ARTIST
STATEMENT 
During
a semester abroad in the United Kingdom I became enthralled
with the majesty of English and Scottish history. I
marveled at the extravagant castles and pageantry of
the medieval era, namely the prodigious gowns worn by
Elizabeth I. I also began to explore how these large
garments related to the female experience. Although
there are many examples of women throughout history
using beautiful and dramatic clothing to establish power
in a situation, by far the most famous is that of Queen
Elizabeth I of England. While the convention of large
gowns and collars began in France, Elizabeth I adopted
those fashions, increased their size and adorned them
with gold and jewels. These costumes announced her authority
by making her the most visually dominant person in the
room, thus establishing her as a powerful figure during
an era when women were considered insipid and weak.
I was inspired by the subject and began creating two
series of work based on historical clothing.
In
the first series, Territorial Defense, I imbue the psychology
of adornment with my own need for personal safety. Although
the majority of the men I have encountered throughout
my life have been respectful, I have also met several
that have been physically and verbally aggressive in
the manner they court women. Finding this behavior to
be a common problem for many women, I began to imagine
ways that a woman could establish her personal boundaries
to discourage these negative interactions. This has
resulted in a series of adornment that creates a space
around the wearer with protruding wires. The linear
design is one of grace and elegance so that the wearer
looks beautiful, while the extending wires taper into
spikes that send a clear message of protection and strength.
This series addresses the feelings of frustration and
anger generated by gender power struggles as well as
the empowerment one can experience through dramatic,
assertive adornment.
The
second series consists of garments created with insulated
copper wire. I chose wire as the medium because it is
a basic industrial material, yet when manipulated by
crochet and other textile techniques, it can be transformed
into elegant adornment. This juxtaposition of Elizabethan
body adornment and contemporary materials links the
historical design to the present day. Another aspect
of the wire I enjoy is it’s reflective quality.
When illuminated, the surface mimics the jewels with
which Queen Elizabeth I adorned herself. Although many
of the pieces are on a much smaller scale than the Monarch’s,
I feel that they communicate some of the drama and elegance
conveyed in Elizabethan Pageantry.
