Category — Mad Crushin’

I’ve recently started reviewing music for the TILT blog and had the pleasure of interviewing Kid Sister at her show there last weekend! We talked nails did, Betsey Johnson and SELENAS. Please take a peep if you feel inclined and keep an eye on the blog if you love dance music! A couple of other posts I’ve written can be found here and here.

Her album Ultraviolet drops November 17. I am STILL obsessed with this track:
Kid Sister – Right Hand Hi

Kid Sister – Pro Nails ft. Kanye West

KID SISTER | MySpace Video

From Looney Tunes t-shirts at the fair to a portrait of the Virgin Mary on the hood of a lowrider, the wonderful world of airbrushed art has always been one of my favorite things ever. Sadly, long gone are the days when you could get your man’s name easily airbrushed on a pillowcase at the Glendale Galleria. I was about to give up hope in finding my own magical airbrushing wizard until I stumbled across Diane Burrier’s website. Once I saw the portrait she did of Lady Gaga, I knew she was The One! Needless to say, I placed an order immediately! She was also nice enough to answer some questions about her work.

+ How did you get your start in airbrushing?

In 1983 I was doing caricatures and portraits while people posed. I saw someone airbrushing at a show and decided to give it a try. It was difficult at first, but I made a go of it.

+ What is the most fun part of your work?

Painting in public for tourists, shoppers and onlookers. Unfortunately this rarely occurs anymore since I now work in graphic design during the week and airbrush in my basement on weekends as a mail order business from my website.

+  What is the most challenging?

Finding time to update the web site since so much weekend time is spent airbrushing.

+ What are your thoughts on being a female artist in a male-dominated scene?

I worked in Virginia Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and Daytona Beach. Those places had lots of airbrushers, all male. Although some had large egos, I’m fairly certain I earned respect from of all of them as an artist. I’ve lost touch with most of them, but occasionally get e-mails or calls from long-lost airbrush friends. I’ve known some of the original masters of airbrushing and a few who’ve passed away. I’ve met a few newer and younger artists too. The biggest problem is actually with public perception. I once wrote an article for Airbrush Action Magazine called “Where’s The Airbrush Guy?” It was a long time ago, but this commentary still stands true. If I don’t have that brush in my hand painting, the nearest male standing around is who people assume the artist to be. I’m a “one-hander” which could be a woman thing since I’ve never seen anyone else paint that way. I don’t try to talk people into ordering a shirt like the guys do. I try to let my work do the talking.  I’m the same way in my cyber airbrush business. I always try not to discredit anyone else’s work to a customer, even if I personally think their work sucks. Art is always in the eye of the beholder, who am I to say?

+ What was the weirdest thing you have been asked to airbrush?

There have been many so weird things. I guess I have to say the one bike week I worked in Daytona Beach in the 80’s. I’m a lady and won’t describe, but it was embarrassing. I’ll never paint those things again and won’t own up to them if any still exist.

+ Favorite airbrushing you have done?

Live airbrush portraits and I still love doing those loose quick beach scenes.

+ Who are some artists that you admire?

Classical artists of the Renaissance and French Impressionists. I love Maxfield Parrish’s work. The man was a genius on so many levels.

+ The celebrity signed shirts from your collection are quite impressive! Andy Warhol to Madonna! What are some of the stories behind those?

The first signed shirt I got was at a Cars concert in Norfolk, VA. I wore a giant portrait of Rik Ocasek, he saw it from the stage and sent someone to bring my friend and I backstage. I was surprised and nervous but he was very nice and the next time they played there, I made another shirt with the whole band and they all signed it.

My most cherished celebrity moment was meeting Andy Warhol in his NYC studio. I made him a gift shirt with his portrait and he loved it. I wore a shirt with a portrait of him on front and another on the back. He was fluffing and straightening it, turning me around and asked why I didn’t paint one on the back of his gift shirt. He signed mine and invited my friends and I back, but I wasn’t in NYC again before he died 2 years later.

I was airbrushing in Virginia Beach making good money so I rarely took off to go to a concert. I knew concert producers and they would place the shirts in the stars’ dressing rooms and ask them to sign one for me. I heard Madonna put hers on during a sound check but no one had a camera. We thought Rod Stewart or someone on his staff took both his shirts and kept them, but the next day his signed shirt came Fed Ex from Chicago.

Two guys from Warrant came into a mall where I was airbrushing in Hampton VA across from a venue where they were opening for Motley Crue. They wanted 2 leather jackets airbrushed and told me I could come backstage for the concert but I had to be there within 2 hours. I knew I couldn’t paint their album covers on those jackets that fast.  At least I got a photo of the one guitarist (oops forgot his name but love the photo) posing in it when he picked them up.

I met Robert Plant on a Honeydrippers tour. He signed a shirt at the concert and we were invited to a party with them afterward. I was completely star struck and he was sooo gorgeous in person. I could barely get any words out of my mouth. My girlfriend kicked me and told me to thank him for signing my shirt. The rest of the party I chatted with a band member from Spain and felt more comfortable.

I don’t have time to make celebrity gift shirts anymore, or even any shirts for myself these days.

+ Do you dabble in any other forms of art besides airbrushing?

Before airbrush it was pencil, pastel, charcoal, Sharpies and oils. Now it’s digital. I love the program Corel Painter. You can “paint” with a Wacom stylus pen like you’re actually using real media instead of pulling Bezier curves in Illustrator or tricking out in Photoshop. It’s the closest thing to real painting without the mess. I’m a graphics and multimedia software junkie. I work in dozens of programs and can hard code web sites. Digital or tangible, they’re all just tools for the art I do.

I have been a graphic, web and multimedia designer for the U.S. Army full time since 2000. That’s when airbrushing became part time. I was married with a young child and traveling around airbrushing long hours was a lifestyle that no longer fit. Although I had a bachelor’s degree in art, it was outdated without computer skills. I went to school at night while still airbrushing full time until I picked up what I needed to start a new career. I recently went to graduate school for Interactive Media Design. I’ve done some high profile design work for the Army. I don’t get personal credit for this kind of work and anything released is public domain. I’ve done exhibits, murals, posters, books, presentations, animations, official seals and web sites. I’ve gained tremendous appreciation for our military and feel privileged to do this work for them. But when I get home, there are always people waiting for their airbrush shirts to be painted and sent.

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Would you like to be immortalized in airbrush like yours truly? Perhaps you might even want to get an “In Memory of Michael Jackson” jacket or a pillowcase of Mariah Carey to add to your collection? Email Diane at airbrush@burrartdesign.com and see more of her work at Burrart Design!

Photo by Marla Rutherford

My favorite redheaded gal pal, the one-woman powerhouse known as Lenora Claire, is an art curator, model, writer and web series host. Anybody else with that much on their plate would have trouble keeping it together but Lenora Claire manages to pull it off with grace, all the meanwhile looking gorgeous. She gives us the scoop on her beauty secrets and style inspirations and talks to us about her upcoming art show Bettie Page: Heaven Bound.

+ Tell us all about your upcoming art show tribute to legendary icon Bettie Page.

I knew it was going to be difficult to come up with a follow up art show after my Golden Gals Gild Wild show which featured erotic art based on the Golden Girls and got nation wide press ranging from NPR to the National Enquirer but I had the amazing opportunity this summer to pose for the legendary artist Olivia and we started a really lovely friendship. When Bettie passed away the idea for a tribute show featuring Olivia’s beautiful work as well as several other amazing artists was born.

Lenora Claire by Olivia

+ How do you describe your personal style, from day to day to a night on the town?

I’m the queen of the slinky black cocktail dress. I pretty much wear variations of that (I have about 100) paired with my trademark neon red hair. I get compared to everyone from Jessica Rabbit to Bozo the clown so I must be somewhere in the middle.

+ Any beauty secrets you can share?

Since I have been dyeing my hair red which is the most impossible color to keep for ten years I’ve mastered the art of keeping up my crayola color. Since heat makes molecules expand (yes, I’ll blind you with science) that opens the hair shaft allowing color to leave so never wash with hot water always wash with cold. Also, I dump some of my dye in to my conditoner bottle so I freshen up my hair every time. On my face I love mac studio fix and always, always, always, work those false eyelashes. Also, ladies ask your best drag queen friend to teach you how to contour. We all have Ms. Potato Head faces so if you learn the art of contouring you can create the illusion of cheekbones or change around anything you don’t like.

+ Do you have any particular style icons?

Jayne Mansfield, Leigh Bowery, Dianne Brill, Vivienne Westwood, and Grace Jones.

+ What are your inspirations?

The Pierre et Gilles color pallet, Japanese street fashion, Thierry Mugler, and too many cult films to name.

Photo by Austin Young

+ Favorite artists?

James Bidgood, Joe Coleman, Henry Darger, Olivia, Mark Ryden, Colin Christian, and Alejandro Jodorowsky.

Photo by Austin Young

+ Who would you love to work with someday?

I would love for Thierry Mugler to make me an outfit that Pierre et Gilles would shoot me in for the poster for my film directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky or John Waters starring myself and Paul Ruebens.

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If you are in the LA area this weekend, Bettie Page: Heaven Bound opens Saturday, May 2nd with a gala opening reception at World of Wonder Gallery and runs until May 29th. Lenora’s events are not to be missed! I plan to be right in the middle of that three-ring circus as I always am!

Bettie Page: Heaven Bound
May 2, 2009 8pm-Midnight
$5 admission
World of Wonder Storefront Gallery
6650 Hollywood Blvd Hollywood, California 90028
(323) 603 6300

More Lenora Claire here:

www.LenoraClaire.com
www.Myspace.com/LenoraClaire
http://www.facebook.com/people/Lenora-Claire/731212083
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenora_Claire
http://twitter.com/lenoraclaire
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lenoraclaire/

Related posts:

+ Lenora Clare Likes doNUTS
+ You Better Work
+ Lenora Claire’s Birthday at Houdini Mansion

With a sense of style and poise that allow her to appear as if she had just stepped out of a vintage postcard, photographer and needlework maven Amelia Raley holds dear to her heart an era long gone yet not forgotten. Her appreciation for the past can be seen through both her art as well as her wardrobe. I also adore Amelia’s coquettish embroidery, found at her etsy store Doublespeak, which is where I purchased my favorite C’mere Loverdoll slip. Listing 1930′s chorus girls and vintage valentines among her favorite things are just two reasons why I found a kindred spirit in this daring dame! Ladies and gentlemen, start your crushin’!

+ I love the term you use to describe yourself, which is “Vintage Vivant.” How did you come up with it and what does it mean to you?

When I was finishing my MFA thesis in 2007, I was listening to 78rpm records on podcasts, learning to fingerwave my hair from blog communities, and watching 1930s movies on Netflix. I wanted to do a project on how I used digital technology to explore the analogue past. I was wrestling with a few terms because there are SO many girls who are doing what I am doing but there is no name for it yet. The name itself was actually thought up by Locksmithy when I presented it as a question to the Livejournal vintage community. I love it! It’s like Bon Vivant but Living Vintage instead!

+ I always wonder why I feel nostalgic for things I have never known. I’m sure you feel the same way. What era would you love to have lived in?

When I was younger I always thought I would be a flapper, hands down. Now that I’m a little older I really admire the years of 1929 – 1936 and most of my collecting, study and emulation comes from those years. I like the bittersweet foil of Hollywood movies as compared to the Great Depression and politics of the time.

+ Describe your photographic style. How did you become a photographer? Which photographers have had an impact on your work?

I have always taken photos because my mother was such an avid photographer. I started “The Bird Girl” project back in 2003 where I would pick up every dead bird I found in my neighborhood and would photograph them in different states of decay. I worked on this project for about two years and got a grant for my university to finish it. I went to graduate school for photography out in Oregon and that’s where I started using really old processes like 4×5 cameras with the giant bellows. I love artists who use multiple processes and mediums in their work, so I feel very kindred to Annette Messager, Sophie Calle and Martha Colburn.

+ Are there any other certain artists that you admire?

Doris Salcedo and Tom Friedman – they are both sculptors who use domestic materials in poetic ways. My favorite Doris Salcedo pieces are when she uses clothing such as burying clothing in concrete or caging high heels behind animal skins. Tom Friedman just astounds me! I found one of his books when I was 19 and I just stared at it for hours. His sculptures are out of aspirin, detergent, his own signature, play-dough, anything really. He is what obsessive art making is all about.

+ If you could photograph anyone from history who would you choose and what would the shoot be set up like?

I’d like to photograph Napoleon as an old man.

+ You have an obvious appreciation for cinema. Which films have inspired you to create?

I watch movies in bed with my laptop on my belly and my camera in my hands. When I find a scene in a movie that I like I pause the film and snap it with my camera. I’m kind of a predator when it comes to movies and I think that’s why I don’t go out and see them in the theatres that often. I love every Busby Berkley movie that’s come out, and I watch everything that Irene Dunn, Jean Harlow, Dick Powell, Norma Shearer, Clark Gable and Joan Crawford have been in.

+ What music do you listen to in constant rotation?

Much like movies, I rarely listen to anything contemporary or currently hip. I am a big fan of 1930s torch songs, podcasts that feature 78rpm records and anything from the 1990s. I manage a crazy toy store so I have a big emphasis on happy pop songs right now. I’ve got Gwen Stefani, The Pipettes, Spice Girls, Dolly Parton, MGMT, !!!, and Outhud on heavy rotation right now. When I’m at home I listen to Philip Glass when I want to read or concentrate.

+ I love the quotes you use in your embroidery. Where are they from?

Many of my quotes are bastardizations of traditional embroidery phrases, like using “Bless this Mess” on a cum rag or changing “To love and be loved is the greatest joy on earth” into “To love and be fucked…” Sometimes I use the snippets of a nursery rhyme, or phrases written in old yearbooks or just things I make up.

+ Besides photography and embroidery what other creative outlets do you enjoy?

Right now I’m really nerding out on my Blythe dolls, Violette Crown and Odile. I’ve been learning how to disassemble their faces, change out their eyechips and make little clothes for them. Also, I’ve been doing some modeling on the side for a few painters and photographers and, while it isn’t creative per se, it is exciting to be involved with another’s creative process.

+ Is there anything else you wish you could learn?

I wish I could play the guitar, the accordion and sing half decently. I’m such a flub when it comes to music.

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Amelia also has a really cute zine! The latest issue of Doublespeak just came out which you can find here. Or purchase it along with the back issues!

+ East Coasters: Amelia has an art show at Brown University next month. More information on her work can be found at her website: Only-Sleeping.com

+ Don’t forget to check out her Etsy store: Doublespeak.etsy.com. SPECIAL NOTE: agentlover.com readers get 10% off from now throughout the whole month of April! Just enter “Agent Lover” in the comments section of your order!

xo,

Marie

If you missed any before, don’t forget to peep these past Mad Crushin’ articles:

Mad Crushin’ on Kate O’ Brien

Mad Crushin’ on Mary Van Note

Mad Crushin’ on Defekto

Australian photographer Kate O’Brien has been one of my favorite camera queens ever since I came across her Flickr page a few years ago. Her portraits not only satiate my desire for whimsy, but like Pierre et Gilles, who she unsurprisingly counts as role models, she takes an intimate approach to her work by constructing many of the costumes and props she uses herself. A lot of her pictures remind me of movies I thought I saw as a child, but most likely only played in the theatre of my mind! Let’s chat with Kate!

+ What age were you when you first became interested in photography?

I always enjoyed playing with my parents camera when I was a kid, but we didn’t have a lot of money and were only allowed to take a couple of photos at a time, which is in stark contrast to now when an average shoot can take anywhere between 150-600 frames. I guess you could say I first taking my photography seriously in 2005 after becoming seriously infatuated with the work of Pierre et Gilles. They made me think about photography differently…mostly the idea that you don’t have to shoot what is laid out before you, rather that you can construct a scene to be what you want to photograph.

+ How do you come up with the different concepts for your shoots? Tell me about your process.

It’s really hard to say, it’s always different things. It might be a cool costume I find at a thrift shop, or I might just be flipping through a book and see something that takes my fancy. Cogs and pulleys start moving in my head and pretty soon I’ve developed a hazy vision of what I want to achieve with my photo. It’s actually pulling everything together after that point that is difficult. I claim to not be a perfectionist, but a friend of mine frequently reports that while I may not be draconian in my expectations, I do have a very finite idea of what I want a resulting image to look like. I guess I get my back up at the term “perfectionist” because I’m by no means a technician. I like to keep my shoots cheerful and fun. I don’t get bogged down in the details but I do know what I want.

+ Who are some artists, photographers or otherwise, that you admire?

I think that Mark Romanek (Music Video Director) is a genius, I find it very difficult to work with moving pictures and a careful observer will notice my work is very static. Often when I shoot, there is only one shot and I will shoot from the same angle till I get it. I don’t tend to move around the room shooting.
I’m also a big fan of Spanish Fashion Photographer, Eugenio Recuenco. The style and treatment he gives his work is mindblowing. When I grow up, I want to be Eugenio Recuenco.

+ You use a lot of the same models in your shoots. Can you tell us about your muses?

Funny you should mention that…Laurel, one of my favorites has moved to France and I’m really going to miss shooting her, however Anekie, who I also love to shoot is sticking around so expect to see more of her in the future. One of my other mainstays who I haven’t shot for a while is Leonie and she’s penciled in for a big shoot next month on the beach, so keep an eye out!

+ If you were in a parallel dimension or another life, what would you be doing instead of photography?

In reality I’d probably be working at Subway or McDonalds as I don’t really have a big range of skills outside of putting together images and shooting them, however if we’re talking about my fantasies, I’d love to be a window dresser for a big department store. I’ve wanted to do that since I was 14, I’m not quite sure why. Probably because I crave attention! That’s a pretty good way to get your work seen.

+ Is there a specific era from the past that you would want to travel back in time to experience and photograph?

I think I’ve just about covered every era right in my studio, and the thing is, my photos aren’t historically accurate. They capture a censored and sterilized snapshot of the past. Actually traveling back would probably be pretty confronting. Life’s not all tea with Marie Antoinette and Hookahs with Mata Hari!

+ What music/bands are you listening to right now?

I’m on a solid diet of Yacht Rock at the moment, so it’s all Steely Dan, Toto, Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins at my place. Fortunately for me my husband is a huge fan too. I should get a Tshirt that says “Yacht Rock Saved my Marriage” or something!

+ How would you describe your personal style?

I put my photos above everything else and so as a result I get around looking a bit homeless. When I need new shoes or a haircut, there is usually a cool prop or costume that wins the race instead. It’s literally all I think about. I am forever cutting things other people would consider neccessary items out of our budget so I can justify another trip to one of my favorite op-shops or go cruising ebay.

+ What are you favorite cameras to shoot with?

I’m a big fan of the Canon range. They’re well priced, they do everything you need them to do and as you gain skills and experience there’s plenty of scope for upgrading. It’d be hard to convince me to shoot with anything else. I’m not a technical photographer, so shooting with film or medium format cameras aren’t a big concern to me. I’d rather spend money on more lighting than another camera.

+ What’s next on the menu for Kate O’ Brien Creative?

I have a book coming out at the end of the year describing in more depth how I go about putting together an image and my general philosophy on photography. It’ll have brand new work not seen before and a section with some of my older work.
Apart from that I’m scouting out a gallery to show my work in the new year with a series about feminine beauty ideals through the ages.

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Check out more of Kate’s work at kateobriencreative.com!
And if you missed any of my past crushes, catch up here!

My tassel-twirling gal pal, Dizzy Von Damn!, shakes up the burlesque stage with her sequined sauciness and hilariously creative acts. It’s no wonder she was crowned Miss Viva Las Vegas 2008!  Let’s find out what makes this “bastard child of Bettie Page and Liberace” sparkle.

+ What attracted you to the burlesque scene in the first place?

I’ve always been interested in performing and lord knows I love dress up, but burlesque is also, to me, at its core a remarkable fusion of things that I was always told (if not explicitly) were mutually exclusive. I was tired of always having to choose one or the other- smart or pretty, funny or sexy, good or bad. I want to be seen as all of those things, because I am all of those things. There’s a wonderful tradition of power and beauty there; groups of women (and some men) entertaining and being as glamorous, sensual, or serious as they want to be. Plus, burlesque has a lot of sparklies.

+ How did you get your start in it?

I had been interested in doing it for years- I had seen a few shows in the Boston-area and done a little research on troupes there, but it never happened. I moved to LA and a couple of years ago I ended a long relationship and realized I had come out of it feeling even more fucked up than when I went in. I didn’t feel good about myself at all- emotionally, mentally, but really specifically physically. I was afraid of being not good enough, especially in a town like LA., and fuck that shit! I hate being afraid. I am not, however, afraid to be uncomfortable, so I decided that showing my goodies on stage, dressed how *I* felt beautiful, to music that made *me* feel sexy and fun was the most efficient way to get over myself. I didn’t like the way I was being perceived (or how I felt I was, anyways) so I changed it. Three days after I made that decision, I met Vixen Violette (my now bff) at a knitting group and she was my “in.” From knitting to stripping in 3 days flat. That will be my how-to book.

+ What can a person who has never been to a show expect on a typical night?

Well the obvious answer there is boobs. BEWBZ. There are many ways in which they can be seen though. Some of the performers do a classic bump n’ grind, some do more modern styles. I tend to take the classic style and make it a little weird, a little funny. There will be costumes and themes because each number is a show in itself. You might see a cowgirl or a cultural reference like a movie character. The guarantee is that you’ll be seeing each performer present that character in a tease, with several reveals that will advance the story of the number and put a little bit more on the stage. When I go to a show, I expect to be titillated and entertained; that’s how I like it. A little bit o’ honey, and a little bit o’ WTF honey?!?!

+ Which famous burlesque performers from the past do you admire and influence your acts?

Gypsy Rose Lee is probably the most famous, and I admire her for being able to command an entire audience with just a look or a dropped strap. Each movement should be purposeful and I try to remember that. I am influenced in large part by many of the modern classics, who bring together classic burlesque and performance art. Catherine D’Lish is probably the best example of traditional burlesque today, totally sexy and making it seem effortless. Little Brooklyn and Trixie Little really bring the comedic aspects forward, and I love that as well. I aspire to be a combination I think. Hilariously sexy. Like banana hammocks.

+ What sorts of things do you drawn inspiration from? Film? Music? Anything else?

I pull inspiration from everything. Sometimes I’ll hear a song on the radio and see a whole number ready for the picking. Film and TV of course- I love musicals and anything technicolor. I want my performances (and, I suppose, myself) to be a little larger than life. The surreality of the show Pushing Daisies has been really inspirational of late. It’s very visually stimulating. All around me are the little things that just need to be repurposed. I have one act where I am a “newsie” and the props are newspapers; one of the most famous burlesque styles is the fan dance. I don’t know how it hit me exactly, but for that number, I do a fan dance with the newspapers, finally peeling away sheet after sheet for my final reveal. Everything is inspiration- just open your eyes.

+ Being the “Martha Stewart of Burlesque” what is your process for coming up with an idea for an act and then constructing the costumes and props for it?

Sometimes it starts with a song, sometimes it starts with a concept. Usually I have a bare bones idea and then I start throwing out the most ridiculous things I can think of that relate to it- and some of them stick. When I planned my number for Viva Las Vegas, I chose the song “Surfin’ Bird” because I knew its high energy would be a crowd-pleaser. To bring the bird theme through it, I added feathers to the costume in the form of a headdress and trim for the gloves. I also had a feather bustle that was actually a boa for me to remove and use when the time was right. As the date of the performance grew near, I realized there was nothing BIG about this number to really drive the bird theme home, so we started joking about a giant cage. Except before i knew it, it wasn’t a joke, so I ran out to Home Depot, did some crazy maneuvering and experimentation, and now I have a 6.5 foot glittering, gold, collapsible birdcage in a storage unit somewhere.

The most important thing to me is making everything belong. Every costume piece and prop should have a reason for being there, both to layer and to advance the theme. My “Only Have Eyes for You” number has eyeballs at every turn- and I won’t get too specific, but let’s just say that even the most minimal pieces of my costume “look” the part.

+ How would you describe your personal style when you are not on the stage?

I always dress with a vintage flair. I prefer to be a little covered up rather than letting it all out there, because the imagination is so much more effective. I love pencil skirts and daydresses with petticoats. I love to wear heels and do my hair up. I like bold color (probably 75% of what I own is a shade of teal) and patterns, and holy fuck i love sparkles. I’d say my personal style is probably a little loud and it definitely attracts attention, but I feel like it’s a good manifestation of my personality. I have these furry leopard print pedal pushers I like to wear on first dates because if a guy can’t love the pants, he certainly won’t love me.

+ What advice can you give someone who is interested in becoming a burlesque dancer?

Go to shows. Lots of them. Find local performers and ask questions. Look at the legends online. Do your research on names and acts- there’s a lot of information out there. Take a class if you can, from a performer you’ve seen and respect. Burlesque isn’t just you getting up on a stage and taking off your clothes. It’s a story, and like any story-teller you need charisma and a plot line with specific points to advance. Practice. It’s an evolutionary process, and anyone who tells you different is crazy. Commit. Be respectful, and don’t expect to be Dita overnight. Unless you’re that Evan girl, amirite?

+ What would you like to see happen in the future for the burlesque world?

I would love for burlesque to be acknowledged as a true art form instead of being written off so often as “just stripping.” Yes, there is stripping involved, but it’s not about my body, it’s about the presentation. I would love to see the Burlesque Hall of Fame in a permanent home, open to the public, to educate and protect our legacy. Of course it would be amazing to be able to make my living solely off performing, but that seems so difficult in a time so completely about instant gratification full of a million readily available TV shows and movies. And I want all burlesque performers to get a pony.

+ Is there anyone you love to work with or even perform an act with someday?

I’m really neurotic about shared numbers- it’s so rare to find someone with the same work ethic and let’s face it, I’m a little crazy. I’d want to run it into the ground. But if I did find someone with that ethic and a great idea? Absolutely. I’ve already worked with so many performers that I admire (including getting to do a show recently with Satan’s Angel), but it would be a real honor to perform at New York Burlesque Fest, Teasorama, or Miss Exotic World. Perhaps this is the year I apply.

+ What is coming up for Miss Dizzy Von Damn! as far as shows and any other projects?

I have shows booked through April 09 right now. Can you believe that? I don’t have time to do laundry. I’m looking forward to the “We Don’t Need Another Hero” Show at Monday Night Tease, this October 20th. I’m also about to do a photoshoot for the new L.A. Burlesque Calendar. I’d love to produce a show at some point, but I just don’t have the time right now. Keep an eye out for that though, because if/when it happens, it will be a doozy. You can always find out what I’m up to via http://www.dizzyvondamn.com, which right now is just a redirect to my myspace page, but will someday be an internet shrine to my pulchritude and benevolence. Eventually I will use it to take over the world.

Robyn Von Swank is a psychic. Years ago when I first met her she was obsessed with bacon and soon after it seemed the world went crazy for the crispy breakfast treat. Later, she was enamored with the classic film Point Break and now everyone’s getting wet at Point Break Live. Coincidence or magick!? I think it is the latter. Miss Von Swank’s knack for capturing macabre whimsy through her lens can make you believe she has a few tricks up her sleeve. Her incredible sense of humor paired with her appreciation for the spookier things in life (and death) make her work a lot of fun to watch. Just who is this ever-evolving Canadian ladywizard with an uncanny ability for predicting absurd trends you ask?! Let’s find out!

+ How did you learn photography? Did you go to school or were you mostly self-taught?

Completely self taught. When I was a teenager I would document everything around me at all times, and eventually I just caught on to how the camera worked.

+ How would you describe your photographic style?

Delicious.

+ Who are some artists that you consider to be major inspirations?

Photography wise I am a huge fan of Eugenio Recuenco and Ali Mahdavi, and of course everyone who ever took part in the early development of Photography. I love me some Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes and Tintypes. Those are actually my biggest influences.

+ What are some of the different kinds of influences you look towards when coming up with ideas for photo shoots?

That is such a hard question because it could be a plethora of things. Sometimes it’s the lighting idea, the atmosphere, or it could just be the new outfit! My favorite shoots are unplanned and sporadic when there is adventure involved. I love just getting in the car and going somewhere…. not knowing what we will find.

+ Which non-living person would you have done anything to have as your subject?

John Hunter in his museum surrounded by his 3,000 specimens. HOT.

+ Tell me about your childhood. Were you always drawn to the darker side of things?

I was a weird fat kid who liked to draw comic books about cows and dress up with my cousin to perform hardcorely awesome renditions of ABBA in the suburban back alleys of Winnipeg. Actually, a lot of my inspirations for everything, especially stories, come from being a child and those worlds you can create then and only then.

+ What films are you obsessed with and consider as influences on your work?

Dude, do you want your entire interview to be this? I love movies lady. Alright, top 10. No, 15!
Heavenly Creatures, Tideland, Adaptation, Silence of the Lambs, Suspiria, Jacob’s Ladder, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Spiderbaby, Opera, LA Story, Batman Returns, The Beyond, They Live! and Even Dwarves Started Small.

Right now I am pretty obsessed with Werner Herzog and Paul Verhoeven. I love insane old weirdos and want to hold hands with them.

+ Do you have any tips for aspiring photographers?

Don’t suck. If you do, stop it. I mean, don’t stop taking pictures. Just stop sucking as a person. That is, if you do suck.

Practice. I didn’t learn overnight. All the technical information is right in front of you, both on the internet or in your camera itself. Oh and if you don’t periodically HATE your work and think you SUCK ASS, then you won’t learn anything new. At least that’s how I do it, stress!

+ What’s next in the world of Robyn Von Swank?

Well MARLOW, I have actually just directed 3 music videos, yes 3! Two of them are for the band Mortiis, and one for Combichrist. They will be able to be seen in about a month or so on my website, www.vonswank.com

And I am extremely interested in the continuation of directing as well as writing. Lately I have been working with some of my biggest horror heros and it’s been amazing. I can’t wait to share more stuff with you. But for now, here are some candid behind the scenes photos….

Robyn on the set of Combichrist’s video for “Sent to Destroy”

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You can follow more of Robyn Von Swank’s work at her website, vonswank.com !

I’ve been Mad Crushin’ on Paraphernalia‘s enchanting accoutrements for quite some time now, falling in love with several designs of hers that I have purchased for both myself and my girlfriends. Taken from the pages of childhood fairytales and 18th-century science books come ready to wear pieces of art for us girls who fancy wearing an Albertus Seba specimen along with our diamonds and pearls. The charming Ms. Vanda was sweet enough to chat with me about Paraphernalia and the inspirations for her creations.

+ How did you get started making jewelry?

I’d always wanted to do something, some sort of art, since I was child. I tried all the usual crafts before letting my love of vintage illustrations take over. I had quite an extensive collection due to some Zine-making adventures a few years past, and realized no one was using them like I wanted to! So I started experimenting, and Paraphernalia was born!

+ Where did you grow up? Did it influence your designs?

I grew up is Cascais, Portugal, about 10 minutes from the sea and 30 minutes from Lisbon. I live in the UK now, and I think I’m more Portuguese than ever! Both my parents were scientists when I was growing up – my Mother is still a Biologist, and my Father the captain of a research ship. I grew up surrounded by scientific and astronomic charts and maps, and I can definitely see that coming out in the work I do!

+ What is your design process?

Sometimes I’ll have an idea and go hunting through my images to bring it about, but mostly I just fall in love with some images and then I’ll have to use them, the images themselves informing my design. For example, the Fauna brooch collection came about because I had so many animal pictures that had funny or amusing expressions on their faces that I had to design something around them. The Migration collection was designed during a particularly bad bout of cabin fever, and the Moving collection appeared fully formed in my mind while walking to the supermarket!

I have the slightly OCD thing of having to design collections and not single pieces, so they all usually came about through a whole night’s process – sometimes five, sometimes ten pieces at a time, though I’ve broken that rule a couple of times. I can’t help it, I have to have a theme and consistency throughout. I have beautiful images I’ll probably never use since they can’t be incorporated into a collection.

+ What sorts of things fascinate you?

The intricacies of the images I collect – I honestly think it’s becoming a lost art. Masks, fauna and flora charts and maps – I’m obsessed with maps! Taxidermy, though I think I might like it more in theory than in practice. I love, and collect, anatomical drawings, toys, models, charts, anything I can get my hands on. Milagros, ex-votos and all religious kitsch. Curiosity cabinets. Hands – I collect them as well!

+ What have been your favorite pieces out of your collections and why?

The Anatomica Heart was my first creation, it has remained a best seller and it’s one of my favourites, even if it’s a pain to cut! It’s still the one I wear most. I really like my new Scientia Collection, especially the Medica necklace, because the combination between the skeleton and the pearls is somewhat unexpected.

+ Are there any other jewelry designers or fashion designers you admire?

I love Imogene and Annie, Sudlow, Star of the East and Madame Fortuna on Etsy – I appreciate originality but as I usually wear my own pieces I tend not to look to much at other jewellery designers! I don’t really follow the designers of big fashion houses – I tend to find the whole obsession a little boring. My on-line stalking tends to stick to illustrators and artists, like Allison Sommers, Matt Cipov, Berkeley Illustration, Caitlin Quiet, Bombus, Magic Jelly and Aussiepatches. I want to have like a million of their babies!

+ What are your other interests and hobbies?

What I do is a pretty much full-time obsession, but I do read a lot of comics, watch a lot of DVDs (while working as well!) and could probably spend my entire day reading design blogs. I have a thing for typography and product design, and I love photography – it would be what I’d do if I had another life!

+ When you started Paraphernalia was it just a side project? Did you anticipate it becoming so popular?

Very much so, and never in my dreams! Well, that’s not true – I didn’t start a shop expecting it to fail! I was doing a PhD in History at the time and loathing every minute of it – I’d taken my BA and MA in Religions and Theology, which is a much more lively and interesting subject, and was in desperate need of a creative outlet. I was giving some serious thought as to how I could give up my scholarship but not get stuck in the limbo that comes with having an MA (the plan has always been to become an university lecturer), so I opened up an Etsy shop and tried it out with five Anatomica necklaces. It took off after a couple of months, and it’s been growing ever since!

+ On the path to starting your own company what sorts of challenges did you face?

Customer service! Don’t believe any seller (especially on-line) that says they delight in it, it’s not true. Most customers are complete angels, but a few make you want to throw the computer out of the window. The joys of the postal service losing packages can be a daily struggle, and a very frustrating one since it’s totally out of your control. Not being able to switch off, not even on holiday – you can just go to bed for the night and you’ll have a full inbox by morning! However, the perks are considerably superior to the hassles – I set my own schedule, don’t have a boss, don’t have to commute, and I get to do something I love – even if it’s cutting the 1000th Goldfish! There are people all over the World wearing something I made, and that’s a feeling you can’t beat!

+ What advice would you give someone who wants to start selling his or her own creations?

Be as original as you can possibly be – I know it’s easier to copy someone who’s selling well, but you’d be letting yourself down, and, well, it’s just wrong! Try to make your work instantly recognizable, it’s the best marketing tool you can have. Social networking sites can work extremely well for promotion, and familiarize yourself with wonderful blogs like Modish, Decor8, Design for Mankind, Creature Comforts, Design is Mine, Mixed Plate, Indie Fixx and Poppytalk – then write to them about your products! Blogs, not traditional press, are the ones that will bring in more sales, every time.

+ What’s coming up next for the wonderful world of Paraphernalia?

Ooh, the Wonderland Collection is going live in a couple of days! I’m pretty excited about this one, since I’m a huge fan of Tenniel’s illustrations. There’s even a bit of glitter! I have ten Fauna bracelets making their debut at the beginning of September as well. The biggest thing, though, (for me!) is that we’re moving back to Portugal around April next year, to downtown Lisbon! Can hardly wait!

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Paraphernalia jewelry will not only make you look like even more of a stunna, but it’s affordable too! And on top of that, agentlover.com readers get 10% off! Just go to http://shop.paraphernalia.nu/ and enter the discount code: HELLOLOVER at checkout!

Have a great weekend everyone!

XO,

Marie

Ello putanos! It’s time for another unveiling of one of my crushes…San Francisco comedian Mary Van Note. When I first found out about Miss Van Note and her bawdy standup style, my first thought was,”Who is this pervert in a polka dot dress and why isn’t she my BFF!?” Her recently debuted IFC.com web series, Gavin Really Wants Me, details her hilarious journey to woo the sexy mayor of San Francisco and his 90210-esque hairdo. Today she chats with me about Pee Wee Herman, sex tapes, and her vintage style.

+ How did you get your start doing stand up?

Well, I went to college at UC Santa Cruz. I transferred there from a community college, so the first quarter I was there I wanted to take class that would be fun and would be a place to meet potential friends. I saw “Stand-Up Comedy” in the class schedule and just thought, “Sounds like fun.” I didn’t like stand-up comedy at that point. I hated what I saw on Comedy Central. I didn’t know much about comedy. It wasn’t until I started the class when I learned about comedians like Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl, Andy Kaufman, Victoria Jackson, Judy Tenuta.

It was a great class because my teacher, Doug Holsclaw, didn’t try to teach us how to write a joke. He simply said, “Do 5 minutes on your childhood,” and then the next few weeks we’d be watching and critiquing our classmates. I happened to go last on the first assignment, so I was able to learn from my classmates’ mistakes. I went up there with my five minutes and had the best set of my life. I was incredibly nervous, but my teacher said, “Keep it.” And that’s how the stage persona of Mary Van Note was born. I’m myself onstage. Maybe just a bit exaggerated.

I realized around that time that I had actually done standup before. The first, first time I did standup was in middle school. At my 7th grade talent show I did another comedian’s act. I had seen this comedian on TV who sang a song about toast while wearing a toaster around his neck and banging it with a spoon and a fork. I looked this up online recently and this comedian’s name is Heywood Banks. So even back then I appreciated weird, silly, conceptual comedy.

+ What was your childhood like? Was Little Mary Van Note the class clown growing up?

I was definitely somewhat weird growing up. I wasn’t loud in class or anything, but amongst my friends, I was always goofy. In middle school I would fall down on purpose to get laughs. Later in high school I became real quiet and recluse. I’m still a pretty quiet person, but I’m still weird, so I guess that explains where I’m at now.

+ Who are your comedic role models?

As a kid I loved cartoons and Pee Wee Herman, of course. I loved watching Pee Wee’s Playhouse. I’m also totally inspired by 80s movies like Better Off Dead. I freaking love that movie. That has been my favorite movie since I was a tween.

It wasn’t until after I started stand-up when I started to learn about comedians. One of the most influential and inspiring comedians for me is Andy Kaufman.

+ Are there any funny ladies of today that inspire you and make you laugh?

Most definitely! A lot, in fact. Contemporary funny ladies I love are Maria Bamford, Kristen Schaal, Jen Kirkman, Natasha Leggero, Tig Notaro, and Sherry Sirof.

+ How do you feel about the morons that say shit like “Women comedians just aren’t funny”?

It bothers me, but it bothers me more that it bothers me, so I try not to let it bother me.

+ Recently Vanity Fair did a cover shoot of today’s hottest female comedians where each woman dressed up as a trashy Hollywood starlet. Which one of those tragic tabloid darlings would you have impersonated?

I was actually part of that shoot, but I decided to be Anna Nicole Smith. And I was really literal with my interpretation.

+ Your new IFC show, “Gavin Really Wants Me”, is about your pursuit of SF Mayor hottie Gavin Newsom’s heart. What would your dream date with Gavin be like?

It would be filled with dildos, hand-holding, rose petals, ice cream, ice skating, boning, and messing his hair up. Just messing it all up.

+ Can you give us any tips on how to get the attention of the papi chulos of our dreams?

Yes. Learn how to make a good beef roast. I season mine with salt, garlic and sage.

+ One of the things about you that caught my eye was your cute and girly style. Since I love talking fashion, I have to ask you who your style icons are.

Oooooo! I love clothes and shoes and pretty old things! I’m a huge fan of vintage dresses. I guess early on, it had to have been Drew Barrymore, who back in the day wore vintage clothes and sported daisies in her short bleached hair. I guess Betty Page too, though you’d think I’d look rockabilly or suicide girl-ish except I don’t have tattoos and I hardly wear makeup. She inspired my bangs and my collection of old vintage lingerie and stockings.

I’m definitely pretty classic. I’m not into a specific style, either. I dig 60s looks as much as the 40s and 50s. I like to dress up when I perform, like I’m some kind of indie songwriter rockstar. Lately I’ve been attracted to really girly dresses with flowers on them, ruffles and lace. I’m on the lookout for a nice GunneSax sleeveless sun-dress in my size.

+ And lastly, what would the Mary Van Note sex tape be called?

I LIKE DICK.

Simple. To the point.

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In addition to standup, Mary also displays her comedic talents through hilarious zines, YouTube videos and one of my favorite things, dirty cross-stitch! She made the “Cochina Puta” cross-stitch I gave Reyna for her birthday [making her responsible for Mexican mothers everywhere to now be wary of my friendships with their daughters]. Don’t forget to check out her new series Gavin Really Wants Me on IFC.com! New episodes are up every weekday for the next couple of weeks. And for even more Mary Van Note, check out maryvannote.com and her myspace.

Happy Monday everyone! With the launch of my Paper Doll, I thought it would be the perfect time to interrogate the lovely lady behind all the artwork on agentlover.com, New York-based artist Gea Philes!

+ You were born in Chile. How old were you when you came to the States?

Yes, I was born in Santiago, Chile. My family and I took the long bumpy way to America when I was 8.

+ Did you have an artistic childhood? I imagine a mini Gea* doodling decapitated unicorns when all the other kids were busy drawing tulips and teddy bears.

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t drawing. I enjoyed tracing mostly when I was younger. Would get a comic book and put tracing paper over it and copy it. The decapitated unicorns didn’t come until I entered Junior High School.

+ You live in New York , which I am sure is a constant source of inspiration. Are there any other places in the world that fuel your creative spirit?

I can’t say NYC inspires me too much, it’s a love/hate relationship with this place. Don’t mind me, I’ve been here too long…I’m just grouchy. If I had to single out a place that fuels me, it be probably space.

+ What artists do you admire?

I admire the ones that make work I can stare long and deep enough to feel like they understand what’s going on in my psyche. The balance of beautiful and grotesque, evil and kind, a good sense of humor is always welcomed too. To name a few: Trevor Brown, Andy Warhol, Suehiro Maruo, Henry Darger, Stu Mead, Ichiba Daisuke, Francis Bacon, Gustav Klimt…

+ I’m envious of people who can draw because of their ability to manifest whatever images pop into their heads. Is there an occupation or even just a hobby that you’ve really wished you could learn?

Occupation…I wish I was a flight attendant specially, now with news of virgin space, so very 2001.

+ Does music inspire your art? Do you listen to anything when you are working?

I do listen to a lot of music. It doesn’t directly inspire my art but it does help me adjust my mood. I’m pretty sensitive in that way. A song can either make me cry or want to bash something…it comes in handy when I’m tackling certain subjects in my work.

+ Since you are a big fan of the cinema and even make your own short films, have you ever wanted to get into filmmaking on a larger scale someday?

I would love to…but I’m too much of a scatterbrain and money of course is the issue. Right now I am attempting an animated short. No flash, just very old school way of doing things. We’ll see how long that takes to do. Most of my short films (gawd this is making them sound so much more prestige then they really are but the next part won’t) run under one minute cause I use the video option on my camera. I hope this animated one will be at least more than 5 minutes long

+ Five things you are obsessed with right now:

Crunchy peanut butter, my ex-boyfriend’s big nose, World of Warcrack, LOST, my cat (always and 4ver)

+ What are your goals for your art?

Book or comic book, I’m not picky. It be nice to have something in print (more then just a couple of pages)

+ What’s next in the world of Gea*?

Updating my website…I keep getting scolded for that. >_<

Sorry I know its been years!

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You can follow more of Gea’s art and adventures on her website, myspace and her new film blog, A Beautiful Fraud Called Cinema.