CARNIVAL COUTURE

Unleashed Spring Couture

This is the piece I finished yesterday for the Carnival of Flowers exhibition at Queens Park. It has to go through a selection committee, so it will be interesting to see if it gets chosen...I have been unsuccessful the last 2 years, so I'll wait and see what happens this time. Regardless I am thrilled with the way this piece came together and it feels like a new direction...very exciting. I approached it from the mind set of a piece of fabric hanging, or a garment. The painting is on canvas and is attached to a timber coat hanger. The hanger is I painted and sanded to give an aged look.

I was really keen to 'dress' the coat hanger...like mechanising an outfit. So my skills from Visual Merchandising came into play, and it is something that I have always loved, putting things together. I created 2 necklaces, which I just adore and would happily wear myself! I felt it needed a little more, but wasn't sure what that something was....






Then I came up with the idea of having a wrap...I had some silk so I sewed a length together and then dyed it in some hot tea water. All the 'extra pieces' can be worn, it's kind of like having a piece of art and accessories all in one! I just loved the whole process! On the canvas I also included beads and canvas cut out flowers, some of my personal design elements and stencils.

And last but lot least I sewed a tag on the side with my signature, like a clothing tag. On the back I wrote 'One size fits all'.

I have some more ideas along this line of art/textile work, may have to wait a little while till I finish painting my 30 x30's for hanging tomorrow. Better get to those unfinshed canvases.....still got labels, stringing and a number of other things to go!