Wallets anyone???

As you know, I have been very busy doing the thing and just recently decided to try out a wallet design I came across last year. I got stuck doing some boring a** colors trying to appeal to my very small but ever present male audience. It just wasn't me! So I decided to do the same design but change up the paint.... it's suppose to be a bit out the box anyways, so why not?!!

 I am rocking them as Unisex only because sometimes you just want to carry something simple and a little chic... like wearing a big male watch is very vogue... why not carry a painted wallet on t-shirt and jeans day??!

What a statement that would make! Well anyways, these are my ideas. I know what I am showing is more on the masculine side but I have some paintings that would totally smoke as a wallet! Don't worry my dear sweet traditionals... I will making feminine wallets too! I know how hard it can be to break the mold, but you gotta  know that that is what this is all about for me... breaking the wall of tradition down to add a difference to our ordinary and mostly monitored for the same day to day lives. I need difference all the time... it's like singing is for me, if I can't sing or art.. I can't breathe.






    Here's a red painting I did several years ago. I have bee feeling like I have been up-cycling all of my old paintings lately. I think I just want to clear the slate and make a fresh clean start but also show you what I have been holding on to and now letting go of. It's liberating!
I totally recommend it to everyone!

This flower pattern is so very random on a silk screen I did. The pattern lined up perfectly to capture this flower right at the perfect spot. I love it when that happens!

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See what's for sale at http://www.marionrenee.etsy.com

Happy New Year!!!

Welcome 2012!!! there's a change coming my way!

I think I spent my New Year's Eve the most different then any other year in the past. I entertained some dear friends of mine up until 10p and before that gave them the oppty to shop my studio for 1 bag each. It was a really good night!
Throughout the day, I had been working on and fretting about a new for me bag design... sometimes having to go outside of your own box can be nerve racking (even when you box is skewed like mine).

This is the bag that brought me so much anxiety... I actually brought the New Year in, re-gluing and stabilizing it... it did give me some trouble. I think mainly because it was so foreign to me.
I learned a lot working with this frame... mostly what not to do. There are some back to the drawing board moments to still have but for the most part... I really like it! It will be a nice addition to my new developing collection and I am looking forward to running with this new idea for MrWA! I like the soft edge it lends to my grunge style.

The Chinese symbol is suppose to represent LOVE but I have a really sweet friend who is fluent in Chinese who gently gave me the actual symbol for LOVE in Chinese... honestly, I no idea what this says... I do like the symbol but God knows I don't want to representing something that doesn't represent Him so know that I will be changing this in the very near future!

This pic is a close up on my new tag! Yeah, that's right... I got a TAG! (HA!) It took me most of the summer to develop it and really have it mean something to me. Let tell you where I am going with it.

• It does say MrWA or Marion Renee Wearable Art
• The M is capital and the R is lower case because I go by Marion, not so much Renee
• The W has a long last leg reaching up and over with an arrow.. it's pointing to the cross! Yeah baby!!! I think of the W not only representing the wearable in my biz name but also work.. for all of my work has to reflect back to Him who has made this all possible.... Jesus1st in my work at all times.
• I like the A... it has a lot of attitude and is bold... offering a hard and a soft line.
• The dots to the left of the M (which would be my right..) represents the Trinity; the 2 dots at the end represent the 2 in my family
• The line below is the ending... like a period at the end of a sentence.

I really don't know if anyone will ever ask about it but I wanted you to know that it does have more then the typical acronym but it symbolic for me. A reminder to task on path and task you can say.

Happy New Year people!

See my whole collection at http://www.marionrenee.com

Introducing... My Pillow Bag

Well, I got an idea about a simple bag. That's really all I want to do... simple yet beautiful bags. I want them to be all different but all be from the same collection.

Here's my simple yet beautiful bag debut:

You have got to see this on the shoulder! It is fabulous! I was in a hurry to post (since it's been so long) and just wanted to share. As soon as I get a better dimension pic, I will post it. It measures 14x11.5 and puffs to 4" wide (more then less).
I have been fighting myself not to keep it for my own ( that is an awful problem I have, every bag I make I want to carry... guess that's a good thing really!)

Here's another Pillow Bag... a tiny bit smaller at 12.5 x 10.5:

I got the idea when thinking about how hot music is coming from an acoustic guitar. It's one of my favorite instruments. I love to sing along when one's playing..... fabulous!

Have you noticed my new tag??! Yeah, it took my a good part of the summer to figure out how I wanted it to look and I am so very pleased with this layout. The arrow points to the cross! Displaying my faith on every piece! Jesus is Lord and whole reason for me being able to do this! It's all been because of His grace and favor towards me.

                                                                    

 Gotta tell you... I love the back of this painting! I was actually gonna do a clutch with it but I felt like the design would have gotten lost if I did that... enter pillow bag to the scene.
I think this is going to be something special. I can hardly wait to start painting and designing more of these. Gonna be my fav of the whole season for me!

  Here's an inside shot. It comes with a deep cavity interior and 2 pockets. One zippered and one open face. It's a great way to keep organized my housing your phone in the open face and make up or change in the zippered pocket.
I install a chain on all bags that has the shoulder area covered for extra comfort.

 Comment back on what you see and ask questions. I would love to get your feedback! M~



See my whole collection at http://www.marionrenee.etsy.com

Looking forward...

I have been busy sewing lately and am looking forward to doing some serious painting soon. I have been so busy with someone else's vision I actually forgot my own..... until recently. This bag has the Chinese symbol for Long Life in metallic gold ink. I want to really learn more about Chinese Symbols. The shapes and characters have always fascinated me. ( I think secretly that I have always wanted to learn the Chinese language! 1. to order Chinese food like a professional and 2. so I can know how to write the language. I love Chinese symbols and Hebrew characters.)

I received the bulk of the bags back from Hot Pink Style this month. Not really making the sales that I hoped but I am very happy to report that I am not discouraged from this. I know the work is good, it's just not the time for that market but I will keep plucking and picking at it... it will ripen and then I will harvest!

                                                                           Decided to add a little something to a bag I made last year. I really like this direction and am looking forward to producing a lot more of the painted flower clutch bag. I will post more pics as soon as I have more bags completed.

This bag is an upcycle from a bag I made back in 2008. I really love this painting! So much that I had to salvage what I could to remake the bag... smaller but definitely smarter.
I do love my compact bag ladies! It's ergonomically a sound design as I know so many of you like to carry large bags with your entire life in them which reeks havoc on your shoulders, back and neck. It is so much better to carry something smaller in size and only what you need.
I know, I know... we think there are things that we just can't do without but if you are not carrying a diaper bag I think your purse should be a carefree transport of the essentials; something that reflects style, class and flair and something that can make a plain outfit POP!

Be on the look out for more on this topic in the coming posts. I would love to hear from you on this! Chime in with your opinion and what about size matters to you.


See my whole collection at http://www.marionrenee.com

I know, I know.... it's been awhile, but...

So much has happened since last year. Where to begin? Well as some of you know, I decided to hang up my paint brushes for awhile and see what it was like to be a regular working Jane... you know a real 9 to 5. Ugh, the money's nice but that is about all! As the days go on I realize that I really missed designing and creating.. it is a wonderful stress reliever.

To the right is a piece I did a year ago or so... it is now my everyday bag! I love this bag!!!

I have been exploring my hand at graffiti. Though I am developing my own style, I am not ready to show my new hand yet, but don't worry I will! (To the right is a piece I did a year ago or so... it is now my everyday bag! I love this bag!!!)

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Hot Pink Style of Deerfield Beach Florida. They asked to place a few of my bags in their showroom with the possibility of be showcased in ICON Magazine. Honestly, I was flattered that they wanted my work to use as they stylized reality TV stars, up and coming singers and the trendy alike. This is a really cool oppty!

The bags arrived yesterday and here's the email I received:

  

Just wanted to let you know we received the bags today. We absolutely love them! They are a great size, a great quality and feel so comfortable on the shoulder. I can’t wait for our clients to see them on Monday, I think they will really do great!!...

I underlined the a few key descriptive phrases:  great size, a great quality and comfortable on the shoulder! These are the very qualities of my line I have been promoting for years. I am just so glad that someone else feels about them the very thing I strive for in making my handbags. This has pleased me so much that I just had to blog about it! These are the attributes I want to be known for and Marion Renee Wearable Art or MRWA to always be remembered for. Strength, Durability, Comfortability, Style.... this what I want you to think of when you hear MRWA.

Thanks for reading!



See my whole collection at http://www.marionrenee.com

Afro Claudeen T-Shirt (Long Sleeve)

An old design with a new face! Check out Afro'd out Miss Claudeen! She's fierce!




Spreadshirt Market Place Design




See my whole collection at http://www.marionrenee.com

Doing something new...

Recently I hit a bit of a design slump. It's been said that it does happen from time to time to everyone but you really don't believe it until it happens to you (I seem to never have a stop to the flow of ideas though). I have been through a few bouts of block before but this one was a bit different because sales have been so slow this year that it actually began to effect my self esteem. I started to have some enormous doubts about my design career but when the fog finally cleared, I realized that there is nothing and I mean nothing I'd rather be doing than being a Designer.
To answer the call of the need of lower priced pieces, I have designed a very fashion friendly bag with just half the art! Check it out at my ETSY store.
This is a Tribal Tattoo hand stenciled artful bag that when worn it looks like a tat running down your side. It has so much stank on it.. I love it and  I would love love love some commentary on this new design so please speak up!
There will be several more colors... approx. 12 with some coming with an adjustable strap so that you can slouch over your body or just wear it on your shoulder. It's the style that I like the most and hope you will too. 





See my whole collection at http://www.marionrenee.com