SewGreen in Ithaca, NY invites artists and artisans to transform old denim jeans, jackets, or skirts into wearable art and enter them in an art and fashion show. Artists are encouraged to use a variety of media from paint to stitchery. The show will open at SewGreen in November 2021 as part of downtown Ithaca’s gallery night, and will stay up through the end of the year. Entries can be modelled at the opening or displayed as wall art.
Many reuse programs send unsaleable denim into the waste stream, inspiring SewGreen to try to interrupt that process by calling for donations of worn-out or unwanted denim clothing. Staff is allowed creative time to work on denim garb that can be mended or redesigned for a return to the marketplace.
SewGreen owner Wendy Skinner hopes a focus on denim as wearable art will call attention to the need to rescue this iconic fabric. The art show is just the first step, says Skinner., who has been honing her own drawing and painting skills to embellish jeans. Future plans include community upcycling workshops and artist collaborations. SewGreen will accept denim indefinitely. Donations of clean denim clothing may be brought to the SewGreen store anytime.
The deadline for art show submissions is October 25, 2021. Entry forms are available at the SewGreen store or by emailing ithacasews@gmail.com. SewGreen is located at 112 North Cayuga Street, Ithaca NY.
Journalists are invited to visit SewGreen any time to interview staff and see the work in progress.
