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Handmade Designer Women's Apparel

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Ann's booth at the craft show

Smithsonian 2022

May 1, 2022 10 Comments

What a way to return to in person shows! The Smithsonian’s 2022 craft show was a rousing success. A gala party on Wednesday night, followed by four days of the show. I wasn’t the only one who was happy to get out and back to seeing people in person with no computer screen between. We were all in celebratory mood, like long lost family members reunited.

My booth, in storage for over two years, went up without a problem. What a happy relief to see all my work out of my closets, hung up and ready for viewing.

And what a place for my first show, the Building Museum is a magnificent space.

The ceiling is well over 4 stories high. Fantastic!

The entire show is a fund raiser for the Smithsonian Institute. The gala party on the first night was the perfect way to start things off with a bang.

Then the show. People coming in with friends, family, alone, and in a few cases, with their sweet little dogs.

I was delighted to see my pieced trench coat, sold right at the beginning of the show, back again several days later.

I love that my clothes are out and about, worn and used!

Another one of my pieces in use just days after the show. Nina, on her way to the opera and wearing her brand new coat. Looking fantastic.

I had appliquéd strips onto a very cool kimono silk with bold, oversized, abstracted grass forms.

Gorgeous!

I admit, I do love to spend time in my studio, so I haven’t been too terribly unhappy during our covid isolation. But boy, I did miss the shows. The Smithsonian Show was the perfect medicine.

Whew! What a rush. At the end, we packed up and were ready to head home.

But we still had a day in the city, the plane was leaving at the end of the day. Perfect! There was time for a trip to the Smithsonian’s, fantastic, magnificent, amazing and glorious National Gallery of Art. As with all Smithsonian museums, free to everyone.

Free!

I am a proud museum nerd. I can spend days inside looking at whatever is up and on view. But, wow, they do have some gems.

How about this little grouping? 4 Vermeers in a row.

With only a few other people there at any one time, I cold move in close and look as long as I wanted.

Jan Van Eyck? Another of my favorite artists? Sure. The Annunciation, right over here in this other room.

Standing in front and studying it for as long as I wanted. Painted around 1435. Gabriel’s rainbow colored wings, the wooden floor painted with old testament stories, the lily, the interior of the gothic church, the depiction of the textiles, Gabriel’s beatific smile, Mary’s ultramarine blue gown [at the time, ounce per ounce, more expensive than gold,] all perfect.

Look at the colors in the one below! And the strong geometric shapes and forms. Glorious!

By the ‘Master of the Osservanza’ and painted in the first part of the 1430’s, a tryptic of Saint Anthony distributing his wealth to the poor, leaving his monastery and meeting Saint Paul.

The attention to detail, the quirkiness [can you see the funny little dog [pig?] on the far left? Or the centaur behind the trees at the upper right?], did I mention the colors???

I just about lost it when I saw ‘The Cornell Farm,’ painted in 1848 by Edward Hicks, more than 400 years after the one above.

All the cows and horses, with the landscape behind. I absolutely love it!

Detail, detail, detail, I see a theme here.

So many. So many paintings to see and analyze, study and admire. And I was in just one part of one floor of one museum. If you’ve never been, you must figure out a way to get there. If you’ve been, then return to see all that you’ve missed or forgotten.

At the end of the day, it was time to leave and head back home.

By chance, as I was heading out the door, I found myself in a room with a few paintings of women sewing.

The one above by Gilbert Stuart, painted in 1793. And the one below by Ellen Day Hale from 1893.

The third, by Joseph Rodefer Decamp from 1916.

The perfect way to end my visit to Washington, the whole reason I was there. All because of my journey with sewing, fabrics, clothing and love of art.

And how cool is this? So very, exactly, perfect. As I left the room with the paintings of women sewing, right outside, at the information desk, this woman was bent over, needle in hand, working on her embroidery.

Thank you Smithsonian Women’s Committee and everyone who came to support this wonderful organization! Not to mention all of the artists! We were finally, at long last, out and in public again!

Goodby Washington, I’m already looking forward to coming back again, whenever that may be.

Model in Ann's coat and jacket

New Video

April 17, 2022 4 Comments

Just in time, only a few days before the Smithsonian Craft Show, my new video is finished and ready for its close-up. It’s under ‘videos’ in my website. I’m calling it, ‘At Holocene’ because that’s where we shot all the footage.

Please check it out here.

And check back in the next day or two, because we’ll be adding one more called, ‘Pink.’

No need to clear your schedule to watch them, they are both short, under a minute each.

Next up, the big show! Smithsonian Craft Show, this Thursday evening through the weekend, April 20-24. Can’t wait!

Real People

March 20, 2022 2 Comments

I love photos of real person in their real lives wearing my clothes. After all the time I take to design and sew a piece of clothing, it is fantastic to see it out in the world. What could be better?

For example beautiful Nina with her husband Clif, last September at the Metropolitan Opera’s 9/11 production of Verdi’s Requiem. She’s wearing the perfect top, a ‘Hitoe.’ Lightweight and soft, a comfortable addition over a knit top.

Nina is super about sending photos wearing my designs. Thank You Nina!

Recently, my friend Mary chose one of my scarves as a gift for her sister. Not too long after, she showed me this fantastic photo of Ann. ‘Not bad for 85!’ said Mary, I completely agree. Wow. She looks gorgeous.

And please take note of her shoes. Perfect.

The great thing about scarves, they make fantastic gifts. There are zero concerns about size or fit.

Below, the well known and celebrated sewing guru Sandra Betzina modeling her new scarf, a gift from a friend. She knew that red is most definitely one of Sandra’s colors. Gorgeous!

What an honor! Sandra is well known in the sewing community. Check out her website, Power Sewing, a fabulous place for sewing information, patterns, videos and more, here.

Looking quite stunning, Linda Hutchins, discussing her work with gallery visitors at her exhibit of drawings and etchings at Portland’s Nine Gallery.

She’s wearing my shawl collar coat in black and white, with a bright red under-collar. Fantastic!

Meanwhile, I’m sewing away on new pieces for the Smithsonian Craft Show. Coming up soon! April 20-24.

I can’t wait!

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Upcoming Events

Baltimore American Craft Show 2022

Friday May 20, 10am – 6p
Saturday May 21, 10am – 6pm
Sunday May 22, 11am – 5pm
Baltimore Convention Center
1 West Pratt St.

https://www.craftcouncil.org/show/season/american-craft-made-baltimore

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Beaded, Japanese kimono silk jacket. Close up deta Beaded, Japanese kimono silk jacket. Close up detail.
#annwilliamson
ACC Baltimore American Craft Made show, now thro ACC Baltimore 
American Craft Made show, 
now through Sunday
See you there! - booth 217
@craftcouncil 
#americancraftmadebaltimore 
#annwilliamson
Pieced Japanese kimono silk jacket. On its way to Pieced Japanese kimono silk jacket.
On its way to the 
ACC American Craft Made 
Baltimore Craft show- at the Baltimore convention center. 
Starts this Friday, May 20- through Sunday, May 22
Booth 217
@craftcouncil 
#americancraftmadebaltimore 
Craftcouncil.org
#annwilliamson
Pieced and beaded Japanese kimono silk jacket. Re Pieced and beaded Japanese kimono silk jacket. 
Ready for the ACC American Craft Made Baltimore show, 
in person May 20-22
and online. May 16-29
Booth 217 
Can’t wait!
@craftcouncil 
#americancraftmadebaltimore 
Craftcouncil.org

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“I measure the success of my clothing by how it looks and feels on the woman who wears it.
I want each piece to flatter and enhance the body it adorns.”

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