Craft2Wear 2024 ~ Artful Attire

My work is a composite of play made with multiple mediums from over 50 years of indulging in textiles  fashion  metalwork   dance  2-D of every stripe including art history. These pieces are made with almost no tools  just the hands...with the physical making a meditation as prayer beads. One continuous strand of precious metal flows though the hands in a taut / deliberate method  with or without kinetic elements riding on crossing structure or captured in the structure of the piece. The pieces are flexible and adjustable to fit most wearers.

Climate change has caused me to reevaluate my part in our ecosystem. After a quest to find eco-friendly materials  I've opted to work with glass  not only because it's renewable  but also because it is a process driven material with a rich history. Over years of exploration  I've honed an interdisciplinary approach which merges glass cold-working with silversmithing and lapidary (stone working). In my 'cold-working' process   I shape the glass in its solid state   using tools such as a wet diamond saw   a water-fed lathe  and flat-lap wheels in conjunction with various grades of carbide grit and/or pumice  all at room temperature. At no point in my process is the glass liquid or pressed into a mold. I hand-construct the metal settings out of sterling silver/high karat gold using jewelry making techniques like forging  piercing  polishing   and stone-setting. I explore environmental themes and seek to convey a feeling of depth and movement in every piece.

My work focuses on non-biodegradable waste as my main base material. I use PET plastic from discarded bottles and containers  which combined with precious and non precious metals transform into playful wearable and sustainable sculptures. My work expresses the individuality  unique voice and point of view of modern society and provides the opportunity to reconsider the influence that the abundance of single-use plastics creates for ourselves and our environment. Working with recycled plastic  one of the most harmful materials impacting our environment  represents my hope for the indestructibility of the nature.

I specialize in hand felted Merino wool hats  scarves  mittens and other accessories. I am primarily a wet felter but also employ needle felting and surface embellishment in my process. Most of my original designs are made using a series of 3D and 2D resists and a multi-stepped process whereby parts are partially felted and then manipulated through sewing or other means before being combined. The blocking and finishing of the hats is done using professional millinery practices combined with methods of my own device to suit the peculiarities of working with hand-felted wool.

In my Hudson Valley Millinery Studio I design and create seasonal Collections of Classic and Contemporary Hats. My designs include ornamented Cloches  Flappers   Fedoras  and Wide Brim Lampshades. Signature creations feature hand crafted silk and floral trims. Using vintage hat stampers for shaping the material  sculpted forms are brought to life in felt and straw. From here  our small team of talented artisans provides the finishing touches. One of my passions is to create custom designs that coordinate with themed events and exhibits. Toucan Hats are sold at many Museum shops   Botanical Gardens and Historic Sites. I enjoy bringing my hats to select Maker's Markets where I have the opportunity to interact directly with the wearer. This feedback is very important to my process. Toucan Hats are Crafted with Integrity for the Creative Thinker.

As the founder of Amber Poitier  a leather sculptural accessories company based in New York   I get to create styles that are 3 Dimensional. The styles are based on both New York Iconic shapes and organic shapes. The brand showcases my story as Alicia Appleton  a New Yorker with Jamaican heritage. I am also a Fashion Institute of Technology alumni and professor. After working in the fashion sector for two decades  I started the brand to express my creativity. Vegetable Tan leather is the foundation material of my work. I strive to allow us all to reimagine stiff cowhide leather that we use for saddles and shoe making  in a beautiful accessory that patinas beautifully over a lifetime. The addition of color element in my collection is an added joy for both my customers and I.

I am continually inspired by the technique of granulation. While this technique isn't in every piece I make  it is the technique that I call my happy place. Granulation begins with the heating of small granules and then setting them in place  heating the whole piece again  with enough heat to fuse the granules to the piece of jewelry being made  without melting the whole thing. These tiny dots I think spring from my from childhood love of the simple polka dot. While I love exact and perfect granulation   I love creating work with organic placement of the granules that brings to mind ancient pieces dug from the ground mixing perfect with imperfect.

Wearing my clothing is to wrap yourself in a piece of art. Each of my pieces incorporates a unique fusion of textures  materials and colors. These elements come together as I create the fiber. While I may begin with an idea and color direction for a piece  the flow of the materials guides my process to the finished product. In many of my pieces the back is the "wow" factor  allowing the wearer to highlight a special necklace  pin of earrings without fighting and clashing with the jacket embellishments. I want clients to feel a sense of joy wearing my work.

In my art  I find inspiration in the textures and patterns of fabric and fibers. Each piece I create is a unique celebration of these materials  shaped by my lifelong passion for repurposing small fabric remnants which may of otherwise been thrown away or forgotten. I have a habit of collecting fabric wherever I go  each piece a memento of my travels and a potential addition to my creations. Every stitch tells a story  weaving together intricate patterns and textures. I aim to evoke a sensory experience through my wearable art  inviting viewers to explore the tactile delight of each piece. My work reflects the boundless creativity found in the world of fabric and fiber  offering a glimpse into the beauty that surrounds all of us.

I have always been interested in design and am a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Art (now University of the Arts). After a varied career in and out of the Art World  I began my handmade jewelry journey over 8 years ago. Feeling that jewelry should complement what the wearer is wearing  I design accordingly. Your jewelry should not be the first impression but a completion of the wearer's total look. Just like designing a room  when entering for the first time  your eyes should be able to take in the entire space and then zero in on individual parts of the whole. My inspiration comes from many forms of Art and sometimes a gem stone will let me know what form its setting should take   be it a ring  neckless or earrings. Whatever I design is not based on current trends but whatever my inspiration might be. I love what I do and am pleased when my pieces give pleasure to the wearer. Use this portfolio's Artist Statement for my application

My work is sterling silver jewelry that is fabricated   constructed to create jewelry that sits on the body in an interesting and sculptural way. Finally the jewelry is oxidized  polished or matte to create varied surfaces to define the space within a piece.

My work explores the relationship between color  pattern and movement. Influenced by warm weather cultures and artists such as Frida Kahlo and Fela Kuti  I aim to construct clothing that will inspire the wearer to explore the playfulness of wearing color and the privilege of inhabiting a physical body that can move like a graceful animal. Ever since I was a child  I have been fascinated by patterns in nature and its tactile surfaces. As patterns dance and colors fall into a rhythm with each other  the wearer is left with a feeling of being fully fluid in her physical nature. I make my patterns from scratch using both flat pattern and draping techniques. I use fabrics made from natural fibers to construct my clothing and fiber reactive dyes for color and pattern. Each piece is handmade with care in my studio.

Embarking on a creative journey within the captivating realm of Indian textiles  the focus of my work at OTTO FINN lies in the exploration of colors and intricate details  including the timeless artistry of kanthas. Kanthas  traditional Bengali quilts crafted from layers of repurposed fabric   serve as a cornerstone of our sustainable fashion ethos. Here  sustainable fashion undergoes a vibrant transformation through a meticulous process of craftsmanship and creative repurposing. Central to our practice is the prioritization of second-market materials  breathing new life into previously used fibers and offering them a renewed purpose. Through multiple repurposings  we actively contribute to a more sustainable and circular fashion economy  minimizing waste and underscoring our commitment to environmental consciousness. We embrace inclusivity  offering a fit in 7 sizes and celebrating color and personality. At OTTO FINN   diversity is embraced and individuality celebrated.

Fabric is the canvas that I use to create my limited edition clothing. A piece of cloth is stretched onto a frame where color and design are applied by hand using dyes and pigments. The dyes are set for color fastness and then the fabric is cut and sewn into the desired design. My goal is to create pieces that are timeless and beautiful giving the wearer years of enjoyment.

For me  porcelain has always been a wearable medium. In fact  I nearly didn’t graduate with my B.A. in Ceramics because I was too busy making tiny porcelain tiles and sewing them on to clothing to sit down at a wheel and throw a cylinder. By using porcelain as the main medium in my jewelry  I am intentionally tapping into the universal stories it carries: antiquity   heirloom treasures  bucolic landscapes. I use shape and surface decoration to create miniature vignettes  small windows into which the viewer is invited to explore memory and narrative. As a writer chooses ink and paper to record stories  I choose porcelain and motifs from the natural world to build wearable landscapes that aren’t truly complete until they are worn: the porcelain is a canvas for the underglaze  the wearer is the canvas for the jewelry and nature is the canvas for the wearer  each reflecting elements of the others.

I began working with metals while studying at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts  Boston in 1997. My delicately industrial jewelry is inspired by an affinity for machine components  animals   the beautiful natural patterns and urban landscapes. Using silver  gold and gemstones  I love to create delicately linked geometric patterns and organic imagery like bird wings   flowers and leaves. Kinetic movement plays a role in the designs  concentric circles spinning inside hexagons or a stairway of silver folding like a puzzle. I am attracted to contradictory themes- hard vs. soft   dark vs. bright  contrasting themes play a large role in design. My metal smithing techniques include forging  embossing  intricate soldering  fabrication and stone setting.

I create Story Coats. Through these garments  I wish to convey the connectivity of our global community. The fabrics are my structure  the embroidery the gilding  but the stories embroidered are the spirit of each garment. They are a combination of stories shared with me throughout my global life  my reaction to current events  my obsession with textiles  my love of images  and my fascination with the power of words. Each garment is hand-crafted in my studio. I begin with a story  poem   or quote. I choose from one of my four garment shapes (cocoon  a-line coat   jacket  or kimono) which are created from vintage  ethnic  upcycled   or mill-end fabrics. I draw images into a digitized embroidery program  then sew them out with an embroidery machine. The embroidery typically takes 40 hours. All coats are limited editions of no more than 10   the edition number determined by the availability of vintage fabrics.

My Zipper Jewelry is made from a seemingly mundane material that comes to life when it is worn. My specific fascination with zippers comes from my general love of transforming ordinary materials into wearable art. I remind viewers about the power of imagination and the joy of discovering a new view of something that would have otherwise been overlooked. There is an exciting "a-ha" moment when someone realizes that there is more to my design than they initially expected. To most designers  the zipper is a device intended simply to function. In fashion and costume design  the zipper is often looked down upon as a mundane fastener and not a feature. Because the metal teeth are attached to a fabric edge  the zipper is a material that is both rigid and flexible. I enjoy the contrast between the zipper's harsh metal teeth and the fluid  whimsical shapes that I can create with it.

Inventive  traditional metals are fabricated (pierced  forged  milled   soldered)  and combined with fiber arts. Silk thread and fine wire weave a concert of antique and contemporary beads  pearls  gems and metal into the unique  improvisational jewelry that constitute my Jazz Series. For 30 years  I have investigated variations within the concept of a metal frame  augmented with fiber art. As my skills have expanded  my jewelry forms have evolved in accomplished metal fabrication   while staying within the simple forms necessary to showcase the increasingly intricate weaving that distinguishes my work among the most original in our industry.  With the collaboration of my clients and the inspiration they instill in me  I strive to build the most elegant and wearable jewelry I can imagine.

The focus of my work is on original clothing that is beautifully crafted  artful and comfortable  often one of a kind or limited edition. Versatile designs are for everyday wear   as well as special occasions. Techniques include: dyeing  color removal (discharge)  hand stitching and embellishments. Ethical practices and use of fine materials are a cornerstone of my business. Garments are individually cut and sewn   with great attention to detail. Contemporary and playful  with flattering silhouettes  appealing to women and men of all ages  the work is timeless.

There is something satisfying about moving metal. Through fabrication and forging  I am able to manipulate the metal to create form and space  capturing movement in solid form. I love the engineering challenges of putting a piece together  to create such intimate sculptures. I lose myself in the inherent obsessiveness of creating these minute compositions  all the while seeking a balance of precision and chaos in each design.

My studio is in my home in Sun City Center   Florida. The pieces I construct are inspired by 17th-century treasures and are made from gilded paper embellished with crystals and stones. This magical jewelry-making process involves cutting  layering   and gluing pieces of molded paper known as Dresden Scrap. This embossed and gilded paper has been made in Germany for over 200 years. The finished pieces appear to be made of gold. My “Paper Alchemy Jewelry” collection alludes to the medieval alchemists' quest to turn base metals into gold. Each piece can be worn or displayed as three-dimensional art. Can paper be turned into gold? Almost.

Pattern free  contemporary  handmade attire created from eclectic combinations of new and upcycled materials. Signature accent stitching on silk  linen  canvas military tents  repurposed denim and other fibers of intrigue. The items consist of wrap skirts and outerwear for men and women. Minimal waste is produced in the process. I emphasize repurposing and the use of natural fibers. Sustainable   ecofriendly practices. As a self taught seamstress and designer I bypassed the use of patterns and conventional tailoring; resulting in ever evolving one-size-fits-all skirts and adjustably sized outerwear.

I hand-weave the individually hand-cut leather strips the traditional way  that is   starting from the bottom and ending at the top for a seamless finish. The minimalist designs are from basic and classic weaving and braiding patterns. However  I put a lot of effort on the details like: a) the hand-cutting of the strips with a razor-sharp blade and the edge-thinning and edge-dyeing of every strip prior to weaving for a consistent square and tight weave; b) the straight saddle machine stitching I personally developed using polyester thread and downsizing of the needle for strength and durability; c) the lining that is fused and laminated inside ; d) the half-inch wide binding strip I use compared to the ¾ to 1 inch wide generally used in regular leatherwork for a clean and sleek look; e) the well-thought-out closures   handles or straps; and f) the hand-finishing of each work piece.

I am a self taught jeweler with a fine art education and a love of modernist design. I think of myself as an artist working in the medium of jewelry  hand-building wearable objects with unique traits often arising from my unusual path to the trade. Drawing inspiration from natural geometry  a simple fascination like the energy of storm systems or the similar way ice and gem crystals form drives my work. I strive to capture that thought within a physical  wearable object through playful exploration of fine materials worked through proprietary processes and techniques. I love the small scale   creating miniature mechanical constructions that easily flow with the body and excite the eye with a display of natural beauty skillfully manipulated into a work of artful design. Working with clients  I have the opportunity to witness the moment of discovery when a piece of my jewelry and its wearer become one. It’s a small  internal transformation that reminds me of the true value of my work.

I am a self taught artist. After a few years in the IT industry   I decided to follow my passion   textiles. I studied Fashion Design at West Valley College  Saratoga   and Graphic design at UCSC and Art at Brighton College of Tech  UK. Eventually every experience culminated in creating my company Poshaq. I hand paint with various kinds of brushes on silk fabrics with dyes and gutta to create scarves  unique women's blouses  scarf jackets  skirts   ruanas  camisoles  and men's shirts and ties. I have been selling at Art Exhibitions in California   and wholesale to art galleries   boutiques  museums. My work has been worn by Barbara Harris(Spiderman3) at the LA Film Festival 2012  Jaqueline Emerson(Hunger Games)  Melanie Griffith  and Mickey Rooney(Vanity Fair party 2014). I now have a following in Hollywood as well as my regular customers. Each hand painted outfit is a study in contemporary color choices inspired from nature  science  and folk designs from India  Africa   South America.

Starting with undyed silk or linen  I cut specific rectangles and serge the edges. All my pieces are geometrically constructed with the straight edges of rectangles. Nothing is wasted. The next step is to dye the base color. I use my own recipes for my dyes. This way I am able to achieve the color tones that I want. Then I over-dye using shibori techniques and rust to mark the cloth and create patterns. I do this once  twice   sometimes three times until it looks right. Finally I sew. By doing each press myself  I establish an intimacy with the dye  with the cloth. It is a dance that we do together.

I create one-of-a-kind and limited edition jewelry. Working primarily in 100% recycled gold  I hand fabricate each piece myself with no outside help of any kind. My jewelry exemplifies a minimal industrial aesthetic; a combination of bold geometric forms  clean lines   attention to surface detail and an exploration of light play across the various textured surfaces. The most special thing to me about making jewelry is the intimacy that is created between the objects I have made and my clients. My thoughts  made physical  become someone else's to cherish and eventually pass on. That idea inspires me to continually strive for excellence within my craft.

Sterling silver hand made jewelry employing traditional metalsmithing techniques. Sea glass personally collected is highlighted. The designs reflect the beauty of a unnatural material  broken discarded glass  which has been made beautiful by ocean currents.

I create value utilizing the discarded  worn  and the broken. I recycle plastics  embedding some items in resin  and literally sew them into a wearable sculpture with wire as my thread. The result is a jewel which can be worn for a spectacular effect. 35 years ago  I invented a way of sewing with wire without the use of solder and any kind of power tools. I use my hands  an anatomical model  and my ingenuity. Sometimes my fingers just go on autopilot   other times  I require a great deal of concentration to give birth to a piece. My influences are vast: Inuit art from my Canadian heritage to hand sewn quilts of the surrounding Amish in Pennsylvania where I reside. I see wire as a way to create a permanent form that is as important as the resin   gems  glass  or felt that it encapsulates in a mysterious way.

I've spent my life as a professional watercolor artist & working in the high end fashion world. To master painting on silk and express my vision and love of nature and animals  I've studied with great teachers from Russia  Bali  Japan   Malaysia. Each piece is an original work of art and I put my heart and soul into each one. After decade of painting on silk I decided to work with wool  silk and decorative fibers combinations. An other word besides hand painting silk techniques and Shibori I start working in felting and nunofelting technique. This creation process is very challenging and opens a new opportunities and horizons.

Armed with a 500-pound laser cutter and a degree in graphic design  I transform flat sheets of material into bold statement jewelry. Ranging from wearable art to meaningful memento  my jewelry exists to empower. My abstract pieces  inspired by architecture  are built using 'serial planes'. Their commanding scale  visual vibration  and strong silhouettes echo the lines of modern art. Speaking a more literal language   my word-infused pieces offer meaning in an unparalleled way  taking statement piece to a new level. My fabrication process begins with designing a blueprint for the laser's path. With this computer file complete  I move to the laser cutter which can both cut and engrave. To do so  it directs a beam of electricity through a long glass tube filled with CO2. This beam bounces off a series of three mirrors before it reaches the material. Then the magic begins. Via machine mastery and fashion-forward aesthetics  my jewelry brings wearers fearlessness in style and thought.

My wearable art is elegant and contemporary in style yet traditionally hand crafted using historical techniques in new and unlikely ways. Using historical wooden braiding stands of Japanese origin and traditional hand beading techniques  I create vibrantly colored textile and beaded jewelry from fine silk  cotton and monofilament threads and small glass beads  stones and found objects. Creating three-dimentional beaded art jewelry is a particular expertise; it's particularly rewarding to see the depth and refraction of light from the glass beads in these very unique one-of-a-kind pieces. All work is done meticulously by hand  bead by bead and thread to thread. When creation of a much-loved treasure is the goal of your work  perfection is key. My love for hand-made objects and textiles and my ability to use unlikely materials  comes from working with my mother  a talented tailor and costume designer. I have perfected my skills through coursework   teaching and continued practice.