You
saw her on the cover of issue 3 of Bachelor Pad Magazine.
Odds are, you've seen her on a lot of other magazine covers too. Sabina
Kelley was recently named by AskMen.com as the #2
modern pin-up model out there (behind only Dita Von Teese).
To say Kelley is one of the most popular and most in demand
modern pin-up gals is a bit of an understatement. This gal has gone supersonic.
He are happy to add her to our list of Modern Femme Fatales.
Below is an exclusive interview with this pin-up all-star!
* * * * *
(Interview from July 2008)
Java's Bachelor Pad: Everyone loves the "Sabina Shows You Her
Bongos" photos from Bachelor
Pad Magazine 3. Did you have fun doing those photos? How was
that photo session like? You work with photographer Les
Slenning a lot. How is it working with her? Who comes
up with the ideas?
Sabina Kelley: Lesley and I had a lot of fun
shooting "Sabina Shows You Her Bongos." We were not 100% how we were
gonna shoot this set, so this shoot did not have a lot of planning in it.
Which sometimes turns out to be my best photos. The shoot lasted about
4 hours with hair and makeup. I did my own makeup and Candace Campbell
did my hair. Actually Lesley is one of my best friends so anytime
we shoot it is a lot of fun. Except for more than half of the time we are
screwing around. It is really hard for me to take shooting with her serious.
We are always goofing off. Lesley probably has more pictures of
me doing stupid stuff than real pictures that we can use. Ha ha! Everyone
thinks we shoot all the time and we should since we live in the same town
and are such great friends, but we don't. We are both just crazy busy.
I think In 3 years I have only shot with Lesley 5 times. Both of
us come up with the ideas for shoots. We collaborate so we are both on
the same page and happy with what we are gonna shoot.
JBP: You've been on the Pin-up scene for a while now. How did
you get started? Who are your influences?
SK: Yes, I've been a professional Pin-up Model for 6 and a
half years now. I got started by accident. I was asked by a friend to shoot
for the Cover of Car Kulture Deluxe Magazine Issue #5. It was one of my
first real Pin-up shoot, and I did amazing and fell in love with it.
From there everything kind of fell into place and snowballed into what
I am today. My influences are Bettie Page
and Dita Von Teese.
JBP: Let's talk about your full-sleeve tattoos. What designs
are on them? When did you get them done? The thing I like about you is
your tattoos don't detract from your overall glamour and Pin-up look. Talk
about your own Pin-up look. What is your Pin-up Philosophy? What makes
a good Pin-up like you?
SK: I have two full sleeves of tattoos. My left arm is all
Traditional work. My right arm is all Japanese. I also have the back of
my neck tattooed and my knuckles. I started getting tattooed 10 years ago.
I slowly got tattooed. I never rushed to get any of them. When I started
out as a Pin-up Model none of the other Pin-ups had tattoos, or if they
did they were tiny ones that you did not notice. A lot of photographers
did not want to shoot me because of the tattoos, but I slowly made a name
for myself and proved to everyone what I could do. A lot of photographers
that wanted nothing to do with tattoos broke their rules for me after that.
Real Pin-ups back in the day did not have tattoos, so that was my unique
look as a modern day Pin-up. My Pin-up philosophy is follow your dreams
and be yourself. Don't follow any of the other Pin-up Models do what makes
you happy and keep moving forward and don't look back. What makes a good
Pin-up to me is someone who is unique, is friendly, and not a backstabber,
someone who has curves, personality, and their own style. Someone doing
something that no one else is doing in the scene, so you stand out.
JBP: What's your opinion on the current state of Pin-ups? Where
do you think it's going? Who do you admire?
SK: I think the current state of Pin-ups is getting huge.
I'm not sure if I like where it is going though. Everyone thinks they are
a Pin-up Model or a Pin-up Photographer. It is not as easy as putting on
vintage lingerie or cutting bangs, or just picking up a camera. Pin-up
modeling and photography has a lot of style and is not easy to do, if your
doing it right. I hope Pin-up is going more mainstream. That is kind of
what I'm trying to push for. I admire a lot of Pin-up Models. I love
Dita Von Teese, Heidi Van Horne,
Dayna Delux, and Kay O Hara,
just to name a few. Honestly I don't know a lot of the new Pin-up Models.
JBP: It's hard to look at a news stand without seeing you on
the cover of some magazine or another (Bachelor Pad Magazine
included). To say you're in demand right now is a bit of an understatement.
What drives you?
SK: My dreams drive me! I want to do anything and everything
I want to do. I don't let anyone or anything stand in my way.
JBP: You once were a Vegas Showgirl and now you do Burlesque.
Talk about your performances and how you fit that into your Pin-up lifestyle.
SK: Yes, I was a Las Vegas Showgirl at Bally's Hotel in Las
Vegas for 2 and half years. Now I'm currently a Burlesque Dancer. My Burlesque
shows are usually out of the country right now. I've been too busy modeling
to focus on shows here in the states. I am opening up my own Burlesque
Show at a Casino out here in Vegas though, by the end of the year. So,
I will be performing in the US. It's a big surprise what my dances are
gonna be, but I perform anything from a classic fan dance to a demented
zombie dance.
JBP: What projects are you working on?
SK: I have a lot of projects in the works. I have a 2009 Calendar
coming out in October, a 2nd edition of the Pin-up Playing Cards coming
out at the end of the year, I'm opening a Burlesque Show at one of the
Casino's in Vegas, I'm working on a TV Show, I have a new website in the
works, and there is a lot more surprises!
JBP: What does the future hold for Sabina?
SK: Hopefully a lot more success and happiness!!! I just want
to keep conquering my dreams one after another!!!
