Twisted Textiles

I’ve been meaning to write an entry here about my good friend Jennifer Zingg and her gourd art…and just today she sent me a link to a newspaper article which features her work! So I thought, what better time than NOW?

As a person who is getting over some sort of “issue” with using bright colors, I really can’t get enough of the intense colors that Jen uses in her gourd art. And these ain’t no birdfeeders, either. We’re talking SERIOUS sculpture, here…
Out of GOURDS.
Gourds and paint. (And a bit of clay.) That’s what you’re seeing in these photos, people.

You probably already know that I’m crazy about using odd materials to make art. But Jennifer takes this to the extreme with her chosen medium—she is awesome at it, she really knows her stuff, and she makes it look easy. If you ask me, she blows away the competition. Not only are these sculptures breath-taking and masterfully executed, Jen’s work is backed by an incredible passion for life and for her chosen subjects. Be it animals, people, or her new Mosaic series, her energy is always present in the final result.

The Courier-Journal newspaper (Louisville, KY) did an article featuring Jennifer’s work, and there’s even a short audio interview. Also read about the artwork that she’s donating to “Art for the Animals” and find out where/when to attend the event!

At her personal website, you can find information about the classes she’ll be teaching (including children’s workshops) and news about her studio in Frankfort. Plus–photos, photos, and more photos of her work!

Now the silly part… (C’mon, you didn’t think I would forget the SILLY part!)

Jennifer graciously brought me this palm tree “husk” that she found while visiting Florida, and I’m beginning to transform it into a wearable piece of art. The husk is in one piece and swoops up in back of my head. It’s very “She-Ra”-like, but is also not very easy to move around in. (Even tougher to dance while wearing it, but it’s doable.)

I plan on adding leather scraps and possibly some dangly-gourdy-bits here and there. While taking some photos, we felt it was necessary to incorporate lots of earthy, primitive props into the scenery…hence, the sorta “gourd-worship” look achieved here.

This photo shows the husk fairly well, but I will probably edit some others to add to the collection in my Imagekind gallery. (PS: Yes, Jason also did the make-up!)

Even if you aren’t keen on celebrating the holiday that’s come to be known as “commercial love day,” here are some goodies sure to get your heart pumping.

I consider myself to be an avid recycler, so you know I’m going to appreciate these Pop Heart Earrings, and all of the other fun styles available. The Etsy seller Lost And Found Objects is also currently featuring different earring varieties along the same theme, so there’s still time to snag a pair. C’mon, you know that dangly earrings are back “in” again! They also would go perfect with this so-called “Nu Rave Neon” craze that’s supposed to be big…? (I’ve gotta see it at our local high school to believe it!)

I just love these pouches by Rosybird. They are simply adorable—and apparently someone *else* was also thinking the exact same thing, because this Lovebirds Pouch is no longer up for sale! But the last time I checked, the Bird in the Poppy Garden is still available. The button eyes are perfect, and the simple, abstract shape of the birds is very charming to me. To be quite honest, I’m not really a “bird person” in real life…but if a real bird can act as charming as these cuties look, I might be willing to give our feathered friends another try!

This is something that I really want to indulge in. Fellow Etsy seller Melissa J Lee has some other really fun work in addition to this Love in Binary pendant. It’s made from fine silver and resin, is hand formed and polished, and is obviously made with a lot of care and attention. Not too symmetrical, not too crazy, just the right size, and just a hint of color. I love silver, and I love *Love*…AND I love Geeks. I would have to say that it’s perfect in every way.

Now here’s a cute lil’ guy. These Sock Monkeys by Kelly Jean Design are made from “defective” Red Heel Socks—in other words, those poor socks probably weren’t allowed to leave the factory because they’re the wrong size or color or something. But now they can! And they don’t have to be stepped on, they can be cuddled on. Another wonderful form of recycling. Aaaand…there’s even a baby-shower gift pack featuring one of these handsome guys. Coordinated, hand-made, adorable, affordable. And I’ll bet he’s got super table-manners, too.

This Pink Crystal Necklace—and frankly, everything else in That Jewelry Girl’s shop—is practically making me drool right now. And again, quite honestly, I normally wouldn’t be so attracted to pink (but hey, I can’t always ignore my jewelry urges). Maybe I’m just really looking forward to the next time I’ll get to play dress-up. Maybe I’ll just go ahead and take this opportunity to place a not-so-subtle hint…if anyone is in the market for a gift for yours truly (namely ME), then please feel free to choose anything from this shop. I really like this one, too. *sigh* … *swoon* …

These Glass Heart Earrings really look good enough to eat, like they just came out of tiny, noisy, cellophane wrappers. But please do not try to eat them. Please just wear them in your ears, so everyone can tell you how good they look. Oh my goodness—while you’re at it, just go ahead and buy me anything else from her shop, too. It’s from Kristin Perkins Glass Jewelry. Write it down. Now go look at this and this and this. And these green Small Square Latch Earrings look like … well, exactly like deliciously exquisite lozenges. The vivid colors combined with the silver is, dare I say, breathtaking. Not to mention that all of her photos perfectly flatter the see-thru nature of the glass. This is the proverbial “candy store” to my “kid” self.

I thought I’d mix it up and offer a few paper-oriented goodies, the first one being this 4×6 Giclee Print Card by Etsy seller Hide n Seek. Her illustrations have a cheery, retro feel to them, only with a lot more character. To me, it’s a little bit like those fabulous antique greeting cards that I found withering away up in my grandmother’s attic—only with these, the color hasn’t faded and they don’t smell musty, and they have a helluva lot more style. I really like this illustration, too. There are so many good ones, and they all have just the right amount of quirkiness!

I’ve always loved Pop-up Cards, and these from Crankbunny are top-of-the-line. I’ve secretly always wanted to be able to make pop-up cards. I’ve studied the books I had as a child. I usually can figure out how to engineer things like this. But transforming magical paper acts is something I simply cannot do. I love that there are some really off-beat themes in some of the card designs…not to mention that the art is amazing and unique.

Now go get yourself something nice! Or…persuade a loved-one to save you the trouble

As I Googled “recycled fashions” I found something intriguing…

This “evening bag” was made specifically to carry a gas mask, and it seemed in so many ways to be a perfect statement of culture and fashion.

I stumbled across this image while browsing the Manchester Art Gallery online. According to their website, “in 1939, all civilians were issued with a gas mask and were instructed to carry them everywhere, on all occasions…The enterprising woman who owned this gas mask re-used a panel of figured yellow and cream rayon, probably from an evening outfit, to make a cover for her mask, which she could then carry as an evening bag. ‘Make Do and Mend’ recycling was a major theme of war-time propaganda which aimed to conserve valuable materials.”

Although I was fortunate enough to not have grown up during any of the World Wars, I know that a gas mask holds a plethora of visual, cultural, and symbolic meanings. Gas masks have also been fetishized and are the subject of many artworks. Although I do not enjoy memorizing dates, I do appreciate history, and this little glimpse into our past successfully caught my attention and imagination.

On a more wry note, there are many works of art that either show children wearing gas masks, or which feature a children’s stuffed animal (or a typically “tame” and cuddly creature such as a bunny) wearing a gas mask. Artists have been known to combine the image of a gas mask with these juvenile images (or other contrasting/ironic elements) in order to make a statement about security, innocence, power, helplessness, etc. Take for example the “Mickey Gas Mask” and other designs by Bill Barminski…

Out there in cyberspace lurks a ton of articles/tidbits about “gas mask culture” (just type that phrase into a search engine). If you’re interested, you could also find quite a few photographers who specialize in taking people’s portraits wearing the masks (Okay… so a lot of these are pornographic in nature, but the significance is still very important).

FYI: The photo of the woman to the left was found on the site Dark Roasted Blend, which has a wonderful array of photos to distract a person away from their productivity. The link above, for instance, features a collection of vintage Stewardess photos—*Sigh*—and just for the record, I’m still saving THAT occupation for my mid-life crisis.

…is another man’s watchband. I know a few people who are big into genealogy and lineage research, and I always think of them when I think about Victorian hair art. The subject fascinates and baffles me. It makes me wanna give it a try. It kinda grosses me out a little sometimes.
But just a little bit.

For people in the Civil War and Victorian eras, jewelry made from hair was a way of both mourning and celebrating the lives of their departed loved-ones. In addition to having hairwork commissioned after a person was deceased, many people gave living friends and relatives gifts of jewelry made from their own hair as testament to their bond, or possibly even as an invitation to romance.

The bracelet here was made by contemporary hair artist Lucy Cadwallader, who says it best by noting that this type of ornament was “one of the most personal pieces of jewelry one could bestow upon another. Hair provided an intimate connection between the deceased and the living.”

She also noted on her website that “Upon the death of her beloved Albert in 1861, Queen Victoria was consumed with grief. She mandated that only mourning jewelry and hair jewelry be worn at court. With the onset of the Civil War in 1861, the popularity of hair jewelry grew. Women would wear lockets and brooches with locks of their husband’s hair. Soldiers would often carry with them a watch chain made from their loved one’s hair, close to their heart.”

Works of hair art can be two-dimensional or three-dimensional, and there are also many fine examples of “painted” works. It is my understanding that the painted works used a type of paint/ink which was made by grinding up the hair and creating a paste, which often turned out to be sepia in color. The artists then used this “paint” to create a tiny scene to be encased in the glass of a locket or brooch. Predominantly, the colors used in the artwork are the natural colors of the hair itself. The bouquet of flowers pictured here is the work of hair artist Sandra Johnson, who often creates pieces using the hair of several family members to achieve shading and different coloration. She also designs mementos using using cat/dog fur for pet lovers. Some hair artists use horse hair as their medium of choice.

There is a visually rich site about Victorian Hair and its styles/practices, from which I learned about history and hair receivers. I searched for more information about this intriguing object, and came up with another great site about these “secret beauty aides of the past”, which are basically decorative containers for holding your hairballs. Quoted from the site: “While some say that hair saved in receivers was also used for hair jewelry, love tokens, and mourning mementos, Lori Verge, curator of the Surratt House Museum in Clinton, Maryland, states those items required straight, not tangled hair. She believes that women used cut hair (rather than combed out hair) for those purposes.” The hair receiver here was found on Alma’s Attic Antiques & Collectibles, which also has a brief passage about these curious vanity-top accessories. I particularly like this example here, because it’s not too flowery and froo-froo-looking. Unlike many examples that I’ve seen, it has bold colors and is simple yet feminine.

(In my searches for information on hair receivers, I keep typing “hair receptacles” by mistake…perhaps the name hair receiver just sounds too much like a position in football. In that case, I suppose you already guessed that instead of Football, the sport would have to be called Hairball.)

This ring was made by artist Erika Borbos, who also makes tiaras out of hair. Unfortunately I could not find much else in the way of information about her, but I wanted to include this photo because it’s a beautiful example of recent hairwork. The gold really compliments the colors in the hair.

Also please visit the Victorian Hairwork Society for more information and visual examples, which is how I found out about the artists mentioned above. And if you happen to discover any other cool stuff about hair art, I’d be happy to hear about it!

I’ve been a bit obsessive over tulips lately…
And although the flowers in my yard are a bit confused by the recent weather, I’ve been taking lots of pictures of these lovelies so that I can do a painting or two later on.

In celebration of spring, and in honor of my recent obsession, I decided to see what other people are doing with tulips. In addition to some beautiful art, I came across a ton of fun facts and info.

I’ve mentioned Etsy before–it’s such a great way to find high-quality, hand-made items of all sorts. I scoured around for awhile and found these fantastic items featuring tulips:

This tulip tote from seller EneeFabricDesigns is a beautiful (and classy, if I may say so!) combination of textures and colors. The flowers are felted and painted, and the textured black serves as a nice backdrop for all that color. Visit this seller’s Etsy shop to find more wonderful fabric creations…in the meantime, I’m trying to resist buying this one for myself!

I’m also trying to resist buying these Tulip Earrings, from Paw & Claw Designs. The shades of green and yellow are perfect together, and the simple graphic image really works, as in “less is definitely more!” Visit Paw & Claw Designs’ Etsy shop for other great jewelry items, or visit her deviantArt gallery page to see a full gallery of works.

As well as having a fantastic blog called Swank Show, Etsy seller Amysjewelry has this pretty Tulip Necklace that is right down my alley. I love sterling silver, and I would love to see the subtle texture on this in person. I also like how the flower is oriented sideways on the chain, adding more interest to the clean and simple lines. Of course, she also has a ton of other great jewelry in her Etsy shop.

Mixed-media sculptor Jennifer Joh has this fun Red Tulip Lamp in her Etsy store, along with a few other flower design lamps. And I’m telling you, she also has a wonderful collection of photos of her work at her Flickr site, which include other fabulous wire sculptures and some clay works as well. Please take a look at “9 bananas in brown bag”…it’s one of my favorites!

I also like this Fresh Picked Flower Apron from Rebecca Weis–You just can’t go wrong with classic black and white polka dots! The flower is of course a pocket, which has a little red ladybug button. Her other designs include a wide variety of housewares, handbags, accessories, and jewelry.

This black/white/color photograph is even more inspiration for me to go out and paint some flowers of my own. Etsy seller kosekolorphotos has rendered these tulips to portray what feels like an intricate pen/ink sketch. The high contrast is also something that always catches my eye, and the splashes of color are like reading the notes of a musical flourish. Megan of KoseKolor Photography also has a flickr site and a MySpace profile where you can learn more about her work.

And, I betcha didn’t know:

*History House magazine has a great article about Tulipomania, which is the term for the initial introduction and subsequent hub-bub over tulips in Holland.

*In England in 1800, it was common to pay fifteen guineas for a single tulip bulb. This sum would have kept a labourer and his family in food, clothes and lodging for six months.

*In Charles McKay’s book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, he tells the story of a wealthy merchant who had paid 3,000 florins (280 pounds sterling) for a rare Semper Augustus tulip bulb, and it disappeared from his warehouse. After thoroughly searching his warehouse, he saw a sailor (who had mistaken the tulip bulb for an onion) eating it. The sailor was promptly arrested and spent months in jail.

*See the Wikipedia entry on tulipomania for more links and info.

(And you can always visit my Etsy store to see the TwistedWear for sale, although I do not have any tulip-inspired works yet…)

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