Is it trash or is it fashion? Artists at the Festival of the Arts Fashion Show say it is fashion.
The Kutztown Middle School Art Program fundraiser, facilitated by KMS art teacher Kris Tuerk, transformed the Kutztown High School Auditorium stage into a fashion runway of recycled trash on April 11, from 7 to 9 p.m. for a Project Innovate Design Challenge. About 130 people attended the fantasy-themed fashion show of wearable art that was once trash.
“Upon entering the auditorium, I was so impacted by the stage setting. Wow!! It was a vision of good things to come. It was glamorous, glitzy, colorful and vibrant-pure Tuerk genius. As the student models strutted their creations portraying excellent stage presence, the actual stage became a wonderful backdrop to the zany, sweet, imaginative charged designs,” said show attendee Jacquie Garcia. “I marveled at the amount of time, effort and creative talent that was channeled into assembling and fashioning such fabulous styles. Surely it was an evening that proved that our schools must always encourage young men and women to pursue and develop their artistic spirit. It is with endeavors such as Project Innovate that stimulate and motivate creativity and joy in art. May the annual tradition continue.”
Allison Wright, former FOA Judge and community member, attended for the third year, “stunned at not only the evident creativity of all participants but the actual wearability of some pieces. It felt more like a runway at times, than a high school auditorium.”
“It was a great coming together of ages to put on a multisensory masterpiece,” said Wright. “From 6th grade through 12th grade and beyond, budding designers showcased their talent! It is amazing to witness the outcome of the accepted challenge to make true treasures out of trash.”
She looks forward to what the young talent offers next year.
Jeffrey P. Huffert, Information Retrieval, Analysis, Dissemination at KMS said he had not wanted to go to the Fashion Show but by the time the show was over he was really glad he had gone.
“Not only were the outfits that the students made amazing – imagine a dress made from bubble wrap – there were students participating in the fashion show that I’m sure have never been in any other school activity,” said Huffert. “Kris Tuerk did an absolutely fabulous job organizing the show, getting the students involved, getting KU involved and decorating the high school auditorium. It was a fun night and next year everyone should be there. Way to go Kris!”
Craig Kardohely, father of 8th grade son in design team, said they enjoyed the evening. “It was a lot of fun to see the creative costumes the kids came up with with recycled items. These kids are have great talent and vision. You could see the hard work that each one put into evening. They seemed to really enjoy themselves, too. That was best part, to see their enthusiasm to showcase their creativity in using ‘trash.'”
Kutztown Superintendent Kathy Metrick “thoroughly enjoyed the fashion show and thought the kids did a great job. Who knew how beautiful trash could be? Thanks for all you do for our students!”
Life Skills student, Grace, had so much fun throughout the whole process of creating her outfit and wearing it for the show, according to Sara Savage, KU art education major working with the KMS life skills class who created a matching outfit to be able to take Grace on stage.
“When we walked onto the stage and everyone was smiling, Grace couldn’t have been happier. While we were walking across the stage, I couldn’t stop smiling. When Grace began to dance to the song ‘Happy’, I knew she had enjoyed herself.”
Tuerk said Project Innovate is a state level program, supported by Pennsylvania Arts Education Association, that challenges students across Pennsylvania to create wearable art from repurposed, recycled and upcycled materials. Judging focused on wearable art, couture, composition, unity, balance and harmony, craftsmanship and technique, visual impact and stage presence. Judges were Johanna Forte, KU Honors Professor with a background in theater and costumes; Carla Majczan, a former student teacher of Tuerk’s now an art teacher in Philadelphia; Christina Fritz, a sculpture major at KU; and Courtney Levitt, an upcoming student teacher of Tuerk’s and an Art Ed and Textiles major.
Participants were 12 High School Teams of 18 individuals, seven Middle School Teams of 20 individuals and two College Level Teams of 5 individuals. Teams created their fashion out of 95 percent recycled materials, designed wearable accessories and a hand held accessory. Each team could submit as many outfits as possible with different models. Models did not have to be part of the design team, said Tuerk, who also created an outfit called the Art Queen, using duck tape, Snapple caps, bubble wrap, corrugated cardboard, ties from the Late Richard Landis of Kutztown with hot glue and Velcro.
“The inspiration of this outfit was the love of living in many time periods. The English Edwardian times with the corsets to the Roman Empire as a gladiator and back to Victorian England with their styles of outerwear and shawls. The music ties it all together allowing the feeling of just being alive with Blue Stone, Come Alive,” said Tuerk.
Winners:University Level1. Tanji and Trista Smith and Cody Kramer: Mythical Meadows-Model Tanji Smith.
2. Mary Martuscelli and Kimbie Abraham: Tarpit Dragon-Model Pat Moyer.
High School Level 1. Aurora Leindecker, Steven Heffner and Courtney Strong: Equilibrium-Model Courtney Strong
2. Kristina Arnold and Tyler Akers: Princess of the Wild Storm-Model Casey Kuhns
3. Kristina Arnold and Tyler Akers: Little Mermaid-Model Maria Meigio
Middle School Level1. Haley Dunkelberger, Megan Dieter, Sophia and Odessa Mark, Erin Dugan-Smith and Sabrina Doublet: Fairytale-Model Sabrina Doublet
2. Abe Friehauf and Kahlil Day: Hex-Model Abe Friehauf
3. Haley Dunkelberger, Megan Dieter, Sophia and Odessa mark, erin Dugan-Smith and Sabrina Doublet: fairytale-Model Erin Dugan-Smith
The Art Buffet and the Adventures in the Land of Art, Tuerk’s after school art programs, offers students a place to create art after school. The past five months it was open for middle and high schoolers to come design and create their fashion.
“The recycled fashion show allows students to brainstorm ideas, and then turn those ideas into reality by refining executing. It gives us essential problem solving skills,” said junior Akers, designer and event coordinator. Akers and Kristin Arnold, student council representatives were also members of a design team that provided five outfits and were the MC for the evening. Kutztown High School Student Council collaborated again this year to run the door and provide a sale of snacks and beverages.
The day of the event J. Nolan Hair Salon from Fleetwood closed their shop to do the hair for the show’s models.
“Art is a great influence on us as hairstylists, we use it in our every day lives,” said J. Nolan Hair, Fleetwood. “The FOA fashion project is a great way for young people to be inspired to pursue careers in the arts. There are many opportunities to have a career that highlights individual artistic talents. We are very grateful to have been a part of such an influential event.”
Mish Groller, KMS Spanish Teacher and Mary Kay Representative, provided the make up for the models, based on a face chart students created to best represent their outfits.
KU art students and professors Dr. Julia Hovanec and Dr. Nicole Romanski also worked with the middle schoolers to create the trophies and stage design.
“Creating the set with the middle school students for the fashion show was a wonderfully rich experience for the University students,” said Hovanec. “They were afforded the opportunity while working side by side with the middle school students to problem solve, make artistic choices and be creative. The set turned out beautiful. It was a terrific experience for all involved including myself.”
“From set pieces to costumes to awards, who knew how beautiful trash could be when transformed by our student artists!” said Mikal Wilcoxson, parent of 6th grader designer. “The evening’s entertaining trash fashion show was the culmination of months of work by Kutztown’s middle and high school students working with college art education students who “got their feet wet” before officially working in classrooms. I was amazed to see the synergy, how well all the different aged students worked together and for each other. It was a real treat for the students to have make-up and hair done professionally. Ms. Tuerk set high expectations for her students to give their best and to conduct themselves professionally while having tons of fun! From sixth grade to college coed, they reached those goals ‘trashtastically!'”
“FOA Fashion is an experience that I believe all students should have,” said Amanda Seanor, KU art education student. “It was apparent that all students enjoyed themselves from start to finish, and being able to see their creations go from design to reality it something that they won’t be able to forget. I think they gained a better knowledge of other types of art versus what they do in the classroom, from stage design, clothing design, hair and make-up. The students saw their drawings with their design partners go from colors and lines on paper to wearing them on stage in front of a crowd of people. I hope that the students got a better appreciation for what goes into the design process for any object or article that is in their lives on a daily basis. Not to mention having to use creative and critical thinking skills to manipulate reusable materials like corn husks, soda cans, puzzles etc.”
About two years ago Seanor volunteered with FOA. This year was a great experience to see the planning stages and the organizing of everything, she said.
“It was an amazing opportunity to see these students in a setting where they are relaxed and creating free of boundaries… it was such a joy as a future art educator to see students be creative on their own. Other than being given the theme Fantasy, the students weren’t really given any other direction as to what to do for their outfits, and being able to see them use that freedom is what makes me want to be an art teacher.”
KU art student Mary Martuscelli, who was part of the Honor Club/Art Auction that donates supplies for FOA Fashion, was one of the design team members.
“Festival of the Arts was such an amazing opportunity for myself and the Honors Program. It covered so many facets of the community from supporting art students through the Art Auction, to supporting middle school students with supplies.”
To be able to assist Tuerk from start to finish really showed her how to organize and run an event of this size, as well as how committed Tuerk is to her students and the community.
“Beyond just assisting, being able to actually create a piece and have it walk the runway was also extremely rewarding because it allowed my art as a graduating senior in the University to join with the art from middle school and high school students, bridging the gap between the college and the community,” said Martuscelli.
Matthew Bello, Honors Program President, and Secondary Education Spanish and Social Studies Major, Class of 2016, said, “It was great to work with Kutztown Middle School and Kris Tuerk to help put on Festival of the Arts. The Kutztown University Honors Club tries to help those who promote the arts and art education, and the Middle School is an organization that I will keep helping in the future. “
This is their 3rd year running this event. The first year was a festival of all student art placed on display, student vendors selling their art, music on stage and food. Following Brandywine Heights High School Fashion Shows for years of what Sue Oswald was able to create, Tuerk’s goal was to use their images as references to create her own.
Next year’s vision is to open it up to surrounding school districts, Brandywine and Fleetwood, maybe even open it to community members, said Tuerk.
Kris Tuerk, art teacher and event facilitator, contributed to this article by providing comments.
