Past Shows

PORT TOWNSEND WEARABLE ART SHOW 2016

Best in Show – #7 El Vestido de Duende by Lyn Glaviano
People’s Choice – #43 Swan Lake, Not so Black and White by Galadriel Nichols
2nd Place – #33 Tubular II Sophiticate by Judith Bird
3rd Place – Swan Lake, Not so Black and White by Galadriel Nichols
Best Student – #17 Crazy Card Creation by Emillia Nunn
Best Art You Can Really Wear – #1 Sophie’s Circles by Teri Nomura
Best Use of Material – #38 Etude in Black & Gold by Polly Fish
Best Hair – done by Dawn Gately of The Parlour Salon for Queen of Hearts
Best Make Up – done by Brooke Taylor for The Suns of Phoenix

A huge thank you to the 3 jurors, Terra Holcomb, Lisa Lyles, and Kelly Matlock who did an outstanding job picking 14 Art You can Really Wear and 30 Fantastical pieces for the 2016 show. The Port Townsend Wearable Art Show is a story of collaboration and teamwork. The list of thank you’s is large, but we will start with Key City Public Theatre (KCPT) and Port Townsend Film Festival (PTFF)! Emcee/Director Denise Winter and her KCPT staff who expertly produced the show, and Janette Force and her PTFF crew brought the show to life with technical production.

Special thank you to KCPT photographers Phil Baumgartner, Gina Cox, Patricia Weedman and Eligius Wolodkewitsch, and Steve Mullensky, photographer for the Fund for Women and Girls; and PTFF camera and video crew Gary Engbrecht, Sonny Flores, Zoe Byrd, and Director Robert Force.

Applause for Port Townsend Wearable Art Show 2016 Artistic Director: Margie McDonald, Co-Coordinators: Marla Althouse & Debbi Steele, and Judge: Tony Gorzycki

Art You Can Really Wear Artists selected:

• Crystal Taggart, It Is All Greek to Me – Tank Dress
• Diana Gipson, Shibori Jacket
• Heather Hicks, Urban Vestment
• Jessica Ulmer, All Wrapped Up
• Joyce Wilkerson, Mojo Mojo
• Judith Bird, Shapes Shot Coat
• Karen Snare, Wayfarer
• Lyn Glaviano, El Vestido de Duende “The Dress of Spirit”
• Lynn Di Nino, Party Animal
• Monthu Myin, Cultural Celebration
• Tamara Halligan, Stitching A Line
• Teri Nomura, Sonia’s Circles
• Vicki Youngs/Cathy Anderson, Snow Dance

Port Townsend Wearable Art Artists Selected:

• Amy I Dahlberg – Caps a go-go!
• Angie Murray – Fitting the Pieces
• Crystal Taggart – History
• Danielle DeGeus – After Water
• Diana Gipson –  Construction Couture
• Dongming Zhao/Carol J Salusso –  Flying Apsaras
• Emillia Nunn –  Crazy Card Creation
• Gladadriel Nichols –  Swan Lake:  Not so Black or White
• Heather Hicks –  Tres Chic Antoinette
• Judith Bird –  Tubular I – Carmen
• Judith Bird –  Tubular II – Sophisticate
• Kalina Ebling – The Suns of Phoenix

Kim Preston –  Get Your Heron (hair-on)
• Lisa Doray – Funster
• Luci Chambers – Wave
• Lynne Morrow –  La Reina del Cosmos (The Queen of the Cosmos)
• Mariamne Dean –  The Bird and the Cage
• Marla Althouse –  Rolling in the Deep
• Nadia Fisch – Game Changer
• Paula pay la renta – Granny Gear
• Rebecca Bartenetti – Forrest Queen Dress
• Rebecca Bartenetti-  Flower Garden Dress
• Rrutanna Lanphear-Ramirez –  Duchess of the Dye
• Saundra Althouse –  Water Bottle Illusion
• Sophie Pipia –  Sol, A One Woman Band
• Stephen Snook – Faraday Constant F=eNA
• Thomas Booth, Shannon Shelton –  Freya Viking Goddess Shield Maiden
• Una McFadin – NASA Fashion
• Working Image – Polly Fish, Etude in Black & Gold
• Wylie Carter-Douglas – Queen of Hearts

PORT TOWNSEND WEARABLE ART SHOW 2015

2015 Show Awards:

Best-in-Show and People’s Choice – Puzzled Petals by Nonie Gaines, modeled by Sarah Holtman

2nd Place – Cakewalk Confetti by Teri Nomura, modeled by Gina Johnston

3rd Place – Zelda the Ice Queen by Lee Zuhars and modeled by co-artist Leslie Taylor

Honorable Mention – Fleur de Farine by Kellen Lynch and modeled by co-artist Hanna Nicole

Best Art you can Really Wear – A Street Jacket by Joyce Wilkerson, modeled by Kristin Lucas

Best Student – pOm’n by Karen Lao, modeled by Michael d’Alessandro

25 Artists and 36 pieces in the 2015 show!

• Jean Bartos
• Judith Bird
• Amy Dahlberg
• Jodee Force
• Nonie Gaines
• Heather Gale
• Diana Gipson
• Tamara Halligan
• Christine Jacobson
• Karyn Lao
• Kellen Lynch/Hanna Nicole
• Margaret, Meredith and Walter Massey
• Kelly Matlock
• Margie McDonald
• Galadriel Nichols
• Teri Nomura
• Paula Pay La Renta
• Gunther Reimaitz
• Natalia Robinson
• Rhutanna Locklear Ramirez
• Janice Speck
• Katya Taylor
• Leslie Taylor/Lee Zuhars
• Brandon Truscott
• Joyce Wilkerson

PORT TOWNSEND WEARABLE ART SHOW 2014

“WOW!”
That was the first sentiment exclaimed by judge Michael Cepress at the 4th Annual Port Townsend Wearable Art Show. It pretty much spoke for all of those present at the Saturday evening, May 10, performance that included standing ovations and much applause for the forty artists and their models from Western Washington, Alaska and California.

Cepress presented six awards based on outstanding creativity, construction, and presentation. Judging criteria included hair and makeup.

The event, a fundraiser for the Jefferson Country Community Foundation’s Fund for Women and Girls, raised an estimated $18,000, besting their goals, with 1,000 people in attendance for dress rehearsal, matinee and evening performances held at the Elks Lodge.

Best In Show

Best in Show: Videotape CollectionBest in Show winner Rebecca Maxim from Seattle created “Videotape Confection” from 68 VHS cassette tapes she crocheted into a gown and headdress. Model Melodee Hanson of Port Townsend created the persona of a Pagan Princess dancing to erratic, underworld music. Maxim received $500 from OSKA Seattle and a gift certificate to the Pacific Northwest Art School.

Fittingly honored on Mother’s Day weekend, Maxim credits her 93-year old mom for teaching her the traditional techniques that she applies to her own “trash fashion” art making. “I take crazy materials that you wouldn’t ordinarily use and see how they can be combined or altered to make something completely different. I had a vision for a high-fashion, haute couture gown and figured out how to recycle and crochet this unnatural material to create something new and original,” she muses.

People’s Choice and Second Place

Port Townsend’s Margie MacDonald stunned the crowd with her engineered paper creation, “Expansion”. The 70-inch wide honeycomb creation took 92 layers of paper cut with a razor knife and laminated with two gallons of white glue. It enveloped model Bonnie Obremski, who skillfully moved the piece– rolling it, opening and closing it, seemingly bringing it to life. She received $200 from KMI Insurance and a gift certificate to La Bella Day Spa.

MacDonald explained, “I wanted to remove the human body as a feature. I want the body to be the engine of the sculpture, not the sculpture itself.”

MacDonald also won the People’s Choice Award (photo credit: Pam Russell) She received $150 from Nancy E. Scott, CPA, $100 from the Jefferson County Community Foundation, and a gift certificate to the Clothes Horse.

Third Place: The Mussel Gatherer

Terra Holcomb from Kirkland captured third place honors for “The Mussel Gatherer.” Model Allison Dey’s lively dance performance moved 30 pounds of iridescent shells attached to a crocheted underdress. Holcomb says it took her six months to create the piece. She was awarded $100 from Max Grover Gallery and gift certificates from GLOW natural Skin Care & SOAK.

2014 Best Student Work

The Student Award went to crowd pleaser Una McFadin from Port Townsend who modeled her creation, “Duct Tape Diva.” Her colorful display of patterned tapes and interesting foundation shapes, combined with her spirited runway presentation, endeared the 8-year old to everyone in attendance. She received a $100 gift certificate to Northwind Arts Center, $100 from Home Staging by Patti Wickline, and a World’s End Gift Certificate.

Honorable Mention:

Honorable Mention: Samurai Swoosh Nonie Gaines from Port Townsend took home the Honorable Mention award. Her “Samurai Swoosh” piece, expressively modeled by Ella Becker, was made from woven fiber blinds and metal to creatively represent her vision of a Samurai warrior’s armor. She received a gift certificate to the Fountain and a bag of buttons from Judith Bird.

Judge’s Observations

Cepress designs for both men and women and teaches Wearable Art at the University of Washington. He said it was exciting to see all the proposals that he first viewed four months ago as “seeds of ideas” become fully realized works of art.

“I was sent a pile of applications from 73 people. They ranged from unconventional, to conventional, to inventive ideas,” he noted. “The fact that there were 73 is no small thing.”

He was impressed with how the finalists played with materials and manipulated them. “They made them something else, something bigger than they were supposed to be.” Cepress says the 40 pieces, including everyday wear, expressive, and craft/theater/visual creations, were difficult to judge.

“The expressive world of Wearable Art is one where many voices are welcome, all materials are possible, and with the right inspiration, finesse and hand-skill, most any idea can become a powerful work of art ready for the runway,” he says. “Wearable Art is as vast and far-reaching as the range of materials and techniques that can be used to make art for the body. This can include some of the most time-honored textile traditions like tailoring or dressmaking, tatting, appliqué or trapunto, and also leaves room for the most innovative, unconventional materials, which we certainly saw on the runway Saturday night.”

Event Co-Chairman Debbi Steele is overwhelmed with the response. “This show is only four years old and we’ve created a bold art statement with the support from our sponsors, the support of hundreds of volunteers and the people who paid to see all the wonderful creations by our talented designers and their models. By building community, we’ve brought attention and funding to the JCCF Fund for Women and Girls.”

PORT TOWNSEND WEARABLE ART SHOW 2013

2013 BEST IN SHOW & PEOPLE’S CHOICE:

“AT THE RISK OF REPEATING MYSELF”

Artist: paula pay la renta Model:Karyn Stilwell Temple Sponsor: Nancy Karasan, OKSA Seattle

 

SECOND PLACE:

“MADAMOISELLE COUVERTURE”

Artist: Trisa Chomica

Model:Kristin Chittick Temple

 

 

THIRD PLACE:

“MOOD INDIGO”

Artist: Marcia Weiner

Model:Kate Schuman

 

 

BEST STUDENT WORK:

“DAY GLOW BLACK”

Artist: Anna Moore

Model: CiCi Rennie

Sponsor: Northwest Arts Center

 

 

HONORABLE MENTION:

Artist: Teri Nomura

Model: Elsa Rust

 

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING ARTISTS FOR A FANTASTIC SHOW!

• Linda Abbott-Roe
• Kelsey Bush
• Bo Choi
• Trisa Chomica
• Carly Davies, student
• Lauralee DeLuca
• Lynn DiNino
• Heather Gale
• Katrine Eagling
• Ruby Gale, student
• Tamara Halligan
• Aliina Lahti, student
• Kelly Matlock
• Hana McAdam, student
• Margie McDonald
• Amanda Melbostad
• Anna Moore, student
• Galadriel Nichols
• Teri Nomura
• Paula Pay la Renta
• Port Townsend Paper Group
• Annalise Rubida, student
• Marsha Wiener
• Joyce Wilkerson

PORT TOWNSEND WEARABLE ART SHOW 2012

BEAUTIFUL APPAREL ARTISTS:

• Pam Russell – “kethoneth passim” and “Windsong Wedding Dress”
• Anita Edward – “Raven”
• Marsha Wiener – “Purple Haze”
• Judith Bird – “Marrakesh Coat”
• Teri Nomura – “Rain Monster”
• Catherine Ault – hooded vest and circle vest
• Galadriel Nichols “Folded Cranes Sail into Light”
• Joyce Wilkerson – “Boro Jacket”
• Linda Abbott-Roe – “Kinsale Compass”
• Jean Bartos – “Goddess of the Sea”
• Nancy Van Allen – “Freedom’s Just Another Word for ART”

BEYOND BEAUTIFUL ARTISTS:

• Barbara Bigelow – “Franzia Comes Around”
• Paula pay la renta – “Starlet Ensemble”
• Paula pay la renta & Janice Speck – “Without any seam or Needlework”
• PT Paper Company – “Kraft Kouture”
• Christine Hulburt – “Scale Back”
• Tamara Halligan – “Stop Sign”
• Rita Young Kilstrom – “Une Foret Tropicale Magnifique” (A Magnificent Rain Forest)

STUDENT ARTISTS:

• Carly Davies – “The Doll” and “Shades of Grey”
• Jae Dvorak – “Litter-me-Pink”
• Hana McAdam – “Vinyl Record” and “Jackie O”
• Anna Moore – “Rewind”
• Annalise Rubida & Anna Moore – “Seven Years Bad Luck”
• Pearl McRae – “Laced Up”
• Kristin Griswold – “Keepin it Sharp”