Hello and welcome to another Art Appreciation Monday!
I hope all of you had a lovely holiday weekend! For this Monday I have been very fortunate in interviewing the remarkably talented costume designer and seamstress behind Olivanders Creations! Olivia not only designs costumes that she dreams up, she also makes replicas of film costumes!
I have always been amazed at the amount of work that goes into sewing a dress. Can you imagine the work in a dress like this? This black and white masquerade dress with hand made silk roses is an original design by Olivia and gives only a glimpse into the talent in this amazing designer's mind.
Ariana: What's your name?
Olivia: Olivia
Ariana: What Country/Planet/State are you from?
Olivia: Kentucky, but I'm pretty sure it was the result of a stork with a broken GPS.
Ariana: Do you have brothers/sisters/only child?
Olivia: 5 sisters. No brothers. #4 out of 6...I suffer from severe middle-child syndrome.
Ariana: Do you have any pets?
Olivia: 3 precious kitties, 2 stinky dogs, 1 fluffy Tribble (angora dwarf rabbit), and a random assortment of fish.
Ariana: What is your favourite colour?
Olivia: Depends on what it's going to be on and if glitter is involved.
Ariana: Favourite movie?
Olivia: Depends on my mood, but usually the Little Mermaid.
Ariana: Favourite song?
Olivia: Depends on my mood and how close the deadline of a project is.
Ariana: Favourite book?
Olivia: Catherine Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
Ariana: Currently reading?
Olivia: The script for Into the Woods
Ariana: Guilty pleasures?
Olivia: Hah! Way too many to list.
Ariana: Do you have a favourite food/drink?
Olivia: Depends on my mood.
Ariana: Birthday?
Olivia: Cake.
Olivia creates costumes for theatre plays like this production of Les Misérables. Each character must be unique and different as well as still being accurate to the historical period of time! She has done numerous productions including: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Treasure Island, Charlotte's Web, The Hobbit, 101 Dalmations, A Christmas Carol,(which was completed in under three weeks), High School Musical, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown and this spring she is making the costumes for Into the Woods!
Ariana: What inspires you most to create such lovely sewn masterpieces?
Olivia: Usually the design itself. If the design of a garment or project doesn't get me excited, I struggle to make it work.
Ariana: How do you cope with lack of inspiration?
Olivia: It depends on the situation. Caffeine helps when I'm struggling to push through a project and music or talking things through with the kitties or the hubby helps when I'm struggling with a design issue.
Ariana: Are you open to commissions?
Olivia:Yes. Check out www.olivanderscreations.com
Ariana: Is there anything you would not want as a commission?
Olivia: I don't have the skills required for spandex or latex fitted bodysuits. My talents lie with the fluffy and fabulous.
Ariana: What would you say, is one of your favorite fashions to create?
Olivia: BIG AND FLUFFY! Oh, and SPARKLY!
Ariana: Best fabric to work with?
Olivia: Silk Shantung
Ariana: Worst fabric to work with?
Olivia: Ugh...Linen or Organza...
Ariana: Of all your masterpieces so far, is there one that sticks out to you- as a favourite?
Olivia: My Giselle Wedding Dress from Enchanted. That dress involved a ton of research and hand-painting and I couldn't be more proud of how it turned out.
Ariana: What would you suggest for someone who is just beginning to sew, or embark in the world of art in general?
Olivia: Find something that inspires you. You can tackle "easy" projects, but if you're not excited about them, then you'll struggle with the learning process because you don't want the end result as bad.
Ariana: Are there any blogs, or books that you would recommend to other artists out there?
Olivia: It would really differentiate based on your medium.
Ariana: What is something that you haven't created yet, that you really want to?
Olivia: Oh, *tons* of stuff. Costumes, paintings, drawings, shoes, home projects....you name it.
Ariana: What is your favorite thing to sew?
Olivia: Skirts. Especially skirts with ruffles.
Ariana: When did you decide you wanted to start sewing such beautiful creations?
Olivia: I was 13 and was inspired by the Lord of the Rings movies because I wanted those dresses for myself.
Ariana: Do you have any interests outside of sewing?
Olivia: I dabble in anything that perks my interest.
Ariana: Roughly, how long does it take you to sew something, start to finish?
Olivia: THAT depends on the project.
Ariana: How do you wind down after a day of sewing?
Olivia: Usually, I pass out from exhaustion. Creating art, with any medium, is a physically and emotionally exhausting process.
Ariana: What are you currently working on at the moment?
Olivia: Wardrobe for the entire cast of the Bowling Green High School Production of Into the Woods
Ariana: What would your advice to other artists be?
Olivia: Don't let self-doubt or negativity bring you down. Surround yourself with loving and supporting people and create what you feel.
Olivia's pride and joy, Giselle's Wedding dress from Disney's Enchanted! This gown was completely hand-painted, which requires a lot of patience and practice! This dress is so gorgeous with the front ruffles and hand-painted details, the amount of time and work truly makes this dress something special!
I would very much like to thank Olivia of Olivanders Creations for her participation in Art Appreciation Monday, I know this is a very busy time of year for her with the upcoming production of Into The Woods, and I appreciate the time she took to share her wisdom with us on sewing and dreaming up her beautiful creations!
I am always so blessed and excited that I have so many talented and unique artists who participate in Art Appreciation Monday and I hope you, the reader are enjoying Art Appreciation Monday as much as I am! :)
Discover more about Olivanders Creations on the website!
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*****All the pictures belong to Olivanders Creations!!!!
There are links in blue which will direct you to the originals/and/webpages.**********
DO NOT USE ANY OF THE PICTURES/or/WRITTEN WORK POSTED HERE WITHOUT PERMISSION!!!!!!!
If you wish to contact Olivanders Creations please click here.
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