Jehanne of the Witches & Prince!

Well, we are into tech week for Jehanne of the Witches. Things are crazy, but coming along. Here are a few of the designs. I hope to get a few photos from the costume parade on Monday. Things get so busy I always forget to take photos.

I am also putting up some Prince in honor of my procured tickets for his show in December. I am absolutely losing my mind over it. I think it requires a new outfit...possibly something sparkly....

Niel Gaiman is also tonight, I am going with a girlfriend who is also doing set dec for the show. One of my costumes will be onstage, so will have to post photos. I was supposed to help her with the load in and set up, but things are so crazy I may bail...Will post photos later.

Purple Rain!

Road Test Success, And Love Lies Bleeding...

I passed my motorcycle road test yesterday! I'm so happy (and relieved!) to have that done. The instructor said I was the best rider of the day, yay! I was totally prepared to fail, you hear so many horror stories about how militant they are...Now I can sew my "scooterist" patch onto my jacket....I bought the patch but decided I wouldn't put it on until I passed my test.

It really felt good to do something that at one point I wasn't sure I was ever going to be able to do competently. But, like most things in my life, I started this journey backwards. I got the scooter before I even knew how to turn it on. I just knew I'd wanted one for so long, it didn't occur to me that maybe this wouldn't be my thing. After the disastrous lessons on the motorbike, I had moments were I thought, "what have I gotten myself into here??" I'm thankful I did it that way though, I may have bailed on the idea had I not had my little bee already, and what a waste that would have been! Riding that vespa is a feeling I can only describe as similar to surfing. A feeling of being one with the elements somehow. Maybe those aren't quite the right words. Its a real sense of unity with your ride, like a team.

Now that I have been on the freeway a couple times and feel confident I can "keep up" I can take my scooter up to the coast for visits. Though I imagine that will have to wait until next year, its getting awful cold now with that wind coming at you so fast. But still gorgeous and sunny. October has always been my favourite month!

Here's a spider web on my foggy, dewy back porch this morning.

Will be heading out to see the Alberta Ballet's "Love Lies Bleeding" tonight. My extremely talented studio mate worked on it with several other girls we know. I'm so excited for all of them! I've seen photos of some of the costumes and my god, they are amazing! I can hardly wait! Here is the advert for the Calgary performance:

Scooter Rally!

I attended my first scooter rally today! It was awesome. Went on my own, so a little weird to walk in cold like that, but people were pretty friendly. I felt a little stupid wandering around on my own, but eventually just walked up to a table and said, "hey you guys look like scooter riders" and off it went. Have never seen so many scooters riding at one time. I would really like to get some of the photos taken by passengers during the ride, those would be cool.

Oh my god, I have to add this photo of this dog! Cutest dog ever! I'm not sure how I feel about the german gunner look.....but oh my god this dog!

Dahlias and Plays

My Dahlias are finally blooming! I thought for sure they weren't going to make it. I planted them late and our summer has been so bizarre, it didn't even really start until August. But it looks like 6 out of probably 9 are strong and healthy. I MUST dig them up this year. The first couple years I had them going, I left the bulbs in the ground and they were fine, but somehow my luck ran out and since then, every time I've tried to leave them in over the winter I've killed them. Dahlia murder...unforgivable. Unless you are chopping them down to put them on your table, then, you know, its a worthy sacrifice.

I have also started work on the next play I'm designing costumes for. "Jehanne of the Witches," not bad, I like the script. Its about Joan of Arc and Gilles de Rais or "Blue Beard" written by a local playwright Sally Clark. Pretty interesting. I think we should be able to have some fun with it. Thrasso Petras will be directing and I just love him, we seem to jive quite well and that always makes it the best, when the collaboration and communication is on.

The Pixies

Thought I'd throw up Debaser by the Pixies, all about Un Chien Andalou...

I think my favourite might be Wave of Mutilation though...For any ocean dwellers out there, can you not just feel the spray of the sea when you listen to this?? I'll put that up too...

Midnight in Paris

While I haven't seen a Woody Allen movie for years, (mostly due to the fact that he married his 16 yr. old adopted daughter and I just can't get past that! Freak. And not the good kind.) I have to say, I was really glad I went to this one.

Clever, funny, kind of sweet. Nothing you'll lose your mind over intellectually, but worth the price of admission.

Owen Wilson's character is adorable and Marion Cotillard is so gorgeous she'll make your brain slide out your ear. And really, isn't that enough in itself?

Its at the 5th Ave.

Fin.

Right, so here is my Dalinian Dog.

He actually never started out as one, though he was always meant to be a bit unsettling and curious. I obviously was influenced by studying Dali in my art history class. Kind of amazing what we do unconsciously. I stepped back from the painting the other day and thought, oh, jesus, I've given him the crazy Dali eyes. Then I thought, I'm ok with that....

Classes!

So I have been in classes this July and soon to be August, doing 9 credits condensed. A 6 credit Painting 310 and a 3 credit Art History 408. I'm really loving them both, though I did an oral presentation in art history today about a Lorca play and I'm not sure how well that went. I was to look at the play Blood Wedding in relation to surrealism. A bit of a challenge, I think. There wasn't really any feed back as we were running behind, so who knows. I'm sure I'll find out soon enough...I did enjoy the work, if that means anything.

Here's what I have been working on in paint....yes, more dogs....

This is the beginning stages of a peice that will become a more complex narrative

I open at the close.....

Just finished watching the final chapter. I knew it was over when I finished the 7th book, but now thats it, no more movies to count on either. I'm so...I don't know...a strange mixture of feelings...bittersweet I suppose. Those books were such a special time for myself and my daughter. Neither one of us will ever recall those books without thinking of the other. In fact I remember one year at my Mom's for Christmas while everyone else was together reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas," we were holed up in the bedroom reading Harry Potter. The "Chamber of Secrets" I think maybe, or "Prisoner of Azkaban" I can't remember which. We started reading them when she was in kindergarden, and now she is 15. 10 yrs.

She had a soft spot for Snape from the start, we both did, as I'm sure many people sensed, there was more to that character than meets the eye. In fact when I was still in school taking textiles and first learning to weave tapestry, I wove her a Snape tapestry as one of my projects. It was SO bad! I'll have to post a photo. But she loved it and he hung over her bed pouring sleeping potion over her for many years to come.

The final movie gave Severus Snape his due. I was worried after the last one that there wasn't going to be proper attention payed, but my worries were in vain thankfully. An epic ending to an epic series. I can't wait to read them all again....

Bono in Vancouver!!

Oh good lord. Bono is in Vancouver. Any of you who know me, know I lose my mind over U2. (see my webpage under tapestries) Oh to pick him up hitch hiking! Why couldn't it be me?? Heres the story in the Globe and Mail:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/thumbs-out-rock-star-gets-lift-from-oiler/article2045387/

I seem to have a strange 6 degrees of separation with the Bono Vox. Every time he is near, I know someone with a link, through work or whatever, but I seem to remain on the outer limits of his orbit. Maybe thats our destiny, to be so close, yet so far.....sigh.

Bono! If you are out there, meet me at the Art Gallery, we can bond over Dali and Carrington....we can sit together on one of those little benches and discuss the tortured artist and whether or not you must suffer in order to create great art....

Leonora Carrington

Here is a photo of Leonora with Max Ernst. She looks SO young. I suppose she was.

Her erie, preternatural subject matter never fails to stimulate my curiosity and move me. I fell in love with her work with the first image I ever saw, the cover of the book "Leonora Carrington, Surrealism, Alchemy and Art" I highly recommend it.

Heres a little known fact, Leonora actually made a couple tapestries in her day. Probably not woven herself, but I love a person with respect and appreciation for textiles.

A few greats from the last of the Surrealists...

The Meal of Lord Candlestick

Pastoral

The House Opposite

Leonora Carrington

Just found out Leonora Carrington died yesterday. She was one of my favorite artists.
She must have been about 94 now. Her work will be featured in the VAG surrealist exhibit opening this Saturday.
Here is a link to an article about her on the CBC website: http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2011/05/26/obit-carrington-leonora.html

oh puppers.....

Good news! My vespa ride last Sunday went really well! I got my speed up into 3rd gear and ventured out onto one of the busier streets around here. Was a little nerve wracking starting up at the light with all the other traffic, I wanted to get up to speed WAY faster than I think is possible with a manual transmission. So I was doing some super high revving and trying to change gears before it was ready. But, I didn’t stall out or anything, so yay!
Another discovery that most people would be unhappy about, I was actually kind of thrilled to find out because it means that maybe I’m not going as slow as I think I am, my speedometer is not working! Its a brand new bike, so its likely a wire that hasn’t been hooked up yet. A very nice mechanic is going to come take a look at it for me later today or tomorrow. Exciting. I can hardly wait to find out my speed.
So funny, I thought there was something a bit off there those first couple of rides. The needle seemed to be quite stationary, but then I was so worried about everything else that checking the speedometer was totally secondary. This last outing I felt a little more relaxed and in control.

I am posting a few photos of the last show I designed costumes for, “Twelfth Night” directed by the fabulous Thrasso Petras, set design, Jamie Nesbitt and lighting design Shannon Montgomery. I always hope to actually get these things posted BEFORE the show is over, but there just never seems to be time!

Twelfth Night - A few of the renderings....

Vespa!

Well, here it is, actual proof that I am riding my scooter! I still haven’t taken it above 2nd gear around the ‘hood’ but I’m hoping for better later today. Its raining, but I suppose I have to learn to ride in that too....I took motorcycle lessons, which went, well, how do I put it...the program would’ve been better suited to someone who isn’t me. The classroom stuff and the parking lot rides all were great (despite me dumping the bike 5 times in one day) but when it was time for the road ride...well, it was dark and raining and a bike I had never been on before, and thats when I called it. It all went way too fast for me. Most of the guys in the group all had some experience riding, I had zero, and really no great desire to ride a motorcycle, just really want to be able to ride my scooter without being a hazard....Heres keeping my fingers crossed that I will actually become proficient at this one day.

Slippers!

Here is my first crochet project! As you can see, nothing like the picture, but a slipper none the less. My problem is that I have no idea how to read a pattern, so I’ve totally winged it and taken detailed notes so hopefully I will be able to replicate it to some degree. Also, it seems that the slipper in the picture doesn’t actually come up very far at the sides and back. Its more of a slip on, which is not what I wanted at all, so I had to completely change the back and just make it all up, but its ok I think.

My Desk

I took this photo of my cork board/inspiration board above my desk at work.
The photo really brings out what a jumbled mess it is! But, the reason I took it has more to do with the close up posted below of a shopping list I pulled from my pocket the other day and found it so funny I had to pin it up. When I pulled it out of my pocket, I looked at it with no surprise, just a shopping list from the last show. Then I stopped and looked at it again and thought, "Oh my god, this is my life, I love it!"

The list reads:

*pontefract cakes
*gummie worms
*chocolate
*mangos
*wine
*6 pair fish net stockings

John Galliano Suspended from Dior...?

Wow, this is CRAZY! I keep hoping that this is some kind of mistake or hoax....but, it seems pretty clear...

Date with Ivan Sayers.

Almost anyone in Vancouver who is into fashion, costuming and the history of both knows who Ivan Sayers is. For those of you who don't, he is our local Fashion Historian whose incredible collection spans from approximately the 1700's, until around the 1960's. I was lucky enough to be invited to tour his home and view some of his collection.
This is a man who really does live his art. He has rooms that are dedicated to eras, floor to ceiling boxed collections, 1800's, Edwardian era, it is incredible. I took many pictures of the clothing, but felt that taking pictures of his home was maybe a bit too personal and a bit invasive. His collection of books and magazines are absolutely drool worthy, I took notes as much as I could, but it seems I didn't write down the era span of his vogues....it was impressive, make no mistake.
He was so gracious as to ask me what I might be interested in seeing, so that he could fish it out prior to our visit. It was such a hard question, with so much to choose from, where does one start?? So, I went for the things we get the least access to. Historical mens wear. I LOVE women's wear, but there is so much more access to information and even the garments themselves, that I thought mens wear would be great educationally.
So here are some of the many photos I took. I tried very hard to keep my dates correct and organized, but please step in and comment if I've somehow mixed them up!
(image above: vintage zipper, 1905/06)

Spanish 1810

Knit pants!!

My absolute Fav!

Does this not scream "costume"?? I so love that someone owned this and used it as part of their wardrobe.
I'm pretty sure it belongs in the French 1800's category....(of course its French!)