Tuesday, June 29, 2010

My very own Tim Gunn

One of my students called me her very own Tim Gunn after I helped her figure out some new ways to approach her project in Sculpture class. I was quite choked up when she mentioned that, as Meg will undoubtedly be on Project Runway some day down the road. She has wicked personal style and tailors her own funky clothes to wear. I took that comment from her as a very high honor, as Tim is one of my art heroes. I love what he does, as I do the same thing each day in my studio classes. Granted, I don’t get to wear the tailored suits and then go home to what I am assuming is a totally fabulous apartment in New York City, but I do go around the studio and offer my creative advice and bon mots to my students as they work on their projects just like Tim does to the contestants on the show.

So who does Tim go to for advice? We don’t know much about Tim, and that’s what I love. He is the Bruce Wayne of fashion, an enigma shrouded in designer fabrics and couture. My Tim Gunn is my husband Tod. I bounce creative questions and suggestions off of him at dinner, or will pull him over to the computer to view a work in progress. I am blessed to have him in my life for a variety of reasons, this is a bonus!

As I prepped the work for an upcoming show in Plymouth, I brought down the proofs and over dinner we talked about and critiqued my photos. The fact that the kids were in bed and we had tapped into a bottle of wine helped the mood and the crit as the meal continued. I just wish he’d tell me to “Make it work!” more.