Aquileana from ⚡️ La Audacia de Aquiles ⚡️ has taken all of the symbols from my last Art Gown – Athena ⭐️ Graffiti Goddess ⭐️ – and put them into a relatable mystic perspective.
Aquileana places the symbol beside the Tarot Card it references, which aids enormously in understanding the interpretation. Here is one example.
Other symbols and meanings are presented equally.
Athena, Goddess of Knowledge seems to me to be much like Aquileana in many ways. It is within knowledge and sharing of it, beauty, appreciation of the arts and crafts, essentially urbanized and civilized and a feminine figure of wisdom that I speak of.
Many thank you’s to Aquileana for this fabulous collaboration, from me, and it appears that Leo’s and Scorpios can see a lot between them.
It began with the fact that my new Art Gown will take at least 6 – 8 more weeks to complete. I wanted to post sooner.
Aquileana said I could use her as a muse to sketch the Goddess Art Gowns we had done colab posts on. Thinking I’d only get to do 1, she chose Artemis. It was so much fun, I painted the sketch. To read or learn about Goddess Artemis, and to view all of the creative collaboration, which includes a poem by Oloriel, see Aquileana’s post- “Artemis´ Dual Archetype”
Above is Art Gown, Artemis. To view the post “Artemis by Moonlight”, click on it!
It was so satisfying doing Artemis, that I segued into Mnemosyne.
It was fabulously fab to revisit my early fashion sketching abilities. Yes, I have a lot to remember & catch up on!
To read or learn about Mnemosyne, and to view all of the creative collaboration, which includes poetry by Christy Birmingham, see Aquileana’s post-“Mnemosyne”
Above is Art Gown Mnemosyne. To view the complete post, click on the above pic.
Art Gowns Artemis & Mnemosyne designed & handmade by Resa McConaghy
Did you ever think to yourself, I’d like to meet an Art Gown fairy?
She would look like the sun shining on rippling pink water and her tail would be made from the forest’s leaves.
Her wings would fold behind her, in many wonderful different ways.
Well, you’ve come to the right place. We make fairies here. This may be the first fairy, but it will not be the last.
And who better to dedicate the first fairy Art Gown to than Brenda Davis Harsham from Friendly Fairy Tales.
Okay, a few notes on the making of La Esencia de Titania
It began with leftovers from “O Royal Treasure”. As I was cutting the circles out of white voile to make her flowers, I noticed the long scraps were fairy airy and romantic feeling.
Using up old things is very Art Gowns apropos.
Shimmering pink stretch cut velvet was draped on Judy, with the white voile scriffles. It was too, pale.
Using metallic bronze and copper acrylic paint with fabric medium, the scraps were painted. A ladder was used for hang drying the pieces.
The result is what I call autumn leaves. After I draped the leaves around the gown, I brought my cat, Jeep, in for consultation
Once she was made, it was a lot of fun folding her wings in different ways.
Of course spreading them for flight was very important, as well!
OUTTAKES
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La Esencia de Titania heads to the dining room to plan a dinner party for the Art Gowns.
Apparently, the Art Gowns want to move to a place with a larger dining room, more the size of a ballroom, so their tails will fit in better.
La Esencia de Titania and Mini-Me discuss changing Mini-Me’s name to “Mini-Muse”.
Art Gown La Esencia de Titania designed by Resa McConaghy – 2017
Brenda Davis Harsham lives in New England. Her site, Friendly Fairy Tales, is for kids of all ages. Her poetry and prose have been published at the places listed in the “Publications” Page on her blog. Fine art prints are available to purchase on Society6 .
Brenda wants to pen a Fairy Tale based on Art Gown La Esencia de Titania sometime in the future! Would love it!
La Esencia de Titania takes off for a special midnight mission.
La Esencia de Titania & Mini- Me (Muse?) dream of running away to Hollywood to become stars in black and white movies.
Were you ever impassioned to make an Art Gown from 150 O’s?
Yes! Then you probably know this year is Canada’s 150th birthday.
In 1967, Canada was 100 years old. Our national anthem is “O Canada”. In celebration, Joyce Wieland created a famous lithograph of O’s formed by her red painted lips.
Yet, this is the Art Gown dedicated to Ralph from Bluefish Way, and Ralph lives in Spain. Ah, but he lives in Cañada del Real Tesoro, Spain. Canada/Cañada – it was a thrilling discovery.
According to Mini-Me, Ralph, and what Belen Soto told me, it means Path to the Royal Treasure.
Turned out the path to O Royal Treasure was a 4 month trek.
150 flowers were created. Using a dinner plate, and 2 different sized saucers. I cut out 150 circles, gathered the edges, & drew them into flowers. I painted my lips red, formed an O, and implanted an O on each of the flowers.
The bodice was hell to shape, as it is made from a bargain bin stretch poplin.
To sew on the skirt, I removed the bodice from Judy. When I put it back on Judy, the poplin had grown a size bigger. More shaping was required.
A giant bow was stuffed with net. Perfect for sewing on 22 flowers!
O Royal Treasure outtakes.
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There’s a final twist!
Ralph is engaged! Click n the banner below to read the post!
⭐ An Art Gowns Heritage Moment ⭐
Mini-Me educates O Royal Treasure on how to fit in with Art Gowns. “Never do dishes, vacuum or any housework. Make sure to plan a dinner party for all of the girls, as soon as possible!”
In a a dream-like state, O Royal Treasure heads to the dining room to plan her first dinner.
Were you ever challenged to model an Honorary Art Gown?
No, well then maybe you don’t know Georgian Carlson from Rethinking Life?
You see, I did a post on my Graffiti blog about how an artist named Tensoe spray painted a gown for me. Georgian said you should model it! I said I was too, old to do that.
I expressed how bad I felt about aging, and didn’t want my picture taken, anymore.
One thing lead to another, and now I am challenging my own perception. It is an idea that has been marketed to me my entire life, and brainwashed me to believe.
I didn’t think I could go through with it, but I’m glad I did. I thought about Photoshop airbrushing, but decided to be honest, and just pick the best photos.
⭐ ⭐ Presenting: Tenesa – Honorary Art Gown ⭐ ⭐
Although she’s my idea, I did not make Tenesa. I’ve made all of the other Art Gowns by hand, sewing, painting decorating, but not Tenesa. Yet, Tenesa is so marvelous, I say she’s an “Honorary Art Gown”.
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However, Tenesa wasn’t always this beautiful. She started out as an ordinary custom made De$igner wedding gown who found her way into the alley, one day.
Here she met Tensoe, an artist with many cans of spray paint. He fell in love with her, and spent all of his paint on her.
Artist: Tensoe
Go Tensoe! I love you forever for doing this!
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I was breath taken when I saw her. We named her Tenesa, and I took her home to live with the Art Gowns.
I figured, as she was an alley rescue, she wouldn’t be as spoiled as the other gowns and pull her weight around the apartment. Not… she’s already swooping around with the other gowns, planning her first dinner party, not cooking, not doing dishes nor vacuuming.
It’s amazing how fast Art Gowns catch on.
Anyway, I decked up in Tenesa, checked in the mirror and head out to the fire escape.
Well, I can on Ashlie. She’s my great niece, and my Sherrie’s daughter.
She is not a model, but embraced the Goddess Artemis when she put on the “Artemis by Moonlight” Art Gown.
Stephanie, our official Art Gowns photographer, is away on assignment. As Ashlie was only here a few days, I took the pics. Mini-me was thrilled with the outcome!
Did you ever design an Art Gown for the birds, in particular Ducks, Swans & Pigeons?
Probably not, but if so, then you might know Ceramic Artist Belén Soto from Arcilla y Fuego. Mystic Lake is dedicated to her.
You see, I bought an adorable Black Drake from Belén . As he is lonely & looking for a wife, Belén & I started a Marriage Agency for Ducks. I’m hoping we will expand to Swans & Pigeons in the near future.
Already Belén has designed 2 beautiful candidates, Lúa and Mar. Soon a wedding gown will be needed. I am hoping the duck bride to be & all future swan & pigeon brides will love this gown.
Depending on the natural light, Mystic Lake magically changes from grey to blue. The best blue tones were captured at daybreak on a sunny day. Grey was exposed best on sunny afternoons.
Well, Art Gowns don’t hatch from eggs, so let’s get “down” to the making of Mystic Lake.
White satin was draped over a strapless long-line corset bra that opens in the back. As a real model will eventually wear her, I had to be practical.
The next item I needed was feathers.
Yet, I am a vegetarian, so I decided to make feathers out of Swiss dotted net & cotton muslin.
The fabrics were hand sewn together, the cotton being larger than the net.
Then the cotton was sliced into sections & frayed by hand.
Finally, a strip of feather perfection was added to the décolletage.
The skirt, with a velcro closure lined up under the corset’s opening, was added to the bodice.
The tail feathers were now needed.
I made a waistband. It closes in the back w/Velcro. I sewed bars across the center back of the band, so the tails could hook on.
First came a major white tail.
Then there was a grey voile tail, with fake feather bustle that hooked onto the white tail.
Finally, a decorative black & grey tail piece topped off he tail feathers quite nicely.
Lastly, wings of grey voile were attached to her sides.
It took days to fray the feathers for the wings.
When the back looks as above, the front looks as below.
OUTTAKES
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Mystic Lake made a special beauty shot for the photographer who is coming in a week to view her. Looks like she could be the first Art Gown to be worn by a beautiful model.
As we know, Art Gowns refuse to do housework. They especially hate the smell of the cleaning products. So, Mystic & the Art Gowns are all going shopping, while I clean the bathroom.
Mystic Lake Designed by Resa MCconaghy – Summer – 2016
Again, special thanks to my dear friend, Belén. I am very excited to see the next Duck Bride Candidate. Be sure to watch for it on her blog, Arcilla y Fuego
Art Gowns 
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