2019
Wallpaper installed in 2nd floor hallway at the historic Tirocchi Sister’s dress makers house aka Wedding Cake House.
Restored by Dirt Palace Projects.
514 Broadway Providence, RI
3 color hand printed silk screen. 4th color hand painted.
“Anna and Laura Tirocchi, Italian immigrants from Guarcino, owned a prominent dressmakers shop in the Federal Hill area of Providence, Rhode Island, from 1915 to 1947. The Tirocchi sisters made dresses, blouses, and coats...” (“The Use of “Robes” by American dressmakers: A. & L. Tirocchi, Providence, RI” -Hilary Baker URI ) All pieces were made at the house, employing a crew of female immigrant dressmakers and seamstresses.
Like Tirocchi sisters’ story, I've been thinking a lot about immigrant people and their craft work, used as survival, economic self-sufficiency, therapy, skilled labor, messaging and record keeping.
While creating this pattern I was thinking about retaining and not losing parts of your past; about not losing memory of stories and skills in hand-work passed through generations; about the muscle memory in sewing that can stay with you through your life if you learned it as a child.
Within that swirling of ideas, was also the concept of time and labor, and invisibility; about doing work that is at home and solitary, and also creates networks and friendships with other stitchers and workers.
I've been reading about women using memory as a site for resistance. And thinking about the home as a space to restore ones spirit.
Motifs are:
Details of hand embroidered areas and bead work of the sisters many dresses. Basic hand basting stitches, often hidden on the inside of garments. Art that was inspired by nature, and floral motifs. Hands, for the many hours of handwork that is needed to construct each dress.
In 2001 the business was the subject of an exhibition at the RISD Museum; it is believed to be the most complete collection of a 20th-century custom dressmaking business in existence.
Hand drawn repeat pattern.
Hands and machines modeled by genius dressmaker, Carmel Dundon while working on dresses. Her grandmother’s scissors (still often used by Carmel) are also drawn into pattern.
Wallpaper designed, screen-printed, and installed by the artist.
2016
5 color screen printed wallpaper.
“The forest belongs to every living thing.” -smokey the bear
Hand drawn pattern design for custom wedding dress. One color hand screen printed on wool.
on dyed fabric
