https://www.ecotextile.com/2022062429524/labels-legislation-news/euratex-sets-out-vision-for-textile-recycling.html photo credit and a refreshing article
I set the intentions to create collections that do more than cover your posterity and cloak individual style identity in the shadows of fast fashion trend. Ok so the difficult talk I had with myself is: if you can't keep it real with your inner wild child how are you going to keep it real for the tomorrow's wild children. (oh wait am I the only one that raised wild children?) . .....That is neither here nor there so let's keep it moving with the top 3 things I would like to talk about with regards to my, intentions, work and the wearable art collections.
- do I like this collection or not? Let me be clear in no way shape or form do synthetic dyed fast fashion outcomes energetically resonate like natural leaf tannins alone or when printed over presumed natural pigment pre dyed foundations. Synthetic dye is never going to be an eco friendly (and artisan health friendly) alternative over natural pigments paired with eco friendly processing and evolving a circular product that closes the discard loop. Yes, I like the collections' attention to construction and color blocking synthetic dye monochromatic schemes because they unapologetically but with style and grace bring to the table discussions of what we wear, what is style and how can the artist explore consumer discards as a medium for wearable art. Yes yesyesyes, my inner wild child loves breaking bad the code of seen but not heard. These collections are visually heard pieces that help open conversation about surmounting textile waste pollution and are by example demonstrative on how we can begin to approach a collective sense of sustainable style.
- Moving literally piles upon piles of synthetic dyed fast fashion tees to source a scant knapsack full of redeployable worthy, bleached, cotton tees is exhausting. Yes, there are pants coats sweaters jackets undies outers etc but to be fair I'm way over the time consumption in deconstructing all of it, my current collections' focus is on reconstructing with tees. The mission to glean extended life from preloved natural fiber garments is rapidly becoming unachievable. Try reading labels for 2 hours in hopes of discovering the winning numbers 100% cotton, silk, linen or wool and don't place your bets too fast natural fiber synthetic copycats pose the best poker face. What I'm saying is I didn't come this far to just come this far. Yes I gave in to finding a different path forward (right through the middle of all those synthetic dyed piles) and after all there is bag sale day at the church basement thrift. Love me a bag sale and like my sweet honey friend says when she sees a sale on her favorite plants "I'm gonna act out". Sweet Jesus I gave the last bunch of lovely church thrift volunteer ladies an anxiety attack. It was evident my inner wild child was stressing them out because on about the 8th bag full of synthetic dyed fast fashion discarded tees, yes every color, they confronted me with "what are doing with alllllllllll of THIS." Yes I tried to explain I was refashioning then printing with leaves dadadadodah whewww that sent things way over the edge. I dropped extra $ in the checkout plate because yes I felt blessed and I'm not certain but pretty sure they had special prayer for me after the last of 4 trips loading bags to my car. Listen I still reserve my Earth collection to the purest of my capacity. If you don't like synthetic dyed foundations I totally get that. To be fair, I have purchased new fabric yardage in cottons and hemp to complete several of my current Earth pieces. However, my preference would be to continue with upcycled than join forces with the lovely naturals being cut and pieced right out of brand spanking new fabric bolts, then dyed with whatever organic plant based what have they by numerous independent artisan brands, continuing the sense of sustainable style.
- Now I don't want you to assume just because I'm a wild child I can't be a responsible artist. I full well comprehend it is not my task to change the buyer, the critic the market or the world. It is my aspiration to make beautiful wearable art that reflects a harmonious relationship with my natural surround. I also recognize that my approach, ethics and product impact evolves under critic observation. Taken from context Hudson River School, Landscape painting the sublime, New York Magazine Author, Kathleen Wilcox, Oct 2013 words describe the artist influence best - "We teeter on a delicate line between what we perceive as necessities in our tech-infused lives and what we recognize as degradation of the land around us in pursuit of said requisites. We turn to artists for edification as well as entertainment. In the debate between nature versus progress, we depend on them to filter and interpret this great philosophical quandary – and give us a great show to boot."