One of our members, Janet Shipley Hawks, was invited to participate in The Little Black Dress exhibit currently showing at the Alexander Hogue gallery at Tulsa University. At my request, Jan sent the following note along with photos of the exhibit for our blog.

“The LBD Exhibit was based on a collection of little black dresses that the woman who was head of the ballet owned.  She amassed them over the years as she had many openings and fund raising events that required this type of dress.  A friend of mine in the Art Department at TU got the idea to do an exhibit and asked 12 women artists to create something in their media that was inspired by the LBD from Connie’s collection that they were given.  There were photographers, a poet, a musician, painters, ceramic artist, videographer, installation artist and me! 

When she asked me to do this I thought of a brooch to go on a LBD but when my dress was so heavily beaded I had to change my thinking and I came up with the idea to “accessorize” with the hat and bag.  Both, including the feathers on the hat are done in my “thread” technique and were a whole new direction for me.” Janet Shipley Hawks

Thread sculpted hat by Janet Shipley Hawks

Thread sculpted purse by Janet Shipley Hawks

Marcia Balleweg, owner of Oklahoma Basket Supply, presented the program and brought a table full of her beautiful baskets for us to fondle and admire. It was a great program and we appreciate Marcia driving in from Wellston.

Next month on Oct. 8 two of our members, Mary Tevington and Betsy Rowland, will give us a demo on “Radical Jewelry Making”. Please bring old costume jewelry and a pair of pliers so you can join in on the fun. Don’t forget we will be meeting at the Village Library at 10307 N. Penn  in October and November.

Marcia Balleweg and her baskets

FAO members looking at Marcia's baskets

Andrea Gardner showing the first basket she just made.

Marcia Yeaman modeling a knitted vest. Cheer up, Marcia, the vest is beautiful!

Joan Galbraith, modeling one of her latest creations.

Janet Shipley Hawks has a piece in the Little Black Dress exhibit that is currently showing at Tulsa University’s Alexandre Hogue Gallery, in Phillips Hall, 2930 E. Fifth St., Tulsa, OK. The exhibit opened last week and continues through Sept. 25. A reception will be held Thursday, Sept. 10 at 5pm. Both the exhibit and reception are free and open to the public.

You can read about the exhibit in an article written by the Urban Tulsa Weekly.