Karen Hsiao's Black Cherries

I'm finally getting around to posting some images of the finished art from Karen Hsiao's Black Cherries. These are just a few teaser images from the series we've been working on for quite some time now, and I'm very happy to be able to share them with you. 

It has been really cool to work these designs together with Karen - this kind of intense collaboration is a first for me. Usually my interactions are with a client for an individual item, and for a specific purpose. In this case we are sharing ideas back and forth, feeding off of different inspirations and each others' creativity. I feel like we could come up with an endless world of things to make... 

Another cool thing for me is getting to work with a girl that has a kinky side. It's true that most of my commissioned pieces I'm creating are for guys (or their girlfriends). Sometimes, I have thought that only guys are kinky, and the girls just tolerate it, or put up with it grudgingly. It's fun to work with a girl and talk about how hot this strappy kinky thing is going to be. There's a part of me that always feels self-conscious about pervy stuff, and I'm always referring to it as pervy or weird. But Karen just says, "It's not weird, it's beautiful!". I love that about her. 

Inspiration, design and fabrication are one thing. Then to then see what Karen does with my pieces through her photography, working with her models, the lighting and styling. She then takes the piece to a whole different level. So much of fetishism (to me) is visual, and these prints are just a feast for the eyes, and the mind. I love the quiet in most of the pieces. The interplay between exposure and enclosure, and the contrast between the flesh and red or black shiny leather. They're just so sensual... so much to love. 

There are plans in the works for limited-edition prints from this series, and they'll be available on Karen's website. I'll keep you posted when they do come out.