Opening reception January 26th, 5:00-7:00pm.
Mentor; Mentee is a visual reflection and pronouncement of the importance of a healthy and effective relationship between mentor and mentee as told through the art of fashion.
In this exhibition, we are invited to follow the journey and dialogue over the last four years between fashion artists Celeste Malvar-Stewart (mentor) and Tracy Powell (mentee). It begins with the very first tailored coat Powell created under Malvar-Stewart's tutelage as a senior in the fashion department at the Columbus College of Art and Design. This coat is the pivotal piece from which the exhibition revolves, representing the initial recognition of extraordinary talent, strong design sense, and technical skill. It then continues onto focused designs showing individual design evolution, their creative conversation, and the influence between both artists. The exhibition then culminates with collaborative work, where the fusion of each artist's conceptual aesthetic and design expertise gives rise to an inspired collection of unique and exquisite couture pieces. Each piece incorporates sustainably created textiles (using ancient artisanal techniques), uses local fibre and natural dyes, and reminds us of the elegance that typifies beautiful tailoring and mindful design.
Celeste Malvar-Stewart is a Columbus-based fashion and fibre artist focusing on sustainable design. She works with Ohio family farms to obtain luxury wool and alpaca fibre to create her high-end hand-felted textiles and couture pieces, using all natural materials. She has exhibited her work in various runway shows, galleries, and museums throughout the U.S. and Asia, and is widely published both nationally and internationally.
Celeste is a full-time independent artist holding a BAA degree from the American College in London/Regent's University London and an MS degree from Eastern Michigan University in fashion, and is currently adjunct faculty at CCAD in the fashion department where she mentors several students and alumni. She is a Columbus Makes Art artist, and a board member with the Greater Columbus Arts Council where she chairs their Culture and Equity Committee.
Tracy Powell is a Fashion Designer/Artist and founder of The House of IsA. Tracy has always been surrounded by fashion, music and the arts her entire life. Tracy was born an Air Force Brat which made for a unique childhood. She lived in many places and non-English countries that sparked her desire to read and out of her experience abroad came her love for comic books which set in motion her world of creativeness and fantasy. Tracy’s love for textiles and the juxtaposition of materials, the rough and the soft, the shiny and the dull adds a uniqueness to her designs. Using unconventional materials, natural proteins,cellulose fibers and embellishments makes the House Of IsA a brand with distinct individuality.
Tracy Powell holds a BFA degree in Fashion Design from the Columbus College of Art and Design. Tracy Powell has been featured in runway shows and exhibitions throughout the Midwest and widely published in magazines and articles internationally. Tracy designed uniforms for the local hotels in the Columbus downtown area. Tracy Powell designs under her independent brand The House of Isa and she has designed for celebrities, sport celebrities, corporations and film.
Photo by Soft Lite Studios (Galvin Mason)