About the artwork:

Vacation Nation
Title: Finlay, Tucson Arizona, 1950’s
(Feel like a million in our sunshine climate.)
I was drawn to the bathing costumes worn by the women posing poolside. In the 50’s swimwear fabrics were still very heavy, usually cotton (a fabric that doesn’t hold strong colour dyes) and the style was very modest with strong structure. Lycra wasn’t invented until the late 1950’s.
Because of these factors and the prevailing deportment, grooming and moral standards there was an aura of glamour in this era.
I chose to design a bathing suit in the style of the other women, take photographs of a person posed in the suit matching the magazine pose and impose the photo onto the magazine page.
I found some seersucker cotton in an op shop and drafted a pattern from photos of bathers from the 50’s. Without the use of stretch material the garments had to be shaped and fitted, be able to be put on and taken off and have fastenings.

In the modern day:
I like to introduce some beauty into modern life whenever possible.
In this piece of art I put some modern day into this beautiful life.