Shih (Cynthia) Hawkins – Australia

Equilibrium

Description

Equilibrium; I have interpreted this theme into empowering woman in gender equality and balance.

Is a piece out of my debut collection “Invigorated.” It represents equality between gender. There shouldn’t be a status between man and woman; it should be equal in all aspect. The ellipse shapes represent balance and peace. I use lace in this piece as they are a soft and beautiful, just a like a woman. But yet, woman can be strong in many aspect when encountering obstacles. By using fabric stiffener to stiffen the lace to represent the strong side of a woman. I have left negative spaces in all ellipse; this interpret the flexibility and adjustment ones has to make to encounter each obstacle and come out stronger.

Materials

• Millinery wire
• Cotton lace
• Abaca sinamay
• Hat comb
• Black thread
• Black spray paint

Techniques

• Wire twisted into shapes.
• Hand sewn on the cotton lace on to the 4 ellipse shapes.
• Use fabric stiffener to stiffen the lace
• Thread a millinery wire in a long strip of sinamay and put it through the negative space in each ellipse shape