things are happening!

as of this saturday chelsea and i will be neighbors. pretty amazing.

{image via flickr}

hammered bronze.

here is another necklace that i made. i've been wearing this one a lot lately.

conowingo.

just one of the many wonderful things i was a part of this past weekend.

2.

this one-piece dress includes three different patterns along with a neutral black back. it closes with three uranium glass buttons, has a collar created by a thin horse hair braid and a belted waist.

if you like what you see, there's a bit more over at my website!

3.

this silk dress is printed with falling dead horses and has blue LED lights along the shoulders which can be turned on by squeezing a button inside of the pocket. it is meant to literally 'give power' to the wearer. the belt is made of the same print as the leggings and features a bronze buckle with a small fire opal in the center.

4.

the tank top image is based off of this which was a reference for a never-completed tapestry weaving. the back hangs extra long and is made of a poly-silk mesh. the leggings are a silk-lycra blend done in this print and feel amazing. everything was sewn with glow-in-the-dark thread.

1.

this is a two piece, top and skirt. the black part of the top is made of a poly-silk mesh see-thru stripe fabric and the sleeves and cape-back are of my own printed design. around the collar is a thick horse hair braid which has a nice heaviness on the shoulders. the skirt has pockets {essential} and is made of alternating panels of lighter/darker versions of the same print.

master of textiles!

for my recently completed masters thesis i explored the transformative nature of clothing and its conceivable use as a modern day fetish object. in order to do so i considered the philosophy of friedrich nietzsche's amor fati, the historical use of magic as a cure for the anxiety of life, and the semiotics of fashion, to examine how garments can act as a catalyst in altering the individual’s relationship to and view of the world. in particular i focused on the integration of opposites; beauty and tragedy, and the psychological power of materials and symbols, to understand the part that magical thinking plays in our lives. the main result of this research was the creation of a series of garments that are inherently magical and allow the wearer to simultaneously accept and repel life's tragedies.

ANYWAY, i'm so excited to finally share them with everyone! it was a lot of work, but i'm really happy about what i produced. i designed the prints {which are based off of space and cave imagery and include ghost-y horses}, and then digitally printed the silk fabric, and designed the patterns, and braided the horse hair {around the collars} and then sewed everything {a lot by hand} and then took the pictures {via self-timer} and even 'modeled' {with head removed due to lack of smizing}. WHEW. i'm going to be posting the garments throughout the morning, so stay tuned! xoxo!

get the picture?

an outtake from when i was going insane trying to take pictures of my work the other day {notice the grumpface and crazyhair}. i'm certainly not a product photographer and i'm going to have to give it another shot this week. boo. {also notice the à bout de souffle new york herald tribune shirt i got from ebay 5 years ago. sorry rodarte.}

its own natural form.

hey, remember the collages that i've been making? well i made it into a book! that you can buy!




here's a little preview:

its own natural form. by Catherine A. Kane | Make Your Own Book

{'artists who do books'
drawing by ed ruscha}

happy day.

yay!

{image via ffffound)

running up that hill.

putting the finishing touches on my dresses and re-editing my final paper. as of 4:30 today you'll find me doing awesome textile-based interpretive dances because i will be done with school and be the MASTER OF ALL FIBERS !!!

{seen @
geometric sleep)

beep beep ribby ribby.

K.

{via rotating corpse}

the maker's mark.

in my, um, spare time i've started making some jewelry. here is my first necklace! sterling silver and a million jumprings. i've been wearing it pretty much everyday. it's great to be a maker of things.

departure.

"then i have crystal shoes. i have instructions for the public to take off your shoes and, with naked feet, put on the two crystal shoes, close your eyes, don’t move, and make your departure. i’m talking about a mental, not physical, departure. so the public can enter certain states of mind helped by the material itself. material is very important for me. i use crystals, human hair, copper, iron. the materials already have a certain energy." - marina abramovic

this is a theme i've been working with and thinking a lot about; the ability for {in my case} garments to be imbued with a kind of magical energy through the use of materials {silk, horsehair and uranium glass} and the time and intention of the artist.

{via jumpsuits and teleporters}

girl of my dreams.

this past weekend i treated myself to the new issue of lula. and how could i not seeing as it was complied exactly for me. i swear it had to of been! an interview with yayoi kusama {with accompanying horse photo}, joanna newsom in that dream of a marc jacobs dress {a double whammy}, an ode to shelley duvall, a little bit of darger, and a salute to strawberry shortcake {!!!} all wrapped up with their always amazing editorials that make me want to run away {in a good way}. luv u lula.

talisman.

i think that the people at pantone must be reading my blog, my brain, or stealing my sketchbook at night. either that or i'm a really good forecaster. i'm actually leaning towards the latter. check out their summer 2010 color forecast, talisman:

The talisman is woven or spun magic. It holds light and has special powers. It is complex, mysterious and highly impressive. It transforms by touch and radiates energy. Almost a rainbow, it is a spectrum mixed with precious particles. Each colour has an edge a little out of reach. It is man and woman. Hard to capture, the talisman is forever pursued.

i mean, seriously?! i know that i haven't spoken too much about my thesis here, but i'm designing and printing fabric to create magical garments that both accept and repel tragedy. the colors are a little off from the ones i'm using for my collection; i've got more blues and blacks, but that green is pretty close as is the range of purples. i don't know how i feel about this...

equal parts.

my official thesis sketchbook.

the catherine collection.

check out these note cards that i designed for working class!

10,000.

today i am ten thousand days old. wtf.

{image by alex da corte}