Videos – Fabulously Green

Category archives: Videos

ART | If Warhol Had Recycled, His Icons Might Have Become Superheroes

15Aug08

All American Blonde, Schimmel Art

Fans of the late pop artist Andy Warhol take note: Sandy Schimmel’s portraits of the rich and famous can lay claim to one thing Warhol’s canvases can’t. They’ve got a bit of superhero in them: having rescued postcards from the edge, and homeless, post-season Christmas cards from the depths of disposal. Trash to treasure never looked so bold, emotional, raw, and mosaics never looked so modern.

Schimmel’s masterpieces call upon junk mail, other discarded ephemera to create something eye-catching and tactile. A self-proclaimed “art room brat,” she traveled to Turkey to master the art of mosaics. She was looking for a way to create the look of stained glass and after experimentation perfected her signature method. Check out this video interview with Schimmel to learn more.

THE METHOD TO HER MADNESS

First she paints a portrait. Jimi Hendrix. John Lennon. Twiggy. Even you (for a custom fee).

Next, she dives into what I imagine to be Olympic-sized collection of paper ephemera to create her palette of colors and textures. Schimmel hand cuts each piece, applies them to a painting, and well, you can appreciate the rest.

I discovered Schimmel’s appropriately enough, through my mailbox. She mailed me a postcard from her Phoenix studio and I was drawn immediately into her world. You can view the full collection and learn about gifting a custom artpiece at Schimmel’s website.

ON EXHIBIT

Sandy Schimmel is on exhibit across the U.S. See the events calendar for more information.

>> DIY STYLE FILE | Office Wall Art

Filed under Art+Graphics, Recycled, Unique, Urban Style, Videos| Tagged artists, creative art ideas, DIY with paper, modern art, Recycled | 2 Comments

DIY DESIGN | Fast Facelift for a Dresser

28Mar08

Shabby chic less the shabby. This weekend project works great on cast-off dressers, sideboards, desks, and tabletops. If you don’t already have a piece in your own pad to experiment with, try hunting down a gem on Craigslist, a local flea market, Goodwill or garage sale.

A Green Twist
Finish it off with a hip, healthier paint option like Yolo’s Sprout Collection (for modern, spring-inspired colors), Benjamin Moore’s Aura, or Fine Paints of Europe (for rich, historically-derived colors). Other companies like Pantone have started offering non-VOC or low-VOC paints and primers as well so it’s much easier to go high style and fume free. The few extra dollars per gallon is worth it for the health and environmental benefits.

Video Podcast Instructions
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIJ-DDOtH6k&hl=en]

Prefer written instructions? Check out the complete post by Chris Gardner on Curbly.

Check out our full list of DIY Design ideas here.

Filed under Budget Decor, Furniture, Materials+Finishes, Paints+Techniques, Refashion+Refurb, Videos| Tagged DIY furniture, eco friendly paint, Eco-friendly, how to refurbish furniture, modern DIY, Non-toxic, podcast | No Comments

PARIS FASHION WEEK | Vivienne Westwood's Collection of Wild Things

05Mar08

[slideshow id=1801439850954131954&w=426&h=320]

Some designers push the limits. Dame Vivienne Westwood blows them up. At Paris Fashion Week showcased Vivienne Westwood’s collection was colorful, wild and childlike and — eco outrageous. How’s that for a new term?

It all began with a letter mailed to the the queen of punk fashion from an elementary school class in Nottingham, England. Westwood not only wrote back, but knowing how imaginative children are, offered an art assignment that would turn into the unexpected opportunity of co-designing her Fall 2008 collection.

Westwood challenged the students to think into the future, and paint for her their ideas of what an eco-warrior would look like:

imagine soldiers who had been fighting in the jungle but when the war was over had so fallen in love with nature that they decided not to go back to the city.”

Who else but an eight-year old would grab a brush and paint straightaway on a yard of silk? While Westwood experimented with silhouettes, the kids experimented with print and pattern. Catch the show, the interviews with Westwood, the students and their teacher below.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJhmXjdAan8&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6]

More on the Eco-Warrior Fashion Show:

The collection in pictures at Telegraph
Style.com
Hello Magazine
Coutorture
Elle UK Magazine

Thanks to One Tiny Spark for the find, and the Lohasian for the video link.

Filed under Art+Graphics, Couture Style, Eco Glam, Runway Shows, Videos| Tagged eco-warrior, high fashion, Paris Fashion Week, Vivienne Westwood | No Comments

Going Green for the Roots Jam

16Feb07

The webcast of the pre-Grammy, 4th annual the Roots Jam is up on G Living! See who came out to lend their eco-support towards promoting composting programs in L.A. schools. VIP giftbags filled with green goodies were given to 75 special celebs. Fab Green joined the press core which was far more friendly and gracious than I expected.

I got to pal around with uber green blogger, Siel aka Green LA Girl. Both of us are camera-shy, but Siel (on the right) pitched in to interview celebs for ecorazzi and proved herself a natural with a mike (girl, I told you so!).

Eco-style spottings were thin on the Green Carpet, so I put in an eco-fashion showing. Let’s break it down:

Alive tee by Under the Canopy in mineral blue-grey (left). This is an unbelievably soft, organic cotton tee that fits like a second skin. The ruched-detail on the cap sleeves give a dressier look to a closet basic. $38 at Under the Canopy.

I wore a solid-colored version of the long-sleeved Conscious Tee. It fits me like a dream, and the scoop neck with ruching gives my tomboy-ish frame a more feminine look.

Underneath I wore Chakra Tank in Mudra Red. Like the other Under the Canopy tops this rib-knit tank fits perfectly. My only complaint is that the back side of the embroidery can be a bit rough and itchy.

The handbag: My Strawberry-colored Anarkali bag by Conserve. I bought this at Hip + Zen last year for an affordable $39, and get tons of compliments when I go out. When I tell people they’re made from recycled plastic bags, and support fairly-traded cooperatives in India they ask me where they can get one. Grab one at Hip and Zen or Overstock.
Thanks to Under the Canopy for sending me samples. Photos courtesy of fashion photographer Ram Gibson. Thanks for sharing Ram!

Filed under Bags, Budget Fashion, Fashion - Women, Handmade, Refashion+Refurb, Videos| Tagged Eco-friendly, Green Carpet Event, Handmade, Organic, Sweatshop-free, The Roots Jam | No Comments

Greening the Grammy's p.2

13Feb07

Green Carpet Report: The carpet sure enough was astroturf green (they should have consulted with a designer, but Fab Green appreciates the gesture). In terms of fab style, actress Pauley Perrette of NCIS has a passion for vintage style. Many others are Prius drivers, avid recyclers and/or fans of the film An Inconvenient Truth. All celebs, including Queen Latifah, Dave Chappelle, Matisyahu, Brian White, Isiah Washington pitched in to support composting in schools by signing their John Hancocks on custom designed composting bins to be awarded to select schools who design a creative composting program. You can learn more about the program at Global Inheritance.

I’ll be reporting in detail about the night over at G Living. The webcast and blog will be up on Thursday. Come on over and check it out!

Filed under Lifestyle Tips, Videos| | No Comments

FASHION WEEK | London Eco-Chic Hits the Catwalk

26Jan07

London, New York, Paris — The official season of runway fashion has begun. Eco-chic is sure to make a fabulous splash. Even though most of us won’t be sitting under the tents doesn’t mean we have to miss the fun. Over the new few weeks Fabulously Green will cover some of fashion-for-all events that are worth catching if you want to see firsthand some of-the-moment, eco-friendly fashion.

REFASHIONED: FROM WASTE TO WEAR
When: Tuesday 15 February‚ 19.00-21.00
Where: Dana Centre‚ 165 Queen’s Gate‚ London SW7 5HD
How Much: Free

Lined up with London Fashion Week, Five eco-edgy designers will spotlight their latest styles on the runway. If you’re not geographically blessed to be there you will be able to catch the webcast live.

FromSomewhere – Born of an “abiding love for vintage, provincial haberdasheries, beautiful clothes and exquisite artisanship” FromSomewhere has been designing high-style womenswear since 1997. Their collections take full inspiration from the fashion industry’s discards, using reclaimed cashmere, cotton, jersey, silk, tweeds, and woven’s to create stunning pieces.

Becky Earley – A longtime trailblazer in the art of refashioned fashion, low-impact printing processes, Becky’s work in textile design and recycling has literally been changing the fabric of fashion. Let’s face it: this Becky Early pin-print top circa 1995 for Bjork makes a much more stylish statement that the swan dress she wore to the Oscars.

TRAID ReMade – Launched in 1999, TRAID’s unique link between recycling and fashion retail, raises money to fund international projects whilst helping to promote recycling and waste reduction in the UK. Sassy, edgy and truly fashion ‘conscious.’

againNYC – American designer of this “Junk to Funk” brand of clutches and bags will make a showing among Britain’s best. Crafted exclusively from vintage fabrics and finished with beautiful vintage buckles, againNYC takes the old and makes it new again.

Plan on attending? We’d love to have you field report for Fab Green! Drop us an e-mail and share your take and photos on the show.

Filed under Bags, Couture Style, Fashion - Women, Handmade, Indie, Refashion+Refurb, Videos| Tagged Eco-friendly, Handmade, Indie | No Comments

Behind the Scenes of Haute GREEN

23Jul06

Thanks to Treehugger for capturing some of the latest eco-chic furniture and accessories shown at this year’s HauteGREEN exhibition. This short video features designers showcasing their latest pieces and sharing the inspiration behind the work.

Watch the HauteGREEN video here.

Filed under Bags, Lifestyle Tips, News+Features, Videos| Tagged Eco-friendly | No Comments

Sneak Preview: G Living Shows 'Wesson-ality'

22Jun06

Living in Los Angeles, it’s impossible not to take advantage of sneak previews–even on the web. My friend Christopher Adjani, founder of the soon-to-be-launched G Living Network sent me this peek of G Living’s pilot show: “Grease Cars”–going live on the Web next Monday.

Hosts Ziya, Tara and Ananda are not your “traditional style earth Mamas” (to steal a phrase from Ziya), but hip, eco-chicks who will report on the exciting solutions and ideas to help folks adopt a fun, cleaner, greener lifestyle. See how Mandy Moore’s car gets greased on G.

A car that runs on Wesson or canola? Even the government of China has sent someone to LA to find out…Sneak a peek here. Actress Leslie Bega of the Sopranos, has also been plucked for her own gourmet raw food show coming soon.

Filed under Interior Design, Lifestyle Tips, Videos| Tagged Eco-friendly, Energy Savers | No Comments

Green Product Webcasts

30Apr06

A few months ago I was recruited by a friend to do some online product videos for G Living Network — a new online destination dedicated to helping folks live a an eco-friendly lifestyle. I was asked to give ten rapid fire one-minute reviews of “green” interior design products available in the marketplace–some to the trade, some to homeowners.

The girly girl in me watched these spots and (yikes) cringed at the unbrushed hair, the clothing choices and the lack of editing. I had been sick and walked into work wearing my comfy, pink Twiggy hoodie and holding a box of Emergen-C drink mix to get through the day. After many postponed shoot times, Christopher said, “we’re shooting today.” And with that, we coughed, laughed and talked our way through. All in the name of the planet.

So after coming to terms with my frumpled vanity I am finally promoting these spots for anyone out there interested in making a difference in their own homes, or for their design clients. To find out about some hot green products, check out G Living One Minute Review. If you’ve used any of the products, please feel free to give your two cents here.

Filed under Interior Design, Videos| Tagged Eco-friendly | No Comments

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