Wisteria

In the language of flowers, wisteria means obsessive passion.  Once you've discovered their beauty, you too, may be obsessively passionate about wisterias!

Wisteria is a climbing tree, native to China, and Japan.  Wisterias grow tall, and wide. Many will grow to 10 metres (30 feet) high, and 20 metres (60 feet) wide.  The world's largest wisteria is an acre in size!  You'll find wisterias growing along the walls of houses, reaching over arched doorways. They're often found on trellises, or pergolas, sturdy enough to support their weight.

For all their strength and grandeur, wisterias appear softly feminine, ethereal and cloud-like.        

Although wisteria trees provide welcome shade, they love full sunlight.  They grow beautifully in a South facing garden, or in an open park, away from shade trees.  

Wisteria intertwines as it grows, forming braided wood tree trunks and branches.  Chinese wisteria grows counter clockwise, while Japanese wisteria grows clockwise.  

    

Another way to tell the difference between Chinese and Japanese wisteria, is to study the timing of the blooms and leaves. Japanese wisteria leaves appear on the tree before the blossoms.  With Chinese wisteria, the blossoms appear, then the leaves begin to grow later.

Cultivating wisteria takes patience...years of patience!  It can take twenty years to grow a wisteria tree from seed, and wait for it to bloom.  Or, you can take a cutting, and wait about four years before it blooms.  Most people buy a mature wisteria tree from a nursery, take it home, and plant it in a sunny spot.  Once wisteria takes hold, stand back, and watch it grow, and grow and grow!

In celebration of the awesome strength and ethereal beauty of wisteria, and women, I've created a line of dresses and draped kimonos, that will move gently with the Summer breeze. Lovely for a bridal kimono party, or a cruise.

All dresses and draped kimonos are available online in my Art of Where shop.

http://bit.do/drapedkimono

http:/bit.do/flare-dress

http://bit.do/AOWbodycon

Photographs Copyright of:   Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.

The Summertime Blues

The song goes, "there ain't no cure for the Summertime blues".  My prescription is to get my camera, and go searching for Summertime blues, in all their nuanced splendor.  Before I know it, I'm feeling blissfully happy.

Delphiniums are a perennial favourite, with a variety of blues ranging from the palest baby blue, to lapis, and deepest midnight blue.  They stand tall, however, they need the support of a solid stake, because their heavy heads bend and break in a Summer rainstorm.  They're beautiful alone, and spectacular in a large group.     

Bluebeard is another blue Summer flower.  It too, grows tall.  Bumblebees and butterflies seem to love this plant.  In the shadows, the flower appears to be a deep, inky blue.  In full sunlight, the softer lavender shades are seen.

  

Hydrangea ranges in colour from white, to green, to pink, to raspberry, magenta, lilac, lavender, lapis, and twilight blue - sometimes all on the same shrub.  The blues of the Hydrangea are calming and peaceful.

Cascading Blue Lobelia brings contrast and sparkle to window boxes and hanging baskets.  The petite flowers bloom by the hundreds, forming mounds of blue, which can be seen a block away.  They were the inspiration for a fabric pattern used in designing the Blue Lobelia on White Lace kimono...available on Art of Where.  http://bit.do/kimonos

    

Photographs Copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.

Wearable Art

I can't sew a straight line.  So, no one is more surprised than me, to have my own line of clothing! Designed using my fine art photographs, the clothing line includes breezy flare dresses for Spring and Summer, as well as lightweight kimonos, which are great for the beach, or curling up at home.

There are two versions of the Peacock Feathers flare dress - each with a mirror image of the front, on the back.  The dresses and kimonos are easy care, and quick drying.  Machine wash in cold water, and tumble dry on regular cycle - or, let drip dry.

 

The Peacock Feathers kimono is one of the designs which works for both men and women.  These are afterall, male peacock feathers!

The peacock feathers are part of a feather bouquet which I bought a few years ago, in Toronto's "Little India" district.  It is a six block area, which Tourism Toronto bills as the biggest South Asian market in North America.  They were part of the decoration for a Moroccan themed birthday dinner party for my husband.  Yes, I know Morocco is no where near India - we Canadians are masters of "fusion confusion".  

Bridal party season is almost here!  It is the trend for brides to give each bridesmaid her own kimono to wear while getting her hair and makeup done before the wedding.  Bridal photographs now include pictures of the bridal entourage all wearing their matching, or complimentary kimonos!  These vivid prints won't fade, and will be a lovely reminder of a happy day.

The kimonos would also be a lovely Mothers' Day gift!  Doesn't this say, "relax, rejuvenate"?!  It's great for a spa weekend away, or at home.

Ordering a kimono, or flare dress is just a click or two away.  On the right side of the blog, near the top, where it says, "Let's Go Shopping", you'll see a listing for my Art of Where shop.  If you click that, you'll see all of the kimono and dress designs, along with pricing and order information.  But wait, there's more...   

There are two versions of this kimono - great for best friends, sisters, or Mother-Daughter gifts.

Unlike the flare dresses, with a back and front that is a mirror image of the other, the front of each kimono design, is completely different from the back.

There are also two versions of the Birthday Bouquet flare dress.  One, showing the bouquet as it appears in the original photograph, the other is an inverted view, with the crystal vase forming the bodice of the dress.

This is the fine art floral photograph used in the kimono and flare dress design.  I called it, Birthday Bouquet, because it was made up of flowers in two different floral bouquets given to me on my birthday.  The crystal vase and flowers are reflected in a mirror.  

With the enviable exception of those in Vancouver and Victoria, Canadians live with snowflakes for many months of the year.  Yet, the snowy white blossoms of the Cherry tree enthrall us.  The photograph was taken last year, in Toronto's High Park, where thousands make an annual pilgrimage to celebrate the arrival of the blossoms, and Spring.  

The freshness of this flare dress captures the joy and optimism of the arrival of Spring.  

This is the front and back of one of the two versions of Cherry Blossoms Blue Sky. Since blossoms represent a new beginning, this kimono would make a lovely gift for a young graduate, bride, or a young mother.  

This is the other version of the Cherry Blossoms Blue Sky design.  

Stargazer Lily on Japanese Paper is the photograph which inspired this flare dress!

These Stargazer and white Oriental Lilies against the blue wall, inspired this flare dress design. There's a retro feel to this dress.  It reminds me of the Hawaiian prints from the 1940's and '50's.

As the sun slowly sinks in the West...the campfires begin to burn.  The Awesome October Rose image is of one of the Campfire Roses which bloomed on my balcony last Summer and Fall.

The flare dresses are perfect for a hot Summer day, or a hot Summer night on the dance floor.  The fabric is made in Canada, of 72% Ecopoly and 28% Spandex, and wicks away moisture. 

There are two versions of the Campfire Rose flare dress.  I like the ruffles created by the petals.

There are also two versions of the Campfire Rose kimono.

All the kimonos are made of lightweight silky knit 100% Ecopoly fabric, with a knit bamboo fabric trim, and chiffon belt. They are printed and sewn in Canada, on Canadian made fabric, and priced in Canadian dollars.

There are more designs...you'll find them, along with information on how to order at:

https://artofwhere.com/artists/ruth-adams-widow-s-endorphins-photographic-images-inc-/clothing

Clothing designs and original photographs copyright of:  Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Incorporated.