One of our newest Buffalo Gals, Tiss steps into the ensemble originally created for Doty. The interpretation is of a woman born and raised in the woods of New York state, whose father passes away, leaving her with an elderly mother and many siblings to raise alone.
Having enjoyed sketching her brothers and sisters in their daily lives in America, the character gets a job with a local farm journal writing and sketching about women’s issues. Her fame spreads, and she’s able to support the family enough to get by.
Several years after her father’s death, an aunt (who got word rather late across the ocean) tracks her down to sponsor her to live and go to art school in Paris, France. This is at the time of the 1900 Paris Exposition where the character learns and studies the latest thing – Art Nouveau.
On completion of her studies, the character returns to the US to connect her earlier fame with her new skills, and spends the rest of her life as a single woman painting murals and portraits across the country and eventually into the Wild West of Wyoming where we find her in our show.
The ensemble is almost an “invert” of high fashion of the day. While her silhouette, skirt profile (number of gores, etc.) is correct to 1905, she wears her taffeta on the outside instead of as a petticoat as was fashionable at the time, and it’s all dark – whereas “proper Edwardian” at the time was all white. The bright citrine Art Nouveau authentic jewelry and sash pieces give dramatic contrast to the otherwise somber and “retiring” mood of the authentic black laces and silks.
We love this outfit because of its weird spin on high fashion of the day; kind of a “stick it to” those who might judge her, yet it’s done in such a subtle, demure, and feminine way…
… and Tiss is absolutely perfect for the character as outwardly she is calm and moves gracefully and slowly with dignity and ballerina-like posture.. yet if you peek under her hat at her eyes, you can see the rebellious woman of the early 20th century with keen analytical intellect, and a sharp business savvy to be the first of her peers to strike out on her own and support herself by her skills.
