After all the stress attached to the first challenge, and not being entirely happy with what I had produced, it was great to find Ellowyne was to be the 2nd challenge. I had recently discovered her and was enjoying interacting with her character in my creations for her.

I chose to go with Red White and Very Blue because I liked the story behind her poem, and the line"Dressed in my own designs so new"gave me the inspiration for both her outfit and the fact she could be an artist.

Between these challenges I had to travel to Hong Kong on business (after a short Hospital stay), so everything was happening for me :-). The great thing was I found the fabrics for her outfit in a fabulous little fabric shop in a side street somewhere in Hong Kong. I could have filled a few suitcases with some wonderful pieces but was stopped by a very mean husband. LOL

Back home and into the construction of my work of art! My original idea for the smock was to have a white smock with blue and red paint spattered over it but was told (rightly) this probably would not be a good idea if the outfits were being reproduced. Perhaps I'll do one anyway for my own benefit!

The outfit:

The smock is a stripe cotton in the same muted blue as the leggings, beret and dress lining. I didn't want a bright blue. The dress is also muted light blue brodrais anglais with the lining colour showing through the lace. The palette shaped pockets hold the painting rags and brushes.

The dress was not made as a formal evening dress, but an outfit a girl in her late teens would wear out at night. Befitting her age without being overdone. There are pockets in the sides of the skirt for poseability :-) I felt the styling of this outfit followed on from the original outfit Ellowyne is wearing in RWVB. I used red as the contrast only because of this.

I created the painting and the poem (time was running short by then :-) that Ellowyne would have done in her studio during the day.

The poem:

I paint with flair and from the heart,
It's obvious in all my art
My cat Sybil models today,
I think she'd rather preen and play!
But she will see when I am through,

How cute she lookis in red, white and blue

Her storyline goes like this:

A Brush with Fame

Many critics have labeled my work "melancholy","morose" and "brooding". Well, perhaps they are right! Fruit bowls, sunsets and babbling brooks are of no interest to me.

My paintings portray my moods. They are evocative and unique.

I paint in 3 colors only, red for romance, passion and danger, white for emptiness, a peaceful void and I use blue to evoke melancholy and silence. These are my main themes.

I selected these colors for my outfit as they are the key behind the success of my greatest paintings.

Tonight is most important, and I will be rushing from my studio to the opening of my latest collection of work and I have created a truly memorable outfit for the occasion!

After I shed my painting smock, I will appear flamboyantly sassy in my little lace dress, in contrast to my work being displayed on the walls. "Who is she?" I will hear them whisper when they see me. I will keep them guessing :-)

My "arty" friends will adore my gorgeous handbag mimicking the paint pots in my studio. My beret will do a clever flip to reveal the matching lace and slide further back on my head.

I designed my earrings and had them made by a jeweller girlfriend of mine. How talented she is!

It's all red, white and sooooooo very blue!

The handbag

The earrings

The pockets

Wrong earrings! I changed them because I thought the scale was too large even though I loved them!

I am really happy with the the results of my work for this challenge - win or lose.

Judith

Challenge 2 - Ellowynne