Taking a somewhat silent retreat today to regroup and prepare for transitions. Picked up an old sweater (80% merino wool, 20% cashmere) and created these little one inch plus tall baby owls. Perfect for holding in the palm while figuring stuff out.
I have always found that sewing and drawing owls is a powerful experience.
Stay tuned for a special tutorial series on drawing and crafting birds and reflecting on their symbolism.
I do love creating this wearable art/wall hangings as it combines drawing and craft.
It is also an extension of my street art and the person wearing the dress becomes a living art wall/performance artist.
The style is based on an 1960’s A-frame pattern. I use the authentic pattern as popularized by Andy Warhol and sold by greeting card companies in the 60’s.
The dress contains my original drawings, embroidered sections as well as close borders. I use recycled/upcycled product.
You send me your shoulder width and chest dimension and shoulder to knee length.
Your chosen theme can be ANYTHING (no censorship) and I’ll run with MY creative interpretation. I will share the making of the dress process on the blog and on my social media.
Here are some examples of my previous dresses in use:
Laura Mack at the Detroit Institute of the Arts in the Frida Dress (Photo by Megan Palmer Powers)
Photo courtesy of Laura MackAnna Thorsen in San Francisco at Booty Call Wednesdays in the Punk Dress.
Photo by Megan Palmer Powers
Photo by Megan Palmer Powers Photo by Megan Palmer PowersAnna Thorsen in Vancouver at 1181 in the bypoststreet Dress. (Photo by Sairah Hearn)
The event honors the woman who inspires me to keep it going as an artist: Frida Kahlo.
(How many of you that know me are right now rolling your eyes and saying, “duh”…!?!? I realize I am a tad obsessed.)
For the next 10 Tuesdays, I will be creating 10 different portraits of Frida Kahlo in some form/medium or another. It may be a drawing, an object, a doll, whatever… A surprise. I will be posting one a week.
These new and unique Frida arts and crafts are my own designs and will be for sale here on the blog for a special presale price before I put the item onto my online store. The sale price for each product will last for one week, then it gets listed if not sold here.
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Frida No. 1: the sock doll
This Frida is made out of 100% recycled, gently used product. Her body is made from a work sock and her hair is made from a black sock. Her skull face has a white sock as ground color. The dia de los muertos/sugar skull face is embroidered. All the thread is from my mom’s old sewing basket. Her tattooed arms feature Frida portraits from discontinued socks from Haight and Ashbury, San Francisco. Her dress is made from vintage materials and her flowers are made from an antique hand-crocheted doily. The little lamb is made from an old blanket. The doll is about 24 inches tall with skirt (body about 18 inches).
PRICE: $175.00 CAD (Shipping free in Canada). Email me for purchasing details.
What is it about a bin of sewing supplies and some scrap cloth that tug at my heart and leads me to create something out of seemingly nothing?
What is it that I get out of making cute animals? Drawing them?
Why do I anthropomorphize them?
Why is it so comforting? So healing?