Tag: Audrey Hepburn

Finding My Own Artsy: Feminine Wiles, Painting Three

I admit, I’m a big fan of the candy color confections of the film variety that came out of the 1950s and 60s. The costumes! The dancing! I love it all. One of my favorites of these sweet treats is Funny Face, starring Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn.

image found here

For the third painting in my Feminine Wiles series, I wanted to capture the glamour and struggle of Jo’s transformation in Funny Face. Intellectual and bookish Jo finds herself thrown into the world of modeling and couture fashion, finding herself struggling with reconciling her newfound feminine allure and her high minded beliefs. I love that the character doesn’t allow her physical transformation to change her ideals.

hepburn image found here

In the scenes in which she wears this blue satin cape, the character is distressed over what she sees as insurmountable differences of mind between herself and the man she’s falling for, photographer Dick Avery played by Astaire. The color is such an intense, moody blue, with hints of grey and lavender, I’ve always felt like it captured the conflict inside her character beautifully.

Audrey Hepburn as Jo Stockton, Funny Face, The Blue Cape by Lesley Frenz

acrylic on canvas panel, 6×6

What do you think of this one, Artsies? I wish my camera could do these little paintings justice. Any sources/tips for photographing paintings using a point & shoot digital camera? Would love a DSLR but don’t see it in the budget any time soon! If you have tips to share, please let me know in the comments!

You can find more of the Feminine Wiles series here. I’ll have a new one for you next week, one of my favorite all time characters!

Film images linked above. Paintings by Lesley Frenz.

March 13, 2014
Friday Faves: Cause Celeb

There is no doubt that the US as a country, heck, the earth as a planet even, seems to have an obsession with celebrity. There is something about the famous ( and infamous ) that fascinates us. Artists are no strangers to celebrating celebrity. Many masters honed their skills and made their livings rendering work of the rich and famous. So today, Artsy Forager is featuring celebrity-driven work. Watch out for the paparazzi!

La Dada Gaga, (Marcel Duchamp's L.H.O.O.Q. + Lady Gaga) by Troy Gua, resin-coated Lightjet Metallic Print Mounted on 6mm Sintra, 36 x 36

Bob Dylan by Jon Langford, digital print and mixed media on panel, 10×14 via Augen Gallery

Bill Murray, celebrity portrait photoshopped onto portrait by George Dawes by Steve Payne via Artist A Day

Madonna by John Duckworth, acrylic on panel, liquid glass topcoat, 24×24

To see more of these artists’ work, please visit their websites. Have an epic weekend, Artsies!

1. Troy Gua

2. Jon Langford

3. Steve Payne

4. John Duckworth

Featured image is Audrey in Moonlight Peacock ( study ) by Sarah Ashley Longshore. All images are via the artists’ websites unless otherwise noted.

November 11, 2011
Cure For The Mean Reds: Sarah Ashley Longshore

Today, I have a case of the mean reds. If you know what that means, you’re awesome. If you don’t know what that means, you need to watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s asap. Holly Golightly’s cure for the mean reds is to get in a cab and go to Tiffany’s. Well, there is nothing even closely resembling a Tiffany’s here in Aberdeen. It wouldn’t be my happy place anyway. Anthropologie would be more like it, but there’s nothing like one of those here either. So today, I’m trying to cure the mean reds by enjoying some artwork featuring Miss Golightly herself, the fabulous Audrey Hepburn. Yes, I know I’ve already done a feature on Sarah Ashley Longshore’s Audreys. But she’s been busy painting some new ones, so I think they deserve a second look. And a third and fourth look. Really, as long as she’s painting them, they’ll be showing up here.

Now that is all the chatting I feel up to today. Enjoy Sarah’s Hepburns. Don’t be surprised if you’re suddenly seized by the urge to put on a little black dress and pearls.

Mariposa, acrylic on canvas with high-gloss resin, 60×72

Audrey With Peacock, acrylic on canvas with high-gloss resin, 48×72

Audrey Underwater With Goldfish, acrylic on canvas with high-gloss resin, 24×24

Audrey Rojo, acrylic on canvas with high-gloss resin, 24×24

You can see more of Sarah Ashley Longshore’s work on her website or by visiting the Gallery Orange website, her representation in New Orleans.

August 16, 2011
Artfully Audrey: The Work of Sarah Ashley Longshore

In the interest of full disclosure, I think there is something you should know. I love Audrey Hepburn. Adore her. Want to be her when I grow up. Her style, her intelligence, her philosophy of living and her legendary kindness all inspire me. So it will come as no surprise to you that I actually gasped with glee when I saw stumbled upon these paintings by Sarah Ashley Longshore.

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness

War and Peace Audrey

Audrey with Monarch Butterflies

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people

Audrey with a Cherry on the Top

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry

A Moment Between Moments

For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone

As you grow older, you will understand you have two hands

One for helping yourself

And the other for helping others

Audrey Underwater with Lilies

— Audrey Hepburn

Visit Sarah Ashley Longshore’s website to see more of her work and learn more about the artist. Her work is carried by New Orleans gallery, Gallery Orange, they have fabulous taste in artists, check them out!

June 22, 2011