Spotlight on....Kate Cusack

Kate Cusack is a multi-talented artist living in Brooklyn, NY. Part sculptor, part designer, part jeweler--she creates elegant jewelry out of zippers, designs costumes for theater and window displays. Here, she talks a bit about her process, inspirations, and her current project.

(Photo: Kate in her studio)

You wear a couple of different artistic hats, as sculptor/jeweler/costume designer. How has your career unfolded?

My career is constantly unfolding and I constantly trying to make sense of it all. I often think of my career as a braid—different pieces, influences and experiences overlapping and coming together from various directions to form one complex creative career.
These days since my artistic outlets range quite a bit, I am trying to come to terms with the idea that I can be more than just one thing—more than just a costume designer, more than just a window designer, and more than just a jewelry designer—but an artist who does many things. The through-line that ties my work together is the association with the body (as in jewelry or costume) and the love for unusual materials.

(Photo: model wearing zipper necklace & bracelet © 2009 Julia Pogodina, Styling by Dina Yassin, hair by Jamal Hodges, make-up by Aldys Minaya)

Before getting to the point where you are today- Did you have some part-time (or full time) day jobs?

I have been very lucky to have jobs that have always related to what I was creatively interested in at the time. I think the most influential job was working at a costume shop called Parsons-Meares. They build costumes for broadway and a lot of Disney-on-ice costumes as well. That shop is known for incredible craftsmanship as well as creative solutions to complex costume needs—like a lot of the elements from the Lion King, and they also worked very intensely on some of the costumes from Wicked, among many others. When I worked there, it was like I was being paid to learn. There was so much to learn regarding technique, materials, protocol and designer/costume shop relations. I met some very important designers and also realized that I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life working in a costume shop creating other people’s ideas.

What outside interests feed you creatively?
This is the toughest question of the group, somehow. I think most of my interests are intertwined with each other and with my creativity, so it’s hard to think of any as “outside.” Interests that feed me creatively are:
-eating good food either at restaurants or at home
-shoe shopping
-going to museums
-going to theatrical events
-riding the subway and seeing all of the different kinds of styles in NY (this is not so much an interest, more of a necessity, but it definitely feeds me creatively)

What inspires you?
I am always inspired by raw materials. Whenever I see one thing repeated, I begin to think about what it could be turned into. When I was in high school and college, I really enjoyed going to 99 cent stores. I ended up with a lot of q-tips and toothbrushes and big plans that never happened. When I see a product or a material is a big quantity, I start to see it in its very basic visual form—as shape, color and texture. I had a teacher at MICA (undergrad) named, Annet Cowenberg (fiber artist) who taught a class in which she told us that any material can be either a line or a plane and from that you can make anything else. For an assignment, we had to make a list as long as we could of materials that fell into the category of a line or a plane—for example a piece of spaghetti can be a line, and a piece of paper can be a plane. It is very freeing when you can let your imagination and your creative eye tell you what to do.

Do you have a daily ritual that gets you ready to go to work in your studio?
My studio is in between my bedroom and the rest of my apartment. So just the act of getting out of bed gets me into my studio. I get ready in the morning, make tea, while the tea steeps, I get dressed and then sit down at my computer. I answer my e-mails, and then figure out the plan for the day. I am a big believer in lists, so if I am confused about where to begin, I either consult an existing list or begin a new one. Just writing everything down in my sketchbook gets it out of my brain and leaves room for other thoughts.

Do you collect source material? If so, what? and how do you use these materials?
I often collect images that are inspirational to me and I put them in my sketchbook. Sometimes those images are from ads, or catalogues, or given to me by friends and family. It’s usually looking back on these images and through the pages of my sketchbook that I realize how I was inspired by them, or following a common thread of design.

What are you currently working on?
I am currently working on developing a body of Zipper Jewelry to be shown through the Snyderman Works Gallery at a big event called Sculptural Objects Functional Art (SOFA). This is an expo held in NYC around late April/early June and in Chicago in October/November.

(photo: Zipper Necklace)

How do you get through artist's block?

I usually end up doing a lot of writing and some drawing. I spend a lot of time talking with my friends and my family and they are usually able to steer me back on track and remind me that I am moving in a direction that is not typical and that’s OK, and even exciting.

Did you ever have a project that stumped you as to how to do it, make it, fabricate? How do you figure it out?
Most projects present dilemmas or problems throughout the process of creation. I usually have to give it some time and in that time I often talk to my friends who are artists and to my parents. (They are also artists.) Whether or not the solutions they offer are useful, just the act of explaining whatever the problem may be plus the added creative mind usually solves the problem.

What words or philosophy do you live by?
There are a few catch phrases that I live by:

-be hard on the problem, soft on the people (from my mother)

-manage the expectations (from my father)

-if it’s shiny, buy it (personal philosophy)

-spend and god will send (from my grandmother)

-trust your instinct (general rule of thumb)

Kate Cusack earned her BFA at the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2001 where she began working with everyday materials and creating unique costumes and head-dresses. She studied theater history, traditions and practices at the Yale school of Drama and received her MFA in 2006.

Currently, Kate lives in Brooklyn where she compliments her collaborative work in the theater with intense independent studio work creating jewelry from zippers. The Zipper Jewelry is sold across the country in galleries and museum shops and has been featured in various publications both online and in print.

Please visit Kate's website, blog, and shop to learn more about her unique work.

Thanks Kate!!

100s of robins

The other day, we drove through Schenley Park and there were hundreds of Robins on the ground waiting for spring to arrive. Right now, it is blustery and snowy and cold out-- it started suddenly this morning with tiny hail balls that quickly turned to wet snow. But fear not, Spring is on its way. I'm having a lovely morning, slept in, had a cappuccino and now, I'm listening to Piano Jazz with Marian McPartland and writing these words.

Last night, we saw the play, A Number, which was very good. The set was wonderful. Stacks of file boxes surround the stage and create the walls of an apartment. The stacks were of varying heights and made you think of a city skyline as well as endless files stacked up. At a scene change- one of the characters steps off the stage in the front onto the file boxes and the spotlights go out while lights go on under the stage and a few of the file boxes have lights in them-- like windows in buildings. It was a very cool effect.

yummy stuff

I have been loving this tea lately! It smells divine and no matter how long you leave the tea bag in- the flavor just keeps getting better. They have a really cute website too!

I feel very professional and accomplished today! I ordered brand spankin new business cards and put all my finances in order and even made some calls I've been putting off for awhile. It is so nice to have a day off and catch up on stuff. I had a good night's sleep last night which is always helpful too. I decided I need to update all my art related business stuff-- new press kit, new postcards, etc etc. New year- new stuff.

Tonight, I'm exciting to see and hear D perform at this event

I have been knitting this really cute jumper from the Holiday 2006 issue of Vogue Knitting, forever. Everyone at work is asking when I'm going to finish it so they can see it on me-- and I'm so close to finishing. I have the top and bottom hems and sewing all the pieces together. Almost, almost.

Here's to a happy and productive weekend y'all!

Self-Transformation

Hi!!
Isn't it nice to start a new year?! I used to dislike the New Year's celebrations because I saw it as a loss of the old-- instead of focusing on the clean slate of the new. This year for New Year's eve- Douglas and I watched Audra McDonald sing on PBS and drank a bottle of Champagne, in Pittsburgh, after a long weekend of fun in NYC and a wedding in New Jersey.
Anyway, for the new year I decided I would like to reinvent myself-- a la Madonna. I bought 2 new lipsticks and Douglas surprised me with a fantastic pair of new spectacles-- which I really don't need- but they are a very fun accessory. I feel very intellectual and chic in them. THe lipsticks are in colors I am not used to wearing-- one is a tangerine color with gold flecks while the other is a bright Bold pink. I still can't decide if I like it or it's a little too Barbie doll gone bad- but it's fun and exciting to try something new for a change. Let me tell you about the wedding of my cousin Sandy and her new husband, Pierre. They are both foodies! He is a chef and she is a pastry/chocolate chef. The ceremony was held at a restaurant in NJ and the food was something! Here's the menu:
A delicate Lobster Soup, Duck Confit-that is shredded duck on top of some type of chip laying in a squash sauce, Braised Ribs with sweet potato puree and string beans, and for dessert, a luscious Lemon tart that I could only eat half of due to its tarty sweetness- and then yummy chocholatey truffles with booze and assorted cookies . It was a fun evening and Congratulations to the happy couple. Douglas and I stayed in a hotel that night and early the next morning- we took a bus into Manhattan. We checked in at the Ramada East and went straight to the MoMA. There is just too much to see at MoMA, the art, the people, the building, its very easy to get saturated/ information overload- so of course, our first stop was the cafe where we shared a portobella panini. Then we started from the 6th floor and worked our way down. There were a few things that really stood out in my mind and one thing in particular I can't stop thinking about. A Cezanne still-life. The web image doesn't compare-- this painting was so gorgeous and luscious in the use of reds, oranges. I wanted to pluck the apple from the table and bite into it because it would have been just the right combination of crunchy and sweet. WOW-- it is a magnificent painting!
Other highlights include a video installation by Jane and Louise Wilson-- two adjacent screens in opposing corners of a darkened room. The films show objects and a woman levitating and/or moving very strangley through a space. This scene alternates with the view from the floor of a lift elevator where you can see out beyond the guard gate into the hall as you move up and down. It was very eerie and atmospheric.



Last but not least New Photography by Barbara Probst. This was very clever work! Probst uses multiple cameras set up from different angles and focused on the same subject. The cameras are synched to take a picture simultaneously. In one image a girl is seen jumping in a Swiss Alps setting. In the next image, we are looking down on a NY rooftop with a view of the city. At closer inspection, we see that two people are holding a large print of the swiss alps- and the girl is jumping in front of it.

Later that night, we ate a scrumptious meal at the Orchard-- recommended by Honey! and it was delish! We ate the Yellowfin Tuna Tartare, Sliced Lamb Tenderloin, and the best--Butternut Squash Agnolotti. WOW- it was good! It just melted in your mouth, and in combination with the lamb, Magnifique!

Saturday, Douglas and I first went to visit his Aunt and Uncle who live in this gorgeous penthouse apartment across the street from the planetarium. Douglas's beautiful Aunt works at the Guggenheim and has a spectacular art collection- when I first walked in the door- there was a large James Casebere photograph in the hallway! I was knocked on my socks! It wasn't this image below- but here's an example. Anyway, this apartment was beautiful with plenty of art to boot. We also went to visit with my Aunt and Uncle for a nice 2:30 tea break!
We had 8 o'clock tickets to see the Drowsy Chaperone
and it was super!
(more later!)