Hannah Eberts: From 60s and 70s Inspiration to Modern Creation

            I have always been inspired by fashion, pattern, color, and jewelry. I was excited to use this class and resulting research as a time to broaden my visual vocabulary of 1960s and 70s fashion and jewelry. My overall goal for this project was to examine a broad spectrum of fabric and jewelry from the era, and find a set of motifs and trends that inspire me. I then employed these and innovated them into creations of my own. I was eager to progress my personal jewelry making skills, and push my boundaries into creating bold pieces unlike anything I’ve made before. Likewise, I have developed a certain style in my surface designs, and I was ready for the challenge of integrating new motifs and patterns in my work.

            Through examining numerous visual sources, I was able to gain both a deep and broad understanding of the fabrics and jewelry of the era. I looked at many books, websites and catalogues, as well as having a first-hand look at the inspiration in various vintage stores of the area. After having gained such an expansive visual vocabulary, I was able to define my personal aesthetic for the project and from that develop a clearer sense of which specific inspirations I would work with. For the first piece of jewelry, I was inspired both by the large use of fringe during the era, and also by a mixture of Eastern ethnic jewelry. For the second necklace, I wanted to make a large collar out of braided and woven rope, influenced by the early works of Alex and Lee, along with a heavy chest piece reminiscent of a Native breastplate. I referenced many motifs of Art Nouveau for the fabrics I created, because I found that in the 60s and 70s there was a resurgence of Art Nouveau not only in textiles, but also in prints and posters. I also used the shibori method of itajime because I noticed an interest in Asian surface design techniques in the 60s, such as the typical tie-dye associated with the hippies.   Lastly, I featured flower motifs on both of my yardages because I found that many of the textiles of the era had nature patterns. Overall, this project emboldened my style and pushed my creativity and technique to a new and more inspired level.