A fundraising gala for The Current,Stowe, VT Art center, was the spark to make a new dress/costume. The theme was “wild” as in colorful.
I am currently intrigued by the color electric yellow - yellow with a slight hint of green. In addition, pink seems to be the color of the season.
Here in Burlington,Vermont, shopping for fabric is limited to repurposing existing garments and one local Jo-Ann’s Fabrics store.
At the store, I found the perfect yellow and pink lycra fabrics. The colors bright, the material stretchy to allow for unrestricted movement in a tight long dress.
I wanted additional layers for added drama, maybe inspired by watching the Met gala. Tulle isn’t my thing though. In the “utility” section of the store, between plastic for slipcovers and thick canvas for boat cushions, I found camouflage netting. The perfect amount of ruffle while allowing the layers underneath to shine through - visual drama with a ruffly sound effect. Now I was excited - free from tulle.
Part of this dress is a fishing net - made by myself. The openings are state regulations - I learned the fine art of net mending from Captain Joe in Gloucester, MA during my artist residency and research for my multi-sensory installation the "Net Works."
The trail/ skirt is camouflage material used by hunters. In short, it’s an ode to my fishing friends (close to my heart) and hunters (close to there ground - where I live)
You can see more of my wearable art/soft sculpture costumes on vimeo.
See images of this dress on my IG.