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FEBRUARY 9-15, 2020 WHAT'S UP! 9 Designers bring new life to reclaimed materials JOCELYN MURPHY NWA Democrat-Gazette I n the post-hurricane Caribbean, the inhabitants of "Once on This Island" find their home strewn with trash and other discarded debris that has washed in from the ocean. Tony Award winning costumer designer Clint Ramos was challenged to incorporate such items into his designs to reflect the islanders' resiliency and resourcefulness after tragedy. "The people in our show have gone through a natural disaster and are still able to find joy and, as they say, sing and dance and celebrate life," shares Christopher Vergara, associate costume designer. "That's what we hope that people can find in the costuming — things that people have said are useless, we find new use in them and bring them life." The musical includes a group of gods who rule over the island, and Ramos and his team were prompted to reflect the divine nature of these beings while incorporating those found objects. A group of Arkansas designers was also inspired to give new life to discarded, found and upcycled materials in a design contest conceived by the Walton Arts Center ahead of the musical's debut in Fayetteville. "Divinity From the Discarded: A Fashion, Apparel and Garment Design Exhibition" elicited statewide submissions for sustainable garments made from resourced materials. Vergara judged the entries, and the six winning pieces are currently showcased at the WAC. They will remain on display through Feb. 17. "There is a lot of ingenuity in how to manipulate some of these materials that were used to make these garments," Vergara says of the submissions he considered. "And it's fashion, so it's wearable art. So, how it looks in that lens was also an interesting perspective to the selections. "How do you create the divine from just the discarded and make commentary about that? That was the vision and the work of Clint Ramos and our director, Michael Arden, and their goal through this work. It was exciting to see that inspire other people to delve into this kind of upcycling fashion." The six winners were awarded tickets to "Once on This Island," showing at the WAC Feb. 11-16, in addition to the distinction of having their work on display at the performing arts center. Get to know the designers here: Q. Tell us about the work you presented for the exhibition. FEATURE "Every costume on the stage that is worn by the gods are all the things that we pick up at the beginning of the show before everybody walks in as we're cleaning the island," explains actor Tamyra Gray, who stars as the god Papa Ge in "Once on This Island." "So, you'll see me picking up Coke cans because they've been littered all across the island from the hurricane that came. And you'll see Agwe picking up plastic bags that turn into his beard." (Courtesy Photo/Joan Marcus) See Fashion Page 10 'Divinity from the Discarded: A Fashion, Apparel and Garment Design Exhibition' WHEN — Through Feb. 17 WHERE — Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville COST — Free INFO — 443-5600, waltonartscenter.org FAQ