Junk Mail
Trash Dress Sculpture by Dawn Devine
Exhibited at the San Mateo County Fair
Division Winner

Last December, as the year drew to a close, I set some unusual goals. One goal was to “Be how I self-defined.”  This sounds abstract, but it amounts to this:

• If I call myself a dancer, then I must dance.
• Do I call myself a writer?  I must write.
• When I call myself a costumer, I must make costumes.
• If I call myself a traveler? Then I must travel.
• Do I call myself an artist? Then I must exhibit my art.

Fast forward to April. I attended Costume Con, a convention devoted to the art of costuming.  At the show, I had the pleasure of seeing Adam Savage give a presentation on costuming and creativity.  During this Q&A session, he said some very inspirational things like “If not now, When?” and “Achieving your dreams is simply deciding to do the work. Show up for you.” But the phrase that got me was, “Always lean into authenticity.”

With these words freshly written in my journal and infusing me with inspiration, May arrived.  One evening when I was chatting with some friends, I decided that this was going to be the year I participated in a group art show. Do I call myself an artist?  Yes!  Then I must exhibit my art.

San Mateo County Fair – Junk Mail

I persuaded my photographer friend Alisha Westerfeld to submit an entry into the photography category of the art show with me. I got the entry book.  Looking over the rules and guidelines for submission, I quickly realized there were dozens of different categories to choose from, so I carefully read the descriptions.

As I read the book, and yes, I’m that gal who reads the whole guide, I spotted “Division 313 – Found Art & Assemblage Art.” At that moment, I knew what I wanted to do. With a flash of inspiration, I wrote down the title  “Junk Mail.”  My first thought?  I was going to sew some window envelopes together with images torn from catalogs and magazines.

I submitted my form on the last day to enter. Then I went to work. I only had two weeks to complete a worthy entry for my first artwork for exhibition in more than 20 years.

Inspirations:
Isabelle de Borchegrave, Junk Mail, and The Tudors

So I spent two days sketching and drawing, thinking and planning and I came up with an idea. Why don’t I embrace the words of Adam Savage and “Lean into Authenticity.”  My authentic inner voice first whispered and then yelled, “Make a dress, make a trash dress!”

I love making historically inspired-costume pieces out of unconventional materials. In my first year of MFA at UC Davis, I built a wall of bras out of dozens of different materials from bubble wrap to fishing lures.  I finished that school year with an installation entitled “Vestments for a New Religion” and exhibited several of the pieces across Northern California. 

Right: “Chausible” from “Vestments for a New Religion” by Dawn Devine at the Olive Hyde Gallery, Fremont, CA

Left: Maria Maddalena d’Austria, 2007, based on a 1622 portrait by Isabelle de Borchegrave
Middle: Marketing Mail from the Legion of Honor for the upcoming exhibition “Tudors”
Right: Miniature of Queen Elizabeth I by Hilliard

I have a vintage plastic display form who’s named Pinky.  You can see her serving as the cover model for Embellished Bras.  She was going to be my muse and I went to work coming up with a dress concept made from envelopes and recycled cardboard.

Isabelle de Borchegrave is a Belgian artist and designer who has inspired me for many years. I attended an exhibition years before and saw her work turning historic paintings into three-dimension paper sculptures of dresses.  I found a piece of junk mail with an historic image and everything fell into place.  I was going to make a Tudor-inspired dress made from upcycled, recycled, and found objects.

It takes a Village to make a Trash Dress

But two weeks?  Could I make a Tudor-themed trash dress in two weeks?   Indeed I could with the help of some friends.  Shout out to redvelvet who donated a couple of boxes of packaging and the critical disposable chopsticks that formed the foundation of the collar. Alisha Westerfeld brought over a massive pile of envelopes I needed to construct the material for the skirt.

But it was Niffer who came over and made tea, wielded scissors, tape, and the almighty glue gun and helped build the structure of this project.  Niffer was available and the two of us put in a total of about 55 hours cutting, sewing, gluing, folding, dying, draping, and building the 9 layers that compose this piece. I am indebted to Niffer for all of the hard work.  If you’re reading this, thank you Niffer!

Junk Mail takes the Division Championship

We took her up to the fair and set her up, slowly dressing her and taking a slew of photographs.  I gave her a final little preen, crossed my fingers, and wished her good luck on her adventure.  Two weeks later, our crew went to check out how she did.  Not only did she win second in her class, she leaped the first place to take the division title!  She won not one, but two ribbons. I was shocked, amazed, thrilled, and mostly felt extremely validated. I can reclaim the title of exhibiting artist. 

Now Junk Mail, the dress is tucked into my closet. Pinky is wearing an assiut tunic and hanging out in my guest room patiently waiting for her next ensemble.  As for me, my next goal is to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Costuming from the Hip, by giving her a makeover.  My first book has gone through three revisions over the past decades, but this time, she’s going to expand, get a glow-up with a batch of new illustrations, photographs, and diagrams. 

So I’m off to the drawing board!  
Happy Dance and Costuming,
Dawn Devine ~ Davina
June 2023