RE: Dhekelia Lauren Lennon
Over the rainbow and down the rabbit hole is where you'll find someone who sees the world differently... Dhekelia Lennon is a unique, creative, ambitious Designer, Artist and Writer, inspired by history, disability, fantasy films, life and music! She loves to create detailed and fun work, exploring many techniques such as sewing, collage, drawing and photography! Dhekelia is not afraid to stand out and be different, just like her artwork! Search Dhekelia Lennon – Designer @DhekeliaDesigns and follow her dreams on Facebook!
Victorian Life
Museum Inspiration: For this Exhibition, the aim was to create a piece of work in response to Stroud Museum in the Park's collection. I love history but my favourite is the Victorian Era. The museum has a lot of items from all different parts of Victorian life, which was so interesting to see and fun to learn about! I especially loved all the clothes and accessories, and being able to see up close the decorative techniques they used then. I also loved the tiny ornate sewing equipment, the Christmas cards and the big photo wall which showed pictures from the past to modern day! I also noticed the museum had a lot of dolls. I collect dolls so found this really fun and interesting too.
Seeing these items and using the new information I had learnt, I was inspired to create a Victorian outfit for a doll and display it with a model house. I learnt that for most of the 1700s and 1800s, children and their dolls were usually dressed in miniature versions of adult clothing, so I created my outfit in the style of what would be worn by a Middle Class lady. I also learnt that until the invention of the sewing machine, and sometimes still after, everything was sewn by hand – including all the decorations! This inspired me to sew my whole outfit by hand, which includes a bonnet, dress and shoes. Just like in the 1800s, I decorated my outfit with embroidery, sequins, pleats, buttons, ribbon and lace with floral fabric. I researched Victorian hairstyles and, as my outfit is inspired by the whole Victorian era, I chose one in the mid-1800s and styled the doll's hair to match; hair pinned up at the back in the bonnet with ringlets on show at the front.
For the house, I wanted to show the kind of place a Middle Class lady would live while also linking to dolls and dolls houses. I've visited a few museums and have seen some real Victorian models with a little hole to look through, and this inspired me to make my model house interactive! Look through the windows and see what's inside!...
