Energy Imprint on runway - Y Collective 2011

Y Collective 2011 - ENERGY

Here are a few shots of my piece "Energy Imprint" from the 2011 runway show...

Energy Imprint may be viewed, along with previous Y Collective pieces

at the following gallery exhibits 2011:

Raisin River Gallery

April 27 to May 14

Opening Reception April 29 - 6 to 9pm

Location: 154 East Chicago Blvd.

Tecumseh, MI

Riverside Arts Gallery

June 2 to 25 Thursdays - Saturdays 3-8pm and Sundays 1:30 - 4pm

Opening Reception June 3

Location: 76 North Huron Street Ypsilanti, MI

photos courtesy of http://www.detroitfashionphotos.com/ and Cathryn Amidei

Y COLLECTIVE 2011 - ENERGY

Wow, the 2010 holiday season just flew by so quickly! I didn't even have time to post any pictures of the fun new stockings I added to my MALVARhome line, but I'll be sure to feature them later this year to prepare for holiday 2011.

In 2010, I also started my new label MALVAR = STEWART of petite women's clothing and accessories. So far, I've posted nuno felted scarves on my blog (see link). Clothing postings to come!

Currently, I am working on my piece for our upcoming Y Collective show and subsequent gallery exhibits.

This year my piece is called, "Energy Imprint"...here's a sketch...

As you can see, it is kimono inspired with a twist. This year I hope to interpret ENERGY through a piece that is BALANCED and RESONATING. using seemingly opposing visual energies like simplicity vs. chaos (not to mention, using opposing magnets within the panels themselves).

The main fabric is cotton dyed in a neutral grey. Each panel is imprinted differently: fingerprints, handprints, footprints, cigarette burns, etc. to capture energy from different sources (like standing on Broadway for hours, asking random smokers to burn holes into fabric). Complementary colours are used to portray visual energy. The bright orange fabric is pleated silk organza and the cobalt blue is crocheted/knitted organza ribbon (the sketch originally was in cigarette burned raw silk).

The orb headpiece was inspired by a sleepless night watching ghost hunting films on the computer (we have no t.v.)...I noticed that they would capture the spiritual energies via camera/film as glowing orbs. In one film, "America's Most Haunted Town," someone referred to the orbs as a "mass of pure spirit energy"...the result: my headpiece!

ENERGY IMPRINTED will be featured in the 2011 ATM & Y Collective Show on April 8

at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, MI

Spring/Summer Exhibits:

April 9-30 at the River Raisin Gallery in Tecumseh, MI

June 1-30 at the Riverside Arts Gallery in Ypsilanti, MI

Great gifts for Christmas!

It's that time of the year when I begin taking orders for MALVAR home
eco-friendly Christmas stockings!

Examples of some of the fabric combinations from 2009

MALVAR home eco-friendly stockings are one-off and sold only during the Christmas season. Each stocking is made from post-consumer wool remnants along with beautiful vintage fabric remnants from a men's tailor shop that closed down in Hollywood in the 1940's called "Stewart's." Each stocking is numbered and comes with a hangtag that describes its uniqueness.

MALVAR home stockings are made using traditional tailoring techniques with some hand-sewn details like blanket stitching and sometimes embroidery, while old buttons enhance the design.

This holiday, they come in three sizes: (size measurements are taken diagonally from the middle of the toe to the upper right corner of the top)

small - 11"

large - 14.5"

larger - 18" (new size for 2010)

This year the "Woof" and "Meow" designs are also available in the large size

Look for MALVAR home stockings at the following stores:

FOUND Gallery, Ann Arbor, MI @ http://www.foundgallery.com

Fox Ridge Gallery, Breckenridge, CO @ http://www.foxridgegallery.com

...and the "cherry on top": MALVAR home donates a portion of each stocking sale, after taxes, to local charitable organizations...

Thank you for your interest and for helping support this small effort in keeping remnants out of our landfills!

Our Sweet Goddaughter in her Berries Provincial Sundress

Objective when designing this dress: FUN
Result: SUCCESS!

berries!

I've been experimenting more with natural dyes lately...these are cotton plain weave fabrics that I dyed in blackberries (purple) and strawberries (pink with watermark or tie-dye). I'm not exactly sure what happened in regards to the imperfections, but I feel that they are "happy mistakes."

I ended up using the more consistently dyed parts of the fabrics to make our Goddaughter's birthday gift: Berries Provincial Sundress.

I appliqued the flowers and beaded their centres with tiny clear beads.

My hope is that she "plays in the dirt" in this dress!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Ruth!

I look forward to dyeing silk organza, using this berry dyeing technique, for my upcoming women's clothing line:

malvar = stewart

2010 Exhibit

This exhibit ran concurrently with the fashion show. Pieces are from the Y Collective 2009 show: COLLAPSE

Materials: silk organza with nuno felting and handspun wool yarn. The sleeves are shown as collapsed.