As you know I’ve been hand-painting shoes for a bit and it’s such an epic, beautiful, I-want-to-cry-because-it’s-too-hard, but-I-have-to-finish-because-there’s-magic-in-here-somewhere - journey. I can feel what I want right away… but getting it onto the shoe is something else. All those tiny crevices, metal lace holes, edges where the canvas meets the plastic rim..LAWD HELP ME!
I’m always beyond excited when I start the project. I select my canvas shoes (so far mostly Vans and now some really cool platform hightops I found on Amazon - Converse are next!) …and then I search for inspiration. I always use my Pinterest art boards because they are filled with pieces of life giving images that I’ve collected thru out the years that energize me. This time I wanted Frida on my shoes. I LOVE HER. I FEEL HER. I was going to paint her but when I went to research my Frida books I decided I wanted an epic black & white photograph of her instead. And I immediately found THE PERFECT ONE (my muse / ancestors / angels promised they’d be with me when I take the risk of being creative so I’m pretty sure that’s how I found the perfect image so quickly ;).
It’s the middle part of creating that is the struggle is for me. You’re neither here nor there. It’s not quite where you want it to be and you don’t know that you’ll make it to your highest-vision. Fear kicks in. “Is this a waste of time?” “I should start a different project.” “Can I even do this?” “If I give up I’ll again meet this middle ambiguous no mans land area on a different project - and hence I will go in circles.” N-O. I'm putting my foot down again these toxic blood-sucking vampire voices! I gotta push thru. Divine Universe ACTIVATE! And that's what happens every time. It's part of my process so I ain't gone freak out this time. And after sometime - I have these shoes and they are filling me with something deep and real.
Please enjoy this video above of my creative process. Quarantining is lasting a very long time in Los Angeles and to keep calm and stay present I have been making a lot of things. If you want a custom pair drop me a link on my Instagram or visit foxgirlmagic.com/shoes.
I hope you are all safe and well out there. I am sending you all this love. One love.
Fox Girl Magic