zoo
A
n u p - c l o s e g u i d e t o b o o k s , g a l l e r i e s , p e o p l e &
p l a c e s
A dress with
maximum
twirlability,
created for
a lover of
giant squid.
O n O
u r R
a d a r
C l o t h e s M
a k e
T h e C o w
b o y
T H E PL A N WAS A N M FA IN P A IN T “
ing. B u t plans d o n ’t alw a ys
w o r k out.
S o w h e n she d id n ’t g e t in to
her dream grad uate program ,
K a th ie S e v e r up and m o ve d in
19 96 from h er esoteric B o sto n
art scen e to a M o n ta n a ranch
w h ere her sister had a job. G on e
w e r e th e in stallation s, the c o n -
ceptu al w o rk , and insular art
w o rld . In its place: c o w b o y s
and co w girls.
“T h e dudes h un g ou t at the
forge in M c L e o d m aking bridles
and fen ces, and all the w o m e n -
fo lk m ade q uilts,” S e v e r says. It
w as the antithesis o f E ast C o a st
life. She lo ved that n o b o d y w as
tryin g to g e t their w o r k on a gal-
lery w all, bu t that everyth in g
th e y did w as d e e p ly artistic. “ It’s
pragm atic w o rk th at’s com p lete-
ly in fused w ith c re ativity.”
S e v e r ’s pendulu m sw u n g
from a h yp er-in tellectu al realm
o f ab stract p ain tin g to a w o rld
d e e p ly ro o ted in craft. S h e to o k
up se w in g again, a pastim e she
had e n jo y e d g r o w in g up on C a l-
ifo rn ia’s M o n te r e y Peninsula.
Left: This shirt, made
for a video game devel-
oper, sports embroi-
dered Atari joysticks
and the names of his
children worked into
the scrollwork.
014 american craft feb/mari2
Photos (8): Jody Horton
