Siouxvenir: art

It's not that I haven't been enjoying the slower months of winter. But this is usually my most productive time when it comes to making art, and I feel as though I've been squandering my time elsewhere. Dim Sum outings with my friend Mia at Kim Moon, followed by thrifting adventures at Courage My Love. Ramen for Valentines Day brunch at Santouka (also bought myself some pussywillows and chocolate truffles, because I asked Manny to get me something practical for the apartment instead, and I still couldn't resist). Making big batches of Borscht and madeleines, and re-reading the ever-amazing Pullman trilogy His Dark Materials (I'm on the last book!). Much walking through the park, and much painting! I thought I would post a couple of days worth of painting, below my shots of the delicious ramen. The watercolour stuff is more personal, but the illustration works I started in January is still going on, and I will be putting prints into my shop in a short while.

I almost feel as if January 1st was not my new years, that Chinese new years is more accurately the time for me to be celebrating. The reason is purely timing-wise; come March 1st there will be some new and exciting events that will propel me into a more productive and happy environment. These new things have also been the reason for my lack of presence on my blog. I want to support my Vintage shop, Siouxvenir, but there have been a couple things holding me back. This is why:

1) I actually have no internet in my apartment. Now who has the brilliant idea to launch a business online without internet?! The internet is not only an important tool for me when it comes to showing off the goods I'm trying to sell. I'm an artist, and I find image resources online extremely valuable for daily inspiration, as well as a source for imagery (for those who don't have access to live models, and are too sensible to go jetting into the freezing day sketching landscapes!).
Well running across the street to Starbucks, buying a tea and madly fitting in all my internet activities into their schedule (it actually requires quite a lot of organization!), is going the way of the dinosaur (a fitting word for folks like me). I've resolved to get internet into the apartment in March.

2) My roommate is moving out of our apartment on March 1st. We will miss him! Good news is though I will be acquiring a studio space, with ample natural light, and room for all the watercolour/sewing/vintage-selling projects I've been dreaming of and working on. I've known about this for a few months now, and am so full of anticipation just to get in there and set up a proper studio. A friend is also moving and donating lots of neat furniture. I really want to deck out my place in simple, unobtrusive yet very functional pieces of furniture that will establish an environment of few distractions. I can't describe how ready I am to finally have a studio.

I just have so many projects I want to complete. It is an exciting time! No hibernating for me (well.... maybe just a little of that too).

source: Barber & Fritzhttp://barberandfritz.com/

For some reason I'm really obsessed with spiral braided headdresses, maybe because they are so unpractical! The braided headdresses in the photos for luxury hair product line Barber and Fritz, as well as for Danish jewelry artist Denise J. Reytan, incorporate an element of installation art, with a look ranging from folky, to aristocratic, to strange. Photos that are styled using elabourate props are my favourite; a crafted headdress is both hat and fancy hair-do. The best part is instead of making and re-making such a complex hairstyle, the"do" can be removed whenever.

I also needed to throw in some of Toronto artist Winnie Truong's gorgeous & strange pencil drawings. She is such a master of clothing her Neolithic characters in hair they've weaved to armour and embellish themselves with. My absolute favourite detail within these drawings has to be the "hair flower" woven into the side of a messy bun. The texture of the hair flows into the flower creating flora that looks prehistoric.