March 1, 2013 in Current Art Blog, Modelling Stories by mariejon

172. The ART of the Hair SCULPTURES

INSPIRED BY ARTIST SANDRO BOTTICELLI

This painting was commissioned by my US  art gallery a few years ago; the Director wanted me to paint a naive version of The Birth of Venus which was originally painted by Sandro Botticelli in 1486.  My brief was just to paint the head but with various items hanging in the hair, however I would like to do the complete picture one day as I love that image.  The original painting is on display in Florence and was commissioned by the Medici family and depicts the goddess Venus having emerged from the sea as a fully grown woman, arriving at the sea-shore.  Venus supposedly had two aspects, she was a goddess here on earth that aroused humans to physical love or she was a heavenly goddess who inspired intellectual love in them.  Whatever it was she did have beautiful hair and that is my topic today.

The Birth of Venus, originally painted by Sandro Botticelli

FROM MODEL TO ARTIST

As you can see from the photos my own crowning glory has been fashioned into a lot of different styles during my modelling days.  The weirdest one was actually when my hair was made into a Christmas tree, sprayed green complete with ornaments for a hair show in Nagoya Japan.  Strange really that  both my professions has taken me there and here is a link if you fancy a look at my first art exhibition in Nagoya;  57. Art & Signing the Contract and   64. Art & Flying to Japan (continuation of Signing the Contract)

This hair do saves me from having to wear a hat!

THE ART OF A GOOD HAIRDRESSER

One thing I don’t miss about modelling was all the hours waiting whilst having my hair done, so for a long time after becoming an artist I just kept my hair really long and just cut it myself.  Finding a hairdresser you trust is such a tricky thing and luckily now I have one again.  But that wasn’t always so, lol.  A while ago I decided to try someone else and the first giveaway should have been the dirty looking surroundings, all looked great from afar but on closer inspection (when I was firmly in the chair) I saw the whole salon needed a thorough clean, the toilets were even worse and I seriously debated whether to drink the coffee they made me!  By this stage I was committed and had to tough it out and the finished product i.e. my hair was terrible.  Don’t know what she had done but the blond streaks were yellow and the hair felt like straw and I had to pay a fortune at another hair salon to fix it!

ART AND ALCOHOL

My aversion to hair dressers probably started when I was 7 years old in Sweden when my mother took me to a Barber who unbeknownst to her was drunk and he cut my locks of into a crew-cut, by cutting one side uneven and then having to cut the other and so on, until there was no more hair left to cut. I remember the alcohol on his breath and a hip-flask in his Barber shirt pocket he kept swigging from.   I left that Barber in the back of our car with a blanket over my head and refused to go to school for days, no wonder since then I have for the most part always had longish hair!

How about this hair sculpture!

ANOTHER PAINTING IDEA

However the worst hairdresser story comes from a girlfriend of mine who sent me a HELP text once; “Help Marie, my hairdresser is on something” so I texted back to find out what was going on.  Turns out the hairdresser really was “on” something or else had a psychotic episode and my friend who realized this too late was already in the chair and the hairdresser was both coloring and cutting her hair and talking a million miles an hour whilst frequently dropping the scissors and acting very weirdly.

In the middle of all this another client came in for her appointment but luckily spotted the commotion and made up an excuse and left.  My girlfriend was not so lucky but still her hair was not permanently damaged and could be fixed up by someone else when she eventually escaped.

A few months later we heard on the TV news that this particular hairdresser went missing, her car was found abandoned and there were serious fears for her safety.  However she turned up safe and well a week later much to the relief of her husband and children, although her salon had shut down.  Lol so choose your hairdresser carefully, that’s my advice.

Here is a quote I think fits well here by Dolly Parton;

The Big Hair look, Marie Jonsson-Harrison with best friend Deborah Betty

“I’m not offended by all the dumb-blonde jokes because I know that I’m not dumb.  I also know I’m not blond.”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting and going to the hairdresser if you dare!!

Love Marie xxx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

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December 3, 2010 in Current Art Blog, Modelling Stories by Marie

58. A Lifetime of Pix – Photography

EXHIBITION OPENING

We had a most interesting weekend recently.  I had been asked to open an exhibition for my dear friend Ted James who was celebrating 50 years of being behind the lens of his trusted camera.  It was held at the Rustons Rose Garden and Convention Centre in Renmark, South Australia.

This Artwork Sold in America

ART IN PICTURES

I first met Ted as a 17 year old just after I had starting modelling and over the years he put me on the cover of a few magazines.  In the hectic days of fashion and glamour, Teds shoots were always very different.  They would take a whole day and involve some great locations, either down by a beach or in the middle of a wheat field just before harvest.  Ted would always pack a picnic with dried fruits and nuts, cheese and crackers and fruit juices and everything would happen at a leisurely pace resulting in some great photographs.  He also worked for the Australasian Post and Pix Magazine, Scope Magazine in South Africa as well as Pietro Press in Italy.   Ted maintains that his favourite work was photographing beautiful girls, and who can blame him, great work if you can get it eh, Ted?

EXHIBITION IN NEW YORK

By no means was Teds photography limited by beautiful girls however much of a dream job that may seem to some of you!  No, he also had many a distinguished clients, as he plied his trade from landscapes to river scenes, horses and cars, working for British Leyland, Volvo, Bank of Adelaide, and Faulding’s, just to name a few.  Of course he also did a lot of fashion work for most of the designers of the time, including Lidwien and those photographs were exhibited at the Rockefeller Centre in New York.

GOLD PAINT

A couple of the artistic engagements that stood out for Ted  was the “Golden Couple” from Holland,  who as Ted put it were “starkers” apart from the gold paint that covered them from head to toe, whom he photographed at Noarlunga Beach.  But it was as they were driving home that they really scared some other motorists, sitting there looking like “gold statues” in the car and then they suddenly moved and looked at the car next to them.  “You should have seen the looks on those poor peoples faces, said Ted!” Another highlight in his career was photographing Swan Lake and several other Ballets for Michael Edgely and his first wife.

The most successful shot however was from a Bird of a Different Feather- a pelican no less.  As it happened I had a very small part in that too- you see it was on the way home from dropping me off to Bryan after I had accompanied Ted on another job on the Murray Explorer, that Ted stopped off in Loxton at 6am in the morning and captured that photo which then was used all over the world for the State Government and other organizations, the famous, “Pelican on a Snag” which most of you would have seen one time or another over the years.

Another of Ted’s interests is Orchid growing and I feel very privileged to just have had a flower named after me, which was a great honour.

Here is another link to a modelling story in my art blog if you fancy a look; 12. Salvador Dali and C’est La Vie

THE ART OF AGING WELL

Marie Jonsson-Harrison from Covers to Canvas!

At 83 he shows no signs of slowing down and still goes out on the river and rows most mornings before he starts work.  When we first met, Ted told me that he was going to live to a 130, and I believed him then and I believe him still, so I was not surprised when he just told me in an email recently, after I had bugged him with all my questions about his past, he said, “I am exhausted, you have put a “middle aged” man under pressure!”

Half his luck, I certainly hope that I follow his lead and Ted I wish you great success with the rest of your  “middle age”.  Just keep on enjoying Life.

And I think this saying by Peter Ustinov (actor) fits perfectly here.

“The point of living, and of being an optimist, is to be foolish enough to believe the best if yet to come”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting to you all!

Love Marie xxx                                                        (c)

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE,GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

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October 23, 2010 in Current Art Blog, Modelling Stories by Marie

51. ART of Laughter is the best medicine mmm…. and maybe a little bit of snake

THE ART OF FRIENDSHIP

My long time friend Debonella (my nickname for her) had her birthday this week, and although she lives in another state and we see each other very rarely, I still treasure our friendship and the mad times we had together and she is every bit as beautiful now as she was in her modelling days a real artistic inspiration.

Debonella is crazy mad about horses and always have been and has represented Australia in horse events overseas.  As she is a very private person I won’t tell you in what events but she is certainly up there with the Champions!

This painting depicts us just laying about and drinking champagne which if we had been asked what our hobbies were we may have included on the list- oh those were the days.  I must confess I neither remember the name of this painting nor where it sold, not from too much champagne drinking  though,LOL.  If you enjoy the artblog below you may also enjoy this one 12. Salvador Dali and C’est La Vie

Girls having fun!

THE ART OF FASHION

Anyway the time I was going to tell you about here, was when we were in the Philippines for 6 weeks on tour with a fashion parade.

We spent 4 or so weeks in Manila doing a daily lunch time show in one of the top hotels and then the next couple of weeks flying to the provinces around Philippines and doing the same.  It was lots of fun but also hard work as in-between doing the parades there were always publicity shots to be done and interviews and television appearances, etc.

So at the time we were quite exhausted (not to mention all the partying we would be doing at night too, oh that glamorous life can be so tiring.)

Anyway Debonella spotted some locally produced tonic drink, advertising that you would be good as new and get that missing” spring” back in your step.

THE ART OF THE SNAKE

On closer inspection it was also noted that it did contain Snake!  As I am a vegetarian that put stop to the consumption for me however my mad friend was still keen to try some.  I should tell you now that us Australian girls are quite down to earth and always like having a laugh and maybe I and Debonella would always egg each other on even more, to amuse ourselves and particularly so when we got a bit tired.

So there we were in this 5 star hotel lobby just having been to the shop and bought the snake tonic drink, which Debonella finished in one swift skull when she thought she should show me how great it made her feel.

ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS

So to set the scene, the lobby is vast with a beautiful marble floor and décor to match, the people milling around are in Armani suits and other designer gear dripping with diamonds, when suddenly Debonella (looking stunning and statuesque as usual in full model makeup) starts to do giant leaps around the lobby like something out of Swan Lake with a few pirouettes thrown in.

Her friend, moi, looses the plot completely and I’m doubled over crying with laughter, whilst the whole lobby has come to a standstill and everyone are looking very surprised and slightly amused at us.

So nothing ventured nothing gained I figure, you have to live your life so that you have lots of fun memories to amuse you in your old age.  As my old age is still far away (well that’s what I tell myself anyway) I hope to make plenty more for the memory bank!

So here is a quote I like and which fits perfectly here, said by Horace (Poet).

“Mix a little foolishness with your prudence:  It’s good to be silly at the right moment.

Till next time happy painting and sculpting!

Love Marie  xx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

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October 17, 2010 in Current Art Blog, Modelling Stories by mariejon

50. Not a trout pout in sight in Art

ARTIST & MODEL

Wow had an awesome night and got to bed at 3.30 am a little worse for wear!  So today I have to use my face as the canvas and paint on a pretty face not in my normal naive art style though!

Last night was the Model Reunion for one of the modeling agents in town and even though I was a” ring in” (I modeled for the opposition at the time) I still had a great night.

One thing that we all commented on was that’ back in the day’ it was not a bitchy profession and most girls actually had each other’s backs covered and all got on really well. Which is why I felt quite comfortable being in the ’oppositions camp’ as it were!

This painting the’ Golden Years of Modeling’, was auctioned off on the night and I was delighted to see vigorous bidding for it, even nicer was the fact that it was bought by Sue; someone I used to model with and have not seen for maybe 20 years or so.

Art & The Golden Years of Modelling!

Sue was working at the time for a manufacturing agent called Saville Row where they designed men’s shirts and also handled a few other ranges of women’s clothes and they hired me to be the in house model/receptionist a job I shared with her.

At the time it was my first modeling job at 17 years old and I was in awe of Sue who was a couple of years older than me and very sophisticated and gorgeous. So I was really thrilled to see that my artwork will be hanging on her wall and I hope it will bring back great memories and amuse her whenever she looks at the painting.

The night was full of models, photographers, agents, journalists and advertising people some still in the business and others long ago retired.

ART IN A NATURAL WAY

I did expect to see a lot of ‘trout pouts’ but am happy to report that most of the beautiful people were still beautiful in a natural way, there may have been a tuck here or there but nothing obvious.

We had all gotten older though and some had put on a few pounds but everyone that turned up, were still gorgeous and several could still give the new girls a run for their money if they hit the catwalk.

We giggled and laughed and reminisced, drank champagne and wines, ate canapés.  The night was handled superbly by Jane Reilly from Channel 10, and there was even a 35 minute DVD of photographs and old commercials which brought back memories.  Jane and I initially met many moons ago in the Beach Girl Quest long before I was an artist.

There was loud cheering and whistling by some of the models children when they saw their mothers strut her stuff in a segment of the Rocky Horror Show, they were so proud, whilst their father tried to quiet them down.  All in all a very fun night!

We had good intentions to catch the last train home at 12pm but guess we missed that by a long shot, so taxi it was.

MORE ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS

As it turned out it was a very nice ride home, our taxi driver was a turban wearing Indian sheikh a lovely chap and we chatted all the way home.

He was going home to get married in December to a girl arranged for him by his parents which is their custom.

We got on so well he actually invited us to the wedding and even offered us a place to stay.  The wedding is in the north of India in the Punjab area and takes place over several days.  The first day there will be 500 guests and the second day 800 are coming (so I guess 2 more will make little difference he thought.)

My son pointed out when I told him that no wonder there are so many coming if he invites every Tom, Dick and Harry that goes in his cab to the ceremony, lol

So perhaps this saying should be something for us all to consider by Pythagoras (philosopher)

“The oldest, shortest words-“yes” and “no”- are those which require the most thought.

Till next time happy painting and sculpting to you all.

Love Marie  xx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

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August 10, 2010 in Current Art Blog, Modelling Stories by Marie

37. The Golden Years of Modelling in Art

ART INSPIRATIONS

This painting “Happy New Year at Regine’s” was inspired by my mad modelling days, and crazy mad they were too, but sooo much fun.

As you can see from this artwork (which sold in Japan) we models know how to kick our heels up and we did!

However I have to admit to overdoing it a couple of times too, so if you look closely at the painting you will see a crossed eyed girl behind the sports car which could have been me, but in this particular painting I am standing with my long-time friend Debonella  (her name was really Deb, I just always called her that,lol)  You can find us on the right hand side with our heads together, the blond and the brunette.

Art to make you smile!

THE ART OF PARTYING

We would party till the milkman came around (and for you familiar with the milkman that would be in the very early hours of the morning) and I remember one particular night when we obviously had consumed more than our fair share and we were caught- throwing up in the rosebushes, together mind you-well that’s what friends are for!  Luckily most of the time we were lady like and behaved ourselves, that is what we preach to our daughters anyway (guess we will be caught out now!)

I have many tales of our terrible deeds coming up later on in other art blogs, however what made me think about this now was that I just received an invitation to a very swanky “DO” that’s being organized in town by former model agent owner Sandy Clark, who after she sold her business went on to have another very successful career as an event organizer and later as a public relation journalist.

We have recently lost a dear friend and fellow model Adriana Xenides, who died much too young and made us all question our mortality.  For those of you not familiar with Adriana, she was the longest serving hostess on the TV game show called Wheel of Fortune here in Australia.

Well Sandy decided to do something about that and we all take our hats off to her.  She had organized the most fantastic event at our new international hotel the Crowne Plaza here in Adelaide  invited all past models, clients, lecturers and past students and anyone connected to the industry for a wonderful cocktail party to reminisce  and celebrate “that we are still here!” (borrowed from Monty Python’ s “we are not dead yet!”)

PAINTING FOR CHARITY

The funds raised went to “Teen Challenge for the homeless” and “Variety Children’s Charity” including what was raised from the painting I donated to the event as well.  Here is a link to that and to the art blog about the night in question 50. Not a trout pout in sight

Just a little thought for you, why not try to contact the people that were important in your own life, see how they are travelling, catch up for a drink or a meal, talk about old times.  Life is short, WAY TO SHORT- so let’s make the very best of it while we can.

Here is a quote I like from the Mammoth book of useless information-

“One can survive everything, nowadays, except death, and live down everything except a good reputation”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting to everyone!

Love Marie xx                                                         (c)

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

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May 6, 2010 in Current Art Blog, Modelling Stories, Other Artists, Travel in Europe by Marie

12. Salvador Dali and C’est La Vie

SCULPTURE BY GAUDI

My son Kai has recently been to Spain a country that I love.

I spent a considerable bit of time there in my modelling days, enjoying lots of great work, great food, people, language and culture.  Most of my time was spent in Barcelona, where I actually did manage to go and see the wonderful artwork of Gaudi, images that stay on my mind.  He built houses and sculptures like no one else I have ever seen.  (And as I have said before about my party days, I think I did rather well to fit that into my busy schedule.)

I spent fantastic days and nights on Ibiza, my most favorite Island in the world when I was young, and would go there whenever time permitted.

This painting “Let it all hang out” was purchased by the Australian artist Pro Hart and hung in his house.

Let it all hang out!

The image of this painting is probably a cross between Ibiza and Maslin’s Beach (designated nude beach) here in South Australia.  I can almost smell the scent of the sea and feel the pulse of the music from the amazing nightclubs in Ibiza (well we called them Discos then and I was the Dancing Queen. lol)

SALVADOR DALI

I remember doing a swimwear catalogue in Sitges, the town by the sea that Salvador Dali called home.  At the time I was only interested in that fact because my father is an artist and liked his artwork.

Now when I think back on that time and remember, I  was on Salvador Dali’s doorstep for the most part of a week, doing bikini shoots all day with hairdressers and makeup artists fussing over me and then wined and dined at night.   I think, boy I should have paid more attention, what a fabulous opportunity to see and find out more about one of the world’s most amazing artists.  Oh well, C’est La Vie, no regrets, it could do your head in to think about all the what’ Ifs’ in life.

Here is another saying I like from The Mammoth Book of Useless Information

‘Most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one’s mistakes’

Till next time, happy painting and sculpting.

Love Marie xxx                                                                             (c)

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

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