Michelle Pokorny
Glass Artist

I find nature and humans connect with growth and communication, by combining wearables and plants I can create relationships between the two. I find plants even more fascinating when they have cultural or metaphorical meanings. Simple accessories and garments are overlooked as mundane clothing, therefore I design the wearable accessories so they can be displayed as if they were relics or momentos. Researching the significance of plants has allowed me to combine their meanings with the associated meanings of certain garment forms: crowns, gloves, maskes, and so on. This juxtaposition refines or redefines the meaning of the garment. By adding Dogwood flowers to a crown of thorns, a traditional Christian symbol, the crown now becomes a symbol of death and rebirth. This allows the pieces to connect to the viewers inner thoughts or personal experiences.

Looking at the pieces, one imagines wearing the garment and how it would relate to your relations and connections. When adding plants to wearables the connection can be redefined into an idea where you connect to the significance of the pieces.