ABOUT THIS EXHIBITION

ArtsWorcester Main Galleries

January 13 through February 12, 2023

Public reception: Friday, January 13, 6:00-9:00 PM (snow date: January 20)

 

Wearable or frameable, these works are all about fashion, textiles and styles. Prizes for Strut will be awarded by theo tyson, Penny Vinik Curator of Fashion Arts at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts. This exhibition will also showcase five new pieces by Worcester designers acquired by the Worcester Historical Museum for its Costume Collection.

 

ArtsWorcester exhibitions are sustained in part by the generous support of the C. Jean and Myles McDonough Charitable Foundation.

Capital

Joshua Altobelli, Zheph, Skyre; Book I; Fire

digital print, 9” x 6” x 1”, 2022, $27 (sold)

@jdadragon

 

This is my first novel that I have published. I wrote and illustrated all of it. It is a science fiction and fantasy novel with a lively yet relatable cast of characters.

Capital

Joan Avato, Beach Fashion

16" x 20”, 2019, $200

 

As I walked along the beach, I was surprised to come upon a photographer taking a picture of a model while she was standing in a boat. Her formal gown was the color of the sunset.

Capital

Amanda Baldwin, Heir of Solarik

@amandabaldwinart

digital painting, 11" x 14", 2022, Not For Sale

Capital

Kaitlin Beebe, Collected Reflections IV

@bbkaitlinartist

acrylic, oil pastel, and collage on stretched canvas, 36" x 36", 2022, $1,975

 

First in the amalgam of processes, I structure the canvas with overlapping blind contour self-portraits. I use acrylic paint to highlight intertwined shapes from the drawings. To create my collage elements, I begin by sourcing material from fashion magazines. I gravitate to textile patterns that I used to be intimidated by, but I now express myself with, in life and art. These clippings are scanned and digitally manipulated and enlarged into archival prints. The collage pieces are traced from shapes in the initial drawings. A selection of cut-outs are mounted on foam core to cast shadows onto the canvas.

Capital

Stephen Bergeron, Runway

 

ceramic grout, acrylic, cement, 24" x 18", 2017, $924

Capital

Susan Black, Delightful Excess

 

acrylic with paper collage and mylar overlay on canvas, 21.5" x 17.5" x 1.25", 2022, $175

Capital

Carol Bloomfield, Strut Your Stuff

 

photograph / digital, 8" x 10", 2022, $200

Capital

Katarina Bloomingdale, Self Portrait 2022

 @katarinaartwork

acrylic on cradled wood panel, 8" x 8", 2022, $200

 

Self Portrait 2022 depicts an outfit. Clothes represent a huge portion of our identities, and yet they are often inaccessible to those who may be disabled, fat, poor, or sick. In these cases, we lose our identity and we must wear only what is available or accessible. This outfit is the first outfit I’ve been able to purchase for myself in about 5 years due to illness, and the first since coming out as non-binary. For me, this outfit is the perfect intersection between my gender identity and my sensory needs as an autistic adult. Owning it is a privilege.

Capital

Sally Bowditch, Saori Woven Dress

Saori weaving: rayon, 42” x 22”, 2022, Not For Sale

 

The fabric was woven with rayon yarn while I was attending weaving classes at Saori Worcester. I then attended a day long sewing workshop at the Saori studio and designed and made the dress.

Capital

Chelsea Bradway, Who Says Shopping Can't Be Glamorous

@official.all.things.sparkley

black and white photograph on fine art paper, 30" x 24", 2021, $475 (sold)

 

This photograph was born out of the idea. One is that we have all these fabulous clothes that we wait for an occasion to bring out of the closet. That seems so silly, why not wear them to vacuum, go grocery shopping or rake the leaves. Life will pass by in a moment, why not live it!

Capital

Julia Cahill, Mom Circa 1986

@juliacahillart

oil on canvas, 11" x 14" oval, 2022, Not For Sale

 

"Mom Circa 1986" is a portrait that captures my mom at Elm Park in the 1980s when perms, baggy t-shirts, bangles, and bright colors were quintessential to the time. My vision with this portrait is to help the viewer feel nostalgia through the colors of the painting and fashion trends of the time similar to that of when viewing a film photo in old photo books.

Capital

Aimee Cotnoir, The Walk

@aimeecotnoir

oil on canvas, 15" x 30", 2022, $500

 

This is a the second painting in a new body of work for which I haven't yet entirely thought out the corresponding artist statement. It is an exploration of painting, layering, and intertextuality. It is a painting created by the combining, editing, and reworking of several machine learning versions prompted by a slew of words, ideas, and phrases regarding fashion and art. The work is meant to be a discussion of the artist versus technology.

Capital

Juror's Prize

T.I.M.E. DaArtist, Baile Típico

@TimeDaVrtist

acrylic yarn on monks cloth, 23 1/2" x 32 1/2", 2023, $950

 

This art work is an illustration of a Panamanian tribal dance “Baile Típico” & comes in a plethora of different dance styles like “El Tamborita” which is one of many dances. The dress you see the woman wearing is called “Pollera” and behind the woman is a geometric pattern called “La Mola.” La Mola is owned by the Kuna tribe, a print of the indigenous people of Panama. This form of art work is originally displayed on clothing. They’re often decorated with intricate needle work & many feature Panamanian tribal symbols. I designed mine with colors of the Panamanian flag.

 

Juror's note: T.I.M.E. DaArtist’s Baile Típico is defined not only by its beautiful and precise craftsmanship, but by the symbolism that flows through every aspect of the piece. Its colors, patterns, and the figure’s dress all reference traditional indigenous Panamanian culture. The juror enjoyed connecting these elements to the artist’s statement and learning about the intersection of dance, fashion, and culture.

Capital

Jennifer Davis Carey, Imagining Cahokia

 

vitreous enamel on copper, wood, feathers, 15” x 10” x 4”, 2022, $300 (sold)

 

Enameling, the fusing of finely ground glass to metal, is an ancient art dating to the Bronze Age. Requiring precise firing at temperatures generally between 1400 and 1650 degrees, the process renders permanent the vibrant transparent, opalescent, and opaque colors of glass frit. It is a medium placed firmly in the zone where art and craft merge.

Imagining Cahokia is informed by recent archaeology in Illinois of a city populated by indigenous people from about 1050-1350 CE. Cahokia represents the northern-most reach of the great civilizations of Mexico and Central America. Cahokia residents were renowned for their copper work.

Capital

Jessica DeHaemer, Autumn Leaves

@LerayjessDesigns

hand-woven and hand knotted with wool, cotton, and acrylic yarns, recycled silk sari, recycled cotton sari, banana fiber yarn, recycled tee shirt fabric, 16" x 36", 2022, $400

 

Building upon the ancient tradition of hand weaving textiles, the artist hand weaves and hand knots freeform designs for her tapestries on a frame loom. The artist uses a mix of fibers such as recycled sari fabric, banana fiber yarn, and recycled tee shirts, along with traditional wool, silk, cotton, and acrylic yarns. Many are hand spun and hand dyed in traditional ways by other local artisans. The inspirations for her highly textural and colorful work are primarily landscapes and seascapes.

Alice Dillon, Key Portrait

@adillonart

thread on fabric, 10" x 20", 2022, Not For Sale

Capital

Kristi DiSalle, Radial Waves

@kristileighcreations

yarn, acrylic paint, 24" diameter, 2022, $175

 

This piece is about color, texture, and movement. The cool colors are meant to recall ocean waves and their constant motion. As the waves undulate around the center, they draw the viewers' attention to the woven portion of the piece. The radial weaving maintains the motion of the waves as it weaves into a textured central focal point.

Capital

Annamarta Dostourian, Wearing the World (Heliacal Rising of a Star as Seen from a Blue Planet)

@annamartadostourianart

jeweler's wire, copper & industrial wire, Czech and Japanese crystal & glass beads, copper beads, wood, 24" x 13" x 20", 2018, $900

 

I envision my sculptural headdresses/apparel are magical windows allowing glimpses into unseen worlds when worn as living sculpture, allowing all people to wear crowns. I seek to resacralize apparel just as garments of antiquity signified dialogue with sacred dimensions.

References for this piece come from such sources as art historical depictions of globes/maps, Carahunge, ancient astronomical observatory in Armenia (5,500 BC) and science fiction cinema costume.

My practice relies on processes of weaving and crochet, translating these forms of women’s work into a contemporary practice with industrial materials. I loop and stitch wire, revealing interlaced form/emptiness, spheres encompassing the grid.

Capital

Rebecca Duffy, Reel Talk

digital photo, 11” x 17”, 2022, $150 (sold)

 

"Reel Talk" takes a look into the world of Competitive Irish Dance, the fashion and the fun.

Capital

Kate Egnaczak, Culotte Gown

@train_by_Living

Collection Clothes, graphite on marker paper, 8" x 10", 2022, Not For Sale

 

How do we quantify the human impact on a place? The "Collection Clothes" is a series of conceptual garments created for the collection and categorization of trash and other debris found on walking surfaces. Designed to complement and maximize walking as artistic practice, "Culotte Gown" is the first in a series of work clothes visually mending denim segments to elongated vinyl pockets. The garment's ultra-wide fluted leg design incorporates varying elongated see-through pockets, a detachable train, and a fanny pack to add capacity. Imagine the artist cloaked in this, moving down a road or sidewalk, collecting artifacts of human consumerism.

Capital

David Etedgee, Ancient Patterns in New Light

stained glass, 27” x 18”, 2022, $1800

 

This window is based on a textile pattern on a woven rug acquired on a trip to Morocco. The woven and tile patterns in Moroccan design and architecture are both inspirational and personal to me as they reflect my own Moroccan origins.

Capital

Sharon Freed, 10 Songs

digital photography, 16" x 20", 2021, Not For Sale

Capital

Timothy Gannon, Girl in a Blue Shirt

oil on canvas, 16" x 20", 2022, Not For Sale

Capital

Leonard Gerwick, Man in a Teal Shirt

acrylic on linen, 36" x 24", 2021, $400

Capital

John Gintoff, koochoor

drawn on inkjet print, 11" x 22", 2022, $846

 

The Russian word for couture is drawn over the original collage.

Capital

Francine Gintoff, Dress For Success

acrylic paint and ink on found vintage chiffon dress, 50" x 24", 2021, $891

 

This dress was the 1st inspiration for 55 dresses that followed. The series comprises vintage dresses from 1910-to contemporary examples. They range from children's styles to adult.

Capital

Libia Goncalves-Quintero, Bambuco Dress, Heritage of Colombia

mixed media, 16" x 20", 2022, $250

 

Typical women dress for this iconic musical and dance genre of Colombia, which indigenous origins come from the times of the colony; related to the countryside people. Women wear a ruffled white blouse that hangs off the shoulders adorned with lace and ribbons. A wide skirt made of satin, opens during dance showing the white petticoat made of tulle and lace.
The Bambuco dance represents a couple’s romance, the flirt, the conquer through movement. In my work, the man is represented by the hat, that he usually throws on the floor, and she pretends to step on it.

Capital

Emily Gowdey-Backus, Matching Set in Rust

@em_gowdeybackus

cotton, spandex corduroy blend, 69" x 24", 2022, Not For Sale

 

This is a matching outfit I made to wear to a wedding this summer in which guests were requested to rust-colored clothing. I had the fabric in my collection and chose to create an Ashton Top by Helen's Closet and a wide-leg pair of Free Range Slacks by Sew House Seven. As garment prices rise and quality plummets, and clothing manufacturing practices continue to harm the environment, it's increasingly important to me to procure clothing through sustainable methods and sometimes that means sew it myself.

Capital

Martha Hauston, Mother Wore a Pillbox Hat

mixed media assemblage, 13" x 17", 2022, Not For Sale

 

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy (1929-1994), was an international style icon known for style and elegance. She popularized "pillbox hats" and wore a Halston pink pillbox and Chanel pink suit on the day of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963.

My class practiced lettering that day, when the Principal announced the President had been shot. Jackie's strength and grace fortified the nation and was a model for my Baby Boomer generation.
This conceptual construction transforms personal memories into physical form. Found materials and constructions combine to evoke ot reflect experiences. My mother and I copied Jackie's hair and clothing style.

Capital

Lisa Hayden, Woodland Scarf

@meltedtheory

fabrics, wool embroidery thread, wood, 6” x 14” x 36”, 2022, $95

 

I created this abstract scarf with a focus on texture and abstract forest elements. I’m imagining a woodland fairy hanging their scarf on tree branches at the end of their day. The circular shape of a wrapped scarf has always reminded me of birds’ nests - maybe a bird will come and make a nest while the scarf is unattended.

Capital

Juror's Prize

Obiamaka Igwenagu, Aplomb Pieced Together

@obiamaka.i, @o.amaka.i

oil paint on canvas, 40” x 30”, 2022, $1,250

 

Juror's note: The painting technique in Obiamaka Igwenagu's Aplomb Pieced Together is utterly captivating. Noting the abstracted piecing and camouflage effect, the juror reflected on ideas of visibility and invisibility experienced by people of color. The juror, like many of us, is looking forward to where Igwenagu takes this imagery next.

Capital

Elijah Johnson, Harry Styles

acrylic on teabag, 6 1/2” x 8 1/2”, 2022, $200 (sold)

British pop star and fashion icon.

Capital

Courtney Johnson, The Corner

denim collage, glue, tempera paint and marker on paper, 11” x 14”, 2022, $250

 

I tend to express myself through my home decor. There is a corner in my home that I find simple yet beautiful. In this work, I chose to simplify this corner by creating shapes and using a monochromatic denim color scheme. I used layering/collage to create rhythm and texture.

Capital

Honorable Mention

Christopher King, General Utility Non-Theorizing Environmental Control Pullover

@kingchrisg

woven fabric twine and cotton yarn, 22" long x 36" wide x 7" thick, 2022, $500

 

I experiment with up cycling materials into artwork, clothing, and sculpture. I use polyester and non-woven textile waste torn into long strips, twisted into twine, then woven with cotton yarn to form thick, flexible, and unique fabrics. These fabrics are hand sewn with twine joining selvedge loops to form this comfortable pullover. To me, the arms are reminiscent of those of The Robot in the 1960's television series, Lost In Space, thus, the title of this work.

Capital

Honorable Mention

Louise Laplante, Paris Summer

pastel on collaged vintage paris guidebook pages, 39" x 26", 2021, $3,800

 

In my work I used collaged vintage book pages as the background for my pastel drawings. Paris has been the style capital of the world for many years. These vintage Paris guidebook pages inspired the stylish woman's bathing "costume" from the 1930's I placed on them.

Teresa Lamacchia, Zigzag Dress with Crochet Bodice

acrylic paint, oil paint stick, yarn on canvas, 24"w x 36"h, 2022, $1,000

 

This painting refers to my interest in pattern and textile design, my love of working with yarn and my fond childhood memories of paper dolls with their cut-out clothing.

Capital

Juror's Prize

Stevie Leigh, Promise Everything

@ItsMeStevieLeigh

upcycled denim scraps, selvedge, thread, metal zipper, 38" x 26" x 7", 2022, $1,899

 

Stevie Leigh is a sustainable fashion designer based in Worcester, MA. Promise Everything was conceived from her process to make her other denim designs. To create her designs, Stevie must process the denim scraps she receives from tailor shops to be upcycled. She does this by removing the hem, selvedge and side seam; creating a lot of waste. Stevie decided to use this waste to create a textured textile. Stevie designed this coat to show that even the smallest of material need not to be discarded. Promise Everything is a reversible garment that also features a non-distressed denim patchwork side.

 

Juror's note: Stellar craftmanship and sustainability come together in Stevie Leigh’s Promise Everything. The juror noted how environmentally damaging denim is (requiring 1,800 gallons to produce one pair of jeans). They admired how the artist creatively used every last bit, not just the larger pieces of jeans that one might expect to see in an upcycled garment. Leigh manages to bring attention to the environmental impact of the clothing industry while also creating a dynamic and sturdy wearable garment.

Edward Lilley, Shimmer And Shake

scored mylar with alcohol paint, 30” x 12”, 2022, $800

 

I always find reflecting surfaces in art intriguing. Here, I have scored the Mylar and then added colored paint. Combinations are seen everywhere in fashion and dance.

Capital

Madeleine Lord, Fall Collection

@madeleinelordmadimetal

welded found steel, 59” x 29æ x 7", 2022, $3000

 

All my works starts with the story in the scraps. The legging and Bolero scraps were the inspiration for this piece. Working with solid and see through to imitate heels to head was a blast.

Capital

Ashley MacLure, Daddy Likes Your Hair Long

@ashley.maclure

mixed media: collage, drawing, Play-Doh, acrylic, ink, 2”x2”, 2022, $500

 

I was not allowed to cut my hair. "Daddy and Papa like long hair", my mother said.
I learned to please everyone around me.
I never learned to say no; not in high school, not in college.
My body does not exist for others.
My hair is mine. My body is mine.

What messages are we sending to our children through seemingly benign statements?
I was more than the length of my hair.

Capital

Rebecca McGee Tuck, Rogue Balloon Robe

@rebeccabombshellart

graduation gown, single use plastic packaging, found and reused mylar balloons, thread, 45"x60", 2021, $1500

 

Wrack Line- A trail of debris left on the beach by the high tide.

I walk the wrack line of the coast of Massachusetts, collecting debris that washes ashore. The impact of trash in our environment has driven me to take a more active role in the ocean’s protection.

This robe is covered with balloons collected on the beach. It raises awareness to the constant misuse of the ocean’s ecosystem. I transform pieces of marine debris into works of art and symbols of hope; calling attention to the consequences of polluting our oceans and encouraging a new commitment to action!

Capital

Anne McNevin, Over the Rainbow

@adiamondmcnevin

photography, 19" x 26", 2020, $350

Capital

Parker Milgram, Macramé

@parkermilgram

colored pencil, marker, Uni-Ball pen, and Wite-Out on paper, 6” x 8" (without frame), 2022, $100 (sold)

Capital

Abu Mwenye, Abstract Women’s Skater Dress

@artbyabu.m

polyester, spandex, 2019, Not For Sale

 

Dress to impress with this sleeveless skater dress! The soft fabric and flared skirt give it an elegant twist that brings out the intricate design with a beautiful vibrancy.

This dress is printed with sections from original artworks which makes each dress an artistic original.

Capital

Raven Nelson, Untitled Self Portrait In Drag

@_rav3n.h3art_

graphite and charcoal on paper, 18” x 25”, 2021, $70

 

This piece was created when I first began exploring gender and my transition into my identity as non-binary. I sketched myself looking in the mirror modeling drag that I felt identified with my idealized gender expression. My shirt is vintage and the top buttons are left open exposing some of my feminine chest, yet I sport a pencilled on mustache and a masculine up-do. I feel comfortable in the way that my feminine side intertwines with my masculine side. I crave to have someone look at me and question which gender I could possibly be.

Capital

Kat O'Connor, Shift

@katopaints

acrylic on wood panel, 9 1/2" X 4 3/4", 2022, $395 (sold)

 

'Shift' plays with the idea of clothing hiding or exposing the body beneath. It takes its cue from Greek sculptures of women where thin drapery allowed the artist to explore the human form. In order to create a diaphanous, ethereal quality to the fabric, I repeatedly layered paint on the wood surface then scraped it off. The body exists only where the shift exists, all other figurative elements are removed.

Capital

Juror's Prize

Emmanuel Opoku, Good Listener

@emmanuelmanuopokuart

oil on canvas, 18" x 24" inches, 2022, $3600

 

As a contemporary artist, I employ inspirations particularly from the surrealist technique – an involvement of juxtaposition with which I navigate my diasporic experience relating to uncertainties and forms of cultural assimilation. I consider photography as the initial stage of my paintings, and I understand photography as the means to present my body as an object. My portrait navigates the mysteries of identity that are shaped by time, space, and multiple experiences. The work expresses the status of and the values of the individual in the picture as well as expanding their autobiographical narratives and emphasizing the personal qualities.

 

Juror's note: The impeccably dressed figure in Emmanuel Opoku’s Good Listener is wearing, in the words of the juror, “jazz from a fashion perspective.” The figure’s clothing and the artist’s surreal abstraction go hand-in-hand in this vibrant and compelling portrait.

Capital

Honorable Mention

Sheila Papetti, Fortitude

wool and Italian leather coat, constructed with traditional hand tailoring methods, 60" tall by 26" wide, 2022, Not For Sale

 

Both the design and title of the piece were inspired by the artist's French ancestry. The selection of color and material are to emphasize the strength of the woman who wears it.

Stephen Paulson, I'm Too Sexy for My Hat

@stephenpaulson48

wood, metal, glass, found objects, 28" x 21" x 11", 2022, $525

 

Capital

Sophie Pearson, Locket

@creating.sophie

oil on wood, 6”x12", 2022, $120 (sold)

 

Lockets are personal; they contain photos of loved ones, items that we want to hold close, sometimes even the hair of those we care for. Mine contains the following: several sharks teeth I found with my husband in the place I grew up, a seashell from the same beach, a piece of pottery from the home in which I spent my teenage years, and some Swarovski crystals just for fun. The front is glass to show off its contents. It is special, it is mine, and it feels like home.

Capital

Anju Pillai, Hijab or No Hijab, We Will Shine!

@artaesthetics_by_anju_pillai

acrylics on canvas, 16”/16”, 2022, $375

 

This artwork is dedicated to the strength and determination of the women in Iran in their fight for freedom and a solemn tribute to those who died in this fight.
To every woman across the globe fighting for the right to be allowed to make choices.
To wear or not wear a hijab or any type of clothes should be the individual woman’s choice. No government or person has the right to dictate what a woman should be wearing, saying, behaving, or doing with her body.
My Body, My Choice!
To woman’s rights!

Capital

Dominic Quagliozzi, Suit

@ArtistDominic

used hospital gowns and thread, Men's size 36S jacket, 30 pants, 2019, Not For Sale

 

Suit is a wearable soft sculpture made out of used hospital gowns that I wore during a hospitalization for complications from my double lung transplant. This work is serves as costume and uniform for me, as I feel like I'm cosplaying both a chronically ill patient and an healthy person, oscillating between two worlds.

Capital

Erin Reid, Caitlyn

@erinreidart

oil on canvas, 30” x 40”, 2020, $1,250

Eve Rifkah, Tied to Flight

fabric, vintage ties, satin, 60" high x 20" includes height of stand, 2015, $250

 

Since my adolescence when my father worked as a cutter for the garment industry, I have been under the allure of textiles.

I have done spinning, weaving, knitting, as well as stitching by hand and machine. I have used textiles to make picnic baskets, boxes, backgammon sets, quilts as well as clothing. I believe that the items we use in our daily lives ought to be beautiful and made with care.

Capital

Rachel Rinker, Sinful Colors Protect Me

@rachelrinker1

acrylic and collage on canvas, 20”x10”, 2022, $875

 

“Sinful Colors Protect Me” is loaded with a passion for protecting queer and trans bodies. There is a kind of armor often found in what people wear to be safer in public spaces. There is a hint of irony in “Sinful Colors” from the name of the golden nail polish color I use in this piece and the inclusion of an “America the Beautiful” national parks pass holder. With the dangerous and real fear that exists in this country of queer and trans bodies, comes “Protect Me.” Protect queer and trans lives because they matter, period (all fashion choices aside).

Capital

Pamella Saffer, Legacy

found plastic, cane, 11" X 14", 2022, Not For Sale

 

What determines precious or fashionable? What, precisely, do we value? What legacy do we leave for those who come after?

What do we do with all this plastic?

The oldest living participatory democracy on Earth is widely considered to be the Iroquois Confederacy. Its founding document,
the Great Law of the Haudenosaunee, is based on an ancient Iroquois philosophy:

“In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.”

Capital

Piya Samant, Jasmine Marigold

@art.by.Piyali

oil on linen panel, 12”x9”, 2021, $950

 

For centuries, western artists have celebrated women by portraying them as beautiful, powerful, and as nobility. Few parallels exist for South Asian women in art because we see them playing their designed roles in society. They have been captured as doting mothers, loyal wives, goddesses in temples, and homemakers performing chores Seldom does the art world have them as a muse to capture their beauty for who they are independent of their roles.

This painting is part of a collection that portrays South Asian women in ephemeral moments of solitude, beauty, and thoughts of self-worth, free from societal burdens.

Capital

Brittany Severance, Butterfly Goddess

@brittanyseveranceartist

archival inkjet print, 11" x 14", 2017, $120

Capital

Edwin Smith, Flower Pattern #9

photo composite, 16” x 20”, 2022, $200

 

I have been experimenting this year with patterns and mandalas created from digital captures of flowers and other natural elements.

Capital

Catherine Smith, Self-portrait in a Corset and Puffy Sleeves

@Catesmithart

archival print on paper, 8”x10”, 2022, $200

 

I have collected photographs for years, mostly old images of women in pants, before it became acceptable for us to wear these garments in public. I am always looking for examples of uncomfortable clothing and just found this from one the late 1890's recently. The woman’s faint smile may have been genuine but I can only look at this image and feel pain. With a little help from photoshop, it has because a self-portrait.

Capital

Michelle Stevens, Chicky Shirt

@michellestevensart

fabric marker on fabric, XL Crew Neck Sweatshirt on Clothes Hanger, 2022, $145

Capital

Jill Strait, Rosie

@jilldaisybanjo

watercolor, colored pencil and beadwork, 14.25” x 17.25” framed, 2022, $225

 

This is the first complete piece in a series I am creating of watercolors embellished with beaded embroidery. This combines my history of beading which dates back to my childhood, and my love of watercolor. This series depicts local and not so local musicians and their instruments with patterns and flora. This is Rosie of Rosie Porter and the Neon Moons, from Western Massachusetts.

Capital

Jacob Strock, Abominable Amalgamation 002: Fashion

@jacobsalad_

mixed-media sculpture and collage magazine cutouts collaged onto a button-down shirt stuffed with t-shirts and a wig, draped upon a 27”x12” stretched canvas attached to a clothes hanger, 30"x30"x4", 2022, $200

 

Created for Strut, "Fashion" is the second installment in my new collage series of what I dub "abominable amalgamations." This work allows me to throw every material I have at the canvas without abandon, without standards for myself, without expectations, and with a sense of play, release, and discovery. The meanings of each work is shown to me progressively as I work on it. This one, of course, releases ideas of fashionable expression, gender expression and expectations, personal expression and time periods of fashion trends.

Capital

Jaimee Taborda, Untitled

@jaimeetaborda

cyanotype, wire, glitter, sequins, 9"x12", 2022, $175

Capital

Pamela Taylor, Vuitton

@jaimeetaborda

gouache on panel, 8x10, 2022, $350

 

Plein air, Champs-Élysées, Paris

Capital

Cathy Taylor, Crone Robe

@cathy_weaver_taylor

patchwork cloth, 36"x 36"x24", mannequin, 2021, Not For Sale

 

I was brought up with my last name Weaver and have always been attracted to images with spiders and spiderwebs. As I am getting older I put together this crone robe and wear it whenever I need to reacquaint myself with my spider beginnings and the interconnectedness of life.

Capital

Juror's Prize

Trevor Toney, Glam-O-Rama

@TrevorToneyinColor

reconstituted east Indian rosewood, Baltic birch plywood, acrylic paint, 11"x8"x2.25", 2022, $600

 

My work is about wood and its interaction with shape and color. My forms are constructed with Baltic birch plywood and then veneered with wood. I then add paint in ways that compliment the qualities of the veneer while respecting its innate natural traits.

 

Juror's note: In the words of the juror, Trevor Toney’s Glam-O-Rama is “a super explosion of fashion and art coming together.” This funky shoe embraces the spirit of this exhibition, and features perfected technique, bold color choices, and smart, clean angles.

Simon Tozer, Dressed as a Deer During Hunting Season (Barre, MA)

@tozersimon

video and performance, 00:40 seconds, 2022, Not For Sale

 

"Dressed as Deer" is a test as the first in a series of exposing myself in the wilderness during hunting season. Following my move from Worcester to Barre after earning my MFA, I had my first experience residing in a rural area. I understood the draw of the environment, while constantly fearing the contrast between an artistic nature and the eyes of a red town. I am embarking to confront my notions of displacement and investigate ideas of masculinity.

Capital

Katherine Valkyrie, Suit of Spite

@The_Dying_Sun

acrylic on canvas, 24”x 24”, 2022, $200

 

Over the years, I've found myself with a wardrobe that's a mix of what would be considered traditionally male or traditional female clothes. I enjoy wearing both, either, or mixing it up, and breaking and contesting norms that currently exist. So, while some might argue whether a person simply either male or female, I would ask them again to consider neither.

Capital

Michelle Valois, Manifest Under The Full Moon

@BellaTrees

acrylic on canvas with pyrite, jewelry, gems and dried paint flowers, 20” X 16”, 2022, $250

 

1970 Scene, sweethearts manfesting a life together with light of the full moon.

Capital

Mihoko Wakabayashi, Double layered coat

@saoriworcester, @mihokotextiles

alpaca, wool, 22" x 13" x 53", 2022, Not For Sale

 

I made this coat for myself last year. The outside layer is all alpaca yarn from local farms and the inside layer is all my handspun wool. It took a long time to spin enough to make the fabric. It is very practical and fashionable. It appears Japanese kimono style, which outside layer fabric is modesty but inside layer is playful and colorful. The slow fashion is my aim. Knowing the source of the fiber and making yarn, weaving, designing and sewing brouht me so much pleasure and I will cherish this coat for a long time.

Tatiana Watkins, Untethered Ensemble

upcycled thrifted clothes, 2022, hand-dyed cloak, top: $100, fringe pants: $60"

Capital

Jill Watts, Woke Up On The Wrong Side Of The Grass

cone 10 ceramics, stains, glazes, monofilament, fiber hat, glass head for base, photo images by Anne Mcnevin of artist in graveyard, 10" X 12" X 10", 2022, $700

 

A wise woman says repeatedly that, "It's a good day if you wake up on the right side of the grass." We know that one day, we will wake up on the wrong side of the grass. In some traditions, it is said that the dead do not realize they are deceased and wonder why they are not being included in their old life so food is set out for them and Lamas remind them that they have died and need to let go of their previous life, thus the artist wearing a portion of "ground" in the graveyard.

Capital

Honorable Mention

David Wesley White, Jingoist Jester Hat

@davidweswhite

White House souvenir snapback, vintage American flag, cotton, thread, down goose feathers, various fabric, yarn, bell, 24" x 24" x 84", 2021, $2,000

 

This tongue-in-cheek jester hat sarcastically critiques American imperialism by turning symbols of war into a playful headpiece. The American flag has been cut up and crafted into spires with colorful, frilly details. The medieval court jester played an important role in medieval Europe—to entertain, educate, and challenge the ruling class, much like artists and comedians in the modern era.

Capital

Matt Wright, Andrae By Trifilo

@mattwrightphoto

digital inkjet print, 16”x24”, 2013, Not For Sale

Capital

Mark Zieff, You Can Talk Until You Are Blue In The Face

@markzieffart

colored pencil on Canson paper, 24" x 18", 2021, $1,900

 

I have always been fascinated with old, manufactured objects – the well-worn and imperfect. These objects are a link with the past, our human past. Though ordinary, they are a quiet reminder that the true meaning and richness of life still comes from the simple and mundane activities of everyday living.

More recently I have begun to focus on our relationships with clothing - it is the most complex and unique among manufactured objects. Many of the clothes in my drawings are my own and I use my artwork as a way to explore my own connections with the past.

For sales inquiries, please contact the galleries at sue@artsworcester.org or call (508) 755-5142.