Ann Williamson

Handmade Designer Women's Apparel

shows

Craft Council’s On-line Atlanta/SE Show

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Starting Monday, September 20th, the Craft Council’s on-line Atlanta/SE show will be live and open for members. If you’re not a member, please consider becoming one. It’s a great way to help support American craft.

On the next day, Tuesday, September 21, the show will open to all.

My new work will be there, new coats, jackets and scarves. All online. Shop in your jammies! The link to my shop here.

Below, my newest pieced coat on a beautiful model. I’ve paired it with my meisen striped skirt. The coat, called ‘All the Irregulars,’ [because, the irregular navy and white pieces of silk] will in the show. The skirt is now up in my web-shop.

A cape with appliqués will also be in the show. Worn loose and soft or pulled tight over and around your shoulders. Capes are the best! Perfect for all!

A brand new ‘Hitoe’ in an amazing black and white shibori. Each one of those little dots are tie-dyed.

Really!

Paired with a fabric with abstracted leaves for the collar and black sleeves with a woven tree design.

I’ve been busy piecing new scarves too. Like this one with cranes in beautiful forest-y greens.

The great thing about scarves, one size really and truly does fit all.

A bold red and black with oh so cool traditional Japanese designs.

The silks I use in my scarves are either from old kimonos that don’t have enough usable fabric for a whole jacket, but have spectacular bits that I can use in my scarves or they are leftover scraps from other projects. ‘Mottainai,’ waste nothing. And with these gorgeous fabrics, I absolutely will not.

We’re limited to 15 pieces, so as things sell I’ll add in new. Be sure and come back to see what’s new.

A link to my shop here. Open this Monday, September 20 through Sunday the 26th.

Photo Shoot in the Park

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As a participating artist for the upcoming American Craft Council’s online show, I received a request for a 30 second video about my work.

Video! Yes! I’d love to make a video.

So I gathered my clothes and accessories, a beautiful model, who was able and willing to come and pose for me, my photographer, iphone in hand, and we all headed out for an afternoon at our local park.

What I had not considered is that a public park is just that, public. People use it. And our chosen location, a long flight of concrete stairs, attracted runners. They’d jog up the stairs, sometimes pace and catch their breath at the top, then turn around and come back down. Minutes later they were back again, huffing and puffing all the way to the top, then back down. Over and over again.

I’m sure they were all thinking, “Why go to the gym and stay in one spot on a boring stair-master when you can go outdoors to a park, breathe fresh air and do the real thing?”

Why indeed?

We would wait patiently until they passed. We were usually successful, but did catch a few as they jogged past.

I’ll admit, I did utter a few, “oooh boy….” as we paused between shots….

The things you do not think about when planning a shoot. This is one I’ll pay attention to next time; stay away from a popular spot.

Still, over all we did very well. We had lots of good still and video shots. More than enough for a 30 second video.

We’re working on that video and one other and will have them up for viewing for the week of the show, September 20 – 26.

Stay tuned.

Craft Council Online Show

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The American Craft Council online show was not a normal show where I packed my suitcases, flew to a new city, set up a booth and showed off my clothes to new friends and old. Instead, I stayed right here in my studio, in front of my computer and set up an online shop. No days packing and flying and setting up a booth, instead I spent time exercising my brain with a new online platform. This is my 3rd online store and each system is completely different. What works in one doesn’t in another. The process of setting each up has always been the same. At first it is beyond frustrating. Nothing works. I can’t remember what I was taught in the zoom meeting. My notes are indecipherable, “I can do it- lots & items/ edit/ status sold.” What does that mean??? I try and try again. I keep thinking, others have done this, I should be able too. Eventually, slowly, it comes together.

After many hours of trials and errors, things start to fall in place. I begin to figure it out. I keep at it and eventually, all my pictures are loaded, the descriptions of each item is in place and my page/ shop/ store looks pretty good. At that point, and this happens every time, I am ecstatic! I am beyond empowered. I dance around and punch the air. I have battled the computer and its cold, inflexible ways and I have won! Or at least I have bent my brain so that it syncs up with its cold, inflexible ways.

One good thing about an online show, I can keep sewing until the very last minute. A day before the show started, I finished this jacket. I sewed on the last button, photographed it and loaded the pictures into my ACC Craft Council shop page. Whew!

It’s pieced with whites and brightly colored squares, all kimono silk.

A detail.

Then, after it’s all is set up and ready to go, I wait. No planes, no hotels, no jet lag. Instead I’m right here, sometimes still in my bathrobe, answering emails, confirming sales and packaging items in the handy USPS priority mail boxes.

Jackets and hitoes found homes and lots of scarves, which are perfect for online shopping. There are zero concerns with fit. One size really and truly fits all. Just drape it around your shoulders and you are good to go.

After the show, I spent some time updating my webshop, removing the sold pieces and adding in new. Including these brand new scarves.

They started with an old, badly stained and unwearable kimono. I cut away the discolored parts and was left with these cool, fractured images, pieces of cranes, pine trees and bamboo branches.

I also added in this hitoe, a pretty blue with a so very cool village design.

At first glance it’s a geometric design, then a closer look and you cans see the houses and buildings.

I also added this Lotus top, an unlined tunic length blouse, in a gorgeous dark, dark chocolate brown silk with painted maple leaves scattered about.

Please check my shop out to see these and more new work, here.

That was how I spent my time during the last few weeks, head bent over the computer, quick trips to the post office and finishing new pieces. Online shows are a pretty good substitute during our covid lockdown. I am not complaining, but I do miss interacting with people, talking to them, getting to know them and helping them find exactly the right thing. I can’t wait until we’re back to in person shows!