The history, culture, and lifestyle of urban pigeons
The Flock: Junior Studies in material and textile manipulation
In the era of first generation generative AI, there is a large emphasis on AI’s ability to generate artwork that is similar to human creation. However, consumers have shown that they strongly prefer the creative abilities of real people.
Screen printing & AI ‘art’
Combining elements of American traditional tattooing, icons of the AI age, and quotes related to dissatisfaction of AI consumers I created a pair of repeating prints that I screen printed on to fleece fabric using Illustrator, hand drawing, and UV emulsion screen printing.
Using patchwork techniques popular in urban punk subcultures, I created a custom collaged graphic t-shirt featuring additional screen printing.
In an effort to capture the flowing and iridescent nature of pigeon feathers, I worked with acrylic resin, tulle, and a plastic mannequin form. The chestplate was attached to the body with scrap glass forms from a local artisan, reflecting the scavenger nature of the urban birds.
Acrylic resin & draped forms
Paired with a dark wash denim from a deastock retailer and trimmed with ostrich feather.
Inspired by the practice of hand-painting Spanish racing pigeons this dress combines bold magenta and teal contrasted with a rugged denim. Featuring an asymmetric handkerchief hemline with ruffled trimming and an open back design.
Draping hemlines
Pigeons are famous for creating unique and minimalistic nests when in urban environments, taking from everything around them. Using this philosophy, I designed two outfits using denim and embellished them with jetsam I collected on my college campus.
sisters in NESTED EMBELISHMENT
Pigeons are creatures of community and thrive in flocks. In response to the bright pink of the pervious outfit I created a neutral look to pair, combining techniques from both outfits.
After spending a semester studying the beauty of plein air watercolor illustration, I wanted to complete a larger tapestry exploring mixed media painting.
illustrative reality
Using watercolor and acrylic paints, oil pastels, ink, metallic transfer foil, tinsel, and spray enamel colors I collaged images I had taken while exploring the pigeons in New York City, Toronto, and Detroit
