Tag Archives: fashion

VIDA added a photograph…

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to my collection.  I haven’t seen this scarf printed yet.  I’ve placed an order though.  It’s one of my favorite photographs that I’ve ever taken.  I shot this one week after my 50th birthday.  I didn’t intend for the title—fading beauty to sound like a lament of any kind.  I truly find beauty when things are “fading” and changing.  Although I miss a few things about being younger, I was fine saying goodbye to my forties.  I like my fifties…so far anyway.

I wanted to share the image.  Here’s the link to my site.

https://shopvida.com/collections/lisa-lillibridge

my wearable art

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I have a line of scarves and here’s the link to purchase if you are interested.

https://shopvida.com/collections/lisa-lillibridge

Here’s a video about VIDA and their mission on the website.

https://shopvida.com/pages/our-story

 

Amsterdam/design

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I took this photograph in the oldest church in Amsterdam. This room truly made me swoon.  I might use this image as the place I go to in my head when the world’s just too much.

This church is in the red-light district—it was founded in 1213 and consecrated in 1306.  After the Reformation it became a Calvinist church.  Here’s a link with more information.

http://www.amsterdam.info/oude-kerk/

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These globes and the plants were in the street front windows of an apartment.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThis photo is musician Elliot Smith.  This image was on a storage kiosk.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAnother kiosk image of John and Yoko during the Bed-In for Peace.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThis is an entryway, the subtle lavender curtains were just so pretty.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThere are awnings, outdoor lights and heaters everywhere.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThese books were beside each other I just thought it was funny. Pretty sure these girls don’t care in the least about mid-century design.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThis is a crosswalk on a high end shopping street.

Amsterdam/street photography

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I love street photography.  The raw moment when something sparks me.  Be sure to scroll down and check out the pigeon slideshow.  My daughter Willa had an interesting encounter near the royal palace.

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my creative life July-December 2016

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July:  I worked on my coursework for my positive psychology class.  I created a handbag out of a friend’s damaged Audi seat.  I was generously given a huge amount of fabric that was just beautiful to work with for the SEABA fashion show coming up.  I read a lot about the psychology of geography—the study of how we behave in relation to our environment. I traveled to South Dakota to visit my family and was lucky enough to get to shoot some photographs at the Burke Stampede Rodeo. Oh, cowboys…

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August:  I sketched, sewed, painted and made handbags…a big blitz of work.  Using the company SPOONFLOWER I got photographs printed onto fabric. My daughter, Lucy wore a skirt I made with an abandoned farmhouse photo I shot in South Dakota on it.  I used rust prints Elizabeth Bunsen created with Nebraska license plates to create fabric as well.  Burlington master goldsmith— Jane Frank designed jewelry worn in the show—the pieces were such a beautiful compliment to the clothes. 

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September was a blur: The fashion show was entirely consuming the first 10 days of the the month.  I love to be in flow and entirely focused on one thing.  Deadlines are my jam.  However, this year I also needed to create my final project for my Positive Psychology course at the same time . I graduated and got to spend a week at Kripalu in Lenox, Mass with a remarkable bunch of people from all around the world.  Later in the month my husband and I went to the Champlain Valley Classic Car show, taking photos and talking to classic car enthusiasts was just great after being so busy.

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October: I turned 50 on the 12th.  I was taken to Martha’s Vineyard by friends.  My husband surprised me by getting my folks, my sister and my brother-in-law to Vermont for a long weekend to celebrate with me.  That was remarkable AND he threw a party complete with my friends putting on a musical review, poetry, singing songs and making me feel so unbelievably grateful for my life.  I took a few of my favorite images ever and layered more photos. Jeff and I dressed as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo for Halloween.

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November:  I traveled to Burke, South Dakota.  I took photos of Herrick that made current and former Herrick residents very happy and remarkably nostalgic.  I got to hang out with my great nephew, Liam (oh, and the rest of my clan).  I created digital images of my own planet based on a conversation with my son.  The planet New Vagus is based on the vagus nerve—the power center of our nervous system.  I wrote.  I cried when Leonard Cohen died.

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December:  I made leather pendants for gifts.  I kept playing with the image of a South Dakota two-lane road, layering the photo and playing with the visuals of memory.  I created a line of scarves with my images on them.  I will post the link soon if you are interested in ordering one.

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January 2017 is off to an interesting start.  I’m cleaning out the basement—sorting through letters, photos, the kids clothes I’ve saved, toys, books and all of the things I can’t believe I now have to deal with.  I’m learning a lot about myself and why things seemed so very important to me.

Turning 50 is an interesting age to take a look back, look ahead, try to stay in the moment and not get too stuck in any one place.

STRUT—part I

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Here are some images from last night’s STRUT fashion show in Burlington, Vermont.  These are the more candid shots of getting ready and going through rehearsal.  We had such a great day and hanging out together was really fun.  Thank you to all who helped make the show happen.  I won’t name you all, there are too many of you who supported Elizabeth and I produce our collection.  You know who you are.  Many thanks.

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The devil is in the details…

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now that all of the pieces are created.  It’s time to look for subtle threads (literally & figuratively) that unite the collection. I love this part almost as much as pizza & champagne when we’re all done. I really like that part.  Elizabeth Bunsen’s dyed fabric, my work in scrap leather and photography and Jane Frank’s jewelry is telling a story just as we had hoped from the beginning.  Storytelling through this collaborative work is maybe the best part of the whole shootin’ match in my estimation.

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The details are details. They make the product.

The connections, the connections, the connections. It will in the end be these details that give the product its life.

                        —Charles Eames

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This week in my studio…

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I furiously got rid of stuff that was keeping my mind a complete mess.  I couldn’t even prioritize what I needed to work on first.  I spend one hour cleaning out and booked an appointment with GOT JUNK.  The minute they drove off I could breathe again.  The guys were great and both artists in their own right too.  Apparently GOT JUNK sites have a lot of materials, metal, wood and other things to scavenged.  I gave lots of things away and unearthed a few items I unfortunately would’ve purchased again because I didn’t know where they were.  The clean out felt awesome.  These are not very good before and after photos, but I think you’ll get the idea.

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Yesterday, I got to the studio ready to work on my designs for STRUT and all 4 of my sewing machines didn’t work—broken belts, jammed up and one vintage and one, a 1950s SINGER I acquired I couldn’t figure out how to get the bobbin to thread even after I read and reread the manual.  Reading manuals is not one of my strengths. It’s like reading Japanese or Greek or writing code to me.  I called my sister to tell her that I actually had to laugh at the absurdity of having all machines fail on me when I was busy sewing. I was grateful that I could find the humor in the problem.  What else could I do, really?  What was the universe trying to tell me.  I then headed out to one of the most loved repair shops in northern Vermont…Smitty’s in Essex Junction, Vermont.  http://www.smittysews.com/

I was so grateful for the service.  SMITTY and his wife are truly Vermont Treasures.

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In an hour and half I had two of the machines in beautiful working order. I’m sewing leather and my sewing machines are taking a beating.  If anyone ever wonders what to get me for a gift, it’s leather needles.  As a bonus, I got to have tacos with my daughter, Willa while I waited.  There’s always a bonus, if we’re paying attention to everyday hardships if we dig deep.

 By 2pm I finally was able to get to work and nearly finish one of my pieces for the show.  I love to work with the tension of tough and soft materials.  I think the leather with the softness of the ecodyed silk from Elizabeth Bunsen is an interesting contrast…just like life.

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Sometimes things are hard and sometimes things are delicate and sometimes we just have to laugh at it all. 

collaboration is pretty cool.

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Elizabeth Bunsen and I are both prairie girls.  Elizabeth from rural Nebraska and me, as you might know, South Dakota. We wanted to design a collection that reflects our shared sense of interior geography. Our efforts will walk down the runway during Burlington, Vermont’s annual fashion show—STRUT.  The show is a part of a three day art celebration in Burlington, Vermont…SOUTH END ART HOP.

Elizabeth creates amazing rust prints on paper.  I’m a graphic designer.  I wanted to design some of our textiles for the show.  I ordered these from SPOONFLOWER.  I think they came out beautifully.  The fabric wasn’t too expensive and they were pretty quick on the turn around.  I can’t wait to work with these prints.

RUST  PRINTS + ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR = PERSONALIZED TEXTILES

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Elizabeth is getting ready for the Art Hop in her studio now as well. It’s sort of a kooky, busy, creative time in Burlington, Vermont’s South End. We will be using some of these pieces that she has ecodyed with eucalyptus and indigo.

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I will be making handbags for the show out of leather scrap.  I love the way Elizabeth’s fabric floats next to the leathers.  I’ll keep posting more of our work as it’s available.  This is by far my favorite creative time of the year and working with Elizabeth’s creations is bringing some additional energy that’s really welcomed.

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I’ll be doing a real blitz of long days in my very hot studio starting August 27th.  If you stop by to visit—an icy, unsweetened iced tea from Cumberland Farms is always welcomed.

 

The South End Art Hop’s STRUT is on September 10th

Here’s the link for tickets.  Both shows usually sell out early.

http://seaba.com/art-hop/strut/

a south dakota road trip in leather

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I made this bag for a group show opening this Friday night at SEABA (South End Arts and Business Association) in Burlington, Vermont.  I like the idea of this piece being usable…although it has a few structural challenges for heavy use.  I’ll get it right next time…oh, how I love the process of trying to get it right.

IMG_5998_2_3_4_4I used the road image I love to work with for my muse.  You might be tired of all the ways I’ve played with this image…sorry, I’m not nearly done yet.  Too me this photo represents what I’ve always loved.  Independence.  Adventure.  Spaciousness.  Freedom.  As well as beef jerky, bad road coffee, Hostess® products, potato chips, loud music and infinite possibilities.

When I finished this bag I had a strange thought—I wished that Calamity Jane and/or Frida Kahlo had bequeathed it to me.  The road is always an inspiration to me and so are those two bad ass women.

I used a bit of ecodyed organza from Elizabeth Bunsen on the bottom to lend some contrast.  I love the lightness of the fabric with the leather and heavy stitching.

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