Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Leather Vest

Outfit--Vest: Thrifted, Tank: Thrifted & Alternative Apparel, Jeans: BDG, Boots: LF, Necklace: LF, Bracelet: Madewell
I feel like half of my posts have some sort of apology for never posting and a promise of posting more. Unfortunately, this post is no different and if I'm quite honest, it definitely will not be the last. Sometimes, it's just a little difficult to manage a blog. I've also been pulled a bit away recently since I've been casually writing for the Fashion Section of my university's newspaper, the Maroon News (I switch off from the fashion spotlight to the fashion column). I've been considering posting small snippets from that here, but I'm still up in the air about that. I'm also not even certain that's allowed.
Nonetheless, I am here now to present to you some horrible pictures of me. I mean, I know I look amazingly sexy in all of these photos. I really can't help myself. My favorite is the last picture of the back of my vest. I just don't quite understood how NOT to take a completely unattractive photo from the back that also makes me look fat. Speaking of my vest, let's talk about the outfit.
Obviously, the highlight of this outfit is the vest. I bought it a couple years ago when I was thrifting with another blogger Wendy from Hand It Over. I saw it and thought it was silly, but it was only $5, so why not? I believe it was a great investment. I recently wore it to an American Themed Party, and I'm ready to pull it out for any white trash party I'm invited to. I would complete this look with a wife beater, black-eye, and some fake tats (aka tramp stamps). But on this day, I decided to wear this normally costume vest out in the daylight. Therefore, I paired with my favorite plan grey tank that I bought thrifting one day and a pair of good old jeans.
I must apologize, this post was pretty lame. But I swear that I have some pretty big news to share with you. I just need to take some pictures to do a post!! Hopefully I'll write again super soon while I procrastinate during my midterm studying!


Sunday, February 12, 2012

Young Artists: Ellie Kantor


Ellie is a sophomore and Spanish-Studio art double major at Colgate University from Armonk, NY. I was wandering through  Little Hall, Colgate's Art building and student art gallery, when I saw Ellie's beautiful self-portrait (which is included in the images below). After seeing this, I hunted her down and after a forgotten drunken conversation about doing a post on her, she answered some questions for me....

When did you start getting involved in studio art?
I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. It was never really something I discovered I liked to do...I just always did it. I took any and every art class I could fit into my schedule in highschool. 
How do you choose your subjects and where do you find your inspiration?
Something different inspires me every day...the subjects I "choose" are those inspirations that manage to stick in my head and take shape. A lot of times I get inspirations that slip away.
How has your style changed, especially with your transition from high school to college? Do you find it difficult to continue with this interest in college?
My style changes all the time...I like to experiment. And art is what keeps me afloat at school. I need to produce something outside of and separate from the essays and tests I am obliged to complete...just being a student is never enough. We all have ways to escape it...
machine
This was my favorite piece of hers. Love the details and the overall look. Definitely a fan of her pen-work
Looking at your work, you use many different media. Do you have that you prefer or feel the most comfortable with?
My preferred medium changes pretty regularly. I go through phases.
I personally have not encountered much digital art before. What are your feelings towards this art form and what do you think can bring to the artistic world?
Digital art appeals to my obsessive compulsive side...there is something so pristine and captivating about digital art. Also I sometimes think this might be the direction I continue in on a professional level in the future simply because of how realistic it is in our day and age. Graphic design could be my ticket into thousands of other professions. I'm excited to see where it can take me and where technology will take art in the future. It's hard to predict and amazing to think about- like do you think anyone in electronic music could have predicted Dubstep ten years ago?
balerina babiesDo you have a favorite artist/artwork?
 I don't have a favorite artist but I think I could stare at Van Gogh's "Starry Night" for hours. I'm a sucker for the moon.
Tell us about a current piece you are working on.
I am trying to plan a series of images of moments, including quotes. Mostly I am basing off of things I overhear and some from my own life. It's a work in progress but it's looking like it could be similar to the concepts done by Lichtenstein.
How would you describe style (clothing wise)?
I don't know how to describe my style really. Some people have compared me to a hippie but I don't think that makes sense....Anyways I like to wear clothes that I feel both comfortable and attractive in. I don't have a favorite brand in particular but I have become quite trendy as I get older to be honest...clothing is fun. I like recreating the styles of things I see in magazines or catalogs. I love the photography they do for free people in particular.
falllWhat color would your shadow be?
My first thought was to say my shadow would be purple, but my favorite color is blue.

The self-portrait I discovered wandering around

See more of Ellie's work here on her Flickr 

Check out previously featured Young Artists
If you are or know of a Young Artist that you think should be featured contact me at rachelheisen@gmail.com

Monday, February 6, 2012

I Suck at Photography

Outfit--Sundress: Aritzia, Cashmere Socks: Madewell, Boots: LF, Necklace: JCrew,  Military Jacket: Thrifted from Wasteland
Hey sorry y'all for not posting for like ages and ages. Actually, let's be honest I have no readers, so right now I'm apologizing to my imaginary readers, which are just a bloggers version of imaginary friends. Although I have been trying to keep wearing innovative and fun outfits, despite reentering college life where comfort is valued so highly, I have not found a good photographer to record these amazing outfits (ok so they really haven't been That great). Why? you may ask, have I failed to find a proper replacement for my nine year old niece? Well, besides the fact that my niece is going to be a famous photographer, it's actually pretty awkward to ask people to take a picture of my outfit as I pose even more retardedly (don't yell at me for the political incorrectness of that word). 
And ultimately it's my awkward posing that's the real culprit of my lack of posts. I actually asked my friend the other day to take a picture of me and I ended up looking so horrible that they were just unusable. So right now, I am presenting you with some very very old pictures. Now, I was originally planning on lying to you and pretending like these are actually new, but I could just see someone calling me out on how my hair crew like 3 inches in a week (HA like anyone could care enough about my blog to notice that). 
But on to my life. One of my classes this semester is Photography I. I've never taken a photo class before--I'm more of a painting and drawing type of girl--but it's been a dream since 8th grade. Unfortunately, it looks like I should have kept it as a dream rather than a reality, because I SUCK at it. Let's walk you through my failures of developing my first roll of film. First, after taking some random 10 shots before class in the biting cold, I open the back and realize that I forgot to rewind the film (in case you didn't know you can't expose film to light so by doing that I ruined my last couple photos), then I couldn't open the canister with the bottle opener, then while trying to put the film on the spool I crinkled the edges until I ruined the film and my professor just took it from me and did it herself. After I thought the whole nightmare was over, it turned out that most of the photos didn't come out because I didn't read the light reader correctly!! From where I stand right now, it looks like I'm not made out to be a photographer and I fear that Photo I will be my worst grade in college. I know it sounds bad, but honestly I'd rather withdraw than have an art class bring down my GPA. 
So now you can see where the title of my post came from. I fail at photography because A) I can't manage to keep up the photo element of this blog so basically the blog fails and B) because I fail at my photography class. But I vow to improve in both these elements of photography right now. In fact, I will go to my room and practice my posing RIGHT NOW (jokesss), but I actually will go in and practice the whole spool thing tomorrow. I really don't want to fail Photography. WISH ME LUCK!
OMG I look ridiculous
My I'm ashamed look for using ridiculously old photos