Next up, a dive into the symmetries, colours and layering of 1910s ballet costumes, notably designs by Léon Bakst for Ducas’s ‘La Péri‘.

Snow chick, quick sketch.

Work to progress.

1900-1905 Pendant by Georges Fouquet, Paris.  Opal Mosaic, Plique-à-jour enamel, diamonds in yellow gold.

A week glimpsing a fraction of ‘real‘ history to fit in with the project’s fiction.

It has been an privilege to work alongside live pieces of Fouquet’s Art in their Burlington Arcade setting. Subtleties such as textural and colour details could be observed from handling the pieces first hand in the view to making the ‘results‘ as accurate as possible… The experience has overall widened the range of techniques in my vocabulary to be used in future, although some aspects were challenging!  A suivre…

Much gratitude to Hancocks, London, for their ongoing inspiration and support: http://www.hancocks-london.com/acatalog/info_MEM115958AM.html

“Hancocks is like a museum except with one huge advantage; the display is constantly changing and if you have the means, you can take the pieces away with you!”

Poiret will be a source for design in the coming weeks: as he transformed radical ‘Ballet Russes’ costumes into innovatively unstructured and brightly embellished fashions, Paris followed and gradually, well, the Americas and colonies.  His clothes freed women from corsets while evoking exotic, non-Western cultures and a new alternative to conventions. 

Always following Man Ray, I am less  familiar with his portraits.  Here he captured the philanthropist and art collector Peggy Guggenheim wearing Paul Poiret, Jhumka drop earrings, probably from India.  Deep gaze and stunning silhouette.  

If  eyes ‘don’t fail me now…’, estimated finish date, Circa 2012.

‘Senna‘

Far from being a romanticised Hollywood biopic, ‘Senna‘ is a montage of original footage from Ayrton Senna’s career.

Brilliantly told, the story traces the Brazilian driver’s rise and determination within his field.  Interviews and conversations are recorded and played over imagery, which, with the foresight of Senna’s fate, are poignant and bear much weight.

Regardless of any current interest for motor-sport, the changes in the cars’ designs, technology, the clothing and the archival feel of the photography in the film are captivating and they can be observed chronologically.

A must see, especially if anyone, like me, remembers their dreams of becoming the first and best woman racing driver in the WORLD at the age of six.

]]> http://www.carolinekernick.com/2012/01/senna/feed/ 0 http://www.carolinekernick.com/2012/01/variety/ http://www.carolinekernick.com/2012/01/variety/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:30:08 +0000 Caroline http://www.carolinekernick.com/?p=350

Work in progress.

This might serve as a suggestion of the final piece? ‘La Danse de L’Eau’. Estimated finish date, Circa 2015.

Today’s transfers, tomorrow’s paintings.

Totally unrelated, I can dabble! Available for commissions.

(Prefered research involves YouTube videos of world-class boxing. )

Work in progress, archive photograph ?