Interview with Molly Guy, Creative Director of Stone Fox Bride

Photo Courtesy Stone Fox Bride

In 2011, at the heart of Manhattan, Molly Guy launched a peaceful riot against our culture of raging bridezillas. Guy’s Stone Fox Bride is a “groovy, enchanted wedding sanctuary,” or bohemian bridal showroom, that caters to the newly betrothed as they navigate their way through wedding planning. Stone Fox Bride is the ultimate destination for natural beauty, personal style, and an authentic display of love on your wedding day. At the Stone Fox Bride showroom, you’ll never find polyester princess gowns or artificial flowers, everything is customizable, high quality, and of course, ultra-stylish. I chatted with Molly Guy about how she finds inspiration for her bridal brand, and what beauty looks are Stone-Fox-Bride-approved for upcoming spring and summer weddings.

Photo Courtesy Stone Fox Bride

TS: I read that your own experience of getting married is what inspired Stone Fox Bride, was there a defining moment or horror story that happened, or was it just the entire experience?

MG: It was really the experience of dress shopping that left an awful taste in my mouth.

TS: Do you think your experience as a long-time magazine editor influenced Stone Fox Bride?

MG: Absolutely, because what you learn in magazines and when you’re young in New York is how to navigate the world of fashion. By the time I was ready to open the showroom, I had a good sense of all the steps that had to be put in place in order for it to happen.

TS: Where and how do you find your inspiration for Stone Fox Bride?

MG: I hope this doesn’t sound pretentious, but life is really inspiring. I try to call cool inspiration from everyone and everything from my daughter, to my husband, to my friends, to New York, to Chicago where I’m from, to the beach, to traveling, everything.

Twyla Shelmire: For those who aren’t familiar with Stone Fox Bride, how would you define the aesthetic of the pieces in the collection?

Molly Guy: I would say they are high fashion, low-key, laidback and super bohemian and romantic, with a really cool, slightly punk edge.

TS: How can brides in Dallas have a Stone Fox wedding?

MG: All of our dresses and flower crowns are available online, and we do floral décor everywhere, so we could absolutely do a Dallas wedding if someone was interested.

TS: I read a little bit about your concierge service, can you explain that a little bit more?

MG: If anyone comes to us and needs a resource or a hand wedding-related, whether it’s beauty related or spiritual related, we refer them to a roster of people we approve of, that can help them through the process. Everyone is very carefully curated, so there is generally only one to two people per category.

TS: I love the ring stories that you put up on your Instagram feed and the website. What is your ring story?

MG: I don’t have a ring story because my husband didn’t propose with a ring, he didn’t plan it. I had to design my own – I’m a very unsentimental person.

TS: Do you have any advice for dos and don’ts before the wedding?

MG: I always say the more you can listen to your gut and drown out the noise of your mother-in-law, and your bridesmaids, and your friends who might have very strong opinions about what your wedding should look like, and what you should wear, the better. It’s really a day about cultivating your own aesthetic and listening to your own voice, and trying to enjoy the fact that you found your soulmate and you’re celebrating!

TS: What are the Stone Fox Bride-approved beauty looks for spring and summer weddings?

MG: We’re really into the less is more look, not over-baked, over-tanned, over-sunburned, not over-foundationed, over-latissed, over-lip-linered – just really radiant, and healthy, and fresh. I think pink cheeks, dewy cheeks are always a good idea. Stila makes a really beautiful liquid blush. I think the more you can exercise and be active in the weeks before your wedding, and be relatively well by cutting out white flour and sugar, it’ll cut down on chances of being bloated or feeling sluggish. I think crown braids are beautiful, I think loose, messy hair with a flower crown or a flower tucked behind an ear is also really beautiful.

TS: At Stone Fox Bride, do you see trends in wedding dresses?

MG: I don’t see a lot of trends in wedding dresses, it’s really specific to what the bride wants and what her body type is.

TS: What are some of your favorite beauty products that you use on a daily basis?

MG: I love Linda Rodin face oil. There’s a Brooklyn-based beauty company called S.W. Basics that have an amazing body oil and shea butter face oil. I love this shampoo-conditioner combination called Purely Perfect. I always love any kind of essential oil, especially rose, sandalwood, and lemon. And coconut butter. Those are pretty much my staples.

TS: Do you try to use just green or eco-friendly beauty products?

MG: I don’t deliberately, but I guess it sort of ended up that way. One, I have a little daughter and anything I use on me I use on her. And two, I used to work as a beauty editor, and I worked in the beauty industry for a while, and I know that a lot of products have a lot of extra stuff in them that raises the price, and makes them more marketable, but they are really unnecessary. So I try to stay pretty green.

TS: Do you have any DIY recipes that you use regularly?

MG: In the winter, I love doing a face mask – 1/3rd full-fat Greek yogurt, and 1/3rd Manuka honey, and 1/3rd  avocado. I like doing hot baths with lots of Epson salts and lavender oil, and I like coconut butter massages with just pure coconut butter.

TS: What’s on the horizon for Stone Fox Bride?

MG: The Stone Fox Bride book, The Stone Fox Guide to Getting Married, is coming out in 2016, which we are really excited about. We are launching a line of everyday dresses, and we are hopefully going to be wholesaling our flower crowns and dress collection soon as well, and re-launching our blog.

Interview with Fly Art Productions

With 18 thousand Instagram followers, Fly Art Productions is a viral force to be reckoned with. Fly Art is inspired by other art-history-based mini blogs such as Swooshart and Carter Family Portraits. Fly Art Productions wittily combines artistic masterpieces and hip-hop lyrics, and in doing so, helps to bring some fresh life and humor to historically groundbreaking artworks in the digital age. As an art history major who cringes when people can’t immediately recognize iconic artworks, I happily bow down to those who can make Rubens, Klimt and Boucher mainstream again – even if it takes a little help from Beyoncé.

“Madame de Pompadour is sanctified”
Madame de Pompadour (1756), Francois Boucher / Sanctified, Rick Ross ft. Big Sean & Kanye West

Twyla Shelmire: Do you have an art history background?

Toni and Gisella: No, Toni graduated with a degree in communication and Gisella with a business degree.

“But I’m down for the night”
Wanderer above the sea of fog (1818), Caspar David Friedrich / Lost in the World, Kanye West feat. Bon Iver

TS: What inspired you to start Fly Art Productions?

T&G: There were a couple of blogs already circulating around the time with similar themes: Swooshart, Modern Vampires of Art History, Carter Family Portraits, etc. It was sort of automatic–we were two girls who spent a lot of time on tumblr looking at these art blogs and we had a joint interest in Beyonce and Kanye West, so why not?

“I Woke Up (Venus)”
The Birth of Venus (1486), Sandro Botticelli / ***Flawless, Beyonce ft. Chimamanda Ngozie Adiche

TS: What is the process like, finding a piece of art and a musical line that match? How long does it take you to put each mash-up together?

T&G:  It depends. It can take days sometimes before we get inspired to do work or we can produce five at a time. Sometimes the artwork comes first, and you try to think about the line that’d go well with it, or the soundbyte comes first then you scour the depths of the internet and art blogs for inspiration.

“Click clack bang bang Judith in dat murda bidnis”
Judith slaying Holofernes (c. 1614-1620), Artemisia Gentileschi / Murda Bizness, Iggy Azalea ft. T.I.

TS: Who is your favorite artist? Do you have a preferred time period or artistic style?

Toni: Caspar David Friedrich is becoming a personal favorite. The large landscapes of romanticism really gets me going.

Gisella: Edward Hopper has always been a favorite. His paintings are filled to the brim with mysterious emotions. In terms of artistic style, I do prefer rococo paintings.

“MY ANACONDA DON’T WANT NONE UNLESS YOU GOT BUNS HUN”
Lilith with a snake (1886), John Collier / Anaconda, Nicki Minaj

TS: Who is your favorite rapper or musician to pull lyrics from?

T&G: Kanye and Beyonce, based on our shared files.

“two big medallion”
Charles I on horseback (1635), Anthony van Dyck / Twerk It, Busta Rhymes ft. Nicki Minaj

TS: I know there are a few other social media accounts that do a similar fine arts + lyrics mash-ups – do you admire any of those in particular?

T&G: As mentioned earlier, we really like Swooshart, Modern Vampires of Art History, Carter Family Portraits.

“Marie Antoinette would much rather spend it all”
Queen Marie Antoinette of France (1783), Louise Vigee Le Brun / Crew Love, Drake ft. The Weeknd

TS: Are there any future Fly Art Production developments that we should keep our eyes peeled for?

T&G: We are constantly working with RAD.CO to bring more of our designs to the US, Europe, and the UK. We would really love to find an distributor for Canada, Asia and Australia as well. We’re constantly striving to get Beyonce to notice us.

“The progress of gangsta love”
The Progress of the Love Pursuit (1773), Jean-Honore Fragonard / Gangsta Lovin’, Eve ft. Alicia Keys

Interview with Michael Eudy, Contemporary Artist

One of the best things my parents ever did to educate me was start an art collection. While there were numerous artists included in their collection, my favorite pieces were painted by Michael Eudy. I’m not sure if it was the maritime subject matter, the bright colors, or the beautiful combination of detail and abstraction – but Self Portrait as the Captain of an early 20th Century Vessel and The Double Slit Experiment spoke to me on another level. Lo and behold, I went to college, studied art history, and came home with a newfound appreciation for these pieces, for their artistry and for the history from which they sprung. Below you’ll find my interview with Michael Eudy, who is hands down my favorite contemporary artist. He shares how he finds inspiration as a professional creative, advice for burgeoning collectors, and how traveling abroad changed his perspective.

Michael Eudy, Self Portrait as the Captain of an Early 20th Century Vessel, Posed with Certain of My Books
2006
Acrylic and Urethane on Canvas
57″x82 1/2″

Note: Hang one of your favorite works of art in your bedroom, even if it is a reproduction. Self Portrait hangs opposite my bed, and every morning when I look at this painting with fresh eyes, I always seem to find something new to love about it.

Twyla Shelmire: As a professional creative, how do you find inspiration for your work? Are you inspired on a daily basis, or does it come and go? Do you keep track of what inspires you, for instance with a notebook?

Michael Eudy: Inspiration comes and goes like anything I suppose. I’ve never been the type of artist that can be “on” all the time. I need lots of space and time, to idle. It’s in that place that inspiration comes. When I am idle, I can get in the studio and begin to play, with no particular objective in mind. I tend to work with the same images and object over and over, and in trying to find different ways to represent those things I make mistakes and that’s when I get charged up. It’s like finding a secret passage you didn’t know existed. So I walk up and down that passage until it feels old and I begin searching for a new route. I do keep sketchbooks, but I find that because of the way I work, most of the “sketching” and exploration happens right on the canvas in an unplanned way. And much of that exploratory work gets covered up in the process, so each canvas bears a history. Most of it can’t be seen, but it is there – and I believe that the viewer can sense it.

 TS: I see in your artist statement that you were in Rome for your last year of graduate school. That’s very 18^th-century grand tour of you! How did that experience change your artistic perspective or approach to painting? 

ME: I know it sounds a bit cliché but it changed me irreparably. My studio in Rome was just down the street from Piazza del Popolo, and at least a few times a month I would walk down to the Basilica di Santa Maria del Popolo to see the Caravaggio paintings there. For the first time in my life I could see these amazing works in person that previously I had only seen in textbooks. It’s a totally different energy, and as a painter it really made me realize that I was part of this very big tradition. That tradition carries a lot of weight, and at times feels awfully heavy, but at the same time, it gives me a sense of connectedness. I am connected to all that came before me, and all that will come after.

TS: Who are your favorite pre- and post-1950s artists? Are there any in particular that have informed your work?

ME: Hands down, my all time favorite is Manet. Each time I approach a canvas, I am dealing with him. At times he is such a virtuoso, and at other times seems to be struggling so much. You can even see this happen all in one painting, yet he lets it all be just what it is. I love how he can render a flower or a vase with a few perfect strokes of the brush, like he nailed it in ten seconds flat, but only inches away is the most awkward hand you ever saw. I often imagine he was just painting every day, struggling, waiting for that moment to happen. Or maybe that’s actually me in the studio: painting and struggling until I stumble on that virtuosic moment. At any rate, I find it important to leave the not so great elements in the painting. It makes those good moments special.

I’ve got a soft spot for Ed Ruscha as well. His paintings of books especially.

TS: What are you working on now? When is your next show?

ME: At the moment I am just exploring, experimenting in the studio. I put the studio on the back burner for a couple of years so my wife and I could focus on our newest project, a small organic farm. Farming is a lot like art making – you have a plan, but everything you do is so subject to outside forces that you must constantly react to. And the end product is always a little different than what you had planned on. But now that the farm is established I’ve returned to the studio with a new vigor. I don’t have any shows in the near future, but some interesting things are already manifesting themselves on canvas. Exciting times.

TS: As an artist, do you have any preferences on how your artworks are displayed? Do you have any advice for burgeoning art collectors – what to collect, how to collect, etc.?

ME: I don’t have any hard rules how my work is displayed, but I do prefer it to be lived with. And I do like my work to be hung near other works of art. It creates a scenario where works are in dialogue with each other. It keeps all the work in a room alive. As for how to collect, there are so many approaches and I don’t think any are wrong. There are those who collect for purely speculative reasons, and those who just buy what they love. I think though that the best collecting happens somewhere between the two poles. If you’re going to invest in an artist’s work, you certainly want to love the work and want to support the artist. But I think you would also want to know that that artist is going to still be around and working in ten years, twenty years and so on. It’s like any other kind of collecting. Ultimately, I would want my collection of art to have a strong thread running through it, something that showed my intellectual interests over time.

TS: What is your favorite museum in the entire world? Do you have any suggestions for art-novices on how to walk through a museum or even a local gallery?

ME: The Musée d’Orsay is my favorite for obvious reasons. And I go to the Menil Collection every chance I get when I am visiting family in Houston. I like to visit the same places over and over again. Rather than trying to see everything in a museum in one visit, I think its best to give a little focus to a few works at a time. You’ll start to find favorites, and you can go back and look at them whenever you feel the need, like visiting old friends. You start to build intimate relationships with paintings and sculptures, and with that intimacy comes deeper understanding.

It’s a bit different with local galleries, obviously, but the idea is the same. If you go to a gallery often enough, eventually you will get to know its personality and build a relationship with the gallerist and even some of the artists in the roster. It takes time but it’s a lot of fun.

Stay current with Michael Eudy on Instagram!

The Double Slit Experiment: Two Things at Once/Two Places at Once
2006
Acrylic on Linen
73″x67″

Interview with Danielle Marie, Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader

This Sunday, the Cowboys play the Packers in hopes of getting one step closer to Superbowl glory. However, even when the tension runs high at my house as the ‘boys fight it out, I can’t help but notice the expert hair flips happening on the sidelines. My friend Danielle Marie is a third year on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders team, which is undoubtedly the cutest, most talented squad in the NFL. In our interview she shares a useful DIY beauty recipe, secrets for getting Texas-sized hair, and tips for getting fit in the New Year.

TS: On a daily basis, what is your beauty routine to keep your hair, skin, and nails in tip-top condition?

DM: My daily routine is pretty simple. If I don’t have to put on a full face of make up or put heat on my hair with curling irons and whatnot, I won’t. You need to let your skin breathe and give your hair a break sometimes. However to care for my dry, damaged ends that were caused by excessive heat, I use Kérastase Cristalliste Cristal Dual Sculpt serum. Just use 1 pump and apply it to the ends of your hair to add shine – it smells amazing, too!

TS: Do you do have any DIY beauty recipes you’d like to share?

DM: I love anything DIY! My favorite DIY beauty recipe of all time is my homemade makeup brush cleaner. This is so easy to make and so important to do in order to keep your brushes clean and your face fresh. The recipe uses distilled water, lemon witch hazel, grapefruit essential oil, and 1 tbs of your favorite hair conditioner. The witch hazel cleans and disinfects your brushes and your face, the conditioner softens the brushes, and the essential oil makes it smell awesome! I loved this brush cleaner so much, I made a bunch of it and put it in little spray bottles to give to some of my teammates to try.

TS: What is your number one beauty splurge?

DM: My number one beauty splurge is definitely getting as much sleep as I can. Between working a full-time job, maintaining a hectic schedule with DCC, and being a good mommy to my little French bulldog named Lulu, rest and relaxation is a MUST! During the work week if I have no rehearsal I will probably be in bed by 9pm.

TS: On game day what is your beauty routine? Do you do your own hair and makeup?

DM: On game days we all do our own hair and makeup. Everyone has their own routine when it comes to getting “game day ready.” We’ve all got our hot tools on, blowdryers blowing, hair spray flowing, and makeup everywhere. Since our game day is usually a 9-10 hour day, my beauty routine along with the rest of my teammates consists of A LOT of reapplying makeup and re-curling hair.

TS: What is the secret to getting that DCC-approved volume in your hair? Are there any beauty tips you picked up from DCC vets?

DM: I use rollers when trying to get big Texas-sized volume. I curl my hair normally and then quickly roll it up and pin it in my Velcro rollers while it’s hot. When I’m done, I’ll spray some hairspray and let it sit in the rollers for a while. Once I take the rollers out my hair is bouncy and voluminous. If you want to go for extra volume, tease your hair at the root when you take it out of the rollers. Va-voom!

TS: In season, do you do anything fitness-wise other than practicing the dance routines for the game? When the season ends, how do you stay in shape?

DM: Although free time is limited during the season, I try to make time to workout when I can. I am a runner and I enjoy running outside and getting some fresh air. I also LOVE boxing. I have been taking boxing classes for a few years now and it is such a great work out. I guess you can say I love cardio! On occasion I enjoy a hot bikram yoga class too. When offseason comes around, I have more time to switch my routine up and fit all of these activities into my schedule.

TS: Lastly, do you have any advice for people who are trying to get back into a healthy routine after becoming lazy during the holidays?

DM: We all splurge a little bit during the holidays, it’s understandable! It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to get back in shape, but don’t let it get the best of you. What works for me is setting small goals for myself each week. One week, I will focus on my diet and eating as clean as I can. The next week, I will focus on exercise and make it a priority to work out a few times a week. Remember a little goes a long way – start with small, achievable goals and stay with it!

Photo courtesy DCC

Stay current with Danielle on Instagram!

Collection and Display: The Salon-Style Hang

If you have a Pinterest account, admire well-dressed interiors, or have been to a museum, odds are you’ve encountered salon-style art hanging at least once. The salon-style hang originated at Paris’ French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture exhibition in 1667. The floor to ceiling installation of paintings was originally a practical choice to insure that all the artworks of the academy students would fit on the walls of the gallery. Besides from encouraging innovation and discussion, the French Academy’s salon exhibition was a key development in bringing artistic works out of private collections and into the public sphere. Cue the birth of the museum.

In honor of art entering the public sphere (or just because it is aesthetically pleasing), salon-style hanging is one of the most popular modes of art installation today. Keep an eye out, and you’ll see salon-style hanging in museums and domestic spaces alike. Salon-style hanging not only transports the viewer to pre-modern times – when Marie Antoinette was still in possession of a cranium, and indoor plumbing was non-existent – but the closeness of the artworks helps the eye to immediately define the similarities and differences of each piece.

To do the salon-style hang at home, remember that you don’t need a stock of oil paintings to get the look. The first things you’ll need to do are collect a few things you want to put up and find a blank wall (regardless of size, can be big or small). In my opinion, salon-style hanging looks better when you have a variety of objects and textures. My salon wall at home includes an oil painting by Michael Eudy, a small mirror, some porcelain plates, a faux taxidermy head, and a few sub-$100 paintings found at flea markets. For an intriguing salon wall in a domestic space, it is key to display things that are meaningful to you. Below, Marty Walker, founder of the contemporary art gallery in Dallas, Marty Walker Gallery, explains how to expertly arrange and hang a salon-style wall. Marty says that she perfected her salon-style hanging chops while installing Wayne White exhibitions over the years.

Wayne White exhibition, photo credit Stephen Berkman

Twyla Shelmire: Once you decide what pieces you want to hang, how do you start arranging the pieces?

Marty Walker: Arranging is an intuitive process, there are no strict rules. At the gallery, we would normally lay everything out on moving blankets on the floor, arrange it, then take a picture to use as a guide while hanging. We usually leave 3-5 inches between objects depending on size. Larger objects, for instance, require more spacing. Another way of doing this is using existing images of objects and arranging them in Photoshop. However, this is much more time consuming.

TS: Is there a certain shape to aim for when arranging?

MW: Think amoeba-like shape, stay away from symmetry. Use a large piece near center to anchor, or a 2-3 larger pieces to move the eye around. You can also do this by using dark objects as anchor points for movement. It really just depends on size and contrast to move the eye.

TS: Once you have an arrangement you like, how do you hang the pieces so it looks professional?

MW: Tools you’ll need are a level and a tape measure. Eye level is 56-60 inches high depending on wall height and distance from viewing art and personal preference. If you’ve laid out your composition on the floor, take a measurement side to side, and another top to bottom. Then use those figures with your total wall measurements to determine center and also so the entire composition is centered on the wall, or whatever area you have given to the composition. To avoid artwork getting crooked over time, use a couple of hangers spaced apart to use with the wire, or use mirror hangers (d-rings) on the back of artwork (drill required). If you don’t take these precautions, you will be constantly straightening pictures. In general, avoid pencil marks on wall by using blue painter’s tape. If no painter’s tape is available, cheap vodka and a paper towel works well to remove scuffing and pencil marks from light, or white walls.

The salon-style hang is a sophisticated way to display all the things you collect and love, whether it’s an installation over your desk, or over your bathtub. Head over to Pinterest to see a few more DIY examples.

Interview with Ashleigh Foster on Plant-Based Diets and Eco-Friendly Beauty Products

Ashleigh Foster is a filmmaker, a new mom, and a proponent of plant-based diets and eco-friendly beauty products. Ashleigh, a Hockaday alum, writes a lovely, inspiring blog called “I Spy the Beautiful,” that covers everything from the story of her daughter’s home birth, to her favorite vegan recipes. Keep reading to pick up a green smoothie recipe, directions for a DIY sea salt hair spray, and useful tips on transitioning into a vegan diet.

Twyla Shelmire: What is the difference between a vegan diet, a raw diet, and a plant-based diet?

Ashleigh Foster: A plant-based diet is the broadest term and it just means that you try and base most of your meals around plant foods: vegetables, grains, legumes, etc. This has become a very popular term with all of the recent research suggesting that a diet largely comprised of plants is the healthiest long-term approach.

A vegan diet has more of an ethical basis. It excludes all products that are derived from animals, so any meat, poultry or fish but also and dairy products, eggs, even honey isn’t considered vegan.

A raw diet means you’re not cooking anything and are eating a lot of raw vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. Some people choose to include animal products in a raw diet—raw fish and raw (unpasteurized) dairy, which is why you will hear people describe themselves as “raw vegan” to specify that they are both raw and vegan.

TS: Have you always been vegan? Was there someone or something that inspired you to make the transition, or did it just make you feel better?

AF: I wasn’t raised vegan at all and it has been a very slow transition for me. About seven years ago I was struggling with on going depression and just general lethargy. I didn’t wake up with energy in the morning and I just sort of went through life feeling tired. I began to really look at the connection between what I was eating and my energy. As I transitioned towards a healthier diet, I felt better and better. I lost weight. My skin cleared up. My energy increased.

You’ll get a lot of people telling you that making these kinds of big changes to your diet is extreme. They say that like it’s a bad thing. But I love extremity. I’m not about balance at all. I don’t believe in it. The thing that I see is that the place we have gotten to culturally with our food choices is extreme. You know what’s extreme to me? Hot Cheetos. I was drinking a green smoothie in front of a girl eating a bag of hot Cheetos once and she told me it looked weird. Her fingers were dyed BRIGHT ORANGE! It only makes sense that we’re going to have to take some extreme measures in order to get back to a place that is more natural if we want to feel good.

I didn’t go vegan right away, that part came last. When you start feeling better you’ll want to do good things for the world and you’ll start really looking at the effect your choices have on the world. You’ll start caring about things more because you’re becoming more connected to yourself and that is always going to connect you more to the planet. So eating vegan as much as possible just becomes what you want to do because you want to be more loving and compassionate. And I don’t want people to think it’s so out of reach either, you don’t have to be perfect at it, I’m definitely not. But you just keep aiming to be compassionate in your choices and it ends up being amazing for your health and for the planet.

TS: What are some common misconceptions about being vegan or eating all raw?

AF: I think one of the biggest problems is that people feel it’s inaccessible. They hear vegan or raw and they think “Oh I could never do that”. And that’s a huge mistake because this is not about perfection, nothing is. This is just about learning and growing. So I’d encourage people to go vegan for one day a week. Eat a raw breakfast in the morning (a green smoothie for example). See how you feel. Just keep moving in a positive direction. People get overwhelmed and it immobilizes them into not making any changes and that’s sad. Even little changes will add up in an amazing way.

The other huge misconception is that eating healthy has to taste bad or be miserable. If it tastes bad, you’re not doing it right. Granted, there does need to be a transition period where you’re getting used to new flavors. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that your tastebuds are constantly changing. If you give yourself 3 weeks to get used to things you’re going to find a whole new palette of foods that appeal to you. Then the harder work can happen of letting go of some of our emotional connections to foods that are unhealthy because your Grandmother fed you donuts every time you saw her and she really loved you so now when you eat donuts you feel loved. You can start to see those things and rewrite those thoughts in your head. The truth is, you are loved. Grandma loved you. It had nothing to do with the donuts. And then you can start to believe that you deserve to be healthy and to feel good. Once that happens, there’s no holding back.

TS: When you are cooking certain dishes or putting together juices, is it intuitive what ingredients to use, or do you work from a cookbook?

AF: This is the most fun thing and something that I really love is that once you become familiar with a new palette of foods to cook with you can get really creative, especially when you’re cooking raw because you can taste exactly what is coming out as you go. I make a lot of stuff up as I go. But I love to use cookbooks too and often will flip through them for inspiration. One thing I’ve learned that I use a lot is that we are most satisfied by a balance of flavors. We’re looking for something salty, sweet, acidic, and fatty all at once. If you think of your favorite foods, most of them have all four of those going on at once. That’s where you get chocolate chip cookies with sea salt on top. Chocolate is a little acidic. Cookies have sugar and butter. And then you add some salt and it’s like tastebud crack. When I’m making any dish, I always try and remember that.

TS: What are some of your favorite foods, dishes, and juices?

AF: A favorite salad dressing of mine is cashew butter, sage, garlic and lemon juice with a little salt. It feels super indulgent because it has all of those components I just mentioned that your mouth is looking for. You can use that as a template for making your own dressings. Pick a nut butter, your favorite herbs, some garlic, and lemon. Blend that with a little water and maybe some maple syrup if you want it a little sweeter. That’s a great dressing in so many combinations. I love tahini + ginger or almond butter + basil. The options are endless.

I love doing that, creating a sort of template to experiment within. I make a ton of green smoothies by combining frozen fruit, fresh fruit, light greens and dark greens with a liquid. I think people can sometimes be scared to experiment because they don’t want to get it wrong, so having a guide can help. For smoothies you want to use about the same amount of frozen fruit, fresh fruit, and light greens, with about half that amount of dark greens. Add liquid like coconut water or almond milk until the consistency is what you like. My favorite is frozen banana, ripe banana, coconut water, and kale. In that one I leave out the light greens completely. It’s not an exact science. Don’t overdo it on the dark greens or you wont want to drink it. My sister makes green smoothies that look like swamp water because she thinks that is healthier and then she won’t drink them. Make it taste good and you’ll do it over and over again.

TS: Do you stick to non-toxic beauty products? If so, what are some of your favorite brands or products? 

AF: I really believe in non-toxic beauty products. You absorb everything that goes on your skin. Not only that but those products that get rinsed off in the shower get into our water system and wreak havoc on our whole ecosystem. My favorite beauty products are no products at all. Our bodies are beautiful. Our imperfections are straight up beautiful. I try to wear make up as little as possible. Maybe a few times a year. I know some people find it fun but I find it fun to feel healthy and glowing from the inside out. If you really feel good inside and you’re treating your body right, your skin is going to be healthy and your hair will shine and your eyes will just glow. People are going to notice and more than that, you’re going to radiate from the inside out. Make up is just trying to make people look healthier. Covering blemishes, creating brighter eyes, giving cheeks a flush. It’s all designed to give the appearance of health but I say just go for the real thing.

My skin care routine is really basic. I rinse with water and exfoliate with scrubby gloves daily. If my skin is getting a little dry in colder weather I will use a little bit of moisturizer. I use Detox Moisturizer by Sonya Dakar. When I do use makeup, my absolute favorite brand is RMS, which is created by a woman who did makeup for Victoria Secret models for a long time. They’re all based in coconut oil and she has a great really natural color palette. Definitely check them out. There’s a store called Evolue that only carries really awesome products that are all good for the environment and your skin. You can check them out online. Oh also, I LOVE the Weleda citrus deodorant. It’s the best natural one out there. A lot of natural deodorants don’t work. That one smells fantastic and it works.

TS: Do you have any DIY beauty recipes you’d like to share? Or do you keep any specific kitchen ingredients on hand for beauty purposes?

AF: The one thing I’ve had fun making myself is a sea salt hair spray that can give you those beachy waves. I’ve seen it sold by different hair product lines. It’s really easy to make. You basically simmer 16 oz of water on the stove and add about 1/3 c of sea salt until it dissolves. Then cool the water and add 10 drops of lavender essential oil. I add a few drops of coconut oil, maybe like an 1/8^th of a teaspoon just to give a tiny bit of shine. Let it cool and store it in a spray bottle. If you spray it on damp hair, it’ll give you that beachy look of being out at the ocean. I have curly hair and it works great. I’m not sure what it would do on straight hair.

I keep Epsom salts around for some great hot baths. I love to add some essential oils of lavender or chamomile to the water. I use jojoba oil to moisturize because I don’t really like to use coconut oil, which a lot of people love. Jojoba oil is a really mild seed oil that you can add scented oils to if you want. I always keep some castor oil around which is great for healing cuts or dry patches of skin. If I want to feel absolutely fantastic, I take a long hot bath and then shave. Then I rinse off in a cool shower and exfoliate with scrubby gloves. Then I get out and immediately use jojoba oil to moisturize my arms and legs and neck, etc. I put some moisturizer on my face. Comb my hair and spray with the salt spray and then brush my teeth and put on comfy pajamas. You will feel like a million bucks. Clean from head to toe and absolutely naturally gorgeous, which I guarantee you are.

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Interview with Mary Helen Bowers, Founder of Ballet Beautiful

Courtesy of Ballet Beautiful

Have you ever wondered how the Victoria’s Secret Angels get so toned? Or how Natalie Portman reached tip-top dancing shape for her role in blockbuster film Black Swan? The secret to both is Mary Helen Bowers, former New York City Ballet dancer, Columbia University graduate, and founder of fitness sensation Ballet Beautiful.

Ballet Beautiful is a transformative system of exercises based on the athleticism and grace of classical ballet. This workout is not made up of traditional ballet sequences per se, but is a system of exercises that target these same “ballet” muscles to sculpt and lengthen the body. From Dallas, tap into the world of Ballet Beautiful through live class via online platform, customized workout subscriptions, and a whole range of streaming videos and DVDs.

Ballet Beautiful is the perfect workout for dancers and non-dancers alike. This workout is a great option for those who are overwhelmed by the gym, and dislike the group fitness environment. Read on to learn more about Ballet Beautiful, and get some inside tips from Mary Helen on wellness and beauty tips to practice in 2015.

Courtesy of Ballet Beautiful

Twyla Shelmire: For people who haven’t done Ballet Beautiful before, how should they get started? Is there a certain DVD you would suggest?

Mary Helen Bowers: We have an amazing subscription, called Custom Workout. You purchase the subscription and get instant access to everything. You go in, you plug in how much time you have, what your fitness goals are, and then you’re off to the races. The subscription gives you full access to our online library so you have access to over 50 videos. We built them into really customized workouts for people, so you can update and change as you go based on your needs and how much time you have and things like that. So that’s a great way to use the workouts. As for DVDs, the classic DVD bundle on our website, the 60-minute, and the Body Blast are great places to start if you’re a DVD user. We have a new one coming out this January, so that will be fun, too.

Coming to the Ballet Beautiful online store the week of January 20th

TS: If you have a certain DVD and love it, would you suggest mixing it up? How often should you be using Ballet Beautiful to see results?

MHB: I would say once a week is not enough, you really need to Ballet Beautiful workouts three hours a week to see a change. And when you do that, the workout is really targeted, and I created it to deliver results because that is what fitness is all about. It’s not just about feeling better and feeling stronger, but I really want people to see a change in their body and the way their muscles are shaped, and a change you can measure visually. We recommend a minimum of three hours of Ballet Beautiful a week – if you want to mix in other workouts you can, but it’s going to change you result. This workout is geared to your ballet muscles, it’s lengthening everything, it’s adding a lot of lean muscle tone. So if you go in and are spinning or doing a workout where you’re lifting heavy weights and doing lots of squats, exercises where you’re building lots of muscle, in the side for example and the arms, bulky muscles that make you look more dense and short, that’s going to make it harder to see what Ballet Beautiful can really do.

TS: What are some key words for how your body is going to change when you start targeting those ballet muscles?

MHB: For most people, everything is going to tighten, lift, and elongate as well. Generally it’s your best butt and legs ever. It improves posture for most people too.

TS: For people who have become lazy over the holidays, what tips do you have for easing back into a healthy routine – whether that’s fitness, eating, or just motivation?

MHB: For getting back in, I think it’s important not to get too obsessive over how far you have to go, just jump in and take it one workout at a time, one week at a time, and then it doesn’t feel as overwhelming. Focus more on each workout, having fun and feeling good, and not “Oh my gosh, I have so much to do.” I think it’s about getting to a place where you’re exercising regularly and it’s part of your life, you’re eating better and not on a rollercoaster that a lot of us are on or have been on at one point.

TS: I read on your website that during your time Columbia University you took a break from dancing for a while. Do you have any tips specifically for dancers about how to get back into fitness or working out even if it might not involve dancing?

MHB: I think when you have been dancing a lot, your body has just been so used to movement, and being active and keeping those muscles in use. It can be physically quite a shock when you stop moving, but for me it was really about finding a way to reconnect with my body and with those muscles that I knew and was so familiar with from dancing, and trying to find a way to do it on my own terms, on my own time and from the privacy of home. I think I’m stronger now than when I was dancing with New York City Ballet, I’m definitely leaner and I have a much more relaxed relationship and healthier one with my body too.

TS: Do you have any foods or snacks that you like to eat throughout the day or after a workout that are both healthy and keep you energized?

MHB: I think it’s important to eat foods that make you feel good. I just had a piece of cheap Christmas chocolate we have here in the studio and it made me feel really sick! Sometimes if you want something, just make sure it’s really high quality – dark chocolate for example. And with cheese, I try not to eat cheap, processed cheese, but save it up for a really lovely cheese from France or a sharp, sharp cheddar and things like that so you’re satisfying your craving in a way that helps you maximize.

TS: Your hair always looks so good in your videos – what are your favorite products, and do you have any tips for keeping your hair healthy?

MHB: With ballet, I feel like it’s really tough on the hair because you’re always pulling it back super tight, so I try not to use rubber bands, I only use them when I’m filming and I need my hair to be secure. So I try to baby my hair quite a bit, and limit the use of pulling it back super tight with rubber bands and things that pull on it and damage it. And in terms of care, I take my vitamins and try to use my shampoos and conditioners. I love the Seaberry line from Fresh, it’s a nice moisturizing, nourishing line. And I think what we eat has a big outward impact on us as well.

TS: Do you have any skincare products that you love and depend on?

MHB: I’m really obsessed with the facials at Ling lately, and they have a very nice skincare line, it’s not inexpensive, but I feel that it’s totally affordable, they have a very hydrating toner that I use after I wash my face, and a really nice face mask that I sleep in a lot. I also love the Honey Face Mask from Fresh, that’s a great one. I use that all the time, whenever I take a bath at night.

TS: What is your post-workout skincare routine?

MHB: I don’t touch my skin throughout the day – I try not to touch it, or put my hands on it. I try to leave it alone and let it be balanced, but I also don’t wear a lot of makeup because I want my skin to breathe during the day. I only wear concealer under my eyes and a little cream blush, and maybe a highlighter under my brows.

TS: Do you have any DIY beauty recipes you rely on? 

MHB: Mostly facemasks, hair masks, especially when you have long hair just are so much more involved. I love hot baths with Epson salts as a soak, and then you can wear a facemask then – so that’s a really good way to multitask. I don’t do a lot of professional beauty treatments because I don’t have the time, so I’m a big fan of DIY to take care of your skin and stuff like that.

TS: Having been a professional ballerina, were there any makeup tricks that you learned backstage that you still use today for everyday wear?

MHB: I’m not wearing false lashes on a daily basis, or ever really, but you become very comfortable with wearing heavier makeup, with liquid liner and things like that. So those are skills you can always pull out when you need a more dramatic look.

TS: Congratulations on the launch of Ballet Baby! Are there any upcoming Ballet Beautiful developments we should keep our eyes peeled for?

MHB: We are releasing a new cardio DVD so that’s very exciting, and that’s coming out in late January!

Source: Ballet Beautiful Instagram, photo by Sonja Georgevich.

Stay current with Ballet Beautiful via Instagram: @balletbeautiful 

Written for DFW Beauty Guide