Tulsa’s First Thursday includes ceramic corsets
Tile and ceramic artist Nicole Moan is featured in OkEq’s First Thursday exhibit for April, with an opening reception Thursday, April 3.
Nicole Moan was born in Irving, TX to a family of artists and interior designers. Her parents often brought her along on projects and showed her skills of the trade. She began working with clay in junior high, but initially resisted and chose to pursue a career as a mechanic. However, "the creative urge would not leave me alone," and eventually, her love of tile and ceramic reemerged.
Moan’s tile work became more elaborate and experimental over time, and those instincts led her to branch out to larger projects with her designs. She has taken on efforts ranging from pools to entire rooms, back-splashes and movable walkways. While ‘store bought’ tile is sometimes asked for in projects, she much prefers to make each tile by hand to fit a project’s personality.
Moan first entertained the idea of shifting her abilities from tile to include clothing eight years ago. She wanted to develop a corset that fit her more comfortably than traditional designs that utilize wire or bone. The ceramic corset she developed hugged the entire torso, instead of placing uneven pressure along the abdomen and allowed for elaborate designs sculpted into the piece. A market quickly emerged that pulled clients from the gallery crowd and the fashion industry.
Nicole’s ceramic corsets are diverse and each is a unique piece of art crafted into fashion. The designs can be sleek and elegant, or witty with pop culture references, or even dark and intimidating with bondage overtones. Over the years, the corsets have become lighter and stronger and her visibility has grown, gaining her entry into countless regional solo and group exhibitions. After an appearance in New York City's Black and Blue Ball, she was the first person from the United States invited to participate in the Swatch Alternative Fashion Week in London.
The show at the Dennis R. Neill Equality Center, 621 E. 4th St., in downtown Tulsa, begins with a reception on Thursday, April 3, from 6-9pm. There will be a door prize drawn of the artist’s work. The show continues throughout the month.
Founded by a dedicated group of volunteers in 1980, Oklahomans for Equality/OkEq is Oklahoma’s oldest gay rights organization. From testing for HIV/AIDS and hosting the annual Tulsa Pride and Diversity Celebration to operating the Equality Center and documenting the Tulsa LGBT community’s rich history, OkEq works for social justice and full inclusion for Oklahoma’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) citizens and their allies. For more information, seehttp://www.okeq.org/
The Gayly – March 30, 2014 @ 11:10am