The Glass Slipper

 

Here is my latest embroidery, 'The Glass Slipper', inspired by Louboutin's crystal embellished works of art. A wonderful gift for any shoe devotee out there, this piece really glorifies the high heel turning it into an extravagant bauble beyond mere mortals grasp! Looks great on the wall;

Worked with french knots in threads of gold and tiny glass beads, The Glass Slipper is suspended tantalizingly from a ruby red ribbon; a mixture of traditional stitching and applique presented in a woodgrain flexihoop. The fabric is glued to the interior portion of the hoop in back for reinforcement and the embroidery is backed with black felt.

£45

7.5 x 5.5 inches 

To see more photos please visit my facebook page HERE

 

Items of work will soon be made more easy to purchase straight from my website, but in the meantime please contact me directly for details: gemma-parker@hotmail.co.uk

Portrait update

I was trying to think of a way to share with you the progress of my latest portrait commission. Stuck for any better ideas I've sort of glued a bunch of photos together so they look like passport photos. I think when the painting's finished I'll try to find a way that will put the whole thing in a slideshow (but slicker). So far I've been concentrating on Fiona's face but I've moved onto her shoulders and chest this week and once that's done I'll finish her hair.

Anyway here it is so far :)

To find out more and see regular updates check out my Facebook page: Gemma Parker Artist

The PreRaphaelites: Roadtrip recollections No.2

The Beloved, Dante Gabriel Rossetti

My Dad took me to a gallery when I was very little and we stood gazing at a painting of a glamourous woman for some time. He pointed out the model's deep red long hair. I was transfixed. I loved the fact something so simple and lovely could capture my Dad's imagination. 

I didn't know it at the time but I was looking at a PreRaphealite work; probably my first foray into the world of pin up girls. Of course these Victorian models didn't have the cheeky knowing smile of an Elvgren or the Hollywood styles of a Vargas, but they were glamorous and untouchable all the same, with their own particular brand of beauty.

I've loved the PreRaphaelites ever since that moment, and my roadtrip to Liverpool was based around seeing as many of the original works as I could.

I began at the Alice In Wonderland Exhibition at the Tate. I had a vague memory of Lewis Carroll knowing the PRB's. It turns out he, Rosseitti and Holman Hunt were good aquaintances, Lewis, a keen photographer took pictures of the Rossetti family.

There I also saw Rossetti's painting, The Beloved. I've always enjoyed this work because of it's pseudo exotic appeal. It's been read in many ways over the years; some seeing the inclusion of the black boy in the foreground as racsit. Others recognising that Rossetti, a keen suporter of anti slavery, was possibly using the figure as a means of support towards the cause. There is also a mixed race woman in the background, Fanny Eaton, a popular model to the PreRaphaelites and their asscociates. 

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The Walker Art Gallery was next on the list; I was lucky enough to catch a talk about the PreRaphaelites while I was there. I was part of a large group who dutifully carried our fold up chairs with us as we were guided from one painting to the next. 

 The Martyr, John Everet Millais

Some of the tidbits I learnt were: Millais painting, The Martyr (another favourite of mine) was  part of a much larger painting at the start of it's life. The original picture showed the martyr of Solway, so called because she refused to recognise the Church of Scotland (so they very Christianly chained her to a rock to be swallowed by the tide) naked, about to be saved by a knight. She brazenly looking directly at her rescuer.

Victorian audiences were outraged! Millais cut the offending figure away from the work and clothed her, creating the smaller work you can see above.The proof can be seen in this Xray:

We were also treated to examples of the traditional Victorian painting which had become the Royal Academy's norm back the the first half of the 1800's; sentimental muted images always two thirds dark one third light, a hangover from Sir Joshua Reynolds who the PRB nicknamed 'Sir Sloshula'. 

 The Strawberry Girl, Sir Joshua Reynolds 

It was the PreRaphaelites mission to change this style, taking inspiration from nature, medieval art and poetry. A great representation of this being Millais Isabella.

Issabella, John Everet Millais

Here we saw, bright colours, distorted perspective, rampant symbolism and a truth to nature. Quite refreshing. I enjoyed working through the story with the guide. Basically, the guy offering his blood orange to the girl is in for a stormy ride; her brothers on the opposite side of the table don't agree with the romance and eventually kill him. Isabella finds his body, cuts his head off and plants it in a pot of basil to keep it safe, watering it with her tears. It's all there if you look...

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I then rounded off my roadtrip by travelling to the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight. This place is a well hidden treasure box! The village is chocolate box perfection and nestled between the quiet timber framed houses is a gallery filled with art goodies!

Work from the symbolists, asthetics and PreRaphaelites fill the walls, while glorious white marble figures fill the two staute halls.

I was really looking forward to seeing Rossetti's The Blessed Damozel but it was being exhibited on loan to Paris. However I did find a Rossetti I never knew existed, A Christmas Carol;

I recognise that hair ornament as worn by many other Rossetti girls, including one of the musicians from the Bower Medow, housed at Manchester Art Gallery. It was a real treat to find this gem, especailly as it was hidden below some stairs and I might have missed it if it weren't for the fab gallery staff! 

I had a great time on my roadtrip, I saw A LOT of art, not only PreRaphaelite but many amazing works which would be too many to mention here, all housed in these wonderful public galleries. It's worth remembering that our history and culture are only a visit away waiting to be explored!

Alice in Wonderland: Roadtrip recollections No.1

Estelle Dudley as Alice in Wonderland 1917

Image copyright of the National Portrait Gallery

I've just come back from my bumper gallery roadtrip to Liverpool where I began by visiting the Tate to see the Alice in Wonderland exhibition.

It's great to see the Tate choosing to do this show; they have created a treasure box with a universal appeal which has lured not only art fans but families and non gallery goers too. Maybe it's because Alice has permeated our culture, inspired artists, writers and even the way we think.

Sparking Alice mania back in it's day, the book has left a never ending legacy of surrealism and childhood imaginings which we still plunder in order to make sense of the world we live in today. It wasn't until I saw this show I realised just how influenced we are by this children's story.

Like all good fairy tales, Alice in Wonderland began with some grains of truth; I saw Dodgson's (or Carroll's dependiong on which way you want to view it) original camera, the Victorian version of Nikon; cutting edge technology, so compact you could box it up and carry not only the machine but the developing equipment with you wherever you went, the exquisite glass bottles of developing fluid labled 'Poison'.

Then there were his photos, children playing, children dressed up as fairy tale characters, or children sleeping, their still black and white forms looking like peaceful corpses one moment, the image of innocence the next. One photograph showed a young girl sitting next to a mirror, her reflection creating another character, suggesting a whole new dimension to be explored. Nothing was quite what it seemed. His adoration of the Liddell sisters was evident in the copious images he produced of the three little girls, Alice Liddell clearly his favourite and eventual muse.

Seeing these artifacts within the deep red velvet room in which they were set, elements of Alice began to take shape, it was like delving into Dodgson's mind and connecting the dots.

I especially enjoyed the room filled with different editions of Alice in Wonderland. When the copyright to the story ceased in 1907 a fever for all things Alice took hold and her image along with those of her companions were seen everywhere. Tea sets, magic lanterns, ornaments and dolls, plays, musicals and photography. It was fascinating to see how different people translated the book into new and individual imaginings.

As early as the 1900's artists were beginning to find favour in the many layers of Alice's adventures; Echoes of the little girl in a dangerous and nonsense world can be seen in the work of Dorothea Tanning and Max Ernst. One sculpture by Tanning made from a tactile black velvet looked very much like a teapot from one angle and a cat luxuriantly washing itself from another, the double meaning and uncertainty of the book revealing itself in her work.

Eine Klein Nachtmusik Dorothea Tanning 1946

Moving on through the decades the 60's saw an explosion of psychedelia and mind altering drugs which suited the surreal offerings of Wonderland.

Yayoi Kusama sent out invitations to a naken tea party happening in New York's Central Park at the Alice statue. Idolising the heroine she stated 'When she was feeling down, Alice was the first person to take a pill to feel high'

While I wandered through the maze like layout of the exhibition, I couldn't help but feel a little like Alice myself, as I encountered strange and unsettling characters. A Humpty like being sat atop a lofty perch, a re-animated rabbit moving dream like in it's deceased state, and possibly the most strange, Robert De Niro talking to himself in a mirror as the famous scene from Taxi Driver was projected in double across two walls, drawing De Niro into a four way conversation, or so it seemed.

I left feeling a little hazy, but hungry for more. If I'd found a cake with 'Eat Me' written on it I wouldn't need to be told twice. Such a good day that gave me much to ponder upon.

Happy New Year 2012!

New year and new beginnings, here's a round up of what's happening so far!

I am currently working on a portrait commission for glamourpuss, and sometime fetish model, Fiona. This is a very striking picture and will ooze sex kitten when it is finished. Here's where I was up to just before Christmas;

The thing I love about this picture is the masses of luxurious red hair. It is only blocked in here but you can get an idea of how shiny and vibrant it will look when the painting is finished. The skin only has it's first layer on in this photo. I build up skin tones in layers in order to capture the many colours that the skin holds which helps to give it depth and the illusion of softness.

I've continued with my experiments in embroidery and I'm working on a shoe design inspired by louboutin at the moment;

I found the original image in a magazine where the shoe was covered in crystals (embellishment is big right now!). I've tried to recreate the lushious surface by covering my shoe in a mixture of beads and french knots in different gold threads. The finished piece will show the shoe suspended from a glossy ribbon tied into a bow...  nearly finished.

To see other embroideires I've worked on visit my facebook page HERE

I'm planning a gallery excursion later this month; For Christmas I recieved a brilliant book called Lizzie Siddal: The Tragedy of a Pre-Raphaelite Supermodel. It's a super read if you're interested in the PRB and the sexual chemistry shared by a number of it's members. All this Victorian drama and sizzle has got me hankering to see the real deal so I'm hoping to take a trip to some art galleries over January and see some of the Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces. My first thoughts are The Lady Lever Art Gallery and the Walker Art Gallery, both located in Merseyside and both home to a wonderful collection of original work by the likes of Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Holman Hunt to name but a few. I need to do some further research but I hope to take my trip soon!

Image by Rachel Ortas

Finally some art news from Manchester; Cornerhouse is hosting a new six week course on comtemporary visual art, Beyond the Counterculture. If you like your art a little bit seedy, leftfield, kitsch and kooky then this course is for you! Hosted by the publishers of Nude Magazine the course explores subcultures, youth movements and pop culture. Apparently some of the visuals used may be offensive to some, so what better reason to sign up! Find out more and how to join HERE

GROTTO is back!

 

After the succes of last years pop up shop, Grotto returns this festive season to fulfil all your arty and crafty gift needs! Situated this time in the Chinese Arts Centre in Manchester's Northern Quarter the shop is looking exciting and full of new arts pieces ready to buy.

 

'In Deep Water' original watercolour and ink art work in customised frame

I have work in there right now, and will be adding new work in the next few days including new embroidery, so pop in! There is a great variety of local talent from artists around Manchester all at affordable prices so you'll be sure to find something to tick off your shopping list! From original screen prints, unique Christmas decorations and clothing to unusual accessories and art work it's definately worth a look.

GROTTO @The Chinese Arts Centre

Market Buildings Thomas St M4 1EU 

Join GROTTO on Facebook

Running until the new year!

Back in the booth!

Last week I spent a good few hours sitting in a small box just big enough to house myself and some art materials. Hunched over a drawing desk with no concept of if it was day or night, I worked non stop to produce art on demand; no it wasn't artist abuse, but Sketch-O-Matic, quite a unique and gratifying experience for all concerned!

The booth appeared in Cornerhouse over a week ago and before the project had properlly begun it attracted curious people eager to find out what was behind the curtained off area and what would happen when you put your money in. But the real fun began on the first night of it's 10 day run as the word spread that Sketch-O-Matic had to be experienced to be believed. In fact so successful was the venture that every time I looked there was someone's legs visible beneath the curtain as they sat patiently for their art work

The basic concept was that of a photo booth but one where an artist replaced the camera. The functions were all the same, the but the mirror inside was one way, meaning I could see you, but you couldn't see me! After paying your suggested £1 you had to wait for around 5 minutes then stand outside to receive your portrait through the slot. 

From my first stint I knew this was going to be lots of fun. The fact the sitter can't see you as you draw them made a huge difference to normal life drawing or quick sketching; It allowed the artist to totally get stuck in with no thought to being observed as they worked. Plus it meant the sitters acted more like they were having a photo taken.

There was no telling who would step inside next, from little boys to stately pensioners, beautiful girls to bearded eccentrics; I loved the challenge of getting features and characters down in the short time I had, and I totally loved the fact there was often a queue of people waiting for their turn to be immortalised in the Sketch-O-Matic booth. It was a very intense situation working so quickly and to high demand but equally satisfying to hear peoples sounds of appreciation they got the portrait in their hands. 

The most surreal but amazing part of the whole thing for me was that, stranger or friend, the sitter had no real contact with me as I drew them (sometimes the sitter wouldn't even know who was behind the mirror looking at them) but the encounter felt very intimate all the same.

I had a couple of go's sitting on the other side of the booth to see what it was like and although I sat looking at my own reflection, I caught glimpses of movement and the rustle of paper through the mirror and it was quite thrilling to know that someone was making me the subject of their work. It beat the cold and empty experience of using self automated machines, convenient they may be. As we move further and further away from actual social interaction on a daily basis, there was a simple charm about the Sketch-O-Matic which accounted for it's popularity. I totally understood the appeal! I would have gone in more often if I could. One Cornerhouse employee had 12 portraits by different artists and counting half way through the project...! 

If you missed your chance to be sketched or play muse to an instant poem, lets all keep our fingers crossed that this wont be the last we see of the Sketch-O-Matic, I for one will miss that booth.