Threads of History, a narrative of historical fashion, opens Friday, May 7, in Port Angeles.
More than 20 costume designers, fashion historians, fiber artists, sewing instructors and other "fashion anthropologists" will display more than 120 costumes Friday-Sunday, May 7-9, at Studio Bob, Art Front Gallery, Waterfront Gallery, Landing Gallery, Cottage Queen and the Port Angeles Fine Art Center.
A gala opening, with costume artists in period attire, is 5-9 p.m. Friday at each of the venues. Guests are encouraged to come in costume.
Concurrently, the sixth annual Art in Bloom exhibition returns to fill the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center with innovative cut-flower arrangements from 11 North Olympic Peninsula floral designers affiliated with the Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs. The arrangements are matched with specific artworks in this exhibition.
It also is the last chance to view the works of 29 of the peninsula’s best artists included in Strait Art.
Threads of History is an effort to promote understanding of factors that shaped everyday fashion over the centuries and to raise awareness of costuming as an art form apart from the context of stage and screen.
Costumes from the Tudor, Elizabethan, Restoration, Regency, Victorian and Edwardian-Belle Epoch periods (through the 1920s), will be at Studio Bob. The Landing Gallery will have Asian-themed costumes including court gowns from Imperial Japan.
Steam Punk, a sub-genre of science fiction, fashions are featured at Art Front Gallery. Waterfront Gallery will have "wearable art," Cottage Queen will showcase "Desperate ’50s Housewives," and PAFAC will showcase floral-themed costumes to go with Art in Bloom.
The costumes at Studio Bob will be on display through Saturday, May 15.
Free classes led by costume historians and artists will be offered Saturday at Studio Bob.
Also on Saturday is the Costumers Death Match, which begins at 10 a.m. at the farmers market at the corner of Front and Lincoln streets in downtown Port Angeles.
Two teams of guest costume artists will receive a tub filled with items they must use to design and build a winning costume in just under two hours, using duct tape and hot glue. Winners will be determined by applause following a runway-style presentation.
Places and times
_ Studio Bob, 1181/2 E. Front St. (upstairs), 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
_ Art Front Gallery, 1181/2 E. Front Street, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
_ Waterfront Art Gallery, 120 W. First St., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
_ Landings Art Gallery, 115 E. Railroad Ave., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
_ Port Angeles Fine Art Center, 1203 E. Lauridsen Blvd.,
11 a.m.-5 p.m.
_ Cottage Queen, 119 W. First St., 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
