My heart goes out to the thousands of minors and families coming to the U.S. from Central America in search of safer livelihoods. My parents escaped the turmoil and violence of El Salvador during the horrific Civil War in the 1980s. Today, they comment that the violence in El Salvador with the influx of MS-13 gang members deported…
Tag: shared sentiments
L.A.’s Natural Appeal
One of the things I love about coming home to Los Angeles is appreciating the contributions my mami and papi make to the natural aesthetics of Los Angeles. Their garden is deeply inspirational as it embodies a variety of colors, shapes, and textures. It emanates visual, tactile, and olfactory senses that instills happiness and delight for…
Support Aspiring Knitwear designer/ Master’s Student to show in NY Fashion Week!
Jasmine Gonzalez is currently a Master’s Student in the Academy of Arts University in San Francisco CA. She hopes to show a 6-piece collection during NY Fashion week in February 2014, and is raising funds to cover costs of yarns and knitting machinery to create hand-knit and machine made garments and accessories. Please see full…
From Watershed to Fibershed
“Fibershed” is a term coined by Rebecca Burgess, it represents regional fiber resources from plants and animals such as sheep, goat, or alpaca, manufacturing mills that process raw fibers into clothing, and a local market. To understand this term, it is helpful to consider better known watersheds, bodies of water that link up to larger bodies…
Nature in LA!
These are some photos of nature in Los Angeles: And our wonderful dog Tummy! ❤
Nurturing a Sustainable Design Aesthetic
I remember when I spent entire summer days drawing new designs alongside my twin sister, Nidia. The joy I took in drawing each “doll” as we called them, inspired me to pursue fashion design academically. This outfit was heavily inspired by the ’90s, and my interpretation of fashion as an art form. The “dolls” above,…
Worth of Crochet
Crochet is a wonderful hand-craft that allows extensive creativity. Each inch of fabric is created with intention and care. The process of crochet generates no waste since only the fabric necessary to complete the design is created. Additionally, once the crochet clothes reach the “end of life” stage, the fabric can be un-crochet and re-used…
Creative Fashions Highlight the Value of our Waterways
The Finger Lakes are sprinkled throughout central New York and aquatic species are an inherent part of our ecosystem even though we don’t live next to the ocean. Ithaca is at the tip of Cayuga Lake, one of the larger Fingerlakes. Cayuga Lake is full of wonder and mystery at first glance, especially since the…
Preservation of Voices, Culture, and Land
With population growth, there is greater need for basic resources. Energy is a basic resource that is a part of our everyday lives. In Los Angeles, I experienced a few black outs, but electricity returned within 3 hours. In Davis California, I experienced one and remember using a flashlight so that I could do my…
Giving Value to our Sustenance
We nourish our bodies everyday by providing it with adequate food and water. But is our use really adequate, or is it over-adequate? A first world issue may not be a lack of food or water, but a lack of “good” food or lack of something other than water. Statements like “I have nothing to…
Grazing Across Lands and Among Species!
I am in great anticipation for the Ithaca Spring and Summer. The Fall was so beautiful and my first Winter in the east coast was not as bad as I expected. I was very excited to see a pair of Canadian geese grazing this afternoon. I was so excited, it reminded me of a visit…
Loving Alpacas while Gaining Ecological Knowledge
I was very excited to visit the Alpaca Cass Farm in Davis CA. It will be interesting to compare the information I learned here with information I will learn from a visit to an Alpaca farm in NY in a few weeks. When I first entered their area, the Guard Llama, shown in the photo…
Parallels in Ecosystems
In a recent visit to California, I was very excited to see the Spring. In a previous post about Beebe lake in Ithaca, I noted that there is a harmony in nature, specifically through the photograph of the 2 geese in the center of the photograph. Observing the geese travel in pairs was heart warming…
Age & Durability
It is amazing to imagine that Cornell University was founded in 1865 and is over 100 years old. As an educational institution that provides opportunities to develop intellect and contribute to a greater development of society, it makes sense for the University to exist for such a long time and have such a strong reputation….
Developing Narratives with Clothing and Connections to Place
I first met Audrey Acosta, one of the kindest designers ever, in Spring 2009 at the Whole Earth Festival in Davis California. I was charmed by all of her colorful one-of-a-kind dresses. In an internship with her, she explained that she traveled to India once a year and hand-picked recycled silks to use for her…
HELEN TREJO 