The Traveling Jones Theater

And finally, Rachel and Scott of The Traveling Jones Theater: "Anita Reedmore's Rock & Roll Book Report."

Rachel called and wanted to know if I could come right over and snap some publicity photos for the show that she and Scott are working on.  I said "sure!" and made my way up the Massanutten.  It was a fast paced and fun time of working with these two creative people.  Then I sat by the lake and soaked in the beauty of that place since I had some time to kill before a grueling board meeting this evening.

Fun day! And now I'm weary! Rest time, kiddos!

Pleasant Dreams,
-Carmen Rose

Rachel Q

Here are a few more photos from today's photo shoot, this time with Rachel Quagliariello, one of the actors in "Anita Reedmore's Rock & Roll Book Report." 

Isn't she a RIOT?!  (O yeah! And I love her!)  These are some of the quick change costumes for "The Traveling Jones Theater." 

Happy Silliness,
Carmen Rose

Scott Craig Jones

A spontaneous photo shoot today yielded these photos of Scott Craig Jones of The Traveling Jones Theater.

These are costumes from "Anita Reedmore's Rock & Roll Book Report"

travelingjonestheater.com

Here's to a little spontaneous frivolity,

-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

The Art of a Woman

I left the house at about noon yesterday with a packed van and drove up to Harrisonburg. I picked up some fresh flowers and ribbon on the way. I got there and got my stuff unpacked in time for the first model who came at 2:00. Each woman was scheduled in my makeup chair and it was a really tight schedule. They really helped each other get everything situated (lots of safety pins!) so the details really came together. I was airbrushing them, doing their makeup and working on getting all the details together right up until the moment that we called “Places” at 6:10. I didn’t get my own makeup done before I started the first model, so I worked on my own look in between when I had the chance. My husband and a Mom of a model went to get food for the women, that was especially nice of them.

All eight of us were in costume and ready on time, believe it or not. We left our dressing room upstairs and went downstairs together and began to file through the crowd in the gallery. I’ll tell ya, conversation stopped as they watched us pass, it was wild. We got a few “ooo’s and aah’s” at that point and some nice compliments. We all went to the front display window. There were four frames hung in the display window facing a busy street. And each of us took a turn in each frame. At first I was thinking that we’d do three minutes before we called time and switched to the next frame, but that three minutes felt like a REALLY LONG time so I shortened it to two and that felt much better. It took a while for all eight of us to move through the frames, a crowd was gathered on the street outside and traffic stopped at the stoplight on that corner and then moved very slowly past with people looking to see what was going on. There were LOTS of people with cameras. Thankfully it was mild out, so it wasn’t too uncomfortable for the models in the window or the people on the street.  Since each character came with a pose, we made little tags for them to wear with her phrase.

I dressed up one of the models as a sunflower, she did a great job making these great poses. Two men stood in front of her on the street outside, posed and had another friend take a photo of them with her, that was fun. Perhaps a little distracting for her but what fun to see people interact with the work!

It was kind of interesting to be one of the models myself. I focused on a sign in the distance, but in my peripheral vision I could see the people moving around on the street and could tell when cars slowed down. I could also see the flashes go off on the various cameras, but it’s a little hard to photograph someone on the other side of glass, so I’m curious how those photos turned out. I was at the last frame when two of my friends were standing inside the gallery, right beside the display window taking to me and trying to get me to crack up before my time was up. I kept it together, but only barely.

At the end of the second show, all eight of us got in the window together. I had the “Two Birds of a Feather” girls in the first frame, they did a lot of giggling! Four of us that made up the seasons were together in a large horizontal frame. Then Jill, who was the sunflower had a frame and Barbara who had the vintage look had a frame. It started to feel like we’d been in there a long time and I started to wonder what had happened to our time keeper. At about that time I heard one of the models ask (without moving her lips) if someone was timing us? All the models started to laugh and so for the last moments of the show we were all wearing big grins. There was lots of laughter and fun and we all climbed out of the window and had a lovely round of applause for everyone.

At this point I don’t have a photograph of me in costume, but I’m hoping to see one soon. I had a phrase for each woman: “She is…” and each was different. The sunflower was “She is beginning to bloom.” My phrase was “She is… changing with the seasons.” I wore a hand dyed skirt in fuchsia (my color!) with a turquoise border at the hem. I wore a black off-the-shoulder top with an interesting pearl and crystal necklace that I made. I was wrapped in a shawl of quilters batting to look like snow, I’d pulled it so it had whispy edges and that made it look cool. I had a bouquet of fresh tulips in my hands, tied with turquoise ribbon. I had a tulip in my hair and my makeup was sort of shaped like a mask around my eyes with purple, blue and turquoise bordered with silver and purple. It was pretty wild looking, and considering how little time I had to do it, it still looked pretty good.

I was interviewed briefly by a reporter, but I can’t remember who he was or what paper he was from. I’ve heard that photos of the women have been published; now I’m trying to find out which papers and where I can get copies. I haven’t actually seen any of them in person yet but hope to soon, because I am VERY CURIOUS! I do know that Barbara made the cover of Rocktown Weekly in her costume, and she looks fabulous!

It was a delightful evening! I suppose I should go unpack the van, or maybe visit a few places around town and see if I can get copies of the newspapers. I suppose it’s time to turn my attention to things that pay bills, and I’ll be doing the makeup for “Saving Grace” this evening. There are few things I love more than being in the creative flow, it’s more "home" to me than anywhere. Last night felt good to me, I hope for opportunities to do that kind of thing again.

Happy Creating,
-Carmen Rose

Press for "The Art of a Woman"

It's always a little fun to see my name in print. I haven't seen the print article yet, but I love the article and the quotes they used in this one:
Rocktown Weekly

Shenandoah.com did a nice job also, check out the little blurb here:
Shenandoah.com

A little mention here at the Virginia is for Lover's site:
Virginia is for Lovers

And on the upcoming events page at the gallery's website here:
OasisArtGallery.org

Tomorrow will be fun. I'll start early making up each model and then we'll all take a practice run at 4:00 through the window/stage. Then we perform at 6:15 and again at 7:15, live models in the display window at the gallery.  I think it will be fun!

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

Sunflower in the Breeze

Some photos from Friday's shoot. Here I am getting her petals on:

We started off with her hair down...

Sunflower in the Breeze

Mossy bracelets

Vines on the legs

A little visit from a cardinal...

Sunflower and Rose together

Thanks to the lovely and patient Jill, this was fun!