A Geisha neck painting

I have been looking at more ‘napes’ and also thought about what is happening when the subject is facing away from me the viewer, it could give a sense of loneliness or absorbtion, I can’t engage  the subject. But, I think the subject could also be signaling that this is private, this is my time, I have no time or energy to give to you. So then its me who’s lonely, excluded. I’m not sure where this is taking me but it’s interesting.

While I was looking at images I found these images of  Japanese Miyagawa (?) there are so many different names for these doll like dancers (?) which I think may describe a sort of heirarchy, but I’m not sure so forgive me if I have made a mistake. I think the painting on the neck is used to accentuate the hairline and draw attention to the graceful drape of the kimono collar.  I went to a Bullseye lecture recently, one of the speakers had been an artist in residence in Japan for a while. She said the Japanese were very welcoming, but although they spoke English their culture is so different that it was very difficult for them to understand one another.

© Karen Kasmauski/Corbis

Karen Kasmauski is a photographer working for National Geographic, she did a whole series of these photos. The mirror the girl is using has a Micky Mouse decal on its back.

Kyoto geisha girls. Photograph: Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert

The UK Guardian has a number of articles on the increase in young women training to become Geishas.

Justin McCurry reports from Kyoto on a surge in girls wanting to become apprentice geisha

, guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 25 June 2008

Tuesday 6 December 2005

This is the header from Melissa Chasse’ blog. There are lots of really good photos of Kyoto Miyagawa here. mboogiedown-japan.blogspot.com/ 2007/05/kyo-od..

The formatting has gone to pot but I’m still getting my head round this. Also I’m not sure if you will be able to go directly to the link, if not just cut and paste.

I have had an email from a photographer claiming copywrite of one of the images and demanding money, I thought I had  referenced them properly but apparently not. I’m not sure which image he is referring to but I have deleted all of them and will investigate what I had done wrong in the mean time you will need to look at the images on the websites and blogs referred to. d

Christian De Laubadere

WOI LOOK AT THE HOUSE OF FRENCH ARTIST CHRISTIAN DE LAUBADERE THIS MONTH, HE IS ANOTHER ARTIST WHO HAS LOOKED AT THE BACKS OF WOMENS NECKS. I WONDER IF A MANS NECK IS AS BEAUTIFUL OR COULD KEEP AN ARTIST AS INTERESTED. WHILE HE CALLS THESE THE ‘NECK’ PAINTINGS THEY APPEAR TO CONCENTRATE ON THE HAIR. HE HAS BEEN WORKING ON A COLLECTION OF THESE SINCE 2003. YOU CAN SEE MORE HERE. http://christiandelaubadere.com

unknowable places

Vilhelm Hammershoi painted  these women showing the nape of their necks, they look so vulnerable but also very private. The only time I get to see this part of myself is at the hairdressers every two years. I have been thinking about the body a lot recently, how we are identified, which part of me do I know best? Unconscious and lost, how will I be identified?  I have another appointment at the dentist on Wednesday.

Vilhelm Hammershoi

Silhouette

 

Bowled over

 

Dance

‘Bowled over’ has been photographed with a mirror backing and ‘Dance’ has been photographed with transmitted natural light. The flashed glass is gold ruby in both panels.

 

I want to try to reproduce this effect with painted glass, hence the work on Jelly & Dex.

Plaster moulds for casting

Does anyone know about dry plaster casting? Will this work with glass and does it cause devitrification? I do most of my work in a garage workshop, this is cold and damp so in the winter its almost impossible to make ordinary plaster moulds. I thought I would try this but can’t find anything that explains the process so I am going to make it up. Any advice or ideas gratefully received.

WOMENCENTRESTAGE Showcasing women’s creative talents & fundraising for women’s charities womencentrestage @hotmail.co.uk

 

CELEBRATING

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

MARCH 2009

& supporting oxfam’s women’s projects

AT DYLAN THOMAS CENTRE,

SOMERSET PLACE, SWANSEA SA1 1RR

on FRIDAY 6 MARCH 2009 at 7 pm 

Tickets £3 from 01792 463 980

POETRY, PLAYS, MUSIC, DANCE, VIDEO, TEXTILES, JEWELLERY, CERAMICS, GLASS, BOOKS, SCULPTURE

& 4 – 30 MARCH 2009

WOMEN’S GALLERY  EXHIBITION:

 PHOTOGRAPHS, PAINTINGS,  TEXTILES, GLASS. (free)

see appliqued glass below

 

 

Snow+dogs=fun

I know this is supposed to be a glass&print  blog but I couldn’t resist showing you photos of my dogs. They don’t get many opportunities to play in the snow, this was 9.15 this morning. I know I should be working but all work no play etc. I’m also attaching photos of local kids building a snowman. Everyone was haveing such a good time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I came back and did some work on dog silhouettes so it wasn’t all play. I’m trying out different ways of using photoshop to create stencils to use on my glass. I wanted something like the swimmers on the header bar but this is what I’ve come up with so far.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is jelly and her friend dexter, more work to be done but Jelly is such a comic book dog she lends herself to most things.

Bullseye lecture tour & blog rings.

I seem to still be showing at the creative women show in March, I asked them if the size was an issue but no response, so fingers crossed. 

I am going to the Bullseye lecture tour which is stopping off at Swansea on Thursday, the speakers are Richard Whiteley and Heidi Brachlow. They will be speaking about using colour in glass, mould making and casting, so I can’t wait. I’ll be seeing lots of friends there which is a plus. I’m hoping they will talk about using oxides as I’m still getting variable results especially with manganese despite being really consistent about the flux, quantities, mixing agents and kiln temp. So I must be missing something. I’ll let you know what they have to say.

I’ve been trying to find a glass or art  blog ring to join but no luck so far, I’m not quite sure  how this works but the blogging book I’m reading says this is a must to increase the traffic on the my blog. I don’t seem to be getting much traffic so far but I understand this can take a while. I think I’m probably not setting my links up properly but I’m learning.