'Glamour, Gleam and Geisha' art exhibit to Studio DNA in Los Angeles, July 30

By April MacIntyre Jul 11, 2011, 4:19 GMT

Emmy award-winning makeup artist Melanie Mills brings her collaborative art exhibition to Studio DNA in Los Angeles on July 30.

Emmy award-winning makeup artist Melanie Mills brings her collaborative art exhibition to Studio DNA in Los Angeles on July 30.

The exhibit, 'Glamour, Gleam and Geisha,' is a celebration of the collaboration between (www.gleambymelaniemills.com), owner of Studio DNA, Aubrey Loots, (www.studiodnasalon.com) and photographer David Alley (www.davidalley.com).

On July 30, Studio DNA will host a preview party beginning at 7 PM, with some of LA's best Food Trucks, a wine bar and a complimentary Gleam Body Radiance skin bar.

On display are David Alley's remarkable photographs of Melanie Mills' art installation that she previously produced and showcased at Concept Los Angeles Fashion Week and Petra Gallerie of Los Angeles, unveiled at the salon.

Studio DNA salon is located at 7218 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036.

Melanie Mills' Team Gleam will be there to demonstrate and 'Gleam' up guests with the revolutionary new Gleam Body Radiance, a transfer-resistant, cruelty-free body makeup line she invented on the set of "Dancing with the Stars" that perfects skin in an instant for all skin colors.

The stunning Alley photographs are enlarged museum quality originals of Mills' vision of a glamorous Hollywood boudoir, brought to life in a three-dimensional setting.

“I wanted to create something beautiful taking inspiration from Hollywood, during the War years when Asian influences were seen in women's fashions, hair styles and makeup,” Mills said. "The composition is a modern twist on the lost art of glamour and feminine mystery, with beautifully tattooed women.”

Studio DNA's Aubrey Loots' retro Geisha hair design is also a focal point of the stunning images, and are yet another collaborative effort between Mills and Loots.  Mills' makeup and hair design Concept Fashion LA week partner is Loots' Studio DNA. 

David Alley's arresting art photography perfectly captured Mills' artistic vision, finished by Loots' period Geisha hair design. The images were shot on a Hasselblad  H2 camera with a Phase One 39 mp digital back. Alley's post production took about three hours per image. The prints were done on archival Fuji Flex high gloss paper. The mounting was laminated to plexiglass for an intense glossy finish.

Alley says, "The camera and digital back are important because the incredibly high resolution enables me to make large 3' x 4' prints with no loss in resolution.  The whole process is much like making a music CD. First you record the music (take the picture), then you do the mix (post-production Photoshop), and then you master the recording (print and mount the image). Each step in the process is critical. Any weak link can destroy the end result. That is the reason I am hands on through the entire process."

Studio DNA's Beverly location will exhibit David Alley's photographic work "The Modern Geisha" from mid July to mid September 2011.