Shirley Cunningham Artist Shirley Cunningham Artist
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About the Art
 
Wearable Art & Tapestries
Fabric as brush strokes of paint, and the completed work as a wearable painting are two elements that render the work of this artist truly unique. The "paint" used to color each one- of-a-kind painting is the fabric, braids and buttons of garments dating from the years 1890 to 1970.

As with traditional painting the work begins with the selection of a color palette. The working studio is a floor-to-ceiling "paint box", stacked with wire baskets, each filled by color with the artist's collection of vintage garments rescued from flea markets, antiques malls and second-hand stores collected in her travels across the country. The use of this element renders to each painting a uniqueness that can not be duplicated. Next, the silhouette and size is determined by the amount of "paint" available; a design sketched , the pattern drafted and cut in new fabric- usually silk charmuse, silk organza or fine cotton batiste to create an under base for the application of the vintage fabrics. Before disassembling of the vintage pieces occurs, a line sketch of each of the seven to ten or more designs chosen for the pallette is made in pencil. By examining the style, fabric, seaming, and closure techniques the artist is able to determine the fashion decade of each garment chosen. This is noted to be used later. The various pieces are then hand washed using a gentle shampoo. As the water brings the old silks, wools, rayon and cottons, slowly back to life the experienced eye and hand of the artist determines at this point if the fabrics of the chosen pallette are too weak to be used in the new painting. The construction technique not sewing "old to old", but attaching the old to a new backing through the use of braids. trims and bindings to cover the unfinished edges, makes possible the use of these beautiful artifacts.

After pressing each of the dried pieces, the painting begins. From back to front every area of the base fabric is covered with the "vintage paint". The construction process begins, only after every section of the design has been covered. An added dimension to the painting comes with the uniqueness of the construction techniques chosen by the artist. As a result the various processes of layering and stitching creates an additional painting on the inside of each jacket.

The painting is complete when the penciled sketches are inked, reduced, dated, copied and combined into a small booklet, giving a history of the past that is now made new.
Assemblage

Always wanting to keep her approach to her art she began pursuing other art formas and found assemblage. She then realized she enjoyed doing a form of assemblage with her jackets and tapestries all along, only using different elements and skills. Mastering new skills with glue, nails, wire and wax and the materials of found objects became the new artistic challenge.

Of her sculptures from Wonderful Words of Life: Visions from the Broadman Hymnal, the artist says, "As a child I can remember how I loved attending Sunday School at Austin Avenue Methodist Church in Waco, Texas. Often I walked the many blocks from my home to church alone when the family was not attending. I didn't want to miss a Sunday. At twelve years if age, on Easter Sunday in Youth Church I made my formal commitment to Christ, but it was not until the next year while attending the evening service at Columbus Ave. Baptist Church with my older sister, who had married a Baptist, that I truly knew the joy of rejoicing in Christ; for we stood for 30 minutes and sang. It was truly glorious! The music, of course, was from the Broadman Hymnal. A Broadman Hymnal had been in the seat of my piano bench since that time. This show is a thank you to the poets and musicians who have brought such joy to my life."