Elsa Ferguson

Artist Statement

This year I explored femininity, commitment, growth, oppression, and expression, through different mediums. Claiming four thrifted dresses as my canvas, I collaged themes into the fabric. The collages consisted of spray paintings, embroidery, chains, and images. My journey began with a casual denim dress. I called her the fashionable baby. At that point, I was still unsure of what direction to take but, as the year progressed I was drawn to the “higher” side of fashion.  Inspiration struck me through the designer  Guo Pei who styled without fear. She went grand and I thought, so can I. I continued restyling each dress with my own brand, but adding larger constructions- laced wings, a tulle cape. I had to learn new skills for each idea and this was gritting at times yet satisfying in the end. My three other dresses had grown up. 

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Elsa Ferguson is a junior at the Renaissance School in Charlottesville, VA. Her creativity was fostered at a young age at the Waldorf school where she learned how to connect with nature by building homes for fairies and painting all the colors in the sky. Her artistic style is very influenced by her natural surroundings, producing soft colored pieces of work with blooming details, though just like the seasons, her style is not fixed. She enjoys testing her limits and dancing along the border of artistically implausible. She dreams of thriving in New York City but spends her waking moments with friends, reading outside, changing her outfit for the 17th time and filling her life with the scent of lavender. She has a sustainable online clothing shop, named Necessary Treasures. She saves up all her money for travel and spends it on nothing else- except maybe gas for her soccer mom minivan and vintage finds at thrift stores. She won first place at the Judged Studio Art show and has had her photography exhibited at the McGuphy Art Center.