We sketched at Brenda Lovie's studio last week - it was so nice to have a warm and bright location for a winter sketch outing. Brenda had multiple projects going on with tight deadlines, yet she so graciously allowed us to hang out with her while she worked.  I spent a good part of the afternoon in her ceramics studio with her miniature porcelain figurines.  Each one is full of delicate surprises and details that mimic her "full size" fabric creations. It was such a fascination to see how she uses very different materials and scale, yet stays true to her artistic vision.

   

Lovie's Lovelies

So much today at the Atelier! I loved all the dresses, but my heart when right out at the sight of the wonderful gliding horse carved by Brenda's late father Bert. It was magnificent, and (my favorite of all things), a horse. Done with non-permanent ballpoint and watercolors (but no glitter!)

Lovie love

Another fantastic Friday of sketching....always something new and exciting to discover on Whidbey Island.  Brenda Lovie was so gracious to allow our group in to her studio, plus she stayed on task to make a deadline.

Apparently, I got the date wrong on my sketches as Friday was 3/6. There's an old expression "add a day, add a friend" so I guess I added 2. Thanks again to Brenda and her husband John for their hospitality.

Such a visually rich environment!

Brenda Lovie's Couture Atelier

Being a Whidbey Island Sketcher, I never know exactly what to expect on a Friday afternoon.  We "get" to go places I know I'd probably NEVER see otherwise.  Yesterday was an intimate play session in the fascinating Couture Atelier of Brenda Lovie.  In her past life she was a skater ... then created those beautiful custom skate team "costumes" (is that the correct term?) we admire when we watch skating competitions.  Now, show-piece gowns, stunningly hand-beaded, hand-patterned, hand-sewn, hand-selected fabrics from NYC and beyond ... am I getting it across that this is all individual fabric art exquisitely created by Brenda?  Well, here's her daughter's Sweet 16 Dress.  I wish my paper were longer to capture the beautiful fabric roses at the bottom of the skirt!

And here's a work in progress ... we watched Brenda hand-apply beautiful Swarovski crystals to make this dress sparkle!  There's a lucky young woman - Sophie - for whom this dress is being lovingly handcrafted.

Thank you, Brenda, for opening your atelier to us!  And to John for the home-made delicious brew, and to Paula Pough for hosting our after-sketching gathering.  What fun we had ... felt like we were  children back in art class as we applied your sparkles to our Brenda Lovie sketches!  All in all, this ranks among the best Friday afternoons ever!!!!!!

Gloria wears Lovie

Gloria Ferry-Brennan in concert at the UUCWI last Friday evening wearing a Brenda Lovie gown. When Natalie found out I had tickets, she asked me to try to get a sketch of the dress that she might be able to use in her article about Brenda in Whidbey Life Magazine. As if I needed a reason to sketch Gloria or Brenda Lovie's breathtaking creations. Gloria will be wearing Brenda's latest creation when she performs with the Seattle Symphony on Valentine's day. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have Gloria model these dresses for a sketching or figure drawing session?

Whidbey Life Magazine

Tonite was a splendid festive Launch Party of the Whidbey Life Magazine!  There were special performances by Gloria Ferry Brennan and Sophia Duccini.  How do I love sketching musicians!  Gloria's dress, by the way, is a wonderful creation by Brenda Lovie ... absolutely stunning.  I don't do it justice here...

Gloria and Sophia ...

 

Gloria Ferry-Brennan and Eileen Soskin on Piano

 

Gloria Ferry-Brennan