On Exhibit at the NYPL for the Performing Arts...

Recently two events have made me think that I should just hang it up and retire while the going is good. The first event was that for the first time in my 10+ years of designing at Marymount, all students scheduled for fittings showed up in a single day - at their scheduled time!! Usually, approximately 1/3-1/2 simply 'flake' and I end up chasing them around the school, sending desperate emails, and resorting to idle threats like, "If you don't come to fittings, I can't make you a costume."

The second, even more improbable event, is that one of my designs is now hanging at Lincoln Center in the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts as part of an exhibit titled Curtain Call: Celebrating a Century of Women Designing for Live Performance. Not only is it displayed, it has a place of honor - it is the one hooked up on the rotating contraption welcoming visitors to the exhibit! And there it will hang until May 2nd, 2009 - among far better costumes by women who are my idols - an achievement more unexpected than 20 students showing up for fittings in a single day!

If you are a costumer, if you are student of design, or even if you just love to sew, this exhibit is worth seeing because you can get up close and personal with all of the garments to check out the techniques. By the way, the costume of mine on display is called the "White Peacock," which I wrote about in a prior post. It is a gown with a 'tail' that converts into a cape...but only the tail/cape is hanging in the exhibit. Below is a picture of Jody Sperling bringing the costume to life - and imparting the true magic. I'll also try to dig out my sketches and post them later if I can find them.