Image and Dress by Heather Wakefield
MUA + Model, Jaclyn McMillian
Designing and creating worlds and taking photos of them.
Mothers day tribute: My mom has always very supportive of me doing my own thing, and this is my mothers day blog for her. LOVE YOU MOM! Thanks for the unconventional wisdom.
Have you ever wondered what it is like to design and build your own world? In the computer science world and popularized by the burning man festival ethos there is an idea of the ‘default world’ in which you accept the world you were born into without question, defined your life by the conventions that were taught to you and follow them the best you could. That is life. Where would you even start in moving away from the default world? All those time tested ideas and values that have served for so long?
I propose that crafting a one of a kind look in your home is a great place to start if you want a way to explore the idea. Start with a feature, one feature. For example a wall of photos. There is a lot of rich exploration there.
I began creating unique interior schemes when I was young. This can be quite scary, apparently, to simply question the default world as it is handed to you. I remember one room I made, in which a cousin came to visit and was so upset with my world, she literally tore it all down! Ouch! Why is your room so weird? She said and proceeded to rip it apart. I was 12, she 16 at the time and I still wanted a teddy bear hanging from a giant ball in the middle of my bedroom and she was wearing 3″ heels. I was so happy to learn about power tools and my dad let me use the drill by myself! Needless to say I did not stop. I was like- whatever! Can I get them in Platforms so I can actually walk?
Needless to say, I have been building my own ideas all along. Basically, if I think something could work I like to make a prototype and work out the kinks and then do it again with improvements. I find 3 times or so usually leads to something I like and that functions well. You will see this in all my designs. I “work it out” until it is good and then I keep the pattern or the formula and use it over and over. I am a pattern maker.
People will say things like- “you are crazy” , “How do make money with that?” or” Jill of all trades” or something… I think anything… in a effort to figure out why on earth I would do this crazy thing. Meanwhile, I go along observing and problem solving. I find solutions for existing structural, functional and beauty dilemmas and design solutions that make sense. I am an artist. That is what we do. I enjoy designing and making things. Simple as that. Some people like golf, I like to build things alone and in teams with others. It is a sort of life long passionate hobby of mine.
Of course in my ideal world there would be someone there to build it. Sometimes design minds and build minds are different, and the two together are very powerful. I like it when that happens. Yes, it is exhausting always figuring out how to make things and then actually doing it, but being short of luxuries like a team of builders, I do it myself. But here is the key- it is also fun and entertaining and great for using my mind and learning and maybe in doing it you will discover a hidden gem, such as something uniquely your own.
If you want to make a ‘feature photo and art’ wall in your home send me an email and I will come do a free consultation in your home. I am available Monday and Fridays for fun art projects like this.
Satellite Art Station 