I can't say I've officially ever thought of painting on a pair of women's pumps; though now it seems like such an obvious choice. This past September while plumping-up from the growing baby in my belly, I participated in a great event called Art & Sole which was hosted by SJFAM (San Jose Fashion Art Music). I was one of the selected artists willing to challenge myself with a chance to paint a couple pairs of shoes which would then be auctioned off to raise money for the 'Soles 4 Souls' charity. What an experience. I have to say, painting on a pair of shoes for the first time was a little intimidating, "where do I begin? Is someone going to really wear these? Will these be displayed on someones mantle?"
Ultimately, instead of going with something "safe" in the sense that it could be worn by the conservative gal or guy out on the town without drawing too much attention, I went with my gut and created something similar to what I would normally paint on a mural or canvas. If that meant nobody would want to wear them for being too, "POW!" well that was a risk I was willing to take. Luckily for me and for SJFAM, Art & Sole, and Soles 4 Souls, my shoes were embraced and the battle at the silent auction was pretty intense. Because the reaction was so great, I'm looking forward to offering custom shoes in addition to the rest of my clothing line. I am also very much looking forward to the next Art & Sole event with SJFAM.
