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Art to Outfit } Tieka of Selective Potential

Drawing by Me (Lauren Moyer)

This weekend I was overjoyed to be able to attend the Michigan Blogger Meetup organized by Tieka of Selective Potential and so in honor of that I am posting my third installment of Art to Outfit featuring some graphic design by Tieka. I was able to work in the field of graphic design at internships and part time jobs, and am very appreciative of the work that Graphic Designers, like Tieka, do. It is more of an unsung art in our society yet in the modern age it is seen daily by millions of viewers and consumers.

For those of you who don't know I started this feature a few months ago showcasing the artistic talent in the visual arts that many fashion bloggers have. Please check out my past interviews and now enjoy learning about Tieka's own artistic jouney.


What is your pen name?

I always wanted to be named Autumn because it's such a pretty word - but it's my favorite season and it's just such a gorgeous season and time of year. But to be honest, I'm so glad my name is Tieka now. I didn't enjoy it much as a kid, but now that I'm older and can appreciate it - it suits me so well.

When did you start putting a pencil to paper to create silly images?

Honestly? When I found out I needed to have large-scale drawings to get into my first choice art college. I know.. how could I be interested in going to art college without knowing how to draw? I love art, I love creating - but I'm just such a computer geek! Once I started drawing though, I loved it. It took me a while, but I truly enjoy it now.





Did a fairy godmother give you all your talent, or did you find a magical place that sharpened your mind? 


I definitely went to school for art and design - it's something I never wanted to do on the side. It's challenging having to be creative every day for your job, so it's so worth it - I want to wake up in the mornings and go to work! Art for a career is perfection.

Which artist do you think is dreamy?

Oh gosh, this is tough because I don't know what any artists ever look like. Let's go with Paul Rand in his grandpa years - I love grandpas. How could you resist that face?


What period of art would you set your time machine to?

Baroque. I took an 18th century art history class that I just loved - even though Baroque dates from 16th to early 18th - anywhere in there.





What artist would you go camping with and why?

Georgia O'Keefe. She really appreciated the beauty in nature. We'd stay in a tent - just one zip of a door away from the beauty of the outdoors!

How does your art affect your clothes, and visa-versa?

I definitely feel like my love for art affects my personal style. I think the two go hand-in-hand. In my own design and art, I'm very simple and I truly believe in usability (because I'm an interactive/graphic designer), so I'm very very much the same with style - simple with usability (I want to be able to walk in my shoots for longer than one block!)





Do you plan on wearing a beret daily and becoming a professional artist?

I don't plan on wearing a beret daily, but I am a full-time graphic designer! I can wear cute clothes - no worries about spilling paint. Maybe getting a few spray mount chemicals on my hands, but other than that - I'm glued to my Mac.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three pieces of yours would you take with you to decorate your mud hut?

I love my Vespa information graphic.



My dog paintings motion graphic film


And I'm super proud of the press kit I put together for Selective Potential


As an artist, do you get away with crazy fashion like wearing a swan dress?

No way. Even though I am artist, I am very simple.. and like I said before, I believe in usability - something the real world can relate to. As graphic designers, we have to be able to communicate to more than one type of person - I feel like my style must communicate not only to artists, but to others as well.

Make sure to check out Tieka's website http://www.tiekadierolf.com/
And of course her style blog http://selectivepotential.blogspot.com/ 



Huggles,
Lauren

All images (except first image) are property of Tieka Dierolf and used with permission.
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Braided Helmet





So this hair is my interpretation of Erin Fetherstons Fall2011 model look. I like it, but after doing it for the first time I see things I'd change. Like right now it kinda feels like a helmet. I think I should've back combed my hair a bit before I did it. But if you'd like to try it, it's an upside down french braid (you braid the hair under instead of over). You start by finding a point at the back of your head and brushing hair out from there. Then you start your braid behind one ear braiding around your forehead. You only take hair from the inside and not on the side around your face. You continue and finish the french braid behind you other ear. Then finish the braid. Then take the finished braid and wrap it around the back of your head and pin it...

Do I need to make a video?




Also this is the skirt I made wednesday night (which I promised at the beginning of this remix!). I love it! It has pockets! I did initially make it too big but I took out some pleats and made it smaller. I didn't use a pattern (I hate patterns!) so I just winged it. It has box pleats and that little decorative hem thinger. And I love the fabric I used for the waist band... Oh and since I made it smaller I had to redo the zipper. Thankfully I found the zipper foot to my machine which made it sooo much easier! Yay!




Anyway, so what do you think about my hair? Like or not for my face shape? It looked good and awkward at the same time... Maybe should've worn more makeup to bring out my eyes. And this hairstyle is making me miss my bangs... But I've had them for now 7 years... time for change. Must resist the urge to cut them!

{ 30x30 Materials Used }


Button Up } F21 (worn day 2, & 11)
Handmade Skirt } By Me! (worn today, first day!)
Brown Boots } Vintage, found (worn day 2, 3, 11, & 17)
--added--
Belt } Vintage, mom's
Tights } Kohls

Huggles,
Lauren
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Made up Made down




Well as you can see my normal photo space has been taken over by paintings!! But I'm not going to complain, cause this stack is SOLD!




These past couple weeks have been great in sales. Finally people are willing to buy again. I sold a piece on Wednesday, another piece is being shipping to Germany, all these are going into the doctor's massive house, plus a few more are sold. It's a great feeling.




Anyway as you can see I tried a new hairstyle. My hair is finally getting to a length that I love and feel like I can style it more ways. And with this hair style I thought it would be good to actually put on makeup. Meg asked on twitter if people had make up advice. Makeup for me is sometimes the only way for me to look awake. I have light eyebrows and blond eyelashes... So I have to try to wear mascara everyday but lately I haven't, as you can probably tell from last post... Now makeup makes Lauren a tired girl. Anyway, I'm pretty plain with my make up. My daily routine usually is just mascara and a bit of powder highlight on my cheek bones (might as well play them up). Then somewhat daily I wear a bit of highlighter under my brows and the inside of my eyes with either regular eyeliner or liquid liner. I never use eyeliner on my full eye, just more towards the outside since I my eyes are kinda closer together. I don't wear foundation because it usually bothers my skin, and I had bad acne as a teen and feel like it never hid it, it just made me breakout more. I am only now beginning to wear lipstick... So yeah I'm pretty plain with makeup, I hardly wear eye shadow. I think I would be good at putting makeup on other people with my knowledge in painting but I'm just not the best at doing it myself. The first time I really had makeup on was for a fashion show when I lived in Brasil. My boyfriend at the time said he didn't even look at my clothes cause he was so surprised how I looked with makeup... haha. It's usually a surprise to people when a wear it.

What is your daily routine?



Also I really need to change my layout. Other then the MI Blogger meet up Friday night (so excited!), Saturday and Sunday are devoted to art. I have this layout to figure out, another website, some promotional pieces for a jewelry company, other illustrations for a classmate who is a big comedian now, two painting for a show and a sculpture, and of course starting the process to screen print our invitations. I really should start showing you guys my art more. But many times I can't show it until it's published and whatnot, and by that time I forget. Oh well.

{ 30x30 Materials Used }


Plum Sweater } Gap, years old (worn day 4, 13)
Peter Pan Collar Blouse } Original Penguin (worn day 3, 12)
WWII Navy Wool Pants } Vintage, my Grandpa's (worn day 2, 6,)
Brown Boots } Vintage, found (worn day 2, 3)
--added--
Bow Tie } Ribbon
Irish Pin } Kevin's
Feather Ring } F21

Huggles,
Lauren
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Day 16 & Similar to a Bicycle





So I enjoyed my outfit today... Can you tell I'm not wearing an undershirt? Scandalous! And I really need to iron my clothes, but many times I'm sitting most of the day... Erg. Well this skirt was reating me a bit better, but it still fits weird, I wish there was an un-shrink button! Anyway as you can tell from these pictures I'm much like a bicycle... too tired. Hahaha. After Kevin and I walked around town, dropped mail off at the post and bought some fabric and zippers for a sewing project of mine. Let me tell you I hate zippers!!! They are the bane of me sewing.





But I did finish the skirt I mentioned at the 30x30 first post, but I made the waist 2 inches too big. So I will have to fix that tonight. And let me tell you I hate my cheapo sewing machine I bought a garage sale. I need to start scouring craigslist again, it stinks growing up with amazing sewing machines... nothing can compare and I couldn't even afford to have my mom's older Viking fixed... doubt I can afford a good used one. So here are some process shots of the skirt.




So yeah. I like to sew, and I love box pleats! Yay! And my dog is cute.

{ 30x30 Materials Used }


Sheer Button Down } UO, on sale (worn day 6)
Navy Pencil Skirt } BCBG (worn day 8)
Gray Booties } UO, on sale (worn day 1, 7, & 14)
--added--
Tights } Target

Huggles,
Lauren
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Humpday and the 30x30 Remix Hump




So I admit it that this 30x30 remix is hard. On Sunday I didn't take any pictures, but this was pretty much my outfit. On Monday I wore my painting clothes because I was painting the display case at work. And if you follow my twitter you might have seen things about Kevin and I getting caught in the freezing rain/snow storm that happened on Sunday. It took us about 3x the amount of time to get from Toledo to Detroit... Then I had to shovel my car I left at home out of the street and move it for the plows... Didn't go to sleep until 2:30a. So Monday morning I was not excited to dress up and the commute was awful! No streets were plowed not even the main road in Metro Detroit, Woodward Ave...




So here's my outfit on Tuesday. Casual. I dropped my car off Monday afternoon to have all 4 brakes fixed, needed everything and the back drum brakes were leaking. Sooo, I had to walk to the auto shop Tuesday morning to pick up my car. I wasn't about to where a skirt! So yep, this was my outfit, minus the snow boots I wore outside. They are my Brown and Mint Green Sorels that Kevin bought me, I love them.




And even though I'm posting this on Wednesday, I took pictures with the dog for Tripp Tuesdays. I really am obsessed with my dog... Oh well.

And I saw this on Erin's blog, Better than Bland. Here's a little halfway recap!



{ 30x30 Materials Used }


Blue Cardigan } UO, on sale (worn on day 9)
Blue Horse Button Up } UO, on sale (worn on day 8)
Skinny Jeans } UO, on sale (worn day 9 & 3)
Oxfords } UO, on sale (worn day 13, 12, 10, 9, & 6)
--added--
Scarf } Found
Necklace } Not sure
Dog } Petfinder

Huggles,
Lauren
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Friday Answers & Thursday Frustrations




So yesterday I forgot to take a picture of my 30x30 Remix outfit, I know bad girl! But I wore my green vintage button up, a sweater vest, vintage sailor pants and vintage boots. Yah! Yesterday ended up being an awful day and thus I did not take an outfit picture. I found out that my ceremony location hadn't been booked as I was led to believe and now I don't know what to do. I'm absolutely heart broken. I loved the location for the ceremony, it was perfect, it was the woods and clearing that my childhood friends and I frequented... It's the woods that was my entire childhood and three blocks away from my mom's house where I grew up. I'm so furious that I was led to believe I had the location when the person hadn't booked it, I had made plans, told people, etc. I could've made the booking myself but was told not to worry about it that it would be taken care of over a month ago. So yes tears were shed all yesterday.



It was a miserable day. Not only with that though, it started out bad. I had a delivery with my boss, it went well but on the way back on a turn the art shifted and fell to the other side. Well now I have to repair some ornate frames that are cracked. Then my one co-worker was supposed to go in early to open the gallery and go to an important meeting while my boss and I were out. But as we pulled up at quarter after 11a, she was pulling up too. Really over two hours late. So the gallery wasn't open for over TWO hours, we had a ton of messages from clients "Where are you?". I was livid. And then I get a email that someone just booked my ceremony location and I need to replan. What? I thought it was already booked for me! Just writing this I am fuming.

And to top it off I had to return my jacket to the dry cleaners for the third time. I took it in cause the buttons had fallen of and I was being lazy and didn't want to sew them on, also it's wool and was dirty. So I pick it up, oh it wasn't cleaned cause I left things in the pockets... Check it out, it's the buttons that were supposed to be sewn on that were put by the worker into the pockets. Ok... So I go back pick my coat up. It has the buttons, it's clean. Go to put it on. One button isn't in the right place, sewn at an angle creating a ripple in the fabric and is going through my pocket so I can't use it. Really, they sewed my pocket shut? Come on. So again yesterday after my aggrivating day at work I dropped it off again. The girl that works there is sweet, she's a nice girl but laughs at the stupidity of the tailor. How could you not see all the mistakes? She finds amusement in it because the tailor is one of those types that thinks they are amazing and can do no wrong. So I told her to tell the tailor I came in furious and upset, let's bring the ego of the woman making every mistake on my jacket down a notch.... 




Ok well this was an angry post.... Onto the FBFF Questions for the week!

This weeks questions are centered around body image. As many of my followers know I don't have any problem talking about my insecurities but I do try to not come off as whining. Everyone has insecurities and I think it shows great strength to voice yours. So here are this weeks questions with my answers, make sure to go to ModlyChic's blog to find out more about FBFF and possibly join!

1. Since you started blogging has your image of yourself changed?

Well I am kinda narcissistic, I think everyone is to a degree. But for me being in a visual industry, looks  matter and also just with the fact of drawing and painting, you have to be hyper aware of body movement, shadows, facial structure. So I have spent a lot of time taking reference photos and looking in the mirror for art. I would have to say what this blog changed about me is that now I put my narcissism out in the open. And I don't use narcissism as a bad term. We all need it in our lives and embrace it. I do feel also that I am now able to take chances everyday in my wardrobe where as before I only did it sometimes. I have found what makes me look good in pictures and what accurately represents me. I am not someone who takes tons of photos, usually what you see is all I took, I feel this blog had taught me how much awareness I have with my own body and poses and what looks good for me, which I learned from years of figure drawing and years of painting myself.

2. Are you self-conscious about any aspect of yourself? If so, do you go out of your way to avoid it or do you post it/talk about it anyway? 

I am very self conscious about my nose. In junior high I hated my nose, then I learned to love it. Lately though I have started getting frustrated with it again. But not in the same way. I love my nose but I don't like that it's the strongest part of my face, I wish I had bigger eyes, or stronger brows, or larger lips, to counteract the size of my nose. I am also super self conscious about my upper arms, thighs and knees... I know I know, it's ridiculous but that is my stupid girl ridiculousness.

I haven't ever tried to hide the things purposely, of course I buy certain clothes that tend to hide my flaws and accentuate my assets (ie: I have a teeny waist 24-25", but big hips 38-39" so I keep to Aline skirts). Being the artist that I am and with my knowledge of photo editing and what not I have been tempted to edit my photos to hide my flaws. But I really don't have time for that, and know that this would just be giving myself something that I probably can't live up to.

3. Based on how you are feeling now, what do you think the future holds in the evolution of your body image? 

I think that everyone will have self conscious thoughts on their body. There has always been that since really the beginning of modern society. I think no one will ever be satisfied and that's ok. If you were completely content with everything about yourself then what would push you to evolve and learn? To be healthier and happier? Just as in art, an artist should never be completely satisfied, you should always push yourself forward and your favorite art piece should always be the next one.
4. Do you photograph yourself for your blog? If so, how do you feel about the experience when you're having your picture taken? If you choose not to post pictures of yourself, what prompted that decision? 

I photograph myself most of the time in the store room of my gallery. It's where I photograph art so it's an easy setup to grab pictures. Sometimes Kevin, my fiance, Sara, or Jen my flatmate takes my pictures. I haven't ever had any bad experience with my images, I have never had a bad comment or have been poorly judged, by my readers or IRL friends. I guess my "real" friends are most all artists and very visual, and taking pictures of yourself is kinda a norm. Nothing is too odd about it, but I guess taking them everyday is a bit odd ;)

5. What would you want every person who struggles with body image to take to heart? 

Just that they need to realize that they aren't alone. I mean heck there's the Vitruvian man, that most men can't live up too. There were fake beards that Pharaohs wore, Ancient Greeks bleached their hair, tan skin was popularized by Coco Chanel, women in the renaissance plucked their hairline for a bigger forehead, and for hundreds of years women wore bustles and hoops to make their butts or hips look bigger. So yeah everyone has body image issues, but also those issues change when our society's beauty norm changes. One of my body issues is that I don't have the "cherub" or girlie facial structure that is very popular in modern American culture, magazines, and film. I have the long face structure that is more popular in Europe and in different time periods, Renaissance/PreRaphaelite... And I have come to accept it, but that doesn't mean I'm still not self conscious, or aggravated that I don't have the all american cute girl next door look. I think the best is to accept some of your body image issues and embrace them. I mean you have to find enjoyment in life, and you have to accept that sometimes you won't like what you see, and once you do that maybe you can be ok with that self doubt and start repairing it.

{ 30x30 Materials Used }


Plum Sweater } Gap Outlet, 6 years ago
Beige Dress } Vintage
Shoes } UO, on sale
--added--
Necklace } F21, 5 years ago
Belt } UO, on sale and resewn
Tights } Kohls
Hat } UO, on sale

Upset Huggles,
Lauren
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I met an Artist today










He was 85.
Friends with Pollock.
Had a studio in Greenwich village of the 60's.
He told me to never let fear run my life and that I had pretty eyes.


{ 30x30 Materials Used }


Peter Pan Collar Blouse } Original Penguin
Orange Sweater } Hilfiger, gift
Embroidered Skirt } Vintage, from Lost & Found
Shoes } UO, on sale.
--added--
Necklace } F21
Belt } Target
Tights } Kohls

Huggles,
Lauren