By the time the night before the studio anniversary show rolled around I felt like I'd been altering costumes forever, before even tackling my own.It wasn't forever but I had altered three costumes for my dance partner and had a student who'd bought her first ever costume. It was new to her but previously owned … Continue reading Let’s hear it for good workmanship!
I know I will need to create some structure for a year of art...because making (or writing about) creating/changing physical art objects everyday isn't do-able. I'll burn out. I do consistently create (dolls, clothing, useful objects, decorative objects) every week...it's just somewhat haphazard. The mood and inspiration strikes often but how much am I feeding … Continue reading Parameters
My friend Ebony rocks. She really does. You should go check out the looks she serves up on Instagram. I'll wait. I can't even tell you how essential she is to my life here. Not since art school have I had someone in my neck of the woods who was not only an amazing friend … Continue reading The dress with EVERYTHING.
One of my finished projects this summer was Little Dead Riding Wolf. You may have noticed that I never show concept sketches. It’s not how I work. It’s never been. With dolls as with creating dance costumes I start with a very hazy concept, maybe gather some inspiration, and let the tools take me where … Continue reading Little Dead Riding Wolf
I totally forgot to show you finished costume pictures from RomaFest. But you need to know that I got there nice and early for pre-show rehearsal and spent times napping dressed like this. The show was huge, those of us dancing in a Turkish Roma influenced style were but a small part, probably making up … Continue reading Finished Costume Pictures.
I hope to get better photos at the show on Sunday but here we go! RomaFest is this Sunday. I am having some strong imposter syndrome feelings but I know I love to dance. I didn't have time to make something from scratch nor the money to buy anything that would be of the same … Continue reading Costume Finished!
I didn't just have conjunctivitis, I also had a sinus infection. It took me DOWN. Also, it's made a lot of detail work I could be doing impossible. When I tilt my head down to focus on what my hands are doing I feel all the weight of the crap in my sinuses and it … Continue reading Stuffed Animal Renewal.
Today brings me to sewing I don’t really want to do but need to do. I have two jobs. One as a mild-mannered English teacher (for Japanese children) and the other as a belly dance teacher/performer (for Japanese adults, Turkish restaurants, etc.). My English teaching is within set hours that don’t fluctuate from week to … Continue reading Costume Alterations.
I'm a belly dancer. I teach and perform and study belly dance. I also make belly dance costumes. There was no doubt that I'd combine dolls with dance. As soon as I saw a used Pullip Nah-atto doll I had to have it. But let's be honest, Nahh-ato is all Orientalist tropes. Genie lamp, harem … Continue reading Dressing to Dance. Nah-atto part 1
I'm doing a no-buy November. If I were better at planning I would have thought ahead on what projects I'd like to work on and stock up on what I might need...but that's not who I am right now. The dark months of winter are coming. Despite being on a higher dosage of medication for … Continue reading Turkish Thrown Together.
