Creative Growth Art Center: Fashion Show | Art21 "Extended Play"

[TOM DI MARIA] Creative Growth is the first
gallery in the world

for artists with disabilities.

Today is our seventh annual fashion show
which we call "Beyond Trend."

This started with some of our artists
who were making clothing

and sewing their own clothes.

[Tom Di Maria, Director of Creative Growth
External Relations]

We had a spontaneous event
where they wore the clothes in the gallery.

People loved it.

So it's grown over seven years.

--[WOMAN] Hi!

--Oh, it's on your hat, I like that!

[DI MARIA] The artists are all getting dressed,

and doing their hair and make-up,
and everyone's really excited.

A lot of them have been making the clothes
they're going to wear for two years or so.

They really get to see and celebrate
their creative achievements.

[STYLIST] Are you gonna do makeup?

[ARTIST] Yes I am!

[STYLIST] Awesome!

Alright.

Thank you so much.

[ARTIST] Okay, that's it?

[STYLIST] Yeah, I think that's it!

[ARTIST] Okay!

[DI MARIA] Typically, they're visual artists.

They work at a table and
their work goes on a wall.

But when they get to express themselves physically,

and wear their art,

they become performance artists.

It really adds this other dimension.

It becomes this great celebration
of artistic creation.

[ARTIST] I'm Jamie

[MAN, OFF SCREEN] Hi Jamie!

[ARTIST] and this is my sweet outfit.

It reminds me of my aunt

and my grandma.

[WOMAN] She's like an ocean goddess.

[ARTIST] Oh, yeah!

[ARTIST] Okay, they'll probably need me.

[BREATHING]

[WOMAN] Hey, William!

[WILLIAM SCOTT] Force be with you!

[WOMAN] William, do you also have something

that you're wearing with
the Frankenstein mask?

[SCOTT] Yes, you got me a suit.

[WOMAN] The suit?

[SCOTT] The suit is downstairs.

[WOMAN] Can you bring it to me?

[SCOTT] I will bring it to you!

[WOMAN] Thank you sir.

[SCOTT] Yeah, I will bring it to you.

[Creative Growth Workshop]

[William Scott, Creative Growth Artist]

I'm making a Frankenstein mask.

Because I watched The Munsters--

I used to wear Frankenstein masks
when I was seven.

I used to go trick-or-treating.

I used to have Milk Duds,

because the store owner
used to put Milk Duds out.

I want to paint it after
the papier-mâché gets dry.

It takes five days to finish.

See that?

Oh, that's good!

That's good mask.

[Christine Szeto, Creative Growth Artist]

[CHRISTINE SZETO]
This is for the fashion show.

I have "Shake it Off,"

"Blank Space,"

"Black Blood,"

"You Belong with Me,"

"Style,"

"I Knew You Were Trouble,"

"Love Story,"

and "Get Out of the Woods."

Those are Taylor Swift songs.

[WOMAN, OFF SCREEN] Are you a big fan?

[NODS]

[Daniel Gardiner, Creative Growth Artist]

[DANIEL GARDINER] My name is
Daniel Derain Gardiner.

That's my first skirt-dress.

It's a velvet red skirt,

and the top is a black velvet

that I sewed together.

That one I hope will be in the fashion show.

--[GARDINER] That I made also.

--[WOMAN] For Charlotte?

--[GARDINER] And the purse.

I am always into making women's clothes.

[WOMAN, LAUGHING]

--[GARDINER] First time?

--[WOMAN] Yeah it is. I'm nervous.

--Are you nervous? You're a veteran.

[GARDINER] A lot of the people here
have all different kinds of disabilities.

--[INTERPRETER OFF SCREEN] Thank you very
much for coming.

--Thank you for filming me.

[GARDINER] There is some that
does the fashion show every year.

[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]

[DI MARIA] We have our artists with disabilities
who've made the clothes

and then we have professional models--
and they partner together.

That's very much the spirit
of what Creative Growth is.

You understand everything watching our artists.

You understand how they've grown as people.

You understand their obstacles.

You understand their differences.

You understand their creativity.

This is their time to shine

and you'll see it in their performance,
how proud they are of their work.

[GARDINER] Even though I have cerebral palsy

and also legally blind,

I don't let that stop me.

--This is what I've done.

So any of you that's in the audience
that is listening to this--

even if you're legally blind,
if you're deaf--

if I can do art,
with all my disabilities,

nothing should stop you with God's help.

[APPLAUSE]