Mother's Dresses : 2021-24 Installation Project: Recreation of Dresses in conjunction with 12-Painting-Project

                                     

My Mother's Dresses adds a 3-D Component  - 12 Model Dresses Recreated

Susanne Nielsen collaborates with couture seamstress Theresia Thielke, both advised by Susanne's mother, to continue the 2020/21 "My Mother's Dresses" project with this added 3-D component. Susanne Nielsen announced this new project at the opening reception of "My Mother's Dresses" first exhibition. 

 12 Mother's Dresses that were exhibited in May-July 2021 at Freedom Pavilion, Tampa, Florida under the sponsorship of The Outdoor Art Foundation. 

The project of recreating the garments will lead to an installation of the paintings and the 3-D component of the 12 garments. 

                                                                      The  Dresses 

The Creation of the 50s Dresses - from photographs, few base-patterns modified to suit Susanne's mother and contemporary Post-WWII women also had done, begins in 2021 and is completed in June 2023.

Susanne Nielsen and Theresia Thielke

Susanne and Theresia share a friendship that began in 1098 when Theresia volunteered to answer telephones during Susanne Nielsen's hour long weekly German Radio Show in the studio. When Susanne heard about Theresia's interesting life and her work in the fashion world, she did a number of interviews for her show. When the 3-D component of the My Mother's Dresses became Susanne's next project, Theresia was a natural choice to help (re-) create these beautiful dresses. Visits with discussions between Susanne and Theresia continue through completion in June 2023. German-born Theresia Thielke's couture experience goes back to the 1960s training and work for couturiers like Oleg Cassini in New York, where she sewed the official wardrobe of First Lady Jackie Kennedy, incl. the inaugural gown and later sewed for First Lady Barbara Bush.   

Couture seamstress Theresia Thielke is executed the patterns and creation of the dresses in constant consulting with Susanne in person and her mother (via phone) every week.  

Susanne Nielsen and her Mother

 

Artist Susanne Nielsen kept her mother, the original creator of  the dresses "au courant" of  the progress on each recreated model dress by sending photographs via Whatsapp.  Susanne's mother, in her daily calls to her daughter, advised on color choices of the fabrics and other details she, as the creator of patterns for the 1950s' garments to be recreated by Theresia. 

Dress #1 - Gray Organza with rose trim and shawl of organza and taffeta

 

They began with the gray Organza dress, with peach flowers and a transparent Organza stole.  The photo shows Theresia working on the dess's top pleats.

    Completed gray/rose Organza dress, Dress # 1

Dress #2/3 white lace Top and blue Skirt and Jacket

Dress # 2/3 with blue skirt and jacket ( painting 2)

   Dress # 2/3 with Jacket ( painting 3)

 Dress #4 with red Primroses ( painting 4)

   Dress #4 with red Primroses ( painting 4)

Dress #5, with rose pattern on off-white fabric

Dress #5 with roses on off-white fabric

Dress #6, Tropical pattern , with black organza blouse/jacket

Dress #6, Tropical pattern , without black organza blouse/jacket

Dress #6b, Tropical pattern , with black organza blouse/jacket

Dress #7, Green Silk Taffeta Dress , "the most versatile" black/green reversible   

Apron/Kitchen Dress #8, "Kittel-Schuerze" , cotton blue/white pattern

Dress #9, Black Silk Taffeta Dress , "Mother's Legacy" 1940s resewn in 50s  

Dress #10, green Silk Taffeta Dress , balls and at Mother's wedding  

Anneliese Schmidt wore the green dress at her sister Rosemarie's wedding 1952, then added straps for cousin Helga to wear it at her wedding in 1954 

Dress #11, Multi-print Summer "Rettershof" Dress , first Outings with our Father

Dress #12, black Top/gray Skirt, yellow-orange flowers Dress

   

Dress #13, Off-White Lace Dress, stole,  1960/61 Nice, Wiesbaden Casino New Years Ball

 

Frame Work My Mother's Dresses Project

Opening and closing with Wedding Dresses Painted or/and Presented

Dress #14, Gray Wedding Dress,  1983, Last Original Dress sewn by Susanne's Mother

 

Dress #15, White Wedding Dress,  1954,  Dress from Angela Romeo Gibron's Mother

My Mother married in a Wedding dress borrowed from her sister, later she made a wedding dress for Barbie from her veil.

Book of Process: My Mother's Dresses: Susanne's Mother, Susanne Nielsen's Dress Project painted by her, and sewn by Theresia Thielke

Susanne Nielsen with Theresia Thielke 2022

Describing the Process: My Mother's Dresses:  Susanne Nielsen shows her paintings  and Theresia Thielke shows the dresses and all admire Susanne's Wedding dress sewn by her mother in 1983, 40+ years ago

Anneliese Schmidt with her Dresses in a book December 2022