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

                                       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.  

2012 © Dan Krauss

All Rights Reserved

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?

2012 © Dan Krauss
All Rights Reserved
Dankraussphoto.com

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*

*It's all an ArtgirLsy Whirlsy*

Fashion Fo ShoW...ArtgirLsy Trashion Debut

"POW, POP, WHIZ!!!!!"  The ArtgirLsy* Trashion line debuted last weekend, in collaboration with The Unincorporated Life clothing line, at The Unincorporated celebration at their clubhouse warehouse space downtown.  The fashion show was a fusing together of looks from both companies, with fun flourescents, feathers, repurposed denim, plastic, and tee shirt, bone, corks, cardboard tubes and more.  The models were rolling down the runway with pizazz, flow and groove, some held cartoon word bubbles of sayings like "LOVE WHIZ", "WATCH OUT NOW" and "POP ART", they danced (to the Entrance Band, Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger and The Guess Who) 

 

down the runway with ease and had a ball with it...then came off the runway and posed in front of a cardboard, wood and paper bag constructed set...making the colorful clothing and the beauties stand out amongst the brown background, that came complete with a dress form wearing a paper bag weaved dress and yarn head.  

After the models, the designers, Artgirlsy (Jamia Weir) and Summer Salazar of Unincorporated, strutted their stuff wearing their own designs, 

Artgirlsy in a primary colored spot dress made out of a Twister mat, and Summer wearing an upcycled tee shirt dress with back made of repurposed birkenstock leather sandles...

they were the conductors and led the models off and then back on the runway.  Everyone danced and photoshoots in cardboard set and other backdrops followed.  The models couldn't have been sweeter and more fun!!!  Everyone looked and felt amazing that new moon...what a magical night.  

Shane in Artgirlsy repurposed denim vest, yellow tula skirt, feather earrings, plastic bag cuff and necklace.

Helgar in beautiful Unincorporated designed knitted top made by Sasha Ross of Blankey Industries...Sasha also teaches knitting and crochet both privately and for Hands On 3rd.  AND she just made the knitted tuxedo for Jason Segal in 5 Year Engagement which premiered this weekend as well as other sweaters for the movie!  Stay tuned for another wearable art show featuring knitted couture!

Grace Menendez of Your Grace yoga and massage wearing Artgirlsy denim vest and plastic bag skirt!

Kacia in see through jumper by Unincorporated, headband and handpainted sunglasses.

Cat wearing Artgirlsy tube top and denim scrap skirt, cork feather earrings and sunglasses by Uninc. 

Alicia wearing Artgirlsy cork belt, denim vest and necklace, guitar pick earrings

Artgirlsy's dress made from Twister mat and Kacia's skirt made from vintage board game mat from "The Game of Love", silkscreened tee shirt with signature Artgirlsy "eye flowers" and vintage bow applique. 

Thank you to everyone for everything!!!!  Check out a video of the fashion show and arty party at www.unincorporatedmagazine.com

STOP TALKING AND START DOING!!!!!  Whoop whoooooooop!

xoxo

ArtgirLsy*

*Photographers:  Monching Flores (www.pbase.com/monflores), Vincent Tabora

*Models:  Grace Menendez, Samantha Sergeant, Shanelle Smith, Helgar Graham, Kacia Nowakowski, Alicia Brower, Cathy Cai, Kate Arney Cimino, Sandra

*Art Happening on the New Moon*

you're invited...*always happen ; )

love,

ArtgirLsy*

Chalkboard paint skirt

Watch out now...

getting ready for her *trashION show*thank goodness for spring break!! Yes, that is a top made of materials such as: plastic bags, caution tape, old tee shirt and denim!!! xoxo ArtgirLsY

The Unincorporated Life Presents: A Spring Cleaning Trashion Show

Artgirlsy, in collaboration and cooperation with The Unincorporated Life is brewing up a bubbling cauldron of intoxicating creativity, a delicious umbrella of unparalleled wearable art, under the term "trashion", in a warehouse maze scene that is going to feed the eyes. When artists create clothing, not only is it a fashion show, but it's an all around art happening, filled with all kinds of visual art, music, food, performance art, and a trashion art show...fashion show of clothing made from repurposed fabrics, recycled materials such as plastic, denim and paper.

small sneak peek from the Artgirlsy lab:

A Spring Cleaning Trashion Show is on the new moon, April 21st, 2012, at 7 pm, located at The Unincorporated Life clubhouse, 2079 E. 15th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021. Mark your calenders, you won't wanna miss this.

xoxo

ArtgirLsy*

Painting ArtgirLsy painting herself

The Isis Invitational at Nola's downtown LA this past Sunday was a blast!! I've never seen such amazingly cool earrings...and OH am I an earring fan! There were awesome artists, both visual and musical, cool vendors toting wares of the some of the raddest jewelry I've seen in awhile, clocks made of records and more! I wish I could've shopped around more, although I did get a beautiful pair of earrings from "Native Sol", the boutique in Long Beach who was there representin.' The Isis was hosted by Rikyrah Snow and Ashley-Dominique who threw down an amazing presentation...I love how it was women centered and goddess inspired...that allowed me to feel free in my own presentation. I've really been getting into performance art at these types of shows lately...so I decided to do a surprise art piece. I made a skirt and then painted it with gesso, so it became a canvas of sorts...a canvas I wore!

ARTGIRLSY IS A CANVAS. People painting me wearing the skirt, I was painting myself..simultaneously I was working on the most mixed media and textural collage I've ever done probably, out of many of my scraps of fabric and paper from other art projects, as well as tape, wire, yarn, push pins, plastic bags, etc.

Here is a picture of my friends Dax Mafesi (of "Chocolate Girls" fame and the Yupnows, look for that chocolate video on you tube....I make a funny cameo in it!) and my new girl, Three, an amazing artist and incredible woman. I really enjoyed hanging with them and creating art side by side. This picture shows a homemade stencil being printed on the back of the skirt.

A couple of blank canvases....and now filling it in myself....!

One finished piece...upcycled art.

This looks a lot like my work space at home now which has taken over the kitchen! Thanks boyfriend for not getting mad!!!! I love where my art is taking me....Thanks to the women and men at the Isis Invitational for lettin' me do my thang freely. I am going to extend an open invite to you all in my next art happening, fashion centered, coming soon in collaboration with the Unincorporated Life....stay tuned for that...more info to come. Thanks ya'll!!!!

xoxo

ArtigirLsy*/Jamia