Scarf and dress by Lily Scalf.

Creative clothing with a view toward sustainability is the focus of three fashionistas in Peoria. Dana Baldwin creates phenomenal evening gowns, wraps and coats, Aareon Boyd up-cycles vintage wear and Lily Scalf focuses on natural dyes and elegant daywear. Each artist is creating environmentally friendly products while educating and inspiring others to learn how the fashion industry impacts our world, encouraging us to acquire the elemental skills of sewing.

The act of joining materials with a line, of punching through and interlacing, of piecing, connecting and overlaying has been part of our collective experience since ancient humans joined animal skins together. Hand sewing was refined as tools became more highly engineered. Delicate needles, thread and fabrics brought ever more sophisticated textures and patterns. From the mid-1850s and up until now, the sewing machine and industrial production create ever ready and easily available garments. The availability of home sewing machines and paper patterns for purchase make creating fashions at home possible.

The changing dynamic of women in the workforce created a need for inexpensive, readily available clothing. As the need has grown, and as production moved to Third World countries, clothing has become quite inexpensive — easy come and easy go. Too often these garments become wasteful environmental problems. Much of our clothing today, termed “fast fashion,” is quickly created, abusive to those doing the actual work, and is disposed of — unworn — in mass quantities.

Creating your own clothing by altering or augmenting can be part of a more sustained approach to fashion. Baldwin, Boyd and Scalf are just a small sampling of artists who explore the boundaries of what can be done. Each artist sews with an eye toward presenting a vision that speaks about their view of the world. They create circularity to counter environmental destruction while engaging and sharing creativity.

Boyd began his journey into sewing when his great-grandmother Norma Jean Clifford willed him her sewing machine. Boyd’s work drills down into an encrusted overlaying of forms on already-made garments. Similar to graffiti and message art, Boyd uses word forms and abstract shapes with thicker embroidered edges to cover the back of a recycled shirt, leg of a pant or become a free form object. Boyd’s byline — “no scrap LEFT BEHIND” exemplifies his intent to use and reuse. He brings a flexible creative approach to fashion that can be found at www.Twistedaways.com.

Aareon Boyd models one of the recycled shirts he created.
PHOTO BY AVA KAMM

Boyd was encouraged by Preston Jackson, who mentored and supported his practice with a studio space and an entry into our thriving arts community. Since then, Boyd is one of the 2022 winners in the Arts Partners, Sky Art Peoria Billboard Competition. Boyd’s artwork is proudly being displayed and flying high at 2105 NE Jefferson St. in Peoria, and will be displayed until June of 2023. He has taught sewing at the Peoria Art Guild and Art and Science in the Woods. When he’s not in his studio, Boyd works at Natural Fiber Welding and is forging a new relationship with the products he is creating by using the fabric in his own work.

Lily Scalf has a natural ability to turn a plain piece of fabric into a sleek and form-fitting garment. Her interest in natural materials extends to partnering with a local wool producer to become even more circular in her approach from “Garden to Garment.” Scalf feels strongly about teaching not only the how, but the why of natural dying, and recently led a learn to sew and natural dying workshop at Pekin High School. She continues to participate in Peoria Ignite and her work can be seen online at both @ForagedRootsApothecary and www.lilyvinita.com.

In the fall 2022, both Scalf and Boyd worked with high school students in the Project Fashion Show at the Riverfront Museum sponsored by Art Bridges. The fashions created were inspired by the Andy Warhol Endangered Species exhibition. This was an opportunity for students to create one-of-a-kind fashions ranging from elegant dresses, to repurposed crop tops, paired with furry boots, wild tassels and faux flowers.

This filmstrip dress by Dana Baldwin is on display at the Riverfront Museum. PHOTO BY CRAIG STOCKS

Dana Baldwin, who owned the Sheared Edge, is known for her sweeping re-sewn sweater coats and elegant gowns created from a variety of materials. Two thousand yards of curled party ribbon, repurposed burlap bags, Tyvek, bubble wrap and even vintage filmstrip are transformed into floor length creations. Baldwin exhibited the collection of Filmstrip Dresses at the Peoria Art Guild in 2020. One of the Filmstrip Dresses is currently on display at the Riverfront Museum which includes a video presentation by the artist. It is at once beautiful in its transparency — fancy enough for a cocktail party — yet with the girded sense of protection and armor. Her work transcends craft and moves from fiber art into fine art and sculpture.
See more of her work at www.danabaldwin.com.