Can you make wearable art on artistic talent alone?
Artistic talent is not something that you can learn, but with fiber art and other forms of wearable art, there are different areas of expertise that one needs to be proficient in to be an expert. To be advanced in this discipline it can be incredibly helpful to have a background not only in sewing and clothing design, but also in chemistry, color theory and different graphics software for the computer. Various art and clothing design schools are beginning to offer these different classes from the perspective of the artist. As the art to wear movement continues to develop and grow in popularity there will most likely be more and more classes offered that help this new generation of artists to hone their artistic skills. Many schools are now offering graduate-level courses specifically on the history of wearable art, and they often include projects where the students have to create their own piece of art to wear.
Where to find materials for art to wear clothing items
While the majority of art to wear is made of fibrous materials and fabrics, artists are also utilizing other materials such as metal, leather, plastic, and more. These items are usually meant to be practical and can be worn on a day-to-day basis. There is a branch of wearable art that makes their art not for practical purposes but purely to make a statement. Modern performance artists have created various garments made from various items including trash, electric light bulbs, and even television sets over the past fifty years. These pieces were not meant to be worn as normal clothing, but rather to make a conceptual statement.
The possibilities are endless
Art to wear can now be found almost everywhere, from the local arts and crafts fair to museums and clothing stores all over the country, yet the movement is relatively new and will continue to grow and branch out in the years to come. In economic down times the fashion industry plateaus, however once the economy returns the industry comes back and expands with peoples expendable income. There is nowhere to go but up. While it would seem that wearable art is limited by its’ nature because it needs to be wearable, the opposite is true. There are no limits to what can be created by this new and exciting wave of artists, designers and craftsmen all rolled into one. Art to wear is limited only by the individual artist’s innovation and creativity.
Dylan Johnson is a writer for Kiss of the Wolf. They do wearable art, fiber art, screen printing in Oklahoma and much more for the fashion industry.