Ready-to-wear art

Bowling Green woman ready to share her love of jazzed-up clothing

By Alicia Carmichael, acarmichael@bgdailynews.com — 270-783-3234

Thursday, August 26, 2004

Local artist Alice Gatewood Waddell, whos been painting my clothes ever since Ive been in college, will spend Saturday teaching the public how to decorate their own denim hats, skirts, pants, purses and more.

Her Wearable Art class will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kentucky Library and Museum at Western Kentucky University.

I think people want to express a self-identity, and thats what I think people will enjoy, said Lynne Ferguson, artist-in-residence at the museum.

Participation is $15 for museum associates and $20 for non-members, and Ferguson said anyone interested in taking the class should register by 3 p.m. Friday class size is limited because of the uniqueness of working with articles of clothing. You do have to have a (large) flat area.

Gatewood is looking forward to the workshop, for which shes been preparing all week by painting some of her own clothes to show to students.

Its a project that you cant go wrong with, she said. You get paint on your clothing.

While Gatewood has painted landscapes and portraits on clothes, shell focus on abstract designs Saturday.

Ferguson recently began painting a pair of jeans under Waddells direction and is looking forward to completing them in the workshop. She asked Waddell to teach the workshop after she saw Waddell wearing a pair of jeans she had decorated.

Waddell said painting on beloved clothing can give it new life, and she likes painting on old jeans best.

Theyre broke in real good, she said. Theyre the ones you dont want to get rid of because theyre so perfect (fitting). But theyre worn out.

Fabric paint will be provided for Saturdays class.

Other workshops scheduled for this fall at the Kentucky Library and Museum include:

Basketmaking with Beth Hester. This class will be Sept. 25 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Decorative Painting with Philip Holder. This workshop will be Oct. 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Participants must bring a small- or medium-sized object to paint, such as a picture frame, wooden box or wooden chair.

For more information, call Ferguson at 745-2549 or e-mail Lynne.Ferguson@wku.edu.

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