In her first solo show, Kathlyn Avila constructs sculptures of women by whom she is inspired—whether she has met them or come in contact with them, or ones who are make-believe but based in reality. Through her show that displays about 35 pieces, she hopes her pieces will allow patrons to “feel the spirit of these characters I’ve made and feel the magic of positivity,” she says.
A former doll artist, Avila uses ceramic adorned with cloth, bead work and other mixed media for the sculptures that focuses on symbolism that relates to either African, Native American or Latin cultures.
On display is the seamstress “Chatelaine,” a queen with a crown of scissors and hat pins and a chatelaine belt that has all of her tools. “I wanted to give homage to women, especially those back in the 1800s and early 1900s that had to work as a seamstress,” says Avila. “That was one of the few jobs that women could have that was considered respectable.” She cites Elizabeth Keckley, a slave who gained her freedom by working as a dressmaker and eventually became the seamstress for Mary Lincoln Todd, and a woman from Avila’s own past who supported her family through making and designing clothes for prominent people throughout D.C., as some of her influences for her work. And one of her favorites is “Pearl,” made in honor of a great-aunt Avila never met: “I get a lot of inspiration from looking at old vintage photos. She lived in the 1920s but died in her early 20s; I was fascinated by her beauty and the way she was dressed.”
From the response Avila has received since the show opened mid-December, patrons have told her the pieces remind them of someone they know, that they can relate or that it brings back a memory. And patrons can still be inspired by her work as the show is open until Jan. 3 at the Art League Gallery in Torpedo Factory.
