Categories
Dioramas

Murder Shoes

I can’t figure out who did it.

Altoid Tin Diorama with red high heels
Altoid Tin Diorama with red high heels
Altoid Tin Diorama with red high heel boots
Altoid Tin Diorama with red high heel sandals
Metal pencil box
Metal pencil box showing cut paper figures of legs in a police lineup
Metal pencil box showing cut paper figures of legs in a police lineup (black heel sandals)
Metal pencil box showing cut paper figures of legs in a police lineup (Birkenstocks + red boots)
Metal pencil box showing cut paper figures of legs in a police lineup (red boots + pink thong sandals)
Metal pencil box showing cut paper figures of legs in a police lineup (Pink Thong Sandals + red heels and fishnets)
Categories
ART

I made sandals

There comes a time in everyone’s life when they arrive at a fork in their road. They are faced with a choice. For some of us, we decided long ago what our answer would be. Some of us have no choice. For some of us, the fork is still in the drawer, hanging out with the spoons.

The choice I’m speaking of, obviously, is to make shoes, or not. I took a break from my regularly scheduled deadline production and I made some. They aren’t practical in the conventional sense, but, they can be useful.

I’ve been thinking about this project for a long time, and I have stored up materials to make other kinds of shoes. This month’s Punk Frocker’s challenge prompt is #pfSewNotClothes, so I thought I’d dip my toes in and finally start this project. I’ll write more about it when I refine this process and develop the other prototypes.

I think it’s pretty cool.

Categories
Joie de Vivre

Day Trip to NYC

For Christmas, my darling bought me the experience (and shoes) of custom made sandals. COVID-19 was in full roar, so we had to postpone our trips to Jutta Neuman’s shop in NYC.

Jim and Beverly in Alphabet City, NYC

We went up for an initial consultation, and they traced my feet. We made a weekend of it, and had a wonderful time. We both found some great books and other treasure, and the food was delicious.

The second trip involved two visits to the shop. In the morning, they fitted the straps to my feet, and glued them in place.

We went out a delightful lunch that began with some fried anchovies, to give them time to assemble the sandals and allow the glue to set.

Beverly gazing uncertainly at fried anchovies

We we returned to the shop, I walked in the sandals, and they traced my feet in them to cut them down. After we left, they added a Birkenstock type tread and put them in the mail.

I love sandals, and I’ve always wanted to learn how to make them. I tell a story about in 1993, I was in NYC for the CMJ festival, and happened upon a leather shop that made belts, bags and sandals. I was enthralled with the place, and while I never had the chance to have sandals made for myself, I did strike up a correspondence with the proprietor the resulted in the offer of an apprenticeship. I had just bought my first house in Baltimore, and couldn’t make it work. I figured someday I’ll do this. Meaning both learning to make sandals, and also have a bespoke pair for myself. I can happily cross one of this off my todo list.

These feel amazing – they fit perfectly, and I never want to take them off. I love them – what a wonderful experience and gift. So very thoughtful!

While we were in NYC, we visited the garment district, which was a lot of fun. I found some neon PVC which I’m going to make some repeated things with – more on that soon.

Happy Spring!

P.S. My nail polish is OPI Blue my mind. It matches the drums I use in Coastguard, and is my favorite color.

Categories
Dioramas

Socks and

Categories
ART

Footwork

For this month’s exhibition at the Hamilton Gallery and Artist Collective, I threw my best feet forward. These giant drawings were only home for a day from the last exhibition before heading back out.

On view until October.

Woman looking at drawings in a gallery
Two drawings of fishnet feet, and a four small dioramas in altoid tins on a gallery wall.
Categories
Dioramas

Anatomy of a Crime Scene

I really wish someone could solve these mysteries. This time, it took place in a store for previously owned shoes.

A shoe store inside an Altoids Tin
A shoe store inside an Altoids Tin