Juror’s Recognition #3

The third piece in this month’s show to get juror’s recognition is Janet Barnard’s wonderful top made from a kimono.

Here’s what Janet says about her process:

“Every so often, a Japanese cultural group has a fundraiser selling used kimonos, which is where I most recently have gotten my supply. When I am in the processing of reconstructing a kimono into another garment, I try to allow the painted artwork to remain the focal point. The paintings, by nature, are delicate and flowing, so the garment cannot be too heavy, nor have lots of seam lines to distract the eye.

“With a more sheer silk, the inside must look as finished as the outside so the lines of the garment aren’t compromised by unsightly seams. Since kimonos have no hardware keeping them closed, I try to minimize the number and types of closures I use. It often takes many hours of simply looking at the paintings before I actually come up with an idea. But they look beautiful just hanging in my studio.”