This spring has thus far been full of new art exhibitions, which I am pleased to say I've recently co-produced and shown new work in. The following images are of two new paintings that I've completed and exhibited amongst the work of many other talented artists within the month of March.
I was stuck in an illustrative rut for many months, so it feels great to have some new work produced under my hand as of late, and I'm eager to share the outcomes.
Piece number one, entitled "Tribute to Marie Laveau", created for the Fat Tuesday Voodoo Group Show at the Flat Iron in Chicago. This piece sold the same night, yay!
Piece number two, entitled "Femme Excentrique", created for the group exhibition I recently curated, Signed. Sealed. Delivered: Presence of the Unknown, held at the Revolution Tattoo Gallery in Chicago. On a personal note, this was one of the best and most elegantly completed shows I've curated to date.
As the spring and summer slowly creep upon Chicago, I am feeling more motivated and inclined to be productive again, and it feels jusssssssst fine.
Yesterday, I had a lovely afternoon with my long time friend, Kara, traveling to the far north side of Chicago, visiting a street in a neighborhood I lived in for a time as a child. The street we spent the day romping aorund on was Devon Ave, in West Roger's Park, home to one of the largest Indo-Pakistani communities in the U.S. We went to countless fabric stores, jewelry shops and home goods businesses, absorbing all of the amazingly vibrant jewels, fabrics and garments, while Kara searched diligently for a new nose ring. We ventured into a few of the markets, inhaling scents of spices, incense and fresh pastries. It was such an incredible day. We also managed to take ina few snacks while we were up there, first diving into oven fired dough pastries filled with cheeses and potato from a Georgian (provincial region of Russia) bakery, in the more Russian inhabited portion of the street at the western end of the stretch, as well as naan breads and lamb patties, accompanied by highly refreshing rose water yogurt drinks at the Indian Garden, a restaurant dedicated solely to delicious Indian cuisine. Needless to say, we spent the bus ride back to Logan Square in totally delightful food comas.
Though I don't have any photos from yesterday's adventure quite yet, here's a photo of Kara and me from her first day after moving back to Chicago. Together, we make quite the brightly colored adevnturous duo.
When we got back to my apartment, we vegged out on the couch for a bit, burning our new incense finds and listened to the sounds of Dara Puspita, this super amazing surf/garage girl band from the 60s & 70s that originated in Indonesia, but was later exiled to China. They rule.
After Kara left that evening, and my boyfriend went out skating with his friend, I decided to curl up on the couch with a glass of wine and work on a new illustration. It's been a while since I've had such a relaxing day and had the opprtunity to work on some new art without the pressure of work or commissions or deadlines, so I was thrilled to have a little piece of mind. I didn't really have anything particular in mind to draw out, but I was also pondering different ways to promote my burlesque endeavors and where the fall will take me in terms of my career as an artist and a relative newbie in the Burlesque field in Chicago, so I decided to combine the two work/extra-cirrculars I love and came up with this new piece. Of course, as with most of my artwork, it's not really finished, but for now, I'm pretty happy with the direction it's going in.
So, aside from working for two fantastic vintage lifestyle businesses in Chicago for quite some time now, this summer I've also started working for this extra yummy Cuban restaurant near my apartment called 90 Miles Cuban Cafe. Though it's only been open for just a smidge over one year now, it's popularity has increased and location has expanded at such a rapid rate that it's staff, myself most certainly included, never has a chance to really sit down and absorb it all... However, on the few occasions that I get to come in early enough so that it isn't total pandamonium throughout out the multiple dining floors/patios and what not, I love to sneak around and look at all of the old cuban memorabilia and amazing and beautiful imagery from the island dating from the early 1930s through the mid 1960s, which have been tastefully lacquered and decoupaged to the interior of the entire indoor area of the restaurant, all hand applied by a local artist. Of course, I took a natural liking to all of the details being an art enthusiast myself, and most specifically a lover of all things old and historically relevant, and over my time there I have fallen in love with these beautifully covered walls. The images that have most specifically stuck in my head are those gracing the covers of the old Cuban magazine, Carteles. There is an exceedingly wonderful art deco influence in a great deal of the older painted and/or illustrated covers, as well as quite a few exotic pin-ups on some of the mid-century painted and illustrated issues, and they are EVERYWHERE throughout the restaurant! I'd like to share a few of the ones I have come across since embarking on my new obssession with Carteles:
there will be more to come in the future, as I am definitely looking forward to doing more research on the artists who originally created these gorgeous works and such.
Exhibit A: I recently scored a few new lovely head wraps, which came in handy as this warm weather is making it damn near impossible to control my mane. Here's a sweet new little silk houndstooth number from the new stash.
Exhibit B. New etsy listings! Woot woot! Here's a few images of my awesome model, little cuban Peggysue, sporting a couple new goodies, now available in my etsy shop.
The first item is a fab little satin pencil skirt, with peplum.
Secondly, I just scored this sweet pair of purple swing sailor shorts, that are to die for!
You can find these items and more here, on my etsy shop, psychosurplus vintage.
Exhibit C. new illustrative work! yay! motivation is slowly but surely back in action, thank goodness! This piece is one of three illustrations I recently had featured in a group show in Chicago entitled, Bad Motherfucker Day. hahahaha, amen!
okidoki, i'm off to make lists, do some freelance work for a bit, and perhaps if I'm lucky, catch some sun for a few.
xoxo
oh wait, before i forget, i'd like to leave you folks with a new song i have in mind for Honey B. Combe's next burlesque performance!
...so because i'm getting ready to head out for a daytime hang out with my pops at the DuSable Museum to check out the Black Panther Party Exhibit & the Chicago Blues Museum installation, AGAIN (because when Niki and I went with Jen and little William two weeks ago, I just couldn't get enough!!), I have to make this update quick and to the point. wah, wah! But it's okay, because I'll have loads of fun new stuff to share later this evening and over the next few days!
Anyway, here's a new piece I just finished for an art & music event I was featured in last night, along with a few awesome friends...
and because good ol' dad called with perfect timing to tell me my chariot awaits to the south side, I'll levae you with this inspirational song..
Fuck yeah, Bo Diddley, your music lifts me on the sudden summer days!
