Tracy Austin

Eloquent Objects

Tracy Austin graduated from New Brunswick College of Craft and Design with a diploma in Fashion Design in 2007. Austin launched her international doll fashion company, Steampetal, in 2013 and her unique style and attention to detail have attracted audiences from France to Japan. In 2019 Tracy Austin Atelier was launched, a contemporary marriage of couture clothing with her love of miniature detailing to design and create textile sculpture artworks, at roughly one-third scale. Her style is inspired by dark, occult, and gothic themes combined with the beauty and ferocity of nature.

In general, what skills are required for success in fashion design?

There are many technical skills, of course. But more broadly, time management and attention to detail can make or break a career. Each client and each model has a particular body, and garments must be ready when a fitting is scheduled or a whole series of tasks can get thrown out of balance.

How did you develop the skills you need for your career in fashion?

Mostly through experience. No matter how diligently one studies design, work in a classroom is no substitute for direct professional experience. Totally unexpected problems arise and must be solved quickly!

Everyday fashion says a lot about who we are and what we value. Your recent works, such as the Weight of Power series, take that much further. I would say that you are now using fashion design to as a form of sculpture, with the results shown in galleries and museums.

Frustrated by the perception that fashion is frivolous, from 2017 onward I have increasingly reinvented my pieces as sculptures instead of wearable garments. This process began with Auric, included in a 2017 NBCCD faculty show (Persona) and shown here. On first glance, the costume may seem elegant and dramatic. As we look further, though, we notice that the sleeveless jacket provides no warmth, the corset traps the body and that the heavy golden petals inhibit movement. If I were to wear such a dress, I would be both hobbled and cold. All that glitters is not gold.

As a series of ten sculptures, Weight of Power seems to expand these ideas technically, conceptually, and emotionally.

Yes. This is one of the great advantages of working with a series. So many more ideas can emerge, and in this case, we can analyze the expression, effects, and cost of power from multiple perspectives.

A triptych of artworks within the larger series demonstrates this. Like so many of us, I battle with mental illness, specifically, clinical depression. Despair, the first in the series presents the feeling of hopelessness. The noose around the neck visualizes the sense of being strangled. It is internally generated, not the result of an external threat. Destruction envelops the figure in both flames and darkness: The pain is smoldering, but eventually a new view will rise from the ashes. When Hope finally emerges at the end of the series, the blue dress is wrapped in thorns, a reminder that a cycle of depression may reoccur at any time.

And yet, when I asked you to select an artwork for us to discuss during our interview, you choose Resilience.

This artwork was inspired by strength. The delicate pansy flowers prevail, even when dusted by snow. Likewise, I and every other person who battles depression seeks health and tries to push forward, no matter what. I've learned to power my way through and gained a lot of empathy along the way. I will be showcasing Weight of Power at a mental health facility, inviting people to find a voice through art in any place.

There are no heads at all on the Weight of Power artworks. Why is this?

If I were to present particular characters or even types of characters (sporty, elegant, outdoorsy, and so forth), the broader message would be lost. When women exemplify or exercise power, they do so at a cost. Power and femininity may even be seen as contradictory. Powerful women often encounter opposition and feel conflicted themselves. It is better to focus on the dresses, I think, than on the figures that are wearing the pieces.

Thus, they become more like archetypes than specific characters. I'm amazed by the details you include in each artwork.

That is very important to me. While miniature, these artworks still retain traditional sewing and tailoring techniques: they are created with the same care and detail as a full-sized garment.

You are clearly very dedicated to teaching. Can you name the three or four most important "take-aways" you most hope your students gain from your classes?

• First, value yourself and your work. Every one of you has a unique vision: don't take it for granted. When you complete a premium garment, go ahead, and charge a premium price if you want to pursue fashion as a profession.

• Second, live your art. If you are self-motivated and love every step in the process, your chances of success greatly improve.

• Third, as I noted at the beginning, time management is essential--as is organization. For example, I used zip-lock bags to organize the patterns, fabrics and sketches I used for each of the Weight of Power artworks. This simple solution made the project much more manageable.

• Fourth, make your own statement. The history of design is a rich repository of ideas and also new designs burst forth every day. It can be tempting to try to replicate an existing design, but it is important to cultivate your own vision.

• Finally, there is no substitute for hard work. I often require my students to generate over a hundred design ideas in a couple of weeks. This pushes them beyond their assumed limits and gives more room for invention. Having lots of ideas leads to a final great collection of designs.

You wear at least 3 hats: artist/designer, educator, and businessperson. Do all require creativity? If so, is the creativity similar throughout, or is it manifest differently in different situations?

Absolutely! Regardless of what the current topic is, if it’s related to art, you must be creative and adaptable. There is never one answer that works for everything.

With arts education, you need to make sure you’re giving lots of examples and options. You want to teach the technical side of things, and when students truly understand a concept, they can adapt and build on that concept. As an educator it is important I bring structure to the classroom, but I need to balance it with creativity so that the students are engaged and striving to bring their own vision to life.

Creativity within business is just as important; you will have many problems to solve and issues to overcome. Balancing the numbers with promotion and advertising is where the process really shines though. You need to create your art, promote it, sell it, package it, and ship it.

In almost any situation, there is a lot of unrealized potential. What further potential do you see for creativity in New Brunswick?

Take fashion seriously, both as an industry and as a form of creative expression. With our history of fishing, mining, forestry, and agriculture, we often overlook the economic potential of the service sector and arts-based industries. Fashion has amazing potential for conceptual and emotional expression.