Fashion Plates as a series is an intimate picture of the steps women often take as they move through their experience of creating a personal sense of identity. The imagery and surfaces are saturated with colour and pattern inspired by urban street art. This body of work is a reflection of the history of womanhood and the beauty of imperfection.
I believe that fashion is about pursuing a life that is not about appearance but rather empowerment. It is a form of self-expression, a way to share who you are without words in order to create your own identity. It also documents the history of women. On its own the clothing we choose to adorn ourselves with and the way it moves can convey a feeling. Capturing these images in this way I can remember my personal history and also collaborate with a new generation of woman.
Marked by layers of colour, repetition, intuition, symbolism and palimpsest (something reused or altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form) expression means there is continuity in these visual stories. The paintings explore questions about identity and embrace the pleasure of living. The conscious mark-making results in surfaces that are balanced between purposeful graffiti inspired patterns and powerful imagery.
After studying Art & Design many years ago, I was travelling to Toronto to study Fashion Design but didn't continue when I met my husband in the prairies. Twenty-five years later, my daughter began designing and creating clothing inspired by a variety of eras which I have been photographing and have now been drawn to utilizing those photographs in this body of work.
Click on images to see entire painting. To view my daughter's work please visit her website https://themodiste.weebly.com/
I believe that fashion is about pursuing a life that is not about appearance but rather empowerment. It is a form of self-expression, a way to share who you are without words in order to create your own identity. It also documents the history of women. On its own the clothing we choose to adorn ourselves with and the way it moves can convey a feeling. Capturing these images in this way I can remember my personal history and also collaborate with a new generation of woman.
Marked by layers of colour, repetition, intuition, symbolism and palimpsest (something reused or altered but still bearing visible traces of its earlier form) expression means there is continuity in these visual stories. The paintings explore questions about identity and embrace the pleasure of living. The conscious mark-making results in surfaces that are balanced between purposeful graffiti inspired patterns and powerful imagery.
After studying Art & Design many years ago, I was travelling to Toronto to study Fashion Design but didn't continue when I met my husband in the prairies. Twenty-five years later, my daughter began designing and creating clothing inspired by a variety of eras which I have been photographing and have now been drawn to utilizing those photographs in this body of work.
Click on images to see entire painting. To view my daughter's work please visit her website https://themodiste.weebly.com/
The photographs that inspired these paintings (click on image for complete image):
