Morgan Lindsay-Nelson

Jean Seberg & Baptiste Giabiconi | remixed

2011-03-18T10:14:00.000-07:00

Seberg from 5 to 7 | 2011 | mixed media on paper

Baptiste in Tom Ford | 2011 | mixed media on paper

My current series of drawings has been inspired by street art so I decided to play upon that inspiration even more by creating two new versions/variations of previous drawings. Here I used the same hand-made stencils that I used for the originals (which you can see here and here) but played more with the colors, the graphic lines and the goal to "further" the pieces by including subtle cultural references...

With Baptiste, I outfitted him in Tom Ford sunnies and suit -- which (being head-over-heels for fashion) I thought was fairly humorous since Baptiste has such a strong history with Karl Lagerfeld (I know, I know it's an offbeat detail that few would understand...but still... :) And with Jean Seberg, I drew on her the same fur hat that Corinne Marchand tries on in the beginning of Agnes Varda's 1962 New Wave masterpiece Cleo from 5 to 7 (a film that followed on the heels of Godard's Breathless -- in which Ms. Seberg starred.) This also is a subtle beyond subtle reference but, as I write this, I actually think it's more fitting to think of these "cultural references" as more like inside jokes than widely understood suggestions. Much better that way, no?

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend -- I can't believe Spring's almost here!
All the best,
M

Tom Ford

2011-02-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

Tom Ford (with horse) | 2011 | oil pastel on paper

detail shot

Tumblr

2011-02-03T10:34:00.000-08:00

I have started another blog, Morgan Nelson * Art (created not to replace this blog but to compliment it) over on Tumblr (http://breathlessvintage.tumblr.com)

Here's a bit about it:
Art is many things. Yes, in my work it takes a more literal, single definition but in my life I find it in everything — because art is also fashion, cute guys, a good conversation, an intimate moment, a secret (the good kind that you’re allowed to tell), a spot of sunlight landing in a reflective prism on the wall… In my world, art takes many, many shapes and covers many definitions. The best way for me to summarize it is to say: art is a feeling…more specifically, it’s that warm feeling that you feel in your chest after something…good. It’s not just a profession or an act to me, art is a comfort in living. And that is what this blog is about, to share all those things that feel “art” to me, here in this digital realm.

Hope you'll check it out (and follow it too!)

Blue Valentine

2011-01-28T21:43:00.000-08:00

Blue Valentine Poster | 2011 | mixed media on paper

A few weeks ago, I saw this tweet from Blue Valentine (@BlueVmovie) on Twitter announcing a contest on Facebook for a Ryan Gosling-signed Sundance-edition movie poster. Immediately, my love for Sundance and proper fan-girl admiration for Mr. Ryan Gosling lit a proverbial fire under me and I jumped over to Facebook to enter. Well, knowing how things go (i.e. not winning something you really want to win), I anticipated such an event and set out to create my own version of the poster (call it solace, inspiration, etc.)

So, here it is! Honestly, this is a little something new for me style-wise -- which is good! I enjoyed working on it a lot. It was akin to an art marathon and became quite the process since, despite having not used pens for a while, I picked up right away on my tendency to work in painstakingly detailed layers of ink :) ...which means lots of man hours!

At first, I was set to compete it simply and as true to its pure pink origin as possible but I veered off that course and opted to take more "artistic license." (I feel like I could easily insert a license/driving metaphor here but I will contain myself...) With this, I decided to create my own font with the goal for it to embody an urban, graffiti edge with the naivete of bubble letters -- as I said, something new. Also, I created a heart that their shoulders and shape of their arms seemed to create, to make for a different meaning in the embrace. And one more little artist's detail to point out: it is a bit faint, but I drew a small heart over the 'i' in 'Michelle.' Notice how it's broken between the two sides of the white line? That was my way of addressing the theme of heartbreak woven throughout the film.

I'm really happy with the end result. Hope you all enjoy it, too!

All the best,
M

New Drawing, New Year

2011-01-11T18:33:00.000-08:00

Lori Goldstein in Marni | 2011 | oil pastel on paper

I am happy to share my first finished drawing of 2011 featuring the ever inspiring and talented stylist/fashionista, Lori Goldstein. I first learned of Lori on the blog The Glamourai when The Glamourai (a.k.a. Kelly Framel) documented her visit to Lori's NYC loft. I've since been coming across Lori and her work all over...from styling the lovely Michelle Williams and super-yummy Ryan Gosling in W, to being featured on StyleLikeU, on QVC where she has her own line: LOGO and in the latest issue of 10 magazine -- where I found the inspiration for this drawing.

The dress that Lori's wearing is quite easily my most favorite Marni dress. Ever. At Nordstrom, I seriously melted over the dress and its stunning Deco Leaf print (like the fashion geek I am!), though the next time I visited, not to my surprise but much to my chagrin, it had sold...sigh, I can only hope that maybe someday we'll cross paths again...

I hope everyone is having a fabulous New Year! I have lots of new pieces underway -- I'll be getting them up on the blog as soon as they're finished, sprayed and photographed! :)
M

Sienna Miller

2010-12-09T20:05:00.000-08:00

Sienna Miller | 2010 | oil pastel on paper

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld and Robert Konjic

2010-12-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

Julia Restoin-Roitfeld and Robert Konjic | 2010 | oil pastel and ink on paper

I really enjoy working in black and white (which this was going to be at first) but when I saw the color of Julia Restoin-Roitfeld's custom dress, I couldn't help myself and had to do the lace sleeve in red.
This was such a sweet moment of affection to capture -- the connection between the kiss, smile and embrace...priceless, isn't it?

Robert Pattinson

2010-12-04T13:48:00.000-08:00

Robert Pattinson (River) | 2010 | oil pastel on paper

This has turned out to be one of my favorite new pieces. Since I have been focusing on more 'bust' kind of portraits, it was refreshing to get a little distance on a subject :) I also think I like it because it captures the mussed-up, brooding quality of Mr. Pattinson in a more quiet manner than, say: "Hey, look, it's R-Patz!" -- (or whatever nomenclature the public refers to him by these days.) The indistinct quality was especially important to me since I personally don't have any fan-girl admiration for the Twilight movies (in fact I run the opposite direction from any multiplex showing them) but I hope that all you 'Twihards' out there enjoy!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!
M

Sand

2010-11-26T11:53:00.000-08:00

Sand | ink and oil pastel on paper | 2010

Julia McKenzie as Jane Marple

2010-11-26T11:51:00.001-08:00

Miss Marple | acrylic on paper | 2009

Jeremy Renner

2010-11-21T18:40:00.000-08:00

Jeremy Renner | oil pastel on paper | 2010

This drawing is being shown at the 10x10 Art Show (where 10% of all sales benefit p:ear) in Portland, Oregon. The show runs through December 23rd, visit my website for more details.

Lots of thanks to those who have stopped by!
M

6x6 Wild Art Project

2010-11-21T13:10:00.000-08:00

Peacock | acrylic on canvas | 2010

This is the piece I did for this year's 6x6 Wild Art Project benefiting the Audubon Society of Portland. It is such a fun fundraiser and I'm really happy to have participated again this year. (For those of you who aren't familiar, the 6x6 Project is made up of artists who donate their time to paint bird(s) on a supplied 6x6 inch canvas. The finished canvases are then sold at the Wild Arts Festival for $40 each with all proceeds going to the Audubon Society.)

I'm ecstatic to say that the piece was snatched off the shelf quite quickly, within minutes after the sale began! Thank you so much to whoever bought it -- I really hope you enjoy it.

Here's looking forward to next year's event!

Andrew Mukamal

2010-09-16T15:37:00.000-07:00

Andrew Mukamal | oil pastel on paper | 2010

Kate Moss

2010-09-13T23:44:00.000-07:00

Kate Moss | mixed media on paper | 2010

I remember back when I first really got into drawing -- meaning when I drew outside of class and school for the simple pleasure and enjoyment of it, stripping myself from the mechanics and rules and learned my own kind of style by drawing over and over. Looking back, one of my favorite subjects was Kate Moss. I'd sit with a copy of Teen or British Vogue laid out in front of me, sketching Ms. Moss from sometimes minuscule photos. And as it goes with all things that you practice, there were good executions and fair ones (I can't quite bring myself to say bad because I drew it after all and isn't that enough of an accomplishment to push past the "bad" mark? :) Anyway, it's fun to see how far I've come and how all that practice applied itself.
...I'm quite proud of this one.

All the best,
M

P.S. I'll try to do better than posting a mere one-time a month... I've been working on a lot of drawings of people who I'm particularly inspired by and have lots to share soon. Also -- I think I jinxed myself by posting on my now defunct Facebook page that I'm nearly ready to share my An Education drawing (a.k.a. my longest-to-complete-piece ever!) Since I broke that bit of news, I haven't finished the last remaining element: Carey Mulligan's dress. Hopefully, sharing this will light a proverbial fire under me to finish! Oh, and also, also: I have two exciting projects coming up in the not-too-distant future which will be displayed (amongst other artists work) publicly -- more info to come soon.

Mary-Kate Olsen

2010-08-10T11:17:00.000-07:00

MK | oil pastel on paper | 2010

Homme Sweet Homme...

2010-07-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

Homme Sweet Homme | oil pastel on paper | 2010

I am quite engaged by this shot from the fall 2010 ad campaign for Dior Homme (which is Dior's men's collection.) It reminds me of a modern take on a 60's high school yearbook photo -- nostalgic with an edge.

It's a bit funny how I stumbled across this image since I initially was Google-searching for the women's Dior ad (staring Karlie Kloss) to link to on Twitter but this men's ad popped up first in the results. I guess it was one of those happy accidents because his face stuck with me, lingering in my mind, tempting me to draw it. So after a whirlwind day long drawing fest, I'm happy to say: here it is!

I Can't Believe It's Been Two Months Since My Last Post!

2010-07-20T10:02:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the long gap!
As promised, here is a proper picture of the piece I like to call: Cowgirl Lara...

Cowgirl Lara | mixed media on paper | 2010

I think Lara Stone is one of the most interesting models of today -- so naturally, I couldn't resist drawing her.
I'm finally starting to get back into the groove of working on my drawings. Oh, so much has been going on lately! I am looking forward to finishing up some works-in-progress and starting some new pieces!

I'll be sharing more soon...
All the best,
M

P.S. I'm now on Twitter -- follow me for exclusive updates (including sneak peeks of new artwork), thoughts, musings, etc!

New Work

2010-05-06T17:05:00.000-07:00

Two of my latest pieces:

Cowgirl Lara | mixed media on paper | 2010

Sand | mixed media on paper | 2010

My, it's been a long time since my last post! I feel like I should catch up a bit:

I'm still plugging away at my An Education piece...I'm learning just how cumbersome it is to work on a drawing six times bigger than what I'm used to! That expressed, I'm about 2/3s finished and just have big blocks of color to complete. Faces: check! Extremities: check! It's just hair and clothing from here on out :)

I have been having such a fun time drawing lately. I've always enjoyed drawing, don't get me wrong...I think it's mostly because lately I have settled into a better routine (quite an undervalued luxury) and have started to experiment more with subtle new techniques -- I drew both of these pieces firstly with ink and then with pastel, but went about applying the pastel in completely different ways.

I started using my most favorite paper called Bristol Board again. Most of my previously posted pieces were done on Stonehenge printmaking paper -- admittedly, a better match for the many medias I applied, but for the basics, Bristol has my heart! Not the most thrilling news but it's quite hefty in my little world!

Don't be alarmed that the quality of the photographs in this post seems a bit suspect from all the others...I fully intend to scan these properly, as they deserve, and post them later but I've been so eager to share my new pieces, the time saving convenience of my camera phone has come to my aid!

M

With the Olympics in mind...

2010-02-18T11:38:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd post this drawing I did when Shaun White won gold in the 2006 Olympic Games --

Shaun White 2006 | pencil on paper | 2006

I meant to post this on the day of the 2010 Opening Ceremony but here it is today, seven days late but still completely relevant!
I don't really watch the Olympics but I'm a fan of Shaun White, so when he is competing it holds my attention. Speed skating? No. Shaun White? Yes!
To those of you who are following the Games: I hope are enjoying it!

Today, I'm finally getting around to painting a piece I've been preparing for this last month. It is my take on the poster for the movie An Education. You'll probably think that I'm some kind of crazy when I say that I haven't even seen the movie yet (it seems that the Oscars are on my side on this one because all the movies I haven't gotten around to seeing are nominees this year and, therefore, are sticking around in the theaters longer -- a great advantage!) but I've been intrigued by the premise of the film ever since it was one of the breakouts of last year's Sundance Film Festival and when the trailer debuted, it proved to be even more intriguing than I imagined -- I love capturing the aesthetics of the sixties, the fashions especially, and it doesn't hurt that I adore nearly any film with Peter Sarsguaard.
This will be my largest piece to date...about ~~18 x 24"~~ 20 x 30". Excited to start on it!

Until next time,
M

Hercule Poirot

2010-01-11T17:29:00.000-08:00

My literary hero...

Hercule Poirot | mixed media on paper | 2009

I live for watching Poirot (and Miss Marple, who's portrait is coming soon) on Masterpiece Mystery -- so it's no real surprise that when I set out to take my artwork in a new direction (of which you'll see represented here on the blog), this was the subject I chose to draw first.
Besides being a fantastic actor, David Suchet has such interesting features and portrays the unique character of Poirot with perfect nuance.

I really enjoyed working on this piece -- it was quite the process, actually...
Since it was the first piece of my 'new direction', I was a bit uneasy about the possibility of taking it 'too far' (by that I mean too much color, textures, etc. pulling away and distracting from the subject.) So I left it in black and white for the longest time and slowly began to add more as I assured myself that it needed proper definition and most importantly: light. That really established my objective for these pieces: to establish strong light and the opportunity for proper emotion/connection between subject and viewer. It was a rewarding, and as I said before, enjoyable process to work through.

As always, thank you for reading!
Best,
M

Watercolor

2009-12-23T17:07:00.001-08:00

Backward Fur | watercolor on paper | 2009

This piece was a lot of fun to work on. I feel a bit silly to admit it, but I'd never done a full watercolor painting before -- guess there's a first for everything and every media -- and I love it! I think I'll keep mixing watercolors with pastels and paints but it's a nice alternative/change to focus on a single media.

I hope everyone is having a happy holiday season and I wish you all a very happy New Year!

Best,
Morgan

Self Portrait

2009-12-15T10:46:00.000-08:00

Self Portrait | ink on paper | 2009

Baptiste Giabiconi

2009-12-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

Here is my portrait of Baptiste Giabiconi:

Baptiste Giabiconi | mixed media on paper | 2009

Baptiste is a fantastic, fascinating model and one of Karl Lagerfeld's muses/part of the Lagerfeld entourage -- in the Loic Prigent documentary, The Day Before: Fendi, Mr. Lagerfeld's flock of male models were referred to perfectly by Amanda Harlech, but, of course, it was in another language -- French, I assume -- and I cannot remember it ('it' being a phrase coined by a high society/royal woman who dubbed her gaggle of maidens with the frolicsome nomenclature.) I need to learn French...

Anyway, Baptiste completely fascinates me, I think he has the most interesting face, so I had to draw him.
This piece was created with acrylic, pastel and watercolor.

More work to come soon!
Best,
Morgan

Jean Seberg

2009-12-10T17:15:00.000-08:00

I'm happy to (finally!) post one of my newest pieces...

Jean Seberg | mixed media on paper | 2009

This piece started as a bit of an experiment of layering acrylic and pastel and I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

All in all, this piece was created with: acrylic, oil pastel, color pencil and watercolor -- I didn't limit myself, did I? It was also the first piece I used my new set of watercolors on...

Right now I'm working on a one-hundred-percent watercolor portrait -- though, today, I think I'm having one of those artist-days where a piece seems a bit more frustrating than it should be...but, honestly, it's coming along nicely. ...I'll be posting it soon.

Thanks for reading!
Best,

M

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I am working on a portrait of Jean-Paul Belmondo that is an accompaniment/continuation of this piece. Consider it, coming soon!

Just a quick note...

2009-12-08T14:54:00.000-08:00

A quick note to share that I'm currently working on scanning some of my newest portraits and will have them up on the blog soon! Quite excited to debut them...
Best,
M

A New Piece

2009-12-03T09:32:00.000-08:00

I started this piece last year and am so happy to finally be able to share it. It has just been sitting patiently in one of my portfolios and now here it is! Fit and finished.

Crillon Ball 2003 | mixed media | 2009

For the longest time, I have been fascinated by the Crillon Ball (for those of you who don't know, the Crillon Ball is a haute couture debutant ball held annually on Thanksgiving weekend at the hotel de Crillon in Paris.) The elegance, tradition, and high-flying, jet-setting decadence inspires yet confounds me at the same time. I suppose Le Ball resonates a kind of fairy-tale-esque creative influence that I can't quite put my finger on... But if I have to pinpoint it, it almost reminds me of the spirit of Eloise in Paris, which I absolutely adore, with flying off to Paris and going to a dress fitting with "M. Dior"... (P.S. did you know they're making the book into a feature film with Uma Thurman? Pretty exciting! But I digress...)

This season, I was quite excited to gain another perspective into the Ball when Jane, of Sea of Shoes, posted that she was attending. I think the fan in me was living so vicariously through her Crillon-related posts that it gave me even more creative-ammo to revisit my intent of doing more Crillon Ball pieces.

I have a really fun time working on such drawings -- which counts most in my book!

Well, opulent wishes and waltzing dreams!
Best,
M

Designer Drawings

2009-11-30T12:00:00.000-08:00

I've been looking back at some of my fashion drawings from about three, four years ago and thought I'd share some of my favorites... Hope you enjoy!

Some of these (the Zac Posen, Matthew Williamson, and Chloe pieces) I actually sent to the respective design houses -- it was a fun experience and turned out to be a kind of thesis project for me -- then, at the age of seventeen, all the learning and growth that the experience produced was priceless -- and I got pretty exciting feedback (so exciting that I pinch myself -- ow! -- yep, it's still true) in the form of phone calls and a wonderful letter that I will always treasure in both memory and memento. No one had to respond to my work, but they did and that meant/means a lot.

Zac Posen | pencil on paper | 2005

Sophia Kokosalaki | pencil on paper | 2006

Prada | pencil on paper | 2006

Missoni | pencil on paper | 2006

Matthew Williamson | pencil on paper | 2005

Chloe - hollering | pencil on paper | 2005

Chloe | pencil on paper | 2005

Louis Vuitton | pencil on paper | 2006

I haven't been doing much fashion work lately (as I've said, I've been focusing on portraiture more) but I'm itching to get back into it... It really is combining two of my passions and what's more fun than that?

The funny (not funny-haha but funny-weird) thing is, that when I was focusing on fashion subjects, I got a lot of flak for it -- I kept on doing it, of course, but I think it lingered in my mind as a teeny tiny voice of second-guessing-doubt. What really lifted that doubt was, back in February, when I got an e-mail from a girl in England who had come across my work and was contacting me seeking fashion illustration advice. Within her e-mail she mentioned that she was looking into studying fine art to apply to fashion illustration and that her college advisors told her that she was more of a designer or illustrator than a fine artist. Though no joy came out of her struggle, what admittedly came to my mind was: "Finally! Someone else has experienced what I have." Her sharing that with me not only resulted in my lending her advice but it really opened my eyes to how ambivalent some people (i.e. her advisors, any doubters) can be when it comes to fashion art/illustration. They think that when you draw fashion subjects you are no longer a 'fine artist' whether you are applying fine art techniques and/or skills learned in fashion design school.

It reminds me of, and can be summarized perfectly in, the beginning of The September Issue when Anna Wintour explains how some can view people who care about fashion as being silly/frivolous/etc. But has that stopped anyone at Vogue? No! Anyone in the fashion industry? Not that I know of. So, prevail, fashion art, prevail. Because, when you think about it, fashion art isn't just fashion art...it also is a sentiment of past fashion illustration (look at vintage Vogue patterns and magazines -- even newspaper ads -- where everything was illustrated) and a record of today's trends interpreted by an artist for the present and the future.

Thanks for reading!
M

For The Birds

2009-11-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

acrylic on canvas

Hi all! Here is one of my newest pieces... I call it: "Short-eared Owl in Moonlight." I painted it for the 6 x 6 Wild Art Project benefiting the Audubon Society of Portland. It, and other artist's birdies, will be sold for $40 at the Wild Arts Festival on November 21 and 22 -- all proceeds from the sales will support the conservation, environmental education and wildlife rehabilitation work of the Audubon Society of Portland.

I was really happy to come across this project. I normally hear about such artistic opportunities after they've come and gone -- but luckily it made its way through the grapevine and to me in perfect time!

Here is my beginning sketch of the owl:

I flipped through a bunch of bird pictures from a nature book I picked up at a thrift store and fell in love with this owl... I later realized that it was the only true 'bust' portrait of any of the birds -- which is funny to me because my current work is focused on portraits of people!

The new website is here!

2009-09-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

Today, my new website launches!
It has been quite a lengthy process and I couldn't be more happy to share it with you all.
From now on, my online portfolio can be found at: www.breathlessvintage.com under morgan nelson | art.
I have been working quite intently on some new pieces and will have those up on the site (as well as here on the blog) soon.

Thank you to all for your patience and I hope you enjoy the site!

Morgan

P.S. I have just published my first book, Style Journal -- you can find out more by visiting breathlessvintage.com or by clicking the link on the right.

2009-09-24T18:35:00.000-07:00

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