Thesis -- Bryn Mawr College, 1913. / Title from title screen (viewed Mar. 26, 2008). Includes bibliographical references. Online version of the print original.

It is impossible to imagine Sherlock Holmes without his trademark deerstalker, Charlie Chaplin bowler-less, the Cat in the Hat missing his striped top hat. A hat is often a crucial aspect of creating a character, but creating the hat itself can pose a daunting task, and students of millinery have difficulty finding up-to-date resources to guide them in the process. The modern novice milliner needs a current resource to which she or he can turn in order to learn the basic principles of the craft. Through the production of the instructional video Thoroughly Modern Millinery, I am creating this much-needed resource for anyone exploring the world of millinery, but with a specific focus toward the micro-discipline of costume production for theatre. Watching this video will allow the viewer to gain a clear understanding of contemporary practices used in modern theatrical millinery. Step-by-step instructions and demonstrations will lead the viewer through three very different hats from start to finish. Through the process of making these three projects, students will acquire the skills necessary for creating many other styles of hats. In other words, this video will provide the building blocks that every milliner needs in order to succeed. Through close-up camera shots of the processes plus accompanying verbal instruction, I will guide my audience through the process of interpreting a two-dimensional rendering and creating a wearable accessory for the stage. My goal is for my video to become the new "go-to" resource for milliners. With the introduction to a wide variety of products and techniques, Thoroughly Modern Millinery will be an essential addition to costume shops, classrooms, and studios. / text

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Bryn Mawr college, 1913.

Thesis (Ph. D. )--Oregon State University, 2010. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-131). Also available on the World Wide Web.

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Digital Craft is a project that explores the interface between three-dimensional (3-D) computer technology and costume technology. I combine seasoned millinery techniques with modern methods of object construction and design to diversify the costume artisan’s toolbox and encourage practical and useful ways of moving between the virtual and physical world. Through a series of theoretical projects the dichotomy of modern artistic process is explored. The task of this thesis project is to explore the impact of 3-D imaging software on design and construction methods by applying them to the sculptural process of hat making. I collaborate with designers and technicians to develop methods of hat making for performance culminating in an exhibition presented at the University Co-op Cohen New Works Festival, April 2011. This research is applied to cultivate new methods of hat making, by exploring new media and expanding creative possibilities. Craft objects are created directly through the hand of the maker; it is thorough technique that the hand informs the craft object (Risatti, 108). Furthermore, the traditional notion of tools and craft objects is that they are conditioned, controlled and limited by the hands. In order to update and improve methods of object construction, this project will expand the traditional concept of craft, combining hands-on methods with machining. I hope to improve efficiency and decrease the cost of realizing authentic and original hat designs by exploring alternative digital spaces that can be used to communicate, develop and actualize ideas. / text

Collaboration between the playwright, director, designer and technicians is the backbone of theater. Costume designers, after discussion with the director and the other designers, rely on costume technicians to realize their ideas. The technician’s hands then realize the artistic vision. But what would the technicians try if there were no constraints? I am a technician, a craftsperson who is inspired not just by the play, but also by process, by methods. With every new technique I learn, I imagine the new ways it could be put to use, and the objects I would create if time and resources were not a factor. Imagined objects are seldom created. Once made, these objects exist without a performance, without a purpose. A costume not worn is an unfulfilled destiny. But maybe the pieces I want to make can be given a narrative after the act of construction, or during construction. I’m interested in exploring my ability to be a generative artist. How can my inspiration feed back into the theater community? Can a costume technician’s experimentation have a place in creating new theater? My thesis has two components, exploring my two interests. Those two interests are the creation of objects and the creation of a story. The first component, object creation, was an exploratory study of mask and headdress making techniques. I experimented with new techniques, such as 3-D printing, testing the limitations of new technology. The second component, story creation, was a collaborative process. My collaborator, Brian Oglesby, and I worked concurrently. Brian is a playwright, and as he wrote the play, I made the objects. Our processes mirrored each other. The narrative of the play incorporated the masks and headpieces I made. This project created a theater piece based on the experimentation of a costume technician, and presents a new way for future technicians to think about their work and to have their stories told. / text