Studio Space

My studio away from home is an old Elementary classroom shared with other creative designers located in the Mile End. I love the remaining chalkboards and lockers still in the hallway. The space reminds me of my fashion schooling at Ryerson. During deadlines we would be in the sewing lab all night, sometimes taking short naps underneath the cutting table. If we got caught sleeping, our profs would have shut us down.

I've been hard at work producing enough inventory for the One of a Kind show. Working, creating and designing in this studio space has proven to be very productive and inspiring.

This is where the magic happens..

In the Studio: Claire Desjardins

Last week, I stopped by Claire Desjardins' open studio to celebrate her newly relocated space. Once home to a mattress factory, the building now houses independents painters, artists and all creative types.

I've always just seen photos of Claire's work, so I was delighted to check out her paintings first hand. Bright and bold, her paintings are just as colorful as her personality.  Her palette of paint tubes and bottles have taken over her table in a vibrant, harmonious disorder. And she doesn't just use paint tubes, she has buckets of paint stored on her shelves.
 
Claire also comes up with the most intriguing titles. My favorite painting is entitled "The Scholar" that infuses vibrant colors and neon pinks, surrounded by a calm of neutrals. I was told the floor of her last studio was all covered in paint, resembling a Jackson Pollock painting. I would have loved to see that.

You can see more of Claire's recent work on her website and facebook.

The Scholar

Work in progress

The artist

Creative Spaces: In Her Studio

Most of my friends in the fashion industry have such creative spaces and closets full of... well, clothes. I've started a new series that looks at the inner workings of my friend's closet spaces and also, creative spaces. Let me know how you like the series!

Going to fashion school with JI, I have always admired her illustrations for it's quirky factor. We've been friends since our very first year down to our graduating collections together. Sometimes we had to pull all-nighters in the lab to finish our collections, but we would always finish on time.

Her medium of choice is ink, marker and watercolor. Be sure to check out her illustration blog here.

Words from JI:  "My inspirations come from everything around me. I can be inspired by the great artists like Egon Schiele and Frida Kahlo or just simply mesmerized by the mess in my room."

"I am also influenced by androgyny and  gender roles.  More specifically, I am inspired by women’s roles in society and their self empowering energy."

"It may sound very cliché, but I wanted to be in  fashion as long as I can remember.  It was the only option I gave myself."