Tags: Creative Collaborations in Manila Philippines Arts & Crafts Lifestyle Blog Lifestyle Blogger Lifestyle Blogger in Manila Philippines Meg Hernandez Meghann Hernandez Metro Mom Mommy blogger Mommy blogger in Manila Philippines motherhood painting Tutti Vishendas Tutti Vishendas Galang
Step into style with slip-ons made exclusively yours by Tutti Vishendas. In between mothering and a full-time career, this beauty is channeling the artist in her by customizing classy everyday footwear with her original illustrations and brushwork.
“Painting is something I would always consider my foremost love,” shared Tutti. “I was only five when I started painting and doing public art exhibits. So, somehow, you can no longer to take that part away from me. I would paint anything from portraits to landscape or still life (except airplanes, which I’m never good at). Flora will always be a favorite subject.”
“I ventured into painting slip-ons when I found the pair of slippers I was wearing rather ho-hum. It was so plain and I thought, ‘Why not turn it into an everyday, wearable piece of art by splashing colors onto it?’”
Those who follow fashion and lifestyle news would know this is a trend that is fast becoming a favorite in personalizing style purchases, next to monograms and signature statements.
However, what makes Tutti’s designs different and unique are her visual style and aesthetics.
“I’m into vanitas painting. I combine the real, ideal, and symbolic in one artwork. It shows the transience of life and inevitability of death, how everything else is ephemeral. This has been a famous way of art back in the 17th century more popularized in Netherlands —a country I’ve always dreamt of visiting because of its deep love for visual art. I’m taking after the masterpieces of Jan Brueghel the Elder and Henri Fantin-Latour for the flower patterns. You would notice how the flowers I paint on every pair seem so alive, yet fleeting. I immortalize them with waterproof, permanent leather or acrylic paint.”
Her creative process actually starts with overseeing the production of the footwear.
“A pair of slip-ons takes about a week to finish from the slipper factory itself. Once fully made, I start working on several leather swatches first, testing textures and colors against each other. I prefer doing this in complete isolation. I can finish a pair anywhere from an hour to four, depending on my mood, the current weather (best to paint during rainy afternoons), or how intricate the details are. Most clients understand how an artist needs enough space and time to create an original artwork.”
“Usually, clients pick the color and style of the slip-ons’ straps, and they just let me to do what my hands can do. While a client can request her preferred pattern, the overall design is really 90% up to me.”
“No two pairs are ever the same. I can work on a similar pattern for two or more pairs but the details are totally different. It gives the owner a more personalized feeling, and the piece she wears will forever be an original.”
What’s next on her list?
“While it’s true that a painter can do so many things with just paint and a brush, I’d like to focus more on wearable pieces women can use for work, leisure, and daily grind. I’m currently working on anything that’s paint-able: leather, canvass, glass, woven pieces. Right now, there are about 20 pairs of slip-ons on my production list. Since starting this project, middle of this year, I have already worked on over 25 pairs. Aside from putting together a capsule collection, I’m also working on designer handbags sent in by clients for a more original look.”
Interested parties may contact Tutti Vishendas through Facebook and Instagram for more details.
—
Story also published on my Metro Mom column in Edge Davao newspaper.
