Springtime!

Thanks a bunch to my friend for being my wonderful model.  She was very patient with me, as I played incessantly with lights (bright enough?!?!) in her face.  Oh, and I learned how to make a watermark!!!!!!!!  So yes, I put annoying watermarks all over her face, hahaha.  The last picture of these five is my fav :)

the hope/faith balance

I dug out a few old paintings and decided to do the unthinkable...FINISH THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Here is one that I just finished, wohoo!  By the way, does anyone know how to take a good picture of a painting without getting that shine back?  I've done it with and without flash and either way, the photo never really looks quite like my painting.  Without much further ado, here is my golden apple of hope and faith painting

new watercolor

a new watercolor I made the other day :)

cheesy art vid!

Remember that annoying art teacher from the movie Ghost World that showed that AWFUL artsy video to her class of apathetic students? 
Well that is a great example of artsy vid stereotypes...the kind that take them selves so seriously that it only adds to the hilarity of it all.
So, I decided to have a go at it and try to make my own (below)
did I succeed???

remember, forget from k rose on Vimeo.

rusty truck

I found a cool photo of an old junk car online and decided to have a go at it with watercolors.  I think it turned out pretty good :)

Corset complete!!!!

I present to you, my fabulous Victorian style waist cinch corset!  It is layered, one layer of this really horrid thick orange and gold patterned fabric, and a top layer of black lace.  I used all metal boning (stiff boning for the front pieces and bendy spiral steel boning for my curvy bits).  Since I drafted my own pattern for this one (from my body measurements), I messed up the back two pieces and made them unnecessarily small, thus leaving a large 4 inch gap in the back.  A normal gap is supposed to be 2 inches.  Oops!  I'll change my pattern and have better luck next time!

Red Butoh

A self-portrait shoot inspired by Butoh.  I tried to keep this post decent, so I just uploaded a few "mug" shots.

good mourning!

Self-portraits! I finally got to use the softbox I made a few days ago. Basically, it just consists of a cardboard box lined with aluminum with a hole in the side, a 100 watt equivalent 'daylight' lightbulb on the inside (plugged in), and then a piece of fabric over the outside to diffuse/soften the light. It only cost me like 5 bucks to make.

Humiliation

Alas, a new watercolor! I took a sexy looking jeans ad out of a magazine and turned the meaning around completely. I've been especially angry and disgusted by the objectification and dehumanization of women lately (though it is something I have always resented our society for), and wanted to express this through a painting. Its about humiliation, and how women (and oftentimes teenagers and children) are forced into circumstances to fulfill the sexual desires of others (human sex trafficking, pornography, etc.). The blood on the woman's hands, is her own blood, a representation of her life force and her will, spilled, destroyed, and ultimately sacrificed for the sick pleasures of men (and yes, some women). A big "fuck you!" to 'the man'!

through bamboo bars

Alas, I have a new camera, and it takes glorious photographs! I'm very excited about this and plan on rounding up my friends to model for me. Any volunteers?

painting, again

Its been a good while since I've taken the time to do some good 'ol fashioned art. Perhaps its the overflowing hordes of used canvas (aka paintings) stashed under my bed, or maybe its just the energy it takes to set up my painting "equipment", but ultimately, I have been severely lacking the motivation to do anything creative for the last few weeks. But, I sucked it up, and resolved on doing a smaller canvas painting (to the left) and kept it simple.

I find that lowering my standards is extremely helpful in getting me motivated. If you aim to high, then chances are you'll just say "aw, fuck it!" but if you aim it is easier to start an activity, and then gradually reset your standards to perfectionist levels.

Sure, I fucked up the lips and the eyes on that painting (left), but who really cares? Aim low, my friends and you will actually produce (and I don't mean babies or vegetables...unless thats what you want) instead of sitting on your ass watching Southpark, wishing you had an ounce of creativity or motivation in you at the moment. Get your ass off the couch! Make something! It doesn't have to be a work of amazing art. Hell, it could be a toilet paper monster for all I care, just make something!

On a side note, newspaper is always fun to work with, to weave hidden meanings into your painting (depending on what kind of news articles you cut out). Its like a sweet little secret between you and your painting...and perhaps between people who siddle up next to your painting with their nose 1 inch away from your canvas.

And that is my first post of this blog! Hurrah!