A view from the judges’ table at the 16th annual FOA fashion show
By MARRIE STONE
Last Sunday, Aug. 10, the crowds once again came out for the annual Festival of Arts (FOA) Fashion Show, where exhibiting artists are invited to create wearable works of art using only recycled, reclaimed or reused materials. Where else can California Cuties bags and empty shotgun shells become runway couture?
I’ve attended many FOA fashion shows over the years, but the only ballot I’ve cast has been for the coveted People’s Choice Award, where my vote was one of hundreds. This year, I was asked to sit onstage at the judges’ table – alongside sculptor Gerard Stripling (who was Laguna’s Artist of the Year in 2023) and Pageant of the Masters scenic artist and former FOA runway designer Brad Elsberry – to officially weigh in on the awards.
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Photo by Jeff Rovner
I had the honor of judging this year’s annual FOA Fashion Show – (L-R) Emmy-award winning production designer Nelson Coates (MC extraordinaire), Gerard Stripling, Marrie Stone and Brad Elsberry
Five FOA artists competed for awards in five categories: Most Creative Concept, Most Exciting Ensemble, Most Innovative Use of Materials, Most Glamorous and elegant “Red Carpet” creation and, of course, the People’s Choice Award. Each category came with a $1,000 cash prize. This year, the FOA invited young artists to share the stage and model their designs, although they weren’t competing in these categories.
The pressure was on for the judges, particularly after a surprising junior entry threatened to steal the show. But after some deliberation and discussion, we had our winners. And we ensured that aspiring designer Makana Johnson – with her Rococo-inspired gown – received the recognition she deserved.
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Photo by Jeff Rovner
Twelve-year-old Makana Johnson models the Rococo-style gown she designed and sewed, alongside last year’s Red Carpet and People’s Choice winner Nancy Swan (who inspired Johnson’s participation)
Most Creative Concept: Anne Moore’s Shoutout to the Cuties of Orange Coast
In a nod to this year’s Pageant theme Gold Coast, printmaker Anne Moore – a 13-year Festival exhibitor – brought a slice of California to her unique design this year. This was Moore’s second time entering the fashion show. She took Most Creative Concept for the second year in a row. Last year, she won with a dress made of teabag sleeves.
“This past year, I had been saving the playful plastic handles from bags of California Cuties. While I knew how I would use those handles, the entire concept was not yet clear in my mind,” Moore said. What emerged was a two-piece combo with a full-length skirt made of those plastic handles. The top represented the trees themselves, with leaves created from an old windbreaker and canvas bag, punctuated with colorful tangerines (painted cardboard). The orange netting from a Cuties bag served as a scarf, and the hat (made from a Styrofoam wreath and plastic placemats) was topped with an old hand-painted plastic juicer from her kitchen.
Moore struggled to create an accompanying coat but couldn’t make it work. “As happens with much art making, the actual process of it and the problem solving involved often lead to ideas for future projects even when some efforts don’t work,” she said, noting she already has ideas for the coming years.
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Photo by Jeff Rovner
Printmaker Anne Moore with her daughter, Allison Adams, who modeled the dress that took Most Creative Concept
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Most Exciting Ensemble: Paula Collins’ kiln creation
Six-year ceramics exhibitor Paula Collins entered the fashion show for the first time this year with a hot number inspired by materials inside her own studio. Influenced by the legendary Alexander McQueen’s fearless use of unconventional materials, Collins used her kiln as inspiration for her creation.
The hat – a discarded lampshade – represents the interior of the oven, complete with worn kiln bricks molded around it and topped off with a flickering fire. She embedded a small fan into the hat to make the “flames” flicker. The tunic, discarded glazed tiles painted to look like the glowing inferno inside the furnace, pairs with boots outfitted with “witness cones” (small, ceramic pyrometric cones used to measure heatwork).
“Once I had the design with tiles mapped out for the garment, the hat, shoes and jewelry came quickly,” Collins said. “The hat, using old kiln bricks, was the most challenging. Thankfully, we are allowed to use helpers in our construction. Boy did they deliver.”
The dress weighs 18 pounds (although her daughter, who modeled the ensemble, estimated it closer to 50). Collins accompanied it with a glazed teapot made of cardboard and Styrofoam (modeled by her granddaughter) to symbolize the kiln’s creation.
“Being recognized with prize winnings is always exciting,” Collins said. “But it’s the planning, executing and just participating that I most enjoy.”
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Photo by Jeff Rovner
Ceramicist Paula Collins with her daughter Jana Faro and granddaughter Avery Clear. Faro modeled the kiln-inspired creation that took Most Exciting Ensemble, while Cleary modeled the teapot.
Most Innovative Use of Materials: Mark Hendrickson’s shotgun shell vest
Ceramic artist Mark Hendrickson’s creation was born of one of his favorite pastimes – shooting clay pigeons at the range. Over time, he noticed the plastic and metal 12-gauge shell casings scattered on the ground and the thought occurred, “Why not turn them into something beautiful?”
Using vibrant red, white and blues, Hendrickson fashioned a bold vest and matching cap that pays homage to Americana and sustainability.
But creating it wasn’t easy. Hendrickson experimented with a variety of ways to bring his vision to fruition.
“I have never entered the fashion show before,” said Hendrickson, who has shown at the FOA since 2008. “My interest in the shotgun shell vest made sense to me because I know that the shells probably do not get recycled.”
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Photo by Jeff Rovner
Ceramicist Mark Hendrickson with booth neighbor Becky Ryan, modeling his shotgun shell vest that took Most Innovative Use of Materials
Most Glamorous & Elegant “Red Carpet” Creation and The People’s Choice Award: Jonathan Boyd & Valerie Killeen’s California Redwood Princess
First-time wood-working exhibitors Jonathan Boyd and Valerie Killeen wowed the crowd with their stunning redwood sculpted dress. Fashioned from reclaimed California redwood, Boyd and Killeen rescued the material from massive 60,000-gallon water-holding tanks along the California Aqueduct. For nearly a century, these massive structures collected and distributed water throughout the state. Eventually decommissioned and replaced with steel due to age, seismic concerns and fire risk, the tanks were carefully dismantled.
“From this rare and historic wood, we were fortunate to obtain several 10” x 8’ x 2” boards which now live on in a new form – as a reclaimed wood dress – serving as a tribute to California’s resourcefulness and enduring beauty,” they said.
Paper-thin veneers were sliced from the face of the reclaimed redwood boards and soaked in water to become pliable. Once softened, the wood was bent and shaped into the petal-like forms adorning the skirt and the sculptural bow accent.
The bodice was woven from 2-inch wide, paper-thin veneers cut from the edges of the same redwood boards, creating a delicate yet structured latticework. The hair clip bow was crafted from reclaimed California redwood and adorned with several sunny yellow crespedia flowers, which were dried and preserved from the couple’s 2023 wedding.
Quinne Boyd, the couple’s niece and goddaughter, modeled the dress. “She had the most amazing time dancing, twirling and blowing kisses down the runway,” said Boyd and Killeen. “The audience and fellow artist participants were so engaged and supportive of her, making it an unforgettable afternoon.”
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Photo by Jeff Rovner
Woodworkers Jonathan Boyd and Valerie Killeen designed this unique redwood dress, modeled by 6-year-old niece Quinne Boyd. The creation took Most Glamorous & Elegant “Red Carpet” Creation & the People’s Choice Award
Honoring young designer Makana Johnson and her creation, The Dream Set
The moment we returned to our deliberation room, talk turned to 12-year-old fashion designer Makana Johnson and her stunning gown. Johnson attended last year’s fashion show and was inspired by Nancy Swan’s black and white ballgown (an homage to Edith Head). Swan took home both the People’s Choice Award and the Most Glamorous “Red Carpet” Worthy Creation in 2024.
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Courtesy of Cece Johnson
(L-R) Makana Johnson posed with 2024 winner Nancy Swan last year. Swan inspired Johnson’s entry in this year’s show.
Earlier this year, Johnson approached FOA Events Assistant Macie Carney with her fashion portfolio and lobbied for a new category in the annual show – junior designers. Carney and her colleagues quickly saw the potential and – voila! – a new tradition was born.
Johnson, who began designing clothes for her dolls at age 3, didn’t squander this rare opportunity. Inspired by both the late 18th-century Rococo fashions of Marie Antoinette and the 2021 film Cruella, she designed her own red-carpet worthy creation.
“Makana’s passion is using reclaimed and reused materials,” said her mother, Cece Johnson, who noted she herself couldn’t sew. “That’s her niche.”
Using recycled magazines and newsprint, along with the stuffing from old decorative pillows, Johnson took three months to craft the dress (all while watching Project Runway in the background). She wove the names of famous fashion designers and brands from recycled magazines into the garment and fashioned all her accessories from recycled and reclaimed materials. The collared neckpiece was made of newspaper and bubble wrap. She used recycled paper on her upcycled fan and added a sparkled design to her thrifted shoes. She also insisted on doing her own hair and makeup and made the hair-piece rosettes from recycled paper, as well.
“She wanted to have that illusion of it being a dream, because her dream is to become a fashion and costume designer,” her mother said.
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Photo by Jeff Rovner
Makana Johnson walks the runway before taking home an unexpected and impromptu award
The judges rallied together and decided to honor Johnson with an extra award, both for her innovative idea to bring young designers into the event and her astounding creation. She received a $100 gift card and Pageant tickets for her family as recognition of her accomplishments.
“We’re so grateful to the Festival for giving Makana and other aspiring youth this opportunity,” Johnson said. “We don’t know of any other avenues for young designers, so this was an amazing experience. To see other young people coming up to her, and watching youth inspire youth, was rewarding.”
Johnson reported her face hurt from smiling so much that day. The moment she returned home, she began sketching out designs for next year, should the youth category return.
Personally, I can report that sitting on stage was both a gratifying and humbling experience. The amount of local talent that surrounds us is inspiring, and the creativity bubbling up from younger generations blew me away. All five of this year’s participants, along with the three youth entries, left me astonished at what artists can do, especially when working within creative constraints. Thanks for this unique opportunity, FOA!
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Photo by Jeff Rovner
The 16th annual FOA Fashion Show designers, models, judges and MC
