Necktie Purses statement

This statement is relevant to the Necktie Ballgown as well.

These purses are sculpted from men's neckties through a process of weaving and draping. The construction does not follow a set plan, but is open-ended and intuitive, a method that allows each piece to evolve through draping, pinning, and stitching over a soft form.

I love working with 1970s neckties because of their bold patterns, brilliant colors, and sturdy polyester. These vintage ties have a particularly playful and showy, almost peacock, quality. What makes them compelling as masculine tropes is what lends them so well to be transformed into feminized objects.

Purse Show Opening

Tonight is the opening for the Purse and Handbag show at Hanson Gallery... from 4 to 7 pm, I believe.

Also, Kevin Cowan of the Knoxville News Sentinel wrote an article about the show, the work and the artists. Here's an abbreviated version of the article online.

Embedded in Kevin's article is a video of Judi Gaston, friend and fellow fiber artist from the Emporium Building Studios on Gay St. in Knoxville. She's talking about her Recyclable series of clothing to which the purses belong. I especially like the bit where she's describing the rustling that the skirt of plastic bags makes as you walk about "leaving a trail of fun behind you."

More Necktie Purses

Below are two more purses I just finished. These will be included in a show this month at Hanson Gallery in Knoxville, TN. I'll post more details once the show opens. But until then, a little preview:

From necktie purses 2

with lining fabric:

From necktie purses 2

From necktie purses 2

From necktie purses 2

again with lining fabric:

From necktie purses 2

and a detail of the quilting:

From necktie purses 2

Already September

It's September and I'm working though my studio is far from being set up. I'm just working around the mess. Will be back with some pics in a week or two.

The weather is still extremely cool here in Mass and some individual trees have already begun to change color. Fall is going to be brilliant!