A Post About Props

I like to keep my potential and current collaborators updated with things about me so they can better understand my interests, personality, character, and capabilities. Here I had just thought that I should highlight the random costumes, props, and miscellaneous items I own that could make for nice additions to a photo(shoot), a drawing session, whatever :]

Once-Living 

♦ I own several bone bits and skulls, none very large

♦ I own a white wolf tail, two silverfox tails and a coyote tail.

♦ several collections of feathers, including peacock (normal and bleached), turkey, rooster, hawk/owl, pheasant, etc.

Accessories 

♦LOADS of jewelry - seriously

♦hip/belly chains

♦scarves, fabric

♦skeleton keys

♦black metal handcuffs 

♦old perfume bottles (not the antique kind with the puffer thing)

Costume/Misc Clothing Items 

♦bodices
♦sheer & lace "nighties"
♦lacy leotard as well as a full body leotard (black)

♦an underbust corset in  black

♦a black and red reversible velvet cloak

♦knee-high platform boots of the goth variety - no high heel, lots of straps/buckles

♦an awesome black cyber-goth outfit! complete with garter leg flares, halter top and mini skirt

♦a small collection of lingerie, tights, thigh high tights (no garters currently, if you purchase me a garter belt you get to shoot me in it! )

♦formal dresses

♦hood hats, fuzzy with ears ^_^

♦pocket/hip belts

♦black satin elbow-gloves

♦feather boas

♦masks

♦leather bra that I made (looks rustic)

Potential Props 

♦daggers

♦crystals

♦candelabra 

♦woven baskets

♦HULA HOOPS! -minis, fire, LED, and normal 

♦a lantern
♦a crystal ball 
♦chains
♦a black briefcase

Lapse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM1pAo7yM88

A lapse of time....since I last wrote. 

Back track to late summer of 2013 - that is when these photos are from. 

It was a successful shoot, and these are some of the final edits and some of my favorite exploration edits from it (I just got them, wee!). By now, my hair is shorter and a little less wild.

All photos are from Alen Barbosa, 2013.

These images were taken from a small photo 'class'. I modeled for the afternoon session after the lovely Dakini, who I had the chance of at least saying "hey! nice to meet you!" to, at least, when she was leaving. I remember thinking at the time that I was so surprised each time I've met another model in person that they seem so small in person than they appear in their photos - as in, they are small framed, with lovely petite features, unlike how they seem in photos, where I imagine them being super tall and grandiose. Either way, I think it's great :]

(classic Mauvais torso shot ;P)

Fast forward to now ... 

I am beginning to schedule some shoots for the near future, but I am still modeling for the GGA, almost full time it seems. It's been almost a week since I've been there, however. The last time I was there, I was modeling for a night session with a small group of artists. There was a fierce wind storm and as I was posing I noticed the lights flicker several times. I had the feeling the power would go out unexpectedly at any moment....which... it did. After some time passed, and we knew it may not come back for several hours, everyone dispersed. No, I was not posing when the lights went out, but it wouldn't have bothered me if they had. I've enjoyed the time off and I haven't. I continue to go back and forth between feeling good and feeling unhappy. I need to take care of myself.

Tumblr

Mauvais art model now has a tumblr :} 

(happy dance photo! teehee :] taken by Ralph Moon, 2013)

For your viewing pleasure,

http://mauvaisartmodel.tumblr.com/

Friends, Admirers...

It's been a while. I've been modeling mostly for my artist and painter folk, which always leaves my blog void of photos to share. But I do have some photos to share from recent shoots! As always, I'm happy to see, share, and reflect on my work and the work of others which represents, explores or depicts me as a subject....

Photo: sgrìob, 2013

Photo: sgrìob, 2013

Photo: sgrìob, 2013

Photo: sgrìob, 2013

Photo: sgrìob, 2013

Photo: sgrìob, 2013

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 And this one could almost use it's own space for a blog post. I've been feeling a little uncertain about my body modifications (ear piercings, tattoo) lately. Because I model so frequently for artists and photographers who seem to admire, value, and adore the in-modified and "timeless" look that is of pure form and "natural" beauty, I can't help but feel a bit out of place when I'm posing for someone who may view my mods as ugly, unnatural, and may make the judgement that I'm an inferior model for having chosen to do such things. So far I do believe I've been lucky in that the people I've worked with do not have such a view - or, if they do, they make the exception for me? In any case, it's somewhat of an insecurity I suppose, and I love it when I can find images that remind me that even with the tattoo, I have a lovely back and that my ink and mods do not take away from my beauty. No matter what.

I could honestly write even more on the subject, but I don't intend to at the moment.

Photo: sgrìob, 2013

Photo: Ryan Frederickson, 2013

This one could use a whole blog post to itself, I adore it. My boyfriend needed photos for inspiration for painting ideas, and so we set about on a kind of impromptu photoshoot. He'd recently collected this AMAZING ram skull from the trash (I know, the TRASH!) and of course I wanted to get some photos with it, regardless of if he was planning on using them as reference for anything <3

Recently with Mauvais...

After the glorious Salon Nuit in SF. Photo by Ryan Frederickson, October 2013.

I love abandoned places. Photo: Dan West, September 2013.

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I love the simplicity of this image, and all the repeated patterns in it (the squares/rectangles, the lines of the stairs and my ribs). I also like how my body is nearly silhouetted. 

Reflection...(Dan West, September 2013)

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I'm not afraid to stand in cold, stagnant water as long as it's shallow. Preferably, it'd be clear enough to see my feet. I would love to do more work like this!

Shadowplay...(Ryan Frederickson, 2013)

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I quickly ducked under a staircase for this shot. I thought the shadows would be a nice experiment for shooting [:

Thoughts on a windowsill... (Ryan Frederickson, 2013)

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Why is it that old buildings and naked ladies never gets old? 

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Busy, and not busy enough. How does that even work? I'm finding myself struggling to get enough real work done (and so it sounds to me that everyone I know is having the same problem!). I've had some shoots, and a few figure modeling sessions. I continue to crave attending some life drawing sessions where I get to draw rather than model. It'll happen.

I'll be working with some new people soon which is exciting to me. I love working with some of the same people I have in the past, but I always like to cast my net out farther when I can. I do love modeling for that reason (among many others) - I genuinely like to just go out and meet someone, engage for a while, and then come back and think about the experience. I love to hear others' stories and hope they like to hear mine. I think I enjoy the process of getting to know someone more than knowing them (not always true, but I do it so much I do begin to wonder).

I'm looking forward to having some paintings of myself (finished) to share someday, hopefully sooner rather than later, and some new photos to revamp my portfolio. I feel that I am looking for something different to add to it but I'm not sure what it is. 

Finding a somewhat safe (as far as 'safe' goes in a public space where trespassing is prohibited, or where anyone else is around to notice a nude figure) outdoor location to shoot in is somewhat difficult, I'm finding, here in the Bay Area. Has anyone else had similar troubles? I like to revisit some of the old haunts, but it seems that there are more people out at them than I remember. I could really use some help on locations! Sometimes photographers ask me if I know of places and I sadly reply that I do not. As the days get shorter and the cold draws near, I will soon cease to do much outdoor nude shoots at all, which can be a bummer. But, I can focus on other things in the meantime :]

Reflections

I have been enjoying my mini-hiatus of modeling, though I did have an awesome spontaneous shoot with the wonderful Dan West, and am pleased to see some neat images from it! 

Photos by Dan West, September 2013

 I'd never modeled on a mirror before - so that was a new experience! Whoops, I may have just given away a great secret...oh well ;] I'm especially in love with the bottom image he compiled. I only wish I could see a color image because the wall was such an interesting color and texture against my skin. If I see anything more I will be sure to share :]

I've been invited to write a little blog post on Model Society  (where I have recently joined; if you are on there let's connect!) so I will be taking time to reflect on my modeling work; what got me inspired/interested, what I do, enjoy about modeling, maybe my perspective on the kind of modeling I do, how it affects me in my normal life and how I feel about how I'm achieving my goals, about my helping others or not.... It will take a while to write it up, but my hope is to get it out this week, and for those of you who are not in the Model Society network, I can share it here when it's finally been featured [:

I look forward to it, as I typically do when given time and space to reflect on myself. I tend to keep very busy and forget to make time for myself; this week may have some of that very necessary time. 

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On Sunday I went to go see the current exhibition at the SFMOMA called Beyond Belief. The premise of the show is how artists have used their art to explore and depict religious or spiritual phenomena or experience. I thought I'd share some selected works here. I am not typically one to enjoy modern art, but the admission was free (yay!) and I enjoyed reading about the pieces in the show (connecting them to the piece itself I usually thought the words were better >.< ). 

Some of the figurative works were interesting, and  this one was my favorite. 

I was especially impressed with the fact that this was a larger than life print of a photo (using a technique that I can't remember the name of! arg) on just one large sheet. That'd be a whole hell of a lot of photo developing chemicals and it turned out great! Now does anyone know how that would work? Projection? a really good enlarger? o.O

 Does anyone want to do this with me as their model? haha :D

Things That Are Still Uncomfortable But Not Quite As Much As They Used To Be Before I Was An Art Model

- parts of my body going numb and falling asleep, resulting in my limping awkwardly off the model stand and that horrible pins-and-needles sensation coupled with almost falling over after each sitting

- spending a long time with my head/neck turned one way

- resting on one elbow, hip, toe, buttcheek...

- feeling like everyone in the room is staring at you...and knowing that they ARE :P

- seeing that little glowing red dot (laser pointer) appear on your body over places like your nipples and groin and trying to not laugh while the instructor is explaining to the students how to measure certain parts of your body and pointing out important light and dark shapes

- waiting for your body to cool down but hyper-aware of that one little sweat drop trickling agonizingly slow down your body...

- when you get a sudden itch somewhere. Knowing that if you wait, it will go away, but nonetheless it's a two minute battle to not reach up and scratch it...

- irresponsible (lol) eye twitches, or other body part twitches

- being cold...and having painfully hard nipples.
 
 

(to be continued if I can ever think of other things :P)

The only thing I can say that is STILL uncomfortable if I am modeling is....
the urge to sneeze but not being able to! Why the devil is this so goddamn annoying no matter what?!

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Today was the last day of the two week workshop I was doing at the Golden Gate Atelier. A collective sigh of relief to all, but also a little sad. It was fun, but I'm glad to have an opportunity to take a little modeling break...at least till my last Thursday night session next week. I wish I had asked some of the students if I could take photos of their work to share here. I was doing a lovely seated pose on a stool, and everyone made great drawings and paintings for their skill level. I had the chance to speak with some of the students and could tell they were very appreciative of the experience and felt that they were going to be able to take a lot away from it. Yay! I was praised for my modeling, for which I am glad. Always, always, always thank your art models. Sometimes they are struggling, too, but are there for you! (bad rhyme) My bad skin has flared up more and it's been making me feel quite down and awkward to be modeling, but such is life, and I will always stay committed to artists so they can get work done. I will be glad to start September with a new mindset. Yeah, it will probably take me all week to get over it...

LAST EDITED 4.22.2014 :]