Every Day of the Dead needs a night of fashion — right? “Noche de Moda” is the theme for this year’s Wearable Arts show, and Kari Multz, who has been part of the show for nearly 30 years, says it’s going to be a fun one.
Although the theme for the show is inspired by Day of the Dead, an entry doesn’t have to match that motif.
“It can be anything,” said Multz. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for fiber artists to show, and sell, their work.”
A call for entries was sent statewide, and Multz said she hopes to have work from Anchorage and other communities besides Homer. Designers are limited to five outfits in the show. Some pieces are entered as ensembles, and some are solo items.
Multz said there is no guarantee how many items will be entered — but each year, there’s always enough. Because the show is happening earlier in the fall than usual — Saturday — Multz said she hopes some people might come to shop for a great costume for Halloween or the Pratt Museum’s Ritz fundraiser — which is also a Day of the Dead fiesta-themed event.
For the 6:30 p.m. show, participants from the recent “Sew September” class have been invited to walk the runway and show off their class projects or other creations.
Ann-Margret Wimmerstedt, who helped teach the class, is in her 15th year of wearable art. Wimmerstedt said that she, Multz and fiber artist Lynne Burt, had been thinking of a way that they could inspire people before the wearable arts show. So, they came up with “Sew September,” a class put on by the Homer Fiber Arts Collective in partnership with the Bunnell Street Arts Center.
Along with Marie Walker, the three women taught nearly a dozen girls and six women how to wind bobbins, thread needles, tension thread — and fix something when it went wrong. They also learned how to make simple book bags and skirts.
For her part of the class, Wimmerstedt taught alternative techniques, showing students how to transfer photos onto fabric and how to make thread collages.
“I wouldn’t even call myself a sewer,” she said. “I just bought a sewing machine kind of looking at it as an art tool.”
Wimmerstedt’s first dress in the wearable arts show was made out of paper — a collage evening gown held together with glue. This year she’s experimenting with lace skulls and roses.
Eventually, the Homer Fiber Art Collective, which organizes the event under the Bunnell Street Arts Center, would like the proceeds from the Wearable Arts Show to fund a scholarship and more workshops like “Sew September.”
Besides fashion with flair, there will be live DJ music, lighting design and a no-host bar. Guests are invited to dress up for the event, and also to join the after-party at the Alibi.
Toni Ross is a freelance writer who lives in Homer.
“Noche de Moda”
Wearable
Arts Show
Date: Saturday, Oct. 25
Shows times:
6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Location:
Land’s End Resort
Tickets:
The Fringe, The Homer Bookstore, Lands End Resort and Bunnell Street Arts Center.
Cost: $30 general,
$25 for Bunnell members.
Models try on some of the pieces that will be featured in Saturday’s Wearable Arts show. Decker models a masquerade jacket created by Risa Jackinsky.-Photo by McKibben Jackinsky, Homer News
Kate Boyan’s beading artistry covers the front of this bag.
