Artist of the Week: Egon Schiele

Artist of the Week: Egon Schiele

He's kind of handsome... but also kind of creepy.... 

Schiele was born in Austria in 1890 to a railroad worker of modest means. His mother was an immigrant from Bohemia, and her influence appears in his work in the Eastern European folk costume in that appears again and again in his drawings. In 1906, Schiele moved to Vienna and became involved in the Vienna Secessionist movement, making the acquaintences of artists such as Gustav Klimt and Joseph Hoffmann. Although Schiele's drawings were greatly admired by those in artistic circles, the public considered them obscene. His lifestyle added fire to this already controversial figure: Schiele lived unwed in Vienna with his very young mistress, was well known to hire teenage models, and was at one point arrested for seducing a girl under the age of consent. Regardless of his notoriety, the way the artist was able to capture the human body is one of the most evocative and stunning known to art history.

Portrait von Wally - 1912

  In Egon Schiele is fairly well known compared to some of his contemporaries, but his work is no less moving. Known for his jarring nudes, Egon Schiele is one of the most well-respected Vienna Secessionists today. His work has inspired many designers, illustrators, and artists and it is easy to find contemporary art that seems to be a result of his influence.  Perhaps less obvious, Egon Schiele was a formidable fashion illustrator. Although his work was made as fine art, many of his drawings show clothing with very rich detail and texture. Many of his subjects have a look that might appeal to quaintrelles and neo-romantics today....

Left to right: 1. Red hair and flushed makeup in a provincial shoot from We Heart It  2. Retro Girl! feature in TomoTomo magazine October 2011  3. "Portrait of the Artist's Wife" Egon Schiele 1917  4. Autumnal look from whimsical fashionista Amy Flying a Kite  5. Handmade Autumn Harvest patchwork skirt available from Elyse Originals on Etsy

Because of his Bohemian lineage, many of his drawings have strong references to Eastern European folk dress and lore, which resonates today in dolly-kei styles. 

Left to right: 1. Doll head vase necklace with tiny flowers from MeghaUniqueBoutique on Etsy  2. Off with her head! Doll head rings from Allies Adornments on Etsy  3. A dolly-kei  coordinate by Hitomi from the Grimoire blog  4. Striped-tartan stockings in a victorian-inspired runway look - source unknown   5."Girl with Hood" Egon Schiele 1910

6. "Mother with Two Children" Egon Schiele 1917  7. 1980's embroidered "ethnic" vest from North Brooklyn Dry Goods on Etsy  8. Handmade crochet shawl from Nefertari Crafts on Etsy  9. Dolly kei x classic lolita look from 

Autumn 2010 Alice Deco ala Mode

Left to right: 1. "Girl with the Green Pinafore" Egon Schiele 1910  2. One piece and pinafore by lolita indie brand Moon Afternoon 3. Promotional campaign for Emily Temple Cute 2010   4. "Girl in a Green Dress" Egon Schiele 1913  

5. Green chiffon jumperskirt by Juliette et Justine   6. Chunky knit socks on Etsy

So I thought I would do something a little different with artist of the week this week. Instead of focusing only on the artist's work with style tips at the bottom, I thought I would try my hand at incorporating works by the artist in with fashion that relates. How do you like it? Would you prefer more biographical information and less fashion commentary? Is this format better?

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell: a book review

Today I finished Susanna Clarke's debut novel Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. I can say with no hesitation that I thought it was a masterpiece! Written in exquisite Regency-style prose, the novel spins an alternate history of England in the first decades of the 19th century, crippled by war with Napoleon. Magic is regarded as all but extinct, and even the study and belief in England's magical history wanes under the influence of the Age of Reason. Amid these currents emerge two practicing magicians, Mr. Norrell and Mr. Strange, built on restoring English magic to the the country's formative glory. Within the pages of the novel, Clarke weaves impeccable historical detail with traditional and invented fairy-lore to create a truly believable and enchanting alternative history.

Clarke's attention to detail and vivid portrayal of period accuracies is what really stole my heart in this book. Her writing style, despite being that of a contemporary author, fits seamlessly along side writers such as Emily Bronte and Jane Austin. Her descriptions of magic, both ritually and it's results, are convincing enough to make readers almost believe they could do the same (provided they could have a peak at some of Mr. Norrell's books!). The way she paints the realms and inhabitants of Faerie is refreshing and deliciously horrific, her version of the creatures falling somewhere between quaint traditional folklore and something out of a Del Toro film. Moody scenes atop Yorkshire moors and among the naked grey branches of winter English woods leave the book with a distinct flavor of the Romantic Gothic novel, finely tuned for a modern audience.

Being aimed at modern readers with similar persuasions, I think readers of this blog will delight in this book as much as I did! I highly recommend it!

Did I mention it has awesome illustrations?

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone is having a good holiday! My family celebrates Christmas. Every year, everyone gathers in Florida at my grandparents' home on the ocean. Thus, I always associate Christmas with the sea, Spanish moss, and citrus fruit. Does your family have any holiday traditions you love?

Style Idol: Helena Bonham Carter

Hail to the Queen! 

The first in Carnivale Salt's style idol series is the illustrious Helena Bonham Carter. There are few public figures with personal styles as exciting as this 45-year-old actress. A little bit grunge, a little bit gothy, a large dose of Victorian opulence, peppered with an unmatched sense of humor.

Photos by Gustavo Papaleo

I am fascinated by Helena's look: she's not conventionally beautiful, and has never tried to fit into an ideal for the media. On the contrary, she is well known for appearing as-is in public, flaunting her physical imperfections and her eccentricities of style. She refuses to use a stylist for red carpet events and  Her rejection of convention only serves to make her more beautiful and inspiring!

Campaign for Marc Jacobs s/s 2011

(As an aside, I'm really obsessed with these hats)

Mostly for Marc Jacobs 2011 (and more of those wacky hats)

Photographer Unknown

Photographer Unknown (if you know, please tell me!)

I love this photo shoot especially because it simultaneously captures a romantic, kind of delicate Victorian beauty, while still being just a little bit grungy. I love her messy hair and her chunky docs underneath tons of ruffles and embroidery. So cheeky! 

Photographer Unknown

She appears a lot in high-fashion editorials and is well known for publicly supporting the likes of Vivienne Westwood and Marc Jacobs among others. Off-camera, her easy going street style is thought of my many as pretty crazy, but I really like it. Somehow she manages to make looking like you just got out of bed pretty awesome. 

Helena likes pedicabs! Woo!

How does she manage to look classy even when 

looking a bit like a homeless woman? 

Random Paparazzi photoz from FYEAHHBC on Tumblr

On the silver screen, Helena rocks costuming so hard. The vacation scene in Sweeney Todd is one of my favorite bits of costuming/on-screen fashion of any movie. Obviously, HBC isn't responsible for these looks, but here are a few anyway for eye candy. 

As Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd (2007)

As Bellatrix Lestrange in Harry Potter

And what will undoubtedly be my new favorite costume moment.... 

As Miss Havisham in the upcoming adaptation of Great Expectations (2012)

What do you think of Helena Bonham Carter's style? Do you love it? Hate it? Comments are always welcome.

See you next time!

VooDoo Dolly Accessories Review

It always makes me happy to support independent crafters and designers in the gothic/lolita/neo-romantic community.... especially when their designs are as unique as VooDooDolly's. About a month ago, she listed a bunch of pieces on the EGL Community, and I fell in love immediately! It was hard to choose which pieces I wanted to get, but I decided on a cruxifix necklace and ring.

My haul! 

Everything came exceptionally well packaged in individual boxes customized with stickers and wax seals. Voodoo Dolly also included a cute thank you note, a business card, and even a free gift! Bonus points that the note was written on Sentimental Circus stationary,  which is my favorite Sanrio franchise <3.

Cruxafix Necklace

The first item I ordered was this antique gold rosary-inspired necklace. It features a really detailed cruxafix, a chain cluster of gold and glass beads, a bible locket charm, and a scarlett tassel. I don't have as much red as I'd like in my wardrobe, but the blood-red tassel sold me on this necklace!

Bisque Doll Ring

The second piece I ordered is a simple ring. It has a solid brass, non-adjustable base, and features a tiny doll. I'm not sure if the doll was just a pre-fab cabochon, but it looks and feels really old. It reminds me of something found on an archeological dig.

Free gift! Skull and lace ring

I only ordered two pieces from Voodoo Dolly, but she included this third for free with my package! It's a skull, skewed at a jaunty angle on an antique gold-finish ring base. The skull itself is a little atypical from skulls generally seen in gothy jewlery. Like a child's or something. The whole thing is set off by two leaves of venice lace. It's really cool! The plastic the skull is made of is a little waxy, leading me to wonder if Voodoo Dolly casted it herself. Overall its a great piece, and an even better free gift. 

My new rings together!

I'm really happy with the pieces I purchased from Voodoo Dolly! I've actually been thinking about buying a few more pieces from her shop. Her Etsy seems to be on hiatus for the time being due to October conventions, but it can be found here when its up: etsy.com/shop/voodoodolly

Anima portraits...

Today was a very special day for me.  I was invited to speak about my work at Stitchy! Sewing Workshop and Lecture program at Roxaboxen Exhibition Space in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. There was a pretty small turnout, but it was still really gratifying to talk about my art in a public setting with an audience of people I didn't really know.  Here are a few shots!

A quick craft idea....

My roommate has been frantically making things to decorate and organize our new apartment. October is always incredibly hectic for me, so I have only had time to muse on domestic crafts! This quick "terrarium" project I found on my Tumblr dashboard today is easy enough that I might even be able to make a few before its too late to find plastic spiders and skeletons. All you need is some curiosity-inducing specimens, craft moss and twigs from your back yard, and leftover jars.


Halloween Terrarium Project

STEP 1: First, wash each container and dry thoroughly. Choose a sturdy twig that's slightly shorter than the jar and hot-glue it to the inside of the lid, so that the twig sticks straight up.

STEP 2: Hot-glue plastic bugs to the wood — making sure the decorations are small enough to fit inside the glass when you seal the terrarium.

STEP 3: Spray-paint everything but the jar — twig, bugs, lid — white or black.

STEP 4: Once the piece has dried, hot-glue green floral moss around the base of the twig. Carefully place the jar upside down over the lid and screw it on.

Original craft post can be found here: http://www.countryliving.com/crafts/projects/terrarium-halloween-crafts-1009