RIDGEWOOD ARTS COUNCIL

Friday was a very special day for Artfully Awear. 

I was invited by the Ridgewood Arts Council in Ridgewood, NJ, to give a talk about my work and exhibit my handmade dresses in the Stable Gallery.  An old stable which has been converted into a lovely art gallery, The Stable is a cozy, split level space in town.  Upstairs, I displayed my dresses, and downstairs was set up for my presentation.

When guests arrived, they were met with food and drink provided by local businesses, and a member of the community playing classical guitar.  There were between 50-60 attendees, which made for a warm and engaging crowd.

I told the story of Artfully Awear, from its inception to current projects, accompanied by lots of photos.  I answered questions about my process and future goals, and even discussed some of my artistic struggles.  At the end, Susan Knudsen, the Mayor of Ridgewood, presented me with a Certificate of Participation and a beautiful Dale Chihuly book - what could be more perfect?

Afterward, everyone mingled and I was able to meet so many members of Ridgewood's burgeoning art community.  It was so refreshing to be surrounded by so many art appreciators and it was an extra special treat to have everyone see (and touch!) my art dresses.

Many thanks to the town of Ridgewood for the warm welcome!  And extra special thanks to Drew Martin and Audrey Fink for organizing, and to Sherry Frank for hosting me.

Photos by Drew Martin and Dana Glazer.

ARTFULLY AWEAR X WAVERLY WORKSHOP

I'm extremely excited to share photos from the first ever Artfully Awear workshop!  A Saturday class through the Waverly program, this particular session was geared toward girls ages 9 - 11, and was hosted by the boutique Torly Kid.  We had a fantastic afternoon learning about inspiration and making our own masterpieces!  If you're interested in attending or hosting an Artfully Awear workshop, email artfullyawear@gmail.com.

Thank you to our wonderfully creative inaugural group of budding artists & designers, to Molly Wills, director of Waverly, and to Torly Kid for providing a space!

We started off by talking about inspiration and our favorite colors.  Each girl got to choose an accessory in her favorite hue and don it in a creative way throughout the class.

To get warmed up, the girls were given blank fashion design templates and asked to draw an outfit inspired by a work of art that we discussed. 

Their creations were completely fabulous, and clearly captured the artistic inspiration!

Waverly program founder Molly Wills models my pom pom jacket, used as inspiration for the big project.

After discussing the artwork that inspired my pom pom jacket, the girls got to work, adorning a purse, a hat, a dress, and sunglasses with colorful pom poms in striking patterns.

After the collection was complete, they posed for photos with their masterpieces!

The pom pom jacket finds another enthusiastic wearer.

They were so proud of their creations, and we had so much fun with this photo shoot! 

All in all,  I was so impressed by the girls' willingness to listen and learn, and they taught me so much more about inspiration and helped me to see things in new ways.  I look forward to the next Artfully Awear workshop!

Photos by Kathy Paciello and myself.