Thursday, March 18, 2010

Incognito in Wonderland with Big Hair

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The Three Muses Challenge this week is 'Incognito' and this flame haired lady is my effort. I'm really pleased with her! To get the textured base I used a mix of impasto and pink acrylic. It was just like mixing icing, and then it was just like icing a cake applying it to the 8" x 8" x 1.5" canvas. A neglected Redhead Matches box with its iconic figure was used as a guide. The sunglasses ensure her 'incognito' status.

I hope you're not weary of Alice in Wonderland themes. It's just that these pics just fitted right in here with their undercover personalities....and they're so lovely.

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Row 1: Fabulous Magazine / Alidra Alic / model Sarah, photographer Rebekah Lyn Row 2: The Seamstress of Avalon / Frankenkitty / Andreas Stavrinides Row 3: Fabulous Magazine / Andreas Stavrinides / Andreas Stavrinides

Over the last couple of weeks I've been plodding along with this embroidery, on a linen table runner, of the words from the latest Tim Burton Alice movie You're mad, bonkers, off your head -- but I'll tell you a secret: All the best people are. I quite identify with this quote as I'm sure many of you do. I made the mistake of sewing the letters in chain stitch. It took forever! Might try split stitch for the next one.

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And I stumbled on this treasure somewhere in the bloggosphere – the very first Alice in Wonderland film - made in 1903. With a running time of just 12 minutes, 8 of which survive, this was the longest film produced in England at that time. Film archivists have been able to restore the film's original colours for the first time in over 100 years.



And finally darlings, to get the nice puffy haired look of the Matchbox Redhead try Bumpits. I got some of these from ebay, delivered, for less than $10. There's been much laughter as I play with my new toys. Yes, they do work, but unfortunately with my fine fluffy hair they don't look so good for anybody who stands behind me. But hey I figure it gives the viewer material for dinner table conversation. (Check out this ad, it's hilarious.)



personal postscript: I had an ‘angry’ day on Tuesday. Anger about Renee and what she had to endure – and now what her family is going through. Anger about the peripheral neuropathy pain which has affected every facet of my life. Anger with the doctors for not ever warning me about the possible side effects of the chemo type iv drugs I was given for my lung condition. It was a horrible feeling this anger. I’m pleased its fire only lasted a day. Anger can be noxious, but it can spur us onto action. So now I’m contemplating what I can do to channel this anger productively….

30 comments:

indybev said...

I like your painting. The texture is really impressive. Well done!

Lori Saul said...

Your redhead ia wonderful - bold and so expressive! So many lovely things to see on your blog!

Ginger said...

Wow, fabulous blog, and thank you so much for featuring one of my hats; ) I'll have to stop by again. . .

mari said...

Thank you for including my print with this lovely collection.

Sandy said...

OMG your work is absolutely stunning and powerful.
The pink pop. Great.

Lisa Lectura Creations said...

Hello Sweetie! Your painting turned out fabulous! She definitely has that mysterious quality about her. Wonderful textures! I just love your table runner too! You're such a talented cutie! I can so relate with the quote. Thanks for sharing that great Alice film! It's so cool to see how movies were made back then.

The thought of Renee and her family just makes my heart ache. I know that channeling feelings of any type for me works great when I just create. Sending you a big hug! :)

Melanie Gray Augustin said...

Firstly, love the redhead!

No, I could never get sick of Alice-themed images and I just love your runner!

Sorry to hear about the angry day and its causes. The neuropathy pain sucks big time (I had it bad before my thyroid problems were diagnosed and get it sometimes when the medication isn't working as it should) and my heart really goes out to Renee and her family.

Judy said...

Your strong bold painting, to me, is one way of expressing your anger, Chrisy! (I do the same myself)

Judy said...

Sorry, forgot to say, love your art!

Jeana Marie said...

go on...bump a bob! what a riot!

I love your incognito redhead...the texture is fabulous.

I appreciate your personal thoughts...I can't imagine what you've been through, I can understand your anger and you are very brave not to let it consume you. So sorry about Renee. Am thinking about you...

Rose said...

I adore all of those alice in wonderland type pics! Have you seen the movie yet? if so what did you think?
How talented you are making that table runner! your embroidery is so neat, mine always ends up kinda wonky.
Sad to hear about your angry day :( im suprised you werent warned about the chemo type drugs! They are so very powerful. We have many oncology patients on our ward. From now on you will know you can never ask too many questions about your condition or treatments.

Hope the rest of your week goes much better and brighter than your Tuesday :)

Rose

Mim said...

yes, it is a sad day today - but hope you are doing better - thanks for the good laugh on the bumpit's and the AW movie

Taluula said...

I love your Miss Incognito with the big hair and loved hearing about how you created her.

No I never get tired of Alice - but don't tell anyone!

Congratulations on a great blog to browse bye the way. Take care

SoCalWendie said...

I could never ever tire of Alice :)
Ah, anger, yes, it is a masking emotion. So much easier to rage than sit and feel miserable. I would advise either painting or getting some clay and throwing it or just mashing it in your hand, that works for me!

LW said...

What a wonderful big hair lady, she is stunning.
I too love that quote it was one of things that stood out for me in that movie.
As well as this quote “Something is missing - you've lost much of your... muchness"
But for the life of me I can’t remember who said it.....
I also enjoyed the 1903 Alice.... thanks for sharing that.

I am so sorry about your feelings of anger,
I do understand, I too had and still deal with a medical
anger. I refer to my feelings when they pop up as the “antagonism trail” a journey I didn’t want to go on.
My heart aches for Renee and her family, I went back to read her first blog post .... She was an amazing woman...

Louise

A.Smith said...

Girl, that pink lady is to die for! great texture and boy those glasses! Just love it.

About anger, I believe in it. I believe that when well aimed at the real reason it is a way of opening the door to allow it out of our system and to begin to find the way out of anger.

Otherwise it festers and infects just about everything without our knowledge and consent. Some times it is best to face it with a good pillow to punch the living daylights out of it while yelling at the person to whom the anger is aimed. Hospitals and insurance companies in this country are good candidates for that, for instance.
We don't mention politicians because they are always up on that list anyway.

Life is complicated at best, some times downright painful. But it is the only one we have, so we may as well do the best we can to fit within the spaces of our life. And anger has a space there too. And you have the right to be angry, and so open the window, let it go after you deal with it without guilt and without remorse.

I am sending you good thoughts and healing ones and thank you for coming to visit. You always cheer me up and I hope I can do some of that for you as well. Hugs from here.

Ellen said...

gorgeous lady on that great texture ,

there's nothing wrong with having an angry day as long as it's controled, may be your art can become one of the vents to get rid of it.

Couture Carrie said...

Awesome post, baby!
Love your painting and collage!

And I am super proud of you for trying to channel your anger productively - bravo, darling!

Have a wonderful weekend :)

xoxox,
CC

Joanna Jenkins said...

Chrisy, I am so sorry you are having pain and issues with your health. It can be so challenging and hard sometimes-- I'd get angry too. But from your gorgeous posts and all the wonderful comments you leave, I'd never know! Your attitude and spirit are strong so I have no doubt your anger will be channeled into something GREAT!

Hang in there. xo jj

susan said so said...

That redhead is gorgeous! And I'll likely never tire of AiW. Your runner? Fabulous!

As for the anger, ah yes, I too am well acquainted with the ball of fire burning within, the molten core that spews out when the pressure becomes too great. I can't wait to see the results when you channel it!

xox,
Susan

Rhonda said...

Wonderful 'Incognito' painting! Love the big hair and the glasses are perfect! Love the 1903 Alice film too - what a find. Great blog - cheers!

Snowbrush said...

"I had an ‘angry’ day on Tuesday."

I wish I could get through that much anger in a day--or at least that round of it in a day. Anger has been the bane of my existence at times. Not now, so much, but at other times.

José said...

Thank you for your lovely comment on my blog. You are really creative. Just love your redhead lady. The texture of the painting is fantastic. As is your blog. I will be following you from now on. Warm regards, José

Anonymous said...

Your blog ..... it's amazing and soooo inspiring. Nice to find you!

A small footprint from Agneta & Sweden

Ps. I have an ongoing jewelry contest on my blog. Welcome! Ds

JRonson said...

Alice in wonderland is such an inspiration, u did it very well :) great job

Anonymous said...

I love your "pink lady" with the red hair. Thank you so much for visiting and commenting on my incognito as well...I must let you know, no reason to be envious, my figure was a magazine cut out. I'm so glad to see that I was successful in incorporating my overpainting with the image. It's a great little technique I love to do because I too struggle especially with body position and hands.
Love your embroidered quote. Alice has been my favorite since I was a little girl (my dog's name was Mimsie). I just saw the Tim Burton movie last night--I highly recommend it if you haven't seen it yet. He is a real genius...his artistic vision is extraordinary!
About your anger--so true it can be energizing. We need our anger to be human. Put it in your art...hand sew (stabbing is a great expression!), make "ugly art", tear things, cut, and put it all back together into a collage....
So good to meet you here!

Gabbi said...

Beautiful painting and inspirations dear Chrissy... I'm also sorry to hear about the anger you had the other day. I know the feeling, though of course I probably don't completely. It's good you let it go... ♥

elsie said...

your embroidery is DELICIOUS!!! Utterly delicious!!

Cathy {tinniegirl} said...

I love working with Impasto. It's my new best friend.

I am absolutely smitten by your embroidery.

Sam said...

Oh a red head gal!! That's awesome Chrisy - she's so from my past - not that I smoked ever but she was icon and up there with Chesty Bond for being Aussie!

As for those bumpits!!! To think I used to tease tease tease my hair when I was young to within an inch of it's like and all along I could have been iusing one of these!! Fabulous!

Lastly, so sorry about the Drs and the run around and the etc regarding being unwell. :( So hard...Being able to vocalise the horror and hurt though is good - let that anger out and chanel it to power something big and wonderful as you say.

XOXO's