Eastern European folk costumes

Polish folk costumes

Hungarian folk costumes

Romanian Folk costumes


It is true. I am obsessed with Eastern European folk culture. I've always been drawn to it as a pattern motif and now that I have actually been to villages and seen this stuff up close I'm even more hooked. I am particularly fond of the traditional folk costumes. It's the bold colors, the millions of layers and the utterly, overwhelming cramming of patterns into space that I enjoy. These patterns smack you in the face with an enthusiastic hooray. Like the loud pop of an opening champagne bottle, fireworks, a meadow in full bloom, or the crescendo of a song. These outfits speak to merriment and joy from a time and place where this was still a priority. In the face of poverty and struggle the spirit summons a refusal to be resigned and lashes back with bright bold colors. You see this again and again in lower-class populations all over the world. For this reason I like to surround myself with these fabrics and I find there colors and patterns creeping into my artwork as well.