Comme des Garçons Spring 2016

In a world where ready-to-wear rules, it's refreshing to experience the art and insight of Comme des Garçons. Rei Kawakubo scales it way down for retail, so don't doubt, even for a second, that she's unaware or uninformed in respect to marketability. Her wonderfully sculptural pieces captivate us on the runway. It's one show-stopper after another. This was the season of the "witch" for Comme des Garçons... Witch being a metaphor for "powerful women." The collection was voluminous in scale and proportion with black, white and blue as the color choices topped off with, literally, with vibrant red hats. Good witches. Bad witches. Which are you?

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LIVING ART AMERICA - BODIES AS A WORK OF ART SIX

Living Art America cordially welcomes you to Bodies As A Work Of Art/ The North American Bodypainting Championship, officially sanctioned by the World Bodypainting Association.

I've said this many times over, there is no other event like this one, anywhere, at any time in Atlanta. Living Art America / Bodies As A Work Of Art is a visually stunning and dynamic celebration of art, expression, love, life and humanity.

Enticing top-tier talent to Atlanta for camaraderie and competition, culminating in an exceptional event showcasing art works created on the human body and presented live.

This unique show will blend live music, gallery art offerings and an exciting, interactive "audience vote" component, allowing all in attendance to weigh in on their favorite presentations of the evening.

Artists in two levels of expertise (Emerging Artists and Professionals) will create their best work to offer before a panel of internationally-qualified judges for evaluation. After jury presentation, the artists and model teams prepare for the evening's show, where each model is given command of the stage to make their one-minute presentation the most spectacular.

The audience will have the opportunity to vote for their own top pick, which may differ from the jury rankings. The competition will conclude in an awards ceremony, honoring the top placements, as well as the audience choice award.

There are lots of ways to enjoy this spectacular event! Come for the evening, all day or as a VIP! For tickets, visit:  http://www.livingartamerica.com 

Living Art America / Bodies As A Work Of Art will be held on October 3rd at the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot - 65 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr, Atlanta, GA 30303

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The Legendary Moulin Rouge of Paris is Coming to New York City

The Moulin Rouge has officially confirmed their landmark voyage to the United States, as a part of this year’s BEST OF FRANCE celebration in Time Square, taking place on September 26, 2015 from 10:00am to 8:00pm and September 27, 2015 from 10:00am-7:00pm. Organized by the New York French Community in partnership with many prominent organizations, this third edition of BEST OF FRANCE, formerly known as Taste of France. The celebration is expected to have thousands of visitors over the course of the weekend, attendees will enjoy free entrance to walk the festival grounds and see abridged Moulin Rouge performances and fashion shows.

The French review is bringing “a Taste of Moulin Rouge” to New York City for the first time in 126 years, highlighting all of the glamour and elation that is a part of the French staple’s rich history. During their short time in NYC, the Moulin Rouge dancers will be making appearances at New York City’s most well-known landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, The Empire State Building and Times Square. Over the years, the Moulin Rouge has become the most famous cabaret in the world, internationally known for its French Cancan, immortalized by Toulouse-Lautrec in 1891 with his first advertising poster, as well as for its sumptuous grand stage shows: elaborate costumes boasting feathers, Swarovski crystals and sequins, fantastical settings, and original music.

“This is a widely anticipated event. The Moulin Rouge will greet the city that never sleeps for the first time in over 100 years,” says Moulin Rouge CEO, Jean-Jacques Clerico. “We are absolutely thrilled to participate in BEST OF FRANCE it is truly an honor to be part of something that encourages such strong global ties and cultural values. What better way to bring our legendary show to a legendary city than with our lavish costumes, majestic dances, and sensational French energy.”

The Moulin Rouge will perform two live shows daily at BEST OF FRANCE, in addition to the performances Moulin Rouge will host a daily Costume Fashion Show. Scheduled times as follows:

Live Performances: Main Stage                                                Fashion Shows

• Saturday, September 26, 2015                                               Saturday, September 26, 2015 2:20pm
  12:50pm EST & 4:05pm EST
• Sunday, September 27, 2015                                                  Sunday, September 27, 2015 2:40pm
  11:20am EST & 4:30pm EST 
• Saturday, September 26, 2015 2:20pm
   

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30th Annual PENLAND SCHOOL Benefit Auction Recap

Photo by Katherine Hampton

Shane Fero

Bluebirds of Penland Meadow

Flameworked glass, cast glass, sandblasted and acid etched 

Matt Kelleher

Large Handled Bowl

Glazed earthenware

Fred Fenster

Vase

Pewter

Spectacular sunsets at Penland.

Live model showcases one of Susan Taylor Glasgow's glass bodice pieces.

Susan Taylor Glasgow

Coral Chandelier Dress

Fused, slumped, and stitched glass, nylon ribbon, found objects

Tim Tate

Maybe She Dreams of Rivers

Cast glass, video

Jack Mauch

Goblets

Pewter

A genius musical march to help move guests to the tent.

Repost: Penland's Instagram

Elizabeth Mears

February Snow

Flameworked glass, original poetry, original photographic images

Lisa Clague

My Reconfiguration

Mixed media
21 x 12 x 6 inches 

Friday evening's silent auction...

Repost: Penland's Instagram

Douglas Harling

Alms Bowl

Silver, enamel
2 x 4H x 4H inches 

John Littleton and Kate Vogel

Succulent

Cast glass
10H x 213⁄4 x 81⁄4 inches 

Daniel Johnston

Jar

Wood-fired, salt-glazed local stoneware 40 x 22 inches

William “Billy” Bernstein

Self Portrait 2015

Blown glass, hot cane drawing 

Andrew Hayes

Contrivance

Steel, book paper, paint 

James D.W. Cooper

Valet

Eastern red cedar, forged iron, bronze 

Anne Lemanski

Blue Go-Go: Cockatoos, Pigeon, and Grackle

Archival pigment prints mounted on wood panel 

Pattie Chalmers

Yellow Roses

Earthenware, glaze, underglaze, luster, decals, vinyl tiles, enamel, satin, wood
20H x 11H x 81⁄4 inches 

Food, wine and desserts, as always, were decadent and in abundance.

In 1988 I attended my first Penland Auction. I was a core student and lived at Penland for two incredible, life-shaping years. Twenty-seven years, later I am still blown away with this spectacular event. I just attended the 30th Annual Penland School Benefit Auction which has become a craft collector's dream "gala weekend" in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. But of course, it's much more than that. Beyond the parties, cocktails, dinners and music, the monies raised support Penland's educational programs. The auction weekend is a special time where patrons, sponsors, students, residents and instructors unite to celebrate all that is Penland. Over 500 guests, passionate about Penland School and art education, gathered at the sold out event to support Penland's future. Over $733,000 was raised.

More than 250 works in books, clay, drawing, glass, iron, letterpress, metals, painting, printmaking, photography, textiles, wood, and other media were featured (and auctioned) during the two-day fête. 

Congratulations to Penland School, its devoted Director, Jean McLaughlin, the Penland Staff and most of all, to the large number of truly amazing volunteers who give so much to create a seamless and successful event.

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Happening this Week: the Penland School of Crafts Annual Benefit Auction

This weekend, Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina, will be hosting its 30th annual benefit auction. The sold out event will feature (and auction off) some of the nation's best in clay, glass, fibers, artists books, sculpture, photography and mixed-media. The two-day fête, which I am thrilled to be attending, includes cocktails and dining. Each year, Penland features an artist to produce the signature piece for the auction and this year's, by Susan Taylor Glasgow, is a stunner!

[Below] is Penland's  description of this amazing piece:

Our featured artwork, specially commissioned for the 30th Penland Benefit Auction, is the remarkable Coral Chandelier Dress by Susan Taylor Glasgow. This piece is a supreme example of an ongoing body of work that uses sewn glass to create sculptures based on traditional domestic skills. As Susan explains in her artist statement, “Somehow I embraced domesticity in feminine spirit but not in action. And, of course, I feel guilty about not being a good wife. Misguided domestic talents eventually grew into concepts of sewing an unyielding medium, baking inedible creations, and stitching glass clothing no one can wear. Housekeeping is last, while instead I cook, arrange, and sew glass.”

In conjunction with this auction, fiber artist and Penland instructor Jo Stealey wrote about Glasgow’s work: “Susan Taylor Glasgow re-examines the utopian concept of ‘domestic bliss’ and the ‘complex dichotomy of women’s roles within the household’ in the 1950s United States through the lens of twenty-first century feminism. Her work comments on history as much as on today’s nostalgia for a flawed but fetishized past. Her sculptures are three-dimensional glass and mixed media collages. They are often embedded with advertising text and imagery appropriated from magazines, movies, and media-related memorabilia, which highlight the domestic standards of the time.

“Glasgow started her creative career as an independent clothing designer and seamstress before delving into work with the slumped, sewn glass that has become the hallmark of her oeuvre. She says of her glass fashion: ‘I have always seen a similarity between glass and fabric. I am attracted to the fluid nature and transparency of both materials. I work with glass in the same way I would with fabric. Imagining how the glass will drape and flatter the form, I select color, components, and sometimes text to create a mood or narrative. I enjoy incorporating feminine ideals and skills to a material that is hard and unyielding yet seductive at the same time."

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ART ALERT: The Photography & Paintings of Olga Filatova

I meet many people when working on movie and tv sets but few have been as interesting as Olga Filatova who I met while working on Insurgent. Since then, we worked on a few other productions together which is how I learned of the amazing talent that is Olga. She was scrolling through her tablet (one her websites) when she introduced me to her art work. I was blown away.

Olga was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan and was trained as a dancer, which explains why she is so graceful. It wasn't until 2007 and 2011 that she discovered her passion for painting and photography. Her paintings of dogs, horses and lions are dynamic and expressive. Her painterly approach speaks to you with every brush stroke. Olga takes that unique vision and sensibility with her photographic images. She captures human interaction and emotion successfully and genuinely and her landscapes look like paintings. Olga believes we spend are lives learning. About her work, she says, "I am learning every day, every minute, every second. I want to do the best as I can to make people happy and to make them feel something about my work."

Visit Olga Filatova's photography website: olgafilatova.smugmug.com and art website: olgafilatova.com.

"On my way to perfection with love to you... " Olga Filatova.

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Video Tour through Miami's Wynwood Art District

The Wynwood Art District and its Wynwood Walls have become a regular stop in my visits to Miami. Art lovers and tourists alike will appreciate the burst of talent and creativity flowing through and up the sides of window-less warehouses, bringing them to vibrancy. I've presented a photo gallery in the past, but more recently, we had a chance to "play" with our GoPro and take video. Enjoy this tour through the Wynwood Art District and next time your in Miami, make it a stop during your visit!

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