For many years now, models Brenda Lucero and Lucy Cruz have been including Todd and me in their annual celebrations of Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.  This year's collaborations were both managed and directed by Lucy and Brenda, who handled all of the research, scheduling, wardrobe, accessories, props, and design themselves.  All I had to do this year was paint, and edit.  Saved me a lot of energy.  Thank you Brenda and Lucy!

This year was especially fun because I got to paint Brenda's daughters.  They both did great on set, and I had a blast working with them. 

Photographer Todd Powers * Sugar Skulls Jen Raven 
Editing Jen Raven & Todd Powers
Wardrobe & Hair Brenda Lucero
Direction & Design Lucy Cruz

I love these kids so much --and so does the camera!

I love the way these girls love each other.  At one point Todd caught some beautiful shots of them playing on set.  These are my favorites of the entire shoot.

This year's DdlM shoots were also special because they included photographer Fortino Alvarez --in front of the camera, for a change, rather than behind it.

Photographer Todd Powers * Sugar Skull Jen Raven
Editing Jen Raven & Todd Powers
Models Lucy Cruz and Fortino Alvarez
Direction, Design, Wardrobe Lucy Cruz

Model Brenda Lucero knocked it out of the park this year, with her powerful and personal tribute to her beloved Aunt Rosie, who recently passed away.  Brenda sketched out an original design for her Sugar Skull, which included the dandelions art that Brenda and I have been using in our ongoing series, "Fly Away Home."

Slideshow of "Fly Away Home" can be viewed in my Forward Motion Gallery.

Brenda shared with us her fond memories of playing BB guns with Aunt Rosie, on her Grandparent's ranch.  Rosie loved all of her nieces and nephews, enjoyed playing with them and loved to spoil them.  Brenda  asked us if it would be ok to include BB guns as props, in Rosie's memory.  Also especially for Rosie, we included extra roses, her Father's Sombrero, and a rose ring, gifted to Brenda from Rosie eleven years ago.

Sometimes these shoots make me tear up a little.  They are so personal and beautiful.  I am honored to be included in these lovely tributes. 

Photographer Todd Powers * Sugar Skull Jen Raven
Editing Jen Raven & Todd Powers
Model Brenda Lucero * Direction, Design, Wardrobe, Properties Brenda Lucero

Thank you Brenda, for allowing us to collaborate with you on such a personal project!  We love you! 

So many good things in progress right now --Yay!

It's been an especially busy week at The Raven's Nest; we continue to work through photo tests of body painting and costumes for our ongoing project, The Bee Keepers.  In addition to this, I am delighted to report that I will be joining Cactus Gallery's annual tiny works exhibit, "Tiny Treasures X." Exhibit runs November 14 through December 23.

For this exhibit, I've created a new body of tiny works, titled "In Life."  I've borrowed this title from the quote, "In life, we are in death;" I am always appreciative of this reminder to live each day to the fullest.  These are functional artworks --wearable hair and clothing accessories which have bar pins and/or alligator clips on back. 

Also for this exhibit at Cactus Gallery, I've added three new tiny works to my ongoing series, "Flight."

I am a lifelong fan of the works of Roald Dahl.  My tiny work  "A Golden Phizzwizard" is a nod to Dahl's "The BFG."  If you have not read about The Big Friendly Giant, pick up a copy and read it with your kids; it's terrific fun!  

"A Golden Phizzwizard" measures 3x3" and has a sawtooth hanger on back.

Also for "Tiny Treasures X" are works "We Get By (with a little help from our friends)" and also "Guess What (chicken butt!)."

"We Get By (with a little help from our friends)" measures 4.5x3.5" and has a sawtooth hanger on back.  "Guess What (chicken butt!) measures 2.5x3" and also has a sawtooth hanger:

Included, in this busy week; Todd and I have been working with our neighbor, Terri, and with model Aileth Bran, to find homes for two scrappy little survivors we've dubbed Zack and Dragon:

Above:  Model Aileth Bran wearing a creation by Jen Raven, and posing with kittens Dragon (orange, left) and Zack (brown, right).

Their mother was a feral; the litter was abandoned; a stray dog attacked the litter:  Only two of the five kittens survived the attack --somehow they managed to escape unscathed, and Terri eventually found them, hiding in her grapevines.  Terri is fostering them and providing for their Veterinary care; Todd and I have given them Dawn dish soap flea baths, as they were too young for flea medication; and we are now working with Terri to find forever homes for these adorable little fuzzbutts.  Model Aileth Bran volunteered to pose with them, this week, in order to help us get the word out. 

Model Aileth Bran wearing creations by Jen Raven, posing with kitten, Zack.

Both of these adorable kittens are five weeks old, male, and have had their first Vet visit and first shots.  They are free of worms and fleas; their current foster, Terri, has pledged to pay for additional anti-parasite treatments AND will pay to have them neutered, when they are old enough.  If you would like to meet one of these little cuties, and perhaps give him a forever home, please contact Terri at 661. 833. 2675.  Thank you!

Below:  Aileth Bran models "In Life" pieces, created by Jen Raven.

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.   

In spite of my feeling flustered, it was still a fantastic night:

Black and White ... and Red all over.

Hola, amigos! 

And then, there was THIS . . .

**head explodes from too much awesome**

Because I made us late, we didn't get photos of all the costumes this year.  Fortunately, CoCo has a great Flickr album posted, from that night: 
http://www.flickr.com/groups/costumecollege/ 

There are plenty of other photo collections online as well:

http://historicalsewing.com/costume-college-2013-review

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151838632082034.1073741826.81722877033&

http://glittersweatshop.typepad.com/sassy_feet_blog/2013/08/a-celebration-of-costumers.html

Dia de los Muertos celebration at First Friday Art Walk, Bakersfield CA.