Category: Costuming

Tiny Treasures XV

11/30/2020

detail, Gwenhwyfar
9.5" x 4.75" figurative sculpture
stone clay, mixed-media. 2020

Long before she appeared as a Queen, in the Arthurian legends, Gwenhwyfar, Guinevere, Ginevra, or even Jennifer was revered by the Celts, as a Goddess. Her roles as assorted as the variations on her name, she has served as guardian of the passage between worlds, and guide of souls who travel from this world to the next. She has been Goddess of fertility and of the earth, with strong parallels to Persephone. She has been a Goddess of sovereignty and authority; even today, there are those who summon Her assistance, for answers and direction, especially in times of a need for leadership. I could not help but be struck by the significance of that, as I was creating this work in 2020.

Gwenhwyfar is also referred to as the ‘Virginal’ Goddess, though today we often mistake that meaning; ‘virginal’ in this case translates as “complete, in and of herself.” As a queen, Gwenhwyfar is the eternal feminine principle of strength and peace in the universe: She is powerful and influential without requiring a pairing or a partner --in other words, she doesn’t need a man. But he needs her: In the older stories, it was Gwenwhyfar who gave the legendary King of Camelot his right to rule, simply because they were together. Ancient Celtic tradition says that for a man to be King, he must be paired with the Goddess: Her role was to mix the King’s energy with the earth’s energy, in harmony. Arthur pursued her, then, not for love, but because without her he could not be King. In fact, in the Welsh Mabinogion called Culhwch and Olwen (circa 1100) she is listed among the weapons of another world, which Arthur received as a gift, suggesting her divine origin and reinforcing her power and sovereignty.

That’s a far cry from some of the more modern takes on Guinevere, depicted primarily in many of today’s stories as a secondary character --as the wife of a king-- or reduced to a plot device --as the love interest of a knight. Gwenhwyfar isn’t here to play scenery, or serve as anyone’s plot device, and she’s definitely not here to smile for you.

If you would like to add this work to your collection, please visit my page with
Cactus Gallery, online!

Two tiny works accompany this sculpture in this year's Tiny Treasures XV with Cactus Gallery; Culhwch (green) and Olwen (lavender) are each 3"x3" and can be found on my Cactus Gallery page

Gwenhwyfar's staff 9” Requires two CR2032 batteries, please keep batteries away from pets and children, as they could be dangerous if swallowed. This is my first attempt at wiring battery operated lighting; Gwenhwyfar’s staff is idiosyncratic, lighting up when it pleases her, or not. Battery pack is hidden beneath the skirt and attaches to the base with a rare earth magnet.

Studio Cat photobombs the portfolio shoot.

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The Bee Keepers: Clothed in Blue

2/27/2016

'Borderline'
Direction; Design; Backdrops; Wardrobe; Body Art Jen Raven
Photography; Lighting; Body Art; Editing Todd Powers
Makeup Design; Hair Styling Ande Castaneda
Concepts Model Aileth Bran
"The Bee Keepers" Project; Venetus Series
Collaborative Concept Photography

We share our planet with nearly 20,000 known species of bees. Study of these creatures continues to reveal further connections between bees and people; Humanity does not stand apart from these petite wonders of our natural world. We rise and fall, together.

Partnerships between humans and bees attest to this reality. Our symbiotic relationships with the bees has evolved over thousands of years, and it is commonly stated; if they go, we go. As pollinators, bees are vital in our massive efforts toward food production, a fact we understand only too well, in California’s Central Valley. Habitat loss, rising temperatures, varroa mites, neonicotinoids and other pesticides --such combined factors threaten the stability of bee populations, increasing likelihood of Colony Collapse Disorder, and thus threatening food production --threatening our own populations, in turn.

We seek to highlight the connections between humans and bees, through this collection of fanciful chimeras, hybrid bee-human inceptions incorporating visual elements which speak to the intimacy of humankind’s relationships with, and within, our natural world.

'Glitch'
Direction; Design; Backdrops Jen Raven
Photography; Lighting; Body Art; Editing Todd Powers
Concepts Model April Musick
"The Bee Keepers" Project; Venetus Series
Collaborative Concept Photography

Our 'Glitch' set is a focus on our damaged ecosystems, and the resultant experimentation with mechanized pollinators, which we might need to fill the gap created by bee colony collapse. Todd and I had a lot of fun playing with the visual elements; tilted, separated canvases to suggest a break in our ecosystems; heavy contrast paired with bleaching of colors, suggestive of interference/static; gear and circuit board body art for the robo-bees we may come to depend on, in the future.

'Regina' Set, March 2016
Direction; Design; Backdrop; Wardrobe; Body Art Jen Raven
Photography; Lighting; Body Art; Editing Todd Powers
Makeup Design; Hair Styling Ande Castaneda
Concepts Model Jessica Bertrand
"The Bee Keepers" Project; Venetus Series

So many test shoots in such a short time: Our team has made a real effort, over these last nine months, to learn new techniques and test new ideas with each shoot. We've come a long way! In order to further raise awareness about CCD, our team made the decision to show all of our in-progress work on social media; even when our tests didn't turn out as planned.

Behind-the-Scenes: Test Shoot 'Blue Bee Four'
with Todd Powers, Ande Castaneda, Jen Raven, Aileth Bran

Blue Bee Test: December 2015
Photographer Todd Powers
Body Art Todd Powers, Jen Raven
Backdrop Jen Raven
Model Aileth Bran
MUAH Ande Castaneda

The Bee Keepers: An ongoing collaborative project in conceptual photography
Series One: Venetus (“clothed in blue.”)

Contributing Artists:

Jen Raven (Direction; Design; Backdrops; Wardrobe; Body Art) is an artist in acrylics, assemblage, and the performance arts. She holds a degree in English Literature; her awards include an Arts in the Community Grant from the Arts Council of Kern, and three consecutive Empty Space Awards for Best Gallery Exhibit. Raven has most recently exhibited with Bunny Gunner Gallery, Claremont; The Gallery at the LRC, UCLA Geffen School of Medicine; and Cactus Gallery, Los Angeles. http://www.jenraven.com

Todd Powers (Photography; Lighting; Body Art; Editing) is a concepts photographer with a fine arts background. He studied printmaking, figure-drawing, painting and sculpture at Bakersfield College. Powers has exhibited his photography with Loft Beats, Pomona; Erns Lab, Upland; and with The Gallery at the LRC, UCLA Geffen School of Medicine. His work has been published in Bakotopia Magazine, The Bakersfield Californian, and Fashion Bombshell. http://toddpowersphotography.weebly.com/

Ande Castaneda (Makeup Design; Hair Styling) is a Bakersfield native, working in Southern California. A self taught makeup artist and formally trained photographer, she also holds four various certifications, two Associate's degrees, and is working toward her first Bachelor's degree in English, as well as her Cosmetology license. Her work can be seen in music videos, blogs, movies, and magazines internationally. http://www.andecastaneda.com/

Jessica Alicia Bertrand (Model) lives and works in Southern California. She is best known for her work as a Tattoo Model, though she is adept in various genres, including Art, Nude, and High Fashion. Jessica's recent publications include Tattoo Erotica (International) Magazine, and a book, "The World's Best Tattoo Models" (Akos Banfalvi). Her performance works include The Rendezvous event, several music videos, and a short fan film, "Camp Crystal Lake," Directed by Rickey Bird. Quality time with family is a priority in Jessica's life. In addition to modeling and family, Jessica works full time as a Neuro Rehab Specialist.
To book Jessica for modeling, film, or event: email jessica_b1988@live.com
Jessica on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jessicaaliciabertrand .

Aileth Bran (Model) is a Art/Alternative model living in Bakersfield CA, where she collaborates with many locally-known fine artists, including Todd Powers, Alex Castaneda, Jen Raven and Crysco Nabisco. Her most recent public appearances include the HeArts and Hair for Down Syndrome Runway Show with Atomic Kitten Salon at The Nile, Bakersfield, Oct. 2015. Her work has been published in Project OH! and in Surreal Beauty, Magazines. In addition to modeling, Aileth is an emerging fine artist in acrylics, a four-time participant in the Mental Health Art Show, Bakersfield, and she is currently seeking her tattoo apprenticeship.
Aileth's Modeling Portfolio: http://thegirlwiththewhitehair.tumblr.com/
Fine Art Portfolio: https://www.facebook.com/AilethBran/.

April Musick (Model) is a fine arts model living and working in the Central Valley. She works as a figure model through Project OH! Magazine, in addition to interning for the publication at their local office. April collaborates routinely with many locally-known fine artists, including Todd Powers, Alex Castaneda, and Rusty Hatfield, whose work can be seen from Las Vegas to Dubai, UAE. When April isn't modeling, she enjoys spending time with animals, gardening, and practicing yoga. You can see her collaborative work with other artists at behance.net/rustyhatfield

'Bloom'
Direction; Design; Backdrop; Wardrobe; Body Art Jen Raven
Photography; Lighting; Body Art; Editing Todd Powers
Makeup Design; Hair Styling Ande Castaneda
Concepts Model Jessica Bertrand
"The Bee Keepers" Project; Venetus Series
Collaborative Concept Photography

Our first series in this project, Venetus, is so named for “The color of our planet from far, far away,” to borrow from Regina Spektor. ‘Blue Lips’ was playing, as I was in studio one evening, sketching bees. “Blue. The Most Human Color” stuck in my mind like a mantra, and continued to persist as the project took shape. Our creative team began lighting tests on various body art concepts, late summer 2015, and the project began to evolve from there.

Blue Bee Test: December 2015
Photographer Todd Powers
Body Art Todd Powers, Jen Raven
Backdrop Jen Raven
Model April Musick

Chimara Test: September 2015
Photographer Todd Powers
Body Art Todd Powers, Jen Raven
Model April Musick

It's been especially fun working with model Jessica Bertrand, who discovered she was pregnant, only weeks into the project! Jessica cheerfully agreed to continue working with us, and allow us to capture her gradual transformation, which is wonderful visually and works so well with our project's theme. More sets with Jessica will be released as the project continues.

Safe With Me Test: October 2015
Photographer Todd Powers
Body Art Todd Powers
Wardrobe Jen Raven
MUAH Ande Castaneda
Model Jessica Bertrand

Dressed in Yellow Test: September 2015
Photographer Todd Powers
Body Art Todd Powers
Wardrobe Jen Raven
MUAH Ande Castaneda
Model Jessica Bertrand

Most of my individual work in body painting has lately been themed upon bees, as well. I'm hoping to incorporate some of my traditional brushwork into a future set, in our Bee Keepers series. Stay tuned!

Thank you, Bee Keepers test models: Lucy Cruz; Brenda Lucero; Jessica Franco; Solstice Henna; Jasmine Cervantes; Kaitlin Elisabeth; Theresia Amber; Aileth Bran. Photos by Todd Powers.

Forward Motion

2/21/2015

On February 20th, as part of my exhibit with UCLA Geffen School of Medicine, I gave a talk to the students, in the Gallery at the Learning Resource Center. Below, are some of the notes from my talk, re-worked into a blog. Photos of the talk, portfolio photos of my artwork, and work from our Pas de Berlin series are courtesy of Todd Powers.

My name is Jen, I am a professional artist, and I live with Lupus and Fibromyalgia.
I became symptomatic at age sixteen; I was diagnosed at twenty-seven, and I have since spent the last ten years learning how to navigate a relationship with my illness.

That it is a relationship, or that it can be seen in that light, is a fairly new concept for me; in the early years following diagnosis, I approached Lupus more as a battle to be fought, and initially this was helpful to me (it’s far better to fight, than it is to simply give up). But recently, I’ve been learning how to engage this facet of my life in a more productive manner.

I continue to be surprised at how helpful it actually is --helpful for me and for those around me-- to actively engage this subject: It is helpful to paint about my illness, write about it, talk about it, create conversations about all the ways this illness influences my life and my choices on every level.

For too many years, I’d deliberately avoided doing any of that --Lupus was already taking so much of my time, and I resented it. Lupus had already stolen so much of what used to be my life, and I was angry about it. I wasn’t willing to give her anything she wasn’t already taking from me, by force. I didn’t even want to talk about it.

It took me a long time to see the extent to which my relationships with my illness reflected my relationships with myself, right down to the avoidance, the anger, and the resentment. I realized then, that I had a lot more to work on than just the physical aspects of chronic illness: I needed to do more work on myself, as a person --and along the way I discovered that doing this kind of work, to better myself emotionally, resulted in my doing better, physically. Intrigued, I continued along these lines, and have since continued to improve.

Through my work (painting, writing, assemblage, and collaborations), I began to explore the ways my illness was re-shaping, and forcing me to more closely examine, all of my relationships --with my body, within my mind, and also, my relationships with others.

My relationship with my body

‘The Lines Unread’ belongs to my Silence series. This body of work examines the ongoing transformations in my life, and my work, as a result of living with Lupus and Fibromyalgia.

The works in this series are all mixed-media; inclusions of graphite and ink are particular allusions to loss of function in my hands. Before my illness, pencil and pen were my tools of choice; as my illness progressed, use of such fine instruments became more difficult and painful.

At that time, I let go of keeping a daily sketchbook and handwritten journal, and turned instead to more abbreviated art forms, which required less use of my hands --abstract sketches in crayon, and spoken word --performance poetry.

In addition to the figurative sketches in ink and pencil, many of the works in this series have my poetry written in pencil, ink, or both, beneath or between the layers of acrylic gesso and paint. ‘The Lines Unread’ is the title of my poem, within the painting, bearing the same name.

My relationship with my mind

'‘To Anger’ is part of my Dine-in,Take-out series. The origins of this series reside in a loose collection of abstract crayon sketches, created in 2004 and 05 --the time when my function was most impaired, and sketching often required controlling a single crayon with both hands. Economy of line was critical,

requiring me to work in more direct, less detailed, techniques. Such blunt visual communications left me little space to equivocate, and forced me to terms with emotions long interred, and issues which I had been previously unable to tackle with any honesty.

Lupus and Fibromyalgia forced me to stop --physically and mentally-- for the first time, in my life. Before chronic illness, I had not realized the extent to which I was being driven, by my own pain, anger, and avoidance. The crayon sketches helped me to work through some of that. In 2011, recreating the crayon sketches into paintings helped me to work through a bit more. Writing about this series, at the present, I find myself doing that work, yet again.

My relationships with others

‘The Fruits of Self-Compassion’ belongs to my ongoing narrative series, Reaching. Unlike the works of previous series, which look to the past, Reaching is firmly established in the present, with an eye to the future. The characters in this series express forward motion --reaching for that which is higher, within themselves and in their environments.

As visual elements, the exaggerated shapes and sizes of the hands in these works communicate the complicated relationship I have with my own hands: I no longer take my hands for granted.

I am keenly aware, day-to-day, of what my hands can do --I find myself carefully planning each day’s activities, and routinely mapping out entire weeks or even months in advance; I do this not only to make the best use of my hands, but also to allow for energy levels, mental acuity, and pain management.

There was a time when I didn’t think I’d ever regain function, especially not to this extent. I am deeply grateful for this, and always mindful of what it means, to have hands, and to be able to use them.

Also present in this series are themes of growth, from within. Each of the works in Reaching is inspired, in part, by a particular relationship in my life, which has endured and grown stronger in spite of, or because of, my illness. Life with chronic illness has taught me many valuable lessons, including who my true friends are, and what my true priorities have become. I have also learned how to ask for help; that has never been easy for me. More importantly, I've learned how to receive help --not the same thing.

Forward Motion

In addition to my ongoing solo projects in acrylics and assemblage, I've begun a series of collaborative concept photography projects, with fellow artists in various fields who also seek to tackle painful personal issues through their work.

These collaborations have been highly rewarding: Through these projects, we seek to encourage a determination, within ourselves as well as others, toward courage, healing, and forward motion.

Photos on exhibit with Forward Motion include selections from Pas de Berlin, a series in concept photography, spanning twelve months of collaborative work themed on a seven stage model of the grief and healing process.

The full series guides our viewers through eight different landscapes, breaking down the various stages of grief into visual elements, and creating a narrative of courageous recovery.

Currently on exhibit, are photographs from two of our eight separate sets: Efface, a dance terminology ('shadowed'), describes the frightening pain and guilt often referred to as the second stage of seven; Epaulement ('shouldering') explores the fourth stage --heavy feelings of sad reflection, isolation, and depression.

Pas de Berlin Contributing Artists:

Jen Raven ~ Creative Direction, Concept Artist, Costumes, Properties
Todd Powers ~ Photography and Editing
Ande Castaneda ~ Makeup and Hair Artist
Berlin ~ Dancer / Model

Special thanks to Ted Meyer, Artist in Residence at UCLA Geffen School of Medicine; and to LuAnn WIlkerson, Assistant Dean of Education, UCLA Geffen School of Medicine.

Artist Jen Raven, and LuAnn WIlkerson, Assistant Dean of Education, UCLA Geffen School of Medicine.

Epaulement and Avant

12/29/2014

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More photos from our 'Pas de Berlin' collaboration project, including the creation of Berlin's custom choker, cuff, and 'wings' which followed her through all three looks:

'Epaulement' set, 'Pas de Berlin' series 2014
model Berlin * photographer Todd Powers * MUAH Ande Castaneda
costumes, properties, accessories Jen Raven * concept direction provided by Jen Raven

Creating the choker and cuff accessories for Berlin's costumes:

'Avant' set, 'Pas de Berlin' series 2014
model Berlin * photographer Todd Powers * MUAH Ande Castaneda
costumes, properties, accessories Jen Raven * concept direction provided by Jen Raven

We shot all three of these looks, on two different locations, in one day ~in truth, it was a very long day. To compliment the costume changes, MUA Ande Castaneda also created beautiful, unique concept makeups for each of the three separate looks:

As always, I had plenty of assistance from the Studio Cats:

Follow the links to see more photos from our 2014 'Pas de Berlin' collaboration:
'Danseuse' set
'Joyeux' set
'Coda' set
Behind the Scenes, 'Pas de Berlin'
About the Artists: 'Pas de Berlin'

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Evolution of a dress

12/13/2014

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'Danseuse' set, 'Pas de Berlin' series 2014
model Berlin * photographer Todd Powers * MUAH Ande Castaneda
armor by Todd Powers * dress and shoes Jen Raven * concept direction provided by Jen Raven

Preparation for the 'Danseuse' set of our 'Pas de Berlin' series began several months in advance of the shoot itself. One of my greater concerns was safety: I wanted Berlin to pose en pointe for at least part of this set, which was to be shot outdoors --not an easy task, on its own. To avoid possible injury to Berlin, we decided to lighten the weight of the dress, and shorten the hems (of all seven skirts) by seven or eight inches. It killed me, the thought of cutting up such a lovely dress!

Model Berlin tries the dress with the pointe shoes for the first time. We all agree; the dress is too long and heavy for pointe work, especially outdoors, on uneven ground. The hems must be sheared.

Flashback: Todd and I discovered this dress at a local Goodwill in 2007, and it's been a useful addition to the costume closet ever since --from the Kern River to the cover of Bakotopia Magazine, this dress has been there, done that.

photos by Todd Powers
models Jen Raven, Devin Riane, Jaden Snow

I was loath to cut up such a pretty dress, and wanted to pull a few more great shoots out of it, before getting out the scissors. We asked model Lucy Cruz to do a final shoot with Todd, and I also asked Ande Castaneda to get a shoot in, with model Berlin.

Kern River Shoot
photographer Todd Powers
model Lucy Cruz

After Lucy and Todd were done with the Kern River shoot, the dress was beyond filthy. We gave it a hot shower, then soaked it in the tub with boiling water, laundry detergent, and oxy-clean. After repeated rinses, we wrangled the soaking dress onto a custom Berlin-shaped dress form, to dry. We had created the custom form a few weeks prior:

For our purposes, we made some changes to the recommendations given in this Threads tutorial. We used crumpled newsprint instead of poly-fill, for example. And we fitted a length of PVC pipe in the center, before closing it up at the base.

After the dress dried on the form, it was sparkly-white and fit Berlin's waist like a glove. One more shoot with the pretty dress, as-is, before the alterations:

Thank you, Ande!
Chaise Lounge Shoot
Photographer and MUAH Ande Castaneda
Model Berlin

A lot of work went into the alterations. Close to ten inches came off the hems (all seven hems), and even more came out of the front left side. I airbrushed the dress using fabric paints, and sewed nearly a dozen silk flowers just above the cut. We decided to paint the pointe shoes white, so that they would show up better on camera. After some experimenting with different paints on an older pair, I decided on Wolfe FX body paint in white; it performed the best out of all the paints I had to hand.

Day of shoot: Todd and Berlin nailed it. Our months of preparation totally paid off, and I was doing a happy dance behind the scenes.

'Danseuse' set, 'Pas de Berlin' series 2014
model Berlin * photographer Todd Powers * MUAH Ande Castaneda
armor by Todd Powers * dress and shoes Jen Raven * concept direction provided by Jen Raven

Behind-the-Scenes video of model Berlin, directed and produced by Ande Castaneda

Just before the opening for 'Pas de Berlin' at the TES Gallery, Todd further altered the dress and armor, to fit Lucy Cruz, who modeled the costume at the reception. He added black fabric paint to the dress, and new armor fittings.

Pas de Berlin Reception Shoot
Photographer Todd Powers
Model Lucy Cruz
Armor by Todd Powers

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Evolution of a skirt

11/28/2014

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Leading up to our shoot in Cambria, I had been working on this skirt, on and off, for over a year. And what a fantastic end result! With the right model, MUA, and photographer, a year of piecing and sewing is made well worth the effort.

'Joyeux' set, 'Pas de Berlin' Series 2014
model Berlin * photographer Todd Powers * MUAH Ande Castaneda
scale mail Todd Powers * skirt Jen Raven * concept direction provided by Jen Raven

But long before the construction of this skirt began, the fabric itself was being weathered for me by an unsuspecting army of models; the yardage for both underskirt and over-skirt have provided background,

property, and costume elements for dozens of Todd's photo shoots over the last seven years. This yardage has been through every kind of shoot, from studio to location; this fabric has been dragged through the dirt, drowned in the Kern River, wrapped around models, tacked against two-by-fours, and hung from the rafters.

I often prefer that my costume fabrics be properly worn and weathered before I begin construction; I like the way they drape, and move, after they've experienced the world a bit and have developed some character of their own. There are ways to speed up the weathering process in the shop or studio, but given how much shooting Todd does, it's easier for me to toss my yardage into his props bins, and let the Todd and the models take it from there.

After removing areas that were a bit over-worn, or torn, and cutting out the largest pieces for the two main sections of the over skirt: The smaller and connecting portions of the over skirt were pieced together using scraps culled from the remaining lace yardage. Over sixty different bits of lace were pieced together, to create the entire over skirt, which also has ribbon channels sewn into the front and back, so that it may be ruched higher for a different look. The three-tiered tail addition to the skirt, which is detachable, required an additional two dozen pieces of lace yardage for it's overlay. All of the trim was sewn on by hand. A black cotton underskirt, beneath the blue polyester skirt, provides stability and comfort for the entire garment --three skirts in all.

Of course, Studio Cat had her part to play, in this costume's construction:

I set out to create an elaborate costume piece that would adjust, to fit many different sizes; the side laces can be drawn tight or let out, and the box pleats in back can easily be let out or taken in; the waist in the cotton underskirt is quilted, partly due to the piecing of the lace yardage on top; this waist is strong, and holds basting stitches easily, so there is no damage to the outer skirts. Also, for the purposes of this shoot, the hem of the skirt was raised a full six inches --again, easily done thanks to the cotton underskirt, and no damage done to the delicate, weathered polyester. This skirt stood up to a romp in the ocean and the climb of a massive boulder, on location:

BTS: 'Pas de Berlin ' team on location in Cambria, Ca 2014
photographer Todd Powers * model Berlin * MUAH Ande Castaneda
scale mail Todd Powers * skirt and accessories Jen Raven
concept direction provided by Jen Raven

'Joyeux' set edits, 'Pas de Berlin' series 2014. photos and editing by Todd Powers

Want more? Full collection of BTS photos from 'Pas de Berlin' here!
Read more about this year-long project here and here!

Todd creating the scale mail top for our 'Joyeux' set

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Pas de Berlin: Behind the Scenes

11/9/2014

Our exhibit opens this weekend at The Empty Space Gallery, and we can finally share all of our behind-the-scenes photos, collected over the last twelve months!
This has been an incredible adventure. I love these people, I've loved working with them, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with them on this project.

Behind-the-Scenes photos from location shoots two, three, and four,
Hart Park, CA. April 2014:

BTS photos from location shoots seven and eight,
Cambria, CA. September 2014:

BTS photos from in-studio shoots one, five, six, and nine,
The Raven's nest, CA. Nov. '13 - Oct. '14:

Lovely Behind-the-Scenes video footage captured and edited by Ande Castaneda:

'Pas de Berlin' Photography Exhibit
Photographer: Todd Powers
Model: Berlin
Makeup and Hair Artist: Ande Castaneda
Concept Direction, Costume and Set Design: Jen Raven

Read more about this exhibit here!

Costume armor collaboration

6/23/2014

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Over the last six months, Todd has been teaching himself the art of crafting costume armor pieces out of foam. He's starting to get pretty good at it, and he's just received his first commission request.

I am collaborating with Todd on this project; we discussed what our client requested, and I drafted a master pattern for the arm guards, which I then copied onto a square of canvas, to create a sturdy template.

Todd will use the template to cut and mold foam pieces for the arm guards; he will do the majority of the work on them, from here.

Progress photos, drafting the pattern:

Todd is nearly finished with the arm guards. His progress:

The arm-guards are nearly finished.

It's time for me to step in again, and help complete the guards. Studio Cat is on hand, to supervise.

Before I stitch the pleather trim together to form straps, I'm sure to wipe a bit of silicone spray over the top of the trim, so that the pleather doesn't catch on the presser foot and wreck the tensions --and break my machine. I learned that lesson the hard way, a few years back!

After the pleather becomes straps, I sew on the buckles, then we sew and epoxy the straps to the guards. We add grommets to the straps, Todd pops in the LED lights, and Studio Cat gives her final approval. The project is complete and the client is ready for Labyrinth Masquerade!

More progress photos:

Rawr! Client Claire Rock is ready for the Labyrinth Masquerade.

Follow Todd on Facebook, to see more costume armor and other projects.

Follow my Facebook page, to see more of Studio Cat.

pay attention to me! sized on Make A Gif

make animated gifs like this at MakeAGif

"I'm so much cuter than that costume armor. Pay attention to ME."

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taming the stash

12/29/2013

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Dust is a real problem in Bakersfield; fabrics and other materials often need storage options that will keep the dust out, between projects. For several years, my stash solution was plastic storage bins, on the studio closet shelf:

These bins are heavy and awkward; I found myself avoiding sewing projects, just because I didn't want to wrangle the storage bins. So I decided to make a change.

First, I gave the studio books a new home in another room, to clear the shelf I wanted:

If I want to store my fabrics on a shelf, I need to transform that shelf into a dust-free cabinet. I asked Todd for his input; we decided on clear sliding doors. That way, it would be easy to see what I had on hand.

First, Todd re-purposed some old screen framing into sliding-door tracks:

We used 5-minute epoxy to fix the tracks to the shelf, top and bottom:

A double-row of repurposed screen framing, top and bottom, to hold the doors:

Studio Cat 'helping' with the project:

While Todd and Studio Cat finished the tracks, I pulled plastic sheets from several old poster frames, to create our sliding doors:

We measured and marked the plastic, and then cut it to size with the hot knife. We used a large scrap of old mat board to protect the cut table from the hot knife:

Once the plastic was cut, it fit right into the tracks, no problem.

After cutting, we used the epoxy to fix that scrap of mat board to the back of the shelf, to keep the dust out. Then we moved my fabric stash into its new cabinet:

Now my fabric is eye-level; it's easy to see and reach. The doors slide to either side,
or can be easily removed and replaced, if necessary.

I don't have to wrangle those heavy fabric bins, any more.

This entire project was done in one evening, with re-purposed materials we had on hand. Didn't cost a dime. No more pulling heavy bins down from high shelves.

This project has been approved by Studio Cat.

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Caught in a river of crinoline skirts

8/13/2013

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My first Red Carpet at Costume College!

How did I wind up in this line?!

After five years of watching, this year I jumped in, though not voluntarily: Every year we go down early to catch a good spot, take photos and see the costume parade. This year, I had planned a costume, but didn't finish it in time.

Studio Cat, 'helping' me with my costume, which, partly thanks to all her help, was unfinished in time for CoCo.

I decided to bring my Dia de los Muertos outfit instead, for the night of the Red Carpet, but I was definitely not planning on walking; I just wanted to watch.

Because painting my face took longer than I had planned, we were late to arrive, and it was crowded. We were trying to make our way to the end, where we could catch the best shots; there was a bottleneck at a narrow part of the hall, and somehow I got stuck in the line --definitely not on purpose-- and then I couldn't get out; I was surrounded on all sides by a fast-moving river of crinoline skirts, poufy sleeves, and fantastic wigs.

I was caught between THIS:

And THIS:

I realized that, if I wanted to make a run for it, I'd have to push past someone's beautiful costume and possibly smudge it with my face paint. I was trapped. And where was Todd? He'd escaped ... and he was laughing his ass off, at me. Cameras were snapping everywhere and people were asking me questions about my paint and I realized with horror that I was caught, and in line with some of the most amazing costumes in the room --and I'm wearing a nine dollar dress from Ross.

Coming out of the bottleneck in the hall and realizing, with horror, that I am in the line.

As soon as I could escape, I did. I doubled back to a safe corner where I wouldn't have to worry about getting paint on anyone, and fortunately ran into a few friends, who laughed at my discomfiture, and one of them told me that nobody could see me blushing, because I was wearing paint. Good point.

With Patty at the Red Carpet; her costume is divine!

This experience was especially intimidating to me, because it was the best Red Carpet I've ever seen at CoCo ... or anywhere else, for that matter. I must not have been the only one who thought so, because not long after CoCo was over, one of our more well-known members, Jennifer Rosbrugh, posted this comment on facebook:

"With all the chatter about Costume College & the great weekend we just had, I want to point out that this event is for EVERYONE -beginner & experienced alike. Seems CoCo is producing more & more fabulous hall costumes that can be quite intimidating even for us who've been around the block for years. This was not always the case. The event is for education and sharing, not trying to one-up another costumer. So as you make plans to come in 2014, remember you are very welcome -no matter what your skill level. More info: http://costumecollege.net/ ."

I really appreciated Jennifer's posting that. The parade of awesome is inspiring, but can also be a bit daunting. It's nice to be reminded that we all have to begin somewhere.