Dixie

Dixie working on an airplane, during WWII

picture source

Teasing photographer, and former silent film star, Harold Lloyd. Lloyd also photographed the real Monroe & Bettie Page!

Photos of young Dixie I found randomly on google. Mostly tumblr...

The Marilyn Monroe of Burlesque, Dixie Evans, died this month on August 3rd. I found out a week ago. She was 86 years old. 

I had the pleasure of meeting her in 2004/2005 while I was a student at CalArts. Her ranch in Helendale, CA was one of the first stops during an epic road trip that would lead my classmates and I to The Spiral Jetty. I will never forget Andrew Freeman's "Into the Field". Those excursions into vast desert lands were pure magic. Youthful, fiery magic. 

I shot this image of her in 2005.  I titled it, To Dixie, with luv, xx Ava. Soon after, she would leave her ranch home and head out to Vegas.  Her Miss Exotic World Ranch was a time capsule in the desert sun. 

Rest in Peace

 More about her passing here.

your friend,

ava

The Last Sitting

A little while ago I wrote about the exciting Stanley Kubrick exhibit at LACMA (still showing until June!).  I am planning on going again.  There is just so much to see and I get so involved with every detail (obsessively so), that I really need to take at least three, maybe four hours of my day to enjoy the show.  Honestly, I could spend all day there!  Another exhibit I am dying to see is Robert Mapplethorpe's.  That is going on until March 24th!

I loved those Bert Stern images for Lolita, and I cannot wait to see them up close again.  One thing I touched upon are his photographs of Marilyn Monroe entitled, The Last Sitting.  It saddens me that Stern would then recreate these beautiful and timeless images for another "troubled" actress (she will remain nameless).  To me, Marilyn had much more depth to her character.  She was found dead six weeks after these images were taken.  As a child, I remember seeing some of these photographs in my mom's copy of Norman Mailer's biography entitled Marilyn. Now it sits on my shelf along with the Andre De Dienes book about her as well. Some of the most beautiful images of her that I've ever seen.  She has always fascinated me, since early on.  All this portrait work is really inspiring me to continue my series and take it to new and exciting territories.  More on that later.

your friend,

ava

Lolita

My favorite thing at the Kubrick exhibit (at LACMA until June!), were these sun kissed, Bert Stern images from Lolita.  I still haven't seen Lolita, and I've never read the novel, but I know that it is about a man's obsession and love for a young girl (controversy).  Kubrick is one of my all time favorite directors and a visual master.  Love that he started out as a photographer.  It makes so much sense now.  Bert Stern shot these photographs of young Sue Lyon for Look Magazine. The original slide film is so vibrant and rich with warm color.  These images I found online, so you will just have to pretend they are brighter.

As for Bert Stern, while searching online I found this.  I guess they made a documentary about him which I would be really interested in seeing.  His Last Sitting with Marilyn Monroe are some of my most favorite photographs of her, ever. 

your friend,

ava

The Art of Pretending

  I've been thinking about transformation a lot.  Transforming into an entirely different person, maybe. For instance, what would it be like to be someone else, have someone else's life?  Or better yet, how can one achieve the best "self" they can be?  I take inspiration in a lot of images I find, and have been drawn to old glamour and style.  Growing up watching I Love Lucy, I loved when she would put on costumes as a part of her many schemes to get into show business. I also watched a lot of Hitchcock films in my teens.  I love the idea of transformation.  Transforming from a girl, into a woman.  A worm into a butterfly or moth.  Having a crush, and then falling in love.  Transformation. Changes. 

  I'm working on the idea of an art project where I transform into one of my favorite musicians (more on that later).  Cindy Sherman film stills come to mind, as do these images by Richard Avedon.  Back in 1957 he took portraits of this beautiful woman, portraying various sex symbols in Hollywood history.   Can you guess who??

Jean Harlow

Theda Bara

Clara Bow

Lilian Russell

Marlene Dietrich

  

 Here is a little web article I found about the project with Avedon.  

 Speaking of pretending, I'll be at Comicon, San Diego all day this Sunday.  It will be my first time, and I am going as....wait for it......myself!  Stay tuned for photos from that weekend.  It's going to be scary/crazy/fun?  We will see. 

your friend,

ava

D E N I M

  Great summer wardrobe. Cannot go wrong with a simple chambray button down and white slacks.  And that kitty!

 Lately, I've been on Brando kick.  My bf saw "On the Waterfront" for the first time.  He liked it, a lot. 

 I'm currently on the hunt for the perfect denim jacket.  This shrunken one on Debbie is so rad. She pulled off denim on denim. She could have worn a potato sack and still look effortlessly gorgeous. 

Traci Lords!

....yep

WWII beauties.  The coolest women ever. 

  I want to read the book she was reading.  "How to develop your Thinking Ability"

  Recently, I met a man who told me he is a denim designer.  I thought, how cool it must be to have such a creative job, especially in denim.  People wear jeans most everyday of their lives, like a second skin to some.  He told me that he considered many times, after shopping at the same store for ten years, that he would love to work for Trader Joes.  

 "It seems like such a fun place to work", he says.

  It can be, but when one has a Bachelors in Fine Arts, it can feel a bit too "normal" at times.  It is lovely when you meet a perfect stranger who puts things into perspective.  People are never happy with what they have.  I think we are constantly at odds with ourselves and the choices we make, or do not make.  I know that sometimes, all I need is a good pair of jeans to keep me satisfied.  That, and my day dreams.  

your friend,




ava

Beach Daze

Hello friends!  

I really wish life was in technicolor, don't you?!   I'm feeling so inspired by these classic beach photos, and cannot wait to frolic in the ocean very soon!  I absolutely  L O V E  vintage bathing suits, and find them the most flattering, not to mention very chic.  They look amazing underneath circle skirts, or paired with jeans.  I've been thinking about the perfect beach cover ups lately, like a cozy fair isle sweater (such as the one on Marilyn pictured below), or a light denim button down.  I have a few bathing suits from the 1950s/60s that I purchased on ebay.  It was an obsession for a while.  A few of them even have cone bra!  Cheeky!!  

That photo above makes me really happy.  I mean, how perfect are those women?  That pineapple! 

Beautiful Marilyn.  I bet that sweater was hand knitted. She looks so warm and peaceful in this image.  Taken in 1962 by George Barris.  His shots of her have such a California feel to them.  Check out this one, and this one!  

OH!!  THIS ONE!!!

Obsessed. 

This photo has some interesting commentary behind it.  I suggest you take a gander. 

I'd like to create a self portrait just like this!  ^

...or this one!  ^  What?

 Y E S

Lace and perfect eyebrows! 

Bettie had some glorious gams! 

I was named after this bathing beauty.  Ava Gardner rocked it!  Wow, just wow. 

Happy, breezy beach days!

your friend,

ava

All images provided by the google rabbit hole.