Kiki's Circles

The Gathering

I find myself drawn to Kiki Smith's work in a way that's hard to explain. It brings out something that just leaves me mesmerized and inspired. Some people are drawn to artists because their skills are so breathtaking or their subject matter so compelling. I find that the artists I like best are ones whose ideas are what comes across rather than their execution. For this reason, I love looking at Kiki Smith's creations...her obsession with an idea is so apparent when you look at something she's made. I saw a retrospective of her work a few years back and was blown away by how diverse her pieces were, but also how they all fit so flawlessly together as a narrative of one person's creativity. And I loved how unashamedly she geeks out on certain themes or ideas. Her whole persona just flooded the exhibition space and it was hard not to feel caught up in her world of fantasy and fascination with certain ideas. Like the line between human and animal and how quickly that line disappears when examined, when humans are broken down to their bodily components. I felt like she was exploring all these ideas with her hands by making things...like I was immersed in a delightful and slightly obsessive fairy tale without a clear happy ending.

Of all the things that I love about her work, I love the personality that comes through so clearly. She does so many different kinds of things--sculpture, drawings, installations--but they are all so clearly the product of the same imagination, the same fascinations. Her huge awe of the natural world is so lovely that I just want to stand up and start clapping when I am in the same room as her art. In tribute, her are some of my favorite things of hers (of course with circles).

Constellation

Circle Update: Marilyn Minter

Marilyn Minter has been a personal favorite of mine since I saw her work at the MOMA in San Francisco a couple of years ago. Recently I saw some of her new work, a series of bubble pieces and thought it was perfect for the circle update this week. You can check out a selection of her work at Salon 94

The first piece I saw of Marilyn's was a gigantic painting at the MOMA exhibition. It was a photo-realistic enamel painting on a huge metal sheet. It was so beautifully and perfectly done that I didn't realize at first that it wasn't a photograph. As I got closer I could see her fingerprints in the enamel and it blew my mind. Her paintings and photographs are so visceral, gaudy and vuluptuous. I love how she just lets it all hang out and mixes up the pretty and the dirty all in the same image.

Also on Salon 94 you can see the photo set that Marilyn did of Pamela Anderson. I never thought she was pretty until I saw these photos.

Circling the Island

I've been a little busy with some traveling and totally backed up on writing. Check out my journey around the Big Island at the Moving & Eating Blog to catch up!!!!

Circle of the Heavens

This past weekend I drove up to Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii and marvelled at the barren landscape and the gorgeous vistas of the clouds below. The mountain top is one of the premier astronomy sites in the world. The site has dark nights, clear skies since it's in the middle of the ocean and relatively good weather. There are circular domes to house the telescopes all over the summit. Some are white, others silver, all make the landscape seem surreal and magical as they perch above the cloudline.

This visit to the mountain made me recall some photos I'd seen of astrolabes, medieval navigational instruments. When I'd seen the photos of these intricately designed instruments, I was stunned by their beauty. Before there GPS and Google Earth, compasses and astrolabes were how explorers found their way around the planet. An astrolabe can tell you where you are based on the position of the stars above your head and they held an almost magical power in the Middle Ages. It is a little model of heaven and earth and their regular dance with one another. From it, a navigator and determine his or her longitude and latitude, chart the regular course of the heavens and determine the day, month or even the year, all from a set of intersecting circles.

Etsy Circles

I miss my Etsy since I've been traveling! Here's my little circle montage to all things handmade and lovely...

Click on the photo to check out these talented sellers!

Circle Update

The weekly (fingers crossed) circle update is back. This week I'll give you a little sneak peak into my current travel adventure. I'm working on an organic farm in Hawaii and we're doing some creative landscaping, including (to my delight) lots of circles! Last week we filled in the edges of a new labyrinth. This circular path maze will eventually be planted with corn and other tall plants for a little walking meditation area. I love the idea of circling a circle to focus your mind on the divine. To find out more about the Hawaii Island Retreat and its gardens, check out the travel blog here.

New Travel Blog

As you know from my last post, I'm doing a little traveling and sadly couldn't take my Singer with me. This means no new clothes for a bit, but I do get to geek out on another passion--food! I'm working on an organic farm and learning about gardening, planting and goats in Hawaii. You can check out the adventure at http://movingandeating.blogspot.com/ Let me know what you think of it!

I'm still going to try and do the weekly circle updates now that I'm settled, and of course they'll be regular clothing and creation updates when I get back to the mainland and pick up where I left off with my sewing. I'm sure that they'll be some projects along the way here too and I'll be sure to post those as well. Seems like I can't go for very long before my hands get antsy and need to make something. I actually just made a mountain of paper cranes out of some old magazines just for the hell of it. We'll see what that turns into...

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Hi All! I'm taking the opportunity to travel for about six months and wanted to let you all know that I'll be having a big blowout sale on my Etsy site to clear out the current stock. If there's anything you've had your eye on, take a look at the killer prices--between 30 and 50% off the price. I'll be starting a travel blog to document the journey and will be back after the New Year with some fresh designs and new inspiration!

Weekly Circle Update: Robert Standish

This week's circular update is about the amazing photo-realistic painter Robert Standish. I've been in love with his work for a while now. Of course I am particularly entranced by his circle paintings. They look like water on a camera lens at night. The colors are just captivating and I feel inspired by the sheer simplicity of them.

The most recent painting (Gael) combines both his stellar gift for realism and the dreamy city scapes he captured in a different series. You'll be amazed at this nudes in bathtubs too. Check all of it out on his website.

Lauren's Awesome Circles

I am totally in love with this artist! Lauren DiCiocco is an amazing painter that I discovered through Jen Berkman's website 20x200. First a word on the Jen's site: they do two limited editions of prints each week, specifically 200 prints each available for $20! This is a screaming deal and an awesome way to either build up your collection on the cheap or just get introduced to some amazing up and coming artists. Sign up for the weekly email and you'll be amazed at the variety and ingenuity of everyone featured.

Lauren DiCiocco was one of the artists featured this week and I'm totally enamored of her watercolors, featuring (you guessed it!) lots and lots of circles. Specifically, she took a magazine page and replicated the layout with lots of rainbow colored dots. My oh my, what a creative young lass! Click on the pictures to learn more about her work.

Circles Are a Girl's Best Friend

I have no idea why, but circles make me feel really happy. Maybe it's something about the roundness, the perfection, the gorgeously smooth proportions. It's entirely unexplainable, but I am truly obsessed with circles. I have circle tattoos, all of my paintings have circles on them somewhere and I am endlessly trying to incorporate circles into my clothing designs.

So here is my best circular achievement to date: the circle tank. "Why is it the best?" you may ask. Well, first, the sheer quantity of circles is downright impressive. But my favorite part is the way that the circles create movement on the shirt; the placement accentuates the back and shoulders, makes you look tough and chic all at the same time. As you can see, I'm really tooting my own horn here, but I'm totally in love with this design. And totally in love with circles. In fact, I think this might be the beginning of a weekly circular update. There really is a whole lot going on in the world of circles.

Winter Collection SALE!!!!

Check out the Etsy site for up to 60% off the all-handmade, totally killer winter collection. Here's the link! All the bright, jewel-toned silks and funky embellished tees are yours for the picking at super low prices!

One of a kind dress: previously $125, now on sale for $45

Embellished tees, previously $35 and now on sale for $15

Hoodies, previously $45 and now on sale for $25!

Baby Blue

I just had to share these photos real quick...the colors make me so happy and remind me that spring is here (even if it is really cold and windy today)!

Handmadeology Rocks!

I've been meaning to post about this site for a while and finally got around to it this morning. Handmadeology is the place to go if you're wondering about how to expand your marketing and promotions online. I has great articles about promoting your blog, getting more traffic on your Etsy site and tons of other information. Check it out. It's an amazing, FREE resource for artists trying to make a buck from their creations!

I Love My Mob Boss!!!!!!!!

I just read this super encouraging note from my Craftinista Mob Boss St. de Ville and it was so inspiring that I wanted to re-post it for all of you to read. Power to the people!

I just got an email from my rep today. She said the retail world is "the worst" she has seen it in her "entire career." Mama Mia! My first instinct was to be relieved that I simply had not received any orders for my fine artwear line St. deVille, versus, my fax machine not working. My second thought was recalling how excited I had been when my line was picked up by a professional rep and how I jumped around the house, swung my giggling toddler around in the air, and drove my husband insane with my incessant chatter about the whole damn thing! And here I am, twiddling my thumbs (metaphorically speaking since I usually have no time for that kind of nonsense, and when I do, I like to waste my time on Facebook instead), wondering about the next step. But there is almost an odd calm about the way I feel that has been puzzling me, and then it hit me. Wham! Yes, the money would be grand, don't get me wrong; I would love to sink the cash I used from our family coffers to launch St. deVille back into our pockets, lord knows we need it, but regardless of whether I sold another thing I ever made, I would continue to create, and THAT is what separates the Handmade Nations, the CRAFTINISTA, from the MallWarts. Even if we are broke, we artists scavenge through our junk drawers, hit up the free listings on craigslist (shout out to you Jenny), pick things up off the sidewalk, ransack the Mission Thrift and we turn them into wonderful loved possessions that feel good in your palm, or soft on your skin, or sparkle in the light. Our trunk show is the day after tomorrow, and I hope it is profitable for all of us, but mostly, I want this event to be a symbol of our solidarity as a community. I want everyone who attends to feel the love that we put into our work to share with you. I want folks to realize that they can buy lovely gifts from local people who use the money to fuel our passions, enrich our local culture and feed our families. I want to hear the buzz of roaming voices, nibbling Amy's cupcakes and sipping wine, all in abstract agreement that no matter how tough it gets out there, there are a band of us, loving, creating and sharing. Because thats how CRAFTINISTA do.

Barter Month Update

I'm happy to report some new barters for the month! I did a little wheeling and dealing with some fellow crafters on Etsy and we traded some really beautiful handmade wares! Etsy seller calexandra makes gorgeous pins, headbands and hair embellishments and she traded these really beautiful heart brooches

for an obi belt from the Jenny Irene line

I also made a trade with cute-as-a-button Etsy seller Solanah. She sells great vintage clothing along with some beautiful, handmade skirts and embellished tops. I traded with her some leggings
for a really beautiful top.

Thanks so much for helping out with barter month, ladies! I'm looking forward to sporting these gorgeous new lovelies around town while singing the praises of getting back to a non-cash society!

Barter is the New Black

"We're all a little bit obsessed with cutting corners these days. Personally, I've been checking the free ads on Craigslist list like it's a daily itch that needs scratching. You'd be amazed at all the things that I've found that I never knew I needed. But even better than accumulating dilapidated sofas and cords of firewood that I can't burn while its been raining for the last month, I've also been dabbling in some good old fashioned bartering. The other day I found that I simply could not live without a bright and colorful photo from fellow Craftinista member Houry Semerdijan. So I called her up and made a trade for some of the new shirts that we're making for Button Inc. Later that afternoon I also got a call from Craftinista mob boss St. de Ville and I swapped some necklaces for a pair of groovy new tees.

These recent transactions have gotten the old gears turning. I wonder how much I can make and trade, how many non-cash transactions I can substitute for cash ones. I've noticed that the more things I make the more appreciation I have for my possessions. It really brings home the value of non-commercial, non-manufactured things. Anyone else interested in a small social experiment to barter more this month and see what happens? Here's what I've got to trade: some clothing from the Jenny Irene winter collections, a batch of the most delicious scones ever and lots of garlic, chard and onions from the garden. I'd love to hear from you about a barter, or just your comments on the experiment.

Dressy Dress Photoshoot

Josh and I were up at the crack of dawn to take these photos out in the mustard field.  

I love the way they turned out!  You can read a little bit more about the making of the dress in yesterday's post.  I have a whole lot of vintage bustiers lying around, so shoot me a line and I'll make a dress just for you!

Dressy New Dress

So in my other life I do fundraising for the local Symphony and one of my projects was a big gala, the Symphony Ball and Auction. Naturally I decided to try my hand at a dress for the event and this is what happened. It's all black silk with a saffron velvet belt. (I've got a thing for belts lately.) It's actually two pieces and the top is built off of a vintage bustier. Sassy! I felt like the belle of the ball (literally).

Tomorrow me and Josh (special man friend, amazing artist and co-conspirator in our screen-printing line, Button Inc.) are going out to take some photos in the early morning sunlight. Pray that our coffee doesn't fail us--neither of us care much for the morning! I'll be sure to post some photos tomorrow, provided that aren't looking too haggard.

Pictures of the Latest Creations!

reusable coozies for your coffee cup, beer or wine glass



bold red and black tanks



pretty brown tank dresses



cool designer fabrics for belts

These are some fun new creations that will be for sale at the upcoming Craftinista Trunk show on April 9th. All handmade with love!

New Creations for the Craftinista Trunk Show

I've been burning the midnight oil to finish some new goods for the trunk show next month. Here's what I'm working on:

• a ton of new belts with awesome designer fabrics and beautiful dupioni silk
• a bunch of bright and colorful tanks with embellished circles
• some very pretty screened floral tanks

I'm also trying to screen my own fabric for the first time and really like how the ginko leaf pattern is turning out! We'll see what that transforms into--I'm thinking fun summer tops.

Craftinista Trunk Show