The Cat and the Butterflies

The Cat & the Butterflies

Simple artwork, dedicated to my workmate, Phoebe.
Her smile always encourage me and made my days better.
It will never be coincident that we both like cat and purple =p
I love you and this painting is for you and it comes with a message:

" For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made."
~ Psalam 139 : 13-14

You are precious in His sight.

Thank you Lord for allowing us to work together :)

The Phoenix

~ The Phoenix ~ my painting produced on 15th March 2011.

Gothic Calligraphy Homework

It has been aeons... since the last time I really put myself to a certain degree of 'serious' artwork..

Though not exactly up to standard, finally I have managed to get a grasp of writing for A- Z Gothic lettering. Next, I can't wait to learn the Italic writing ~

Doing art work, which rarely did since I took Bachelor Music, was used to be my life for years.. I mean, painting and drawing are my first exposure to arts when I was a little girl. And I used to paint a lot..when I did my School back in Indo and.. during VCE years (Art & Design courses).. But since, I concentrated on music.. I didn't have time and motivation to paint anymore... and yup, I do miss it.While doing this project, the lettering was the hardest to tackle... all the words are supposed to be straight, rigid and in proportion... Mine doesn't ... Yet, I enjoyed during the decoration the most ~ The feeling of using my painting brush again was simply.. 'Zen' .. like what my friend, Len, always mentioned. Painting with brushes, especially in black, is just my forte.. and.. I love it !!!! Hopefully and hopefully... I will get inspired more to pick up painting again.

Art Deco in Fashion

Celebrated as one of the major artistic influence, The Art Deco movement (early 1920s – 1939) was reputable as the period of the unique combination of exoticism and modernity, the great time of experimentation in fashion.

The arrival of Serge Diaghileva and the Ballet Russes in Paris in 1909, was historically mark as the catalyst of the Art Deco period. Pivotal in the development of Art Deco, the Ballets Russes imbued fashion with its colourful and voluptuous aesthetic through the genius of Paul Poiret, who introduced the brilliant and bright colours and exotic garments, related to the Oriental splendour of Leon Bakst’s set and costume designs.

This important period also highlighted the Women’s movement and the thirst for the freedom that led to the radical shift in changing attitudes among women. The modern women of 1920s rebelled against the traditional Victorian values and feminine image. The emancipation of women liberalism also marked the rise of the Art Deco Fashion Icon, known as the Flappers.

The Flappers, ‘the young birds flapping its wings while learning to fly’, wore their hair and skirts short. They used heavy make up, smoke and drink in public, dancing Charleston and escaping from the oppressive tradition.

Masculine forms, streamlined, short hemlines, tubular silhouette, the cloche hat, ‘Charleston’ dress, geometric, angular shapes and designs, rolled down stockings were all the characteristics of the flapper fashion.

With this kind of freedom of movement as priority and concept, designers such as Jean Patou, Madeleine Vionnet and Gabrielle Chanel created the first real style for modern woman. The love of surface embellishment and abstract flourished, innovative seaming, gauzy fabrics, beads and feathers were used in working with silhouette. Menswear concepts and sportswear ideas were also popular.

The progressive time in economy during Art Deco period, the glamorous evening fashion, the era of Jazz Age life and the limelight of the avant-garde, all represented the life of modernity, luxury and leisure, simply, the three key themes of Art Deco Fashion.

Sources:

1. Lussier, Suzanne, Art Deco Fashion, V&A Publications, UK 2003.

2. Art Deco Fashion History, http://www.art-deco-style.com/art-deco-fashion.html

3. Historic Dress: Early Art Deco (1911- 1929), http://char.txa.cornell.edu/art/dress/historic/earlyart/earlyart.htm

4. Decolish,http://www.decolish.com/ArtDecoFashion.html Decolish.com

Written to be Published for :

Nouvelle Entree
(www.nouvelleentree.com)
24th January 2011

Le Renard et les Poulets D'inde

The last time I did painting seriously was in 2003. Glad that I still can do it ^^

Solitary Mood

a man alone, engaging himself into the activity of creating sound,

playing the grand piano in the middle, the focal point of the image.
perhaps, the melody of melancholy or the expression of the so-called nonchalant.
surrounded by the dark brown wall, suggesting a world of darkness.
at the same time, the source of light illuminates the player, emphasising the solitude.

By: Jess Teo

abstract analysis

"What do you think of the picture?" someone asked me..

Well, in my point of view; the first thing that attracts me to this painting is the striking red stroke that forms a shape which dominate the canvas at the centre. It seems like a gate, reminding me of the rigid red gate in the Shinto shrine. Some may view it as a sun, as respected.
The greenish spots with a hint of blue in the background are tree leaves,  concealing some branches , evidenced by the bark of yellowish-brown tree, though partially visible. Another possible reason to support this, is the painting of two bird figures at the corner, top right. The rather, greenish blue figures at the buttom half, left hand side, might be another bird as well. The luminous blue on the buttom right is rather unclear, but it might represents certain plant. The rather black shadow underneath the red gate, might be a hole, a cave or a tunnel. This is the focal point of the painting. Moreover, the horizontal lines against the vertical, first, depicts a brick wall in the back.. then the rest, symbolises tension, mystery and prison. To analyze this, the overall picture seems to portray a world full of complexity (the lines, the uneven colours) and it gets deeper towards the black shadow spot (darkness, hopelessness, secret), beneath the red gate (outer appearance) that seems bold, daring and aggresive. In the foreground, the blue and the green (nature, tranquality) depict the outermost appearance of beauty and light. Thus, from foreground, midground, to background : light to dark, extrovert to introvert, good to bad, strong to weak. The horizontal and vertical lines might just be symbolising confusion within and the perplexity of the world within the painting. Lastly, the black figure could also represents a human being, the self; trapped inside the world of utmost confusion, hidden by the nature and skies, underneath the sun. The gate could aslo be a warning sign. Beside, the slightly light blue figure, connected to the yellowish stroke seems to be somekind of creature, a dragon.. the point is....a picture speaks a thousand word =p

Caricature

The caricature; Don3 Staff - Totoro Kingdom. The usage of iconography represents personnel of Don3 and some other key members.