The Art of a Woman (and more)

I just came across this photo today. I got it from one of the models for "The Art of a Woman" project, it had been given to her by the photographer.

This event was back in March, but it's cool to still be getting photos and things from participants. At the end of the evening, all of us got in the display window for a finale. Up to that point there was one model per picture frame, this time we did the "birds of a feather" together in the front corner, the four seasons (I'm Spring on the left) in the large frame and then the other two in their own frames. It was fun to look out and see some familiar faces in the crowd on the street.

The recovery process is coming along nicely. I'm in absolutely no pain, just struggling to get my strength back.  I'm struggling with the anemia and today was a busy one, so I'm feeling it tonight.  I'm also finding myself more and more irritated by the "no driving for four weeks" rule and I'm only two weeks out. I'm thinking tomorrow might find me behind the wheel. The hubs is always gone, and I have cabin fever. So... maybe tomorrow.

I feel like I missed Easter this year.  Spring time seems strange without an Easter service, a meal, something special.  I had just gotten out of the hospital and wasn't up to going to church. I like watching the children at church, all dressed up in fluffy confections and mini suits.  I like the somber candlelight service on Good Friday contrasted with the bright flowers and joyful qualities of the celebration on Sunday morning. A friend had these Easter Lilies dropped by yesterday, so today it felt like a little bit of Easter had come to my house. What a blessing!

Finally, I wanted to show some of the thank you notes I've made.

 

They are really easy, just a bit of gauze, a band-aid and some red card stock. It turns out looking a bit like a bow, only medical looking. I made enough of these to thank the folks who brought meals. I think that's the coolest thing, to take a meal to someone who is recovering. What a blessing!

I finished taxes today, what a chore!  So glad to have that done!  And I picked out fabric for a small quilt, that was fun.  I need to get back in the studio if I can get my body to cooperate.  I have a one person show at the end of the month and so I need to get crackin!  So... I think my vacation is coming to a close.  It was fun though.  I especially enjoyed reading, it's been years since I read for pleasure.  One wonders why we allow some of those small pleasures to slip through our fingers from time to time.  It's a good reminder of the need to slow down and enjoy a book from time to time.  That's a good thing.   

Happy Creating,

-Carmen Rose

She is... as Unique as a Snowflake

This is the lovely Laura, I'm just getting to know her and having her in the studio was fun.

She's wearing a hand dyed long wrap skirt.

And a wrap made with super soft bamboo fleece, some pearly trim and big lovely crystals dangling from the ends.

She was very patient as I airbrushed a bunch of snowflakes on her skin with a small stencil. They look really cool in person!

A vintage crystal necklace that someone gave me ages ago...

A dogwood tiara...

And lots of pearly white eye makeup.

It was a fun day in Studio C and it was fun to get to know Laura better.

Here's to the creative process,

-Carmen Rose

Good Publicity!

"The Art of a Woman" is over and I'm starting to get copies of the various papers.  Here is the Daily News Record's post on the "See and Do" page:  This one features photos of Jill and Lindsey. 

Text of the article is here:
http://www.rocktownweekly.com/rocktown/focus.php?AID=3600

Then the same article is in "Rocktown Weekly" with a whole different look!  This one features Barbara!

Look how pretty the cover image is on their website, in print it still looks good.

The the lovely Ashley is on the Table of Contents page:

Along with our lovely ladies in frames in the middle of the paper.  Ashley, Juliette, Lindsey, Barbara and Jill.

I am very pleased with how this came out. I believe there is another article out there yet that I haven't seen. I was interviewed at the event and it all went by so quickly that I don't remember the gentlemen's name or paper, but I hope to see a copy of that one soon!

Happy creating!
-Carmen Rose

Saving Grace

I did makeup and hair for the cast of Saving Grace, here are a few photographs from the show.  I loved these folks, the actors were amazing, the show was a lovely confection full of laughter and they did an amazing job putting it all together!

Hold it right there or I'll blow your head off, Mister!  

Lady, do I look like a stork?

Harriet has arrived all the way from Chillicothe, Ohio... just in time to catch Gracie and Alex in a rather delicate position with a video camera in Walter's hand! 

And don't you worry your pretty little head about a thing!

Gregor and Harriet know how to make an entrance!  

The gentlemen on the left grew out his hair for the play and I literally set his hair in rollers each evening and proceeded to give him a "fro."  He was so nice about it, and it was right for the show, but to do that to man's hair seemed so wrong.  The audience responded when he came on stage for the first time, each evening and that became part of the fun of the show.

OOoooOOo, that's SO roMANtic!

Gregor (Kevin) sportin a fine pair of mutton chops.  And bless her heart, Harriot (Wendi) is such a beautiful woman but had to hide behind those horrible glasses for the show.  And Walter, the insurance salesmen... who has actually sold insurance.  Briefly, years ago.

"And another thing..."  

   "Right on!"      

This was one of my favorite scenes, these three were a RIOT!

The fabulous cast of "Saving Grace."  They were fantastic!  And the people behind the scenes were marvelous also!  I enjoyed them all a great deal!  And now that the show is over I miss them.  Another day, another show.

Happy Creating,
-Carmen Rose

Changing Seasons (And a Sneak Peak)

Wow, I have really gotten behind on blogging.  The goal is one a day, but the reality lately...  Oh well, it IS my blog, it's an opportunity for self expression, not an obligation!  So... how about another sneak peak from "The Art of a Woman" series.  This is Laura, "She is... a unique as a snowflake")  And there are lots of tiny little airbrushed snowflakes on her shoulders, arms and neck!  Branches from my dogwood in her hair and a lovely vintage necklace that someone gave me along the line somewhere.  The wrap is a luxurious bamboo fleece fabric that is just too soft for words!

And... if you put the lovely Laura together with:

 

Lindsey, Diana and Jill...

One gets the feel of changing seasons.

The Art of a Woman

She is... changing with the seasons.

One more coming soon.  The show is Friday, if you are in the area please do come on out and see the models in the display window at Oasis Gallery.  Oh what fun we will have!!

Happy Creating,

Carmen Rose

She is... Growing

Some early shots are back from the photo shoot with Lindsey. I designed her costume, hair and makeup. It all began with a very ordinary long green dress that we deconstructed and then began adding some very earthy elements.

We began with two kinds of mosses, added some silk leaves, feathers, seed pods, twigs...

I tucked some fresh ivy, violets and leaves in here and there.

I had no idea she had those amazing *green* eyes!

Lovely profile shot.

Charles included this photo with the captain: "Mother Nature Calling."  LOL!
Her makeup is airbrushed foundation, and natural green oxide on her eyes with some dots and I added a Marilyn Monroe beauty mark.  She had green oxide on her arms and shoulders as well to complete the look.

It was a pleasure to work with Lindsey, she and I go way back.  It's a gift to have her for a friend.  She gets the award for coming the longest distance to model for me.  Thanks to Lindsey for being such a great model, and to Charles for the excellent photography as usual.

All images 2010 (c) Charles Garratt Photography
Makeup, hair and costume design by Carmen Rose

"She is... Growing"
Number six in the series "The Art of a Woman"

Happy Creating,
-Carmen Rose

Another Sneak Peek

Today's shoot was number six in the series "The Art of a Woman."  This is Lindsey, and she is... growing!

 

And check out those green eyes of hers!

I continue to learn what works and what doesn't and Charles took 180 photographs in pretty short order.  Lindsey was loaded up with moss, feathers, pods, pine cones, branches, fresh violets and fresh ivy.  It was fun to see it all come together! 

Photograph 2010 (c) Charles Garratt

Costume, hair and makeup by Carmen Rose

Happy Creating,

-Carmen Rose

She is... Organic

Some early shots are back from the photo shoot with Diana. I designed her costume, hair and makeup. This costume idea started when I came across some leather scraps in a large bin in a fabric store. I picked up a piece of cow and a piece of buffalo leather, then I came across the feather trim (necklace and arm band) at the same store and that became the top and belt of her costume.

The skirt and cami are hand dyed in a combination of browns and grays with a touch of orange thrown in.

I used some hemlock from the tree in my back yard and some seed pods from the rose of sharon bushes by my house for her top over the layers of leather and fabric.  I used a small oak leaf to airbrush some organic shapes on her skin.  Her eye makeup is a combination of airbrushed color and mineral makeup in an earthy green to match her eyes.

I cut some pieces from the hem of her skirt to layer with the leathers on the bodice, I don't think I have any photos of the hem of the skirt yet.

I think this one is my favorite photo from the shoot so far.  

I wired and glued some things into a branch from my dogwood tree for her hair.

Diana was a riot to work with!

"I am woman, hear me roar!" 

It was a fun evening and we got some great shots.  Thanks to the amazing Diana for driving over to work with us and the talented Charles Garratt for the photography.  All photos 2010 (c) Charles Garratt.

She is... Organic

#5 in "The Art of a Woman" series

Happy Creating!

by Carmen Rose

Another Sneak Peek

 

The lovely Diana, She is... Organic.

Model #5 in my "The Art of a Woman" series and I used the airbrush and a leaf to create cool camoflage patterns on her skin.  More photos coming.

I dozed while the olympics were on and then once I turned off the tv I perked up a bit and could get a little work done.  Now I'm finally headed off to bed.  Pleasant Dreams Blog world.

-Carmen Rose

She is... Mysterious

Some preliminary shots are back from our photo shoot with Barbara, what a fun woman she is! 

I designed her costume and did her hair and makeup.  Barb brought some things with her, mostly vintage things.  The top she had and I pinned the flowers on it.  I'd found these great pearly flowers and pulled them apart, and glued them back together in a way that all of them could be different sizes.  Then added a large pearl in the center of each one to finish it off.  I also added some beaded pieces of beautiful lace to finish the line of the flowers.

 

I think this must have been an early shot because she's not holding anything 

and the key on her neck ribbon is missing.

I love the far away look.

 

Skeleton keys, they are full of potential for adventure and mysterious possibilities!  And I can't believe how much fun that necklace was once I put it on her, it was a perfect fit and she had those great ostrich feathers in her collection. 
 

I think that may be the only prelim shot where you can see that skirt I hand dyed in various shades of gray.  I love how it turned out!  

Now these two are my favs:
 

With a smile

and...
 

And just Barbara being her really beautiful self!

That's my favorite.

Thanks to my great sidekick Charles for the excellent photography!

Thanks to Barbara for being such a beautiful model!

All photos (c) Charles Garratt 2010

A Sneek Peek...

A little sneak peek at our second photo shoot. This lovely woman is Barbara and she's most comfortable in vintage clothing and since that seemed so perfectly "her" I went with it. (Though nothing in this shot is actually vintage except for those amazing gloves.) Each woman in the series has a different phrase and hers is: "She is Mysterious"

She brought a lot of herself to this project, and brought along some great props as well. I think this photo may have been taken while she was waiting on me to finish up the necklace she wore for the shoot. More photos to come!

I'm still looking for six more models for this project and the publicity stunt in March. Everything is "weather permitting" around here since we're gotten so much snow and more is in the forecast for tomorrow. *Please* let there be school tomorrow!

Looks like I've been nominated to be on the board of a local gallery, that's interesting. We'll see how that goes. I'm also doing makeup for a local theater production of "Saving Grace" which is a cute little show that will be put on in March by Waynesboro Players. The cast is only five people and it should be fairly simple as far as the makeup and hair goes. It will be fun.

I ran across an interesting quote and am curious what you think of it:

"Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy. For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man’s hunger. And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distills a poison in the wine. And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man’s ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night." It's from Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet and I stumbled upon it here. Perhaps it is an overstatement of a principle that we should not ignore. Interesting food for thought, right?

I'm loving what I'm doing right now with this project, it's work that feels right to me. Wishing you the work that feels like play to you. This project is just playing "dress up" for adults, and who wouldn't love that?! (More photos coming!!)

With Gratitude,
-Carmen Rose