| Step into a Work of Art |
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| Written by Cher Schaeper | ||||||||||
| Sunday, 17 April 2011 06:32 | ||||||||||
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Step into a Work of Art She doesn’t need a canvas to paint a pretty portrait - just your favorite pair of heels! See how this local artist turns shoes into gallery-worthy works of art that are so fun, you’ll want to take them to the street! 
We don’t need another justification to own more shoes. They are, after all, as essential as lipstick. A great pair of pumps make us feel beautiful in every, and sometimes painful, stride we take in life. But rather than adding the ninth pair of black, peep-toe pumps to your collection (I know-they’re totally different than the other eight), Cincinnati artist Robin Ewers offers us a perfect, one-of-a kind excuse to expand our collection with a pair of her custom-painted shoes. Ewers, an artist since childhood, grew up watching the black and white films starring her favorite icon, Audrey Hepburn. She developed a love of classic, simple glamour and five years ago, began painting large-scale portraits of the Hollywood screen gems and other icons. It wasn’t until two years ago when her boyfriend suggested she try taking her skills to her heels and begin custom-painting shoes (a man who encourages your talent and your love of shoes? Keep him!). Her first prototype stopped women in their tracks to complement the unique work of art. She didn’t think much beyond saying “thank you,” until the word-of-mouth requests started to pour in. She realized she could make this new hobby into  a viable business venture. And after spending the last five years behind a desk with a graphic design job, Ewers was laid-off, allowing her to pick up the paint brush full-time and make her vision a reality.“Everything happens for a reason and losing my job was a blessing in disguise,” says Ewers. “It gave me a chance to explore what I really wanted to do-create classic-beauty inspired art people will be proud to wear.” So how can you get your feet in an original r.ewers design and make your friends wish they wore the same shoe size? First, you need to select the pair of shoes you’d like to be painted. Ewers recommends selecting a pair in leather-either solid black or white - as they tend to be the easiest, cleanest materials to paint. Ewers paints the image on the back of the left shoe, so as not to mar the perfection of Audrey or Marilyn while using your “driving foot.” No worries though if your beauty gets a blemish, as Ewers offers free touch ups! And if you choose to channel a more modern icon, Ewers will take any design request. It’s completely up to you and your style! Your custom kicks will cost anywhere from $100-$150, but rates will vary depending on the level of detail involved. Ewers is hot on the red-soled heels of designer Christian Louboutin, with hopes of one day working for him and collaborating on a collection, so invest in a pair of these painted beauties now. But for the time being, luckily for our pocketbooks, Ewers will focus on expanding her own brand locally. To learn more about Ewers and to see examples of her work, visit her Web site. PHOTO CREDITS
First Photo
Model: Robin Ewers
Second Photo
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| Last Updated on Sunday, 17 April 2011 19:22 | ||||||||||
