HeArt 2 Haiti

Last Saturday night, my friend Lisa invited me out to an event called HeArt 2 Haiti, an art opening at Gallery KM in Santa Monica. The party was to bennefit the orphans of Haiti by raising money via party tickets and art sales to buy food and art supplies (my two areas of expertise! hehe) for the children devasted by the natural disaster.

I bought a collage made by a young Haitian orphan. How could I not. For one, the piece is fabulous - could be worth millions one day, and two I had just spent a butt-load of money at my art supplies store without batting an eyelash (well, actually I did bat my eyelashes at the awkward teenage clerk to receive a 10% student discount - technically not a student anymore. I mean I am a student of life...but no longer have a collegiate email address). Anyway, I digress!

The hor d'oeuvres served at the gallery were from The Bazaar of The SLS Hotel (great restaurant by the way). My favorite was cherry tomatoes on watermelon with fresh basil and vinaigrette. Who would have thought that watermelon + tomato salad would be a great combination! Delish!

I was stalking the servers with their hor d'oeuvres trays like a lion on a mouse, following them around and constantly switching spots in the gallery to be sure to get new waiters (imagine Pacman eating the dots, that was me snaking in and out of the crowd to get to the food).

The evening was so much fun and tomorrow I will be stopping by the gallery to pick up my new mitzvah masterpiece. I can't wait! I think I will hang it in my studio for inspiration and as a reminder to be grateful for what I have.

Strike A Pose

Natalie Portman graces the cover of Vogue's January 2011 magazine wearing a J.Mendel chiffon dress. For some reason this image reminds me of Botticelli's The Birth of Venus painting. Is it the pose? The softness in her stance? Color of the dress? Hmmm... it's something...

Oh How I've Missed You

Hi everyone!

I'm back!!! By now you may have given up all hope that I would return to Once Upon A Shine blog, since I haven't written in AGES!!! I know. I've been bad. Truth is I have been so busy this holiday season! Between the holiday trunk shows where I sell my hair accessories, painting and keeping up with art clients and appointments, and getting our new house in order - I've been a hot mess! But believe me, I've missed my Bloggy McBloggerstein.

Here is a highlight from the past few weeks (more highlights to come):

I've been making some killer art, and thus have been covered in oil paint most days (manicures are a distant memory and I stay away from our brand new white Pottery Barn sofa as I am afraid that I will unknowingly have paint on my butt and then sit down).

One evening I had just come inside from the studio to make dinner. My boyfriend would be coming home soon from work. I washed my hands and arms really well and went at it in the kitchen. I was making barbecue salmon and stuffed baked potatoes with broccoli and cheddar cheese. The kitchen smelled really good! He comes home and starts laughing almost immediately upon seeing me. 'What!!' I say, suddenly feeling insecure, wondering if he is making fun of my potatoes. He continues to laugh - snot almost coming out of his nose he is laughing so hard. I am standing over the stove checking on my dinner creation and frustrated now that he's laughing at me and teasing me. Finally he says 'Babe. You have paint ALL OVER your face'. Oh. I think. I go to the mirror and upon seeing myself I chuckle-smile-laugh. There is paint all over my face. And smeared in all over my face. And not a sexy color like red.. or a deep violet. It's BROWN. Poo brown. Smeared ALL OVER my face. In my eyebrows. On my chin and lip. Forehead. A big chunk on my cheek. If you didn't see my Lululemon leggings and David Yurman studs, you'd think I was homeless.

{David Yurman ads, just for fun}

So then, I had to chase him around the house with my face trying to give him a kiss/get the brown doody paint on him. Hee Hee. Long story short, I washed my face and we had din din.

Camp & Drag

James Franco for Candy Magazine shot by Terry Richardson.

Innnneresting...

Jeff Koons for Kiehl's

Talk about a master collabo! Renowned pop artist Jeff Koons is teaming up with a-list apothecary Kiehl's to create a line of special edition products that supports the Koons Familiy Institute, a non-profit organization for missing and exploited children.

Woo hoo! Can't wait. Def gotta get me some animal balloon body butter.

Below, Jeff Koons balloon dog and balloon flower installation at Versailles Palace 2008 pop art exhibit.

The Sickest Kicks

I'm more of a stacked-platform-heel-girl rather than a sneaks-girl, but I can't help but admire these amazing custom Nike Air Force Ones, dubbed 'Canal Street' after the infamous New York avenue.

Created to draw awareness to the scandalous counterfeit industry, the shoe pays homage to our favorite iconic brands using the logos and patterns that made them famous: the red+green Gucci stripe, Vuitton's 'Damier' checkered canvas, Chanel's double C logo. The shoe is even adorned with a fake Rolex watch! Check them out at Kicks On Fire.

Now if only someone could make me a bag like that!!!

Color Me Crazy

So last Saturday, I gave my boyfriend two choices: see 'Eat Pray Love' or come with me to Color Me Mine to paint something.

He chose the latter. A great relationship is about compromise, and there are many times where I find myself playing Xbox and eating Papa John's pizza or 'watching sports' (aka being on my blackberry) anyyyway...

Put two creative perfectionists in a room together with ceramics.. oh boy! We were there for six hours!!! Okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration but we were there for at least four.

I wanted to make a popcorn bowl, since popcorn is a major food group in my diet, and the bf decided to make a cigar ashtray, who came prepared and brought a Cohiba cigar wrapper with him for inspiration. Such a pro. Suddenly I had wished I brought some inspiration or pattern with me! He is always the "responsible" one (sighh).

I painted my bowl light blue and yellow with pink and red strawberries on the outside and painted popcorn on the inside. Everyone (bf + Color Me Mine staff) was confused and told me that popcorn kernels and strawberries didn't go together, but I refused to conform.

Spending the day at Color Me Mine was good old fashion fun and I highly recommend it, especially if you find yourself in a routine or are constantly asking yourself, "what should I do today?". Go paint! Mugs, mermaids, piggy banks.. the choices are endless.

I just picked up our masterpieces today! I am hoping that my popcorn/strawberry bowl will be worth millions one day...

Brit Pop

Britney Spears, my number 1 idol, poses for Pop magazine's September issue. The photo shoot is directed and styled by one of my favorite and most revered artists, Takashi Murakami (as mentioned here and here). The images are high fructose-over the top-sugar pop-plastic-amazingness.

Kawaii.

Armed and Ready

“Women have two weapons - cosmetics and tears”

- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Liquid Dream

Check out this futuristic dress complete with acrylic water halo by designer Iris Van Herpen at Amsterdam international fashion week.

It reminds me of Murakami's "The Lonesome Cowboy" (which sold, by the way, for $15 million) and "Hiropon" sculptures from his 2007 MOCA show.

King of the Butterflies

Damien Hirst is one of my favorite artists and some one I greatly admire. Not only is his artwork revolutionary, but he is also the world's richest living artist. Most notable is his work of dead animals submerged in large glass tanks of formaldehyde. Sheeps, sharks, cows sliced in half..

And while death is a constant theme is his work, his installations are striking, gorgeous, and profound. 'Superstition' was a 2007 show at Gagosian Gallery that featured cathedral stained glass windows made solely of butterflies and house paint. Lots of windows. Huge. Made from millions of butterflies. So beautiful and violent at the same time. The pulling apart of butterflies' wings. The silent sound of death and that spark that is life. I will never forget the first time I saw it and I was inspired to share it with you.

Deep stuff I know, but it is so important to me that I could only write about it with a seriousness and sincerity.

The Importance of Elsewhere-The Kingdom of Heaven , 2006

Kaleidoscope VII, 2004