RE-VISIONS: Art Made from Reclaimed Materials

Karen — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:06:45 +0000

invitation with work by Don Baker and Barbara Brandel

Re-Visions 2009, was the fourth exhibit at Tohono Chul Park for art made from reclaimed materials. Creative work from 31 Tucson-area artists was on display.

Peggy Hazard, then assistant exhibit curator at Tohono Chul Park, reminds us that, “folk recycling has taken place in the creative expressions of people all over the world, such as houses and grottoes built from glass bottles, ubiuqitous ‘muffler men’ standing on the curbs of almost every U.S. town, or the resourceful mid-twentieth century practice of stitching flour sacks into dishtowels, quilts, and clothing. These expressions are refereshing antidotes to the mass production of bland, soon-obsolete objects and the depletion of the earth’s resources.”

my transformed fashion in good company with Janet Soares' work

This first photo shows a vignette of my upcycled and transformed fashion. Sorry for the bad photo and blinding flash, but this is my only documentation. It was a delightful assemblage of textures and colorways.

“Sigrid”, a reclaimed and transformed coat with appliqued felted sweater petals, appeared in the premiere issue of Altered Couture magazine. This coat was also featured in my solo show Transformations: Rescued clothing into Re-imagined Couture, at the Art Institute Tucson.

On the wall, and in the case are carryall bags handcrafted from recycled sweaters. Each one has been thoughtfully crafted and skillfully executed…guaranteed to be one-of-a-kind.

Janet Soares is the creator of the stunning upholstery fabric on the chair and ottoman. The fabric is hooked from discarded wool clothing that is over-dyed and cut into strips. Stunning.

hobo sweater bag with belt handle and necktie clutch

Inside the case, the hobo tote is fashioned from an old Michael Simons’ sweater and a black belt strap. A blue and green vintage necktie is transformed into a hard case miniaudiere with an embellishement upcycled from a thrift store earring. The combo sits well alongside Jenni Pagano’s jewelry from bits of felted sweaters and recycled beads.

The Tohono Chul Park Re-Invisions show ran 21 May through 23 August 2009 at Tohono Chul Park, 7366 N Paseo del Norte, Tucson, Arizona 85704 www.tohonochulpark.org

invitation to the Art Institute Tucson show with "Sigrid" on the front

www.karenlukacsonline.com

www.karenlukacs.etsy.com

Sweater Collection custom order

Karen — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:25:25 +0000

A new silhouette for the Sweater Collection. This sweater was a favorite of the client, but just wasn’t getting any wear time. After playing with the graphics, here it is.

The handles are souvenier beaded belts found in a thrift store. Each strap is a different color. Made a nice design detail and worked well with the sweater graphics.

Metal feet protect the bottom of the bag and help it stand. Inside pockets keep everything together, and the top closes with a magnetic snap.

What’s in your closet?

Karen Lukacs a textile design studio » Bags Purses and CarryAlls

RE-VISIONS: Art Made from Reclaimed Materials

Sweater Collection custom order