Do art with... A teen's perspective

My daughter's self-portrait

If you have been following the blog for a while, you may recall that some time ago, I introduced my daughter to my readers.  Since then, she has grown and developed in wonderful ways, and has started a blog of her own, which I will link to this post as soon as she is ready to share with a wider audience.

"Do Art With.." will inspire your creative endeavors by giving one artistic challenge to meet per project.  She will explain far better than I when the site is live, and I will provide the link here when that moment arrives.  

Very exciting!

While we wait, here are some past "Teen Perspective" posts:

The "waist case"

Fashion musings

Creative Siphoning

Urban Superhero

Creative Siphoning (and a teen's perspective) the weird liquid shirt

Reposting: I wear this shirt so often (today included), I probably owe the universe an apology at this point.

si·phon ˈsīfən/ noun: syphon 1. a tube used to convey liquid upwards from a reservoir and then down to a lower level of its own accord. Once the liquid has been forced into the tube, typically by suction or immersion, flow continues unaided.  verb: syphon 1. draw off or convey (liquid) by means of a siphon.

 This was our creative syphoning experience - not of a liquid, but a "flow" of ideas, inspired by a cool fabric.

I make a shirt. My kids see that shirt. My son (9) wants insists on a hoodie made using the same fabric.  My daughter (13) wants insists on a shirt just like mine. 

Note: I didn't specifically suggest it to either of them.

The magic fabric from Fabrics World USA, blogged about here...

This pattern, dated 1985, has a Miyake-esque vibe... dontcha think? I have made about 5 versions of this top over the years, always the EXACT same size (shows how fit standards have changed! It was HUGE then), since I was about 14 years old.  

A glimpse of the shirt...

If this shirt had a soundtrack, it would be...Enjoy the Silence, by Depeche Mode.  I have never had such a reaction to something I've made, like I got from my kids this time.  The amount of "oohing" and "aahing", trying it on, stroking the fabric... it was just... WEIRD.


I had to ask...

"So.. what happens when you wear something sorta weird around your friends, they ask about about it, and you say 'My mom made it?'  Is that particularly cool/uncool, or nerdish... or is it even something you mention?"  

"I don't know.  For us it's different.  It's your profession.  You're a designer. 'My Mom made it' doesn't mean the same thing for us. I mean, it's not like you're at the kitchen table..."

Fabrics World USA

252 West 38th Street

NYC

Silent?

Sometimes the garment district gets eerily quiet.  The oppressive heat, and what seems to be everyone's focus on other things besides creative stuff, makes it seem ominously quiet.

But that's all in my (our) head(s), I've realized.

Shopping/searching in the district recently, I overheard this, from a store owner... "There are two kinds of shoppers in the district right now: those without money, and those with money, who choose not to spend it. Which are you?"

The short answer?  Both, right now.

So, we stop to appreciate where we are in the cycle right now. Low energy, non-committal, heat-exhausted New Yorkers (and beyond) with a love of creating that will reset as soon as we're ready.

In the meantime, my daughter has given me a creative challenge with one word creative cues to follow.  I have been posting them on my personal Facebook page daily, and am trying to use a bit of quiet time each day to do them, without sacrificing my other daily tasks. It is good mental exercise, and fun to shift into a more creative thought process when a topic doesn't inspire/apply to you.

Rules:
-At least one work of art a day
-Post everything even if you hate it
-15 days
-30 works/projects/drawings
-Do it in order

List:
1. Contrast
2. Music/instruments
3. A couple
4. Fanciness
5. Something from camp
6. Hair
7. An evil monster
8. Fancy drink
9. Something outside
10. Banner
11. Plant/tree person
12. Fabric/drapery
13. One of those draw the squad memes
14. A drawing without using pencil or erasable material
15. An animal
16. Fashion
17. A portrait
18. A tv show from when you were younger
19. Yourself
20. Food
21. Something on fire
22. Someone in five different cartoon styles
23. Fanart
24. A strong emotion
25. A person with glasses
26. Rain
27. Big sweaters
28. A person with a pet snake
29. Redraw something from the past
30. A black and white drawing on black paper

Some examples of my interpretations here:

#3 - a couple

#1 - contrast - my practice entrelac knitting

#4 - Fanciness - ombre home manicure - not good lighting

So, basically, relax folks, no matter where you are geographically, have a cup of whatever soothes you, and we'll talk again very soon.

Working on... (A teen perspective)

@diggsdaveed @Lin_Manuel Taken just after this happened... pic.twitter.com/QSO5aooenT

— Mimi Jackson (@FindaDressmaker) June 18, 2016

As my daughter prepares for summer camp, she is filling our home with her beautiful cartoons, artwork and Hamilton-related fan art.  The designer/creative craftsperson in me is compelled to print some of her work on fabric for artistic projects. I have recently redesigned the strap attachment and construction puzzle that makes a bag design I developed quite some time ago work...

And it dawned on me that the perfect canvas for her work is a shell for the cradle bag I designed:

Oh yeah... This is gonna happen...

Confirmation bias - a Teen's Perspective, a Prince tribute,.and a challenge...

In psychology and cognitive science, confirmation bias (or confirmatory bias) is a tendency to search for or interpret information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions, leading to statistical errors.

In the wake of Prince's death... My daughter watched the news and wondered aloud if the fact that he could play 20 different instruments skillfully as a kid meant he would grow up to be "Prince"...

My daughter's most recent self-portrait

Not that I am comparing my sewing/design abilities to his musical talents, but my relatives love to tell me stories about how I made doll clothes or other creations when I was little. Of course, by now, I should be a grand designer for some major enterprise... Sure, I get it.

But I also loved to count stacks of change and roll them up in paper wrappers.  It felt wonderful, since family members were always dropping coins, leaving them lying around like garbage... until... I would take them to the bank. (I have a large family)  Yet, I am not a banker.

I fanatically experimented with my EZ Bake Oven, yet I am not a pastry chef.

I can look at my daughter's drawings and conclude that she will pursue an artistic career.  And maybe not. My daughter elaborated on her point by adding this...

If I become a nutritionist, you'll say... "Even as a small child, she REALLY loved her vegetables!"

But here's where it all comes together.



The thing I have always loved about designing/creating/sewing, is that it is not required to follow any rules.  While I consider the practical aspects (can I wash it, can I move and do things in it) I do not feel restricted by the "rules" of a garment.  Nor does my daughter.

I would like to continue to celebrate that.  We'll consider it our Prince tribute challenge.  (I have always been an insane Prince fan)

My daughter and I are designing garments for her own wardrobe that do not conform to anyone's rules about what they should be.  this will be fun...

From several angles... A teen's perspective and update

First things first...

I have finished adding cuffs and a cozy fur loop scarf to my daughter's jacket, as introduced in a previous post, and now that we finally have some legitimately cold weather again, she is happily wearing it.  It is amazing what kind of response we have gotten for such a simple change to a pretty common type of jacket.  It does add a bit of a celebrity vibe to the design, I suppose...  People have gasped and asked where we got it.  A bit strange, huh?

So, about a week or so ago, I walked past my daughter's open geometry book on her desk, and saw this bit of information that spoke to me personally.

Loving that there are some real-life examples of math's applications in artistic pursuits fills me with joy and happiness.

Cozy - specifically for my teen

Brrrrr...

Current temp is 23 degrees.  After a springlike winter so far, it might as well be  -23 degrees.  Better than the 11 degrees we started the day with, though...

Now, let's say you are in the market for a supremely warm scarf that gives the illusion of an artistically draped sweater around your neck?  Would you want to spend $900 or so for one?   (Note: I typed this long ago, and the price has PLUMMETED since then.  What I am referencing with the links must be a recycled post, apparently, as it has probably been a year since I typed this intro...)

So, as I was saying... $900? I don't think so!  I saw this lovely blog post on a site I have long enjoyed , and was just FLOORED by this idea. So simple.  So cool. Timeless really.

http://www.garancedore.fr/

No, I will not be spending that kinda cash.  After all, who doesn't drip a little coffee on themselves every now and then?  And at that price, I'd have to stop drinking coffee, tea, wearing lipstick, and doing just about anything above my shoulders involving color!

But I will say, as the weather grows cooler, and my desire for/dreams of "coziness" are really at their peak, and I have felt some heavenly fabrics in the district that will warm both your bodies and hearts.

So, here we are, at the beginning of 2016, and NY Elegant is one of the stores that has wonderful cozy furs and soft, cuddly things on the 2nd floor.  Oh, you didn't know they have a second floor, did you?

For a bit of fun and practicality, I tried a new idea.

While we all love the allure of no-sew projects, you've gotta admit that it usually requires some quality deal-breaker that makes you wish you had simply gone the extra mile.

However, sometimes not.

So, I'm conceiving a no-sew (well, kinda) that will keep you warm!

Inspired by a weird seated too close to a too-hot radiator problem at her school, my daughter's ruined Calvin Klein made-of-weird-meltable-fabric-and-not-quite warm-enough-anyway winter jacket needed some help to be wearable again.

cuff of jacket, after radiator problem

Let's take some fur and create a new cuff! And... maybe collar, too?

So, I'm not sewing to create this design change. Well, not much. I'm tearing the backing of this faux fur, which creates a straight strip, to make cuffs for the jacket, giving the jacket a "Zsa Zsa" kinda feel.  I'll reveal when I'm done (maybe) tonight.

Starting here... (The gasp) and a Teen Perspective

No, it's not September yet... but you know I can't shut up, so...

Whoops - updating (5:13 PM) I buried the lead!

My daughter did this self-portrait last week.  Yes, she's still 13. No, I'm not kidding...

On creativity:

Sometimes, I think about just how many colors there are in the world, and how awesome the whole spectrum is, and I can't just choose one favorite, so, sometimes I just flip to a new favorite...

-My son, age 10

I posted about this fabric some time ago, when my kids initially fell in love with it.

Then it found a dance partner...

Leftover peach-skin screamin' green lining from a client project some months ago.

Then it became...

Something my daughter greeted with a gasp, when she saw it on the dress form.

A new shirt for her journey to high school.

The journey to this one is particularly hard to articulate.  In New York City right now, there seems to be a movement afoot... if not an anti-movement, really.  With no particular allegiance to any unique color palette, any particular brand, musical style, celebrity, or social cause.  It is a celebration of the individual, listening to his/her own drummer, and adding a spark to the mosaic of New York City.  I'm seeing it everywhere. Dip your toes in the feeling of Afropunk (click the link), to get an idea.  If this is a burgeoning style movement, my kids are natural members. And it's not a Black thing.  It's an everybody thing. See this slideshow to get an idea...

This is something that starts right here.  Today. Not influenced by anyone else in particular- just a feeling in the air.  No one else's idea.

It was a long time in the making. A shirt for my daughter that sat around as four rectangles. For a long time.

The shirt. Note: Shown here on a misses dress form, which has a lower bust than she does (explains the high dart).

Fabric source: Fabrics World USA and a secret store near me (green fabric), that has a truly hit-or-miss inventory.

Pattern: self-drafted/draped, but the shape of the sleeves was inspired by this.

And then she danced in it!

Back to School - A Teen Perspective

"I don't care what sneakers are IN, Mom.  Can I just decorate my own?"

Inspiration can be found here...

A Teen's Perspective

If there's one thing I know about my daughter, it's that she loves the color combination of purple and yellow.  I bought this lovely purple fabric at Fabrics & Fabrics a while back...

Sheer, light, soft, and playful! (That's my hand beneath it)

and hesitated to cut into it because I wanted to make sure I chose the right project.  

The question, "What do you want to wear for the prom?" (an 8th grade dance in the school gym, really) was met with shoulder shrugs and a general lack of interest.  

So, I had to go it alone.

I found the right yellow to make it "pop".

Actual colors, not enhanced.

And created a swirly, twirly, simple dress!

Yes, my friends... it appears my daughter's "prom" dress was a stash creation.  And she loved it. And she had a great time, too!

A Teen's Perspective - I don't want holes in my jeans... And actually, now that I think about it...

"...I don't want jeans at all."

"What do you mean?  What would you wear instead? Don't you NEED jeans?" My 13 year old seemed nervous about this announcement.

"They're useful, sure... but they aren't making them for durability and/or function right now.  And what they are offering as fashionable, is too temporary, and stuff I don't like for myself.  Well, not today, anyway."

This photo was taken in a DRESSING ROOM of a store I was in recently.  These are NEW jeans. I feel old saying that, but man, I have jeans that look just like these from natural wear and tear...

"So, what would you wear instead?"

"Do you know what I mean when I say 'artificial obsolescence'?" I asked, as she climbed into bed for the night.

"I think so... Like when some business wants to convince you that something is outta style so you'll buy all new stuff?"

"Well, yes..." I replied.  "Here's why it's important to recognize that. Trends will continue to come and go. You don't have to pay attention to them at all. You can have your own sense of style, and never worry about whether or not it is IN STYLE or not.  It's YOUR style."

I'm decluttering my fashion ideas.

Much like Marie Kando's book, which is the current mega-popular choice for anyone trying to declutter with a system of rolling your clothes, making categories of tasks, and buying organizational systems and tools, when you could simply just decide to have less, but useful stuff. (Not that I'm any better at that than anyone else.) Personally, I think if you can clear the mess in your head, you can clear the mess in your home. As I sit here writing, the look of the area surrounding my creative work space completely contradicts what I am saying right now.  But, believe me, that won't continue to be the case...

Right?

Every time I look up at any type of advertising lately, someone is screaming about a sale. A sale is always trying to convince you of artificial scarcity. Time, money, products... Don't miss out!

Ads and magazines screaming about fashion trends? Artificial obsolescence. You're not cool enough!

My kid?  A real person. With a real life. Let's try to protect her from all that superficial stuff as much as we can.

"What do you wanna wear to your prom, Sweetie?"

Note: Why they have proms for 8th graders is just beyond me.

"Hmmph..." (shoulder shrug) "I dunno.  I don't really care." 

Guess what?  She doesn't.  End of conversation.

I'm currently in a highly creative mode, making things all the time.  I'll be showing them when they are both finished to my satisfaction and ready to be shown. Will I rush?  Nope.

So, coming soon, I will show you some of the things I've been working on, and what they required from the garment district or related services. This is gonna sound like a quirky, weird/boring list, but my daughter was in on all of them.  In ways you won't expect.  Stay tuned for...

Ball of yarn
Bamboo fabric
Stumpwork embroidery
Shisha mirrors
Washability
"Twirling"

I'll show you pieces as they are ready to show themselves.

A teen perspective - More conscious garment production and consuming, and my own dressing concept... "Tayo"

Note: This post was mostly inspired by my daughter, but also partially inspired by the simple routine act of my putting on my dad's beloved sweatshirt, again... nearly 13 years after his death.

On my personal Facebook page (about a month ago), I posted this:

My daughter: The English language needs a new word for "we, not including you".

Me: What do you mean?

My daughter: For example "We are going to the movies" can mean "you, too", or it can mean that I'm telling you where we are going, without you.

Me: So kinda like an inclusive "we" and an exclusive "we"?

My daughter: Yeah.

Follow-up: Rather than make up a new word, she suggested, we should find a language that already makes that distinction, and adopt their word for the "not you" version of we, directly.

I like this idea. Anyone speak a language where this distinction exists?

The best answer was (from a friend): Tagalog/Filipino has 

'tayo' and 'kami'. Tayo is inclusive we. Kami is exclusive we.

*She, of course, was intrigued by kami, while I was intrigued 

by tayo.

Me: If I make a shareable clothing line, I'm calling it "Tayo".

Friend: 

"Tayo" works very well as a name for a clothing line based on usage too. Much more comfortable than 'we' would, even if we ignore the ambiguity of inclusiveness. The Filipino idiom equivalent to "let's go" is "tayo na" where 'na' is barely a word, something just to indicate a sense of immediacy (or "completeness"). The phrase can also play the role of "let's do it" or the more broad "let's get going".

Tldr; Tayo seems like a great name for something that celebrates inclusiveness.

The documentary film "Cotton Road" premiered at the Tribeca Cinema on Friday, March 20, 2015.

Having seen a good number of documentaries and posts about more responsible, human-friendly, and eco-friendly production, I now feel that it is time to ask ourselves some of the more obvious questions.

Seriously.

Does your clothing have to be NEW, solely yours?  Unused? Current?

Does it need to be? Better yet, do you even want it to be?

Why does a jacket need to serve one life, with one primary owner?

For myself and my family, I have devised a new type of garment category, that I have lovingly named "Tayo".

*Sometimes I forget to conclude my point... this is an update to my rather abrupt ending.  So, just in case I didn't articulate it clearly, I am often moved by all of these stories chronicling how our clothes are made, and I feel the problem is too large for me to fight it alone, and yet I know that my own participation in the cycle is optional. I make things because I enjoy it, though, not some garment survivalist mission. So, for me and my close family, we can simply decide to pay attention to where/how our own clothing is made, and take a small step in that way.  At least it's a beginning.

"99 Problems But a ___ ain't one" - On filling in the blanks -- A Teen's Perspective

Updated post

*Note: If you don't know, those are the lyrics of a famous Jay-Z song...

My son is a Jay-Z fanatic.  And well, frankly, I can't blame him.  His lyrical abilities are absolutely Shakespearian. I wish there were someone better with clean lyrics.  In my experience so far, there isn't. I really hate all the "bleeping".  It feels like a verbal assault on me AND my kids.  We know what you're bleeping.  Seriously, what's the point?

My daughter's sketch of my son

I'm not so sure that it isn't even a greater horror to hear my "wittle" 13 year-old girl sing ALL the words to Maroon 5's song, "Animals".

Perfectly...

I know artists love to say they don't write these songs for kids, but the songs are out there.  In the world.  And our kids are out there.  In the world.  The radio plays on the school bus, from cars driving down the streets, on the radio.  And not just once.  Over and over and over...

"Even when they bleep the words out," I said to her, "it's no mystery what they're saying.  There have to be more subjects to cover than all of this profanity and sexual stuff."

Yes, my inner "old fogey" is coming out.  I was a Prince fan at 13 - and, yeah, that's probably worse...

"But I don't think that's an example of a good song," she said.
"I agree," I said, relieved.
"No, I mean the actual QUALITY of the song."
"I agree," I sighed, even more relieved...

"It's kinda like those reading comprehension tests where they ask you to fill in the blanks.  Why would they think we don't know what words they're replacing?"

Time: About 9PM, January 13, 2015

See the idea behind "Teen Perspective" posts here.

See most recent "Teen Perspective" post here.

By the way, her favorite songs are also some of mine (examples here, here, and everything Pink could ever sing...), so I like her choices of downloads, to which we are (happily) privy!

The night began with a brainstorming session on the teen's IPod Touch "WaistCase" (her term).

"Let's call it a belt/bag hybrid" she said.

"The belt should still be a belt, even if I'm not carrying the bag.  But I should be able to wear it like a purse, too, since I'm not always wearing something that uses a belt."

Hmmmm...  An online search yielded nothing similar to what we were thinking.  Also, we decided it shouldn't be so limiting in its use and/or how it is worn.

"It should have a MetroCard pocket", I said.  (My fellow NYC peeps understand that.)

*Side note: Everything I make for myself has a MetroCard pocket.

Solid, dark color (like black).  No bright colors or designs needed or wanted.

Sideways orientation to easily access volume control.  Space for earbud cord to pass through.

Should close with a zipper.

Needs to be durable, with gentle padding. So it's a plan...

What supplies did we use?

I retired an old pair of black jeans that were falling apart for the fabric.  "Aged denim seems right." she said. 

Left-over bonded leather, purchased at Fashion Design Books (for a different project), makes a great protective layer, and gives the case more of a firm body. 

Bonded leather between the layers adds cushioning, to protect the device from getting knocked around...

We just eyeballed the measurements after tracing the ipod on the fabric and allow some wiggle room.
Not much thought/precision was needed.  Belt loops on back, reclaimed jeans pocket on front.

All done! We already have a black strap with clips attached, which can turn this into an across-the-chest pouch, too.

Happy kid.  After school, she put her IPod in the pouch and started her own personal dance party immediately. 

Fashion musings: A Teen's Perspective

A lover of Manga, my teen sketched this picture on her tablet this weekend.

No online search for the definition of the word "manga" seems appropriate and/or complete, so, when I asked her for a better definition just now, my request was met with an annoyed grunt, a sigh, and a whiny "I don't know..."  So, okay...

Yesterday evening began with with a new project.  "Can I do your makeup?" she asked.  "Sure, and I'll interview you for the blog." I scrubbed my face, sat under the bright lights of the sewing area, and lined up all of my products for her to begin her work.  "I've learned a lot about makeup." she said. "Do you have any primer?" 

"What is that?"

"Bronzer?"

"I'm pretty sure that's for people who aren't already bronze."

We both laughed.

"Concealer?"

"Yeah, it's this..." I pointed to the tube.

"Oh, that's not lipstick?"

"Nope."

So I sat as steadily as I could, while she decorated my face with various potions.

*From this point on, you'll be reading her voice, written from my recorded notes, her answers and elaborations to my questions and/or comments in between. Mom's (my) impressions are in parentheses where needed or useful...

"I like the idea of contributing to the blog, sharing ideas and creative thinking.  Sometimes the sewing things you do are interesting to me. If I were to make something for myself, it would be...

a costume!"

(her eyes looked all dreamy as she said this.  I asked what the event would be, or where she would wear it, but she really wasn't thinking that far ahead.  She just wants to create a work of art that can be worn as a costume.  An art piece.  OK. I get it.)

When it comes to clothes, I like variety.  When I go to high school this fall, I want different kinds of things. I kinda want to challenge my comfort zone. I don't like wearing a uniform.  (since 2nd grade, she's been wearing a uniform) 

It's itchy. I hate wearing a uniform. Uncomfortable, and my uniform pants always need a belt (she's very slender), and the shirt is itchy.

What do I think of my friends' clothes?  Well, I mostly see them in uniforms, too, and when they aren't in uniforms, they pretty much wear only the most normal stuff.  T-shirts and jeans, really. I guess if I had to choose a style for myself, I really like Harper's clothes a lot.

Haper is a character from "Wizards of Waverly Place"

She wears wacky stuff...

Really wacky stuff... but I really love that headband!

I like the humor and the wackiness.  I want wackiness in my wardrobe.  I like the things you make, but I also know sewing takes a LONG time.  And it's hard. I am inspired by it, but if I sew, I would only make some things.  Just very special things.  Takes way too much time to try to make everything, and I know there is always potential for failure.  But I'd be willing to fail, as long as I have enough fabric and supplies to fix anything that goes wrong.  

(I asked if she would have the patience for it)

Sure, I'd have the patience. And I wouldn't let it frustrate me.

My favorite thing you have made is the perpetual shirt.  (Note: I hurt my back before that day, which explains why I am standing so strangely in the picture below.) I want one, but we ABSOLUTELY can't match.  Mother-daughter matching isn't cool at all! Especially EXACTLY! (She laughed heartily) But mine would be a different shirt - maybe a sweatshirt or a hoodie or something.  Now, we could wear those on the same day, and it wouldn't be like we're matching.  It would just be funnier! I love when clothes have humor!

Me and the kids - on Governor's Island nearly two years ago - how do I know the date?

I also want to do a lot of accessories.  Headbands, leg warmers, and stuff like that. I love pajamas, but only some are exactly perfect.  Some are just too warm.

Extremely dextrous and patient, she created this bag by crocheting MANY, MANY soda can tabs together (you can buy clean ones very cheaply on Ebay), AND made a 2nd one for her best friend!

What I really don't understand are fashion runway shows.  Especially the really crazy ones.  Who wants to look like that?  Why do they do that? Who is that for?  Like a big leather "X" on a t-shirt.  You can't even wash it!

"I'm still not sure..." I shrugged.

I looked in the mirror.  "Pretty awesome! This "contouring" you speak of actually works! (I'd never tried the makeup tricks the beauty experts give) Maybe I should wear makeup more often!"

Note: She enjoys the exploration of garment district stores, in small doses.  Take your teen, if s/he is interested.  Be sure to buy a map if you need store suggestions!

Additional note:  She will read and respond to your (appropriate) comments personally!

Meet this blog's new contributing columnist - "A Teen's Perspective"

That's her in the middle (photo taken December 2014 - Oak Island, NC)

She is exactly my height.

She is smarter than I am. (also lean, graceful and beautiful, but those are things are just extras...)

She is a wildly creative and talented artist.

She is a gifted scientist and mathematician (more about that later).

A few years ago, she explained the dimensions for  a skirt pattern she was making, doing so mathematically in her head before cutting, using equations involving PI...

Seriously.

Oh, yeah... and she's 13.

And she's my daughter.

For about 6 months now, she has also been managing the "maps" portion of this blog, the proceeds of which are her compensation for helping me.  She will continue to do so.

Any post to which she contributes will have 

"A Teen's Perspective" 

as part of its title.  The words and ideas shared in those posts will be her own.