Exhibition!!!

Finallly! Everything is over. The exhibition came and went so fast - the tear down day felt like the day after set-up.
I'm finally finished cleaning up the studio and think I've nearly caught up on my sleep.
Here are some images from the exhibition.
I'll be posting a more comprehensive set of images and text, but I'm not sure where just yet.
Stay tuned...

The Night Before...

The Exhibition is 90% up and I haven't slept much the past 4 nights.
Everyone is tired and drinking way too much coffee.
I'm thrilled with how everything looks and will post pix once it's all up.
Whew!

Works in progress

Here's a photo I'm photoshopping today for the exhibition.
I love this leather ensemble.
The top below is a part of the collection as well.
The leather Vest has buttons at each junction to button sections onto for different decorational possibilities - but I love it bare.
Set up for the exhibition is this Friday!

Milkweed

When I was a little girl, I used to play in the fields behind the house. 

In the autumn, the milkweed plants would seed and the field would be full of seeds flying all around. 

One year, a girlfriend and I went out and collected the milkweed seeds thinking they'd make a great pillow stuffing. We stuffed pillow cases full of the seed pods - both open and closed and it was heavenly. There we were, in a cloud of milkweed seeds flying everywhere. They started getting in our eyes, and mouths and we decided we needed to get outta there. I'll never forget that day. 

And I still love Milkweeds. 

Thanks, Michelle, for sending these - all the way from Colorado.

Sneak Preview

I had a photoshoot on Tuesday and thought I'd upload a few pix here.

I'm also finding the the photos taken "in progress" are beautiful...

Trigger Biomimetic Fashion

The show is in 4 weeks and 2 days and I'm in the final stretch - finishing garments, getting feedback, planning the exhibition, writing my final summary, planning the press packs, etc.

It's hectic, but I'm loving it.

Those of you in London, please come see if you have time. It's the final weekend of November and then the Tuesday after.

Here are some very abstract current developmental pix.

I'm afraid that's all I have time for at the moment.

Wishing you all joy!

Biomimetic MA

Thought I'd post a few pix today of works in progress. 

Am buried in everything that I've got to do in the next 6 weeks, and am looking forward to the finish line!

Biomimetic Fashion: 

 - imitating nature in design for 

                     *better comfort

                     *flexibility of warming and cooling using natural processes

 - using natural materials: organic everything - so that you can conceivably compost the garment once it wears out

 - alternatively, some of the fabric can be mended because it is felted - so the fabric can continue as a living, evolving piece. More later!

 

Notting Hill

This week my sublet ended and I moved out of Prudence's apartment and out of Notting Hill. I've had such a great time there that I thought I'd devote a posting to my 2 1/2 months of living in heaven.

Some memories:

- running in Hyde Park
- walking through Portabello Market
- laundry at the laundrette with tapas next door
- finding the perfect kitchen jars
- the view out the window
- people watching out the window
- having everything at my doorstep: bank, post office, grocery shops,
Waterstone's, cafe's, bars, Notting Hill Arts Club, The Churchill Arms
- the lovely Coronet Cinema
- Tyler's (the everything store)
- cooking with mung beans
- making crackers for the first time
- cycling
- sewing & making lots of things
- working on my MA project

Hyde Park was best experienced between 5 & 7pm as the sunlight was so beautiful at that time and families were out for their evening walks. Crowds of black robed women, kids on bicycles, commuters running or cycling home & of course the birds; swans, ducks, pidgeons, seagulls, grouse, etc., . . . bliss.

Photos soon...

Rowing on a Rooftop

Last night I went with a friend to see the Psycho Buildings Exhibition at The Hayward Gallery. We walked through a myriad of experimental architecture like Lycra pod rooms with sacks of spices hanging - mmmmm - and distorted viaduct tunnels, etc.
The highlight of the evening, though, was the installation entitled, "Normally, Proceeding and Unrestricted with without Title" by a group of Austrian artists. They built a body of water on the rooftop of the Hayward and built little boats - with no rudders or engines, just big watercooler bottles attached to the back as "bumpers" I would guess. One first has to walk out onto the dock, which is bouncing on the water and looks as though it's falling apart. You're then asked to plunk yourself into these adorable little boats, that frankly, look like glorified cardboard boxes.
It was fully dark, so we were rowing under the city lights with the London eye and parliament off in the distance, and I found myself filled with glee while we figured out how to work the oars and how not to bump into the others! Thankfully we managed without any crashes or splashes - truly surreal and amazing!

Anastasia's Bicycle

Anastasia has lent me her bicycle for the month while she's away. My first ride was 9 o'clock at night and I decided to ride to Uni and back to see how long it would take. There was lightening, but no thunder, so the air was charged with negative ions.
I cannot fully express how exhilerating it was to ride through the streets of London for the first time. I'd only ever walked or rode busses through - and the occasional cab ride - but being so mobile and so out in the open was amazing! Getting to Uni took 30 minutes - I took the scenic route back through Soho, Mayfair and Hyde Park. I'm hooked.

On Round Pond

I've thought of starting a somewhat personal blog for quite some time now, but have had hesitation because I've always wondered - who has time to read these things anyway?
And I certainly don't want to get too personal.

However, at least once a week, something notable happens that I'd like to share without sending an email en-masse or announcing it on facebook. facebook is full of ex-students, work colleagues, bosses, and acquaintences that I really dont feel comfortable sharing everything with - as many have these updates arrive in their inboxes.

That said, my mother needs to hear from me on a regular basis or she fears I'm dead, and though I'm usually good at keeping in touch, this will be another outlet for her to find me in.

So getting on with it.

A few nights ago, I went for a run in Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens. While running around the Round Pond, I noticed people watching a duck in earnest. As I ran past, I saw that she had some very small chicks under one of her wings. I stopped and stooped down just in time to see her laying an egg!
Now, I'm not sure, but I thought they laid eggs in nests - and certainly not standing up. And judging from the other chicks standing there, I'd have to say the egg wasn't going to stay an egg for too long.
A swan seemed to be protecting her as it spread its wingspan to block the view for a moment.
The duck then blinked at me as I gushed at the site and I got up to let her get on with it.

As I started running again, I noticed a very familiar looking guy running towards me.
As he got closer, I noticed it was Pierce Brosnan! :)

I melted right there...