Melinda Forbes is an artist and a dressmaker, but above all, she is a self-proclaimed recycler and sustainability guru.
From her organic gardening classes to her recycled book art classes, Forbes’ passion is brought to life in different ways. So, when a fellow artist suggested Forbes expand her small display of white dresses in Linnaea’s Café in San Luis Obispo, the idea for The White Gowns exhibit was born.
The show, which opens March 4 at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (SLOMA), will feature approximately 22 dresses created by Forbes and local artists Jennifer Blue, Peg Eckert and Nancy Martin. All of the gowns were made exclusively from reused and recycled materials.
Gold beading, lace trim and delicate white flowers constructed from used fabrics are just a few of the dainty details on the gowns, which conjure up images of princesses, fairy dust and fields of flowers perfect for frolicking in.
Forbes said she hoped the gowns in the exhibit would convey messages inspiring interest in recycling and innovation.
“There is a lot of precious stuff out there that has been cast off,” Forbes said. “I want people to be inspired and say ‘Wow, I can do that.’”
For example, someone else’s old silk items became useful vintage silk Forbes used for stitching her gowns, which was mostly done by hand.
“Creating beauty does not have to be going out and buying things to enrich our lives,” Forbes said. “It can be achieved using what we already have.”
And that is exactly what the artists have done. The recycled materials used range from thrift store clothing and old lacework to items like plastic and buttons. Anything goes in the realm of clothing reconstruction, but for this exhibit there was one rule: all white materials.
“Working with just white is not that normal for me, I love colors,” Forbes said. “But white is so beautiful. You can layer it and the light shines through it.”
Forbes said lighting will be important for illuminating the dresses, once they are on display. Some will be hung from the ceiling, while others will be worn by dress forms.
The dresses will range from simple to very complex, depending on the artist’s style. All four artists have varying skills in art and sewing.
Jennifer Blue said she has made clothing since she was nine years old but since she specializes in wedding gowns, this project was a challenge.
“Making and altering wedding gowns is much more exact than the recycled pieces,” Blue said. “It was a challenge, but very liberating at the same time.”
In addition to the gowns, all of the artist’s notebooks will be on display, giving exhibit guests a firsthand view into these very challenges as well as the processes of making the gowns.
For example, Blue said her notebook contains pictures of the items before being cut and altered to create the final dress.
“With these projects, I made a test of what I wanted to do and sometimes it didn’t even come out close,” Blue said. “So (in my notebook) I talk about the process of that, and a little about the anxiety and the emotions of it.”
The inclusion of the notebooks gives the exhibit an interesting and personal touch.
“It will make for a very intimate exhibit,” SLOMA assistant director Muara Johnston said.
Those seeking more interaction to complement the notebooks and the gowns can attend the opening reception on March 4, which will take place in conjunction with Art After Dark, a monthly art sharing event on the first Friday of every month from 6 to 9 p.m.
Johnston said the reception will give all members of the community an opportunity to talk with the artists.
The exhibit will be open through April 2 and all gowns will be for sale during this time. The prices range from approximately $90 to $200, which Johnston said is a stunningly reasonable price for handmade gowns.
SLOMA will host other events this spring that follow the same theme of recycled clothing material. Forbes’ ideas of clothing reconstruction are clearly present in these upcoming events.
“There are so many beautiful things that have deteriorated, so to save them you have to be creative,” Forbes said. “It’s about looking at things with new eyes.”