Today I am showing some of the breastplate forms I have been working on. My visualization of women’s PPE has ending up being a testament to the resilience of women during trying times. Somehow we manage to clothe ourselves in an armor of fortitude, maintain a sense of humor, and present a forward-looking face. Women so often do the heavy lifting for real and sustainable change.
I used a plastic torso form (less that $15 on ebay), with an extended midriff I made from a plastic folder, to provide the basic shape. I filled things out a little with plastic bags, not wanting it to look too much like Wonderwoman, more like a real person. The stitching is done on at least two layers, cut to a basic bodice form. I used standard garment-making darts to create the 3-D shape. Then I used some fabric stiffener I have had for 20 years (who knows why I bought it in the first place) and it worked like a charm. I have since read that PVA glue works too, so that will be what I use going forward as I have a gallon in the basement. I have also played with constructing the torsos with plaster gauze. These are more “hard shell” and I will use mixed media to build up the surface. I am having so much fun. It is nice to be working on smaller, more immediate pieces and trying out different techniques and materials. I have been posting these pretty regularly on my Instagram account, here is a sample.
I have really been enjoying my garden and being outdoors, even in our isolation. My creative energy burst has meant a lot of audio reading, and a few good ones on the nightstand.
Conviction, by Denise Mina; Faithful Place, and The Witch Elm, by Tana French; Writers and Lovers, by Lily King (loved this); The Transit of Venus, by Shirley Hazzard; Code Name Verity, by Elizabeth Weiss; and Simon the Fiddler, by Paulette Jiles.
My mom would have been 98 years old today. Happy birthday memories and a lot of love.