Prepping for December.

Charlotte and I spent the evening decorating for the holidays. (She was not as enthusiastic about it as I was . . . ) But we got the tree done. This was the first tree that I've decorated since Christmas 2008. Hopefully we'll get the lights up in the windows soon!

Help us REACH our GOAL . . .

While this project is expensive it is also expansive, and even though we still need more dollars to make the original goal, I think it is really important that PEOPLE support the project. So, consider pledging $1. This will keep you updated and connected to the project for the next year! If you can give more, super. Find out more here.

Your support is greatly appreciated.

Deliciously Happy, now featured on Kickstarter.

Changing Seasons.

Marc's Chili Cook-Off was PERFECT!! Fun, fun!

Favorite New Video.

Reference: New Edition, If It Isn't Love

Duck Potato?

On Monday afternoon, I went to my dad's house to help him ready his pond for the winter. To do this, we both got in the water and cleared out all of the algae, duck potato, and water lettuce; trimming the lilies down to just about an inch. We also lifted out 10 very heavy, very water-logged potted plants that have to be taken out of the pond each winter to live in the garage where their temperature can be monitored. It took about 6 hours for the job to be complete . . . Thankfully we were able to work on what appears to have been the last warm day of the year!

(your name here)

Old Painting: Early 2003, I Think . . .

Early Morning Walks Yield Such Beauty.

Fingerweaving Tutorial . . .

Let me begin by saying that I do not know everything there is to know about fingerweaving. (Or anything, for that matter . . . ) I started fingerweaving on the playground at Jackson Elementary in Plano, Texas when I was in the 3rd grade (1982). But it wasn't until my first summer in Baltimore (2009) that I decided to start using this technique again. And I taught myself on the spot. I've watched 4th graders do a very intense, very complicated version of fingerweaving. And I've seen crafters use everything from yarn to plastic bags to cut up t-shirts to create various items for sale. I use it in my artwork. And I have found a very simple, very fast method of this childhood pastime. It gets people's attention every time . . . So, here's how you do it. 

STEP 1. Always using your left hand, start by letting the loose end of the yarn fall behind your hand, in between your thumb and pointer finger.



STEP 2. Using the strand of yarn that leads to the skein, weave the thread through each of your fingers in a figure eight pattern. Starting on the right side of your pointer finger . . . First you go behind the middle finger, then you go in front of the ring finger, and then behind the pinky. Then you bring it back around the pinky, behind the ring finger, in front of the middle finger, and behind the pointer finger.



STEP 3. Now the yarn is laying flat across your four fingers, just slightly above the woven piece between your fingers. Taking the loose end that is between your thumb and pointer finger, lay it over the thread that is laying flat across your four fingers and gently pull it behind your hand, between your pointer and middle finger. So now it appears that the thread laying flat across your fingers is laying across 3 fingers, instead of 4.



STEP 4. Begin weaving. Starting with your middle finger, pull the tighter woven piece of thread over the loose strand that is laying across your fingers, pulling your finger through. When you pick up the tighter thread, it will create a space that you can stick your finger through. What I say when I am teaching this in the classroom is, "bring the tight over the loose." You do this with each finger. Tugging at the loose end (on the back of your hand), every now and again.



Once the pinky has been pulled through, you bring the yarn behind your hand and back around to lay flat across your four fingers. Repeat using all four fingers this time. And, repeat again. Keep repeating. Now you should see a web forming on the back of your hand. Keep tugging at the loose end to tighten the web: the fingerweaving.



The fingerweaving will knot itself on the end that you started with, just by pulling the end of the yarn. When you want to finish, cut the yarn away from the skein and weave the end through each of the tightly looped pieces of yarn still around the base of your fingers. Gently pull the yarn off of your fingers, pulling the newly cut end thread tight to create a knot (again, it will knot itself). Voila! 

There ya have it! Now promise me that once you get the hang of this, you will teach 5 more people how to fingerweave. Let's start a movement!! 

Please feel free to contact me with any questions . . . I can be reached via email or via skype (search "cakecrush").

Taking The Plunge . . .

I started going gray when I was about 27 . . . Now--10 years later--I've had it with the 2-tone, very expensive dye job. So, I've decided to take the plunge. I'm letting it get as gray as it wants . . . And, I'm excited about it!!

An October Morning.

Octopus Lament, a sampling.

Octopus Lament*, 2011 (as part of the Sideshow Fringe Festival)
Created by: Lindsey Bailey, www.cakecrush.com
Starring: Megan Kelley, www.studiomnivorous.com
Music composed by: Jin-Hwa Choi, www.jinhwachoi.com
Makeup artistry: Jackie Osborne, www.jackieophotography.com

*Octopus Lament is a study for a larger, opera-based project.

Sideshow Fringe Festval!

I have been graciously accepted into a wonderful new festival: the Sideshow Fringe Festival, Nashville's Progressive Performing Arts Event . . . An arts extravaganza connecting innovative artists with adventurous audiences!!

My project is called, Octopus Lament. Octopus Lament incorporates costuming, poetry, music composition, and performance. I wrote a poem that is being performed as spoken word on top of a beautiful piece of music composed by Jin-Hwa Choi. Megan Kelley stars as the octopus in a wonderfully whimsical and dark, eight-legged fabric get-up; with make-up by the incomparable Jackie Osborne.

The folks over at Actor's Bridge have worked super-hard to make this event possible . . . And, I would love for you all to come out and support this fantastic 4-day event!

The schedule of performances can be found here. I encourage you to take advantage of the weekend: see as many shows as possible!

Here are the particulars for Octopus Lament:
Octopus Lament
Saturday, October 1st
9:15pm
Belmont's Troutt Theatre steps, outside (rain or shine)

Thank you-thank you for your support!!

Effect: purple hands . . .

Cause: dying purple octopus legs . . .

Talking Gossip at The Houston Fine Arts Fair, D!verseWorks Artspace.

Bow down to the Queen . . .

Sit and have tea amidst royals . . . King Kanye and Queen Kim in the CelebriTEA installation at D!verseWorks Art Space in Houston, Texas.

STATE FAIR
Houston Fine Arts Fair: Saturday, September 17, 12-6pm
Texas Contemporary Fair: Saturday, October 22, 12-6pm

State Fair is a public spectacle that takes as its inspiration the construct of a contemporary art fair and merges it with the age-old tradition of street peddling. Organized to coincide Houston’s first-ever public art fairs, The Houston Fine Art Fair in September and the Texas Contemporary in October, State Fair is an arts-centric trade show with a twist in which artists from around the state will inhabit the gallery with public projects that explore the notion of street commerce, underground exchange, and alternate economies that defy the strictures of the commercial art economy. Prepare to be dazzled!

CelebriTEA Installation by: Lindsey Bailey and Wes Holloway

D!verseWorks Art Space
September 9-October 29, 2011
Curated by Diane Barber

Talking Gossip at D!verseWorks Artspace, Houston.

The Hatter and The Hare present CelebriTEA
State Fair, D!verseWorks Artspace

September 9-October 29, 2011
Curated by Diane Barber

Opening reception: Friday, September 9, 2011, 6-9pm
Market days: Saturday, September 17, 12-6pm &
Saturday, October 22, 12-6pm

State Fair is a public spectacle that takes as its inspiration the construct of a contemporary art fair and merges it with the age-old tradition of street peddling. Organized to coincide Houston’s first-ever public art fairs, The Houston Fine Art Fair in September and the Texas Contemporary in October, State Fair is an arts-centric trade show with a twist in which artists from around the state will inhabit the gallery with public projects that explore the notion of street commerce, underground exchange, and alternate economies that defy the strictures of the commercial art economy. Prepare to be dazzled!

How to Almost Put On A Sweater in The Mountains, in 5 Easy Steps.

CelebriTEA at D!verseWorks Art Space in Houston, Texas.

Sit and have tea amidst royals . . . King Kanye and Queen Kim in the CelebriTEA installation at D!verseWorks Art Space in Houston, Texas.

STATE FAIR
Opening reception: Friday, September 9, 2011, 6-9pm

Market days: Saturday, September 17, 12-6pm &
Saturday, October 22, 12-6pm

State Fair is a public spectacle that takes as its inspiration the construct of a contemporary art fair and merges it with the age-old tradition of street peddling. Organized to coincide Houston’s first-ever public art fairs, The Houston Fine Art Fair in September and the Texas Contemporary in October, State Fair is an arts-centric trade show with a twist in which artists from around the state will inhabit the gallery with public projects that explore the notion of street commerce, underground exchange, and alternate economies that defy the strictures of the commercial art economy. Prepare to be dazzled!

CelebriTEA Installation by: Lindsey Bailey and Wes Holloway

D!verseWorks Art Space
September 9-October 29, 2011
Curated by Diane Barber

Engage the Imagination.

She gets it.

Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Grace Jones, Annie Lennox, Bjork, and--to some extent--Madonna get it. They understand the visualization I spoke about in my earlier post.

The idea of a video is to capture the music visually . . . So, at the Video Music Awards where they celebrate the music video, why not take it all the way? Make it campy, creative, costume-y, fun! It's the embodiment of a character, it's role-playing. I enjoy celebrating the spectacle, being unique, making the visual element the focus. And, the artists I've mentioned above are inspiring budding costumers and visual artists everywhere by being adventurous.

Engage the imagination. I certainly look forward to seeing more, more, more!

I want my MTV.

I have a slight addiction to watching music videos. It started when I was 7 or 8 years old.

I would sit for hours watching MTV. At friend's houses, mind-you, as my parents refused to get cable: they were worried I might watch too much music television, interfering with my homework. Yes, well . . .


I'm almost positive that my infatuation with the visualization of music came when I saw Annie Lennox perform Sweet Dreams as half of the Eurythmics on the Grammys. (I'm watching it again now, and still I am so mesmerized!!) I remember Herbie Hancock, too, with his crazy kicking robotic legs. My dad was trying out the old VHS to see if we could--in fact--record things. And, it worked!!

So, I would sit in front of our television and fast-forward/rewind to all of the performances. Watching and re-watching the same things for hours. I did this with the American Music Awards and the Grammy's every year . . . When I got older, I turned to watching the Video Music Awards (the best show being when Arsenio Hall hosted, and Bel Biv DeVoe performed--I was in 10th grade, and watched it at my friend Katherine's house).

I mention all of this because I believe my obsession with these live performances is ultimately what peaked my interest in music videos.

Our family would go to my grandparent's house in Mineral Wells, Texas and I would go into the middle bedroom, close the door, and watch videos. Adam Curry and Martha Quinn directed my viewing. (I think about this now in horror, knowing that I could have been spending quality time with my grandparents.) On ski trips with my parents and family friends, I would be dressed in ski clothes--at least 6 layers--parked in front of the television begging for one more video before hitting the slopes. I believe it was in 8th grade that I moved all of the furniture in our den and supervised my friends as we recreated a New Kids On The Block video.

So when YouTube came around, everything was free and it was GLORIOUS!! I could watch whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. And, it's gotten pretty nuts . . . I only watch music videos and the occasional dance video. I don't watch cats doing things or babies or whatever else.

Last year during graduate school, stress would hit and I would calm myself by watching Beyonce, Diddy, Rihanna, New Boyz, Madonna, Annie Lennox, Lady Gaga, and Jay-Z; repeatedly, sometimes the same video back-to-back.

It's kind of weird: I go through phases. Right now? I'm totally into Chris Brown. And, morally, I'm not okay with that. But, man is he a great dancer. So, I indulge. I've also been watching a lot of Kreayshawn, out of sheer curiosity. I still watch Beyonce on occasion, but her most recent effort includes crying . . . And, I'm more of a dance girl. Give me lots of movement, bright colors, and big eventful happenings!! I want to see fireworks!!

My question is: where does this come from? The repeats, the studying, the want to memorize . . . Are some of us just attracted to certain things more than others? Or is it because I'm an artist and the visuality of a music video interests me? I have no idea.

Will this ever end? Highly doubtful.

And so I continue on . . . Search. Watch. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Beaded and pink.

My friend Kelly bought the most amazing belly dancing belt today! Amazing for lot's of reasons, but mainly because it's a sequined-filled, beaded pink goodness . . . I shimmied all about her house this evening, as I played with Milo and listened to new music! Friday night fun just got a little more sparkly . . .

Next Steps.

At the end of July, I did a hand-sewing workshop at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for 15 students participating in the Next Steps program. Each of the students chose an image of a sculpture as seen on Vanderbilt's campus, composed it first on paper as a sketch, then translated their sketch into a fabric piece. Finally, we collaged all of the students work together to create a wall hanging for the Next Steps office. It's amazing what color can do for a space!!