Gallery
Click here to see a Fashion Show of Wearable Art created over the last ten years.
I was honored to receive the "Award of Excellence" at the Artwear In Motion fashion show held at The Textile Center in Minnesota in October 2004. Here are some photos of the ensembles which were in the show. The award was sponsored by the Goldstein Museum of Design.
See the Textile Center website for more information about their classes, shows and events: www.textilecentermn.org 
Runway photos by Richard Kain of Minneapolis, MN (612) 379-4253 See his work at www.mnartists.org
Artist's Statement: Artwear In Motion 2003 Theme: Creating the Future
This group of hand woven apparel was inspired by my dreams, Armenian family stories and research into Middle Eastern textiles and history . “The Itinerant Circus” is created from a dream about a matriarchal ancestor who was the leader of traveling circus performers. “Morcord’s Kimono” speaks of home life. Red and yellow are important colors in Armenian wedding costumes. In Armenian culture, each woman’s apron is unique, and expresses her own personal history. “Entari Ensemble” is my interpretation of a common Middle Eastern garment. “Hidden Stories” asks questions about what it is like to be behind a veil. The cocoon-like form of the cloak emphasizes this wrapping of women, but we can still move beneath the cloth. I have taken my ancestral past and mixed it with my present crafts of weaving and sewing to create wearables of the future.
A Special Commission
"I fell in love with Cynthia's work the first time I saw it. The rich symbology and beautiful colors are unique and beautiful expressions. I asked Cynthia to design a ceremonial robe for me to wear in conjunction with my wedding festivities. The result went far beyond my expectations. I wore this beautiful robe for the rehearsal dinner, after the ceremony and during our honeymoon and felt like a queen. As a sound healer and performer it is now a regular part of my performances. As I sat praying before my October concert, I could feel the power of the colors and the symbols that surrounded me. Cynthia is a weaver not only of material, but of magic." - Amy Robbins-Wilson
To learn more about Amy's work, see her website: http://www.amyrobbinswilson.com
Symbols
Explanations of symbols are from research into Middle Eastern rug designs, and my own intuition.
The Goddess is an ancient symbol expressing reverence for the feminine. The Triple Goddess represents the three stages in a woman's life: child, mother and crone. While weaving the Goddess, I unexpectedly felt a powerful energy in her image. The center image represents Fertility*. 
*Not just in a reproductive sense, but applying to anything people do.
The Home is at center top, the Tree of Life (the ancient, current and future family) at right and left, and the Comb (protects marriage) at bottom center.