Lately I have been run down again but I have managed to do a few things.  I went back to the 1980s with my gorgeous friend Anna and we put this photographic diptych together for the Divine Diptych Project.  Rock On! I was lucky that I kept my first prom dress(and that it still fits 25 years later!) and my aqua blue Fluevog boots!  I can't believe how gorgeous Anna looks in a time where fashion is looked back on as a big "I can't believe what I wore!".

Next, I was a Sci-Fi Mutant on the bottom of this diptych(very creepy which I love).  Unfortunately,  the brave and beautiful Sarah above me came in contact with me and is now in a Decontamination Shower.  I loved doing this photograph with Sarah as it made me realize that I really do like Sci-Fi and I like to make myself a wee bit creepy.  It must come from all those years that my twin sister and I referred to ourselves as "Mutants from the Mother Ship".

Stand and Deliver!

Those Freaky Mutants!

I have also been beading, drawing, practicing with my paints and pigments, and getting some final costuming and accessories done on long overdue dolls.  I have had many dreams of swimming, doing pilates and running again.  I so hopes this means that I will be able to do these things again soon and that I will get a handle on my illnesses and feeling so old.  I want to dance and swim with my nephews this summer and take many photographs in my favourite places that are out of the way and haven't been visited in so long.  First, I need to finish several overdue paintings(thank you sweet people for being so patient) and clean my house!

Finally, I am sending my absolute love and thanks to my Divine Sisters and the support I receive from my online and off line friends.  Love you!