The label shows a map of the Cape Canaveral area, including Kennedy
Space Center.
Vest Front
I did take some artistic license with the Space Shuttle, but attempted
to represent the orbiter Discovery, the huge rust-colored external tank,
and a segmented white solid rocket booster. External tank grooves
and ridges were modeled with double-needle pintucks. The woodpeckers
are done with a rubber stamp and acrylic paint. Clouds were scrunched
from rows of gray fabrics. Curling vapors are machine quilted against
the sky. The edge snaps were mail-ordered from Clotilde.
On the left front, another woodpecker surveys a circuit board from his
perch atop an Inertial Measurement Unit near some gyroscope components.
These were transferred to fabric using heat transfer paper for Ink Jet
Printers from Dharma Trading.
More double-needle pintucks on the edge of the table. You can see
a lightning storm through the window.
Vest Back
The whole piece started from this burst of lightning, first conceived on
a design wall during Joan Colvin's class. White zigzag bolts are
machine embroidery. The water flowed out of a challenge from a friend
to try crinkling with pieced fabric. For the piecing, I used strips
(most with angled ends) of batiks, true & faux hand-dyes, and a fish
print. To crinkle, soak fabric in water for 15 minutes, twist tightly,
secure with rubber bands, dry in the dryer for 4 hours or in air for a
week, gently flatten, then apply fusible interfacing to the back to hold
the wrinkles in place. Attached to foundation with wavy rows of variegated
metallic teal thread.
Back to Amy's Wearable Art Page
Back to Amy's Front Page