UK professor gives flight to old beading techniques
Kellie Oates
Issue date: 9/18/07 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 1
A UK professor is taking a "Flight of Fantasy" to New Zealand in hopes of winning a costume award.
Bob Haven, associate professor of costume technology, designed a costume called "Flight of Fantasy" that has been selected as a finalist in the avante-garde category of the World of WearableArt Award Show, an international design competition in Wellington, New Zealand.
The event runs from Thursday to Sept. 30 and has a following in New Zealand similar to the Academy Awards in the United States, Haven said.
Haven's design will be featured Sept. 21. It is one of only four garments from U.S. designers in the show, which includes designs from 12 countries.
Haven practiced the art of tambour beading, an intricate beading design technique, when creating "Flight of Fantasy," an ornate Japanese kimono.
"I used the kimono like a giant canvas," Haven said.
The kimono is made of three pieces: a gown, a headpiece and a Uchikake, or a full length outer robe. It is covered with an array of colorful tambour-beaded butterflies.
"Using the idea of the butterfly came from the country of New Zealand," Haven said. "Being that (New Zealand) has such an exotic environment, this fantasy butterfly theme seemed to fit."
Although Haven originally wanted to cover the entire kimono in beads, he realized it was not plausible. Instead, he used 250,000 beads to create the butterflies
Besides creating his own art, Haven enjoys helping students learn the rare art of tambour beading, which is a European technique that was popular in the 1920s, he said.
"I teach the technique because I want to reintroduce the subject," Haven said. "If not it may disappear."
Haven learned the technique from a Puerto Rican woman he met 15 years ago. He had the woman come teach the art at the University of Illinois, where Haven taught before coming to UK six years ago.
Haven is thrilled about his design being chosen for such a prestigious event, he said, but he isn't stopping here.
He has another entry idea for the award show, and if he starts now, it will probably be ready in time for the 2010 competition.
"I also plan on attending the Royal School of Needlework in England to get certified in four traditional needlework techniques," Haven said. "Other than that, I just want to continue to teach and keep the art of beading alive."
E-mail features@kykernel.com
Bob Haven, associate professor of costume technology, designed a costume called "Flight of Fantasy" that has been selected as a finalist in the avante-garde category of the World of WearableArt Award Show, an international design competition in Wellington, New Zealand.
The event runs from Thursday to Sept. 30 and has a following in New Zealand similar to the Academy Awards in the United States, Haven said.
Haven's design will be featured Sept. 21. It is one of only four garments from U.S. designers in the show, which includes designs from 12 countries.
Haven practiced the art of tambour beading, an intricate beading design technique, when creating "Flight of Fantasy," an ornate Japanese kimono.
"I used the kimono like a giant canvas," Haven said.
The kimono is made of three pieces: a gown, a headpiece and a Uchikake, or a full length outer robe. It is covered with an array of colorful tambour-beaded butterflies.
"Using the idea of the butterfly came from the country of New Zealand," Haven said. "Being that (New Zealand) has such an exotic environment, this fantasy butterfly theme seemed to fit."
Although Haven originally wanted to cover the entire kimono in beads, he realized it was not plausible. Instead, he used 250,000 beads to create the butterflies
Besides creating his own art, Haven enjoys helping students learn the rare art of tambour beading, which is a European technique that was popular in the 1920s, he said.
"I teach the technique because I want to reintroduce the subject," Haven said. "If not it may disappear."
Haven learned the technique from a Puerto Rican woman he met 15 years ago. He had the woman come teach the art at the University of Illinois, where Haven taught before coming to UK six years ago.
Haven is thrilled about his design being chosen for such a prestigious event, he said, but he isn't stopping here.
He has another entry idea for the award show, and if he starts now, it will probably be ready in time for the 2010 competition.
"I also plan on attending the Royal School of Needlework in England to get certified in four traditional needlework techniques," Haven said. "Other than that, I just want to continue to teach and keep the art of beading alive."
E-mail features@kykernel.com
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