metamorphosis, the whole story, in pictures

'metamorphosis' modeled at Dana Hall Fashion Show

In February I participated in the exhibit "Fiberarts and Fashion" at the Dana Hall School.  

In conjunction to that show I was invited to create a collaborative project/dress 

with the student body that would be presented at the Dana Hall Fashion Show.  

The end product: 'metamorphosis'

it all started with a white dress

found at the thrift shop

objective: to create a dress/project that involved the entire student body of  Dana Hall

I wanted to create an opportunity for the students to reflect on their place in the world, as students of a very challenging and scholarly girl's school.  As I pondered the concept behind the dress, I came across 'Chrysalis', the story of Maria Sibylla Merian and the project fell in place.  

The idea of metamorphosis felt akin to my desires for the project; during middle school and high school there is a metamorphosis, students discovering their desires, strengths and passions while facing fears, and then 'emerging' as adults.  I wanted to offer the students a platform in which they could pause and reflect on their personal journey.

so I tea dyed it

first, i realized the dress was too white

and I painted, dyed and cut the original dress.

 then I took everything to Dana Hall.

I set-up in the gallery.

the first day I cut out 500+ butterflies

then Michael Frassinelli and I divided the butterflies into to envelopes for each advisory group.

 with this prompt:

As part of a collaborative project for the Dana Art Gallery, Artist-in-Residence Virginia Fitzgerald has been working with students and invites you to contribute this morning to the creation of a sculptural dress which will be worn in the Spring Fashion Show and exhibited afterwards in the Library. Each advisor group has a packet containing cut paper butterflies and Sharpie markers.  Each student is asked to simply write a word, phrase or short sentence, or simple image reflecting a wish, a dream, an inspiration, a memory, or fear on one of the pieces of paper. This can be written in any language, in any style, on any subject (personal, family, school related, etc.); these should be anonymous andthere is no wrong way to express yourself. When finished please return the pieces of paper and markers to the envelope and have a member or the advisory drop them off to the gallery. Thanks so much for you participation. Stop by the gallery throughout the week and after the Break to see how your words and images will be incorporated into the sculpture, or stop by and work with Ms. Fitzgerald directly. All are invited. Thank you for supporting the arts.

the next day I had 500+  emotionally charged butterflies

then the fun began . . .

the middle school student came and helped me  . . .

they made cocoons, with wax, glitter and more intentions rolled up inside

and they helped me outline each butterfly with black ink

and then they painted each butterfly with glitter medium to reenforce the paper

I continued to 'personalize' the dress. here I soaked the bottom in ink

the students also wrote on the dress, adding to the pattern/design

I used the india ink to create a vein like pattern on the top of the dress

there were many heart felt messages on the butterflies

during the week I was working at the school Mr. Fraz found this butterfly on the ground :)

It was very interesting to see all the different ideas, thoughts, 

dreams, fears and desires that were written on the butterflies. 

As I attached each one to the dress 

I wondered what kind of response I would have received 

if I did a similiar project with a boys school?!?!? 

then it was time for me to pack up ~

back to my studio (well, really my home, sorry girls).

 Here I attached everything to the dress ~ 

butterflies and cocoons.  

I sewed many layers of strips of tulle and netting, 

then attached all the butterflies.

 

I added grommets on each side so it could fit whatever student that would be wearing it in the Fashion Show

This is the first dress that I made that someone else 

was going to wear.  During the Fashion Show I felt like 

I might have been on Project Runway ~ 

nervous if the dress would fit and present well 

and I found myself saying that my model was at 'hair and make-up' :)

any thoughts Tim Gunn??

As I was adding the layers and butterflies my own forest nymph modeled the dress for me,

this way I could see how the dress hung ~

and how it moved.

Monday morning was the Fashion Show and my model rocked the dress! 

spinning and letting all the Dana Hall student's dreams and desires take flight 

and their fears just fly away.  

Thank you Dana Hall for supporting and participating so fully in this dress/project.  

As always it was a wonderful and enriching experience for me 

and I hope it was for you too!!

'metamorphosis' modeled at Dana Hall Fashion Show

Dana Hall School: Artist-in-Residence Program at Dana Hall

Here is an article from the Dana Hall website about my time as artist in residence at Dana last spring. 

 Dana Hall School: Artist-in-Residence Program at Dana Hall

metamorphosis

 and some pictures from the two projects 

dresses for the giving and receiving dress

some of my work in the Fiber and Fashion exhibit

click here for more about metamorphosis 

and click here for more information about the giving and receiving dress

  

'the dress to the rescue' . . . a tale of loss and redemption via the dress

how, once again, 'the dress' saved me . . . .

'moss' 2dec

As I headed into the month of December

 I was plagued with uncertainty and exhaustion.  

My long term substitute job at Dana Hall had ended, and

  'breaking open' was now a thing of the past.  

I didn't have anything on the agenda. 

'ties' 3dec

 In many ways it was a needed and healthy place to be

 for someone who has been in triage mode for years, 

but it also sent me into a petite free fall 

- I was feeling lost! 

'dusting' 4dec
Then one gray and dingy December morning, 
out with my trusty companion Scruffy, 
a clump on bright green moss caught my attention. 
 I have always wanted to make a dress of moss, and since I had no where to run off to or schedule to keep, I realized that I could stop and make a dress!
And, as always happens whenever I make one of my ephemeral dress, 
I felt better. 
I was outside, in the brisk, fresh, new england winter, 
finding the best pieces of moss 
with which to create a dress. 
 I felt myself righted a bit.

'poetic' 4 dec

And then the next day Scruffy and I discovered discarded, 

old, rusty and luscious railroad ties!!! Another dress!! 

 I had a series, 

posting the dresses on Instagram, 

with 'hashtag' no less (#decemberdress ).  

I was back, baby, eager for the next day

 to see what materials would call to me.

'lichen' 5dec

my lovely assistant, scruffy

I have been intrigued how this December experience 

is strikingly similiar to 

the week in August of 2006, 

when I started my infatuation with the dress, 

aka 'the dress project'.

'ever - green???' 6dec
I was on a family vacation in Wells Beach, ME 
and feeling out of sorts then too. 
 Earlier in the summer I had a successful gallery show of acrylic still life's at Natick's Gallery55.
One might wonder, 
why out of sorts after a successful show??
Good question!

'prints' 8dec. The Porches Inn, North Adams, MA

Well, first, this exhibit showed me that art, 

no matter what kind of art, 

has a voice and I wanted to give that voice more depth, 

put more substance into my art.  As well, 

I wanted my work to be more personal, 

have more to offer the viewers.

But I was not sure how to do all that.

'lathe' 10 dec, Dana Hall School

the lathe in action at the 'Makers' exhibit at the Art Gallery at Dana Hall

$econdly, $ince my painting$ '$old', my internal voices bombarded me; 'paint more garlic$, people loved the garlic$', 'more pear$', bigger canvase$',
blah, blah, blah.
This tainted my studio practice. 
I was thinking too much, 
the work was becoming labored and looked it! So I headed off to Maine artistically struggling.

'by the tracks' 15dec

Then I 'stumbled upon' the idea of creating a dress out of materials from the beach.  

(click here for an article about the beginning of the dress project)

With the first dress, the floodgates opened and 

I was back in that most amazing place where I am just creating and NOT thinking!! Nirvana!! 

'slush' 16dec

so patient!!

And as it was in 2006, when 'the dress' guided me onto this exciting creative journey I call 'the dress project',  this month, as Scruffy and I were out and about making dresses, things started happening in other parts of my life. 

I was called to do some more substituting at Dana Hall (money is always welcomed), and I got interviewed for a 'possible' feature article in a local arts magazine?!?! (more about that later :) 

I truly feel rescued!!

'snowed in' 17dec

I was back in the wonderful state of thinking about material and dresses on a daily basis.  I found myself following familiar self-imposed guidelines.  

First and foremost, 

I will not hurt or cut down any living plant for a dress!! 

All the 'material' is found, already discarded by Mother Nature.  

'kids' menu' 18dec

Second requirement: mix up my techniques; 

if I 'dug out' the dress one day I don't want to dig out another dress.  

I like to challenge myself! I like to make each dress unique!! 

'twiggy' 19 dec

I remember this requirement was very important for my dailydress journals; if I was doing a lot of collaging then I needed to draw, paint or do a subtractive process.  

'fallen' 20 dec,  Newton Public Library, Newton, MA

There were other similarities between this series and the Wells series. 

'digging in the dirt'  21dec.

I would head out to the beach with one preconceived idea of the material that I would be using for that day's dress, and then end up using something completely different. 

These december dresses are no different.  

I would head out into the winter landscape 

thinking today I'll use 'blank',  

only to discover a much more suited material for the day!!

'ginger' 21 dec. making the famous and delicious family recipe for
Anne's Scotch Ginger bread with Maya for a cookie swap

Also once I start to focus on a certain material and 

concentrate on creating the dress,  

I find wonderful treasures.   It is as if I suddenly 

had special, X-ray finder's eyes, 

discovering the tiny starfish at the beach 

or the empty cocoon of a cicada at Wellesley College.  

'everandalways' 22dec. 
this title references how my dresses are forever and always there for me!

 So here is my #decemebrdress series so far, 

made out of snow, slush, twigs and so much more.  

I have posted the picture of the dress and 

then a picture of the location where each dress was made, 

this helps give a sense of scale and place.

'christmas' 25dec. Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA

Below is a link to an album on Facebook if you are interested.

  Also if you want to follow this series of ephemeral dresses and my other practice, dresstagging, you can follow me on twitter or on instagram at virginiafitzart.  

Out of the world of social media 

Instagram is my favorite because it is visual, a cyber picture book. 

'vinyl' 26dec, Cambridge, MA

Hope you enjoyed this tale of loss and redemption via the dress ~

peace

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