Models, Photoshoots, and Vintage Clothing OH MY!

Hello lovely readers of my blog (are you still out there?!)!

So as I mentioned in a few posts before I have started an Etsy store selling vintage clothing. I have had so so much fun doing this. It feeds my need for shopping, my love for thrift stores, and even makes me some money. 

Taking photos and being a model has been quite a trip. While I am truly loving being a photographer and stylist there have been some weird issues that have popped up. It's so hard taking photos for the sake of the clothes and not the artistic value! I find myself looking for funky angles and lighting to mimic all those photos I took in my manual photo class. BUT those kinds of photos often don't make the clothing look spectacular. 

Here are some of my favorite photos!

P.S. A lot of these aren't even posted yet! So you all get a sneak peak. Enjoy!

Ochre and Bone

I'm starting a vintage etsy because I finally have the time to do so! (Slash...I need to support my thrift store addiction.) The grand opening will be at the end of October but in the meantime I'm having so much fun taking photos of these beautiful clothes. Here's some of the photos so far!

(Also follow me on instagram @ochreandbone and on facebook at facebook.com/ochreandbone)

Feeling Stuck

I've never really been into long-winded blog posts (I suppose that's fairly obvious given my post history). To me it seems like they are just ego-patting and desperate. But, what else is a blog for I suppose.

I recently (in June) moved back home from New York. After what was the hardest four months of my life, I felt I needed the comfort of home and the distance it could afford me. And back in Flag, I absolutely felt that distance. I started working at a restaurant (something I'd never imagine doing), I cozied right back into my old bedroom, and I removed myself completely from the New York lifestyle I so desperately craved only a few six months earlier.

But I began to feel restless. Paintings go unfinished and plans remain as lofty hopes. Grad school? Yes! But I have to study so that gets pushed off. Portfolio? Yes! But that means I have to buy more canvas so that just doesn't happen. Going abroad? Absolutely! But that means learning a language and somehow saving enough money for a ghastly plane ticket. I'm lacking follow through for the first time in my life.

I had a brief 36-hour rendezvous with New York this past weekend and it reinstilled that hustle bustle that once drew me to the city. But being there also reminded me why I left. I'm still healing, and that requires time (yuck). New Yorkers are selfish and beautiful-- perhaps I no longer seek either of those so wholeheartedly.

I will get back to blogging and I will finish all of those paintings, grad school apps, learning German. And my new etsy will be up soon (Ochre and Bone).

Lonely Persimmon / Oil on Canvas / 6" x 4" / 2014

Insta

My mom seemed baffled by the fact that people had both Facebook AND Instagram. Obviously, I'd choose Instagram. Here are some of my recent posts! Follow me on Instagram for the (mostly) daily posts.

My mom's old drivers licenses

I found three moths on our door and just thought they were so lovely!

My new Brazillian shoes-- how I celebrate the World Cup

I finally got to take my boot off!

The inspiration for this doodle

The collage I put in my closet

At the Brooklyn Flea I found my twin

In my photography class I was the only volunteer model

Continuation of My Portfolio

So, I've toyed with the idea of applying to MFA programs for painting. In my painting class this past semester I started building a portfolio (with paintings similar to the one in the show!).

Close up of the gal

This piece was pretty difficult for me. It's 4' x 5' and just not up to my standards. But, I had a lot of good critique and I'm ready to work on her a lot more.

What's funny is that I like this painting way more when it's unstretched (which I had to do to move). I might continue like this on pieces of unstretched canvas. It gives the whole painting more ambiance which I think it lacked.

iFun

It's been a while since I was posting regularly. Moving, job interviews, and getting used to a new life takes a lot of time. But I took a ton of photos in the interim time. Get ready for some iFun!

1. A quadruple selfie right after I hung my paintings...
2. A beautiful mix of reds, oranges, and greens when making a salad
3. A snapchat piece of art
4. Smokey and cloudy sunset
5. The brick backyard in our Brooklyn apartment
6. Me and Blaire the Fort Greene Flea
7. A broken chandelier
8. The patio at Lola BKLYN (a fantastic restaurant in BK)
9. My lovely friend Theresa at her 22nd birthday
10. Blaire and Bridge matching the Greene 
11. Lovely skies in BK (haha I spent a lot of time in Brooklyn recently)
12. The best three at the Flea
13. My first view of Arizona from the plane (I want to paint these!) 
14. A jackalope making our apartment SO BK

Goodbye New York City

This city has been quite the adventure. Cliche, yes, but absolutely true. I am moving back to Arizona (for the time being) and I'm going to figure out my life from there. New York is draining and painful and the good hardly outweighs the bad at most times. But, I heard that you hate New York until you leave and then you can't wait to get back. Who knows? For now though, here is my farewell to this city that has seen me grow up (and perhaps pushed me to grow up even faster than normal). As LCD Soundsystem said, New York I love you, but you're bringing me down.

To see all of my New York posts click here or on the link to the right. This post has a compliation of my favorite photos from the past four years. 

UPDATE: I wrote this post before I had moved out of my apartment and was feeling a bit bitter. Leaving has been very difficult and I think I will always be a New Yorker at heart. I'll just have to bring the city everywhere I go.

Until next time!

Vignettes

I've always loved people's spaces. The things they have in their rooms are so indicative of who they are. As my friend Adam so perfectly documents in his webseries "Spacebook" people's rooms become museums exhibiting artifacts of their lives.

Since I am going to be leaving Third North and New York City soon (which is so scary!) I thought posting the vignettes, my mini-spaces, would be nice. 

(PS I'm going to be in Argentina and Chile for 10 days! Check out my Instagram for updates!)

Another Show!

I'm going to be in another show! This one is for my photography class (so maybe not as big of a deal?). I made the invitation which means my art will be seen more! 

If you're going to be in New York come and check it out!

Wrong

My current painting assignment is "Wrong" and we can pretty much interpret it in any way we choose. I chose the wrong things in many ways-- I am pretty pleased with my choices and thus results:

• You aren't supposed to paint teeth
• You aren't supposed to use watercolor or gouache on canvas because it doesn't work
• You are supposed to stretch and prime canvas
• You are supposed to make a cohesive piece

I am going to keep painting and painting these; hopefully I'll end up with dozens! Creepy and fun :D Read more to see them more up close!

Recap of March

Here are some of my favorite moments from March. April is calling our names and it sounds beautiful. Warmth, spring, graduation so much closer. I'm ready.

A post promoting my friend's blog, Roving Brooklyn. It's been moved to a new medium which is rather lovely.

Probably my favorite Instagram post ever. But I'm still toying with the idea of doing a regular post dedicated to Instagrams.

I've been painting on my funky prints!

Even though it's technically spring it doesn't feel like it. Here was my ode to summer. 

A fun photo of my newest painting (real post soon to come).

I was in my first New York show this past weekend. I'm so happy about how this looks in a gallery! (Doesn't it look cool with the painting above??)