Published: September 04, 2008 09:28 am            

Love of fashion to become career

Tatterson hopes to have own line of clothing some day

Ashland — Whipping together a dress or a purse is routine business for Holly Tatterson.

The 17-year-old Russell High School senior began sewing when she was 3.

“My grandmother gave me scissors and scraps of material and needle and thread and I started making Barbie clothes,” Tatterson, daughter of Deanna Tatterson and Jeff Tatterson, said.

She said both of her parents are creative as well, her mother making jewelry and sewing and her father enjoys photography.

When she was a high school freshman, her mother taught her to use a sewing machine.

“I really love clothes and started getting into different styles,” she said. “It was so expensive I didn’t want to burden my parents so I started making my own clothes. That way it’s exactly what I want.”

Tatterson plans to attend Omore College of Design in Franklin, Tenn., when she graduates from high school to study fashion design and merchandising. She said the school is very experience oriented, requiring students to serve an internship before they graduate. She said she hopes her internship will lead to employment and eventually, she would like to have her own line of clothing and “a couple of boutiques.” However, she’s already making clothing for Ashland resident and musician Rob McNurlin.

She also liked the school because it’s very environmentally conscious.

“I’m very into the green movement,” she said. “I only use natural textiles like cotton and linen and I use recycled material. I had purses made from old pillowcases.”

Her love for recycling can also be seen in her sense of room design, another area she enjoys.

“My first anniversary in the Pendleton was July and to celebrate, I redecorated the studio,” she said, explaining irregularly broken mirror pieces and vintage earrings and pins were used to decorate the back wall of the studio.

In addition to seeing her work in her studio tonight, the public can view some of her fashion designs Saturday, during Second Look Saturday.

A fashion show is set for Saturday featuring works by Tatterson and other Pendleton artists and modeled by friends of Tatterson and friends and family of some of the other artists.

The teen is involved in other projects in the community. She is president of the Drama Club at her school, she makes costumes for two local theater companies and she is director for Russell Educational Endowment.



The Pendleton Art Center on Winchester Avenue in Ashland is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays and during First Friday activities from 5 to 8 p.m. and the following Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and by appointment with the artist. To contact Holly Tatterson, call (606) 547-1272.

LEE WARD can be reached at lward@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2661.

        

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