Influences

Similar to how I draw inspiration, my influences span a range of artists. I've learned to cherry pick from collections and pieces that stand out to me. Below are a couple of artists who I adore.

Jean Paul Gaultier

Gaultier's works with prints is a huge influence on my use of cyanotypes on fabric. I remember seeing his AW92 print on denim jeans and seriously contemplated splurging on it. There's something about faces that are so intimate and emotional. As an aside, I'm doing social justice data visualization work, and one of the techniques used to engage the audience with the data is by integrating human faces. I say this to show how powerful faces are in drawing human connection and emotion. Anyways, I soon realized that I could probably make something like this... and that's where the whole cyanotype and clothing inspiration came from. I recently made my best friend a tote with her face "cyanotyped" on the front and it really gave me AW92 Gaultier denim vibes so I'm just going to roll with it.

What also draws me to Gaultier's work is that his placement is very particular. When looking at the "dot" pieces below, you'll notice how the dots are sized and spaced depending on where they are on the body to give the illusion of curves. This ability to "photoshop" the body in real life with optical illusions is so intriguing to me. I've always been interested in the ways in which the silhouette of clothing can alter one's form, but patterns is something that is new to me.

TheLineByK

TheLineByK's pieces are elevated basics that focus is on the fit and form of the piece on the body. You'll notice that a common theme of my work is focused on the way the clothing hugs and morphs the body, which is why her pieces intrigue me. In my head she's making small refinements to regular basics like a long sleeved shirt or turtleneck and completely changing the shape. For example, I own the bright pink turtleneck shown below, and the length the turtleneck goes up my neck combined with the deeper cuts inward by the armholes and the stretchy ribbed material just gives this extremely flattering form. Most times I find turtlenecks boxy, but these cuts and curves remove the boxy-ness. Likewise, the last piece on the right utilizes a wrap and cutout that draws the eyes to the chest and waist. The wrap cinches the waist and the extra fabric that drapes draws the eye downward to lengthen the top and give a flattering asymmetry. These little refinements influence the edits I make to the pieces I thrift to give them a more flattering look.

Rihanna

Rihanna is a huge style icon for me.