In between a flight from Toronto and a flight to Chicago, I managed a day of testing with Photographer William Geddes, www.williamgeddes.com, It was a big production and a project William and I had discussed many months ago, It was great to finally realize it! With testing it's often hard to find the right moment to do it. If it works out both timing wise and on a creative level however, Testing can be wonderful source for renewing your identity as an artist. It helps the keep the creative spirit alive and makes you understand why it is that you love what you do in the first place and from it can spark ideas for even other commercial projects.
My inspiration was Dorothy Draper meets modern day, I can't say I delved into books of her work, but since seeing a retrospective of her work in NYC in 2008, She amongst other famous decorators left an imprint in my mind. I am a sucker for the 1950's and the palette seemed to evoke this period also.
Wikepedia says: Dorothy Draper (born Dorothy Tuckerman November 22, 1889, died March 11, 1969) was an influential and innovative American interior decorator of the early to mid 20th century. She helped inspire a generation of home improvement devotees with her 1939 book Decorating is Fun!, subtitled "How to Be Your Own Decorator" Her style was big, brash, bodacious, bold, and bordered on what some would consider gaudy, shocking both men and women of her day. You can check out more at www.dorothydraper.com
I also love the idea of the "age of the decorator" in general, We look back at the past with Dorothy, Elsie de Wolfe, David Hicks, Terence Conran and Sybil Colefax amongst others and to now with Kelly Wearstler, Jonathan Adler, Ilse Crawford and Tricia Guild. The tools of a decorator, measuring tapes, shears, fabric, flooring and wallpaper samples, paint chips and plans found there way into the shoot, I discovered a great vinyl floor sample box from the 1960's at the Flea Markets the weekend before and they become a key prop. Thanks also to fellow stylist Robyn Glaser, www.robynglaser.com and Co at Lost and Found Props, www.lostandfoundprops.com where I found a majority of the fine fabrics used. As well as Julie Patterson at Cloth Australia, www.clothfabric.com/rugs.html who still continues to inspire across the waves.
