Wearable Arts Q&A: Lauralye Miko’s Southeast Seawolf

CCW: What motivated you to get involved in Wearable Art in 2009?

LM: I moved to Juneau in 2003 and one of the things I first fell in love with about the town was its thriving arts scene. I always knew I wanted to be a part of it, but didn’t know where to start. I had a friend who had modeled in the 2008 show and she was telling me all about it. Up until then I had no idea the event even existed. I remember looking at photos of all these spectacular pieces and thinking that this was exactly what I was looking for. Since I was a kid I always wanted to be an “artist,” but was always kind of embarrassed about it, or felt like I would never be “good enough” to show my artwork in public. Wearable Arts and the JAHC has been a huge part of my journey as an artist. It given me the confidence to work on commissioned projects, start a collection of paintings, and experiment with my own idea of who I am. I think at 31 I am just starting to really embrace the title of artist and it’s super weird but really exciting.

 

CCW: Over the years your raw materials have included items such as paint samples, eggshells, plastic bags, plastic water bottles and aluminum cans. Can you talk a little bit about your materials selection process?

LM: Every year is a little different for me when it comes to picking materials. I’ve had years where people dropped off a stack of materials to my house knowing my background in wearable arts — X-ray test sheets, crab pot tags, and charts name a few. I’m a craft hoarder and will take almost anything I think I can use. Other years I just pick a medium I know I can get my hands on and then work from there. Once I decide on the material I will be using I start to think about how I can manipulate it and what different shapes I can make with it. All of my pieces are super detailed, which doesn’t always translate on stage, but my biggest goal its to transform the medium into something people have to look at twice before they realize what it is. The thing that keeps Wearable Arts so exciting is that every year is totally different and offers new challenges. I love learning what I can do with new materials.

 

CCW: What has been your most challenging piece to create to date?

LM: Absolutely the eggshell dress, “Tech-Eggcolor Par-Egg-Dise.” Sometimes I think I am a total masochist. I decided two years ago I would use eggshells as my medium, since they were easy to get, and I always loved dying eggs for Easter as a kid. WORST IDEA EVER. The entire process was terrible. I had to ask people to give me their eggshells since the dress had over a thousand eggs worth of shells on it. My friends are the best. If I ask them for something, they will always deliver. What I didn’t realize is that they would deliver me big bags of wet, stinky, sometimes moldy egg shells for me to clean, bake, and dye for the project. I think I dry heaved at least twice working on this dress. Truly disgusting. Egg shells were everywhere in the house and we kept finding remnants of the dress even six months after the show. The funny thing is, even though I hated the process, aesthetically it is one of my favorite entries I ever made. So even though it was disgusting — it was totally worth it.

 

CCW: This year you used nautical charts, halibut line, barnacles, coral and seaglass to create your piece, Southeast Seawolf. How were you inspired to try these materials?

LM: I worked for two years at a job I absolutely hated. I would go to work, and then come home and just cry. For two years I was miserable. When I first moved up here I worked four summers on the water and fell head over heels over Southeast Alaska, and all its little coves and bays. After two years of hating my job I decided to quit and hop back on board for the next two summers. Last summer was my final year on deck and I was given a majority of my charts from my Captain Bob Wostmann. He had mentioned he had a bunch of old charts lying around and when I told him my idea for wearable arts he was kind enough to donate them. It was actually hard to cut them up sine I love charts and maps so much. Most of the fishing line I used was also salvaged from junk people left in the water. This is by far the most connected I have ever felt to a piece in the show. I feel like I am showing everyone how much I love this place, and how living here has changed my life in such a significant way.

 

CCW: To what extent and in what ways did your materials dictate your design?

LM: This is my eighth year doing wearable arts, and I have two goals as I continue on this journey: Try using different silhouettes, and work harder on craftsmanship. Paper has always been one of my favorite mediums and I love working with it. Since I felt so connected to the materials and the idea of this year’s piece, I really felt pressured to do right by the materials. I love every outfit I have made, but when I have a connection to the medium, or a strong story in my head of what I want the piece to be, I do my better work. This is probably the most emotionally invested I have been in a piece.

 

CCW: What problems, if any, did you run into in working with these materials?

LM: Making the Seawolf head alone took over a month. Figuring out the logistics of how to make it look the way I wanted to, and using lights for the first time was challenging but a really great experience. And it made me start thinking a little more creatively. I also found a bunch of halibut line in the water while I was out on the boat and I used that to sew everything together. It was super time-consuming, but worth it in the end.

 

CCW: Does your longtime model, Amy George, get involved in the creative process?

LM: Absolutely. She is my personal Tim Gunn, and reminds me to “make it work.” Once I figure out my material I draw out a sketch and talk with her about my vision and how I see it on the runway. She often offers suggestions, or points out possible problems. She is super into style and fashion, so even though I have all the design control she often offers me a lot of ideas. It is very important for me to always put her in something she is proud to wear. So much of how people see my outfit is based on how Amy performs in it. I am so grateful that she is in my life, and that every year we get to bond so much through Wearable Arts.

 

CCW: How does wearable art fit into your artistic life as a whole?

LM: Wearable Arts has really boosted my confidence about being an artist, and has shown me the love and acceptance of the community. Because I feel so supported in events like this it pushes me to try and work on other artwork and projects that I’ve been wanting to do, but maybe have been too scared to create and show people.

 

CCW: What aspects of wearable art do you appreciate the most?

LM: Wearable Arts is like a little family. I’ve met people who will become lifetime friends through the event. Everyone comes together and works so hard to put this event on. It’s impossible not to be inspired, and bond with everyone. Artists, models, handlers, volunteers, and the audience all make it such an electric event. Wearable Arts reminds me what a special little community we live in, and how grateful I am to live here and be surrounded by all these ridiculously talented people.