Coats of Culture Coats of Culture is a series of one-of-a-kind elaborate coats inspired by my travels. I was moved to pay tribute to the great beauty of diversity that different cultures bring to our world. The coats have been exhibited throughout the US including the prestigous Bernina Fashion Show and Fairfield Fashion Show. The coats have won numerous awards and been published in Fiber Arts Design Book Six and Seven, Belle Amoire magazine and Somerset Studio publications among others.
Through traveling to various countries myself, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in several cultures. I was touched by their similarities, not their differences. I realized most people of the earth want to have a good life for themselves and their families. I saw this in their creative expressions: craftsman still producing works in wood, fiber, metal, stone, as they have for centuries. Art remains a very alive and essential part of many cultures.
The coats were made utilizing a variety of surface design techniques. They were a chance to experiment and to explore various surface design techniques including painting, dying, shibori, stenciling, phototransfer, quilting, applique, embroidery. Each coat has generally been constructed after traveling to a particular country, studying its culture through my personal immersion. While traveling I gather fabrics, beads, buttons, design motifs, woodblocks, taking lots of impressions as well as hundreds of photographs. Upon returning home, I put everything out that has been gathered and let ideas percolate. I try to capture something essential about the culture that I have been privileged to visit.
