The Southeast Alaska State Fair is seeking submissions for its wearable art show, to be held at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, July 28 at Payson’s Pavilion.
The runway show will showcase designs from other Southeast Alaskan wearable art shows held earlier this year, as well as new designs.
“Wearable Art fashion shows are incredibly popular in other Southeast Alaskan communities,” said Jessica Edwards, the fair’s assistant director. “Wearable art designs are basically garments made from recycled materials – anything you can imagine, really, from cedar strips to dryer venting to intricately folded newspaper to fishing net – to you name it.”
An introductory wearable art show debuted several years ago at the fair, Edwards said, and this year’s show is an effort to continue developing local interest in the event.
“Ketchikan and Juneau always sell out multiple shows in February. The shows are super fun. People dress up to attend them and the artists spend months making their designs. This is an art form I hope Upper Lynn Canal artists will become enthusiastic about.”
Edwards said she was working with show coordinators in Juneau and Ketchikan in hopes of having designs debuted at shows earlier this year sent to the fair.
Kathleen Light, director of the arts council in Ketchikan, had the idea of having a ‘Southeast Alaska Wearable Art Review’ to showcase some of the best designs from 2012 runway shows around the region, Edwards said.
“The designs are painstakingly made and then are only worn once. We thought the fair, as a regional event, was a great opportunity to get previously debuted designs on the runway again, show a few new ones, and generate interest among people who haven’t had a chance to see a wearable art show before.”
Entry forms for the July 28 show are at seakfair.org. Requirements include a model to wear the design during the runway show. Contact Edwards at 766-2476 for information.