088: Kella Lily talks about the Rococo show

As promised yesterday: I had a chance to talk with Kella Lily [kellalily.resident] about her recent experience working with Ronan Querrien-Mactavish as a model for his art installation, Rococo. The installation opens tomorrow (Saturday, December 6, 2014) and I had the privilege of a private tour last night. Here's my interview with Kella and the pictures!

[18:04] Rusty Redfield: okay! <click> I'm going to have to learn to work this damn thing better

[18:05] Rusty Redfield: I'm here with Kella {kellalily.resident} onsite at the Rococo exhibition of Ronan Querrien-Mactavish opening Saturday

[18:05] Rusty Redfield: thanks for coming to talk with me Kella!

[18:05] Kella (kellalily): It is my pleasure, Rusty

[18:05] Kella (kellalily): thank you for inviting me

[18:06] Rusty Redfield: So you are one of the models in this exhibition in an INCREDIBLE dress or two

[18:06] Rusty Redfield: And are you an old friend of Ronan's, or a professional model, or both?

[18:06] Kella (kellalily): Oh I know the dress is amazing..and Ronan made it look even better

[18:06] Kella (kellalily): Well we actually met on Facebook..every morning he would say hello to everyone and I loved his energy so I started saying hello back.

[18:07] Rusty Redfield: haha I know, we're both Canadian so we say hi to people <laughing>

[18:07] Kella (kellalily): Then one day he saw a picture I had taken and he revamped it so to speak and it was wonderful...and we just hit it off.

[18:07] Kella (kellalily): lol

[18:07] Rusty Redfield: did he bring out your inner model, or were you doing that already here?

[18:07] Ronan Querrien-Mactavish (ronan.mactavish): Kella is a 

professional photographer herself

[18:08] Rusty Redfield: ahhhhh!

[18:08] Kella (kellalily): I try, still learning everyday.. but I do love it.

[18:08] Rusty Redfield: I know I'm learning myself, and it involves a lot of self-portraits, so I think it's safe to assume you have modeling experience

[18:09] Kella (kellalily): actually for a few artists on here, but I never modelled 

professionally on SL.

[18:09] Rusty Redfield: and you did your own styling, bought the dress yourself, just to have some fun and contribute?

[18:10] Kella (kellalily): I did , bought the dress, styled it, and crossed my fingers and hoped Ronan woudl love it. *smiles*

[18:10] Rusty Redfield: oh it's amazeballs!

[18:10] Kella (kellalily): lol..well thank 

you so much

[18:10] Rusty Redfield: and did it take as many hours to get fitted as it looks?

[18:11] Ronan Querrien-Mactavish (ronan.mactavish): several days :P

[18:11] Rusty Redfield: LOL

[18:11] Kella (kellalily): Well shopping for the right hair to go with it took the most time..lol

[18:11] Kella (kellalily): and changing the 

skin tones, you know little things that make the outfit pop.

[18:11] Rusty Redfield: I've never shopped for this period, but I know how tough it is to get out-of-period looks, so, yeah, the hair would take a while

[18:11] Kella (kellalily): yes..smiles

[18:12] Rusty Redfield: so -- I'm not sure how to put this -- did you get an idea of what it would be like to really wear an amazing gown like that every day? Do you have any sympathy for Marie Antoinette? LOL

[18:13] Kella (kellalily): Ronan was very helpful , in that he knew what he wanted and was very specific in the styling...And yes..lol..I can't imagine wearing something like that all the time. Would be hot in real life and would take way too long to put on and of course take off..:)

[18:13] Rusty Redfield: yeah, from what little I know about the period, they didn't take them off much

[18:13] Rusty Redfield: so what was the shoot like? Hours and hours of standing still while Ronan got it juuuuuust right? LOL

[18:13] Kella (kellalily): Now that I could not handle, lol, I change clothing way too much on here to do that..lol

[18:14] Kella (kellalily): I am going to tell Ronan's secrets now...He knew what he wanted , had the idea in mind and I bet it took all of 15 minutes to get the shot..it was wonderful.

[18:14] Rusty Redfield: hahaha he brought you here to tell SOME secrets at least <laughing>

[18:15] Kella (kellalily): lol..of course..but my lips are sealed.

[18:15] Rusty Redfield: as a photographer, do you now have a different approach to using models?

[18:15] Rusty Redfield: or has this inspired your own work in any way?

[18:16] Kella (kellalily): Ronan inspired me a great deal, from the first time I saw his work. Everyone has a different style and his is unique. As far as models I have realized sometimes the quick snap turns out to be the keeper. And I think that is what happened in this situation.

[18:16] Rusty Redfield: that's what he was saying too.

[18:17] Rusty Redfield: sometimes it's just ... serendipity, right Ronan?

[18:17] Ronan Querrien-Mactavish (ronan.mactavish): I took like 20 or 30 snaps

[18:17] Rusty Redfield: <grin>

[18:17] Kella (kellalily): wow imagine that ..glances over at Ronan and we didn't even conspire to say that..lol

[18:17] Rusty Redfield: but there's usually one where everything was juuust right, amirite?

[18:17] Ronan Querrien-Mactavish (ronan.mactavish): lol

[18:17] Ronan Querrien-Mactavish (ronan.mactavish): oh yes.. the ones hanging

[18:17] Rusty Redfield: yeah, I can testify, no collusion ROFL

[18:17] Kella (kellalily): lol

[18:18] Rusty Redfield: do you know all the other models?

[18:18] Kella (kellalily): I don't..but I am looking forward to meeting them. I probably have many of them on my Facebook account and perhaps have even chatted with them, but I am not sure who the other models are that Ronan used.

[18:19] Ronan Querrien-Mactavish (ronan.mactavish): I photo each separately

[18:19] Rusty Redfield: you know, I actually think that makes it better -- lifts it a step above "let's get dressed up and take some pictures" -- this is real art!

[18:19] Kella (kellalily): exactly..smiles

[18:20] Rusty Redfield: well, I'm going to assume you had fun -- if someone reading this gets inspired to do a project like this, would you recommend it?

[18:20] gerard Reinoir is online.

[18:21] Kella (kellalily): I would definitely recommend it , it was great fun and everyday is a learning experience. I love watching others work at their craft and Ronan made that so wonderful.

[18:21] Rusty Redfield: and I think people reading this should be curious about these pictures -- what it took to create them, all the work .. so thanks for helping to bring them to see the art!

[18:21] Kella (kellalily): my pleasure Rusty..smiles

[18:22] Rusty Redfield: Kella, thanks so much for coming to talk with me. Any final comments you'd like to make? Any philosophy, or comments, or dirty stories? <grin>

[18:22] Ronan Querrien-Mactavish (ronan.mactavish): lol

[18:22] Rusty Redfield: <grin> I'm so about the dirty stories dude ROFL

[18:23] Kella (kellalily): lol, hmmm well I can tell dirty stories ..but will save that for another time.

[18:23] Rusty Redfield: but in this case I'll let you off Kella

[18:23] Rusty Redfield: okay! now, let me press the <click>

Sounds like fun to me, and I'll hope to get the dirty stories at a later date <smiling>.  Thanks again to Kella and Ronan for their time. I recommend to my readers that you go check out the show!