Style Imitating Art: Scrappy Squares!

“Scrappy Squares” by Anne M. Bray

Style Imitating Art is a group collaboration between Salazar, Terri, and Shelbee. Please make sure you visit each blog to see their SIA looks. For this collaboration, each of the contributors takes turns selecting an inspiration image. They then invite others to interpret that art work through their style. You can read more about the process on each blog. Shelbee chose an interesting piece of art she inspired! You can read more about it here. Please be sure to check Shelbee’s blog on Wednesday to see all of the other submissions for the Scrappy Squares challenge! You can also visit all three blogs right now (well, not right now, you’ll want to finish my post first) to see how they met the challenge!

Inspiration Art Work(s)

About the artist

I wish I could say I know Anne personally! I participate in Songful Style, a monthly challenge (here, here, and here) with Anne, Shelbee, Michelle, and Suzy. But, I can’t claim any kind of friendship…yet! Here are the things I was able to gather on my own. Anne is an artist who works in many different media. She paints en plein air, produced an amazing photographic collection of postcards detailing her travels around the United States, and creates these amazing weavings. Don’t take my word for it! Please go check out her site. You will be amazed by the sheer scope of her creativity!

Anne began her artistic academic career at the College of Creative Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, majoring in painting. She then earned a BFA in Fashion Design from Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles. I also know she designed “for the Barbie division” at Mattel because she commented on my Barbie post! Anne lives and works in the Los Angeles area. I could write more, but Shelbee writes so much more eloquently here! And, here is a fun interview with Anne!

The Scrappy Squares

Anne began making these squares last year. She “sacrificed” skirts, pants, and other kinds of things to create these squares. You can read about the “birth” of this art collection here. From what I can gather, Anne cuts strips from various fabrics and then knots them onto a piece of MDF board strung with some type of string or twine. As you can see from my choice as well as the other squares, the strips vary in width. Some of the strips curl when cut. My experience has been this happens when you cut knit fabric. I believe this was an art challenge in which Anne participated. She had to create one piece of art every day for 50 days!

My interpretation

I scanned over the several options in the collage (I think that’s the word) to see which appealed most to me. What really surprised me was the difference in colors when you found the square itself. A lot of that may just be monitors, right? I have to admit I may have cheated with this challenge! I knew what I wanted to wear so I looked for the Scrappy Square most like what I wanted. Is that cheating? Hmmm, I don’t know! You will probably be surprised to know this is my first kimono purchase! I bought it earlier this year at J Jill and haven’t had the opportunity to wear it yet. I thought the various colors in the ruana mimicked the colors in the Scrappy Square I chose. I added a long sleeve white tee shirt from Old Navy. I know Old Navy is fast fashion and not always of the best quality. But, these tees are amazing and are a rayon/spandex blend. They drape beautifully. The Everyday Relaxed jeans are from Talbots and were featured in this blog post.

Something new at MitM!

Just a reminder that Marsha in the Middle may use an affiliate link. Those links are usually italicized. If you click or make a purchase from an italicized link I provide, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support. As of right now, I do have an affiliate code for Kantha Bae! Use MarshaintheMiddle in the promo code box for $5 off any order (excluding Bestie restocks)! In case you didn’t know, bloggers must disclose the use of affiliate links. That’s why I include this in each post.

The Lewk!

I decided to go with a rose gold theme. I seem to get on a kick with jewelry. My preference is usually white gold or sterling silver, but I also wear gold as well as rose gold. All of these pieces are old. The grey wrap type bracelet is Stella & Dot (similar). The other two were Christmas gifts from a couple of years ago and are Kendra Scott (here, here). Both necklaces are Stella & Dot and are very old. My sandals are Carlos by Carlos Santana and are comfortable enough for short walks. But, I hope you can see the ring. It is Black Hills gold. Nigel and I gave it to my mom for Christmas one year. She gave it back to me a few years before she passed. It’s too big for my ring finger but too small for my middle finger. I think Black Hills gold is another one of those jewelry trends that comes and goes.

A reminder!

May is filled with all kinds of holidays and such…Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day…but there’s more to May than that!  The month kicks off with World Laughter Day on May 1^st!  And, if there is anything we need it is definitely more laughter!  Let’s add in Frog Jumping Day on May 13^th, and we can toad-ally have some kind of fun with that!  Oh, but wait, there’s more!!  National Dance Like a Chicken Day follows right behind on May 14^th!  Talk like Yoda Day, May 20^th is.  You get the picture, right?  Which 10 things do you think you May do this coming month?   Please join me on the 10th with your list! Remember, you don’t have to have a blog to participate! You can always leave your entire list or part of it in the comments. I hope to actually have a link party, too!

Wrap it up, Marsha!

Even though I cheated a bit, I really like the outfit for this style challenge. I’m not sure if the colors in my ruana are really in Anne’s square, but it is an inspiration challenge! I am truly amazed at Anne’s talent! Imagine coming up with the idea of these Scrappy Squares, realizing the wealth of textiles at hand, and then actually executing the idea! So, can we talk? What do you think of the Scrappy Squares? Is there a creative endeavor in which you indulge? Please leave a comment or two, and we can have a conversation. Thank you as always to my subscribers. I am also on Instagram. You can find me here where you can follow me! If you’d like to share either my blog or Instagram, I would appreciate it!

Where you can find me:

Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, My Bijou LIfe, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, The Grey Brunette, and Away from the Blue. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping Bag, Doused in Pink, Being a Wordsmith, and Mummabstylish. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I’m also a co-host on the Weekend Traffic Jam (here). And, of course, you can now find me here on the last Friday of the month!

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