I had such a wonderful time at the brilliant Broadway show The Hills of California! It’s an Olivier Award-winning play by Jez Butterworth, directed by the amazing Sam Mendes.
The story revolves around a very ambitious mother who dreams of seeing her four daughters become a successful singing group, much like the Andrews Sisters. It beautifully captures themes of love and loss, and it truly left a mark on me.
After the show, I dove deep into a rabbit hole of YouTube, watching interviews, performances, and documentaries about the Andrews Sisters, the Boswell Sisters, and the McGuire Sisters. I was mesmerized by the glamorous fashions and stunning fabric patterns from the 1940s and 50s.
It hit me that these designs could inspire my Halloween displays for next year! For Halloween 2025, I’m excited to create some fabulous clothing for my displays using paper, paint, and polyurethane.
I’ve drawn inspiration from Isabelle de Borchgrave, the incredible self-taught Belgian artist who creates breathtaking painted paper dresses. Her historical gown recreations are always captivating and seem to pop up in exhibitions worldwide.
I started by flattening some brown paper grocery bags and painting them with acrylic and house paint. Then I spent some time researching 1940s and 50s fabric patterns. With a few paint cans in hand, I let my creativity flow, despite my limited skills!
My dress designs are loosely inspired by the fabulous stage outfits of the Andrews and Boswell sisters, along with Loretta Young. For my sculptures, I’m getting creative with all sorts of materials like kid’s plastic masks, shoe boxes, Tide detergent containers, Coffee Mate bottles, newspapers, and paper towel rolls.
The powerful drama and acting from that Broadway experience have stayed with me for days. Isabelle de Borchgrave’s fashion creations sparked my imagination, while the music and style of the Andrews Sisters entertained me as I embarked on my artistic journey!
There’s a long way to go before my creations go on display. I’m still testing the various ways to waterproof my paper dresses so they don’t get damaged outdoors. I’m also aiming to write and draw a picture book based on the characters I create.
