THE "ANGEL DRESS"

Hello,

I'm somewhat "back." Fashion Week has been pushed back and I have time to blog about the different designs. Of course, this is just a "sneak peak" because there are more designs being added. 


THE ANGEL DRESS:

This dress is inspired by a painting...a painting inspired by Sarah Mclaughin's "Arms of The Angel" song...and drama...and my writing...

So I just came out of maybe a one and half year writing binge.

In this time I created my book "Hands." I also wrote two other "ideas" or possibly drafts. Then I got stuck, not so much with writer's block...but I don't think there is writer's lingo for it.

I got "stuck" in how the story was getting too long and I was getting lost. I felt like, "No one will want to progress to this point. I know I have lost my audience for this work. I don't know how to get back on track..."

Derailed.

Maybe that is the "lingo" writer's use. The work got derailed. My main character who started out pretty consistent, ends up darker than I wanted...and gloomy...and unreadable.

So I stopped writing altogether.

I gave up on the project...but I did not want to admit defeat...I kept saying, "I AM finishing it."

I tried...but I would stop again...

So...

I picked up my paint brush and commemorated my writing in a painting. I wondered "why" I decided to do so much writing. It truly was that scene in Forest Gump where people are following him run all over, then one day...it just stopped for no reason at all.

I felt I used up all the energy and junk one traps inside one's soul to write that particular piece. I ended up explained in a painting:

What does the painting mean?

I use a lot of symbolism. I wanted to make a self-portrait similar to Frida Kahlo's portraits. I used an "angel" because this project started with some random psychic advice that I would be a famous writer. When I walked in the door the psychic described to me that she recognizes me to be a "messenger." When I stumbled upon a quote that butterflies are angel-messenger's I thought to paint myself as an angel with butterflies surrounding my head to represent how my thoughts are constantly floating around my mind all day. I can be somewhere, and also be "lost in thought." So most people say that I am "there" and not "all there." Not in a derogatory way...like "her head is always up in the clouds."

Hence, the clouds... 

The butterflies are coming from out of my stomach. In the more finished version of this portrait I introduce a bird-cage instead of a rib-cage. I feel that is how I keep my emotions trapped inside and decided to release some into writing. I believe that I wrote about this one portrait once before, and I mentioned that it was like my "songs" where like love notes floating in the air out there. 

That is how I came up with the first words of the song "Turnaround." 

I'd write love notes
Throw them out my window
Just to watch the wind blow
Underneath your shoes

 Basically, this describes that instance when I just wanted to write and be alone with my thoughts.  


I used the "underpainting" to make a scarf in my VIDA collection. VIDA owns the rights to the image after I submit work, so I decided that this under-painting while not the "finished" work looked appealing and expressed a lot.

So I turned it into a scarf:
https://shopvida.com/products/guardian-angel-38
https://shopvida.com/products/guardian-angel-40

I am currently incorporating my VIDA work into couture dress designs. In my mind, I thought "wouldn't it be nice to have this open the fashion show? A self-portrait?"


Since we were given a nice singled-out spot to "open" fashion week with my music, my art, my designs...

Well...

I had to construct an equally elaborate dress and pair it with this VIDA scarf from my collection.

There is still more "work" to do. I plan to add the "floating butterflies." The bottom of the dress is an elaborate train made of fabric that mimics that clouds in the painting. The "look" of the dress should be that "cage-like" rib and chest while the model "walks on clouds." 

The "feeling" it inspires is the same as the portrait, angelic. The stomach and ribs exposed and the legs enveloped by clouds to place more emphasis on the bust. 

As for my writing projects...

I had a dream that seemed prophetic. It seemed to me like "instructions" and the reason I say that is because most dreams I will forget once I am up. I did not forget this one. I felt to me I needed to create new characters to give an "ending" to a first book in a series instead of focusing on telling one very long story.

So...

I wrote this down when I got up. 

I wasn't exactly "floored" at the idea of adding new characters...but as I let the idea sit in my mind I started pondering words and an opening scene etc...

So then...It was back to the drawing board so to speak. Now, I plan to just take some time from my day to see how this new direction in this book project works out!