live from tokyo

Laird Borrelli-Persson reports from Japan fashion week.

Friday, March 14
9 a.m.
March 14 is known as White Day in Japan. Men give women small presents of appreciation today; women did the same for them a month ago, on Valentine's Day.

Noon
The first show of the day is Tamae Hirokawa, an Issey Miyake protégé. The collection is overstyled, but there are some promising-looking coats and filmy metallic knits.

1 p.m.
I head up to Aoyama to meet with the charming and energetic Tsumori Chisato. She's recently been to Majorca, which is evident when we get to her boutique—it's been transformed into an island paradise, which provides a nice setting for her shipment of new merchandise.

3 p.m.
I go to the Roppongi Hills development, where I'm greeted by Tinsley Mortimer—after a fashion, anyway: There's an almost life-size poster of her in the Samantha Thavasa store.

5 p.m.
It was worth showing up to the H.Naoto show just for the crowd: Naoto Hirooka's hardcore of dedicated, dressed-up fans makes up one of Tokyo's most vibrant street cultures. Even the flower arrangements have punk 'tude. The collection is called "Goth&Loli&Punk&Anime," and it's a mix of rosaries, crosses, stuffed animals, slashes, safety pins, a Diane Pernet impostor, maid's caps, bones, and fur.

11 p.m.
On my way back from a delicious Japanese dinner at Hibiki, I see some Neckface tags in a tunnel and am reminded of home sweet home.

Photo: Courtesy of Japan Fashion Week

an american in paris

She studied at Parsons, got her start by showing couture in Paris, moved on to ready-to-wear within a year, and is known for her pretty, girlish dresses. No, not Erin Fetherston. We're talking about Jasmin Santanen, the latest American-trained import to make a name for herself in the City of Light. Santanen, who delights in ultra-feminine flourishes like embroidery and pussycat bows, made her RTW debut last month. "I was encouraged by my buyers," she told us, citing the teams at L'Eclaireur and Bergdorf Goodman as her primary cheering squad. "With ready-to-wear, you can experiment more." And what about the similarities between her and Fetherston? "She was actually my student," Santanen said. "I teach at Parsons in Paris, and she sent me a lovely letter when she finished thanking me for my support. I think it's just coincidental, but I would like to move into the American market, too."

—Gudrun Willcocks Photo: Courtesy of Jasmin Santanen

Mystic Chandelier Earrings

ccdesign posted a photo:

Mystic Chandelier Earrings. These earrings have a combination of metals, gold filled ear wires with antiqued brass heart and gold tone wire wrapped cabochons were used to create these beauties. The brass heart measures 40mm x 28mm, with the total length of these earrings at 2 3/4 " not including the ear wire. Adorning these earrings are 1/2 long marquise shape turquoise cabochons wire wrapped and a 4mm orange swarovski crystal above each cabochon. The center of the heart has a 4mm orange crystal and a 4mm turquoise round gemstone dangling. These earrings will go great with your jeans, or perfect for a night out. The sparkle of the crystals will surely bring attention to these so unique earrings.

Sleepy Morning, and a new drawing.

Good morning, world.

Above, a little drawing I did the other night.

I also altered a skirt which involved spending about 3 hours trying to get the thread tension right on my sewing machine as I attempted to hem the very slippery silky lining of said skirt. This sewing my own wardrobe business is going to involve a big learning curve at first. I am excited to master a new skill.

Spending the morning pretending I have the kind of life which will allow me to spend long hours just reading blogs and drinking tea at the start of every week. Some finds:

This very interesting article and conversation about the art market

This lovely artist

It looks beautiful out today. Can't wait to get out in it. La la!

Ben Grasso Paintings, Marcel Dzama, sewing, and toast.

This painting by Ben Grasso is called "By the Bulrush" and is part of an exhibit of his work at Thierry Goldberg Gallery in NY. Which I haven't seen. But I want to soon, because just this image alone makes me want to paint with oil again. I'm still obsessed with decaying architecture as metaphor (and as itself). Maybe I always will be?

I also want to see this exhibit of Marcel Dzama's work. Sculptures, dioramas (I LOVE dioramas!) and paintings  by an artist whose repertoire is expanding in a most fabulous way. Check out this beautiful diorama:

RANDOM:
- Thanks to the lovely Waliyyah Muhsin for leading and navigating me through my first experience in the mammoth world of Joann's fabrics. I'm ready to start my first handmade outfit after weeks of horribly awkward attempts at "altering" existing clothing from my closet. May I have better luck with sewing an outfit from scratch!

- Wonderful toast innovations here and here.

- Thanks to the Etsy Storquettes for featuring me today in a Storque article on handmade weddings.

Great podcast about art and social activism.

I'm researching podcasts by and about visual artists, for an eventual project I am cooking up. I just found the Art and Healing Podcast, and listened to a FANTASTIC interview with the very inspiring and interesting Alli Chagi-Starr.

Alli Chagi-Starr is a dancer and founder of Art in Action Youth Leadership Training, Art and Media Director for Reclaim the Future at the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland, founder of Dancers Without Borders, Another World in Possible Road Shows, and the twelve-year-old Radical Performance Fest. Her essays have appeared in Democratizing the Global Economy, Global Uprising, Voices from the WTO, The Political Edge and How to Stop the Next War Now. Currently, Alli is working to complete her book, Movements for Mass Movements.

I'm really inspired by this podcast...Alli easily and clearly discusses the importance of  understanding your responsibility to your community as an artist, recognizing the significant role artists play in uplifting communities and making change, and also the importance of having a creative process of one's own, a solid practice of self-care and cultivation of one's own artist mind at the center of all social justice work. Its something that many, many people struggle with and her articulation of that struggle and of the importance of striking that balance is excellent.

Listen HERE.

The podcast itself is very simple and elegant, and the interviewer mostly stays out of Alli's way as she tells her story. I'm definitely using this as one of the models for my own podcast project. I'm thinking of interviewing primarily women artists about the ways they (we) figure out our careers, activism, families, money, creative process, you name it. For years and years I was a part of a women artists organization called No Limits for Women in the Arts and through that network met the most extraordinary and inspiring and truly groundbreaking women artists, and my podcasts will begin with many of them...checking in with where they are now, where art and life has taken them, why they have made the choices they have made, and how they think of the role of the artist in this place and time. Among other things.

p.s. I just found a great tutorial on starting your own podcast here.

The second Little Lake Painting

I am having fun with my new little paintings and drawings of lakes and rivers (and in this case, mountains). Who knows - maybe soon some of these will be for sale in wondercabinet. For now, they reside in my Flickr headquarters. Enjoy!

Also, I have been collecting reviews of the Whitney Biennial. Getting ready to go see it soon. Here are some interesting reviews, debating what the Biennial is really saying about arts and the economy, and the role of artists in these times:

New York Times

Edward Hussein Winkleman

Ben Davis/Artnet magazine

TimeOut New York

Art, Healing and Sustainable Business

Photo by Korben Perry)

My husband Korben Perry is an acupuncturist, and part of a national movement of acupuncturists who are building sustainable businesses which prioritize accessibility for low and middle income patients. These folks inspire me in their commitment to ending the dominance of spa-style acupuncture available only to the wealthy and upper-middle classes. The model is respectful of both healer and patient, and is not in any way a charity service. The fees are low enough that they can avoid dealing with the health insurance trap, the business is supported by the community and not reliant on government subsidies or other grants and funding sources, and the practitioners, while they work super hard, are not exploited. The model was built by some folks who are acupuncturists and social justice activists, and who aren't afraid to go ahead and create a business model that actually works for everyone involved. I think it's a great model for artists to read about, even if you have no interest in acupuncture. As an artist, reading about this model and being close to its practitioners helped me focus and understand my frustrations with the "art world" and begin to think much differently about what was and is possible for me as an artist. I can imagine people of very diverse professions could learn similarly from this.

The online home for this movement is the Community Acupuncture Network, and Korben is one of the bloggers there. Tonight he posted about me, and some of my experiences trying to figure out my relationship to visibility in the art world and economic realities of being an artist, and how related it is to what he has been doing with his clinic. It's sweet. I think that he, not being me stuck in my changing mind, is able to articulate something he sees in my path as an artist, better than I can at the present moment.

While I'm on the topic of the husband, check out some of his photos. I think he's an amazing photographer. I'm not biased, either.  :)

Portishead - Machine Gun (new video)

PORTISHEAD "MACHINE GUN"
by portishead

Vanilla Sandalwood Handmade Cold process soap

Ragtree has added a photo to the pool:

This bar can only be described as "Dark and Sexy!" It is a delicious blend of soft vanilla and masculine sandalwood which makes the ultimate gourmet bar for both men and women. The poppyseeds offer gentle exfoliation and visual interest to this already beautiful, rustic bar. Each bar is approximate 5 ounces.

I am a chemist by profession and adhere to the highest quality control standards. Aside from that, I am passionate about creating the best bar of soap possible with a blend of oils that create a luxurious, moisturizing, refreshing bath experience.

I create all my soap by the cold process method. I do many small batches so I can offer a wide array of exciting soap recipes and combinations. I have gotten rave reviews from all of my bars and have many repeat customers.

Need a custom gift? I will create soap tags just for you. A birthday card can be as much as $5.00. Instead of a card, give a bar of soap with a custom tag for your loved one! Contact me for details.

[6] Etsy :: metalsugar :: Cuppington the Cupcake

FollowMe saved 27 minutes ago at 05:51 PM PDT on Mar 18, 2008

Description:

Piece #2 in my Happy Face Collection Oh My Goodness! I can't take all of this cuteness! This cupcake necklace is handcrafted using a brass bottom, sterling silver icing and tiny blackened sterling silver cherry on top. Measuring at just over one inch tall, Cuppington has a nice brushed finish and can hang at any length you deem necessary. Unless specified, chain will be 15 inches. Chain is sterling silver. Have kids? Know any? I'm sure any little girl would love to show this off. Being a kid at heart, and i'm sure you're one too, this is made for all ages. I don't care if I'm 50, I'd wear this!

Tag: necklace

see more details

 

Painted rock and apoxie sculpt fairy cottage

Ragtree has added a photo to the pool:

Believe it or not, I DON'T have too much time on my hands! I have a full-time job that bores the life out of me so I have to be as creative as I can be when I'm home or I feel like I'm going to shrivel up and die!!!! Am I too dramatic? Perhaps.

I have a lot of old jagged East TN rocks to work with so I smoothed this one out and made a little thatch roof with Apoxie Sculpt. The chimney is wood-filler and the paints are craft acrylics.

This is a really fun, EASY project that would be good for kids. Plus, it makes a really cute piece of garden art when it is finished! I suggest everyone try this project!