On Thursdays I often head out East to London’s Spitalfield’s Market to meet with my dear friend Sue Kreitzman and have a coffee and wander around the delightfully eclectic flea market. If you haven’t been, you really must , if you like a good treasure hunt.
This time was going to end up with me taking home the most delightfully camp fabric ever. Sue was gifted this fabric by one of the stall holders who has been one of Sue’s biggest fans for a long time. ( Sue is our goddess, if you meet her, you’ll understand) Here is the lovely stall holder holding up the fabric in question.
See what I mean? It was an absolute confection of sequin fabric, in shades of turquoise , pink and purple with a touch of black and silver. Very heavy, I wondered what Sue would do with it. Well, Sue gave it to me and asked me to make her a kimono out of it. Hmm, this was going to be different to the usual kimonos.
I decided I was going to use the sequin fabric for front and back of the kimono and team it with Dutch Wax print in my stock for the sleeves , trim and pockets to make sure it was comfortable to wear. Sequins are sparkly but they can be awfully scratchy if you get them on a seam.
I had no intention of putting any image on the back of this one. After all, it was so sparkly to start with. I didn’t want to overdo it , did I? As soon as I had these thoughts , I laughed out loud to myself. I had to remember I was making something for Sue, who coined the phrase ‘More is More’ . So I found one of Sue’s gorgeous embellished paintings of an angel cat sitting on a woman’s head ( well of course)
and decided that the colours would work really well. I couldn’t completely replicate the painting as it was covered in buttons and buttons and sequins would make this garment far too heavy to wear, so I decided to make a version of my own, using Sue’s artwork as the inspiration.
I could have painted my version on fabric and then appliqued it , but my eye caught some very glittery black lurex in one of my fabric boxes in the studio and an idea started to brew. I was going to use the sparkliest fabrics in my collection to create this image. i reached for the gold holographic fabric, the deep orange gold fabric, silver and purple holographic, took out my scissors and began to cut out the shapes, drawing with the scissors as I cut. Instead of rows of yellow buttons for the hair, I used strips of holographic gold fabric and made them into radiating rays . I sewed them all down (breaking a few needles in the process) and embroidered the details in a deep pink. So here is the result:
The applique process left a charming drawing on the inside of the garment:
Here are a few detail shots
The strange thing that happened with this kimono is that with the addition of other sparkles , it toned the original sequinned fabric right down. How odd. I love how rich the kimono ended up . I gave the kimono a deep base border in neon lights Dutch Wax print to make sure it didn’t end up scratching the legs or catching on tights; beautiful and practical.
I’m lucky enough to have some very inspirational clients, some who have become really valued friends, like the wonderful Sue Kreitzman
Sue Kreitzman at the Vaults November 3rd 2015 .Photo by Tim Hoy-Griffiths.
who’s motto Dare To Wear encourages and inspires individuals to put aside their inhibitions and wear what they really love but have never dared to. Once you take that step it is an easier and more profound exercise than you can ever imagine.
Another one of my wonderful clients is BJ Gallagher who is an author and keynote speaker, an inspirational, colourful woman who has written a book called A Peacock in the Land of Penguins, a truly remarkable book that speaks about how we self censor in a world that encourages uniform and how to break out of that mind set. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G16urFgo5s
I made BJ a very special short kimono from various peacock themed fabric with a handpainted peacock on the back. It suited her perfectly and I’m very proud that she chose to wear it during many of her conventions where she speaks.
Not everyone has the confidence initially to stride out in such a flamboyant garment as a kimono, but I now make neckpieces that allow those of a more penguin bent who harbour peacock desires to indulge without too much commitment.
Here is a neckpiece with peacocks that I call the Garden of Eden neckpiece. It features peacocks, butterflies, flowers , a snake and a cherub. It has lots of sequins and beads and crystals for added sparkle and pizzazz.
The front of the neckpiece
The back of the neckpiece
To order your own neckpiece and be a peacock rather than a penguin email me here
Please put ‘Neckpiece’ as the subject of your email .
I’d like to tell you a story of magic, mystery and wonder. Many years ago in the midst of my cynicism and before I knew my worth, I was given a tarot reading. The future card drawn was the Queen of Cups.
Queen of Cups Tarot card by Ellygator
This was interpreted to me as a flamboyant older woman with light hair , goddess-like , who would come into my life later on and change it. At the time I scoffed at it. I mean, who believes in all that stuff anyway. So I put it aside as a fun moment and paid it no mind. Until…
Thirty years later Sue Kreitzman bought a Medusa bag that I had made, via social media. This wonderful woman walked into my life and changed it. I gained a new life, new confidence but most importantly of all , a new friend.
Okay so let me see… flamboyant older woman. Check.
Light hair? White light enough for you ? Check.
Goddess like? Certainly, Sue is our colour goddess. Her art is about the goddess. She is her art. Ergo she is Goddess. Check.
Change my life? Well, let’s just say this caterpillar has bust out of the cocoon and turned into a butterfly. From a humble children’s entertainer to fully fledged artist almost overnight. (It’s only taken me , well all my life really, I just needed the validation and authoritative female voice to drown out my mother’s voice going round in my head that I’d never be an artist.) Thank you Sue. Thank you. So… check.
So the tarot card prediction came true. Even though I don’t believe in that stuff. Then Medusa started to take over and infect me with her influence.
What am I talking about ? Well I’ll explain. So there was Medusa on the bag that brought me to Sue. Two winters ago I bought a print of an interpretation of Caravaggio’s Medusa using Divine and flamingos. Say what? I’ll let it speak for itself.
Well something that camp had to come and live with me. What’s not to love? It went perfectly with my pink painted leopard skin kitchen wall and the Magdelene and angels on my ceiling. ( Yes I’m an odd one. )
Okay so leaving discussions of dubious taste aside ( I love it, that’s all that matters) I stared at the camp Medusa while I washed dishes. It helped with the monotony. Then last June this happened…
Scorpio, me , John Waters , Jane and Catherine. We were so excited!
Yes that’s right, that’s me with my eyes closed with John Waters‘ arm around me. John Waters, King of Filth, King of Cool and the director of Pink Flamingos starring Divine. See the connection? He turned up at the opening of my window display at the Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities back in June last year.
It was a pinch me I’m dreaming moment.
Here’s lovely Sue with John and my friend Jane.
So who knows what’s next in the magical , mysterious journey of my life? I’m open to the magic now. Let’s just go with the flow.
Photo of Diane Goldie at the Vaults above by Chelone Wolf Photography
Colour is Intimidating ?
Why are so many people so afraid of colour? Why do the majority wear neutral shades when we have the whole rainbow spectrum to choose from? What does it mean to wear colour? What is this irrational response to colour when all it is is a different light wavelength? So many questions I’m asking. I’m not going to try to come up with the answers to these questions, more that I’m interested in sparking a thought process in your head, dear reader. I’ve heard that colour is vulgar, colour is uncouth, colour is common. Could it be that wearing colour implies low status? I’m not a status seeker, I’ve decided to opt out of the competitive culture that surrounds me, so that aspect of wearing colour doesn’t bother me in the slightest. I’m working towards a bonding culture in my quest to spread colour love and help create the colour tribe. It’s already begun, want to join?
Colour is Emotional
Do you know that wearing orange helps you be sociable? I’m a shy sort, if I’m feeling like I need a little injection of sociability , I wear orange and hey presto, like magic, people stop and chat to me. Of course, having the confidence to wear the bright tone of tangerine projects an air of confidence to whoever you meet, which attracts people to you. Job done really.
Colour is uplifting
Feeling blue? Feeling off colour? Try wearing a splash of bright colour. It really works to lift your mood. People smile when you wear colour. Children smile, what’s more cheery than that? I went out for a bite to eat with my daughter the other night, and this happened…
This is lovely Pedro who insisted on having his photo taken with me. He works at Itsu in Soho. He liked colour. It made him smile and we chatted lots. See? Happy! Not scary. Then later on this happened…
Forgive my gormless expression , we didn’t have enough phone battery to do many takes to get my face to work! But look at the glorious ,sparkly , glittery new friends I met. I wouldn’t have had the confidence to go near them if I hadn’t been dressed in colour. What a shame that would’ve been.
I couldn’t write a blog post about colour without mentioning the Queen of Colour, my Goddess of Hue, Fabulous Fashionista , Queen Bee, Typhoid Mary of colour , Sue Kreitzman. After meeting Sue and having the privilege to call her my dear friend, I was reborn into my true colourful self after hiding under my cocoon of black and sensible for years of mummyhood. Meeting Sue and seeing her live in her authentic bright , authentic colour was nothing short of inspirational. Her vibrancy gave me permission to be my true authentic self, to revert back to the playful, art school girl I once was, that girl who used to paint her face to match her clothes and walk tall in the street. I’m back, and I’m back with gusto. Thank you Sue. Thank you. I’m taking on that kaleidoscopic baton and passing it on to all who dare to take that vibrant plunge .
I truly believe that living in colour is a declaration of rebellion, a roar of freedom, a symbolic two fingers up to blending in and being invisible. See my colour. Do not be afraid but know that once you take the plunge , colour will change your life.
Sue here wearing a very special kimono I made for her that featured her favourite colour,
Sue in her extraordinary home, portrait in the background by Ella Guru
red.
Do you see it now? Can you understand the power of colour? It hits you in the guts and winds you.
I’m a woman of a certain age, well , 51 to be precise. I’m in the throes of the dreaded ‘change’, that period of life where there is no period , and sometimes there is period … but I digress. Along with the hot flushes and mood swings rages , I’ve found the imagery I’ve been drawn to when making my wearable art, has been consistent. Medusa has raised her snakey head and fixed me with her stony gaze.
The inspirational Goddess of Colour, Sue Kreitzman and her Medusa bag.
The furies, versions of which there are many,
Slouchy waistcoat/vest with sea gorgon/fury
have appeared
Hip length kimono with sea gorgon
Slouchy waistcoat /vest with Fury
and flames, so many flames!
Wearing the heaven and hell dress with flames and Medusa bolero.
Snakeskin flames around a death cape.
I seem to be burning everything from the hem up!
More flames around the hem!
The Baune Altarpiece dress. My personal piece, complete with hellfire.
Even Frida Kahlo, one of my biggest muses and inspirations, has managed to transform herself into Medusa on one of my pieces to communicate a message of sisterhood and self acceptance. This particular piece was inspired after watching a video of Eartha Kitt speaking about compromise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGYwf7e_cr8 Seeing this woman who clearly was in her power through absolute knowledge of her own worth was a moment of true empowerment for me. Immediately I came up with the line A Woman Who Loves Herself is a Dangerous Woman as a response and Sisterhood is Subversive as a political partner phrase.If women could find their power through self acceptance imagine the implications… Women uniting would bring down Patriarchy.
But back to Gorgons monsters and Medusa.
My eldest daughter, Imogen as Medusa.
I had not given much thought as to why I had been repeatedly drawn to recreating these images until today. Today a book plopped through my letterbox; a book by an amazing woman: Dominique Christina.
If you haven’t heard of her yet, you are in for a treat. If you have, you know what I mean , right? I first came across her via social media, on Facebook where a video of her poem The Period Poem was shared. Here it is . Get ready …
I bet you are feeling a little blown away , right? It’s okay, she has that effect on people. Authentic people have that knack, especially women in full flow and with full access to their rage. Dominique’s poetry gives me the chills, gives me access to deep seated pain and raises my righteous rage: a Medusa spirit if ever I saw/felt one.
When I saw Dominique had written a book, I ordered it immediately. On opening the book and reading the first two pages of the introduction , things just sort of fell into place. There it was, the explanation of the Furies, the gorgon Medusa; the reason, the motivation, the magic.
…”When you have inherited a construct that names, describes and practices out an ideology that women are somehow less important , less necessary , then the work of defining yourself carries a kind of fury – or Fury. In Greek mythology , the Furies were three women born from the blood of Uranus , the god of the sky, when his son Cronus wounded him in battle. …In a patriarchal context, the machinery that often drives politics oppressive to women is borne out of a wounded warrior motif and the inheritance of that war passes between father and son. I have long believed that if men had not been conditioned to be conquerors, then women would not need to be regarded as a designated underclass. …in order for women to have authorship of themselves , they often travel through the fire, through the bloody constructs that have been built by wounded warriors. The Furies were imagined as hags, …with serpents for hair and bat wings…written as monstrous and venomous . .. The Furies meted out punishment to those who had committed wrong swiftly and severely. …they were unapologetic about seeking balance when wrong had been done. “
This made perfect sense to me. I knew instinctively that the work I was doing was feminist, the flames were coming from somewhere, clearly. After doing a lot of work on past issues , of being subject to the attentions of a paedophile at 13 , I was left , in my Crone years , in the rising of my rage, with a Furies need to meet out justice which I too express through poetry, on a much smaller scale, I might add. The images were clearly coming from deep in my subconscious. I further read on to find that Medusa’s creation of the serpent haired gorgon who could turn a man into a pillar of stone at one glance, came from rape. Medusa was a beautiful woman ( a woman who loved herself) who was raped by Poseidon in Athena’s temple, as a way of punishing her for her ‘vanity’. How dare a woman be confident? Athena transformed her into the gorgon when she dared speak of the violation. Talk about the ultimate silencing tactic, something that many rape victims can identify with to this day. As a woman who has suffered rape many times in her life time, I’m now not surprised that Medusa seems like a magical totem for me. Medusa: my emblem of righteous rage.
To find out more about Medusa and wearable art, head over to www.iheartcart.com
“You’ll never be an artist, you can only copy. Real artists draw from their heads. “
Words heard by 6 year old me, as I proudly showed mum my latest drawing, a copy from Jackie Magazine of some early 70s pop star or another, probably my crush , Donny Osmond. Those words would echo around my head for years to come, informing me that being an artist was something I could never aspire to, despite loving to draw and paint.
So after a short abortive stint at art college ( my step father sweetly encouraged me to go before it all went ehem…pear shaped , I think is the term…) I found myself running my own small business as a children’s entertainer/puppeteer. That went on for 25 years… through recessions and credit crunches, I was in demand to entertain London’s children. I specialised in the very young, a notoriously difficult sector of humanity to entertain, which I relished. I’m a big kid at heart, and found I had a knack of relating to the smallest of party goers. Especially with my fairy puppet Fifi. I’ll show you a picture of her later.
To follow the puppet story in detail, head over to my puppet blog kidspartyheaven.wordpress.com. There I’ve charted the story of my puppet years, right up until meeting the wonderful Queen of Colour and my inspiration, Sue Kreitzman.
Sue changed my life. Sue changes many people’s lives, she has that effect. It’s like you meet Sue as a cocoon and after meeting her you become a butterfly. Sue makes things seem possible. Because they are. Sue helped me believe in myself. She broke the spell that my mother had cast over me so many years before. Sue really is my fairy godmother, my colour goddess and my inspiration. I owe her so much. I adore her. She has the same effect on everyone who meets her. Sue brings out your authenticity, she banishes the beige , she encourages you to shine.
I’m going to keep on shining, Sue. Just watch me. I’ve only just started. And it’s all because of you.
Poor Fifi came to a cruel end. Not really, it was just the only way we could get her to stay on the wall for the exhibition. No, she’s not laughing. She says it’s not funny. Ah Fifi, we had some fun. Here’s a very heart warming post from a time when Fifi was working her magic . Don’t judge a fairystory by it’s cover
I have a mission: to help change the world one person at a time, by helping people be their authentic selves through the clothes they wear. Does that sound crazy? Probably.
Just call me crazy but after I met the ” Typhoid Mary” of colour,
The Goddess of Colour, the one who banishes beige: the inimitable Sue Kreitzman.
Sue Kreitzman, my life most definitely changed, along with the lives of many of those around me. But I’ll be back to explain that moment in another post. In this post I want to share with you the most incredible experience of my life to date : November 3rd 2015, the evening when the colour tribe celebrated and something seemed to be born.
I’ll start at the beginning: I was introduced to an incredible space underneath Waterloo station by a good friend of mine. She took me along to show me an exhibition by a vegan taxidermist called Charlie Tuesday Gates.
The extraordinary , talented human called Charlie Tuesday Gates.
there was a preview of a very dark and surreal puppet show using roadkill and dead donated animals. I fell head over heels in love with Charlie and her world. She was an absolute inspiration to me. The preview turned into a full musical, which impressed me greatly. It made me laugh , cry and think about the impact that meat consumption had on our world. The show played to rave reviews and Charlie had the offer to take it to Edinburgh Festival . A crowdfunder campaign saw me signing up to pledge money to help her achieve this goal. The kick back for this pledge was a weeks exhibition in the Vaults Gallery . What a prize!
The date was set and I was in a position of deciding what to exhibit. Now as a maker and artist at 51 years of age, I find myself with quite a lot of work. I could quite easily fill a gallery with all my own stuff. But that would just be embarrassing… I’ve only just got used to calling myself an artist , with the help of a very beautiful validation painting by Ella Guru .
Giving a speech in front of my Validation portrait by Ella Guru .
I decided the exhibition was to be about the tribe, the bunch of wonderful ,colourful, creative people that surround and inspire me. It was to be my world, where my friends make up a large part of it. I make wearable art, many of my friends have commissioned pieces from me, and the exhibition would be a chance to showcase the clothing and have a bit of a party.
In these grim times, where neo-liberalism preaches about the cult of the individual, where the ‘I’m alright Jack’ way of thinking prevails, after Margaret Thatcher declared the death of society and David Cameron talks about his Big Society ( where we stomp on the most vulnerable and only embrace the middle and upper classes… what a joke!) I wanted to celebrate what I knew to be true: that difference and diversity is beautiful, that vulnerability is also strength, that individuals need to join hands to support others to form a safety network for the most vulnerable and those needing extra support. I consider myself and my friends , beautiful freaks, able to use creativity to do things differently given a nudge in the right direction. So it began.
Friends were invited to participate in the exhibition and the opening was to feature a #fckfashion catwalk along the graffiti tunnels immediately outside the gallery. The venue was perfect for my vision of bringing art from gallery walls into the street on people’s backs , subverting establishment art based on investment, where the art is worth more after the death of the artist and the value depends not on the quality of the work but in the mystery inherent in the piece. The Emperors New Clothes has never been a more pertinent fable for our times.
I’m hoping Kanye is being clever and referencing the fable in his fashion collection in the Youtube clip. I think I’m being kind.
My brand of wearable art, c.Art is about bringing craft’s status up on a par with art. It is feminist in its ideology, craft always being the creative outlet that was what women did since they were not allowed in the life studios of the men artists , I put the small c of craft before the large A of art, to subvert the status and make it on a level. The A of art is also circled, anarchy style in my label, again as a reaction to the role of status in fashion. Art and clothing should be for everyone. Everyone deserves to look and feel good; not just the wealthy or the ones with power.
As the event drew near, I realised I needed music to go with the tribal stomp that was to be our catwalk. Bookabeat to the rescue! Gorgeous friends, Naomi and Makeda who run this live music platform delivered way above my expectations: I was to have the rock goddess Z-Star to lead the beat. Excited wasn’t the word… I adore this musical force of nature! Now I’m just going to post a few of the little videos and pictures of the event and let you feel the vibe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCnLw1KznT8
photo by Rupert Hitchcox of The World of Diane Goldie at the Vaults opening event
Here’s just one example:
It was emotional. There were tears, but most of all smiles and laughter as the tribe spirit was born.
The Goddess of Rock and beats: Z-Star. Once seen,heard and felt, never forgotten.
The entrance to the Vaults Gallery under Waterloo station. The coolest gallery on the planet. Bar none.
Me and the wonderful photographer/human/friend that is Tim Hoy-Griffiths. He is wearing a jacket that he designed and I made.
Me and the extraordinary force of colourful nature that is Funk Cutter of the punk band Anarchist Wood. I adore her. She is wearing a coat of her own design made by me.
Soft sculpture with butterflies at the Vaults Gallery . By me. Photo by Tim Hoy Griffiths.
The delightful , quirky and talented Anne Sophie Cochevelou , costume and jewelry designer extraordinaire, with Florent Bidois.
Birth. A soft sculpture by me.
The Baune Altarpiece Dress , after a painting by Rogier Van Der Weyden. Hand painted , appliqued and embroidered. I’m obsessed with religious iconography and the imagery of heaven and hell, despite not being at all religious.
The tribe celebrates colour and diversity. With Marnie Scarlet, and Sue Kreitzman and my granddaughter, Erykah.
Art on our backs, not on gallery walls. This is the spirit of c.Art wearable art.
“We accept her , we accept her , one of us! One of us!” Leading the #fuckfashion walk down the graffiti tunnels in Waterloo.
Life Study in acrylic on paper . By Diane Goldie.
It’s all about coming together as a community. A big hug from the hugely talented Ella Guru.
A wonderful hand crafted gift from a beautiful man. Thanks David. David Mercer makes wonderful collage pieces with vintage comics.
Listening to the call to action to create a colour tribe as a reaction against Neo-Liberalism and it’s selfish values.
The superstar Marnie Scarlet, my original muse and her wonderful partner Max, who gave me the kick up the bum to stop being shy. I adore these humans. They’re both wearing Diane Goldie c.Art wearable art.
David Mercer’s original c.Art waistcoat .
The delightful carnival world of colour of Anne Sophie Cochevelou
My fairy puppet Babyfairyfifi and she’s holding a crochet self portrait as a children’s entertainer. She’s getting her own back it seems.
You can order your own piece of wearable art and express yourself. It doesn’t have to be technicolour, it’s all about you being the most authentic you , you can be. Dress without fear, dress as if no one is watching. Let’s fuck with fashion. Let’s do it in style.
After meeting Sue and having the privilege to call her my dear friend, I was reborn into my true colourful self after hiding under my cocoon of black and sensible for years of mummyhood. Meeting Sue and seeing her live in her authentic bright , authentic colour was nothing short of inspirational. Her vibrancy gave me permission to be my true authentic self, to revert back to the playful, art school girl I once was, that girl who used to paint her face to match her clothes and walk tall in the street. I’m back, and I’m back with gusto. Thank you Sue. Thank you. I’m taking on that kaleidoscopic baton and passing it on to all who dare to take that vibrant plunge .
This particular piece was inspired after watching a video of Eartha Kitt speaking about compromise.
dianegoldie 