Burly-Q's

Scarlet Fever portrait www.gemmaparker.co.uk

The other weekend I spent a lovely time in North Wales with my good friend, the fabulous Scarlet Fever. Scarlet's story may be known to some of you; She took part in Channel Four's Faking It Burlesque Special which aired in 2006. She managed to fake her way from insecure body conscious cleaner to glamourous showgirl burlesque star and picked up a whole bunch of confidence and sass on the way!

I was inspired to paint Scarlet's portrait as the Queen of Hearts as her story touched so many people and gave countless others the kick they needed to shed thier own insecurities. You can read about the project HERE

While living it up on the Welsh Mountains we watched an interesting DVD detailing the rise of burlesque and giving info about the original stars from old. This made me think about which perfomers of bygone years I have found inspirational. So here's my top three burly queens from the golden age:

During the 1940’s Gypsy Rose Lee was an innovator in her field taking the art form to a whole new level by emphasizing the ‘tease’ in striptease and using a casual strip style, compared to the herky-jerky styles of most burlesque strippers. She also brought a sharp sense of humour into her act as well, becoming as equally famous for her wit as her strip. Gypsy Rose Lee was also a writer and penned the mystery thriller ‘The G String Murders’ later turned into the 1947 film ‘The Lady of Burlesque’.

I borrowed the film 'Gypsy' a film about Gypsy Rose Lee's life from Scarlet as I'm ashamed to admit, I never seen it! I can't wait to watch it!

Dixie Evans was hailed as burlesques answer to Marilyn Monroe. Although Monroe was the sex symbol of the day she never appeared nude or semi nude in any of her films. Evans, with her strong resemblance to Monroe cornered a market by performing like the blonde bombshell on stage in a much saucier manner. The real Marilyn Monroe was too inaccessible to your average joe, but Evans could let these men's imagination run wild. If you couldn't have Monroe, you could have the next best thing. Even though in her late 60’s Evans can still be seen appearing in burlesque tours! She also is the conservator of Exotic World keeping the memory of classic burlesque alive.

Originally starting out in silent films Sally Rand went on to become a dancer when talkies were introduced. She became infamous for popularising the fan dance which has been reproduced and copied ever since. The elegant fan dance involved Rand appearing on stage sparsely dressed or apparently naked but hidden between two enormous feather fans which she then proceeded to swirl and move lithely about her giving the audience a glimpse of leg here and a flash of shoulder there!

Just to let you know....

My portrait of burlesque performer and star of Channels Four's Faking It Burlesque Special, Miss Scarlet Fever, will be on display at Urbis until Wednesday next week! So get on down for your chance to see Scarlet and read about her story while you can!

A pic 'n' mix of tasty tidbits!

Last week's Urbis Creatives launch night went brilliantly! The night was a great opportunity to exhibit art work and show off our other creative skills within a gallery environment. For me it was a first in showing my art work and actually performing within viewing distance of it.

My portait of Scarlet Fever on display on the launch night.

I have to admit I was quite anxious about performing in front of my work collegues, as I was sure none of them really knew what my burlesque act was like, and the thought of prancing about in frilly knickers in front of everyone I was working with the next day did give me the jitters just before going on. But the great thing about being in a double act is the pressure is shared and much easier to deal with, and even if I say so myself The Chantilly Belles rocked Urbis that night! I decided to exhibit my portrait of Scarlet Fever, the star of Channel Four's, Faking It, and a good friend of mine. I wanted to highlight her story which I think sets the scene for modern burlesque and shows it as a contemporary form of feminism and female empowerment. This piece of art work combined with my own burlesque performance blended really well and created a strong presence on the night. The great thing is Urbis were so pleased with the entire show they have asked for it to be left in situ for the forseeable future! So if you are around Manchester this week pop in to the city's landmark building and gallery of city life and take a look at Scarlet in the flesh as it were!!!

Other news:

The Chantilly Belles are proud as punch to announce that we will be performing as part of the Comedy 4 Christies night to be held at The Lowry next month!!!
We will be appearing alongside other acts including Justin Moorhouse and Barbara Nice from T.V's Phoenix Nights all in aid of a great cause! More details of our progress as the date looms to follow...

Rainbow watch:

A few weeks ago I told you about a commission I'm doing for a friend of mine of her pussycat Rainbow. Now I know this isn't the usual kind of subject I'd paint, but if any cat could have been a pin-up queen it was Rainbow, and I just couldn't say no!
I've been working on this piece between other projects and have finished half of the bag Rainbow is sitting in. Here's a peek of where I'm up to now:

Rainbow ponders the bigger issues of life while sitting in her favourite pondering bag

In the meantime I'm still working on my nautical pin-up tattoo seires and have been researching some fab artists that I hope to share with you over the next few weeks!...

The Chantilly Belles roaring weekend!

We are still getting over our massive weekend including; a visit to North Wales to see Scarlet Fever and be photograohed by the hugley talented Candee Photography and then a headline performance in Oxford's O2 Academy.

As you can see from the photo above the shoot went incredibly well! We all had such a laugh and both subjects and photographer enjoyed ourselves as we frolicked around the top of the Welsh mountains taking it in turns to hunt one another and more! You can see more of the photos at Candee's Flickr account and soon on The Chantilly Belles myspace page.

Our trip to Oxford was also brilliant. Not only did we get to spend time with Oxford's best D.J Nelly B Page, we also had a fab time performing at Trashy for it's 1940's themed night. Even after getting off stage and feeling there was no way we could muster the energy to get changed let alone dance, that is exactly what we did. The night was so much fun and we boogied until 3am with the crowd!

A dapper TIM HUGHS gets in the mood for a night of partying - 1940's style

Clark Gable, Bettie Davis, Ella Fitzgerald and frank Sinatra. For sheer style, few decades can touch the 1940's. And while it's movie stars were glamorous and beautiful, it's music was, at best sublime.
Tomorrow, those years of wartime style will be revisited with the first of a series of themed decade nights at Oxford's best-loved club night- Trashy.
The long running club, based at the O2 Academy is turning the clock back to the days of the blitz, rationing and risque caberet, for Burlesque not Bombs.
The night is being presented by resident D.J's Nelly B Page and Tommy Kneecaps, pictured, and features the charms of the Chantilly Belles live burlesque act.
"it's going to be an amazing night", says Nelly over tea at Oxford's Grand Cafe.
The night is the first of a series of monthyly events celebrating music and fashion from the Second Worls War to present day.
"The idea was to celebrate the retro aspect of Trashy and it seemed a great idea to celebrate each decade - starting tomorrow with the 1940's. We have some great music from the decade and we want to dress everyone to dress up"
Nelly has been getting into role by cutting a swish figure around town in a shortened black dress, red stockings and a fascinator.
Tommy, meanwhile s the perfect chap in dapper stripped suit and hat.
"There are so many things people can wear," says nelly. "We want people to have fun dressing up. It's not at all elitist just greay fun. I'm really excited to see what people come up with. the lads can wear suits and military uniforms, while the girls have it easy by just looking glamorous in a dress or corset. And if the boys want to come in a corset and the girls in a uniform, that's cool too. All the bar staff and D.J's will be dressed up - and if you do tooyou will get really well looked after - as well as getting in for free."
So what tunes can we expect?
"There will be all the usual Trashy favourites," she says. "But a few 1940's - style gems thrown in as well - so there could be anything from Frank Sinatra and fred Astaire, to Glenn Miller and Vera Lynn. The 40's had some great tunes like We'll Meet Again, In The Mood, Boogiw Woogie Bugal Boy, and As Time Goes By, from Casablanca.
The D'J set will be interspersed with performances from the Chantilly Belles - featuring Manchester pin-up artist Gemma Parker, one of the country's best burlesque artists.
"I can't wait", says Nelly. "It's going to be sexy, shocking - and very funny!".
Doors open at 10.30pm and the night runs until 3am. Tickets are £6, or free for those in 1940's fancy dress. For details of Gemma Parker, see
www.gemmaparker.co.uk

The Chantilly Belles are coming to Oxford!

This Friday myself and Rene La Rouge (The Chantilly Belles) are heading off on a mammoth road trip! We start out in North Wales to visit our good friends Scarlet Fever the star of Channel Four's 'Faking It Burlesque Special' and her husband the lovable rogue Tony Fever.

While there we are having a photo shoot with the impeccable Candee Photography on Saturday morning. We are so excitied about this as Candee has snapped some of the most prominent burlesque talent over the last two years including Beatrix Von Bourbon, Immodesty Blaize and Dita Von Teese herself!

Then on the Saturday afternoon we are whizzing off down to Oxford for our headline night at the O2 Academy! We are looking forward to performing down south and can't wait to get on stage to show Oxford our saucy brand of tounge in cheek burlesque!

Venue: O2 Academy 190 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UE
Date: Saturday 4th April
Time: 10.30pm - 3am
Cost: £4 (NUS) £5

For more information about our burlesque act see: www.myspace.com/thechantillybelles

Artwork will re-commence next week after a much needed relaxing bath : )