Meet the Talented Designers for RiverArts Recycled Runway

Excitement is building to see the creations of twenty local designers at RiverArts inaugural Recycled Runway. This upscale fashion show will feature fabulous, one-of-a-kind creations designed by artists of all ages using recycled or re-purposed materials. The twenty designers or their chosen models will be “strutting their junk” on the runway while John Schratweiser, executive director of the Kent County Arts Council, emcees the fun at the Rock Hall Fire House on Saturday, March 24, 2018 from 5 to 8:00.

Runway designers were asked to submit their plans and share the inspiration for their designs and the materials that they would be using to transform recycled and repurposed materials and other trash into high class fashion and costumes.

Zane Carter’s “Knight on the Town” creation will be constructed from aluminum cans, monofilament, discarded clothing, paint, and feathers. Harriet Olsen and Mary Pritchard’s design “Chic Plastique” will use plastic bags and yarn, old neckties and used placemats. Cindy Fulton will create “Fulton’s Flying Saucer Fantasy” from recycled paper plates and string. RiverArts Clay Studio’s Mike Pugh is creating “Carpet Bagger of the Chesapeake” from shag carpet, leisure suits, carpet bags, pop tops and oyster shells. A&E director Kay Macintosh is using recycled 2017 Visitors maps to construct “Last Year’s Dress.”

The PFLAG Mid-Shore Chapter team has designed “Spring Pastels begin the Blossom” and stated the following as their inspiration, “Our gendered lives begin with the pastel color labels of pink and blue. As we blossom, each person becomes their own color palette. The results are all beautiful!”
Beryl Kemp was inspired by the J. Crew Christmas mailer packaging and wrote to the CEO of J. Crew to see if she could get a larger amount for her creation, “J.”. He wrote back that he was delighted to do so.

Rounding out the design talent are Radcliffe Creek School, Nancy Bennington, Liza Brocker and her daughter, Alanna Berman, Meghan Dulin, Morgan Bench, Christine Firrito-Easton, Kent School, Dora Pelczar, Tuesday Team, WCTR’s Leslie Sea, Wired Coast and Chester River Revellers.

Looking for a creative fundraiser, the RiverArts board became enthused when Mary Pritchard described visit to the Finger Lakes Art Council Recycled Runway and voted unanimously to host their own. Recycled Runways are popping up all over the country, and the fashion designs and event videos easily found online share the creativity, hilarity, and community fun these events spur.

RiverArts Recycled Runway benefits RiverArts educational programming for children and adults. RiverArts currently provides programs at four locations: children’s programs at KidSPOT and adult programs at the Education Center, the Clay Studio, and the Gallery.

Learn more about the RiverArts Recycled Runway and buy tickets online at Chestertownriverarts.org, click on events. Or call RiverArts at 410 778 6300.

Chestertown RiverArts is located at 315 High Street, Suite 106, Chestertown, MD 21620 – (in the breezeway). Winter Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, 11 AM to 5:30 PM, Saturday 10 AM to 5:30PM, and open on First Fridays until 8 PM.