☆☆ Happy New Year ☆☆

On December 27, 2016May 15, 2017 By ResaIn Gowns, Live Model Collection95 Comments

Did you ever feel like dreams can and do come true?

Well, that’s exactly how I felt when I met Stephanie Tudin.

SWAN

Photo © Stephanie Tudin - Art Gown © Resa McConaghy — Photo © Stephanie Tudin – Art Gown © Resa McConaghy

Stephanie is a young, talented & passionate photographer who said “I love your Art Gowns, and would love to collaborate on an Art Gowns/Photo Fantasy project. I had just begun Mystic Lake, so she became the first. Stephanie chose Lake Ontario for the location.

Mystic Lake was based on ducks, swans & pigeons. Once our model, Paige Marie Anderson, began floating along the lake shore, she became Stephanie’s SWAN. She became my SWAN.

The first post of any new Art Gown will be on Judy, as I have always done. As usual, there will be dedication(s) and/or creative tie-ins with other bloggers. After that, it will be dressed on a live model, and become part of Stephanie’s & my collaboration. The hope is for it to all end up as a gallery show.

A very special thank you to Paige Marie Anderson, who braved the cruel cold, while Stephanie and I were cozy in our parkas.

Please visit Stephanie’s Website

Stephanie Tudin on FaceBook – Stephanie Tudin on LinkedIn – Stephanie Tudin on Instagram

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Thank you, Stephanie! You are like dreams coming true. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Goddess Mnemosyne

On March 18, 2016April 6, 2016 By ResaIn Art Gowns Brand, Gowns91 Comments

Have you ever felt the breath of Zeus down your back?

No! Then you’ve never created a gown for the Goddess Mnemosyne.

So, now you want to know about Mnemosyne. Well, you’re in luck because Aquileana has posted Mnemosyne: https://aquileana.wordpress.com/2016/02/11/%E2%96%BAgreek-mythology-mnemosyne-collaboration-with-resa-mcconaghy-and-christy-birmingham-%F0%9F%92%AB/

Big Bonus: Christy Birmingham of Poetic Parfait penned a poem about Mnemosyne for Aquileana’s article. Art Gown Mnemosyne is there, too!

Intrigued by Greek Mythology since I began reading La Audacia de Aquiles, I thank Aquileana for all the heady gown ideas.

My first inspiration was the classic white draping associated with ancient Greece.

I found yards & yards of natural white curtain sheers in a sell off bin for $2.00/yd. At that price it must have been around since the 1970’s!

Judy is off white and I got a fret on that the fabric wouldn’t show.

I consulted with Aquileana & she said red or blue could work.

So, I styled a fine red silk jacquard under dress for Mnemosyne.

Art Gowns refuse to iron, so I spent many days at the ironing board preparing the white sheers: hand stitching & pressing.

On the right: Mnemosyne inspects & critiques my fussy & diligent work.

It was worth the effort. Mnemosyne is a true classic beauty.

Christy’s poetry is super meaningful, & is making this Art Gown even more special. Thank you so much dear Christy!

Here are some out takes.

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Mnemosyne allowed me to experiment with a slight re-drape.

I wanted to show off all the gorgeous vintage golden brass pieces a friend gave me to help me express Mnemosyne. To me, these represent Zeus.

Together with the red silk they are the Muses.

Mnemosyne is the mother of the 9 Muses. Zeus is the father.

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Mnemosyne & all the Art Gowns welcome you into the Art Gowns’ home for a celebration! Dionysis is bringing the wine, so it’s got to be good.

I will be preparing the meal, as Art Gowns don’t go into the kitchen, ever.

Art Gown Mnemosyne designed by Resa McConaghy – January, 2016

Mnemosyne Photos taken by Resa McConaghy – January 19 – 30, 2016

Above: Mnemosyne w/ Mini-me. Below, a Queen of Goddess.

Art Gowns Love

On March 5, 2015April 22, 2015 By ResaIn Art Gowns Brand, Gowns36 Comments

Thank you all who supported that I had an Award Nomination. I have taken forever (unless you follow GLaM ) to tell you I didn’t win.

I had the time of my life. I have a new “Art Gown” on Judy. I have a surprise post in between this and the new “Art Gown post”

In the meantime visit Art Gowns for Charity and and knock some socks off!

Pics © Norman Orenstein – 2015

Art Gowns – Red Carpet Review

On January 24, 2015 By ResaIn Gowns115 Comments

I’M THRILLED to be a NOMINEE for BEST COSTUME DESIGN – CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS

The show I’m up for is “The Best Laid Plans” & of course some of the “Art Gowns” want to go to the Gala. They each say they are “The Best Made Gown”.

So in a supportive spirit, my writer friend Christy Birmingham from Poetic Parfait uses her talent to review a few of the gowns.

⭐

Dip me in a mixture of blooms and light,

For a wedding beyond what I ever thought possible.

Douse me with water from a river of silky fabric

That tumbles across my curves with brilliance

I had not previously known.

Let me savor this garden today.

⭐

She slithers with sexiness, power rising from

Far within the depths of the striking hemlines,

Reaching out with a bold beauty to fit snuggly at

The intersection of feminine and powerful.

She is a layer of heat upon hope, black upon white,

Billowing in a breathtaking world of her own.

⭐

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Dosage is plenty, yet never too much,

With purple shades of glory that rest underneath

Bobbles more elegant than words will allow,

As though the train to perfection is held within

Lines across me, and it flows to the

Floor with an ease I have not felt in years.

⭐

Shimmer me this, tell me what you think,

Whether my daring spirit is coating your

Mind with romance for miles?

Run your hopes down my side, like the soft

Fabric of my dreams, and settle within the

Bare skin that complements a blue vision

Put here to amaze us.

Layer within my company tonight.

⭐

THANK YOU DEAR CHRISTY

Christy’s blog Poetic Parfait is filled with her poetry, short stories, book reviews and more, as she shares her creative mind with us all. When Women Inspire, Christy’s other “must see” blog, is a wonderful celebration of and for all women ……. and men!

All gowns designed by Resa McConaghy

All photos © Resa McConaghy

All poetry © Christy Birmingham

La Vie en Rosé

On January 31, 2014January 19, 2015 By ResaIn Gowns105 Comments

Were you ever inspired to embellish an Art Gown with 300 wine corks?

Tip #1 – Do not attempt to drink 300 bottles of wine all in one night. Spread them out over a few days.

Shot in Magic Hour with Incandescent lighting — Shot in late afternoon with Incandescent lighting

Tip #2 – Share them with friends.

Tip #3 – Read a romance novel by Imelda Evans while you sip luxuriously

La Vie en Rosé is inspired by and dedicated to Imelda and her latest novel “Playing By The Rules”

OF course I would have to attach all the corks somehow so I bought 110 meters of old gold soutache. It was easy getting else wise creative with that soutache.

I wanted more creative fuel for so I asked Imelda,

“If you could put 1 color to Kate & 1 color to Josh what are those 2 colors? Not that I will use them, but what would they be?”

Imelda’s answer:

“Okay, this was a mind-bender for me, as I don’t think this way normally (although I’m going to do it for all my characters now).

Kate is a rich, autumn brown. If it were shiny it would be burnished bronze. Josh is a bright, apple-y green. I have no idea why!”

I couldn’t resist buying some new yardage

I found this gorgeous tie-dyed (the pattern does not repeat) stretch velvet.

In the warm lighting of the store the colors were a perfect bronze/brown with a kind of apple green coming though.

As I was paying for it, my eyes caught the most enchanting brown/bronze organza ribbon so I grabbed 20 meters of that.

When I set up in the”Art Gown” room which is filled with natural light the colors appeared to be burgundy and teal. When shot with a flash the green magically appeared.

The gown is a chameleon!

This is why I opened with 3 similar shots of La Vie en Rosé I was completely at a loss for what was more beautiful.

I loved Imelda’s first book, “Rules Are For Breaking”

As “Playing By The Rules” is a prequel. I just had to ask,

“Was it easier to write the second book having already developed the
characters in the first book?”

Imelda’s answer:

“That’s a bit of a tricky one, as this book was actually written first! I did rewrite a lot of it after I published the other one though, so I guess I can still answer that.

Yes, knowing the characters first makes it much easier to write their stories. But I get to know the characters by writing their stories, so it’s a bit of a catch 22! Not sure what comes first, sometimes, the story or the people!”

Both of Imelda’s books are available on Amazon.

Playing By The Rules

and

Rules Are For Breaking

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Oh! If you want to know how the French title and wine corks tie in, you’ll have to read the book. I hope you do!

La Fin

“Art Gown” La Vie en Rosé designed by Resa McConaghy _ January – 2014

Atlantis Mermaid Love-in

On July 13, 2013January 19, 2015 By ResaIn Gowns111 Comments

Did you ever get the urge to design an “Art Gown” who could swim the oceans & seas spreading love and peace?

Well, then you know she’d have to be a mermaid, and speak a lot of languages.

Le Drake Noir, as you speak 8 languages (reading and writing in 4), and are constantly posting pics of or from oceans and seas, This “Art Gown” is for you.

My personal challenge with this “Art Gown” was that I could only use what I had in stock. I was not allowed to buy anything.

I found:

Blue Crushed Velvet yardage

3 white T-shirts, of my design, and 2 boxes of purple dye. I immediately tie-dyed 2 of the t-shirts, thinking of hippies in their tie-dyes and velvet bell-bottoms.

When it comes to “Love &Peace”, the Hippies were full of it.

Scraps of $200.00/yd. French Lace

Blue and purple acrylic paint.

I soaked the lace in watered down acrylic paint.

When it dried it had become plastic-like, and looked like fan seaweed.

I found I could cut around the lace patterns and it didn’t run. What fun!

I also found a bottle of glue, which I used to adhere the cut out seaweed pieces to her.

The thing about mermaids is, if you were under the water and saw one, she might be swimming under you, or over you.

As I don’t have a glass floor, I climbed a ladder.

It looks like she’s swimming up at me.

What a beauty!

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I usually do a Black & White here, but this “Art Gown” has a lush glamor that precedes the glamor of the 1940’s, so I antiqued it!

Le Drake Noir, I enjoy your blog, and I know you’ll look great in this gown!

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