I have a fairy art godmother named Jean. She is a magical artist about town. I met her when I was in my early 20's, she has been in an artist group with my mom for many years. I met her when I was working on a project with an artisan co-op in Peru right after college. I had a pop up in Jackson with the pieces from Peru and Jean is a big knitter and was obsessed and took me to lunch. I don't remember what we talked about but I just remember liking her so much and being excited that someone was into whatever I was doing. I went along my way and then when I was only a few weeks into my residency at Midnight Lunch she appeared in the store one day! We both screamed! ekk what are you doing here!?! I showed her my upcycling project she was obsessed. She came back a little while later and asked if we could work on a project together she wanted to make some memory overalls with important moments in her life she could wear. I loved the idea! This turned into a 2 year long memory upcycle collaboration with several pieces. Because Jean is an artist too she always approached me with ideas I had never thought of and they would challenge me in different ways. She also would appear right when things had always taken a downward spiral, then I would do a Jean project and something magical would happen afterwards. So I started calling her my fairy art godmother. Here are the pieces from the Jean memory collection
Piece 1- Memory Overalls
Summer 2023
Jean brought me her favorite overalls and her memory items and I started by pinning them all over the overalls. She came back and we did an edit.
How the overalls turned out. They were all about all her favorite places she had lived. On the straps I embroidered every zip code she had lived in. The center front was a label from her grandmother. I made these after I had come back from my own grandmothers funeral on the sewing machine she had given me. I remember we cried about what its like to lose a grandma you love so much.
Piece 2- Memory Curtains
November 2023
Jean had kept many handkerchiefs from important family members or life events. We had tried them on the overalls but it was too much. My friend had made some curtains out of vintage handkerchiefs I had loved and gave me and idea to do that with these. I sewed them onto some ikea curtains Jean had and she hung them in her guest room. I loved how they turned out. There is also a christmas one that she just puts up for the holidays.
Jean in her overalls, she was always popping in to say hi last summer at the upcycle studio. She wanted a Bow jacket I made her this one. She wore it for a moment and was like you know its too much for me, lol, but i need a memory jacket.
Piece 3- Memory Army Jacket
Summer 2024
She brought me patches from her kids camps, her sons boy scout troop number. A wool shirt of her mothers. A name label from her camp clothes. A pillow case that she had turned into a shirt in her 20s. A pin from her hometown. I added the denim pockets that had come off a pair of jeans I had turned into bow jeans that her granddaughter got from me. I loved they each had a piece from the same garment. A ribbon from her daughters wedding bouquet. And patches she had found that week in jackson.
Jean in her memory jacket.
After this she came to me with the most epic one yet. She had her mother's wedding dress, it was 90 years old. She wanted to do something with it to pass along to her grand children. She told me my mom gave her an idea to make jewelry bags. I knew the design we could do. The classic little jewelry bag. I was in but sooooo scared to cut up the dress and I hadn't seen it yet. When i saw the dress the anxiety went through the roof, she brought me the most gorgeous handmade silk charmeuse vintage gown. My fashion self was dying CUT THIS UP!?!! ahhhh I had to call her 3 times to confirm before I made any cuts. But this was the week after the fires in LA. She was bringing the bags to her grandaughters at a family wedding. Most of the family had grown up in Pacific Palisades, some still lived there. The family was so devasted. She knew these little bags could be one tiny moment of cheer. I started cutting and sewing. I hadn't sew silk in so long. I remembered why it is soooo lovely to sew on fine fabrics. Your hands and sewing machine much prefer it. The little bags were soo special to make, they felt new and old at the same time. She wanted a moment to highlight where the silk was from. I made little patches with the initials of her parents and the date of the wedding to sew in the bottom of each bag. I made 13 bags over a month, some went to the wedding some went out at valentines day. I loved this concept of how to use a family heirloom wedding dress. Everyone got a little piece of the family history. I love making treasures. I love making the most special little things that people will covet forever.
Piece 4 - Memory Wedding Dress Jewelry Pouches
January 2025
Forever thankful for Jean for cheering me on and collaborating with me. She has been one of the biggest hype ladies of this art journey and keeps me going when I get scared. I love hearing her stories and seeing the work she creates. It is so important to have friends of all ages. She always tells me there are no coincidences.