Wow, I can't believe it's already Monday! How was everyone's weekend? I guess technically, it's still the weekend for me because 5:00 P.M. on Friday marked the beginning of a two week vacation! I love working for a school! On Saturday morning I started the trek home to my Mother's house in Maine, because Chris has to work in Mass until Christmas Eve, getting home was a little more complicated than usual. I woke up bright and early to catch a 7:30 train to Boston and then boarded the Amtrak to Portland. The images above are from my trip. I love riding in trains and watching the landscape roll by- the little cottage in the last picture is my cousin's! When I arrived in Portland, my mother was waiting for me. We finished up some Christmas shopping and then went for seafood chowder- one of my favorite meals!
Ok, now on to the next order of business: answering more of your questions!
Q&A With Orchid Grey
(continued...)
Do you link everyone that asks you to exchange links.. even if you're not crazy about their blog? -Tieka
Wow, Tieka with the hard questions! To be perfectly honest, no I don't. I like the links on Orchid Grey to be a representation of the blogs I read (almost) everyday. Don't be insulted if I don't add a blog right away though, I'll always check back to see the progression, and I still don't link every blog I love- mainly because I am spending most of my "blog time" writing posts and not necessarily updating my blog list.
I would like to know more about your involvement with the art world. I was so impressed and blown away by your hosting an art show at your place and how you turned your apartment into a gallery space. You guys put so much work into that and it looked fantastic, not to mention that I love that you took showing art into your own hands and created your own alternative space for showcasing it. Would you do something like that again? -Chic
Chic is referring to this post from August (back when my pictures were tiny!)
I attended a small, fine art's college from 2002 until my graduation in 2006. I hold my BFA in Photography, but also enjoy printmaking and lots of other creative pursuits. Aside from my full time job, I also do occasional freelance work documenting events and other people's artwork. The This Collective Pull shows were started by a close friend and fellow artist, Bea Modisett as a way to pull together local artists in hopes of forming a more active community. The show was incredibly stressful, but so worth it in the end. Many young artists have a hard time finding venues to showcase their artwork post-graduation, holding an apartment show is (I think) one of the simplest solutions. There are more Collective Pull shows in the works and (I believe) I will be lucky enough to collaborate with Bea again on the next one. However, there is an active effort to find a legit venue- it's a messy process turning your small one bedroom into a full fledged gallery space! (PS- Thanks Chic for the support!)
You seem to strike the perfect balance between using fashion to express who you are, without losing its potential for experimentation, playing 'dress-up' and expressing who you would like to be (if that makes any sense). What are your thoughts on this balance?-Inge
Oh Man, another hard one! This question is incredibly flattering by the way Inge, thank you! I believe strongly in the saying "dress for the job you want, not the job you have", most of the outfits posted to Orchid Grey are outfits that I wear to work throughout the week. It's a delicate line, balancing between what you like and what is appropriate to wear in an academic setting. I'm also 25, I've had time to wear costumy things, in high school I loved punk rock and in college I fell in love with rockabilly and psychobilly music. At these times I felt like I had to dress to fill a certain stereotype (and to be accepted by my peers in both scenes), which was incredibly exhausting. I don't really know what I'm getting at...I guess I just dress to please myself now and I think I just naturally am prone to experimentation, I also don't have a lot of cash to spend on clothing so I am somewhat forced to experiment and try new things. Does this make sense at all? No? Inge wins for hardest question ever. Ok, on to the next question...
You've talked alot about work before... but, what is it that you do ?- Holly
I am a college Admissions Counselor at a small, fine arts college. My job entails: traveling for three months straight every Fall to recruit students (I visit upwards of 70 high school art departments between mid-September and late-November), processing the applications that those recruited students send in, reviewing applications and portfolios, making decisions on their entrance, advising families during the financial aid process, quelling parents concerns, giving tours of the college, holding prospective student interviews/portfolio reviews, getting them to deposit, making sure those deposits hold, data entry (lots and lots of data entry), and helping them move in as freshman. And then starting all over again. There is so much more to it than that, but that's my job in a nutshell!
I was following your blog for awhile before I noticed your septum piercing. I love how it juxtaposes with your (don't hate me for calling it this) ladylike style. Do you have any other interesting body modifications?- Chelsea
Why did you get that nose piercing (sorry i don't know the specific name of it) rather than just a plain nose stud instead? :)-Bella
What was your reason for piercing your nose and what was your reaction when you had it pierced? Did you jump? cry? yelp? not feel any pain at all? -Ash
Chelsea: Apart from my septum piercing, I have three tattoos: two on my upper back and one on my inner right wrist.
Bella: I got my septum pierced because this was the piercing I liked. Nostril piercings look good on some people but wasn't my style, I like mine much better (for me). I really don't like the ring that's in it right now though, I want a seamless gold hoop instead. (ahem boyfriend...birthday's coming up!)
Ash: I pierced my nose because I had always wanted to and figured "why not?" and my boy offered to make it my birthday present. When I actually got it pierced my eyes watered when they pushed the needle through- they actually had to pierce it twice because I have a "deviated septum". I didn't cry but, it's definitely painful, but no worse than getting a tattoo.
Have a happy Monday night!
More answers to your questions coming tomorrow! xoxo
