Thursday, March 14, 2013

Finding yourself as an artist...

It has been a month exactly since my last post and for the most part things have been somewhat normal, which means, nothing really exciting to write about....until this past week and a half. Business with The River is going really well and I'm excited for the process and what will become of the end result of this play. I have a really good feeling about it. It's a great script and a great cast that I think was brought together for a reason and purpose. What that reason and purpose is?  We will soon find out.

As well as my play, I'm in the middle of trying my best to finish my thesis for my MFA. Amongst this creative, organized chaos I've also been going through a lot of personal growth that is extremely positive and astounding in both the artistic form and as a person.  The results of this growth and its benefits are taking me by surprise and knocking me off my feet, but in a very awesome way!

One particular incident that happened was when I was researching for my thesis. I am doing a paper project of designing "The Birds" by Aristophanes, which is an ancient Greek comedy. My concept is to have it set in a contemporary world instead of Ancient Greece.

Now mind you, I started this project in Spring 2010 and I've been freshening up some of the work I did almost 3 years ago. (Yikes! It's been that long?!) One of my design concepts for some of the characters revolve around high fashion or the fashion world and I have a few designers whose collections have served as my research, which is very fun!  One designer in particular that I have been inspired by is English designer, Gareth Pugh. Mr. Pugh has become one of my favorite designers that I admire along with Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and Jean-Paul Gaultier.

Recently, I was looking to see what he had been doing recently to see if it could help inspire me and pertain to my research for my thesis and what I found just knocked me down. So, I can safely say that his Spring/Summer 2013 collection will be part of my research.

Between the mixture of the collection of the clothes, how it was styled and of course the music of Rebekah del Rio singing "Llorando", the whole experience of seeing this fashion show just blew me away on so many levels. I loved everything about seeing this whole show.
Who says fashion can't have an influence as a piece of art?

After watching a video of fashion reviewers and their reviews and descriptions of Gareth's show, I had one of Oprah's "A-ha" moments for myself where everything clicked for me. In seeing both videos I discovered and realized who I was as an artist, what kind of work am I drawn to and my own aesthetic, which is something I had been searching for, profusely for years. Its been a long journey, I can tell you that for sure.

I discovered and realized, I like balance and maybe that's the Libra in me, if you believe in horoscopes, but I truly believe that is something I am attracted to in life in general and is a part of me and how I see the world.

I'm attracted to art and theatre that portrays balance in masculinity vs. femininity, light vs. dark, good vs. evil, strength vs. weakness and etc...

It's pretty evident, now that I think about it, that the pieces of theatre that I have participated in that meant a lot to me and have stayed with me, identified with one of these struggles in balance.

It is an amazing thing that I feel I finally "figured myself out" as an artist and as a person.  I feel very focused now...more so than ever. This is good...this is very good.

On that note, I will keep on working and keep creating...

Enjoy...

Gareth Pugh Spring/Summer 2013 Ready to Wear Collection.







1 comment:

toastchef said...

Can't wait to see it--your ideas sound so exciting! You go, girl!