"The Hat Series" is a series of works that explores my passion for creativity, drawing and painting, and also my interest in headwear styles and their associated meanings/purposes from history through modern times.In a contemporary society obsessed with projecting social status through participation in popular culture consumption of such things as Smartphones, social media, identifying closely with corporate logos, and also clothing choices and hairstyles, it can be quite apparent that some aspects of society do not change much over time and place.
I have always been fascinated by the headwear one sees in such events as the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and The Royal Ascot here in England. Hats have the power to influence the way in which a person is viewed in a way that no other item of clothing can. From the varying styles of military helmets and headwear, headwear that displays social status and/or wealth, or headwear that is worn for very specific purpose, such as entertainment, religious ceremony, or simply to sleep in, hats have in the past and currently serve very specific purposes for the owner and the viewer.
The artworks I make are informed by real hats found in ancient times up to contemporary headwear. Although having a specific starting point and imagery to work from through research, I take the liberty to add design elements and adapt the original designs to create more visual complexity and interest.I allow myself to explore the use of line, shape, repetition, the use of bold colors, and contrast within the work to inject my imagination and create something that might not resemble the original design at all.At the same time, there are artworks that retain much of the original design and I may simply use color and added components to create a visually exciting piece.
Each artwork is labeled with the original design and/or use, place of origin, and years in which the headwear was used.
