Kate Proulx for Faux-Beau » My Life

Kickstart my Heart

Kathryn Proulx — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:21:13 +0000

I went to a motorcycle show at the Javitz this last weekend. Motorcyclist Magazine’s century retrospective, aptly named “Century of Motorcycling” was super rad… one awesome vintage motorcycle to represent each decade. Crazy to think that the magazine has been around for 100 years.

1. Indian Larry Motorcycle gang jacket
2. Indian Motorcycles logo
3. Custom 1970 TriFlyer
4. 1968 Yamaha DT1 Enduro
5. A Harley Davidson from the 1910s
6. Arguably racist Indian Motorcycles fender ornament

Professor?

Kathryn Proulx — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:16:26 +0000

Holy crap, you guys—I have a new feather to put in my cap: college professor. I’m teaching Web Design 1 this semester at Parsons and my first class was this morning. I was feeling pretty Professor Frink today but I’m hoping as things progress I’ll work out the kinks and get a better handle on the public speaking side of things. It’s going to be super challenging to articulate and teach a subject that I started teaching myself 10 years ago but I’m up for the challenge… and I think I’ll learn quite a bit in the process, too! Definitely weird to be on the other side of the table. Here goes nothing…

Kate Dresses Like: A Boy/Someone Trying to Get Shit Done

Kathryn Proulx — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:25:17 +0000

I Spent this past Sunday art directing portraits of derby athletes for a freelance gig I’m working on. I jumped in and took some photos before breaking down our makeshift studio.

Hat: Used Sock Condom
Selvedge Denim Shirt – RRL
Striped Shirt – Thrift
Black Denim – J Brand 912 in Shadow
Brown Leather Boots – Ronnie Fieg x Sebago Abenaki Boot

Beautiful & Sunny California

Kathryn Proulx — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:00:43 +0000

Spending the holidays following Josh’s band cross-country meant I found myself in beautiful & sunny Los Angeles, CA to ring in the new year. I had only been once before and only for a few days, so it was nice to spend more time and get a feel for the place. Here’s a few snaps I took while I was visiting.

1. Palm Trees on Sunset Blvd
2/3. These French Bulldogs (FBDs) Knuckles & Bella gave me so much loving.
4. Josh at breakfast
5. Los Angeles has the best mid-century sans-serif type EVERYWHERE.
6. Josh doing cool stuff.
7. Some kind stranger left a $5 winning lottery ticket on the ground for Jazzi and I!
8. When this photo was taken it was 18 degrees on the east coast. I’m wearing shorts in January.
9. Jazzi and her homeboy making magic.
10. I was surprised there is a HUGE celebrity church of Scientology. Freaky!
11. How the amateurs in LA package bagels was absurd to me.
12. Taking it easy… in a tree.

Wanna see em bigger? Tough noogies! You can follow me on instagram: @proulxsie.

Thanks again to Jazzi for putting me up for the 2nd half of my trip, showing me a great time, and driving me all over the place.

American Nightmare Reunion Shows in Boston & LA

Kathryn Proulx — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:07:56 +0000

When we started dating, I knew Josh had been in this hardcore band but I never thought I’d see the day that they’d play again. But they did, and that was how I spent my holiday… and it was awesome.

Photos by Alvin Carrillo and Rebecca Reed

HUGE Holiday

Kathryn Proulx — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:31:03 +0000

Last week was HUGE’s annual holiday party. We celebrated inside the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower—a gorgeous former bank built in the 1920s. Here’s a few snaps from the photobooth.

.22 Caliber

Kathryn Proulx — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:16:57 +0000

Last week a few of my coworkers from HUGE and I went to the Westside Rifle & Pistol Range to shoot rifes and have some fun. I thought it was going to go the way of motorcycle class (read: I’d have unexplainable anxiety and go home feeling like a total chump) but I loved it! Possibly a little too much?

A full round of bulls-eyes! Thanks for taking photos, Mike!

Brooklyn’s Own Come-Back Kid

Kathryn Proulx — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:24:26 +0000

So what have I been doing in the the last year and a half or so that I haven’t been posting here? In short; working hard, moving back to New York, and still loving roller derby. Let’s go back, way back, and I’ll tell you about it from the beginning:

In May 2010, after practicing for 6 months, I finally played my first derby game with the CT RollerGirls. Around the same time I presented my senior thesis, graduated from Parsons with a BFA, and started a full time internship at HUGE.

After a lifetime of being thin and lanky, derby finally gave me some muscles (and a butt!). I loved the changes in my body, my confidence, and my outlook.

In August 2010 HUGE offered me a full-time position as an Associate Visual Designer. I was loving my internship so I was very happy to know that I didn’t have to leave. The job offer and daily commuting on Metro North promted me to move back to New York (Greenpoint, Brooklyn, specifically) for a fourth time. Alone. Moving meant no more roller derby in Connecticut. So I played my fourth and final game with the Yankee Brutals in August, too.

I went on a road trip to Michigan and Chicago in September, I turned 22 in October, and then November crept up. I shaved my head, and started what ended up being a 2-month tryout process for Gotham Girls Roller Derby.

My roommate talked me over the edge, and documented the entire head-shaving thing.

Christmas and New Years came and went. If finding full-time employment at an incredible agency was my greatest accomplishment of 2010, making Gotham in February was my greatest accomplishment this year. I tried out with over 120 other girls, and in the end they took 11. It felt awesome.

Similarly to a debutante ball, Gotham has a derbytaunt ball to introduce their new skaters.

By the end of May I had played my first game with the Manhattan Mayhem, worked on the concept work for what would be a project that would last the rest of 2011 at work, gotten my motorcycle permit, took a class to learn how to ride a motorcycle (but didn’t end up getting my licsence due to nerves), and participated in the TechCrunch hackathon (my first!) with my friend Dave. We won some money with our hack, too!

I didn’t know it at the time, but June saw me play my last game on Gotham before I had to quit mid-season like a jerk due to the derby/work/life imbalance. It was definitely the most difficult decision of my year.

I played my last derby games at East Coast Derby Extravaganza, a weekend full of derby that happens every year just outside of Philly. Cougars vs. Kittens pitted me against players over 30! (We won.)

When I wasn’t working, I spent the rest of my summer going to Fort Tilden, jumping into rivers, skating Summer Streets, riding on the back of boy’s motorcycles and getting tattooed.

Left: A Self-Portrait Project photo from Summer Streets. Right: Not my cafe racer.

September saw me get a little TOO into painting my nails and experimenting with nail art and in October I celebrated my 23rd birthday and dressed up as rosie the riveter for Halloween.

Above: My best friend as black swan! Below: Misfits halloween party photo by Jay Reason.

In November I redesigned my blog (you’re reading it right now!), traveled to Vermont, and made travel plans to go to Los Angeles for New Years. I also watched Brooklyn win their first Gotham championship title, and watched Gotham take home the hydra in the WFTDA championships. New York finally feels like home and I can’t wait for the new year. I’m hoping 2012 will be just as great, if not better.

Getting weird in the midwest

Kathryn Proulx — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:00:45 +0000

Photos by Shelley Mintz

Two weeks ago my roommate Shelley and I took a road trip out to Chicago by way of Michigan. I had been borrowing my brother’s pick-up truck since he moved away for college when I was a Junior in high school. When I finally moved back to Brooklyn in August it seemed about time to return it to him. Drive out, fly back—that was the plan.

We left Brooklyn around 8pm on Thursday night. We reached Mercer, PA at around 3am. The first night of the trip was pretty uneventful in the grand scheme. In the morning we ate our hotel breakfast, took the scenic route back to Rt. 80, ate like queens at Cracker Barrel and were on our way to Michigan.

Michigan wasn’t originally part of our plan, that is, until I asked a friend from Michigan if he had any suggestions for things to do in Chicago. He didn’t. But he was having a house show on Friday night, and honestly a house show didn’t sound like a half-bad excuse to drive a few hours out of the way.

We packed up in the morning and Jon took us out to breakfast to Golden Harvest. It was hands down my favorite meal of the entire trip. If you ever find yourself in Lansing, Michigan you should find your way to Golden Harvest. Seriously.

The first night we got to Chicago we went to a Windy City Rollers game. I was super impressed by the venue and production—they even had WCR branded video displays that reminded me of Knicks and Rangers games at Madison Square Garden. Total venue envy.

Between shopping, architecture boat cruises, butterfly havens, and even a terrible yuppie bar we fit in as many of Chicago’s veggie restaurants as possible. I ate a vegan cinnamon roll at The Chicago Diner, a veggie stir fry at Pick Me Up Cafe, a breakfast burrito with soyrizo at Handlebar. All were delicious.

We made a handful of friends along the way, too. Friends of friends, friends from 4 years ago, friends we hadn’t met yet. Ian took us out to Pick Me Up Cafe, a book store, and a record store. I forget who but someone told us to go to Family Tattoo, and that’s how we found Matt. After getting tattooed (sorry, Mom) he came out and got a root beer at the bar with us and hung out for a while. He even took us to a rooftop for a nice midnight view of distant downtown Chicago. You should get tattooed by him if you’re ever in Chicago and into that sort of thing.

The trip was super rad, and the flight home was pretty uneventful. It was my first time ever going on vacation, coming home to New York and actually feeling that “Ah, it’s so good to be home.” feeling. The best feeling.

Bimbo Slice

Kathryn Proulx — Mon, 24 May 2010 01:31:30 +0000

So remember at the end of last year when I mentioned I was getting into roller derby? Well, since then I was inducted into the league, chose my new derby moniker (Bimbo Slice, if you were wondering), passed my WFTDA rules test, passed my scrimmage eval, and was drafted onto the B team, the Yankee Brutals. I’ve already played two games, and game three, against Central Mass Roller Derby is fast-approaching on June 5th. I’m psyched!

Trying to break through a group of blockers from Dutchland Blitz

Holding back a jammer from Garden State Roller Girls

Bonnie Voyage (she has the best derby name ever!) and I tag-teaming a Dutchland jammer.

I never thought I would stand a chance against some of the other girls who play derby, but what I’ve come to love about the sport is that there is that a girl of any shape or size can find her niche in the game. Nothing is more rewarding than putting all I’ve got into a hard practice, and seeing the results of my hard work pay off in a game or a scrimmage.