Natural Ambition

Karina Rodriguez dreams of creating upcycled clothing. “Most fabrics include plastic, which is hard to recycle,” she says. Karina, 18, is on her way 

to making that dream a reality. This year she is studying fashion design at Parsons School of Design in New York City. 

How did your idea evolve from there? 

I chose a color palette of neutral browns and burgundy tones to mimic the colors of fall when leaves change color and decay. I also selected organic materials for the fabric swatches, like hemp and spider silk, which are biodegradable and environmentally friendly. 

How did you create your work? 

I collected all the materials I wanted to use in the mood board on the left. Using those materials as inspiration, I made 25 preliminary pencil sketches to get my ideas flowing. I selected and drew four final designs using markers and pen. I cut them out and rearranged the elements until I found a composition that felt right. I kept the background simple and spaced the elements carefully to emphasize the variety of shapes and textures. Then I glued everything in place. 

What did you want viewers to walk away with?

I wanted viewers to think about nature and how paying attention to little details that normally go unnoticed, like the veins on a decaying leaf, can lead to a beautiful concept.

Do you have advice for aspiring artists like yourself?

Look closely at things in your day-to-day life. Inspiration is all around you if you are open to seeing beauty in the ordinary.

Karina Rodriguez won a Gold Medal for her design in the 2021 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

To find out more about this program, visit artandwriting.org