Tag: Caroline Ventura

Calliope

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10 Questions with Calliope store co-owner and creator Caroline Ventura

What’s in the name Calliope?

CV: She was a Greek muse of eloquence and poetry. Supposedly she was the muse Homer looked to when he wrote The Iliad. It’s also a weird ass looking pipe organ on wheels, so that’s fun.

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What was the concept behind the space?

CV: We have a multi-use building in which both our studios (Michael’s design practice Sub Rosa, and Caroline’s gold smithing project BRVTVS) reside, as well as a gallery space next to Calliope, and also our home. We wanted to create a welcoming space where people could come and shop without the “seriousness” of other stores. We sell home goods, it shouldn’t be some stuffy place that you’re afraid to walk into and are scared to touch things.

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Natural Sculptures

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A few years back I met Bess Wyrick. She was doing a floral instillation in Gramercy Park’s Rose Bar — a giant hanging skeleton made from white flowers. I had always thought about flowers in the sense of arrangements but never really in the form of a live sculpture. There is something I really love about the idea of creating art that can only last and be appreciated for a short amount of time before its organic nature recycles back into the earth. An amazing example of that is in the whimsical work of Patrick Dougherty which blows me away.

Whenever Bess is in New York we try to collaborate. Most recently I asked Caroline to come by the studio and pose for me, something we have been doing together for years now. Bess, being the sculptor she is, created this spring garden nymph moment around Caroline’s delicate body which, to me, is reminiscent of the fleeting weeks when we get to dance under the pink shade of the cherry blooms before nature moves on to the green gardens of summer.

This May I’m going to be heading out to L.A. to spend a weekend retreat at Rose Story Farm (remember how we had roses shipped from them for this beautiful shoot?!) with Bess doing a workshop on flower arranging and creative expression. It’s going to be a lovely group of women, so think about joining us if you out in L.A.! More info on the workshop can be found here.

Happy Spring!

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The Romantic world of Michelle Hébert

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Recently I was at an Everlane dinner with my friend Caroline {pictured here} to launch their new very cute boatneck shirts. Caroline and I were talking about our next shoot together and that we should do something totally different from the Everlane campaign photos she’s all over the web in.

I’ve been photographing her for years now, there is just something about her face I love. Plus she is an amazing jewelry designer, an all around great human being, and a really fun time.  At that same time my friend Bess, who is an incredible floral designer {she does the Vanity Fair Oscar Party!} was coming in from L.A. and wanted to collaborate on something like our previous shoots. She recently met this L.A. based fashion designer Michelle Hébert and sent me some images of her dresses which I found insanely dark and romantic. So Bess brought the gowns and flowers, Caroline brought her beautiful face, makeup artist Eddie Hernandez used all rose scented Chantecaille products and together we brought the gowns to life.

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Once the pieces were on the body we could really see the creativity of the designs. What’s crazy is that this designer is 24 and self taught! Obviously one day she will be winning Oscars for costume design or working for one of her favorite fashion houses such as Alexander McQueen.  I had to know more about this girl out in L.A. hand sewing fantasies in her parents garage so I interviewed her to see what is in her mind that makes these moments.

Describe the idea behind this flower, lace and tulle designed dress:

Michelle Hébert: One of my early pieces and a design created to pay homage to the late Alexander McQueen. It almost felt collaborative as I set out to use symbols we both admired such as flowers, but to take that and design something that was my own. Materials: Lace, Flower Appliqués, Chiffon, Beads, and Tulle. 

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Caroline Ventura

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As an artist there are some people who I LOVE photographing. I could photograph them everyday. There is something about their beauty, bone structure, and spirit I love to capture, that my eye finds fascinating and wants to study them over and over. This is the case for jewelry designer Caroline Ventura who is one of (along with Heather) my muses. I first met Caroline on a shoot for Cup of Jo three years ago and we have been friends ever since. Did you know she was the first cinemagraph we ever shot? We just never tired editing it until AFTER our first public one. She was the first person I photographed at our old studio and this shoot is our first together at our new one.

We are both artists and we have known each other as photographer + subject for sometime now. I’ve shot Caroline beautifully, I’ve shot her COOL, but as we have been getting older we are looking to find more depth in our work. I’ve been wanting to focus less on the clothing in my personal shoots these days and more on the beauty of the female form. Caroline and I were going to meet up for dinner and I said, hey, let’s do a shoot before we head out, which eventually turned into a night of film photographs, margaritas, girl talk, and these moments below.

… and just for fun I asked Caroline a series of fill in the blank questions just for a new take on an old friend.

I am most inspired by…

My friends. I’m so lucky to have an incredible circle of talented friends who all support each other and push one another to do/create beautiful things.

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An ideal day for me is…

When I can see blue skies. As long as the sun is shining, anything can be thrown my way.

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My favorite artist is…

Lia Chavez, who is doing really beautiful things in the art world right now. I am so fortunate to call her a friend. Her solo show, Carceri, just opened at Two Rams on the LES. She is one of the gentlest and most humble humans and a huge inspiration to me.

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The best way I express myself is…

With my mouth. I talk a lot.

Caroline_Ventura_25 New York City is…

Home. No matter where I go in my life it always pulls me back.

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In the Studio With…

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Tell me about your jewelry line BRVTVS, what’s the story?

I originally started it as a total selfish endeavour because I couldn’t find anything I wanted to wear so I just decided to teach myself how to make pieces I liked.

What does BRVTVS stand for?

The line is named after Marcus Brutus who killed his best friend Julius Caesar. When the line first started I had a line of fancy friendship bracelet so I thought it would be fun to name the line after someone who is notorious for stabbing his friend in the back…. I’m also obsessed with Roman history.

Do you make all your pieces by hand?

Yep.

What are some your favorite projects that have come about since starting your own line?

The most recent project I did was designing a series of ear cuffs and rings for designer Jason Wu’s Spring collection which showed this past September at NYFW.

What is a perfect day in NYC to you?

The perfect day involves being on a blanket somewhere. No shoes. A good book… and a cup of coffee.

Your personal style is always amazing, where do you shop?

I find a lot of stuff on eBay! In the above photograph those are vintage men’s Levi’s 517 that I tailored with a seam up the back to be a high waisted worn in skinny jean.

A Little Bit Messy…

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Have y’all seen the fun hair tutorials on Cup of Jo? Here is yet another the creative beauty duo Joanna & Caroline put together I was so lucky to shoot– it’s a little bit of a tease.. a little bit messy… and a great friday-night-date-night-look…

The Messy Side Ponytail for Cup of Jo~

Caroline’s Step by Step:

1. Start with day-old hair…meaning it’s been a day since you’ve washed it. (If you must wash your hair, then use a volumizing spray to add oomf; and if your hair is oily, use a French dry shampoo to build body and texture.) Now make a deep side part on one side of your hair. You can use a rat-tail comb to get an extra straight part.

2. Backcomb the top quarter of your hair. Basically, brush the hair downwards toward your scalp so it’s sort of frizzy and can stand on its own.

3. Gently brush the very top layer of your hair to make it smooth on the top. That way, all the backcombing will be hidden under the layer that you brushed. Still, don’t brush too much, you want it a little messy.

4. Take the entire backcombed section and pin it behind your head. To make it secure, place the bobby pins in an “X.”

5. Now take all your hair and put it in a low ponytail at the nape of your neck. Tighten the rubber band as tight as you can. This will help “push” your hair up, creating more volume at the top.

5. You can either leave the rubber band exposed, or hide it by taking a small half-inch section of hair from the ponytail and wrapping it around the rubber band. Take a small bobby pin and pin the hair to the rubber band.

6. Rough up the ponytail with your fingers to match the texture at the top of your hair. Use the same motion as you did to back comb, but use your fingers instead, since this will create a messy texture but will be softer and gentler than using a comb. Remember, this look isn’t about perfection; it looks best slightly messy.

Photos by FromMeToYou for Cup of Jo / Hair tutorial & modeling by the lovely Caroline Ventura

Soft & Romantic

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Vintage inspired hair with modern ease! After shooting this hair how-to by model turned jewelry designer Caroline for Cup of Jo this became my go-to weekend hair! Less than 5 mins effort & your ready for love in the afternoon–

The visual aid step by step:

Caroline’s Directions:

1. This style is so easy, it’s laughable. Day-old hair is best (which is true for most hairstyles, since it’s easier to work with hair that has a little dirt in it).

2. Divide your hair into three equal parts and quickly spray each section with a little hairspray to help give it hold. Let the hairspray set for a couple seconds, and then lightly comb it out.

3. Take the section on your right side, and twist your hair all the way down to the end. You want to twist counter-clockwise, toward your face. Wrap the right section in on itself, just like you’re making a little bun. Let some of the hair stick out, it’s ok (you don’t want them to look like Princess Leia buns).

4. Pin the right bun in place. I like to use these mini bobby pins, since they’re easier to hide and they’re coated in rubber so they hold your hair better.

5. Next, twist the middle section clockwise and pin. Then twist the left section clockwise and pin.

6. Spray the three buns with a little more hairspray, and you’re done!

***Three Twisted Buns for Cup of Jo, Caroline’s shirt is from Cardigan, and her lipstick is Covergirl Outlast Lipstain in Wild Berry. Thank you Joanna & Caroline for a fun & easy beauty shoot!