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Wednesday 28 March 2012

Impode/Explode

As a tribute to all the fantastic Fluevogs I've been seeing these days, I drew the following cartoon last night. I had the idea for it last year and finally got around to drawing it up:


That's not me in the final frame, but those are certainly my shoes, the Fluevog Munster in lilac suede! (That's a startled cat in the first frame.)

Some of you were asking, so here are some shots of the magic pendants O has made for me. He machines them on a watchmaker's lathe in his studio from blocks of metal such as aircraft-grade aluminum or stainless steel, and he adds bits of gold or emeralds or rubies or other little stones. He doesn't sell them; if he did they would be too expensive because they are so time-consuming to make. Each one is an original and I cherish them.


O's work is usually super-duper small, like this:


He machined those screws and the other metal pieces, shown above with grains of Japanese rice. So you can imagine when I look at his work I get a huuuuge headache (in a good way) and I must rush to my studio and make something like this:


Implode - Explode.

That particular painting is 5 feet high and 11 feet long and is called Sunny Noon Downtown Saturday. (Note the framing or capping on the ends to keep the chaos from exploding off the ends of the paper!) You can see more of O's work here if you're interested.

That's all for today, something a little different. The forecast is for rain all week. I better arm myself with more colour!

36 comments:

  1. What a stunning picture and such amazingly perfect pendants. I do like your cartoon, are you sure it's not you? I haven't seen any of your art I don't think

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    1. Bonjour! I thought I had replied but I sometimes I press delete or sign out by mistake. Okay, I confess. It IS me! - but it's not my daughter.

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  2. I love the comic! You should send it to Fluevog.

    I have the black suede Munsters but haven't had the guts to wear them yet. They might be the final thing that makes my bosses head explode.

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    1. But maybe you'd like your boss's head to explode! ha! Aren't they the greatest shoes? I can only wear them on nice days and I have to take my flats to get home. I'll look for your Munsters in your future posts.

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  3. Love the cartoon, Melanie. I've just had to Google Fluevogs, never heard of them before, but I'm very impressed. It does look like you in the final frame, but the whole thing is a little like my eldest daughter and me. I embarrass her, apparently. Oh well.
    Gorgeous little pendants, how wonderful that each one is unique.
    And the huge painting is one of yours? WOW! It's amazing. I love the framing/capping - is that why you frame your outfits in black, in case the chaos explodes?! xxxx

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    1. Yes, the framing/capping concept for clothing was conceived in the studio! Fencing in all that chaos... I guess Fluevogs are more of a North America thing, which I didn't know. I used the capping method when I was just beginning to experiment with pattern mixing. Now I'm so brazen that I sometimes just let the colours/patterns have their way with me with no border fences.

      I know that if I had kids they would be mortified at some of my outfit choices.

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  4. I'm sitting here wondering if the two of you have special "end caps" on the seems of your home to contain all that energy!
    I LOVE your "Camping at Square Fish Lake." The colors are awesome and I need to store some up as well.

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    1. Ha, ha! I had to laugh about your "end cap" comment re. our home! We are both actually fairly quiet people but there tend to be Melstroms quite often.

      Square Fish Lake is a newer work but I love the colours too. Thanks for your comment.

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  5. Ooh, I love the Munsters! You're so daring!

    Wow, I am in awe of those pendants and all the work that goes into them. They are works of art!

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    1. I don't wear the Munsters often, but when I do, they have a life of their own!

      Thanks for your feedback. I'll tell O!

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  6. You are so talented! Like Curtise I had to Google Fluevogs, same language, so many odd words to learn. Those pendants are just gorgeous and your cartoon is fab, she does look like you! x

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    1. I am such an eejit to assume that people know what Fluevogs are!

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  7. The jewelry is utterly exquisite. The cartoon, hilarious. The painting, coveted (by me).

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  8. Fluevog needs to talk to you ASAP re advertising. I adore the cartoon!

    Pendants *drool* Lucky lady!

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    1. I don't know if we blogger women are really the demographic Fluevog is targeting - but we should be!! Thanks for your feedback!

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  9. Wonderful cartoon! Here's to being an embarrassing parent!
    The jewellery is astonishing. What a talent. I had to sit down and think how it would be to work on such a scale. Love them.x

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    1. Like you, I still can't wrap my head around how O works so small. Some parts look like little bits of dust. Thanks for your comment!

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  10. The pendants are fine, I like its linear design and rich in noble materials and small stones, very well finished, ana kisses.

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    1. O will be so happy to hear your comment. Thank you!

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  11. Hi Mélanie!

    I had to google as well fluevogs, did not know what you were talking about!
    Do you really own a pair of lilac shoes:)?

    O's work is wonderful, you are lucky girl!

    Your art work, it reminds me so much of Riopel, is he a source of inspiration for you?

    I love your abstract, so cool -

    Lots of love Mélanie

    Ariane xxxx

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    1. Mr. Fluevog has almost cult status here so my concept of his reach is over-estimated. He just makes cool shoes, a local man who has done well...

      Yes, I do like Riopelle's paintings a lot. He is from Montreal, as you probably know, quite a bad boy.

      Thanks, Ariane. I look forward to seeing your work too!

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  12. Beautiful art, both large and small! I love the styles of Fluevogs, but I can never find a pair that fits me, which is probably best because I would want to buy them all. The pendants are all uniquely beautiful - how lovely to have special pieces of jewellery made just for you! Your large abstract is full of energy - I think the two of you are well matched, if the art is any indication.

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    1. What a great comment - thank you! Fluevogs seldom fit me too, but he made some ultra pointy toe shoes in the mid-eighties that I could wear, even though they made my feet look like gondolas! I still have one pair from then, plus my lilac Munsters...

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  13. O's work is truly impressive and special. I see the magic in his work and in yours. I have been wanting a pair of Fluevogs for some time, so I know that a purchase is in my future. Just can't decide which pair I love the most!

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    1. With me too, when I got the Munsters it was sooo hard to decide and it was a special purchase for several reasons - I don't usually spend so much on my footwear.

      And I'll pass your compliment to Osamu. He meditates when he works very small, to the point he can't feel his heartbeat; his inner world becomes a vast endless universe.

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  14. The jewelry is truly amazing and the size just astounds me. Is he self-taught or trained in this? And what's up with limiting your Sunny Saturday to 11 feet?

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    1. O has a degree in mechanical engineering and comes from a long line of engineers and swordsmiths, so he's been working with metal all his life.

      Actually I'm surprised I stopped at 11 feet! I kept unrolling and unrolling the paper until I ran out of space in that work area. Thank goodness for walls - sometimes I don't know when to quit!!

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  15. Your painting is marvelous. So actively colorful.
    The magic pendants are wonderful. Too bad he doesn't sell them, but I can imagine they are definitely a labor of love.

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  16. Arts and Crafts! The pendents are indeed magical- the small details (screws dancing on the heads of angels?) and the lovely addition of precious gems makes these pieces more than jewelry truly enchanting! Also enchanting is your art- the cartoon and the painting. I've just decided I want to work for Fluevog so its a nice nudge to see your art work about fabulous original shoes for fabulous original people.

    And your painting- dynamic and incredible. Like you.

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    1. Bella, mwah! I told O your comment about the screws on the heads of angels and he loved it!

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  17. Jajaja! I love the scared cat and your shoes lilac and comic! Wonderful! But your magical jewels are impressive, have something special... In Spain it rains: I I prefer to watch the colors of your picture: impressive, it's the life!
    www.clubmujeresreales.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks for your comment! (I'm so sorry I can't write in Spanish!) I will tell O your wonderful words like poetry.

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  18. Your painting is simply fantastic!

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  19. Breathtaking. I wish I could do that!

    xox

    Luis

    www.ChicOverload.com (my blog!)

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