Why I started this Blog: A Year Later (Almost)

I started this blog to allow those visiting my portfolio a better understanding of me as a person as well as to chronicle my newly begun journey (The obligatory first blog post) . In addition, I wanted to create a place that would have relevant insight for young costumers like myself. There are plenty of things they do not teach you in undergrad about the industry, and it can be difficult to find answers specifically geared towards costuming.  

Currently this blog does not have much of a following; just a few friends and family members peruse once and a while, but I'm ok with that. If it helps one or two people with a puzzling question or just entertains for a few minutes I'm happy.  

I took this picture as one in a series for a photography final in undergrad. My concept for the series was "eyes".

A year (almost) after starting this blog I want to share more about my choosing of this career. I spoke about how my love of history got me into costuming in a previous post: here.  This was also the topic of one of my personal statements when applying for my MFA. 

"Histoire is the French word for story. Our histories are our stories...
.... Each costume piece tells a story. Why the character chose to wear this piece, what it means to them, and how it contributes to the text are all questions I ask myself." 
                                                                                                   -Excerpt from Rutgers University Personal Statement

My love of history really has caused my passion for costuming, but I also fell further down the costuming rabbit hole when I discovered costume crafts and puppet creation.  Working to mechanize and create shapes with materials normally not used for these things brings me joy. Like Sherlock Holmes and a new case, I get giddy when faced with a new puzzle. 

There are many other things I enjoy in addition to costuming and theatre, working in the kitchen is one of them. I combined my love of cooking and baking with theatre in my Costumer's Kitchen series.  Having worked in collegiate shops as well as professional ones, I have come to notice that costumers either love to make sweet treats, or consume them. It's not a prerequisite to be a good cook, but it sure helps. 

As you can see with the photograph above (way up there near the top) I also enjoy other forms of art. In addition to the photography class I took in undergrad I also took a recycled art class. My final for that project can be seen on my resume page.  I have found that learning these different ways of expression has helped me in my renderings or fabrication of a garment as well. 

There are many other things I have worked on that revert back to my chosen career in costuming. These things can't always be displayed cohesively in a portfolio, so I make a home for them here on my blog. I hope you have enjoyed seeing some projects, reading some research, and chuckling at a few of my musings. Thank you for participating in this leg of my journey. 

Sincerely,
Christianne Bakewell