Vlog Post 7/12/16

In which I discuss sketch books, share some progress art, and talk about GLITTER.

Art Post V: "The Royal We"

"The Royal We"
Winter 2009
Oil Pastels, Watercolours
It was a weird time in my life, which is why there is a chunk of art from then. I was desperately trying to become a better person, some one I wasn't horrified to look at in the mirror. I knew somehow, being clean from drugs and alcohol was part of it. I just couldn't figure out how or if I was even worth saving from the bottom of the rabbit hole.
It's a battle I still struggle with, all these years later. 


When I was finishing this, my boyfriend at the time insulted it. I realize now it was a projection of his own insecurities about his own art, but it led to me to putting away art until well after we broke up. Though, I am proud to say, ironically, this ended up being the first piece of art I ever sold.

Fanart Friday Post II

Chi (Chobits)
2003
Prism Colour Marker


I'm not sure I was ever that much a fan of Chobits, but I did used to really like CLAMP. My oldest friends LOVED the series, so I would make fanart with her in mind. Drawing the ears is fu.

Art Post IV: "Spark"

"Spark"
March 2009
watercolour marker, acrylic paint
This is a heavy subject matter, but I feel like that's how it goes for my work. This was an experiment to convey the emotion with limited colours.
Back in 2007,  I was involved with some one and I was pretty reckless. I was in a bad place, it was during 3 year period of my worst drinking. I didn't care much about living so much as to feel something, anything by any means necessary.
Well, when you're not careful, things happen. I had a choice to make, but before I could, before I could even tell the person I was involved with... a choice was made for me.
That really affected me, and the feelings would hit me every year around the same time when I would smell the flowers that would remind me of the person I was involved with. So what was I do to do? 
To process the feelings, to finally move on, I did it the only way I knew how- to create something beautiful and tragic. And now here it is, for you.

Daily Thoughts Post 7/06

So I've decided to go in a bit of a different direction with the Daily Sketch Posts. The book used for it is too small to flesh out ideas, so I'm often left frustrated and unmotivated to do anything. However, I've found posting semi-daily on a blog is something I do enjoy.
Inspired by The Gothic Alice, I think I'll go back to a sketch book structure I had about a decade ago. Here, I'll share random things from my day- maybe ticket stubs from events or a flower I found. I'm excited.

Today, I wanted to post a photo with my cat because she's a great teacher about gratitude and appreciating the important people in your life. She doesn't ask for food from me or anything absurd, just that I spend time with her. In turn, she lets me know I'm her favourite person in the world and that she thinks I'm awesome. <3 br="">

Daily Sketch Post 7/05

Well, it's been a bit since I did one of these. Meant to do one yesterday, but got distracted working on a few pieces.
This was because I had been discussing doing something to share with people how I have been eating mostly gf and vegan on a budget for over two years now. 

Anyway, I'm starting to really fall in love with my art, wanting to run home to it like a lover.

This one was a forgotten sketch from Winter 2009... I saw it yesterday and meant to just ink it, but felt compelled to get it to this point. It's almost finished now. 

This one was from November 2015, and I kept meaning to get back to it, but life has been rough. But yay now I'm working on it!

I'm eager to finish these pieces and share their stories with you! 

Art Post III: "Heavy in Your Arms"

"Heavy In Your Arms"
Winter 2009
Watercolour

It's an interesting challenge to only use red and still convey the emotions. I want to do a show where the theme is paintings in red, white, and black someday soon.

People often expect me to fit in these roles they create in their head for me to play, and when they get bored or I fail to meet expectations, I am often discarded like a doll that is no longer a child's favourite. So I smile and say it's fine.

But it's not fine. I'm so much more than some child's play thing. I long for that feeling of unconditional love- not the love of a child, but the love of a parent. But for now, I'm just too much, too heavy a burden.

"I was a heavy heart to carry
My feet dragged across the ground
And he took me to the river
Where he slowly let me drown..." 

Fanart Friday Post I

Sumomo (Chobits)
2003
Prism Colour Marker

I always enjoyed the character of Sumomo, and she reminds me of myself in my more manic states.
This was so long ago, I don't remember too much about it, though last summer I did add a background... not sure why I never scanned it in, because I'm pretty sure it's framed now.

Art Post II: "Four to the Floor"

Title: "Four to the Floor"
Spring 2009
Medium: water colour, oil pastel, glitter varnish

At the time, I was into the song "Four to the Floor" by Starsailor which for some reason made me recall the dances in Swan Lake. I was also into using photos of ballerinas for references as they more conveyed the feelings I wanted in my drawings.
 
Initially, I abandoned this piece because I wasn't liking how it came out. Then a girl I was in love with was having a rough time, and I kept asking myself what more could I give her? What more? Then I saw this and was inspired to revisit it. I'm really pleased with how it came out, but disappointed that it meant nothing to her when I gave it to her.

What are your thoughts?

Daily Sketch Post 6/29

Confession: I have a form of bipolar. As an artist, this is a blessing and also a curse. Ha! Basically, I'll have a week where I am able to produce all the things and be really excited about it, and then I burn out.

I made a deal with myself that I am not allowed to do any work- pay the bills work or art or fashion, no work at all, one day a week. That is the only way I was able to bring myself to do this sketch, figuring if I just accurately draw myself trying to produce content, then at least I did something! Maybe I should have made these semi-daily to let myself off the hook?

No, routine is good for me, it's good for my mental health. So I'll do my best. Also, it's about to thunderstorm, and that always makes me want to sketch. So we'll see what happens with the rest of my day.

Daily Sketch Post 6/28

First off, she's nude because I forgot to draw clothes. Once I noticed, I decided, "Fuck it! She'll be nude, it works with the feels!"

Second off, I usually am compelled to draw when I can't express my emotions, which is um, kind of all the time. So often these daily sketches have almost a "Dear Diary" to them. (Or at least if I had been delving in all the long.) It's probably a good exercise in mental health to talk about what was going through my head, and sharing it with you allows a shared experience since emotions are rarely unique.

I learned that some one I used to be in love with got an opportunity I had last year, and saw her asking for support. At first I was angry and upset because she NEVER supported any of my creative endeavors, even after pouring what little money I had into her album that she then never did anything to write or record.
But then I realized it didn't matter. So she didn't support me. She's no longer in my life, so it doesn't even matter. What matters is now I DO have friends that love and support me.

So while the girl is alone and vulnerable, she only has to look to the stars above to see there is no such thing as being truly alone.

Daily Sketch Post 6/27

Today has been interesting, full of cautious freedom.
First, I was granted a new job. This may mean better finances, but I am concerned I may be let down as seems to be the pattern of my attempts in finding gainful employment over the last couple of years.
 
Second, I was let go from what was becoming an unhealthy situation. It's sad because I feel most of my words fell on deaf ears, but it is a lesson for me in not only setting and enforcing boundaries, but also effectively communicating expectations. It will probably be awhile before I date again, and that's okay. I think taking the time to instead develop a relationship with my art is something I should have never let myself become diverted from. (Not a result from this situation, but rather a series of unhealthy situations I allowed myself to be involved in.)

I decided to use a similar sketch to yesterday to hone in on how quickly one can go from entrapped and broken to free and repaired.

Daily Sketch Post 6/26

This is a bit more detail than I normally put into my daily sketches, but I felt the need to get how I often feel when in a relationship. Bound to the other person, with a loss of freedom.
I enjoy playing with just black, red, and white because it adds a fun challenge to still get a very deep emotional point across while having severe limitations. I decided to make her eyes red to indicate that she isn't entirely so innocent, and had her part to play in her situation, which I often find is the truth in romantic relationships, particularly unhealthy ones.

"If you offered me a passionate love affair and you offered me a high-priestess role in a fabulous castle above a cliff where I can just, like, live a very spiritual kind of religious-library-communing-with-the-stars, learning kind of existence, I’m going to go for the high priestess." - Stevie Nicks, Rolling Stone, 1997 

How do you feel in a relationship? More complete? Happy? Trapped? Please comment and share!

Art Post I: "Lady In Waiting"

Title: "Lady In Waiting"
Spring 2009
Medium: water colour

I literally have no memory of creating this piece, but I do recall the vision haunting me. I must have felt like I needed to be hiding in the shadows, as much as I wanted to be in the light.
It's actually two separate pieces that I cut and pasted together to make painting the background easier. I'm pretty excited by the results. People seemed to like the progress on this one.

What are your thoughts?

Angry Johnny

Oh man, hey everyone! It's been awhile since I've used this thing, but that's about to change because things keep happening, and I want to share everything with you darlings!

First up, I'm working on some stage wear for a local musician as well as launching a brand new project with a friend. *_*

Here are two sketches for the musician, and I can't wait to get started on them:

And here is something I wanted to make for my first Xmortis, a local goth night that happens monthly, but got distracted with life:

The weekend is here, which means things! I'll be at Corrossion, a local goth night that also happens monthly. Sunday, I'll be vending at Intergalatic Dance Party. It was very nice to be invited to be a part of this special night.
I plan to take lots of pics, and tell you darlings all about it on Monday!
Please keep your eyes peeled to instagram, where I'm @rhicreatesthings as well as my facebook page, where I'll be posting outfits of the days, progress shots of my work, and some other fun things!

That's it for now, so go be your most awesome, and I'll see you back here on Monday!

"Whatever makes you happy, whatever you want... you're so fuckin' special..."

So, recently I participated in Boston's open call NOH8 campaign. Initially, I was reluctant, but as I was watching everyone I thought of all the friends I've known affected by hate and decided to go for it.
I wasn't prepared at all, so bought one of the T-shirts they were offering. However, I didn't like the cut of it, so this past week I made it into something that's more me!

The bows are removable for easy washing.
I'm really proud of how this came out, and can't wait to update more of my wardrobe with pieces I've become "meh" on.

Call me morbid, call me pale...

So, this started out as a simple project when I was just wanting to get back into fashion design. I became disenchanted with the project (since getting sober, bright colours on me tend to cause panic and I immediately go back to my love of black...)
Anyway, I was going through some fabric and such back in Janurary and found this and decided that I might as well finish it.
It's a merging of two t-shirts I was planning on tossing.
Now I'm thinking of selling it since I had a few people that saw it sitting on my dressform inquire if I would consider, since they would buy/wear it.

This is Mean Street

So, this dress was originally intended to be for my boyfriend's debut in a gallery... unfortunately, I didn't finish it in time, but I did eventually finish it this past fall.

I'm really proud of how it came out, since this was entirely done with my own patterns and I'd never done something so structured like this before with only my own patterns.

I just wish it was machine washable...

And Wonderland had gone to hell...

So, I wanted to learn how to do a ruffled bottom for a gathered skirt, and had this Hello Kitty fabric laying around. The result was this skirt: Scarf, jacket: thrifted Headbow: Claire's Wig: from a local wig shop Cutsew: BtSSB Tights: off brand Shoes: Payless Rings: off brand So happy I got to wear it out for apple picking back in Fall 2011. It was really fun and comfy! It's also machine washable, like most of my hand-made peices. It was a learning experience, so I'm glad I so the project through even though I'm not entirely crazy about it. It's not that I dislike it, it's just not something I have an interest wearing again anytime soon.

Sixteen Candles

This outfit is from a day back in September when I was out running errands.
I'm going to try more documentation of my outfits and sewing. Because people do ask... alot.

Jacket: thrifted
Dress: BtSSB Princess Shirring JSK
Scarf: thrifted
Headband: BtSSB from the Princess Shirring set
Fishnets and red tights: Leg Avenue
Boots: Doc Martens (I miss them. They wore out. ;_;)