ArtgirLsy WhirLsy*: ArtgirLsies dance down Ruckus Roots Runway

photos of Summer Salazar in Artgirlsy* courtesy of Kit Pearson Photography

The Ruckus Roots Trashion show a few weeks ago was absolutely amazing, from the setting, under a freeway overpass in downtown Los Angeles, at Wild Honey Studios, to the other trashion designers, especially Psycho Girlfriend, Marina Debris, Robin Banks and Kate Havens of Antfarm LA, the beautiful announcer Esjay and VJ Annapurna whose artwork graced the screen, to my beautiful models (especially my pal and fellow designer Summer Salazar of The Unincorporated Life and first timer, young gun Tatiana--ArtgirLsy loves makin' dreams come true!)...so many awesome and talented people involved helped this event to bring the BOOM. The message spoken by the Ruckus Roots champion Christine Spehar and Taryn Hipwell of EcoDivas rocked my world, especially as an art teacher who tries her hardest to really incorporate upcycling and recycled materials into student projects...the Ruckus Roots mission of environmental awareness and creativity using and reusing what we have was clear. Michael Menert of Pretty Lights rocked the after party and everyone couldn't help but bust a move on the dance floor.

Awesome article about the event here: Thanks to LAArtParty and White Hot Magazine!

So so many amazing looks and wearable art to talk about, some of my favorite were utilizing metal cooking strainers, caution tape, sporks and styrofoam...too many to name and picture (especially considering it took me this long to blog! Hey, I'm workinnnnn on iiiiiit!!!!) - So I'm just going to focus on talking about my own Artgirlsy looks.

The one also shown above worn by Summer, features this really cool belt made out of cardboard tubes...now these tubes are really sturdy and hard, so you can actually play it like a xylophone with drumsticks or wooden spoons! I made these with my students after school and ended up giving one to the 3rd grade percussionist drum kid we have who loves playing it. It's so cool, he brought it home and now his teenage brother can't keep his hands off of it apparently. They're a very musical family. Anyway, the outfit primarily consists of the cardboard tube belt and necklace, the denim skirt from an old pair of jeans and tank top appliqued with a flower girl's dropped petals! Summer is a trained ballerina among many other amazing talents, and she strutted and danced her way down the runway, making music and art as she went.

2012 © Dan Krauss
All Rights Reserved
Dankraussphoto.com

Check out the amazing artwork on the screen behind Summer. This is from a drawing I did of my signature psychedelic eye flowers that Annapurna Kumar created especially for me! She added color and movement to the black and white line drawing on paper, taking it up about a thousand notches. I love what she did!!! Thank you Annapurna!

2012 © Dan Krauss
All Rights Reserved
Dankraussphoto.com

Here I am backstage with models Summer Salazar and Tatiana. Tati wears my tank top and skirt made from fused together plastic bags ("Out of the Closet", "BLICK Art Materials", etc.) and caution tape, lined with old tee shirts. She (and other models) held paper cartoon word bubbles with different messages on front and back like "POP Art" "Artgirlsy Trashion" and "Watch OUT NOW"!!! She is also wearing a paper clip and tape necklace. I am so proud of Tati, she rocked it beautifully, professionally and held her own with much older girls who have done this many times before. Thank you to Tati (and her amazing mother Tiffany who helped out immensely)!!!!

2012 © Dan Krauss
All Rights Reserved
Dankraussphoto.com

2012 © Dan Krauss
All Rights Reserved
Dankraussphoto.com

This vest was made from a denim jumper dress that had everything done to it...it was cut up the middle and a V shape in back, bleached, neon paint splattered, appliqued with vintage lace on the straps, sewed other denim scraps to it and printed with bubble wrap. It would look adorable with black leggings or short shorts under for summer. Joanna is going to be selling it shortly for me, along with some other vests, at 1616 Cahuenga boutique in Hollywood, CA on Cahuenga Blvd., my old street! What a cute shop 1616 is...many starlettes young and old shop there and even Steven Tyler has been known to wear their gear. There's an infamous leatherman named Calvin there, who has made beautiful leather clothing and accessories for everyone from Jim Morrison to Sly from the Family Stone! Check it out sometime. They have the coolest t-shirts mixed with leather right now that are amazing and ultra-unique.

Photo by Sasha Ross of Blankey Industries

As you may notice, many of the models wore these white, dangly earrings made from thick cue card paper. Yes, I have a friend who is a cue card guy! (I live in LA, what'd ya expect?) He gave me loads of extra cue cards that I've used for much of my own and student artwork. The symbol seen in the cue card earrings is another signature sort of logo and symbol for Artgirlsy. It is a visual representation of the words "yo yo" and achieves a nice image of movement in the simple shapes. I had an entire independent study in college exploring this image in many different mediums.

Beautiful Alicia Brower wears ArtgirLsy denim fringe vest (I wish I had a better photo of the back because it's really cool!) and bib type necklace, along with fender guitar pick and embroidery needle earrings. This vest is already on hold for my actress/model friend but I can make similar one(s) upon request.

2012 © Dan Krauss
All Rights Reserved
Dankraussphoto.com

Photo by Sasha Ross of Blankey Industries

The fierce Shanelle Smith wears a "paper bag" skirt made from a sweater, a wine cork belt, denim and knit necklaces and knitted headpiece made of denim, scrap fabric and an old key. Miss Shane also wears long signature Artgirlsy feather earrings with cork beads.

2012 © Dan Krauss
All Rights Reserved
Dankraussphoto.com

photo courtesy of Sasha Ross of Blankey Industries

Sasha Ross photography

There's a great one of that headpiece and Shane here at Dan Krauss' blog along with some other fantastic pictures of the whole she-bang, with everyone's work...which is totally worth seeing!

Love my sweet models helping each other out. Another repurposed denim look here.

Sasha Ross photography

How 'bout them hand painted boots!!!!

Here we have the chalkboard paint skirt, which was drawn upon with chalk in very teachery writing to say: "To do today: Free Art(girLsy), draw your dreams" and "Happy Summer" on the back. Matching headband and wrist cuff, cue card "yo yo" earrings, sewing rebellion vest with matching apron made from a vintage dress.

2012 © Dan Krauss
All Rights Reserved
Dankraussphoto.com

Come on let's twist again...like we did with Summer!!!!

2012 © Dan Krauss
All Rights Reserved
Dankraussphoto.com

Summer is wearing the shiz out of this Twister dress...a

dress made out of, you guessed it, an old Twister mat, from the classic game we all know and love. She has a fun red cape on with it, yo yo paper earrings, and her own designed Unincorporated Life hand painted psychedelic shades on and holds the Twister game board spinner in hand (there's actually a random snowflake on the back that I made and put there one time and completely forgot about! Oops!). She also has some high heel shoes on that were decorated and appliqued by Artgirlsy as well.

Another look that was made a similar way was this skirt made from a vintage game mat much like Twister, called "The Game of Love". The top is an old Sharon Segal tee shirt silkscreened with the Artgirlsy eye flower design and appliqued with a red bow from an old school bandana. Love these asymmetrical yo yo paper earrings and the game of love game board spinner!

In the photo beneath here you can just make out on the screen in back another artgirlsy logo of the past, symbols of her growth!! - it is a guitar pick hand drawing and says "Artgirlsy: Pick me" on it! I grabbed my two game board girls and my eye flower fabric sculpture for a final runway walk.

Dankraussphoto.com

And you know we haaaaaad to play a little game of Twister there at the end of the runway!!!! I think I actually spun a right foot yellow, my favorite color! Unfortunately, I did not wanna flash anyone since I was wearing a denim skirt I had made, so I think I just pretended it said right hand blue!!! Can you notice the pockets on the blue circles?

Most of the Artgirlsy trashion looks you've seen in this blog, including all jewelry and outfits are going to be for sale on the Artgirlsy etsy page soon. I also take requests and custom orders. Check the blog back soon for updates on etsy shop availability and www.artgirlsy.com is also under construction this summer.

Thanks everyone!!!!!

Peace, Love and Recycle,

xoxo

ArtgirLsy*