May Dress Up Challenge: Submission

Yes.. Yes.. it is desperately late and I have not even started the June challenge, but this post will give me a good opportunity to show you what I've been up to in the mean time!

The Dress-up challenge for May was Rubens... now, I must say that researching dresses in the "Rubens" style is a bit challengeing, especially because a typical google image search looks a bit like this:

Notice anything? Like perhaps the LACK of CLOTHES?

Thanks Angela!!

Here are a few pictures of sumptious dresses I was able to find:

These beautiful dresses are dark colored, have full and layered skirts, low decolatage, billowing as well as slashed sleeves and ruff components.  My piece, alas, was not constructed with the same care, time, and historical accuracy that I expect from myself, however, it's made with 4 of the above details, so, I'm letting it pass!

It is mounted on a 5 x 7 glittery gold mat board over a picture of Versailles(?) Again, not accurate, but hey, what's artistic license all about anyway?!

This pattern piece construction is based on a couple of things..

One, I really wanted to use my new paper rosette style I found at:

http://www.craftedblog.com/2011/04/how-to-newspaper-canvas-artwork.html

Isn't that luscious?  right after I saw that on FB, I haaaaad to make something with paper and cut up the "reasons to visit" section of a map of NM and some newspaper strips left over from a Little Bostons Art Session.

This picture gives you a better idea of color of these cool 5 x 7 mat boards

(from clearbags.com http://www.clearbags.com/5-x-7-setup-board-assorted-matboard-drop.html) what a steal! 100 pieces for $5 bucks...

Anyway, I digress.... I searched in vain for a Rubens dress that would be purely rosettes 'cause I was in that kind of mood, but had to settle for just the one.

And two, I wanted to work with pattern paper some more...

This cute little dress is the tiny compatriot to some of the work I was doing for a show in KC on the first Friday in June.  Specifically, the last of the series of six life-size mannequin figures. (you may recall the teaser picture I posted in April http://mackomics-studio.blogspot.com/2011/04/artistic-update.html)

Here are some close-ups of the details with the full piece shown last:

Here is what they looked like on the walls at Krzyz Studio at 18th and Locust on June 3, 2011

The orange piece on the left has a multitude of layered flowers made from maps and netting sewn at the center with a bead, the blue and white one has a corset made from paintings of Spanish ships over a paper mache bust, and the fourth one sports record albums and Italian floor tiles for decoration.

The black piece on the left has a padded base and bust, a fitted top and a "bustle" made from various recycled fabrics.  The "steampunk brooch" detail is shown below.  The white piece has a padded base and bust, is made from a whitetablecloth and stiff tutu netting, as well as beads and feathers at the neck.

These are all life-sized and my inspiration was the concurrent "Eighteenth Street Fashion Show in Kansas City with the theme: Summer in Spain

This is the first large scale series I've ever made and it was challenging in many ways, not the least of which was my impatience with the prep work (jig saw, sanding, painting, attaching hardware) as my eyes and heart were only concerned with the prize of "Dressing UP"!!

Take care and thanks for taking a look.  Please stroll over to Angela's wonderful blog at

http://www.sewloquacious.blogspot.com/ to view all the other lovely May Dress-up Challenges and quite possibly all the June ones as well!