Textile arts grab the spotlight at the Laguna Beach International Wrap Festival, planned for July 14 – 19 at the Sawdust Art Festival with a fashion show at Seven Degrees.
The festival’s centerpiece fashion show steps off Thursday, July 16, at 7 p.m. where 14 designers present their wrapped garments. Reserve a seat for the free show, 891 Laguna Canyon Road, at 949 494-7539. An international marketplace will follow and will continue on Friday, July 17, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the venue’s front gallery.
Other activities fill out the rest of the week. These include a reception where the public can meet the designers, Wednesday, July 15, at 6 p.m. at the Greek Grille Restaurant on the Sawdust grounds. Designers dressed in native costumes will enrich the festival’s Cultural Celebrations Day, Saturday, July 18. Miyoko Kawahito, author of the book “Awa Natural Dye,” will also offer workshops on the properties and uses of indigo dye on Wednesday and Friday, July 15 and 17, at Seven Degrees. Pre-registration is required.
Other international designers participating are Tshering Choden from Bhutan, Asif
Shaikh from India, Merdi Sihombing from Indonesia, Miyoko Kawahito from Japan, Aidai Chochunbaeva from Kyrgyzstan, Edric Ong from Malaysia, and Aziz Murtazayev from Uzbekistan. California designers are Serena Abel, Olivia Batchelder, Reem Khalil, Edith Otto, Michelle Lantz, Marilynn Pardee and Helga Yaillen.
Featured artist Antonio Mendoza’s tapestries will adorn Seven Degrees throughout the festival. Master of Ceremonies for the Fashion Show will be Jose Ghilarducci , owner of the Baja Glass Gallery in Rosarito Beach, Baja California, Mexico
For info: see www.oliviabatchelder.com/events.phtml
[…] “When you look before and behind the posts, you see everything surround you. I felt compelled to run and dance between them because that made me feel so happy, like a 4-year-old,” said Laguna Beach artist Olivia Batchelder. […]