Relocation

As of today, this blog has moved!  You can now join me at http://artblog.emilymagone.com/.

All posts from the beginning are there, so you won't miss anything! And it's much prettier ;)

Click to join me!

See you there!

Love,

Emily :)

Bound.

This is a follow up to this post.  I know you're busy, so here is a summary:

My business name no longer fits my business, brand, and the direction that I want my work to go. After having my business officially up and running for two years, I have further solidified my artistic desire and intent.  I described this in that post as well:

"Intentions typically flow from a belief system.  Mine is that everything in this universe - you, me, the trees, the animals, the stars, planets, all things vegetable, mineral and otherwise - are all made of the same materials and are therefore bound to each other on a much deeper level than our evolving human brains can comprehend right now.
The point is that people have strayed away from that universal connection over the centuries, and it has led humanity down an incredibly narrow and destructive path.  My hope is to remind people of that connection, of the importance and value of all of the other life on this earth aside from just the human life.  If you are already living that connection, I want to inspire it further.
I've been thinking about this for quite some time, but haven't wanted to move on it until I found the  name that represented it all perfectly, the name that resonated with me, that excited every cell in my being, and that I knew was going to envelope my artistic life and work forward indefinitely."

So... without further adieu...I present to you:

So what does this mean for you, as a reader, shopper or collector?

1.  The biggest change is the work itself and how you view the gallery. In an effort to hone my work and focus, all work is now categorized in four series falling under the umbrella of Bound and the meaning behind it. 

Woodland Bound - The forest, the trees, the leaves, the undergrowth. Le sigh.

Climax Bound - Abstraction comes from within.  When reaching those physical and mental peaks in life, I see color. Moving, sweeping, flowing color.

Sky Bound - The endless, epic universe blows the mind.

Earth Bound - This planet harbors and creates incredible natural formations that beg to be ogled and cherished.


2.  Over the past few weeks I have been transitioning all venues as well. 

The website is still www.emilymagone.com and the updates in accordance with the brand are complete.

The new blog location is http://blog.emilymagone.com/

Everything else is in the same place, but has the new name (or just my name) at the top:

Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Society6


3.  My commitment to this direction also means that I will be limiting the custom work I do that doesn't fit within the scope of Bound.  There will always be exceptions of course! But all my new work moving forward will be a piece of the aforementioned collections, or will be the beginning of a new Bound collection.

I am ridiculously excited about this next step forward in my artistic life, and I want nothing more than for you to come along on this journey with me!  

"What I want to do with my art is to give you an opportunity to connect with the earth in new ways on a daily basis, to display and wear your love and appreciation for our natural world.  So when you can't be out frolicking in nature, a little piece of nature can be bringing joy and calm to your day, which then makes you want to be frolicking in nature...and so on. 

I want to help people become aware of their connection to each other and everything around them, to renew that connection, to maintain that connection.  There is incredible beauty in the tiniest details.

The Earth is beautiful. Bathe yourself in it. Feel the Beauty."

Many, many thanks to Lisa Wood for the amazing logo design and listening to me ramble for days on end about this relaunch. I love you so <3

Coming soon...

The Ponchos Are Here

Just launched! I've been dreaming about making hand-painted ponchos for some time, and finally, here they are!

These ponchos are deliciously soft and drape beautifully. They can be worn off either shoulder, or turned to the front and wrapped as a scarf as well! They look beautiful worn as a casual layer, or as a dressy wrap over evening wear and dresses. They make a lovely swim coverup as well!

Material: 100% Light Rayon
Weight: Light to Medium
Size: 35" wide x 20" length, neck opening is 17" wide
Hem: Machine Sewn

Here are a few of my favorite shots.  Photography by Amanda Webb of Footsteps Photography.

Skip on over to the Etsy shop to see more pictures and details!

So Many New Things!

There are so many new beauties in the shop this week!  Enjoy! And as always, please contact me at www.emilymagone.com or at emilymagone@gmail.com if you have any questions!

Giant Veil Scarves

Part of my newest collection, these massive handpainted lightweight silk scarves can be tied in endless ways. The silk is very light, smooth and sheer and feels amazing against the skin. They look incredible blowing in the breeze, and are abundant in fabric for protecting your neck and face from the cool wind. They make delicious beach cover ups, head wraps, shawls, veils and a lovely sheer layer over any skirt or leggings! The possibilities are endless...and with something so soft and luscious in your arsenal, you'll want to figure out as many ways to wear it as you can ;)

Handpainted Silk Ornaments

I wanted some lovely little nature-filled beauties to sprinkle around my home for the holidays this year! Each ornament in this collection is hand painted on silk and is a one of a kind piece.  3", 6" and  10" in diameter and strung with a clear, looped hanger, this tiny piece of art is ready to hang on your mantle, your wall, in your window or wherever else you desire!

These ornaments are meant for inside use only.

Printed Leggings & Skirts

I am now working with ArtofWhere in Montreal, Canada, to produce beautiful leggings and skirts with my paintings printed on the fabric!  I'm so excited! Just in time for boot weather ;)

And remember, it is perfectly appropriate to shop for yourself for Christmas too ;)

Enjoy discount codes, first looks at new designs, specials and other fabulousness!

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DIY SOS: The Big Build

Pumped.

So a few weeks ago, I received an email through my Etsy shop from a lovely woman at the BBC requesting a couple of my pillow covers for a home design show that they do called DIY SOS: The Big Build.  After further reading and a little research, I realized that it was the original (British) version of a show we watch in America called Extreme Home Makeover.  I've been obsessed with EHM for years, and have never made it through an episode without crying like a baby.

So to be asked to make a contribution to such an epic and worthy cause, even if it is just a couple of little pillow covers, made me squeal and tear up with joy and gratitude. 

I got the pillow covers done and sent them off right away, and was also invited to come to the neighborhood where the family lived and be there for the big reveal with the rest of the builders, tradesmen, suppliers and crew that had a part in the renovation. 

The family, two EMT parents, a 9-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old boy with severe physical disabilities and an incredible love for sports, needed a space that their growing boy could fully access and which would give the incredibly hard working parents and his caring sister some much needed respite and comfort. 

Being there with all the people that volunteered all of their time and sweat to bring this to fruition for this incredibly deserving family was amazing.  It was a beautiful, sunny day and the look on the young boy's face as he was talking about his rad new room, bathroom and the gaming system that he could operate with his finger was just an honor to witness.  The family was so incredibly grateful, and being the type of people that spend their day saving lives and caring for others, it was a great honor for everyone that participated in the project to be able to help them so immensely and take such a weight off of their shoulders so that they could go from coping with their situation back to living more fully. 

After all the opening and closing scenes were filmed, everyone had the opportunity to meet and get pictures with the DIY SOS staff and builders.  A group of incredibly kind, caring and hilarious guys that have one of the greatest jobs I can imagine - making huge, positive changes in the lives of others on a daily basis using creativity, innovation and the collective goodwill of a huge team. 

Giddy.

SO RAD.

It was a dreamy, dreamy day my friends.

So gratefully,

Emily <3

Q & A!

Well hello lovelies!  A couple weeks ago I posted a few questions on the Facebook page for you, some of which were wondering if there were any questions you had for me.  You came back with some very interesting questions, so I thought I would take a stab at answering them!

Here we go! 

Michael asks, "How do your goals align with or deter from military life?"  

Fabulous question!  For those of you who don't already know this, I am married to a delicious military man.  This means that we move around the planet every 2-4 years, with little warning or clue as to where we are going.  Fortunately, this lifestyle suits our personalities very well.  We love to travel obviously, so having a new hub to journey from every so often is fabulous.  Business-wise, it is very beneficial in many ways.  The frequent travel is constantly inspiring my work and life.  The constant turnover in the military population as people move here and move away keeps the market fresh and ever changing.  And every time we get moved, I am able to build my network, resources and breadth of opportunities even more.   

Every location has its varying pros and cons of course.  For example, in England, we are out in the middle of nowhere in farmland and forests.  While it doesn't allow me much opportunity for face time with the local population, it is AMAZING for the scenery and frolicking through nature.  So, to directly answer the question, my current goals align wonderfully with military life.  :) 

Andelyn asks, "Would you ever offer classes or lessons on your techniques?" and "What is your favorite form of art that you create?"

I've thought about this many times! I have done private lessons with adults in the past, and it was fabulous and has led to some lifelong friendships.  I have also done private lessons with children, and that doesn't fit very well for me.  I've thought about teaching adult classes on basic techniques, perhaps in one of those BYOB settings, but the stars haven't aligned yet in that department.  Eventually!

As for my favorite form of art to create, I believe it will always be my first love which is acrylic on canvas.  The possibilities are endless with it, and the gratification and calm that comes with the application of endless layers of paint to create something that is new and a piece of myself is unmatched.  :)

Mei Lin says, "I am very interested in learning about how you make your trees and elephants. Also--how you get the colors to be almost "water-color" design."  

This is a hard one!  I suppose they could both be answered with, 'lots and lots of layering!'   I've had many other people make the observation that my acrylics often take on a 'watercolor feel'.  This isn't something I do intentionally, so I'm not quite sure how to answer!  I use a lot of water when I paint, for smoothing, blending, glazing, layering, etc. so perhaps my pigments become so liquefied that they take on that appearance on their own! :) 

Many have asked about the different places that I've traveled and how they have influenced my art.  This could be a whole blog post on its own!  But here is a list off the top of my head, and the first thing that comes to mind that inspired my work while there. If you click on the country, you can also read the post on that location!

Ireland - GREEN, rolling hills, the Cliffs of Moher (nearly all the 2009 posts are about my summer spent in Ireland, so feel free to browse the archives!)

Grand Cayman Islands - the flora. There are some incredible species of flowers and plants on this island, that I had never seen before. Apparently I didn't blog about this trip for some reason...

Netherlands - Amsterdam is the happiest place on earth. The architecture is beautiful and distinct, the tulip fields are epic, and the Keukenhof Gardens will inspire my work for life.

Canary Islands - this trip involved eating Paella and drinking sangria and laying by the pool, so I don't have much from this one lol.

Belgium - classy, elegant, refined and relaxed was Belgium. I think of glass and wrought iron ceilings, lamp posts and cobblestone.

Scotland - Mmmmm Edinburgh.  My absolute favorite skyline thus far.  The spires, the architecture, the castles.  The kindness of the people and the deliciousness of the accent, the haggis, the scotch, the kilts...it is like a fairyland. Love me some Scotland.

France - the Provencial countryside is unlike any other.  The trees really do look like a Van Gogh painting.

Greece - the white washed buildings and blue domes of Santorini are of course very distinctive. The view over the caldera from above is epic.  The lushness and super smooth stone streets of Corfu are lovely.

Italy - too much to reference here! The sea, the caves, the ruins, the architecture, VENICE, the list goes on.

Croatia - such a peaceful and calmly beautiful place.  The sea blends with the sky. The castles on the cliffs, the islands all up and down the coast. Love.

Norway - the motherland. The Norwegian Fjords are one of the earth's most incredible occurrences.  Words cannot describe the scale and magnitude of these natural formations. Not to mention the landscape beyond the fjords.  The mountains rocket toward the sky, the lush green hills make me want to run and sing and cry, the flora, the harbors, the architecture. It is all amazing.

Denmark - Copenhagen is rad and very chill, and has a lovely botanical garden.  We didn't get to see much there, it was just an overnight!

Germany - Bavariaaaaaaa! The Alps. No explanation necessary.

Spain - Gaudi's work and influence on Barcelona's architecture and public art is very distinctive and beautiful.  Barcelona is huge, there is so much to see and it is beautiful.

Canada - west coast, Vancouver area, so green and beautiful.

Montana - the homeland! Glacier National Park, the Rockies, that is what I grew up in. I'm spoiled and my standards of natural surroundings are very high as a result :)

Washington - living in Seattle was amazing.  I LOVE that city.  The Olympics, the Cascades, the Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, all within a short drive.  If it didn't cost a billion dollars to live up there, I would love to again :)

Arizona - Phoenix was a dirty hell hole, but head up north to Sedona and serenity will return.  The red rocks, the rivers, the luscious sunrises and sunsets, and the art community is very strong there.

Phew! That was an interesting recap!  Thank you for that question, it was really cool to run through what I have taken from each place inspirationally :)

And finally, I am frequently asked about my silk painting technique and process.  I would have a hard time conveying that in just words, so I'm working on putting together a photo or video tutorial on this very topic in the near future!  I would love input on this from you! What would you like to see specifically? What would you like to know?

I love to hear from you! I love answering your questions and hearing what you think!  Is there anything you would like to ask me?  Fire away!

With gratitude,

Emily :)

The Skirts Are Here!!!

It is TIME!! The 2014 Spring Collection is here!!  

Click HERE to get yours now!!

To Etsy Shop!

Skirt Photo Shoot!!

It is all happening!  Saturday was a magical day, full of gorgeous sunny weather, beautiful and generous friends, and what I feel is a delicious milestone in my adventure as an artist.  I feel like I have been waiting forever to have such a thing to share with you!  A ridiculously massive thank you to Amanda Webb of Footsteps Photography for bring my vision to fruition, and to my two gorgeous models, Lisa and Lauren for making this skirts look even more amazing than I had imagined.  

Without further adieu, I present to you the Spring 2014 Collection of Handpainted Skirts by Emily Magone (that's me!).  Wheeeeeee!!

Yeah.  I most definitely busted a tear when I saw how amazing these turned out.  For those that missed the last update about them, here is the info for those of you who are interested in snagging these one of a kind pieces of wearable art!  

Being that it isn't realistic to have these skirts made in mass quantities, I am going to release small, individual collections in the Spring and Fall.  If it goes well, next year I will do Spring, Summer and Fall, adding the sheer silk skirts to the collection as well.

Some info on the pieces!

• The skirts are wrap style, so will fit nearly all sizes and can be worn in a silly amount of different ways! I am in talks about a photo/video blurb that will demonstrate all of the ways to wear them as well!
• Most are floor length, but a couple are tea length, and one is built especially for a left-handed tie.  
• The fabric is a bamboo/rayon blend, extremely soft, and hangs beautifully.  
• They wrinkle up easily when crumpled, but smooth out very easily as well.  
• Some have a soft and tiny fringe on some edges, giving beautiful texture.
• This fabric is very strong when dry, and very delicate when wet.  It must be handwashed in cool water with a small amount of gentle, colorless detergent.
• The color/paint will not wash out, it is heat set and becomes permanent during the creating process.
• Prices will vary from $165 to $195, depending on the length and design of the skirt.

In celebration of launch day, I will be having a 20% off everything in the Etsy shop as well!  

The timing for the Spring Collection is going to coincide with the local Mayfair Bazaar the first weekend in May, so the launch will be an in-person event, and any skirts that are not sold at the Bazaar will then be available on the website following the event.  

If you have any questions about the skirts, the launch, or the Mayfair Bazaar, please do not hesitate to email me at emilymagone@gmail.com!

Enjoy discount codes , first looks at new designs , specials and other fabulousness!

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