Studio Stitch Art

Craft Process in Contemporary Art

2011-12-09T11:05:00.001-05:00

Today, fiber related craft processes are commonly used in contemporary art practice. Yet the debate over craft versus art seems to always lurk in the shadows. What is craft and where it belongs in the art world is an inevitable discourse when discussion craft in contemporary art. Fiber related crafts such as knitting, weaving, sewing, and embroidery are all traditional based and were mainly practiced by women. I’ll be discussing works by artists who explore issues like social protest, gender, labor, and feminine stereotypes. The artists I will discuss works from are Dave Cole, Marianne Jorgensen, Orly Cogan, and Shelley Socolofsky. Each of these artists use craft not only as their process but have made it part of the meaning behind their work. The use of traditional craft methods in contemporary art is on the rise one reason can be because of the strong messages already embedded in material and process. How has the stigma surrounding craft based work effected how it is received in contemporary art? Today’s artistic craft practice is a relevant part of contemporary art and is recognized. I’ll be looking into 3 craft methods that relate to textile such as embroidery, knitting and weaving and artist who use these methods in a contemporary way and analyze how they fit in the art world and surpass the category of craft.

Historically the discourse considering craft as an art form states that craft must be a physical object made by hand using traditional methods and because of this it limits the art works aspect and meaning. (Metcalf 70) Bruce Metcalf states that “The craft world accepts the meanings of felt experience and the body, whereas the art world remains dedicated to meaning embedded in texts and discourse.”(Metcalf 80) How is it that craft making used in a traditional sense can’t have such meanings? In the past craft makers such as weavers, knitters or embroiders for example perfected their techniques and became masters of their craft. At the time these skills were not only traditional but also essential to life. The industrial revolution changed this around with the invention of machines. William Morris, a crafts man during Victorian era stated “… the automatic machine which supersedes hand labor, and turns the workman who was once a handicraftsman helped by tools, and next a part of a machine, into a tender of machines.”(Morris 150) Perhaps having their work become mass-produced tainted most crafts and possibly the cause for all these debates. Crafts slowly began to decline throughout the 20th century practiced mainly by housewives and hobbyists. Fast forward to the 21st century where machines are part of everyday production. In fact garments for instance are mass-produced to a point where we don’t know the individual who produced them, anonymity becomes the norm to something centuries ago would have been custom build and cherished. In that time custom crafted items were sought after, just like art is sought after today. Art has been able to make the creator of the work become acknowledged and important. So it is only natural that in the past few decades there has been a return to the handcraft in a contemporary art spectrum. Artists who have been drawn to traditional techniques and use them as their practice allow the process to become part of the language in their art works.

The roots of embroidery as a craft were mainly practiced by women. Rozsika Parker clearly states in her book The Subversive Stitch “To know the history of embroidery is to know the history of women”. (Parker 1) Embroidery evokes home with it’s intricate traditional patters to hanker chiefs to table linens. In fact it has a far deeper tradition mainly attached to women. In the past centuries because women were not “worthy” of working they spent their time becoming mothers. During this time many picked up the needle and thread and found embroidery as a creative outlet. Because this was seen as a hobby done primarily by women it was never really seen as art.(Parker 5) Orly Cogan is a contemporary embroidery artist who uses feminine themes in her work but not quite like her Victorian counterparts did. She uses feminine quintessence and the contrast between opposing themes such as tough and soft, mother and whore.(Cogan) Her embroideries are sometimes subversive because of her use of nudity and possible sexual behavior yet intrigues the viewer with the incredible amount of detail and feeling she emits with her thread. The sense of relationship is strong in her work and the right amount of ambiguity to leave us wondering. For instance in her piece Bittersweet Obsession, she has two girls snorting cocaine above an other image of a girl cutting a slice of cake and below that two girls eating cupcakes. I read this piece as the quintessential female stereotype of indulging over sweets. The use of cocaine indicates that perhaps sweets are just as much a drug as cocaine would be at least for women. Just as Parker believes that embroidery captures an immature view of female sexuality as it conjures up the idea of the virgin versus the whore.(Parker 5)

Figure 1. Bittersweet Obsession -Orly Cogan

Cogan’s work takes this very idea by juxtaposing typical feminine imagery with contemporary pop culture. The cocaine use is associated with pop culture ideas on partying. Having this piece made using embroidery speaks as loudly as the imagery. This piece is very strong in content and because of its conceptual messages in breaking female stereotypes fit the contemporary art spectrum.
Knitting was usually associated with grandmothers and baby booties. A resurgence of knitting has recently gained great popularity as a cool pastime. So how can this be even regarded as an art practice? Artists like Dave Cole and Marianne Jorgensen have found ways to adapt knitting in their art practice in very different ways. Exploring process materials, collaboration and social protest. Artist Dave Cole has surely picked a medium not normally practiced by men. He learned knitting and realized it helped him pay attention in his classes which was caused by his hyper activeness. He uses the medium for what it is because he doesn’t hide the fact that knitting has connotations with warmth, home, protection and childhood. Also kitting is seen as a “feminine process” on this Cole states “A basic element of my work that I’m subverting the feminine process. I think I’m subverting this more that I’m subverting the masculine material.” (Cole 40) He will often use subversive materials such as Kevlar, fiberglass and exposes even the technique by leaving the knitting needles in the piece. He has also done knitting with non-traditional object such as using pistols. He has also played with scale, like in his piece the Knitting machine where two excavator trucks and aluminum poles knitting a very large American flag. His piece Fiberglass Teddy Bear caught my attention because of its size, technique, material and imagery. The piece is a huge teddy bear knitted entirely out of fiberglass. The size of the piece is 14x14x14 feet is an overwhelming structure in pink fluffy fiberglass. It is hard to fight the urge to wrap your arms around the fluffy structure yet because of the material it is not possible. It’s almost as though the artist is toying with our emotions. His use of knitting in this piece gives the viewer a sense of familiarity the feeling of warmth and home come to mind and the imagery of the teddy bear connect to memories of child hood.

Figure 2: Fiberglass Teddy Bear Dave Cole 2003

Marianne Jorgensen uses knitting in a very different way from Dave Cole. She uses her knitting as an activist art form also called craftavist. (Black, Buisch 611)She uses her art to protest social injustice through process, performance and collaboration. For instance in her piece Pink M.24 Chaffee which consisted of several

Figure 3. Pink M.24 Chaffee 2006 Marianne Jorgensen

pink knitted squares assembled together and fit over a tank that was on display in a public space. A collective of people knitted the hundreds of patches all in unique patterns. No two patches are made the same. Jorgensen wanted to protest the Danish involvement with the war in Iraq. The blanket covering the tank symbolically disarms the tank rendering it useless no longer a threat. Each knitted square is like a protesters signature. (Black, Buisch 611) Jorgensen’s Pink M.24 Chaffee is very successful because protests and petitions are done as a group therefore justifies the collaborative element in her work. Also having the piece knitted and being soft up against the heavy metal of the tank act as a great contrast and the pink color suggests a comforting feminine gesture against war.
Weaving and tapestry is one of the least common crafts practiced today. Most of us cannot say we know a weaver, but a several centuries ago there were many weavers as they produced all of our cloth and textiles. Without weavers we would not be able to make clothes. Today this has been turned into an anonymous industry except for the few artisanal weavers it’s nearly become a lost art. Shelley Socolofsky has decided to take on the most labor-intensive weaving technique of all, tapestry. She creates elaborate weavings of contemporary imagery she collages together. The labor-intensive factor is actually part of the meaning of the pieces. As she says she “..make it a good vehicle for my examination into usefulness, productivity, value, luxury & excess, and labor.” (Socolofsky) In her piece Incantations, it was made using digital collage. She was able to layer her images and control the level

Figure 4 Incantations, 2004, 6'x 3.5' wool, silk, cotton. Shelley Socolofsky

of transparency the use of high tech image developing paired with low tech tapestry weaving. (Lane 50) The piece has an image of a girls face with her hands. Her eyes are piercing and clear yet her hands seem almost blurry. You can almost see that there is another face in the image. She seems surrounded in movement and darkness. The many layers of images combined with the use of tapestry adds rich texture and depth. She is able to cultivate postmodern ideas and images which was a process also practiced in historical tapestries when they would combine a variety or opposing subject matters to make one final piece.(Lane 50)

The possibilities of using fiber craft based techniques are endless, demonstrated by the artists I have discussed. They are able to combine fiber craft techniques and make innovative work with embedded meaning and explore human social issues. There is no reason to question craft processes as not being part of contemporary art as I believe this is an outdated idea. In today’s world with mass production and the anonymity of items labeled “made in china” have made us hungry for hand made art, especially art that uses tradition methods. Labels like neo craft, craftivism and DIY culture are showing up everywhere as in web communities and lifestyle magazines inspiring a new generation of crafters. (Adamson 555) If these artist hadn’t picked up processes such as weaving, knitting and embroidery they would one day become extinct. The stigma that once surrounded the use of craft in contemporary art should no longer exist as artist have proven that they still have meaning in their work. Even if the process affects their artworks that actual process becomes part of the meaning behind their art. Contemporary artist let us view these methods using postmodern thinking while adapting traditional craft methods. This proves that craft is both embedded in new meaning and has a promising future in contemporary art.

Bibliography
Adamson, Glenn., ed. “Section introduction: Contemporary Approaches.” The Craft Reader. Oxford, New York: Berg Publishers, 2010. 555-587. Print.
Black, Anthea, Burisch, Nicole. "Craft Hard, Die Free: Radical cuatorial stategies for craftivism in unruly contexts." The Craft Reader. Ed. Adamson, Glenn. Oxford, New York: Berg Publishers, 2010. 609-620. Print.
Cogan, Orly. Orly Cogan Artist site, 2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. http://www.orlycogan.com
Cole, Dave. "Dave cole." By hand. Ed. Hung, Shu, Magliaro. New York, Princeton Architectural Press, 2007. 40-44. Print.
Hung, Shu, Magliaro., ed. By Hand: The Use of Craft in Contemporary Art. New York, Princeton Architectural Press, 2007. Print.
Lane, Mary. “Fertile Associations the Tapestries of Shelley Socolofsky.” Fiberarts Summer (2005) p 50-3.
Metcalf, Bruce. "Craft and art, culture and biology." The Culture of Craft Status and Future. Ed. Dormer, Peter. Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press, 1997. 67-81. Print.
Morris, William. "The Revival of Handi Craft." The Craft Reader. Ed. Adamson, Glenn. Oxford, New York: Berg Publishers, 2010. 149-156. Print.
Parker, Rozsika. The Subversive Stitch. London, The Women’s Press, 1984. Print.
Socolofsky, Shelley. Shelley Socolofsky Artist site, 2010. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. http://www.shelleysocolofsky.com

Images
Figure 1. Cogan, Orly. Bittersweet Obsession. http://www.orlycogan.com (accessed November 28 2010)
Figure 2: Cole, Dave. Fiberglass Teddy bear. 2003. By hand. Ed. Hung, Shu, Magliaro. New York, Princeton Architectural Press, 2007. 41. Print.
Figure 3. Jorgensen, Marianne. Pink M.24 Chaffee. 2006. Wichita Art Museum, Wichita. The Craft Reader. Ed. Adamson, Glenn. Oxford, New York: Berg Publishers, 2010. 613. Print. Figure 54.
Figure 4. Socolofsky, Shelley. Incantations. 2005. Fiberarts Summer (2005) p 53.

Cages to Cushions: 19th century foundation garments revisited

2011-12-02T17:32:00.001-05:00

This is a paper I wrote on a "Fantasy exhibition" for fashion & art history coarse.Intersections: Art and FashionCages to Cushions: 19th century foundation garments revisited

(All images can be enlarged for detail when clicked on.)

Synthesis
Fashion in the 19th century brought on a variety of modified body shapes. Foundationgarments aided in reshaping the body by adding volume or constricting a woman’ssilhouette. By revisiting the use of these garments we can try to understand their utilityand intentions. Contemporary artists like Jana Sterbak, Sarah Garzoni and designer ReiKawakubo have recontextualised historical garments into thought provoking art. Thesespecific artists use elements of the crinoline, the corset and the bustle: foundationgarments that have altered the woman’s form by limiting motion with inescapableconstriction. What can be observed by incorporating an historical foundation garmentwith these contemporary explorations? Perhaps the ability to truly understand what itmust have been like to wear such figure altering structures.

Cages to Cushions: 19th century foundation garments revisited

When stepping into fashion history we can’t help but notice the variety of shapes women’s garments have been molded into creating many modified silhouettes. Most of these exaggerated forms were achieved from the wearing of foundation garments especially during the 19th century. Caged structures creating volume, structures that warped the body inwards and those that added bumps for exaggeration. This constant re-shaping of the female form was being continuously reinvented. Women’s bodies were pushed into anything but the natural form! Contemporary artists like Jana Sterback, Sarah Garzoni and designer Rei Kawakubo have recontextualised historical garments into thought provoking art. These specific artists use elements of the crinoline, the corset and the bustle: these foundation garments that have altered the woman’s form by limiting motion and inescapable constriction. Remote Control, Breeching and Dress meets body meets dress are three contemporary pieces that illustrate the conceptual exploration of some complications in historical garments. How do these works address possible issues of foundation garments? What sort of concept of body image do they explore? How do they communicate the issues found when those garments were worn? Presenting these three works together will allow the viewer to deconstruct and learn about the possible problems behind these particular foundation garments.

19th century foundation garments; the crinoline, the corset and the bustle.

Figure 1. Crinoline cage, about 1860. Victoria & Albert Museum. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O58867/cage-crinoline-a-favorite-of-the-empress/

The items explored in this exhibit are foundation garments worn during the 19th century. The crinoline perhaps the most cumbersome of the foundation garments came, in its existence around the 1856. Women became tired of the weight the layers of petticoats used to achieve the mass desired for the look of a large voluminous skirt. The “cage“ like structure of the crinoline was invented and built out of steel wires to achieve volume without out the extra weight. Although this structure was much lighter, the skirts became rigid and cumbersome. Women became dependant on men for daily tasks like being helped in and out of carriages and they also required someone to help them get dressed to get in and out of the crinoline. (Cooper Oct 7,2011) These cage like structures became disabling for women’s ease of movement and often accidents did happen. Stories about women in carriages “ being caught in their hoops” or skirts catching fire due to the cumbersome volume and flammable fabrics. (Johnstone Corsets & Crinolines in Victorian fashion web) The press often made fun of these crinoline mishaps with caricatures. (Johnston 128)
Figure 3. Corset, 1880’s France, steel busk & boning, Silk satin, Kyoto Costume institute. http://www.kci.or.jp/archives/digital_archives/detail_81_e.html

The corset on the other hand, did the opposite, it enabled women’s bodies to be brought inwards and become minimized. Although the corset had been part of everyday fashion for 400 years, and in the 19th century, having the smallest waist size was all the rage. (Steele 1) There is so much written about the corset, whether it is an oppressive garment or one imposed on women by men but in reality the corset is not a one sided linear existence as Valerie Steele explores this best in The corset a cultural history. For this exhibit we are focusing on the health concerns brought forth by the corset. In pursuing this, many women suffered from health problems and damaged their internal organs from tightening their corsets beyond their body’s limits. (Steele 1) Corsets were boned with steel to be able to achieve tightness and durability, although some corsets made with steel have been known to snap and pierce the wearers’ skin. (Summers 8)During the late 1860’s – early 1890’s medical journals wrote several articles on the act of tight-lacing causing a long list of internal organ damage and even death. (Steele 67) This lead to reinventing new corset designs in attempting to creating healthier and more hygienic corsets, yet it seemed they still caused problems and were continuously uncomfortable.(Steele 85)
Figure 5. Bustle Steel wires and cotton tape. Victoria & Albert Museum. online archive

1868 brought on the invention of the bustle, also called a Tournure (Corsets and Crinolines 121) It gave women better ease of movement and shifted volume onto their posterior. Several versions were made out of metal, horse hair, and even ones resembling stuffed fabric buns. There were also short ones for walking or light activity and long ones used for evening wear. The bustle was worn with a corset so it completely altered a woman’s figure top and bottom. This exaggeration of the posterior area according to a women’s contemporary magazines in 1884, it was seen as “…a little absurd, the tournure has reached ridiculous proportions and from day to day the eye becoming used to the effects has become blinded to the ugly side of stylish mode.”(Waugh 127) The bustle, when entering the fashion market seemed possibly quite avant garde in the way it distorted the body.

Art for fashion’s sake

Figure 2. Jana Sterbak, Remote control (I&II), courtesy Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. http://arttattler.com/designinstallingallusions.html

Fashion often looks back into the past and the same can be said about art. Jana Sterbak visits the embodiment of the crinoline in Remote Control (I and II). This work is not only meant to be seen but also to be worn and performed in. The construction holds a woman’s body suspended with legs dangling in a harness this leaves the lower body useless and the upper body stiff. (McLerran543) The cage’s movement is controlled electronically by a remote control that can be manipulated either by the wearer or by the viewer. (McLerran 543) Sterbak’s remote control cage was drawn from the shape of a model from an 1856 crinoline, which enhanced the hips and restrains the wearer. Here she demonstrates the helplessness through the mechanism of the cage making the wearer feel trapped. (McLerran 543) Remote Control allows us to wonder about the mobility women actually had while wearing such garments. When thinking about these elements in a fashion history context, the devices Sterbak used explore the loss of power women might have felt.
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Figure 8. Jana Sterback Remote Control (I&II) 1989. From article. McLerran, Jennifer. " Disciplined Subjects and Docile Bodies in the Work of Contemporary Artist Jana Sterbak.” Feminist Studies, Vol. 24, No. 3 (Autumn, 1998), pp. 535-552. Accessed November 21, 2011. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3178578.

Figure 4. Breaching, Sarah Garzoni 2010. satin, cotton, shark teeth http://io9.com/corset/

Sarah Garzoni Breaching demonstrates a visceral need to demonstrate a crisis.(Yukiko Kawase Gallery) Her beautifully constructed corset sits laced laying on it’s side so we can see its internal structure. Where the body would have braced the lining are carefully placed shark teeth, around one thousand in total. The use of shark teeth links the wearing of the corset to pain and mutilation of the body, making the intent of the work visceral. Garzoni is addressing the mutilating effects the corset has had on women in the history of fashion. One interpretation of Garzoni’s piece is that the idea constructed out of attaining a level of dictated beauty leads to a breaching point, a crisis imposed to women’s bodied during the Victorian era. The crisis being the many health risks brought on by the corset including possible death in extreme cases of tight-lacing. Breaching is certainly commenting on the painful effects of corsetry, which was existing, but what about the idea of the corset being empowering? Corsets were not forced upon women by men, women accepted this foundation garment enough so that they wore them for 400 years.(Steele 35) So does Garzoni’s piece complicate the matter of the corset or do we still become mesmerized in her beauty as an object?

Rei Kawakubo’s put it best when describing her idea of fashion as “We must break away from conventional forms of dress for the new woman of today we need a new strong image, not a revisit to the past.”(Morris 40) Exhibiting a piece from Commes de Garcon 1997 collection called Dress meets body, Body meets dress (also known as the Bumps and lumps collection). This piece is an exploration of asymmetry using padding to modify the body into exaggerated forms. (Richards 110) Very similar to what the bustle once did to women’s dress. Kawakubo was trying to defy the ideas of conventional body shapes used in contemporary fashion. Her fresh reformulating of the body’s anatomy with the placement of these unusual organs creates a whole new silhouette never really realized before. Kawakubo has taken the conventional guidelines for beauty and has forced us to challenge them. (Koda 34-35) In the specific piece in this exhibit the lumps and bumps are placed in a way that mimics the look of the bustle. Although a bustle was often made of rigid metal or horsehair, Kawakubo’s bumps are filled with down feathers making the piece extremely light and even comfortable.(Thurman 59) Both the bustle and Kawakbo’s Dress meets body meets dress morphed and moved way from the natural bodies shape. Kawakubo's intent was to put forward postmodernist mind-frame as could be said about the advent of the bustle.
Figure 9. Rei Kawakubo Dress meets body meets dress 1997

Figure 7. Rei Kawakubo, Comme des Garçons, Spring/summer 1997Dress becomes body becomes dress. Fashion at the edge p 268Dress becomes body becomes dress online http://designblog.rietveldacademie.nl/?m=201001

The shape of Victorian era of fashion was made possible by these incredibly engineered foundation garments. Although the 19th century brought on explorations and experimentation on the altering of the female figure they also created the problems and mobility issues. Why were such extreme measure taken to alter the female form during this time? This exploration in body shaping was necessary to lead to the Fashion innovations of the 20th century. Jana Sterbak’s reinterpretation of the crinoline, Sarah Garzoni’s commentary on the corset and Rei Kawakubo’s morphing of the body all demonstrate that looking to historical foundation garments and understanding their use, power and subversion and help us understand them more. These artists push ideas of altering the natural body’s form in fashion history expressed within an art practice. What does the future of dress hold for us next? What will be communicated about the beauty standards of our time? Whatever does happen body shape in fashion will always evolve and women will brace themselves and hope that whatever happens it better be comfortable.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Bibliography:
Cooper, Cynthia. “18th-century fashion and fashion exhibitions.” Lecture at Concordia University, Montreal, QC, October 7, 2011.
Johnston, Lucy. Nineteenth-century Fashion in Detail. London: V&A Publishing, 2005
Johnston, Lucy. “Corsets and Crinolines in Victorian fashion” Accessed November 24, 2011. http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/c/corsets-and-crinolines-in-victorian-fashion/
Koda, Harold. “Rei Kawakubo and the art of fashion.” Refusing Fashion: Rei Kawakubo. Detroit: MOCAD, February 2008.
McLerran, Jennifer. " Disciplined Subjects and Docile Bodies in the Work of Contemporary Artist Jana Sterbak.” Feminist Studies, Vol. 24, No. 3 (Autumn, 1998), pp. 535-552. Accessed November 21, 2011. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3178578.
Mears, Patricia. “Exhibiting Asia: The Global Impact of Japanese Fashion in Museums and Galleries.”Fashion Theory 12/1 (2008) :95-120. Accessed December 5, 2008 http://0-web.ebscohost.com.mercury.concordia.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=3652bc5d-7457-46a5-aef4-71053be20a45%40sessionmgr10&vid=4&hid=18
Morris, Bernadine. "The New Wave from Japan." New York Times Magazine 30 January 1983: 40.
Steele, Valerie. The Corset A cultural History. New Haven & London: Yale University Press, 2001
Summers, Leigh. “Sanitising the Female Body: Costume, Corsetry, and the Case for Corporeal Feminism in Social History Museums.” Open Museum Journal 1. 2000. http://hosting.collectionsaustralia.net/omj/vol1/pdfs/summers.pdf
Thurman, Judith. “The Misfit.” Refusing Fashion: Rei Kawakubo. Detroit: MOCAD, February 2008.
Waugh, Norah. Corsets and Crinolines. New York: Theatre Arts books, 1954
“Sarah Garzoni Breaching.” Galerie Ykiko Kawase. Accessed November 24, 2011. http://yukikokawase.free.fr/SGbreachingtext.htm.(© Sandra Chirico 2011)

Style & Conscience : CITY FOX

2011-11-29T14:36:00.000-05:00

Style & Conscience are a Montreal based ethical business that work on several roatating ethically designed and produced clothing concepts. In their recent project called City Fox they plan to recycle fur coats and turn them onto super fashionable leg wear. Every Project needs funding so they have started a fundraising page on Kickstarter.Support Style & Conscience with their City Fox project. Check out the video and read about their project on their Kick started page.

Cameo brooch inspiration burst!

2011-07-03T20:50:00.006-04:00

I've always loved Cameos, simple engraved silhouette and their intricate framing.

I never was lucky enough to own a piece of cameo jewelry so I experimented with making them in fabric and trims, even tried to crochet the trim. This is the resut of my burst of inspiration.

All items are available in my shop i know i've already posted them was way too excited about them.

Belts galore!

2011-05-09T12:59:00.007-04:00

I made a load of belts recently and i've added most of them on my etsy page. A great way to add color and style to something like a simple black dress.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Studiostitchart

Animal hats

2011-05-02T16:31:00.004-04:00

So many friends are having babies these days so i decided to start crocheting something cute and whats more adorable than a baby in an animal hat ? So here are 2 I worked on this week. they took a bit of time but they were pretty easy and fun to make

Micro revolt 146+: Triangle shirtwaist fire project

2011-03-04T10:41:00.006-05:00

On March 25th 1911, 100 years ago, was when the Triangle shirt waist fire occurred in New York City. I'm participating in Cat Mazza's Micro revolt project called 146+. If you are also interested in participating follow this link for more info on the project.

Micro revolt 146+

Here is a summary of what it's about:

146+ is a craft action to commemorate the 146 victims of the 1911 Triangle Waist Factory fire in New York City and to connect that history to the contemporary crisis in the global garment industry. Participate by crafting a numbered armband and standing with Workers United as we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the tragedy that catalyzed an international labor movement.

I decided to choose #58, a 17 year old italian lady named Isabella Tortorelli. I somehow felt i should pick her since the women in my family worked in garment production factories I feel there is an important personal link there.

My recent work has involved garment labour and industry so i felt this project to be very inspiring especially since it involves the triangle shirtwaist factory fire.

for more information on at Mazza's other micro revolt projects check out her site .

Here is a photo of my completed arm band.

relavent link: Labour behind the label

Works in Progress

2011-02-26T12:26:00.003-05:00

New Panadream Theartre Costumes, Schwartz's the musical and Opera prototypes. It's been a busy couple weeks! Snap shot of my messy work table.

Machine knitting

2011-02-08T16:59:00.003-05:00

After some trial and errors I finally am able to properly make something from a knitting machine . Here is a dress I made using the machine. I used a Corona Chunky which works super well. Unfortunately, It's for an art piece that requires me to unravel the dress. It's a little sad to have to unravel about 8 1/2 hours of work but that was my intention in making it. Didn't realize it would turn out so nice! The good news is i'm hand knitting the same dress and also i'm able to replicate the dress so no big deal....eep.

Doing the rib was the longest part. I'm part way in this photo.

This is how the rib was done row by row.

Close up of rib.The bottom seems a little undulating I think this can be prevented by using a smaller gage to start

Very nice knit tension! I went to a smaller gage around the waist which made for a nice shape and fit.

Final result!

Crochet holiday

2011-01-04T09:35:00.010-05:00

I've been crocheting a whole lot over the holidays. I have made a few things here and there Many christmas gifts here are a few quick snap shots. My Mother crochets and I never really was interested in learning when I was young. Once I picked it up I actually really enjoyed it. I plan to give knitting a try as well. Let the yarn addiction start now :)

Explorations

2010-11-06T10:01:00.002-04:00

I've been drawing so much these days. It's a way to figure out my footing in what direction i want to go in my work. I'm constantly feeling conflicted going back and forth between technique and content something i think is common when working witha variety of materials. I'm naturally drawn the the sewing machine. can't seem to move away from it.
So here i am back to square one.

Corset for a vintage dress

2010-08-18T12:03:00.004-04:00

Here is a corset I made for Angie of Norwegian Wood to be worn under her vintage wedding dress. I made it as a light summer corset but well boned to give a nice shape. It had been a while since I had made a corset so I really enjoyed making this.

Bridal dress

2010-08-16T11:37:00.001-04:00

I had the pleasure of making my friend Mindy’s wedding dress last spring. She really like the look of off white and black lace together which was an excellent design decision. We worked together to find the best shape and fit for her. The dress was also convertible so that the sleeves could come off, turning it into a strapless style. She also wore a lovely feathered hairpiece she designed and made herself. In the end, this dress suited her so well and the wedding was divine great food and friends! Here is the Beautiful Bride in her dress!

Congratulations to Mindy & Earl, June 19, 2010!

Fall make up

2010-08-15T13:28:00.000-04:00

Here is Jen Glasgow's fabulous new fall collection.You can Check out her styles here

photo: Alain Lefort
hair: Dan Lafleche
makeup:Sandra Chirco
model: Laurence Ward

PRO Fashion Shoot

2010-04-29T09:21:00.002-04:00

Here is photo from the shoot I did a few weeks ago. I did an updated Gothic tattoo look using airbrush paint (sans airbrush, painted by hand) inspired by tree branches. A real attention to detail was important in this shoot and seriously paid off with lovely results.

Photographer: Daniel Cianfara
Hair: Samantha Diamond (Salon Sweet William)
Styling: Christina Louiso
Clothing: Denis Gangnon
Model: Sarah Jordan (Specs)
Make up: Sandra Chirico

End of semester work....

2010-04-13T23:04:00.012-04:00

The school semester is coming to an end and here are some pieces I've worked on.

These are variations of an all over printed fabric I've been working on for most of this semester. It's a repeat print and if you do textile printing you would understand how complicated repeat printing is (oy-vey) but very satisfying once you actually get the hang of it. I used a female body that's transforming into a butterfly yet using the inspiration of nature represented in a William Morris prints with Victorian damasks and intricate repetition. What do you see when you look closely?

(click to enlarge)

Screaming Ladies series - This isn't a finished project yet i'm still developing the idea. I am excited to be working on it and and many potential ideas and techniques i'd like to try out.

Machine stitching and appliqued fabric.

machine stitching

this photo is terrible but it is in the shape of a veil. Machine stitching.

Hopefully this summer i'll be able to work on more of these and repeat printing! But before that I need a vacation to re energize myself. Enjoy!

Sailor puppeteers ahoy!

2010-03-14T22:11:00.017-04:00

Once again, for the lovely Panadream couple I had the honor to make costumes for their past show called Yorgo and the world. I made a Sailor style dress and a matching men's shirt.

Here they are in the show.

Close up of dress

Mens Shirt

For info's on the Panadream shows - http://panadreamtheatre.com

Embroideries

2010-01-03T16:56:00.010-05:00

I've found a new love for embroidery. Something about it... drawing with thread i think is so wonderful and the possibilities seem endless.
Here are a few pieces i've worked on lately. (for a really close look you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them)

This bird embroidery and beading combination (i suppose all these have glass beading can't help myself) was one of the first embroideries i did. I used a stencil made for embroideries and tried my best to keep as much detail in it as possible.

This cherry was done in a similar manner i did the out line and then filled it all in. This was for a lovely vintage looking scarf.

This is my latest one. I made the pattern on photoshop using brushes. Here i used a satin stitch which made the embroidery look expensive. It almost looks machine embroidered but i can tell you it isn't. It took me 8 hours to complete it and it's about 3 or 4 inches wide. I really like the results this gave but boy was it ever long. This was done on a silk scarf i made for my boyfriends mom. She seemed to really like it.

Barbeque apron

2009-12-24T22:26:00.008-05:00

This apron was so much fun to make. The Hamburger is a fabric appliqué and the rest is embroidered. I used a variety of fabric to make the hamburger anything i could find to make it as realistic as i possibly could. The sesame seeds are tiny embroidery done in a cream colored embroidery thread.

I'm seriously craving a hamburger now.
(Click to enlarge)

(Natural light but blurry)

Hope my brother likes his Christmas gift :)

Apron madness

2009-12-22T10:58:00.010-05:00

I have been on a baking kick lately. Perhaps I should have taken a few shots of my cupcakes and cakes i've been making and add "food" as one of my blog subjects! We shall see!
Anyhow all this baking and can you believe I don't own an apron! I kept getting my clothes dirty with flour and powdered sugar and whatnot. So I finally made myself an apron and of course being as it's for me I had to make an interesting one. So here is my Dia de los Muertos 50's style apron.
I had just watch the film Frida so I was inspired to use this fabric.

It kinda looks like a dress in this photo. I am debating adding some black ruffles on the sides of the top for more coverage. I will give it a baking test run and see.

I have another apron project I'm working on that I will post soon. This one is sorta funny actually:)
You will see it soon enough!
toodles!

Embroidered Scarf, Costume and Evening dress

2009-12-09T17:07:00.014-05:00

Here are a few things I made in the past few months I though i'd share with the blog friends.

This is an embroidered and beaded cherry scarf on a leopard print woven fabric. Suites her so well!

Pocahontas halloween costume made in a few days. Doesn't she look great!
l

I also made a one shoulder floor length dress for someone to wear to her mothers wedding. She looks so Chic!

That is all for now. I'm Hoping to have time in the next few weeks to make, print, sew whatever i can do during the holiday.

Look who’s watching now

2009-12-09T16:10:00.019-05:00

This is a piece I did for my fibers class. It was a public art piece that used the architecture in the school. Here is a little blurb about my idea and some photos Enjoy!

A capsule, crawl space an enclosure. This enclosure will give the passing public a place free from the watchful eye of surveillance. It will be interactive as the public can walk inside it. You won’t be able to see the inside of the space from outside. Once inside you can see out and be used as “sousveillance”. Letting the public question the relation ship between public and private and the dichotomy of surveillance and surviving. The piece will allow the participant to feel both hiding from the watchful eye and being the watchful eye. Do you feel safe now?

Space: .

The Piece:

1 floor up:

View from inside looking out.

From above:

Research/ exploration sketches:

Process:
About 6 m of cotton sateen fabric were painted and sprayed with Remazon direct application dyes. A cut out shape of a person was cut out and used as a stencil for the spray to make a silhouette. These dyes are very nice to work with nearly like water colors also can be thickened and used with a screen print. All pieces were sewn together with one opening which was then assemble at the location.

inspiration photos: (we make money not art.com)

Great source on sousveillance art if you want to read more about it.
http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/sousveillance/index.php?page=1
Inspiration Book /research:
ctrl[space] : Rhetorics of Surveillance from Bentham to Big Brother. Edited by Thomas Y. Levin, Ursula Frohne and Peter Weibel (USA - UK).

Been a long time

2009-11-04T12:12:00.003-05:00

It's been a while I know. I haven't been doing very well with updating. But don't worry while my attempts at updating have been close to nil I have actually been doing a few sewing projects.
I've also been working at the Opera in the costume department which has been super enjoyable and a great learning experience. I've been a busy bee juggling school and work and some family responsibilities but all is good.
Once I get some nice photos of sewing project I promise to put them up!
Hope everyone is well and crafting adventurous projects of their own.

Berries and Cream

2009-08-07T17:33:00.006-04:00

Damask Love!!! Don't you love damask prints. Traditionally used as a wall paper print and these days seen more and more in fashion. It gleams classic beauty and vintage charm, timeless and bold. Usually shows up as a contrast dual tone in an ornate graphic that suggests floral or leafy pattern. The fabric used in this piece was designed by Joel Dewberry, i'm obviously a big fan of his super lovely prints.

Etsy listing

Cherrylicious summer!

2009-07-25T19:10:00.007-04:00

Cherries are so sweet and great fun to eat so why not wear them!
Here are two crafty pieces newly created to accessorize any outfit.

Juicy Cherry Pin brooch that also doubles as a hair piece. The added hand beaded detail on the cherries make them extra juicy!

A lovely Cinchy belt with an antique brass buckle.

Both these pieces are up on my etsy page.

DFly Designs photoshoot ::Make up::

2009-07-25T08:45:00.003-04:00

Back in June I did some make up for a friends fashion label Dfly design. Her feminine yet urban styling's rocked the photoshoot. Here are some awesome shots done by Photographer Sharon Davies.

Welcome to Deer Valley

2009-07-20T15:57:00.014-04:00

There are times when you have to let the fabric and the print speak to you. That's what this piece was based on simplicity with structure. This piece is a fully steel boned bustier which has the versatility of being washed. What? Normally you can't wash a steel boned garment. This piece has been made with boning which can be removed and then placed back in once the garment has been gently hand washed and hung to dry. No dry cleaning bills or airing out. Easy to wear and best of all figure flattering and pretty.

Removable boning detail (snap closure)

New piece coming very soon!

2009-07-14T12:59:00.004-04:00

Actually it's done! I just need grommets and lacing. They are ordered and in the mail so this very special piece can be completed. I'm in love with this fabric print! As soon as it's fully done I will post it let's hope the mail is quick these days!

New creation revealed!

2009-07-10T08:37:00.010-04:00

It's amazing how you can keep refitting and reinventing a pattern and have the fit constantly improving. That seems to be the case with this piece! I'm working towards using the construction and hard wear of a corset with the comfort and wearability of a bustier. I'm interested in mastering a top, which can be worn sans bra and sans worry yet is very classy and flattering. I'm getting there with this piece I just made fresh off the machine!

I was so inspired in using this silk dupioni gingham fabric. Yes it's silk! And the bustier fits like a glove I almost don't want to put it up on my etsy shop. I managed to make the bust curve nearly imitate an under wire cup. When sewing the curve I was a little worried it might have been a little too much. Corsets/bustiers that don't have a curve they tend to make things pop out on top which I find quite ill fitting. You want the "ladies" contained yeah know what I mean. When you have a generous offering of them it's very difficult to find a bustier that will do that. So by having this massive curve in the pattern it allowed for things to fall in their respective places instead of propped up on a platter. My corset making buddy of mine used to call that "shelf of boobs", so NOT what you want.

Here is this transition piece corset/ bustier. Still fully steal boned not as heavily as a corset and I used lighter cotton lining. Turned out more 50's pin up shape which I totally don't mind, fit's the over all look very well. The minty ribbon I found worked very well and changes it up a bit.
Fun makes me want to have a picnic in the park!

Side view showing the bust curve. (had to put a bra on my dress form as she is quite small)

Here is how it would look on a human. (click for larger photo)

Until the next sewing adventure!

Studio busy and sewing teaser!

2009-07-02T20:50:00.007-04:00

Busy in the studio these days working on some new ideas and curtains for a puppet theater. It's a mess in here, but a good productive mess. Lot's of sewing projects floating about and new fabric on the way. Here's a teaser photo of the studio table and hint on a new piece I'm working on. Stay tuned I'm sure to be posting this new complete piece soonish.

Teaser!!! tee heee!

I've been featured on the Lady Like blog!

2009-06-25T21:10:00.007-04:00

The lovely Tiffany Elton has done a little interview on yours truly.
you can check it out here.

It it tight enough? of CORSET is!

2009-06-22T18:29:00.005-04:00

Most people know me as a corset maker with Ritual Designs. I had to put my corset making skills aside for a few years to pursue other interests/careers/adventures. I must say though I still have a place in my heart for corset making. I believe I will always be making corsets on and off one way or another for as long as i live. Earlier this week i woke up one morning and headed for the pattern table and found myself wanting to make a corset from scratch. 24 hours later it was done. BAM! I don't think i ever made a corset so fast in my life. Coincidentally I went to the McCord museum where they were giving a special tour of their textile and clothing vault. Thanks to a good friend i was able to go and see an original corset from circa 1893. I was staring at that corset about 2" away. If we could have touched it I would have, I did take several mental notes. Here is a photo of the lovely corset.

Along with that we got to see several gown from early 19th century and early 20th century. Just JAW dropping gorgeous! I was so inspired that I just have to make more corsets. How could I not!

Here is a very brief photographic journey of the making of a corset. (you can click image for a larger view)

And the finished product! (you can click image for a larger view)

Screen printing one dimetional

2009-06-19T16:47:00.009-04:00

Last semester I took a screen printing class that is part of the print department. This meant the screen printing was mainly done on flat surfaces like paper as opposed to textile which is what i was used to. I wanted to concentrate more on composition and subject matter in terms of image. When printing on textile I usually make a 3-dimensional piece out of it so it was interesting to concentrate on composition of image instead.

I documented a few things from this class I wish i had been better about it especially on the second project but oh well you still get to see what I've done.

The other thing about this screen printing class is your screen is screwed onto a stable surface. So it's your paper that moves not your screen. I was used to walking all around the table with my screen when i was printing in textiles. That was a hard habit to break.

Here is a photo of the film clear maylar. This is what you use to burn the image in the screen. You can draw with very black oil based markers, ink, anything that won't let the light through. We would test this by using a light table or putting up to the window. This particular project it had to all be drawn so i used a combination of oil based markers ink and toner.

When passing the squeegy to print it can be difficult to find the right pressure to get a clear image. Practice makes perfect but each project is like a new pressure. Below i devided a large scattered image into smaller sections. I used a smaller squeegy which allowed for an even distribution of ink and a clear image.

I apologies for not having every layer done i obviously only brough my camera for one printing session. Here you start seeing the layers building up.

The inks we used were UV based inks. Every layer we did had to be passed through a convayor belt type machine wich had UV rays which would dry the inks. These inks would not dry unless passed through this machine. Also they had an interesting translucency about them you could layer them and make different colors.

This is the final result. By the end there are about 8 or 9 layers.
I had some trouble doing the back ground but after a bit of tweeking finally got it to where I wanted it.

one of my first paper screen prints so it's not phenomenal but I did explore composition so that's not so bad.

60's Creative Photoshoot ::Make up::

2009-05-30T16:01:00.002-04:00

One retro look I totally love is a 60's sci-fi look with super long eyelashes and color. What a fun look i can totally imagining fashion forward ladies gogoing (is that a word!!) the night away. What a fun era when it came to fashion!

This was a photo shoot I did back in February collaborating with a talented photographer Daniel Cianfarra and hair stylist Samantha Diamond. We were going for a 60's Brigitte Bardot/Twiggy look. We did 2 slightly altered looks. Fort the more sci-fi twiggy one i was inspired by Yayoi Kusama's pop art from that time and added circular shapes to her face to give her a "futuristic" look. I really enjoyed doing the make up for this and with the model's amazing red hair the turquoise shadow really made the look come together.

Photographer: Daniel Cianfarra
Model: Lesley
Hair Stylist: Samantha Diamond
Make Up: Sandra Chirico

Comfortable and Funky DIY Laptop bag

2009-05-25T16:36:00.015-04:00

For years I have been in search of a laptop bag that isn't well ... ugly. I've seen all those corporate nylon zip up bags to sporty ones. Finally I ended up buying a slick back pack that had a slot for my lap top. This was great for school but I wasn't into it for work. I wanted something small that I can either carry on my shoulder or like a briefcase BUT still look good with my purse!

So here folks I decided to construct a laptop bag that was both fitted and padded. I wanted to add some personal touch to it so I decided to use a fabric I screen printed myself.

I did a very simple pattern a rectangular shape with a 1" bellow all around (the thickness) and the top would get a zipper opening. I made the pattern for a Macbook so i took the measurements off the website I added some 1/4" extra so that it was easy to slip the laptop in and out. I also didn't make the pattern a perfect rectangle, I curved the corners where the zipper went along as I find this will also make it easier to access the laptop.

These are all the pattern pieces cut. Quilted lining, outer self fabric plus an extra piece of knit fabric for a bit more padding I felt it needed it, why not.

I used a quilted poly fill fabric for the inside lining which I felt needed more quilting so i did this nice diamond pattern in pink stitching.

Then i decided to sew a knit fabric to the quilted lining for an added padding. I chose a fabric i've had for a while and I knew I would never use this fabric plus it will not be seen at all.

Once everything was together I started installing the zipper as it is easier to do before the whole thing is together. I have a photo of me sewing the zipper which is hard to see but the zipper is sandwiched between the lining and the self fabric.

After this the rest of the bag was stitched together to the 1" bellow.
I added some webbing ribbon as straps (anything can be used here) and some d-rings for extra look and also practical (for keys and things)
And voila!~

Video medlings

2009-05-10T19:55:00.004-04:00

I took a video class Last semester and really enjoyed it. I was always fascinated with using video as a documentation tool and as an artistic too as well. Much experimentation went on and the realization that video production was very time consuming I do look forward to using it in future projects.
Here is my final video project. It explores the idea of being truthful and masking it with lies. I used clothing as a "truth suppressant" and the removal of it as it eventually led to self liberation of personal truth.
"Unveiling" November 2008

hey Baby Nice dress!

2008-12-03T19:03:00.009-05:00

One day out of the blue I decided it would be fun to make a baby dress for one of my friends who has a 7 month old. I had recently bought some small pieces of pretty cute cotton fabrics from a local craft sale called Puce Pop. When I see fabric I can't help but go crazy. Anyhow I bought a cute 60's-esque pattern that I thought was adorable. I had just enough to bake a baby dress. So I checked online and I found a cute and easy baby dress pattern (which I can't find right now but if you Google baby dress patters you will get tons!)

Here are some photos of the process.
This is the bodice sewn back and front only 4 short seams to sew. Then the skirt part was just a large rectangle, which was about double the circumference of the bottom of the bodice. Then I used the rouching foot to make gathers to give it that pretty flared look.

Once the gathers were done I pinned it to the bodice and made sure it all fit ok and adjusted anything if necessary. Then I sewed the bodice to the Skirt part. At this point the main part of the dress is done. For the finishing around neck and armholes I cut 1.5" strips of self-bias and ironed about 2/3" in so that the raw edges were inside and then I ironed the strips in half this makes it easier to sew. (Since this was in cotton Bias finishing is very easy to do if it were a knit fabric it would be much more complicated.)

I added 2 snaps in the back, hemmed it and voila! An adorable baby dress. I must say i had a lot of fun making it and will be definatly be making more!

Chiluahuas get cold too

2008-10-09T15:37:00.005-04:00

I took the Chihuahua I'm fostering out for a walk the other day and noticed he was shivering. I decided I needed to make him some warm clothes. In Montreal the weather is only going to get colder and I want to be sure he'll be ok. So I made a very simple prototype. with polar fleece and velcro really easy simple to sew. Polar fleece doesn't fray so you don't even need to finish the edges! I got the pattern at Sewing Circle Of Crafters there is a free pattern here.

And here is mister Meddy in his polar fleece vest. It was hard to have him stay still for this photo.

I took him for a walk in his new outfit to later run into another chihuahua in a burberry plaid turtle neck sweater. Which made my polar fleece vest look like... well Walmart. Oh well that's fine I'm attempting to plan out a stripy sweater for him like Erie on sesame street I think that would totally rock! Although I've never been known to finish anything i start knitting I'll think of the dog not freezing this winter to push me to actually make one. Maybe i'll just sew him one instead I'm much more reliable with that.

The 2 Charlies

2008-10-07T08:33:00.002-04:00

This particular project was especially fun. I had to make outfits for two puppets. Someone I know started a puppet theater company called Panadream Theatre. I needed to recreate a Charlie Chaplin outfit in two different sizes even down to the hat! I used a black wool suiting fabric for the suite and pants, a grey herringbone for the vest and a cotton poplin for the shirt even the tie. The hat I molded out of fimo. Puppets are great customers they rarely complain. I think they are just happy to be given a character to portray:)

I had to dig around to find these photos I’m glad I finally did. So here they are. I cat totally picture them dancing around!

Here is alittle preiview of their puppet shows. They put on shows for children and adults!

The In Dreams project.

2008-10-06T10:40:00.002-04:00

A friend of mine was putting on a David Lynch themed night and asked if I would be able to help out with some sewing items needed to complete the look. She wanted the notorious Red curtains from Twin peaks Black lodge dream sequence placed in certain area in the venue. Also a black dress for a girl who was to be Laura Palmer and a Blue velvet robe for herself as she portrayed the Isabella Roselini character in Blue Velvet.

Here are the curtains I was working on pinning in the folds. There was loads of fabric and i wanted to achieve that controlled gathered look. They were going in the front of a tallish d.j booth. The booth is covered in fluffy carpeted material.

Here is a pretty bad photo of how they looked in the end. You can see part of the Blue velvet character outfit there. Right next to it you can see the curtains as well and Laura Palmer's outfit which I like to call the a dress I Frankensteined together, I took sleeves off an old top and sewed it to this dress I found at Friperie Renaissance. (like a value village)

They night was quite a success. I didn't have a lot of time to put all this together as I suddenly got really busy with work and school but that's usually how timing likes to be hey. But the over all look was achieved and it was fun to work on as well.

So now I’m off to think of or look for another project I have a few in mind. I got a hold of a second sewing machine that I may have to fix up as a few pieces seem to be missing like the tension wheel and a bobbin case but it's got a strong motor and can do zig zag stitch so I’m going to attempt to fix it up. Wish me luck!

Hello and Welcome

2008-08-13T14:24:00.001-04:00

I've just gotten started! This is a space where I will post my current projects seeing I haven't figured out how to make a website this place is just perfect. Mainly, I sew. All sorts of things, clothing, accessories, theater props, home decor useless pretty things ANYTHING I FEEL LIKE. I also like screen printing and have dabbled in embroidery and basket weaving. Did I mention I am a Fibers student? I'm also A fashion designer and Make up artist! Basically I like to try anything that allows me to be creative, whatever it may be or whatever fancies me at that time. Sometimes I like to mix it all up! Why the hell not eh? It's what allows me to exist completely.
Hopefully we can all learn things or at least have a good laugh. Oh yeah I don't take my art super, uber seriously. No BIG plans just working through ideas, who knows what's to come. I prefer to tackle plans as they present them selves.

Enjoy and I hope to have new works to post soon!

Kaplah!