I’m generally drawn to linear materials like yarn, cord and tubing. Over the last year, I’ve also pushed myself to experiment with chain, wood and metal. My process is based on a trial and error approach and it almost always involves some form of crochet work. I acquire material, explore its potential, and eventually discover what I’ll make out of it. The material conveys meaning just as much as the finished garment. The things I make aren’t necessarily wearable but they aren’t purely sculptural either. They’re in an “in-between” where the wearer has to decide. This past year, I positioned myself away from a perfectionist approach to craft and started to take things a little less “by the book”. It’s been a way for me to make room in my own process for things to surprise me. I improvise as I go and learn to look at things differently.
Jelly Skirt, 2022, Jelly cord, rubber cord, and elastic string, 14.5x9 in, Modeled by Elsa Lebrija S
"Risqué" Chain Jacket, 2021, Fabric and handmade chains, 21x17.2 in, Modeled by Elsa Lebrija S
Long Lost, 2022, Wire, yarn, and fabric handmade bear, 15.5x18 in, Modeled by Elsa Lebrija S
Chest piece referencing losing something material after wanting it so long as a child, longing for it, only to get over it in a week.
Long Lost, 2022, Wire, yarn, and fabric handmade bear, 15.5x18 in, Modeled by Elsa Lebrija S
My Stained Sweater, 2022, Yarn, fabric printing, cardboard, and hot glue, 16.5x17 in, Modeled by Elsa Lebrija S
Stain embellished sweater. A work referencing "To expect the unexpected"
My Stained Sweater, 2022, Yarn, fabric printing, cardboard, and hot glue, 16.5x17 in, Modeled by Elsa Lebrija S
Protected, 2022, Scrap wood, screws, and scrap wire, 20x18 in, Modeled by Elsa Lebrija S
Protected, 2022, Scrap wood, screws, scrap wire, 20x18 in, Modeled by Elsa Lebrija S
Jelly Skirt, 2022, Jelly cord, rubber cord, and elastic string, 14.5x9 in, Modeled by Elsa Lebrija S
As a sophomore bodybuilder student, my goal used to be for my garments to be perfected and polished, and would be upset when something went wrong. I’ve learned to appreciate the materials for what they are rather than for what they will become. When I am looking for materials, I’m like a kid in a candy store, where if I come across something I like I immediately think, “Oh, I’m into this, I wonder what it could become. How can I respond to a design prompt using this material?” Then I just get it. I’ve learned that my best works come from that relationship with the material. As an artist, I formulate questions about or around wearability and unconventional materials. Much of it is about touch and putting things on the body. Sort of like questioning how a raw material can become a wearable experience. I love working out the thought process and the making of it into a physical, tangible thing. My work goes through a totally integrated process where the work actually effortlessly moves through different disciplines. For example, for My Stained Sweater I started with creating stains on muslin with various condiments. Then, I photographed them and sized them digitally, and sent them to print on fabric. After that, I cut them to the shape I wanted, and created buttons out of cardboard and hot glue. All of my projects include a similar process: cyclical experimentation, editing, finalizing and documenting, and presenting. I go from that initial material and then build my project around the iteration I most enjoy, and construct the final product.