Christa Rowley Fabric!

I've been working on some ink and water colour/wash drawings lately, mainly because I have been wanting to do more simple, crisp works on paper, but also because I have been thinking of making some of my drawings into mass produced items: stationary, prints, etc.

I also had the idea of using a really cool website www.spoonflower.com, that allows you to print any image on fabric (as well as wallpaper and other things).  Very exciting possibilities.

Introducing... The Christa Rowley Line of Fabrics!  

I made some "ladies from pornos" drawings specifically so I could make a porn-lady print fabric to be the backing for some "sexy lady rag dolls" that I want to make from a project I silkscreened years ago.  They're going to be so cool!

Here is my first stash, all in cotton.  I plan to make some pillows, pot holders and aprons, among other things.

Stay tuned for other fun uses for these drawings!  Mugs?  Mouse pads?  The sky's the limit!

Mural Club: Our First Finished Piece!

Christa Rowley at the Crooked Star

Just marking a little territory on Ossington.

From June 15th until TBD,

have a little Christarama with your summer cocktail!

New Work at Not My Dog.

 These are some small pieces that I have been working on lately playing with drawing, collage, and my new love of Sharpie paint markers.  

"Roots"

"Lost"

"Shiva"

"Medusa"

 "Siren with Seahorses"

I am showcasing these little darlings, as well as many other varieties of textiles, drawings and collages, currently at one of my favourite Parkdale locals Not My Dog.  Stop by to see them in person, they should be up there throughout May.

Belly Dance and the Big Top!

March 28th was quite a night of the arts for this girl.  My student Belly Dancing Troupe, Banat El Sharq, had a 7pm performance at the U of T Festival of Dance.  (Belly Dance has become one of my absolute favourite things lately - I adore the music, the costumes, the way that your body translates the rhythms and the instruments...)

I knew that The Super Wonder Gallery's Big Top Show was that night too, but I really REALLY liked these costumes:

I'm also eager to perform as much as I can since one of the reasons that I joined the student troupe was to overcome my crippling stage fright.  So, I double booked!  I wizzed home after teaching all day, got my costume and an outfit for later, and off I went to the Dance Performance.

This is my backstage dressing room selfie.

After the show, I hightailed it to 99 Sudbury to visit my girls (and my guy!) at the Big Top Show.

Here are Poppy & Rosy courting an admirer,

...as the Bearded Lady observes the crowd.

 The handsome and charming Jay Nadler, offering prizes to the giddy crowds.

Poppy & Rosy

The Bearded Lady

The Big Top - A Circus Themed Group Show at 99 Sudbury The Super Wonder Gallery

I have for a while now been slowly working on a series inspired by circus sideshow posters, how convenient that the next group show at the Super Wonder Gallery is circus themed!

The Big Top

Opens on Friday March 21, and promises to be the best party yet.

Here is a sneak preview of the work I'll be submitting:

The Bearded Lady:

The Conjoined Twins (work in progress)

I am exploring the usual themes of cultural characters and icons (from a feminine perspective) in our world, comparing fantasy and folk culture with more contemporary forms of media (like the characterization and designs of vaudvillian circus posters, as well as modern advertising).  On a technical level, I am excited about bringing more drawing, line, and pattern into my work with the use of paint pens and mixed media.  Come on out to 99 Sudbury for a closer look!

Late Night with Orion Nebula

I hosted a late night talk show.  Set in space.  My name was Orion Nebula.  The kids were planets, I interviewed them, asking them facts about themselves.  Take that, Space unit!