WAM shoot

Pixie Tenielle!

This Saturday I experienced the most relaxed photo shoot ever! Finding myself sans model mid week, I put a call out on Facebook, and ended up with this delightful pixie - a complete stranger to me, but obviously intended by fate, as she does the kind of groovy makeup I wanted, and lived right near the location! So young and new to modelling, she did a superb job! There was a strong breeze at times, nearly blowing the poor waif over, so I had to hold onto her! Chantal and I traded insults as usual, and generally messed with each others heads - much laughter and shenannigans! We had chosen a graffiti wall as a background, but when we arrived, found that it was in the process of being transformed. We shot with some other walls, but they were just too much with the outfit, so we ended up using the creek greenery instead, which really made the colours pop. Looking at it now, I am astounded at how colourful it is, even though I have been living with it for months!

Yummy lycra!

Although I don't have to keep the photos secret, I will just show some hints in order to keep a bit of mystery to the Wearable Arts Mandurah competition and showcase. Oh, I'm so well behaved!!!

On the way to the shoot we stopped at Reverse Garbage, where I found these beautiful glitzy lycra fabric bargains - and guess who's making leggings in class this week?!! 

Goodlife Morningside cycle room - a place I would not usually
venture into!

With this one out of the way, I have two left to focus on for WOW. One of them is for the UV section, and I had a brainwave this weekend about shooting it in UV light, and checking it along the way. My gym has a blacklight cycle room!!! YAH!!!

The other piece has had me sewing my own feather trim this week, and trying out some painting on them. I've never done it before, but with some bias strips, and some hemming tape, then a few runs under the machine, I have myself some nice-looking trim!

Wearable Expressions opened in Palos Verde, California last week, and I found this comprehensive photo album on Facebook. There are some amazing pieces on display, but I was slightly crushed, but not altogether surprised,  to see mine sideways on the mannequin, on top of some-one else's work. I'm sure they're as thrilled as I am about that. Whilst I understand space and display restrictions, you can't just go jamming two disparate pieces together! 

GAH!!

As it should be....

This knitted? metallic piece won my heart with its fluid and organic movement.

Doing Digital Textiles at TAFE has meant spending time with Photoshop again, which is fine, as we have kept up a reasonable relationship with each other, re-acquainting myself with Illustrator, a less harmonious relationship, and being introduced to In-Design, a new foe. We never really finished our introductory conversation, as my brain starting overloading during our first meeting....

I'm hoping to successfully manipulate and transform my watercolour of a fighting fish into a digital print for my swimwear design.

Here's the results from my first playing around this weekend...

Massive luvz to the talented Chantal once more, and thanks to Tenielle for taking a chance with us!

February Fun

At the enlistment ceremony

The boys' room aka studio storage!

I can hardly believe it's only been a week since my last blog! So much has happened. Liam is now training at Kapooka, and sounds happy and well. I took the opportunity today after a very brief call from him to move my clothing racks out of my studio and into his room! The amount of space reclaimed is absolutely amazing, and I can now have my ironing board up in there. But Matt, even though I have all this space, you understand that the wearable pieces will still need to be made upstairs as they can't fit in the studio because of the low ceiling. Also, so I can hang out with you whilst I make them.....

More space in the studio! I can see the floor!

During the school week at TAFE I saw these inspiring pieces in paper hanging around in the hallway - aren't they great?!

This is one of the many reasons I just loving being on campus. One of my teachers asked me last week whether I had some wearable art works available for the display window, and after a bit of thinking, I realised that yes, I did have quite a few! Fimbria Figura (2012) and Siren of the Sea (2011) are now happily hanging out there, and Isolda hopes to join them this week!

Siren and Fimbria

 Two out of four of the current wearable art works are just stitches away from completion, and with several  more months to go, I've got to say that this feels pretty good! I'm looking forward to getting into the next one - the one with 1600 feathers.....

TAFE 2017

Well, it was back to school this week - as always, a chaotic time trying to work out what is happening where and when, and of course, the epic task of actually trying to enrol. This term I am largely focused on swimwear design and construction, and the design of a digital print to feature on it - exciting stuff! I am already bursting with ideas! On completion of this and a few other riveting subjects such as sustainability practices (you don't think I already wring out every bit of value from my materials, time, and working practices?!!) I will - strap yourself down - graduate in June with my Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Technology! At the same time, my Wearable Art pieces are humming along nicely as deadlines loom - there should be another photoshoot in a week or two. I thought I had found the most fabulous piece of street art to use as a backdrop, but when I went to visit it, found that it was no longer quite so fabulous - the windows and doors are now back to being windows and doors, so essentially half the work is missing! There might be a few local opportunities, though...

Jellyfish goodness for my Oceania theme... NOT!

Norman Park Rail underpass - slightly naff but a marine theme and a good colour contrast

Local childcare centre

Cloudland stairs

Today I made a few more explorations, to some local murals, then to good old Cloudland, where the décor is ever fabulous, with the stairs really coming across beautifully today. As we were the only people there at 3pm on a Sunday, I think this could work! I just need to talk to someone there - certainly not the personality-less barman there today!! From there we walked through the valley, seeing the charming Babushka Ballerina on the way to our next stop, bar Eleven, which had us in hysterics as we channelled the youtube video....we enjoyed the lift immensely!!

Babushka Ballerina

Eleven - one of the views

I'd like to go to ELEVUN!!!

Fantastic mural in Winn Lane

Hilary Briss at your service - would you like 'the special stuff'?

Today marks the last day we spend with Matts' son Liam before he enlists in the Army - a bit of an emotional night. His siblings and girlfriend are here, and we presented him with this personalised leather book cover (with the same family crest he got tattooed on his chest for his 18th) and a pen made by ex-diggers out of a bullet. This was my first experience at pyrography on leather - got a great little tool from Bunnings for $30 (which, poetically, I got him to go and pick up for me last week!) and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I see potential here!