Why Kylie is my inspiration...

Every now and then I like to post something about an artist I find inspiring or thought provoking, whether that be a burlesque performer or a fellow artist, and after spending a weekend celebrating all that is Minogue I thought, HECK! Why have I never explained my deep appreciation of Kylie?? So here is a breif look at what, for me, makes Kylie Minogue a artist in her own right!

"I delight in being a woman with all it's contradtictions. It's the only way to truely be myself"

Over the years Kylie has taken on many incarnations, and she is a true fan of recreating the female image through showmanship, something I find close to my own heart! Her philosophy is also true of many women, who enjoy the freedom that tranformation gives them.

Inspired by Judy Garland

Playing with extreme looks for the X album


Kylie takes some time out sans make up


Classic Kylie

Kylie is very aware of the impact her changes in style have not only on herself but also on how her audience percieve her. This is best illustrated in her video for Did It Again, where she takes on various personas all of which show us a different side to the Kylie myth.

I think it's Kylie's stage shows which really do it for me. They are sheer artisty involving months of preparation and thought. Her various collabarations with fashion designers and artists also blend to create a full theatrical experience which are hard to surpass:

Even now as she tours the USA she is wowing the fans with out of this world costumes and sets, and has even been asked to take on a residency at Vegas, so suited is her stage show.

Kylie is constantly taking inspiration from fashion, arts and contemporary culture, over the years she has collaborated with Baz Lurmann, Pierre and Giles, Calvin Harris, Nick Cave, Rankin and even her own fans, as can be seen here in a video created by fan, Rudolph, the winner of a competition held by Kylie.com

There's been various times when I've felt a bit lost and needed to reconnect with my love of feminine allure to get to the heart of what drives my art work, and every time Kylie is there for me, inspiring me and exciting me. She completley personifies the many faceted female personality that exudes glamour, fun, mystery and sensuality. I love Kylie!

Sea dogs and Box cats

A Sailor Stole my Heart, acrylic on canvas 08

At last I can now share the full series of my latest work, All at Sea with you! Here are a few examples of photos taken over the weekend of my paintings in their customised frames! To see the full set click on my website www.gemmaparker.co.uk HERE

To the Bitter End, watercolour on paper,
shells and charms on customised wood frame 09

The Devil to Pay, acrylic on artist board with hemp rope 09

Rainbow Watch

Some of you may remember that a while back I began a portrait of my friend's cat which I have been working on between other projects. Here is where Rainbow is up to now:

I've recently been working on her eyes which were very unique in shape but I think I've managed to capture them. Next I intend to add more definition to her nose mouth and markings. Rainbow was very fond of sitting in bags and boxes, an hobby of many a feline, including my own. However, no-one illustrates the cat-box relationship quite like Maru the cat, who I am a big fan of! Go Maru!

9 to 5

Miss How Can I Help You? #1 Acrylic on canvas 2006

This week I thought I'd re-visit some of my older work, as it occured to me many people see my paintings but not everyone knows the story behind the images.

I chose my paintings from a dyptich called '9 to 5' because I recently showed this work in Manchester and also I am seeing the model for 'Miss How Can I help You? #1', tonight and I thought it would be a nice idea.

Miss How Can I Help You? #2 Acrylic on canvas 2006

I painted these two paintings as a response to my utterly soul destroying job as a receptionist!

Whilst working behind the reception desk I was inspired to curate a collective exhibition of work about the boring day jobs artists have to do in order to fund their art.

Hence '9 to 5' took place in 2006 with twelve artists from across the UK showing work about their 'work'.

My artistic input was the two portraits of myself and my collegue, also an artist. I turned our dull demoralising job into a kitsch fantasy where we were only too happy to answer the phone and help.

Needless to say, neither of us are receptionists now!

Happy Halloween!

This is just one of the fabulous new pictures taken by Candee Photography in a spooky Halloween themed shoot with The Chantilly Belles last week! I am particularly impressed with the eerie blue lighting! We had real fun posing for this shoot and you can see a small selection from the day HERE.

The final collection will be online in the next few days, so I'll keep you posted, until then have a fun and spooky Halloween!

Article in Sphere Magazine!

I have recently been included in an article for Sphere Magazine! The journalist Martin-Guttridge Hewitt picked his three favourite art works from last month's Buy Art Fair and my work was one of them!

'SPHERE took a trip to Cottonopolis for Manchester’s Buy Art Fair. With over 80 galleries and 350 artists exhibiting for three days it was some task to bring you the best from the alt-art set. We managed it, and got them down to our choice three… '

To read the rest of this feature click HERE!

The Agony and the Ecstacy

Bitch! Paris, Ellen Von Unwerth 2007

I have a couple of things to share this week; Firstly Ellen Von Unwerth, who I featured in a post a few weeks back is now exhibiting in London with a show called 'Fraulein'. The model turned photographer has been creating provocative sexually charged images for 15 years and this show highlights some of her favourite pieces from over that time. I wish I could see the work while it's up!

Ellen Von Unwerth's 'Fraulein'
Michael Hoppen Gallery London
Until 28th November 2009

Secondly and somewhat bizzarely I noticed a strange mix of religious iconography and sensuality this morning; My studio is situated opposite Salford Cathedral where the relics of St Therese of Lisieux were recently displayed as part of their journey to religious sites around the world.

I've always meant to pop into the cathedral as it is very impressive from the outside and I like visiting old churches etc as I like the architecture and atmosphere. The Cathedral still has lots of images of St Therese including banners, one of which had this image and tagline printed on it:

I do not regret having surrendered myself to Love

It struck me that this was an interesting choice of words to put with a picture that showed a woman who looks like she could be;
A. in religious rapture
B. in sensual rapture
C. asleep
D. dead.
There are so many layers of meaning between the image and the text. It really made me think about how interpretations of spirituality and sensuality have been mixed together over time, almost as if they could be one and the same? (incidentally, she is dead in this photo! but I didn't know that until I looked it up) Here are some other examples of classic sensual religious iconography:

The ecstasy of St Teresa by Bernini 1647 -52

'Ecstase', Pierre and Gilles 2002

For an interesting article about Pierre and Gilles click HERE.

Another way of exploring the link would be to see what happens when you place the words spoken by St Therese alongside other equally evocative images:

I do not regret having surrendered myself to Love

Which kind of brings me back to the image by Ellen Von Unwerth which you can see at the top of the post...

Chiggy Wiggy!

I HAD to post this as soon as I saw it! For months now I've been hearing news about Kylie Minogue's input into new Bollywood film 'Blue' where she plays herself and sings. This morning I read a little bit about it in the Metro so looked it up as soon as I knew the name of the track, Cue Chiggy Wiggy! I LOVE IT!