Posted by on May 2, 2015 in |

When BIAC’s inaugural Wearable Art Show challenged us to “think big” and “use metal and cardboard” to create shape for our projects, I knew I was going in a wholly new direction for my sewing.

Circle jacket with Leopardskin liningI started with a circle jacket I love but never wear. The collar and inside layer are white rabbit dyed in a leopard skin print. I removed the sleeves, and made one of the holes the neck opening. The rest was an inspiration from the hare. sleeves out, jacket reversed

Hare died in rabbit snare, made from guitar string

I thought of that white hare, caught in a rabbit snare, neck broken, bloody. With some rabbit fur, I made an homage to the white rabbit, then made a necklace from a guitar string, fashioned like a rabbit snare. Red ribbon represents blood, and the resulting necklace is to be worn with the recreated jacket.

I considered the indignity paid the rabbit, to die and then be dyed; in death live as a leopard. The piece had to showcase the leopard while recognizing its beginnings as a hare, a hare dyed.

oven elementThinking big, and thinking about using materials in a new way, I reversed the now sleeveless circle jacket to create a cowl.  I used a discarded burned-out element from my oven (after all, roasted lapin is a delicacy) to structure the shoulder to stand up on one side, giving the leopard-hare some flare. Hare Dye on display at the Bowen Island Art Gallery

Creating wearable art is a departure from my current sewing craze – recouturing. It stretched me, and the show was a very exciting event to be part of.