ROBERT OTTO EPSTEIN

I met Robert Otto Epstein a few years ago, while he was working on his 8Bitterized paintings and drawings.  I was intrigued by the (as I thought) obvious connection to technology and of course the vibrant color palette, and I got to know him through a few conversations about his work and visits to group shows.  Most recently, I was struck by his portraits at VOLTA in NYC.  When I saw that his work would be included in a two-artist show at Hionas Gallery in Chinatown, I decided to reach out to him about a collaboration.

In chatting about his work, I found out that it references much more than technology.  In his words, "When I was first painting, I randomly came across a knitting pattern magazine on eBay.  So I started out painting sweaters, cardigans, jackets, and skirts.  Over time, I noticed that the knitting instructions take on a grid format.  Each square and each symbol represented a different color and that's how I got into the abstract form of painting and drawing." Basically, Robert was Artfully Awear all along!

When asked about his newest series of portraits, three of which are included in the Hionas Gallery show, he said he started out searching the internet for high-resolution images, and eventually landed on celebrities as subject matter, after exploring gallerists and athletes.  The painting that I chose as inspiration for my jacket is based on a portrait of Olivia Munn.  We both had a laugh when I told him how difficult it was to capture the expression in his painting - and he reminded me that each portrait naturally contains a likeness to its artist, so of course mine would have appeared different than his.

Instinctively, I asked him what's next, and he said he's very interested in pursuing wall-sized paintings.  It took many hours for me to hand-paint the skirt and jacket inspired by his work, so I immediately understood how intensive the process would be to paint a grid on a surface the size of a wall!   He also joked that perhaps a fashion line should be in the works.  I'd wear it!

Robert's work is on view at Hionas Gallery until May 26th.

Photos by Kathy Paciello.

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.

IAN DAVENPORT

I need to be honest about this dress.  I hate it.

When I saw there was an Ian Davenport exhibition opening at Paul Kasmin Gallery, I knew I had to make a dress for it.  I was so excited.  I found a white dress and got to planning – I would tape off the stripes so I could paint each different color, and freehand the swirls at the hem.  It would be FUN.  I got to work.

Hours and days into the project, and I began to hate it.  I toiled away, struggling with bleeding paint, fabric that was too thin, running out of supplies, and on and on.  At some point along the way, I started to HATE the dress.  I didn’t want to look at it anymore.  It came to represent all of the challenges and frustrations of every project.

I couldn’t give up on it, not after I had invested so many hours.  So I finished the dress, but I knew I hadn’t captured the essence of Ian Davenport’s painting.  I didn’t want to wear it.  But the invested time forced me to put it on and go to the gallery.  At the gallery, the photos weren’t working.  The lighting was difficult and the dress had gotten wrinkled, and everything was just WRONG.

I was so frustrated.  I wasn’t going to post the photo.  I needed a break from this whole thing.  Art is hard.  Replicating art is harder.  Making art when you have a full-time job is nearly impossible.  WHY BOTHER?

And then I realized that the struggles and trials of making something are a part of the experience.  If it were easy, then everyone would do it.  But they don’t, because it’s hard.  Learning how to work with new mediums and styles and brushes and tape and paint is, actually, one of the best parts of making things.  When something doesn’t turn out the way I want or expect it to, I need to embrace it.  What else can you do?  You can start from scratch or you can ROCK the thing that you made and let it speak for itself, telling the story of all of the things you learned from it.

So here it is, in all of its glory, the dress that gave me hell.  But in the process, it also forced me to solve problems and embrace challenges, so maybe it was worth it.  Maybe.

Photo by Kathy Paciello.

DARK MATTER

dark matter noun ASTRONOMY 1.     (in some cosmological theories) nonluminous material that is postulated to exist in space and that could take any of several forms including weakly interacting particles ( cold dark matter ) or high-energy randomly moving particles created soon after the Big Bang ( hot dark matter ).

Dark Matter is the name of an exhibition of the work of Sarah Cain, which opens at Galerie Lelong in Chelsea today.  It also classifies her work in general: blurring the boundaries between painting, sculpture, and installation and including found objects as well as myriad methods of markmaking.

I really connected to this idea when I was creating my dress inspired by Cain’s work.  Inherent in the wearing of clothing inspired by art is the blurring of boundaries – is the clothing art?  Is the art clothing?  Part of the viewer’s experience with Cain’s installations is the feeling of becoming a part of the work, and that is exactly what I’m trying to achieve when I create a garment.  Cain’s 2,500 square foot floor painting gives you the chance to be one with the art.

Dark Matter is on view at Galerie Lelong (528 West 26^th Street in NYC) until October 15^th.

Photos by Danielle Wu (@Danie_Wu).

WARM CALIFORNIA

Yesterday afternoon, in the middle of a very unexpected rainstorm, I stumbled into Andrew Kreps Gallery and Billy Al Bengston’s Warm California.  The hanging and standing scrolls that California-based Bengston created in the 1970s fill the gallery, recalling the effects of light on the surface of water.  To me, walking through the gallery felt something like being surrounded by the fronds of a weeping willow – the hanging scrolls swayed every so slightly and turned with the movement of forms through the space.  It was a serene environment, which Bengston likened to a kelp forest, and was a welcome respite from the downpour outdoors.

The exhibition is on view until June 18^th.

Blouse: Tucker

Pants: Diane von Furstenberg

Blazer: Diane von Furstenberg

Shoes: Escada

Photos by Kathy Paciello

ORTA ARTE

I was walking down the street in Chelsea, and a flash of neon orange caught my eye.  The flash was coming from Jane Lombard Gallery, and orange nylon was part of a symbolic hot air balloon made by Lucy and Jorge Orta.

I had never heard of the couple before and later found out that ANTARCTICA is their first exhibition here in the US, based on their expedition to the icy continent in 2007.  Much of the pair's work considers environmental conditions and human survival, and the exhibition includes drawings and plans for sculptures that the artistic duo executed in Antarctica during their travels.

Part of the traveling exhibition, The Antarctic World Passport Delivery Bureau, encourages individuals to pledge to work against global warming, and I happily signed up to participate.

It was so refreshing to see and experience new-to-me artwork dealing with a global issue that is also well executed and eye catching (thanks to that flash of traffic-cone neon)!

Lucy + Jorge Orta

ANTARCTICA

Jane Lombard Gallery

Open through February 20