REHAB, the art of re-doing

One of the big deciding factors on my trip to Paris was the fact that my brother Steve had his art show opening the wk I just happened to be thinking about going there.  When I found that out I figured it was just meant to be and too perfect to pass up.

It's all pretty awesome and a big deal for him actually.  He actually got invited to be the resident artist at the gallery for 2 mths and gets funding to live and work there.  Pretty big deal for such a young artist...I mean how many 23 yr olds can open a conversation w/ "Well at my show in Paris..." lol.  I mean it even sounds cool for me to say "I'm going to my brother's art show opening in Paris" lol. 

I'm not a huge art person to be honest and sometimes the stuff goes over my head but this show was a collaboration by a lot of artists and I actually really liked the work and found the curator did an amazing job of creating a very cohesive exhibition. 

I'm not very good at explaining the show so I'll just include the little blurb from the press release:

REHAB, the art of re-doing


Espace Fondation EDF

October 27 2010 - February 20 2011

Over recent years, contemporary artists, whether they be openly eco-conscious or merely aware of the changes in the world, have found right ways to reveal an unsuspected artistic potential of ordinary materials. REHAB, the art of re-doing, the show curated by Bénédicte Ramade at the Espace Fondation EDF, invites us to follow the artists in a new creative experience, as their works, with their surprising aesthetic qualities, use familiar and everyday objects for something they surely were not meant for.

Neither ready-made, remake or pastiche nor eco-freaks, the works shown in REHAB let us rediscover materials we thought there wasn't much to them, from the Formica piece of furniture to the cardboard box. Sculptures, videos, photographs or installations are the favourite mediums used by the eighteen French and foreign artists invited.

The richness of their work is a good example of the ability of the artists to exploit double-sided things like waste: both contemporary material endowed with interesting physical properties and a perfect subject to talk about the most urgent societal issues as environment is. Neither peremptory nor accusatory, the artists express the possibility to take part to this social debate through their works, without passing judgment.

This exhibition extend the commitment of Fondation EDF Diversiterre by the side of architects, designers, landscape architects and artists who constantly offer a new perspective on the great contemporary issues. It also shows the involvement of the foundation in social cohesion and planet preservation.

Here's some of the other exhibitors:

This was in the front room right next to Steve's main piece...definitely a show stopper!

This is actually made out of cardboard

Steve's work was really well received too.  Many ppl came up to him to tell him how impressed they were w/ his work and how cool and different it was.  He actually had two pieces showing.  Lock Ness (which I had actually seen before) and Double Forgery (a new piece).  The interesting thing about his work is it's completely made from reclaimed materials found in the exhibition space so while it may be similar w/ a similar outcome during every exhibition it's actually different b/c every single time he has to deal w/ new challenges that come from the new materials he's using.

Here's his explanation of the two works b/c I suck at describing them in an educated way lol:

Lock Ness

Loch Ness is an evolving project developed over a series of exhibitions since 2008. In each exhibition, I reconstruct a photograph of a Loch Ness Investigation Bureau observation deck taken in 1965 using a live feed-video camera and materials collected from inside and around the gallery space. Assembled within the physical and material constraints of each exhibition space, a live-feed video system translates a unique assemblage of scrap construction materials (wood, cardboard, paper, foamcore board, masking tape, paint, etc…) into the image of Loch Ness on an external monitor.

Here's a the piece from behind the camera...I know it looks like a pile of junk lol

Then from that this is what the camera sees!

Double Forgery

Double Forgery is a small scale installation in which a photograph of Robert Smithson’s Nonsite (Essen Soil and Mirrors) (1969) is recreated using a live-feed video camera and materials (wood, cardboard, paper, dust bunnies, dirt) found at Espace Electra, Paris in October 2010. A “double forgery” historically involves the forgery of an already forged painting, perhaps most famously undertaken in the 1960s by Jacques van Meegeren, son of the notorious Vermeer forger Han van Meegeren. In Double Forgery, I forge not a nonsite, but a photograph of a nonsite that was already remade for a Robert Smithson retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles in 2004.

So this is the piece as it looks just to view it

And this is the piece as it's seen by the camera and put on the TV screen...still don't get how it works!?!

So the VIP opening actually ended up being very exciting and high end!  Literally, unlimited champagne and INSANE appetizers and desserts which you know I took full advantage of ;)  This appetizers and desserts were like little works of art themselves...I can't even describe how some of them looked...and I made a point to try each and every one of them at least once...some even twice lol!  No wonder my face looked all swollen and puffy the whole time I was in Paris lol!

So now I'll actually bring the blog back to some makeup talk lol!  I did Steve's wife Ania's makeup for the opening.  Earlier that day we went to the Make Up For Ever Boutique and I had helped her choose some new colours just for her.  So I made sure to keep the look super soft and pretty b/c she's not a big makeup girl...and my brother is DEFINITELY not a big makeup guy...at least on his wife (which I found out even more at the opening).  To finish it all off and make it special I added some flirty, flared false lashes.  I used some of my Model 21 lashes and I have to admit I love these things.  All my brides go on and on about how natural they look and they looked so natural and yet dramatic on Ania.

So we got to the gallery and Steve was already there and he took one look at Ania and I literally thought he was going to cry...and not in a good way :S You'd swear he just saw her kissing another guy or something the way he looked! Turned out the false lashes were just too much for him! And I know natural makeup...they did NOT look like too much at all. Ania and I went to the washroom immediately and took them off. Now normally I would have told my brother to suck it b/c she looked gorgeous and she loved the false lashes so if she wants to wear them she should! But I agreed b/c it was "his special day" and I could tell he was really really nervous so I understood w/ all the stress he justed wanted to see his wife in her usual way that he's used to. I guess it's nice that he loves her natural beauty and doesn't think she needs anything to make her look better...although I still did ride him that night about making me compromise "my art" lol.

I took 1 pic in the washroom before I took off the eyelashes...too dramatic I DEFINITELY think not!

 Steve talking about his art

 They are so cute together!

IMATS Toronto 2010

So this past weekend brought IMATS to Toronto!  Always an exciting time of year when I get to stock up on all the supplies I so desperately need at really good prices.  Like last yr I was working w/ Liz Yu and Ashley Readings at the Yaby Booth. 

As you guys all know I LOVE Yaby Cosmetics and really believe in the brand and know a lot about it so it's really easy for me to work at that booth and talk about the products.  Plus Liz is so easy going that it basically feels like friends just hanging around and talking.  It was also really great b/c I got to meet some readers which is always so much fun!

As per usual Sat. was insanely busy at the show while Sunday was a lot calmer and more relaxed.  What I always find funny is how "done up" some girls are when they go to a trade show...like more then club done up and this is at 8:30 am...there was a huge line up just to get in at 8:30!  I'm also always amazed at how much BAD makeup I see at a makeup show...and I mean BAD!  Seriously, sometimes all it takes is an extra 30 secs to blend out that eye and it makes a world of difference!  I know it's mean to say but it goes to show just b/c you love makeup doesn't mean you're good at it or have a good eye.  I mean I love to sing but no one is EVER going to pay me to do it lol!

The one thing that is disappointing about working the booth is I never get a chance to see some of the great demos and talks that happen on the main stage but what can you do. 

So this yr was a bit different then other years for me when it came to purchasing.  In the past it was a lot about building my kit and buying new products while this year it really wasn't so much about buying new products as just replenishing my old supplies and products.  Which is exciting b/c that means I'm actually working enough to have to replenish things lol!  One of the big things I wanted to replenish was sponges.  Every year I go to Alcone and buy a giant bag of sponges.  This year I wanted to buy 2 but they didn't bring any!  This literally was one of the biggest things I wanted to buy!  Thank god Embryolisse was there so I could at least buy my moisturizer!  I also bought a couple of new brushes, mascara wands, brush cleaner and a Graftobian HD Foundation Palette Warm #1 (my other one was almost done)...nothing really exciting I'm sorry to say.  Oh wait I also bought 3 new lip tars from OCC...that's pretty exciting lol!

Plus for working Yaby I also got a shit load of products which is always fun and exciting!  I practically have EVERY Yaby product at this point but there were definitely a few favourites I needed desperately to restock on like Powder Foundations from the Med. Palette - LOVE!  Some Yaby Powder Highlight shades, Liquid Foundations, some eyeshadows and lip colours.  Plus I actually bought a bunch of stuff for myself to make my own palette to take w/ me for the gym and stuff. 

I NEVER actually buy makeup for myself anymore beyond mascara I swear.  I always just take my cast offs that I don't want to carry in my kit anymore so to actually make a little Yaby palette just for me was actually pretty exciting lol!

Here's some pics from the Yaby Booth as well as "My Makeup Haul"

Ashley striking a pose at Yaby!

 The Crowd on the much less busy Sunday!

 Liz working the booth!

 Ashley & I - Btw I'm wearing my new Lip Tar in Pageant!

 Me being silly...and slightly perverse lol eating one of the yummy Korean cucumbers Liz brought us to snack on!  Btw the lip tar lasted all day!  I even ate an apple and it stayed!

 My Haul!



A Day in Versailles

One of the things I was most looking forward to in Paris was going to the Palace in Versailles.  I LOVE old, historical homes, castles and mansions so I knew the opulence of Versailles would definitely be something I wouldn't want to miss!

The castle did not disappoint.  It was gorgeous and the gardens surrounding it were gorgeous as well.  I can only imagine how beautiful they would look in the Spring/Summer.  There was also this very interesting juxtaposition of the historical beauty of the palace w/ a current art installation of many sculptures by renowned Anime artist Takashi Murakami. 

Well instead of me writing a ton about Versailles I'm just going to show you a ton of pics I took that day so you can enjoy a small bit of the beauty I witnessed!

Make Up For Ever Boutique in Paris

Well I'm back from Europe and have A LOT of posting to catch up on!  Sorry I didn't update more while in Europe I just got so busy and the internet was a little slow so it made uploading pics really annoying. 

So in between doing all my fun touristy things and attending my brother's art show in Paris I made a little time to visit the Make Up For Ever Boutique in Paris!  Very exciting indeed!  I went w/ my sister-in-law Ania who was very patient (we were in the store for a good 2 hrs lol) and even took notes for me as I decided what to buy lol.   In return for her patience I helped her pick out a few items for herself and use my pro discount (very happy to find out it worked in Paris). 

So after hours of deliberation I finally decided upon a large empty palette (I don't think we have these in Canada) and 8 eyeshadows and 5 lipstick circles that fit in the palette.  I don't think we have the little lipstick circles in Canada either...maybe I'm wrong either way they are awesome. 

Here's some pics of me in front of the store - Before & After said purchases lol...plus a couple of pics inside the store...could only snap a few before they asked me to stop lol.

 Black Light Pigments...very tempting wish I had a shoot to justify buying those!

So yesterday I decided to organize and clean some of my palettes and I decided since my new MUFE palette is so large I should condense some of my other palettes into this one.  I took all of my Yaby brow shadows, cake liners and eyeshadows (except my browns & beiges still in another Yaby Palette) and added them to my 8 new MUFE shadows.

 While in the MUFE boutique I also came across this amazing French makeup artist magazine called MUP (Makeup Professional Magazine).  I can't really read it b/c my french is pretty rusty but the pictures are gorgeous!  Seriously inspiring!  I was only going to buy 1 of the issues out of the 3 in the store b/c each one was 14 euros but I knew if I didn't get the other 2 I'd just be back the next day to buy them...so I indulged (it's a tax write off afterall ;) ).