Showing posts with label decoration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label decoration. Show all posts

Tuesday 5 September 2017

Foxy Baroque


Foxy Baroque by Alison Day


Foxy Baroque and Home Decor week 4, is all about ceramics and incorporating text, along with various finishing techniques and decoration.

With a love of all things Gaudi, I found myself adding glass mosaic decoration to an already opulent, hand painted plate. A glass glaze on a fern coaster, which could also be used to create a mosaic wall pattern, shows how lucrative designing products for oneself could be for a broader audience.
Finally, porcelain potpourri holders, a personified vase with a foxglove skirt in relief and a unicorn tree decoration and we enter the realms of the mystical and magical world.


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Monday 21 August 2017

Languid Florals


Languid Florals by Alison Day


Well, week two of the Home Decor course is complete and uploaded. Substrate: fabric, with a theme of florals. I've always wanted a chaise longue and covered with my own fabric design would be fabulous... Oh and that Ottoman will go nicely with it too.




Sunday 13 August 2017

Magic Wings


Magic Wings by Alison Day


Having completed a five month creative bootcamp late July, I found myself in quandary—what to do next? I wasn't planning on going away, the weeds in the garden could continue their rampage (at least for a few more weeks) and the Summer holidays were still in full swing. I missed the early Monday morning assignments and the camaraderie of my fellow students...
Yesterday, ahead of deadline, I uploaded my completed Home Decor assignment for week one of a five week course. Designed for the substrate: metal, with a theme of birds.
A serial student I am, but this means yet another piece for the portfolio and I'm in creative heaven!



You can also sign up for monthly updates, digital inspiration and info on a creative, E-Course I'm writing: here


Sunday 11 March 2012

Leaf Carving



The art of carving an image on to a tree leaf, specifically the leaf of the Chinar tree. The tree is native to India, Pakistan and China aan similar to a maple tree leaf in appearance.

A difficult process with a 60% failure rate, it takes special tools to remove the leaf surface without cutting or removing the veins. According to leaf carver Victor Liu, owner of Longal Crafts: "The veins add detail into the subject matter of the carving," he said on his website.

Monday 26 December 2011

Bombs Away!



The cosy version of graffiti, and sometimes referred to as 'Grandma Graffiti,' Yarn Bombing/Guerilla Crochet originated in 2005, in the USA and is said to have been the brain-child of Magda Sayeg, from Houston. Since then it has become a worldwide indie-art happening.




With a  similar philosophy to graffiti, this art form includes the decoration of urban spaces, buildings and found objects, with a view to  enhancing their cold, sterile and mundane appearance, but without the socio-political commentary. 




Decoration is by using leftovers from previous knitting/crochet projects, or specially created pieces . The difference is that this artwork is not permanent, but for some reason is still classed, although often isn't prosecuted, under the same 'graffiti' law  as a offence!




Fun  Fact: Since June 2011, the first international Yarn Bombing Day, has been observed.




For more examples of Yarn Bombing/Guerrilla Crochet take a look: here.

Thursday 29 April 2010

Groningen Street Art









Magnificent buildings aside Groningen also boasts 400 sculptures and other artistic creations within its city limits. To be found all over in parks, public places, on bridges and street corners, they are permanently on show and open to the elements. Often we see them with such regularity in our daily lives that we don’t really see them anymore.

One such sculpture along the Boteringesingel in the Noorderplantsoen is of a large bull, ‘de Wisent’ (European bison). Created by the Groninger artist Wladimir de Vries (1917–2001), it measures two by three metres long and weighs ten tons and is one of ten statures that can be accredited to him in the city. The bull is a solid primitive form with limbs and head fused into a solid imposing grey mass. Taking a year and a half to sculpt during which eight tons of stone were chipped away before the creature finally emerged.

A sculptor of the old school, Wladimir de Vries would first work out his idea in clay, then once satisfied go to work on the designated piece of stone with chisels and sledgehammers: a time consuming and arduous task. His work is predominantly figurative which exudes a sense of pride and joy. Woman is often a reoccurring theme; the sensual nature of which often caused much debate with not only his clientele but also the public.

Probably his most renowned work is that of ‘Landbouw en Veeteelt’ (Agriculture and Cattle breeding), to be found on the Herebrug (Here bridge) and depicts an urban virgin. She is naked except for a few ears of corn wrapped around her middle and has her foot placed on a calf lying at her feet. In 1953, when it was placed on the bridge it was received with mixed emotions. Some found her too naked, whilst others found the rather strange proportions of her body disturbing. Children on the other hand, were bothered by the plight of the poor calf under her large foot. However, over the years she has obviously grown on the Groningers who have dubbed her ‘Blote Bet’ (Bare Bet).


© Alison Day


First published in the Connections magazine #15 Winter 2007 

Wednesday 28 April 2010

The Body Beautiful With Mandy Kierans




Having always been interested in make-up and its application to transform the human face or body, Mandy Kierans studied special effects and make up for TV and Film, in Dublin. This led to a position as assistant make-up artist for a production company, Paradox Pictures in England and her love of decorating the human body.

As her reputation grew, by word of mouth, she was often sort after in her field. Giving workshops to under privileged children; doing make-up and hair for television, as well as films and children’s TV programmes. She did the special effects make-up for the crowd scenes in the film ‘Saving Private Ryan’, directed by Steven Spielberg, as well as the make-up for the crowd scenes in the film ‘All for Love’, starring Richard E. Grant and Miranda Richardson. A lucrative four-year contract with Schwarzkopf hair products meant that she created the make-up design for all the Schwarzkopf events (fashion shows, TV adverts and magazine spreads) held in Ireland and England during this period.

Her inspiration comes mainly from the ethereal world of angels and fairies coupled with the elements of earth, wind and fire. She likes to convey beauty in her work and colours are always bright. So much so that when she was learning how to reproduce, wounds, scars and bruises at college, her teacher found it strange that even in the most gruesome wound, she had incorporated glitters! For private commissions, when’ decorating’, a person for a party, the inspiration for her design comes not only from her interaction with that person but in finding out what their favourite colour, drink, or time of the year is. In such a way she comes upon a design that is unique to that person.

As well as make-up Mandy uses other materials to enhance her creations such as papier-mâché, foam latex, and hair by a process known as ‘knotting’, where the hair is painstakingly attached to gauze with a crochet-like hook implement, hair by hair. One creation, a body painting of a swan incorporated flowers and animatronics wings that threw confetti and glitters into the air every time they moved.

Mandy Kierans was born and bred in Droghead, Ireland but moved to Groningen in 2002 to live with her Dutch boyfriend, who she met whilst on holiday on the island of Crete. Since moving permanently to Groningen she has taken part in various events, workshops and festivals, where her body painting skills have been enthusiastically received.

For the future, Mandy would like to go into party planning, for anyone wanting to throw a fabulous party. She would manage and market the event, organize the entertainment, catering, right down to the smaller details, such as hair and makeup for guest or entertainer.





© Alison Day

First published in the Connections magazine #13 Autumn 2006