One of my blog readers was so sweet to send me this watercolor painting she did inspired by a photo of me at the 1520 space flea market. Her version makes me look so wide eyed and pretty. Thanks Andrea!
you can even buy the original painting for $30! here
That's right...I got a haircut and actually had my hair combed and blown out. I had been trying to grow my bangs out but then realized I was slowly turning into Jan Brady. So I decided I better cut into that moppy mess so that I don't look too much like a hippie. My Urban Decay debut party is this afternoon and I am looking forward to getting a wild eye makeover so that I can change my profile pic. I really want to have a "Galliano" runway look, ha. Since Mr. H and I have officially moved our creative spaces out of our home, we now have a whole lot more space in our place.We decided to buy a real adult dining room table so that we can eat meals like grownups, but then of course purchased board games so that we can occasionally play scrabble or monopoly like kids. The extra space means that the cats have more areas to play, fight and lounge in their new "kitty city" . First time we have ever bought something at Target that the cats actually utilize. They sleep like stepbrothers in bunk beds all day and take turns slumbering inside.
not sure why that image had decided to appear sideways-hmmm.
so these are the choices for the printing booth at my Urban Decay later today! Only $5 for anything printed on a t-shirt/tote or poster print
YAHOO!
Guess what!?
Urban Decay + My ART = Debut PARTY at URBAN OUTFITTERS space 1520
the makeup palette that I made with URban Decay (called Showpony shadow box) is finally coming out this OCT 1 at stores all over that sell URban Decay makeup. They are also going to be hosting a super FUN premiere party at the Urban Outfitters space on Cahuenga OCt 11- Sunday. There will be makeovers to look like girls in my paintings- plus a band, and silkscreened surprises! Sort of a daytime party. I will be giving away some stuff of my own-some handpainted prints and things for the first fans to arrive.
I think a dance party may occur- and there will be a fun photo booth with kooky props.
More details to follow- it's a whole month away- but I was too excited to contain myself- and wanted to share the good news!
This past month I has plans to shop the Rose Bowl Flea Market for vintage with my pals. I dragged my poor boyfriend out, who immediately informed me that people from Seattle don't do well in "this kind of heat". (I imagined him wilting). He looked miserable and opted to check out the Norton Simon art Museum with my pal's hubby. They both looked super relieved when we told them they were off the hook and could leave the Rose Bowl. The funny thing about it was that we were miserable too, but wanted to prove we were troopers.
We barely had the energy for one lap around, and ended meeting up with them at the quiet & Zen Art museum.
They have such an incredible collection of art in that place, and we spied the lovely Rodarte sisters out back by the water drawing fashion sketches. It was the perfect way to end a hot sticky sunday
We pulled a lovely collection of chiffon dresses for a dream scene at work and even though we didn't end up using any of these pretty pastel ones I couldn't help photographing them before they left the dressing room.
This insane vintage knit is like an ERTE + Klimt painting combined in a tortoise shell shape. We fell in love with it!
My sweet pal Kelsey Brookes ( you may recall my Miami Art Basel posts) is in a new
dazed & confused article featuring his artwork check it out. He has the best attitude and amazing artwork.
Other participating artists include Axis, Carlos Batts, Coop, Jim Mahfood, Kozyndan, Misha, and Small Paul.
“Creative interpretations of the female anatomy are fundamental to art,” explains Carlos Batts, Curator. “Specifically, this project was inspired by the irony of Jeff Koons’ work and the playfulness of the Dunny movement, as well as by April herself.
The following pics are of the art pieces that night- Notice that I am officially documented on an adult network! Daddy would be so proud.
These pieces are all for S A L E, so if you have ever wanted one of my big paintings framed in a lovely archival frame- NOW is the time to score one.
Saturday night was the debut opening for the Cosmic LOVE show at Show Cave. That image above is from artist OWL EYES-known for his insane psychedelic collages.
Below are collage paintings by artist Alia Penner
Below is Miss K.K.s rainbow-riffic fairy tale dress
This past Sunday I had the closing party for my art show Disappear Here. If you live in L.A. that means that I have an abundance of large and pretty large pieces in my studio that have to sell in order to make room for more making. Hit me up if you want to come by for a messy studio look-sy over
Let's just say that the past three days have been spent in recovery. I have worked long and hard for way too many months without proper mental well-being. Piled on evenings of too little sleep, grinding teeth and sore hands. This past thursday I finally got to take over the gallery space at 1520 and with the awesome help of their display staff hang the new show! What a joyous relief.
taylor brittenham took all of these PRO pictures below:
Remember William Lemon , the lovely artist who did a small show at the show pony way back? If you don't recall, he made incredible floral prints on tights and tshirts and giant applique tapestries that looked like they were torn from the walls of an old mystical castle.
Mr. Lemon can transform the skin into a canvas-
He also collaborated on projects with his muse and love Natasha from Bat for Lashes!
The following is an excerpt from the cool editorial spread in the new DAZED and CONFUSED mag on the artist:
William Lemon is an uncommon master of fashion design, accessory making, music, writing, cooking and visual art. He sews intricate tapestries from hand-printed fabric which evoke comparisons to Persian miniature painting, His opulently hued silk-screened patterned tights feature alluring snakeskin and lava lotus print designs. And his silk-screened unisex sweatshirts, hoodies and jumpers are decorated with dreamy, mystical scenes.
For And Who Are You?: Work from Saatchi Online, a group show that I curated at the Sara Tecchia Roma New York gallery last December, Lemon presented a series of scented woodblock prints which illustrated an accompanying opera he wrote and performed with Bat For Lash's Natasha Khan, his mesmerising long-term girlfriend and muse. While at Deitch projects, he performed lines and cut a pig's heart from a friend's shirt with a box cutter while the national anthem played out of a kazoo. Lemon's most recent rock opera Moon & Moon's VII Acts of an Iron King can be heard herealongside act-by-act appropriate illustrations. His unique, ethereal form of skin-art has adorned the flesh of Marc Jacobs, the models of Supreme Modelling Agency, Beck, Chloe Sevigny and Khan. But most significantly, Lemon's principal medium is the generous gesture. Sincere without being earnest, and principled without being pretentious, Lemon makes art about love in all its guises and offers it to strangers.Ana Finel Honigman
My fascination with fame has now evolved into documenting the famous and their surroundings. Because the U.S. has no royal family, I’ve created my own; a blend of Hollywood, fame and old money. In the same way that Jean-Etienne Liotard created portraits of the Habsburg-Lorraine family, I am drawing portraits of our queens and princesses. Or to be more honest, drawing women that are worth the title to me. I’m interested in the world of old time class. People that carry a large personality and can show off decadence with a smile or handbag. And people who are drawn to grand items like chandeliers, flocking, pearl necklaces and very big rooms. I want to draw a world like William Randolph Hearst did when he built Hearst Castle. I want to draw the people I imagine would be hanging out inside these big fabulous places.
The Colony will feature over 30 new paintings, drawings and sculptures by artist Rachel Kaye. Kaye's portraits and domestic interiors are sourced from photographs of high-profile women and their surrounds. The show's title references "The Colony Club," New York City's most prestigious private women's social club founded in 1903 by socialite and suffragist Florence Jaffray Harriman. For her solo show, Kaye curates her own club of powerful and beguiling women by bringing together images of revered figures from Hollywood, fashion and royalty. Rendered in a loose and whimsical style, Kaye's works extract key details from the original image to convey the subject's strong persona and opulence.
Kaye received her BFA from the California College of the Arts (2004). She has had solo shows at Adobe Books Backroom Gallery, San Francisco, CA (2008) and Kayo Gallery, Salt Lake City, UT (2007.) She has also been featured in recent group exhibitions at Gavlak Projects, West Palm Beach, FL; Dinaburg Arts LLC, New York, NY; Stinson Beach Library, Marin, CA and Paul Morris Gallery, New York, NY. Kaye was previously based in San Francisco and currently lives and works in Los Angeles.
The 2nd Anniversary of art gallery Tinlark was this past Saturday, and I had two pieces in the group show titled "Inspired" . The show was curated by bloggers who appreciate art and creative folks like myself. The space is great, located at the cool CROSSROADS of the world corner.
THE SUPER DUPER UPDATE:
Well, Finally, the Miami blog posting. This thing crashed on me like 10 times.
Let's start this off my saying I had a nice time considering it was freezing and the art world is in the midst of a recession. Lots of fun times hanging in our hotel, getting kicked out of the hot tub for not wearing bathing suits (we forget them) eating bowls of late nite cherrios (the artist diet)...and cuban coffees galore.
We saw more art in 5 days than is recommended for the eyes. Still seeing spots.
Lots and lots of crazy parties that all seem to blend into a weird blur.
This Saturday you better have the stamina for a full night of art. You may have to drink a few raw eggs Rocky style and 50 pushups...but you best be prepared for the long haul.
Lerma explains, "Using stuff that was thrown away is Mexican ingenuity. People's idea of art is that it's really expensive and [made of] nice materials, but found objects are so abundant, they're much easier and freeing for us."
YO Snow board bunnies and gents- it's official- my snowboard has really really landed. I got 5 boards to sell -THEY ARE LIMITED Edition only 100 made--also sold at Colette in Paris and select boutiques World WIDE. So I'am giving the moldy doily fans the first heads up- they will all be signed and come with surprise token rad gifts-
Thanks for all the sweet confessions and comments lately. It's always nice to know that my creative friends in cyberspace are on the same magic carpet ride as me. It really is some universal wave.Anyway, wanted to share:I heard recently that the dvd documentary on Alice Neel has finally come out. It's something that has sort of haunted me. I remember watching the trailer for the first time and crying out loud. It was strange to me then, and I wasn't sure what about her life had moved me. It could've been her decision to choose painting while struggling as a bohemian mother, or her drive to keep going even when no one acknowledged her work. I suppose it was that she painted these portraits every day for over 50 years, figuring out the nuances that make up an individual, with the hope that she was communicating with the world. In case you didn't read my previous posts on Alice Neel, here are some examples of her work and the original trailer (which still makes me want to tear up)I read somewhere that her grand daughter Elizabeth (born in '75) is following in her footsteps and creates work with the same passionate energy as her grandma.
Alice Neel Trailer
SUZANNAH SINCLAIR SOLO EXHIBITION: EYES FOR NO ONE October 10 - November 25, 2008 OPENING RECEPTION WITH THE ARTIST: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10TH, 6 - 9 PM LOYAL is proud to present EYES FOR NO ONE, a new group of paintings by New York based artist SUZANNAH SINCLAIR. There is a captivating emotion in these elegant watercolor on birch-panel paintings of female figures. The portraits reveal much more than the physical in a look or a gaze. Personal yet with an untouchable mystique, the figures are always alone and in intimate poses. Sad, proud, hopeful, exasperated, a range of human sentiment is transfered. The matter-of-fact nakedness of the subjects tends toward confrontational and examines whether we are more comfortable with the sexual than with the emotional. The consistency of Sinclairs style of portraiture brings to mind the haunting and alluring portrait photography of Horst P. Horst, who said about his photograph "Odalisque", New York 1943, "I dont know how I did it. I couldnt repeat it. It was created by emotion."
LOYAL Torsgatan 53 113 37 Stockholm Sweden
There's something about the plastic taffy like tied up dresses, the sparkle weird tie front pants, the colorform cutout dresses and paper doily like wraps that makes Vivienne Westwood's new stuff- so "her"
I love this tie back dress on the right.
I'am so excited for the debut of the latest issue of Cheap and Plastique. I contributed some artwork for the issue and did a lil interview for it. My art/pal Elizabeth Huey will also be in the issue. If in NYC- head to the big DEBUT party:
This Friday night I will be part of a cool event in Los Feliz- you should come and check it OUT! Make something on paper, make something on weird materialsA FreshPressed x Busy-Being Happening
Come out and play!
Friday Sept.5th 7-10pm
4646 Hollywood Boulevard
Los Feliz, California 90027
{323} 663-7374
www.fresh-pressed.com
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Hello Friends!
Please join us at FreshPressed, a new public screen-printing
shop in Los Feliz along with exhibiting artists: Kime Buzzelli, Sean Cassidy, Rory
Wilson, Frohawk Two Feathers, and Andy Mueller for a truly unique event. All are
welcome especially kids to come and play! Create your own design - borrow &
revamp someone else's art and bring home a one of a kind!
Hope to see you there!
Busy-Being.com & FreshPressed, Screen Shop
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Remember when the Show Pony Ladies participated in the PAPER mag 24-hour dept store event here in L.A.? Well also in attendance were the folks from Creative Growth out in Oakland, CA. They brought a dazzling array of paintings and sculptures from various artists. Their center and gallery space are home to adults with developmental disabilities who communicate their thoughts and ideas through art. I mention all of this because my latest inspirational artist is Aurie Ramirez, a 46 year old Filipino-American woman, who worked for approx 20 years with Creative Growth! I read someplace that she may have suffered slightly from a form of autism and perhaps dyslexia. Whichever the case, she speaks to me. She expresses herself in a colorful language that is dreamy, haunting, fashion inspired and humorous at times.
These figures cluster in groups, like a theater troupe posing for a group portrait; they inhabit Victorian settings or plainer ones that suggest contemporary California. There are signs of violence and surgical scars; frequent indications of romance, sex and family dysfunction; odalisques reclining before paintings of odalisques.
Ms. Ramirez also isolates her rainbow palette in small striped abstractions. Though there are no indications of it here, the artist, who understands English, speaks in a language of her own devising, which she also writes, filling tablet upon tablet with its somewhat Greek lettering.
Creative Growth Art Center began in 1974 in the Oakland, California, living room of psychologist Elias Katz and educator Florence Ludins-Katz. With the belief that art is a universal means of expression, and one that people with disabilities could use to communicate and contribute to society, the pair provided art supplies and workspace to a handful of adults with disabilities. Thanks to a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, Creative Growth established a gallery in 1980; like the studio, it was the first of its kind.
For more than 20 years the studio and gallery have operated in concert out of a warehouse in Oakland’s Auto Row. Curatorial manager Jennifer Strate O’Neal calls it the “homestead” of a now-flourishing creative community. The studio itself has blossomed into a daily workshop for 148 artists working in mediums that range from pottery, weaving, and woodworking to film and painting.
