Any Costumer: November 2009

Playing Dress Up

As a somewhat solitary child, I enjoyed dressing up. As a member of a particularly thrifty family, the skills to make my dress-up clothing became quite essential. I first took pleasure in mathematical manipulation of fabric and how the human body interacts with it's clothing. An obvious interest in fashion grew throughout my late teens, so I attended a program in Apparel Design. Frustration with the Machine of Fashion grew through college internships in tandem with discovering the magical existence of a costume shop.

Growing up in a lower middle class family and pursuing a career in fashion, I frequently doubted the importance of my aspirations. As a Costume Designer, I can a) be a nerd, b) tell stories and facilitate storytellers by creating or altering their appearance, c) interact with groups of amazing artists, d) avoid off-shore production, e) recycle clothing, and f) not have to pretend that I have enough money to wear designer clothing. Not that fashion is completely ruled out for my future, but at least at the moment I am practicing analysing personality and associating it with dress.

Over the years I have learned that Costume Designer doesn't end with great ideas or even the production of great ideas and when you're starting out in the field your title should actually read: Stitcher, Dresser, Shopper, Haggler, Self-Esteem Booster, Maid, Volunteer, Fit-Model, Driver, Bank, Surrogate Mother, Laundress, Listener, Big Sister, Aspiring Costume Designer. And I'm OK with that. The relationships cultivated, art created, and therapy occured in my experiences are well worth the low pay and thong washing.

This blog was created to share my first experience in summer stock and the things I get a kick out of doing. During a walk in the forrest today, I saw these amazing trees and ferns growing off of a giant rock and I was excited about illustrating them and making an animated film with all sorts of creatures playing in the land. But I thought "That would be a lot of work, and in the whole process, I probably wouldn't actually get to play." That magic land was all around me. I encourage you to get out there and play first. If something occurs that you just can't keep from the rest of the world, then make it art. Make the story and the characters and the world, but don't forget to play.

--Any Costumer

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Lets Hear it For New York

Dear New York,

You are like a very hard nut. Difficult to crack but meaty, fatty, tasty, and substantial inside. You get stuck in my teeth and at the back of my throat.

Life here has been the emotional roller-coaster I have desired for so long. After having settled into Chicago like an old boot, I am finally back in high heels. Well maybe just a wedge shoe for now.

The transition went something like this: Working for free for a popular scenic designer to working for a normal wage for a fabric painter to working as a union stitcher to working as a tailor for an established fashion designer, all the while maintaining a relationship with a european opera designer and designing one show which will now not be produced any time soon. The costume designers who graduate from Hale say not to do anything except design if that is what you want to do. I moved here with that in mind, but this practice lasted for about a week.

I had insomnia for the first time in my life. A nasty stomach flu for longer than when I ate some bad food in the third world. Something I would never tell clients or employers is that I need what I do more than anything else. Making costumes or painting or working in a theater keeps me calm and patient and excited and sane. When I think about travel, I wonder if there will be anything where I'm going related to costumes or textiles.

But having given freelancing a few months and not doing anything too commital, it seems to agree with me. Realizing that people react to me with respect in most technical work environments has given me the confidence to pursue design that sitting at home waiting for it to happen never would have.

Population of NYC=8.5 million
Population of Chicago=3 million

Square miles of NYC=304
Square miles of Chicago=234

The city is dense and you can disappear and be noticed at the same time. It smells of grease and exhaust and I am falling back in love.

I am so exhausted that I am not writing well now. But maybe you can enjoy some renderings for the ballet that will not be produced (at least this year).

Any Costumer

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Playing Dress Up

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Lets Hear it For New York