It is such a pleasure to share the work of Charlot Meyer, our November Artist of the Month! Charlot is a friend from Minnesota, and impresses us all with her take on 1960’s apron styles made modern. Charlot’s designs have a nostalgic, yet practical appeal. Even the most reluctant chef might be tempted to put on one of these colorful aprons, if only to heat up a can of soup. We were fortunate enough to be able to chat with Charlot about her art, inspiration, background, and more. Here’s what she had to say….

WE:  Please tell us about your art...

CM:  My aprons are meaningful and telling artifacts of my life and the relationships I have with the women in my family.

They evoke memories of my Grandmother and Mother, who owned a sewing shop and made most of my clothes when I was young. They remind me of all the sewing and craft projects that my four sisters and I were involved in and fought over.

I feel like the aprons "tie" these women from my past to me. But the design details and fabrics are what unite me to the women around me now. My hope is that they do the same for my customers.

WE:  How/when did you start becoming an artist?

CM:  I started drawing the human figure and learning garment construction when I was in elementary school.

My mother owned a sewing shop when was in the 2nd grade. I started to sew about 5th grade. She taught me how the machine worked and how to put the patterns together.

I graduated from college with a degree in design communication. My profession is graphic/web design. Over the past several years I have become very interested in costume design. I’ve had the pleasure to work with the University of Minnesota’s Centennial Showboat, draping and constructing costumes.

I love fashion design from the '60s. I started collecting vintage patterns, reconstructing them to fit the modern woman's body. That’s what led to pulling together different apron patterns from different time periods to create unique designs that fit today’s women.

WE:   What do you draw inspiration from?

CM:  One word:  “Family”

I get inspiration from memories of my mother and my grandmother. My grandmother always wore an apron. She would even wear her apron while mowing the lawn!

WE:  Where are your favorite places to create art?

CM:  My home is my favorite place. I’m very lucky to have a studio in my house. During a crunch time, there is so much stuff in there that you can't walk through it. My husband is very organized and I'm like throwing things. I am comfortable in a creative mess like that. My father used to carve carousel horses and he had a shed outside. He’d be ankle deep in wood shavings...

WE:  What do you enjoy creating most?

CM:  I love fashion and costume design and the design process that entails.

Sketching, Painting, Pattern making and fashion draping, sewing --- it’s all of those elements to produce a piece of work. That sets me apart from being a seamstress. I create my own version of what I see and the different elements I have on hand to produce a piece of work. What I do entails the whole design process.

WE: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?

CM:  If you are interested in reading more, I’d like to refer you to a feature article in the Minnesota Women’s Press: “Feminists in the Kitchen.” (March 2009).

Also, one of my aprons will be published in: “101 One Yard Wonders” by Trish Hoskins and Rebecca Yaker. This book is in bookstores as of October 28, 2009. Barnes and Noble is offering a special issue with additional patterns.

Finally, I would like to mention that my aprons are for sale at the Weisman Art Museum Gift Shop at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN.

Dr. Debra Payne Chaparro is the Wandering Editor for Wandering Educators.