Summer Shenangans: Chashama Gala, Mermaid Parade, Casa de Curiosa, and More...

 Summer time... and the livin' is.... HOT!!! Holy heat wave NYC. Now that I finally installed an AC in my bedroom, I am recovering from a (much-needed) mental vacation. Lots of swimming, sleeping, day dreaming, and walks in the woods. After so many months of working around the clock on finalizing my book, while working numerous art job... I needed a break. And whether I wanted one or not, 90+ degree weather for days can make that happen... In the meantime I have begun to start catching up on spending quality time with friends. As I sit down to write about the art adventures of late, I realize that many of my friends are interwoven in this story and are a huge source of inspiration. So grateful!!!

In June I was invited to be one of the featured artists for the annual Chashama Gala curated by AHzconcepts. Chashama is a fantastic arts organization that offers the invaluable service of providing New York City artists with free or low cost studios and gallery spaces.  For the Gala, I performed with my old friend Flambeaux as a live "human candelabra." He cast a mold of my body on the beach at Coney Island and at the event hosted an interactive installation, where the audience was invited to build a hot wax sculpture on my body. I was also asked to create an installation to compliment the performance so I designed the "Crystal Mandala" backdrops to invoke the essence of an altar. The show was a huge success, I far surpassed even my own expectations. :)

 

 

Shortly after the Gala- around the time of the Summer Solstice, is one of my absolute favorite days of the entire year: Mermaid Parade!!!!! It has been ordained as one of my high holy days. A national holiday! Better then Christmas. FOR REAL. Every year I get together with a group of my friends- some seriously talented costumers- and parade through the streets of our beloved home to the freaks- Coney Island. It is a special day when the faery mermaid pirate folk get to show New York City just how real magic gets ;)

Mermaid Day would not be the same without a romp on the beach with my dear fellow siren Kai Altair. The Brooklyn-based songstress/dancer produces the annual Mermaid Lagoon event to raise funds and awareness for the protection of our "Mama Ocean"

 Every Mermaid Day, my friends turn it out SO HARD. Some of them are in the ranks of the most talented costume designers in New York City. This year did not disappoint. Here are a few of my favorite costume moments from Mermaid Day 2013.

                                                        Kat Wise- Mermaid Parade 2013

                                                Machine Dazzle- Mermaid Parade 2013

                                                      Darrell Thorne- Mermaid Parade 2013

                                      
  Every year I design new costumes and accessories in preparation for Mermaid Parade. One of my greatest passions in life is designing and bejeweling costumes, jewelry, and accessories for glorious occasions of ethereal transformation.

 

                               Mermaid necklace, bra, and bag by Sarah Sparkles 2013            

2011                                                              2012                                                            2013

After the mermaid parade, I jumped ship and headed up to Casa de Curiosa-(also known as Curio and the Spire) my dear friends magick house in the mountains of upstate New York. Curiosa/Curio is the home of my dear friends Veronica Varlow and Burke Heffner. Burke designed this majestic creation after losing their old house in a devastating fire. Burke, Veronica, and lead carpenter Tyrone Featherly spent many months building this house, at times accompanied by different factions of our gang. One year ago, I was on the 4 person team that painted this epic 47ft tall castle. This summer we focused on the less glamorous, but very important work of doing returns (house moneyyyyy!) and cleaning up the grounds to transform it from a work site into a beautiful home.

 

                                       Casa de Curiosa/Curio- Designed by Burke Heffner

Back on the home front, all I want to do is go to the beach and swim laps in the pool. But a girls gotta pay them bills. In the past few weeks, I have worked with the Bergdorf visual team doing installations for all five streets of windows at the Men's and Women's store. I also started to prep props for the holiday windows out at the warehouse, and will be in the BG studio a few days this coming week working on holiday production. Yup, Xmas in July. Welcome to my world :)

Last but not least, the final stages of producing the hardcover edition of my book Parades, Parties, and Protests is fully underway. There have been some snags, but the end is near. The softcover is already available on Amazon. When I have the final hardcover book in my hand, that is when I will savor that I have just finished writing a book. In the meantime now that my brain is cooling off, I'm currently working on content for the website, FB page, and planting the seeds for fall launch parties. More info to come! Happy Summer <3