My Frida Addiction

I'm currently ADDICTED to Frida Kahlo, an interest verging on obsession. Her Style, her life, her work, her loves, her funny little habits, all fascinate me beyond reason.

Did you know that she allegedly drunk a bottle of cinzano a day? I'm not advocating alcohol abuse, but Go Girl!

I guess you could say she's my 'Muse' at the moment. I can't think of anyone else in the current day who interests me as much, so many public figures seem to be either far too publicity conscious to do anything outrageous, or at the other end of the scale they are cynically performing 'shocking' stunts for the cameras. Frida was just Frida.

She didn't pluck her brows, or moustache. She probably didn't shave her legs but they were hard to see under those voluminous skirts. She was disabled (but didn't let this stop her lust for life). She loved freely, drank heartily, smoked dope, got angry, dressed how she wanted, celebrated her 'native' culture, was generous to the poor, above all she didn't let the opinions of 'society' stop her from being herself.

I can't capture her personality or zest for life easily in my artworks, but I can pay hommage to her style and artwork.

'Fridoyshka' and 'Frida Skull' Lino Prints - I'm trying to capture that 'authentic' woodblock style with the Frida Skull - bear with me!

A tribute to her Self-Portrait in Tehuana dress. The Russian doll theme was inspired by her Communist beliefs and her affair with Leon Trotsky.

Her Hungarian lover Nickolas Muray took the most amazing photograph of her in an embroidered blue silk dress whilst in San Angel, 1938.

Many of these works were recently exhibited at George's House Gallery, in Folkestone, at the Mermaids & Seagulls exhibition 'Fabrication'. Because it was a group exhibition, a few of us decided to have fun and collaborate. So Fat Hen and Flo's 'Flo' doll became 'Floda':

See her blog here: http://fathenandflo.blogspot.co.uk/

And Malicious Opera shoes helped me make a pair of Frida Shoes!

(You can find Malicious Opera on facebook)

Photo's borrowed from Mermaids and Seagulls, but that's OK, 'cos I'm Head Mermaid! (I'll tell you more about that some other time)

More Frida musings will be coming soon, I'm sure. Until then, stay safe, be happy and be yourself. Oh, and stay off the Cinzano! ;)