The Art of Being a Well-Dressed Wife

Art portfolio- my work, Studio news/blog

In 2015 I received a lovely book from a friend called: “THE ART OF BEING A WELL DRESSED WIFE by Anne Fogarty (first published in 1960)


I was immediately inspired by its pages, but didn’t make use of it right away, since I was busy working on other projects. When I received the invitation to participate in a group exhibition titled: Well Worn, I knew that this is the right time to get the book from the shelf and chose 8 pages from the book to work with. (I will share 4 of the 8 pages today….)

Notes from the curator of the exhibition:

“The kinetic, open personality of fashion is the personality which a society in the process of rapid transformation most needs” – Caroline Evans

If art serves as a mirror to our civilization, what truer way is there to reflect on our zeitgeist, than to examine art in its closet form to us – in fashion and textiles”

Fashion and textile design is adept at fulfilling a traditional function of art by reflecting changes in contemporary culture. As much as art, fashion is a manifestation of the times – of its psychological, social political and visual existence.

It has played an integral role in human expression and over the years has woven its way into contemporary art practice. Fashion has become the medium for social commentaries by means of cultural belonging, sometimes aversion; a way to dismantle societal norms or ways of confronting the constructs that the clothes in which we are dressed impose.

Well worn opened on Sunday the 4th of February at the Cavalli Estate Gallery in Somerset-West and will run until May 2018

For more information, contact Amy Lyn Eveleigh on gallery@cavalliestate.com

Hope you have a lovely week, and remember to dress well ;-p

Angels – group exhibition

Art portfolio- my work, Studio news/blog

Altered pages, with embroidered rubber 2017

Dear friends,

“Angels” a group exhibition at the gallery of Grande Provence Heritage Wine Estate opens today at 12 o’clock and you are invited if you are in the area:

 

I have a dream, a fantasy
To help me through reality
And my destination makes it worth the while
Pushing through the darkness still another mile
I believe in angels… – lyrics from the song: I have a dream by ABBA

The work “Exit to exist” will also be hanging out with the Angles at the gallery.

Also do pop in for a glass of Angels Tears, if you are in the area, The Wine Estate will be launching their “Angels Tears” wine in conjunction with the exhibition.

 

about (m)others…

Artcrush, Studio news

The first time I heard Pink Floyd’s music was when I was 17. (that was a year before my mother passed away)

one of the pieces that will be part of the “Angels Tears” exhibition which opens early December at Grande Provence gallery

I was working as a waitress in an Italian Restaurant, and the owner played me a song which went like this…

Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar,
You’re gonna go far,
You’re gonna fly high,
You’re never gonna die,
You’re gonna make it if you try…

Steve, wherever you are now, thank you for introducing me to Pink Floyd!

Talking about Pink Floyd…

Amanda Palmer recently did a Pink Floyd cover called “Mother” (link) which really resonated with me. It’s like a lullaby for our troubled times.

“People have said that lullabies are the space to sing the unsung,” Pettit said. “A place to say the unsay-able. You’re alone. Nobody is listening, and you can express the feelings that are not okay to express in society.”

Thank you Amanda for having ‘balls’ to sing the unsung, to say the unsay-able … also

“There is no… attempt to threaten, frighten or construct a scene,” Lorca said, “only to thrust the child into the song, alone and unarmed, a little knight defenseless against his mother’s reality.”

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/many-lullabies-murder-ballads

Being a mother myself raising 2 boys, living in a world where (and I quote Kevin from Twitter).. “there is no shortage of infantile man-child’s running countries at the moment”

this mama doesn’t want all your nightmares come true..

this mama doesn’t want to put all her fears into you…

Mama wants you to fly, sing and dream..to climb over all the walls..

Another one for the ‘Angels Tears’ exhibition opening soon at Gallery Grande Provence

anyway….so my friend Lavender Fishoek recently told me about the story of David Blaine and his mother…she said it reminded her of me and my boys…WOW…seriously!!? this is the best compliment anyone has given me recently. But also an eye-opener and reminder, because I must admit, that after watching the interview, I realized that the older my boys get, the less I do things like that with them anymore…to really be in the moment-to go search for ‘King Kong’.

 

The story goes:

“One time I was walking through the park. And I was late. And she (his mother) was walking me before she had to go to work. And I was like: “Mom look! There is King Kong!” and instead of her saying: “No, no, we’re late, let’s go..” She said: “Where?”

So we walked all the way over and it was just a log.

But the idea that she let me imagine and believe and didn’t want to stifle that – that is what made her so incredible” – David Blaine

You can watch the full interview (which is very insightful about many things including fears and some advice from Mike Tyson) here 

On that note…goodnight friends. Sweet dreams

P.S recent earworm:  Mutter

P.P.S:

Let us not forget that the fundamental object of the lullaby is to put the child that is not sleepy, to sleep. They are songs for the hours and moments when the child feels like playing. In Tamames they sing:

Sleep, sleep, my child,

I have things to do,

wash your clothes

sit me down to sew.

-Lorca-

 

 

 

 

 

 

A visual requiem for Judith Mason

Art portfolio- my work, Artcrush, Studio news/blog

The group exhibition: A Visual Requiem for Judith Mason opens tomorrow at 11h00….If you are in the Tulbagh area = you are invited!- or contact the Christo Coetzee Museum & Gallery for more information…

I am honoured that my work are included in a group exhibition with other amazing South African Artists, bringing homage to a iconic and inspiring artist Judith Mason.

The following works by Judith Mason served as inspiration:

“Arachne” by Judith Mason

“The mission of Art” after “Arachne” by Judith Mason
Altered page, embroidery on rubber 2017

Woman in a fur coat by Judith Mason

“Evolution”
(after Woman in a fur coat by Judith Mason.)
Altered page, embroidery on rubber, 2017

painting By Judith Mason

“Lines ‘written’ on a friend” (for Judith Mason)
Altered page, embroidery on rubber, 2017