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| Marsha
Wiener Artist's
Statement My work is inspired by traditional ethnic
textiles and clothing from throughout the world and the respect I have
for those whose countless hours of work have produced such beauty. In
honoring this artistry I place myself in the position of co-creator and
transformer as I give new life to these fabrics. Working with color,
texture and pattern, I rely on an innate sense of what pleases the eye
to guide me as I work. In this process I produce one-of-a-kind jackets,
vests, ruanas, shirts, hats and bags. Patterns are basic and shapes
simple, as in ethnic tradition, allowing for maximum utilization of
components. Textiles from several cultures may be included in a piece,
which is often embellished with my embroidery, tassels, old buttons,
coins, beads, vintage neckties and amulets. When completed, each garment
has taught me something about aesthetics and design. My work is about
giving new life to old textiles, transforming them into beautiful,
wearable clothes for the contemporary woman. In so doing I hope to
enable the wearer to be transformed, in a small way, by her personal
contact with the folk art of many diverse cultures.
Biography
I was born in California in 1938. Some of my earliest memories are of
fashioning clothing for my ³family² of stuffed animals from scraps of
fabric and bits of lace. Although I studied piano throughout my
childhood and later at Stanford University, it was to sewing that I
returned as an artistic career, working at home for 20 years as a custom
dressmaker while raising three sons. Subsequently, two years spent as a
costume technician at the School of Fine Arts at the University of
California, Irvine led to my decision to design and create my own
one-of-a-kind wearable art. Since 1988 I have focused on fashioning
transformational, contemporary designs from traditional ethnic textiles.
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