Wire and clothing?

As long as I’ve known you (8 years?), you’ve been involved with ArtWear. How did that start?

Around 1996, when Minneapolis was hosting Convergence for the HGA, I was very involved (as a volunteer) with the art wear show. A woman named Kerry McDermot from Arizona had 2 machine-knit copper garments in the show. Something clicked for me and I thought that was the coolest thing ever. I made my first wire vest because I wanted to wear it to an art opening of my sculptural work. People loved it, so I made a few more art wear pieces off and on, for art wear shows, and for some sales (not that they were ever big sellers, or I would have made more)

But you continue to make wire clothing…

My interest was in the sculptural end more than the fashion end. BUT, I’m very interested in the roles of women, domesticity, expectations of appearance, beauty—all those classic feminist issues, my own struggles of being taught I was never thin enough, pretty enough—so with my figurative work, I like to fold in those societal issues.

Of course, the choice of rigidly adhering to textile techniques is a kind of way of wanting to emphasize or elevate “women’s work”. I intend to make garments that are sculptural or sculpture, so all of my art wear I want to be displayed as sculpture as well as wearable. That being said, I think fashion is fun. It’s fun to wear something unusual. It’s a shame that it causes so much misery and overconsumption.

Open now!

My Father’s Religion

June 4-July 12

Opening reception June 17, 7-9 pm