Aylward 1 Alaina Aylward Professor Butts Writing in the Arts, 11 December 2014
My final portfolio revision process started with separating myself from my three works as the writer and taking a very critical outsider point of view. When I first began correcting and rewriting I felt very stiff and tied down to keeping what I had written in my first drafts. My strategy of letting go of any obligation I felt to the essays made it easier for me to deconstruct and rearrange my paragraphs with ease. I wanted everything to be arranged in an interesting and relevant way to make sense chronologically and hold the readers interest. My goal was to have everything flow seamlessly, incorporate sources correctly and use the strategies I learned in class as an instrument to make my writing better than it’s ever been before. After I made the big changes to my works I tried to look at and edit the smaller issues like word choice, comma splices and small possessive errors. Using highly educated language and rhetoric was one of my biggest goals in writing these essays. In my Research Essay: I used rhetorical devices to convey my position and persuade the reader. It was an extremely helpful technique when I wanted to evoke an emotion in the audience. I added my own experiences as an artist designer to add a personal touch. I followed my views up with reputable sources; such as people in the fashion and art industries to establish credibility in what I was writing. I presented both sides of my chosen debate but made it very clear where I stood in the argument.
Aylward 2 Alaina Aylward Professor Butts Writing in the Arts, 11 December 2014
J.J. Higgins: That Crazy Art Teacher There were shelves stuffed to the rafters or the room, overflowing with plastic carousel horses, old horns, naked Barbie dolls, vintage toothbrushes and other random objects. Although this might sound like a weird, undesirable and strange location, it was my favorite place in the world to be for a good amount of time. Among the dysfunction and hectic surroundings I was in my element, I was so content with sitting all alone, just burying myself in my work. I lived for those times when making art felt exactly right. When the babbling brook of ideas moved rapidly through my body straight into my fingers and the creating process was so effortless. I got that feeling more than ever my junior year of high school. I attended high school in a large, suburban area that specialized in three things: sports and sports and sports. I quickly affiliated myself with an extremely small subset of other students who loved art. However, by my junior year, I had taken every art class that my district had to offer. Thru special permission, I was allowed to take a portfolio course to start producing work and preparing for college applications. Almost immediately, I began hearing stories about the infamous J.J. Higgins. My older brothers, neighbors, the dentist's daughter, and the sacker at the local grocery store all rumored terrifying tales of J.J. They would tell me she never gives anyone an A or she’s crazy insane and disorganized! I tried to keep my hopes up and ignore all the rumors but the comments started getting to me after a while. After all, why would my experience in her class be any different? I was torn if I should even pursue the portfolio class at all.
Aylward 3 “I can't survive in school all day without art classes, art is what I live for.” I dramatically expressed to my Mom. “It's my thing, if you don't have a thing in high school, you're a nobody!” I was just at my starting point and wanted to keep being challenged, creating and learning. “You don't have to, the school board approved you to take the class honey.” My mom assured me. “If you really want to go to art school and be a fashion designer I think you need this class.” My mom was right, after hearing that I knew what I needed to do. I took the class, not knowing at all what to expect. Within the first couple days of class I figured out Ms. Higgins was not popular among the kids… or staff really. She was a vertically challenged, frumpy looking lesbian woman who never wore a bra and was seemingly heartless. They thought she was rude and awful and everyone swore she was an evil witch who went home at night and planned the next terrible thing she would do to the innocent art students of Blue Springs High School. I shared those feelings with the general public at first because that’s what everyone did. All of that changed as I got to know her better. To my great surprise, I not only could tolerate J.J, I really liked her. I learned where she was really coming from and ended up admiring, looking up to and respecting that so called crazy art lady. I found that a good percentage of what I had heard was indeed; true, but I understood her. Although I couldn’t predict what she was going to say or do next I knew her intentions. She had an overarching theme of open-mindedness and always wanted to throw out more ideas or suggest new materials for me to try. She would encourage or even add degrees of weirdness to any crazy project any kid would pitch. She worked so hard to give us all the space that we needed to work and treated us like adults. I had a big desk and area of my own that I kept through the year. My first pseudo studio was undeniably me cluttered with all of my inspirations along with the constantly growing pile of stuff J.J. would leave for me to make something out of. I worked amongst crystals I found on my recent trip to Arkansas, pictures of birds ripped out of a random book, dried flowers from my garden and numerous peppermint wrappers.
Aylward 4 When I would sit down I didn’t have to figure out where I had left off or set up I knew where everything was in my little mess and all my supplies were laid out and ready for me to start. Sectioned off from the rest of the world, I was in the perfect setting for my creative process. I was focused, inspired, and incessantly weaving ideas in my own sort of place and sanctuary. I was having more ideas than ever, and felt like I had enough of everything I needed to produce the ideas I had locked up in my head. I was so happy, my teacher was so cool, I was upset I would ever judge her. With the help of my teacher and my workspace I was more successful than any year before. I won top awards in several art shows, placed 1st nationally in DECA and FCCLA and was on top of the world. I am now attending an amazing art school; doing exactly what I should be, just like in my portfolio class my junior year except heightened to a degree. I can’t thank J.J. enough for encouraging me to pursue my dreams, and think she one of the many reasons I am here today. J.J. certainly did make me change my mind about going into the art field, she helped me understand that I needed more and more art training in order to be the best fashion designer possible. She didn't wear a bra, but so what! People who didn't understand her or the her process of creating judged her by what they saw on the outside, and happened to be incredibly wrong! She was extremely different from the other teachers in the building but that’s what made her so spectacular. J.J was so supportive and really made me want to be a better artist. Her advice runs through my head constantly, like an ever-present tape reel. “Glad you are really going big, you have all the drive, desire, and the certainly talent you need.” She continued, “I will always be here for you and will do everything in my power to help in any way I can.” She told me on the last day of class before her retirement. We hugged and decided to keep in touch in the future before I left the colorful, spacey, cinder block room. “See ya later J.J., No goodbyes here,” I yelled before I left. After leaving her class we have kept in
Aylward 5 touch and even met for sushi a couple of times. She remains to be one of the highest of standard, wisest, perfectly imperfect, most incredible people I had ever met in my life.
Aylward 6 Alaina Aylward Professor Butts Writing in the Arts, 11 December 2014
Free People: Appealing to Individualism Free People’s advertisement depicts a young, beautiful, fashionable woman sitting in a field gazing at the viewer. The Free People brand uses a mixture of dynamic imagery and tantalizing text to create interest in potential new customers and evoke feelings in existing customers. The organization and style of the ad captures the viewer’s attention and greatly appeals to the visual aesthetic of the brand. An interesting aspect of this advertisement is that it isn't trying to please everyone. This ad holds a simplistic and vague stature, yet is just interesting and complex enough to spur a response action. Whether it inspires the audience to find out more information about the brand, moves them toward buying a product, or pushes them to plan a visit to the store in person or online. Using rhetorical strategies Free People appeals to the customer while contributing to the notion of individualism and freedom that is coupled and associated with the brand.
A young woman (centered) sitting in an overgrown field.
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Ethos, Pathos and Logos were meticulously put to use to achieve a young, uniquely fashionable, creative vibe in the imagery. Broken down, the components of the ad work together to appeal to the twenty-something, highly creative and free-spirited women that represents Free People’s target market. Ethos comes to play through the individuality and understated, yet artful composition of this ad. There is little room for doubt who this ad is marketed to. When the viewer notices the seamless and thoughtfully put together ad that appeals directly to them, credibility is established. Free people is speaking directly to the customer in a special language when they successfully compose elements like the women's center placement, the settings subdued, ambient lighting as well as the choice of model, background, colors and text. There is an air of utmost knowingness of oneself that projects coolness, credibility, dependability and trustworthiness in the brand. They want the customer to believe in the hippy, natural and free spirited aesthetic of Free People and seek to enjoy the freedom of dressing to express individuality and uniqueness. The logos is found in the planned effort to spark an interest in the viewer. There is a sort of trickery that takes place leading the viewer to believe and think they themselves will look just as good wearing these clothes as the model pictured does. Not only does the customer think they will look just as good in this clothing brand but they associate the feelings, lifestyle and surroundings pictured in the ad as well. The photograph reaches out to the viewer, and acts as a ticket to transport the customer into the captivating woman’s place. The logical appeal ensures that the individuality and style of clothing will look good and make them feel good too. When the hidden messages and tactics have done their job persuading the customer, they do the rest of the work themselves. The viewer pairs the blissful state of mind, solitude and style shown in the ad with the clothing brand and now needs the clothing to transport them to that place.
Aylward 8 Pathos is embedded in the imagery and enhances the effectiveness of the ad. The woman centered in the image is pictured all alone, leaving the viewer to expect her to be lonely or sad but her expression projects quite the opposite. She is so content with being alone in nature and has a calm, subdued, yet infectious look on her face. The woman pictured is not your stereotypical American beauty; the model is uniquely beautiful, feminine and romantic but slightly bohemian and tomboy looking at the same time. She projects an overwhelming sense of personality and to helps the brand cater to the customer’s intelligence, creativity and individuality. The pathos reaches the audience emotionally and calls them to conclude a fashionable and adventurous backstory to go along with the natural spirit and wanderlust of the image. Free People’s understated ad has a lack of flashy elements and isn’t begging to reach out and grab just anyone’s attention. People who are captivated enough to really look at the ad for an extra moment, are most likely the group they were trying to reach anyway. The use of the subdued color scheme fused with the deep, romantic and darkened lighting was a strategic move in the design process. It speaks to the exclusivity and individualistic style of the contemporary brand. The scheme incorporates different tones of shady, deep purples and greens, juxtaposed to the darkened background featuring gray and almost black areas as well. The color scheme and texture immediately reads as romantic, deep and natural. The use of text in this ad goes along with Free Peoples’ usual brand identity and natural aesthetic. The ethereal and handwritten, artsy looking text incorporated in the ad is strategically placed and modestly sized in the upper left hand corner. Its humble proportion interacts with the chosen image without distracting from the impact of the chosen image. The overlaid fonts whimsical and nature driven feel ad’s style, appeal and texture to the imagery, illuminating the visual effect. Individuality is very important to the millennial market in America right now and the call to them is undeniably on point. The senior marketing manager of Free People mentioned in an
Aylward 9 interview about the brand, “It is important for Free People to be seen as a leader in digital marketing, and I think we are gaining recognition in the industry.� (The brand realizes who their market is and understands just what they have to do to access them. They appeal to the masses over several different platforms including their own magazine publication, social media, websites and blogs. In an era where attention spans are shorter than ever and being unique and original is cooler than having what everyone else has, the clothing brand has to appeal to their market in a creative way. At first glance, I was unclear what exactly it was about and thought it was too vague or misleading. In analyzing it deeper, I came to the assumption that the overall intent is to show the social Identity and the meaning of the fashion brand, Free People. The composition provides little information and subtly hints the viewer to seek out more. As a business they specifically direct their attempts toward appealing to their audience. The beautiful but vague ad persuades, pleases, convinces and attacks the attention of Free People’s creative audience. The context is framed around encouraging the potential customers to not only make purchases, but to join in on the movement, lifestyle and state of mind of Free People.
Aylward 10 Works Cited "How Free People Succeeds with Branded and Customer-Generated Content." PR Couture Fashion PR. PR Couture Fashion PR, n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2014.
Works Consulted "Our Story." Free People. Free People, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2014.
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Alaina Aylward Professor Butts Writing in the Arts, 11 December 2014 The Answerless Question: Is Fashion Art? Is Fashion Art? This is the subject of a timeless, ongoing debate between various factions on both sides of this pinnacle question. The impossible topic has been fodder for cocktail party discussions, extensive magazine articles and heated disputes in both the art and fashion industries. Although many will attempt to answer this question, it remains inexplicable. There is no ruling authority, grand jury or court of law that will make the final verdict to put this issue at rest. It is, however, a fascinating argument for those that have enough passion to hold a fortified opinion on the subject of whether or not fashion can be considered art. Between my own experiences and research, I am undeniably on the side that considers fashion art. Art is at work from the actual act of designing, to construction and on, even to the detailing, styling, presentation, and marketing. It’s difficult for me to fathom what would lead people to think otherwise. It’s hard for me to believe that anyone could deny, at the very least, the existence of artistic quality in fashion. There is a complexity to the design of fashion that I feel is often overlooked. Fashion and clothing can evoke a mood or convey an emotion. It is inspiring, beautiful and moving, just like any Monet, Picasso or Dali would be. Frankly, The assumption that fashion designers live a glamorous life of stroking fine fabrics, going shopping, and attending fashion shows to trot around wearing high heels downplays their work. This leads to sweeping generalizations about the actual process involved in creating fashion. Like any creative process, there are distinct, lengthy phases and techniques
Aylward 12 that require inspiration, time, patience, and genuine hard work. As much as I believe that there is so much more depth to the fashion design process, many people don't feel the same way. Ultimately, the reputation of fashion is at stake. Is it important and valuable enough to be considered an art form? Is a fashion designer putting artistic effort into coming up with and putting together designs as much as an artist as a painter, sculptor or graphic artist? Elyssa Jechow wrote an article called Is Fashion Art? In the first paragraph of the article, Jechow quotes Valerie Steele, Director and Chief Curator of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, who refers to the way fashion is seen as “The bastard child of capitalism and female vanity.” (Jechow 1) I understand Steele’s view that fashion is often seen as narcissistic or frou-frou. Perhaps because of the pace of production or oversaturated industry, fashion is seen as somewhat watered down due to the prevalent availability, mass production and lowered quality available in the mass market. Additionally, there are many people that don’t care or take the time to partake in fashion. This debate is very personal because I consider myself equally an artist and a designer. I chose to come to CCAD because my specific take on fashion is backed so heavily in art. All art and design majors explore conceptual visualization and problem solving to express and deliver as creatives. The fact that every student, no matter what major or intended career, is learning the same building blocks of art and design further supports my point. No matter the outcome, an artist must go through a certain process to create. All students take the same foundation courses; with classes in visual literacy, design, and drawing. As aspiring artists, all of our goals are somewhat the same. We are learning to visually communicate the same way, no matter the specific form or medium. Art and fashion require the same processes, from inspiration and concept, to the finished product. I have found that I use the same parts of my brain doing fine art, as I do designing fashion. I completely agree with successful designer Zandra Rhodes stand on the subject. Rhodes wholeheartedly answers yes to the question of whether fashion is art. She fires back
Aylward 13 remarking; “You might call it decorative or applied art as opposed to fine art, but what's the distinction?” She continues, remarking that “The same amount of artistic expression goes into clothing, a piece of pottery or a painting.” (Rhodes, Rawsthorn 1) When Rhodes compares a painting and an article of clothing, she rhetorically emphasizes how the same strategies and elements crossover. Craftsmanship, proportion, harmony, shape, and critiquing; are all elements that pertain to art forms. My own view is that fashion is just as deep in the sea of art as painting, photography, illustration, sculpture, graphic art, or ceramics. The steps and principles of making something visually appealing are the same for both activities. Putting elements together, combining colors and textures with an artful eye, advancing your ideas and visions into finished pieces, all apply to both fashion and art. I have a great respect and passion for fashion design and am incessantly weaving ideas through my work. In Delaunay’s book Sonia Delaunay: Art into Fashion she writes about her views on art and clothing and how she applied it to life. As a member of the avant-garde movement in Paris, Delaunay had a fascination and expertise with art, fashion, and design. She blurred the line separating fashion and art, viewing textiles as moving paintings and incorporating her work as a fine artist into her fashion designs. Sonia’s conclusions, which Diana discusses in the book, add weight to the argument that fashion is most definitely art. I was inspired by Sonia’s take, the book lined up with my exact beliefs. The author wrote, “Sonia believed that art should not be restricted to the studio or exhibition hall, but should be integrated into all phases of life. She trespassed freely across the border between fine and applied art, making her vision available in many medias.” (Delaunay 8) Sonia embodied an exciting and vivid new approach of art intertwined with fashion. I admit that there are different levels of fashion, from retailers that happen to sell clothes like Walmart, to amazing designers who have their work displayed in galleries, like the late Alexander McQueen. I argue strongly that there are the same divisive principles in art. Not all art is museum-worthy, and neither is all fashion. Nina Garcia, who is the fashion director for Elle
Aylward 14 Magazine and Marie Claire was quoted, arguing "Fashion is not art. Stores are not museums. You go to stores to buy clothes. You do not go to stores to look at clothes.” (Hughes 1) These conclusions, which Garcia discusses, add weight to the argument against fashion being considered art. She makes a point and certainly has credibility on the topic, but I beg to differ to her opinion. A museum’s primary purpose is to display and present; a store serves the same purpose. People go to see something new and form opinions about it. Extreme highs and lows occur in both fashion and art. It is often said that fashion is not art because clothes are a necessity, and used for coverage and protection from the elements. While it is true that fashion does hold a practical element, it does not necessarily mean it can be taken out of the category of art. If clothes were strictly made for practicality, protection and coverage, everyone would wear the exact same thing. That is certainly not the case, as everyone wears different things everyday for different reasons. The director of the Design Museum, Alice Rawsthorn, addresses the in her article, Is Fashion a True Art Form? Rawsthorn answers no and disputes that fashion can’t be art because it’s fashion. Alice adds her argument that fashion has a practical purpose, whereas, art does not. (Rhodes, Rawsthorn 1) On one hand, I agree with Alice’s statement that fashion is based in practicality, but on the other hand, I think art offers just as much. Fashion fulfills primarily a functional dimension. Like architecture, industrial or interior design, the main function is for the designed object to work and function correctly. Art serves many purposes, it evokes thoughts and inspiration, sends a message and is necessary, as I have found through my personal experiences. Designers and people in the pursuit of creating fashion provide interesting opinions on the ongoing debate. Meredith Blechman covers the status of fashion in the realm of fine art, in her article, Is Fashion Art? Addressing the Ongoing Debate. She compares art and fashion to show the similarities between the two, as well as providing contrasting opinions of designers in the industry. Not all fashion designers think alike, some of them dispute my claim that Fashion
Aylward 15 Design is a true art form. Many distinguished designers including Miuccia Prada, Karl Lagerfeld, and Marc Jacobs, object to being considered an artist. They instead, view art and fashion as their own separate entities. Karl Lagerfeld may have put it best: “Art is art. Fashion is fashion. However, Andy Warhol proved that they can exist together.� (Blechman 1) I contend that art and fashion exist together as one, without separation. Fashion to me is decadent, interesting, beautiful, spiritually inspiring, innovative and undeniably Art. Although my attempts to answer this question, or overpower naysayers may be a hopeless cause, I stand firm in my view. As a budding fashion designer myself, I will continue to innovate, create, design, and be inspired on a day to day basis. I will continue to share my vision of art and fashion as one, to someday have my work in museums, and be considered, valued and known as an artist and designer.
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Works Cited Blechman, Meredith. "Is Fashion Art? Addressing the Ongoing Debate." Artspace. Artspace, 12 Mar. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.
Delaunay, Sonia, Elizabeth Morano, and Diana Vreeland. Sonia Delaunay: Art into Fashion.
Hughes, Jason. "'Project Runway': One Design Leads To A Judges' Debate About Fashion And Art." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 12 Apr. 2013. Web. 10 Dec. 2014.
Jechow, Elyssa. "Is Fashion Art?" The Muse Dialogue. The Muse Dialogue, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014. Rhodes, Zandra, and Alice Rawsthorn. "Is Fashion a True Art Form?" The Guardian. The Guardian, 13 July 2003. Web