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Participating as candlemaker and female screamer in Festifall 2 day event.
Participating as candlemaker and female screamer in Festifall 2 day event.
Winter 2014.
Booth during school fundraiser. Participants learned about colonial candle making and got to keep their candles.
Winter 2014.
Booth during school fundraiser. Participants learned about colonial candle making and got to keep their candles.
Cotton Ticking.
Spring 2018.
Here I took the original shortgown pattern I had used years earlier and modified it to fit tighter. I also flared the sleeves for a more youthful style.
Summer 2018. Fiber, Fabric (lace, polysilk, cotton, thread, found objects, cord), Found Objects. Life Size, 6 X 6 X 5 ft. Photographed at Pine Lakes, Myrtle Beach, SC.
This dress was the first Early Victorian dress I have ever made. I made it with reference and thorough research of the time, hovering around the 1850s and made the pattern in reference to my measurements. I did not use any form of "pre-made" pattern for this piece except for the one I created from my own body. It was important for me to get this dress to look and move as accurately as possible, so I made the 8-piece set of undergarments as well. I even corseted myself for this photograph. (I did not make the gloves, shoes, or corset). The inspiration for this piece came from a desire to bring to life what I had been studying so deeply. I enjoy sewing and am drawn to the early Victorian ball aesthetic, so creating the dress allowed me to begin to understand the culture as well.
The idea for this costume came from a collaboration conversation with my sister Leigh Marie who is fluent in musical theater. I have always wanted to work with the new spandex “mermaid scales” fabric. The final product is if the Broadway Musical The Little Mermaid was set in the 1920s. The model is Leigh Marie herself, and the location is the beautiful Cloister Hotel in Sea Island, Georgia.
Japanese kimonos with lined sleeves. Colors chosen based on spring nature of the Upstate SC area. Color combinations chosen from traditional Japanese color schemes. Pattern from Folkwear.
Handmade Kimonos, Obi, and Tabi sewn by me. Obi tying and hairstyles as authentic as possible. 3 different types of sleeves displayed on the kimonos.
Polysatin, brocade, buckrum, cotton knit, sewing notions.
Matcha tea being made and served. The ceramic bowl is a piece I made ca. 2017. Terra cotta, slip, green celadon glaze.
Fall 2018. Fiber, Porcelain Ceramic, Metal, 3D Printed PLA buttons, Glowforge laser-burned wood, plastic boning, Fabric (embroidery floss, upholstery fabric, cotton lining, cord, polyester fiberfill quilt batting)[plastic, cotton and metal hoops]. Lifesize, 4 X 4 X 4.5ft
This work came after The Dress and Armor. I wanted to incorporate my work with ceramics into my dressmaking. Ornamentation such as lace has been replaced by porcelain tile work overlay, 3D printed wrapped buttons, and laser-burned wooden elements. The 3D printer and Glowforge allowed me to incorporate contemporary contemporary art making methods into the design. The tiles transcend historical and contemporary art and craft traditions. By replacing the lace, these tiles provide protection to the wearer, symbolizing the hardships of this era, especially for a woman, but are also heavy; beautification can be burdensome.
Spring 2018. Earthenware ceramic tiles, metal mesh wire, cord, acrylic, rub'n'buff, cotton, polyester, fiber->material, elastic, 3D printed PLA fixtures. Lifesize, 14x11x50 inches
This outfit is comprised of 212 sprig mould pressed tiles that have been sewn together and are worn on top of two fiber garments. This combines inspiration from women's clothing throughout history as well as my contemporary ideas. The first garment has a drop waist, incorporating 1920's fashion. The second uses the sleeves and neckline of an ancient Ionic chiton dress. The fibulae are replaced with 3D printed elements that are in the shape of a speech bubble. The sleeve ends in a long, pointed tail, harkening back to the Gothic houppelande. The empire waist of the Neoclassical era is included in the sheer second layer as well. It is finished at the bottom with the sultana skirt designed by Paul Poiret in 1910s. These layers represent the delicate, fragile nature with which a woman is described. The next layer, the tiles, show the strength and power the woman has. This layer also incorporates elastic flip-flop sandals and a headband. These tiles are painted with blues, creams, and metallics to create movement adding to the rippled texture on each tile. There are about 5 different tile patterns used. This tile armor consists of a skirt piece and a breast plate.
The inspiration of this dress comes from my love and heavy research of women's dress throughout history. I took elements that would work in an interesting way with one another and paired them with a rich and heavy contemporary armor to create a new contemporary work that remembers the past.
