Approach the painting, as I did. See the individual brushstrokes by the artist. See not only the movement in the image represented, but the movement of the artist, left behind in the oil paint. The energy that remains in this painting is what inspired me to design and create Windy Wheat.  

Inspired by the exhibitions’ original date of Earth Day, I created the bodice of the dress by cooking bioplastics, using arrow root, glycerin, vinegar and water. Cooked into this biodegradable plastic was grass and dandelion petals, to emulate the brushstrokes within the wheat in the painting. I used plastic containers I had saved to create a Lobster Tail bustle, and used flower leaves to create the skirt of the dress. To further emulate a windy day, I constructed an upturned umbrella out of branches and plastic wrap left over from a previous project.  With a high collar and long sleeves, this dress inspired by 1890s fashion was designed for a woman to wear on a windy day through the wheat fields.  

Final designs were planned to be part of CMOA’s Earth Day celebration in April 2020.