HOT TAKE ON HOOPS by Jess Mcfadden

Curiosity lives in the artist, who walks through life asking questions. The artist cultivates sensitivity and patience, turning curiosity into projects. A gallery presents the projects of artists, for anyone who is willing to come spend some time with the art. What happens next? The art lives in those who have considered it, and enriches their curiosity as they walk through life.

Kate Towers brings curiosity full circle in her current show Hoops, a pop-up at Nationale. What used to be basketball hoops are now explosive woven sculptures. Wild combinations of fabric, cords, synthetic plants, yarn, and natural materials transform a commonly overlooked public fixture into something new.

Glucose, 2018, mixed media, 23.5 (h) x 12 x 1 15 inches

Each hoop puts a unique spin on Towers' concept and materials. Glucose, with its fluorescent yellow and pink knit body, entices viewers' playful inner child. It appears next to Paleo, whose aesthetic is more somber: a single black cord tangled up in itself. Both are deliberate yet expressive. Glucose has a looser body, while Paleo's stiffness resists gravity.

Paleo, 2018, mixed media, 26 (h) x 9 x 12 inches

Collagen Peptide, with a refined color palette and seductive textural details, speaks to Towers' background as a fashion designer. Her clothing sometimes incorporates elements of sportswear into modern, flowy garments. In her fashion design as well as hoop design, traditionally feminine aesthetics play with rougher athletic vibes. She seems to question the expectations of three worlds: fashion, sport and art.

Collagen Peptide, 2018, mixed media, 25 (h) x 12 x 15 inches

Two hoops, Plant Based and Gluten Free weave plant shapes for a more organic vibe. Speaking of organic, did Towers use food and diet-related titles to fortify the corporeal connection between art, sport and fashion? Either way, this body of work is inspiring. It feeds our imagination and invites us to see new possibilities in everyday fixtures. Towers reconsiders something we may normally pass without seeing: the iconic metal rim. She honors creativity in its purest form. She explores a wide variety of materials, abstractly and conceptually, while carefully honoring the desires of each material.

Plant Based, 2018, mixed media, 22 (h) x 17 x 19 inches

Hoops has been extended to January 29, so if you haven't made it in yet, now's your chance! The work photographs well, but it's a slam dunk IRL.

KATE TOWERS | hoops

Nationale welcomes 2019 with HOOPS, a pop up from designer & artist Kate Towers. With her series of sculptural (and lightly functional) indoor basketball hoops, Towers uniquely merges sport, art, and fashion. Woven and sewn from myriad materials including ropes, textile scraps, paper, and dried reeds, these hoops have an intentionally haphazard and eclectic vibe. They are an extension of Towers’ clothing designs; indeed, she has been experimenting with sport and fashion for years, often sewing athletic stripes down the sides of her garments, and gleaning inspiration from the aesthetics of sports culture.

Come by Nationale on Sunday, January 13 (3–5 p.m.) to toast to the New Year and shoot some hoops—but please, no dunking! :-)

Kate Towers is a Portland-based clothing designer. Self-taught through experimentation, an artist vision, and hands-on execution, her non-seasonal, one-of-a-kind pieces often borrow inspiration from nature, team sports, motherhood, and various themes of life. From 2000 to 2008, Towers was co-founder and co-owner of Seaplane, a renowned specialty shop in Portland featuring local designers and an innovative collection of hand-made clothing. It is there that Towers developed her own line and helped inspire the fashion scene that is now Portland.

On view January 10–January 22, 2019
Opening reception Sunday, January 13 (3–5 p.m.)

HELLO, LADIES!

Hilary Horvath
Holly Stalder
Kate Towers
Nahanni Arntzen
Sea + Pattern
Skin by Ori 

Sunday, December 18 (1–3PM) 

Nationale is excited to announce a special evening with clothing designers Nahanni Arntzen, Holly Stalder, and Kate Towers; jewelry designer Sea + Pattern; and featuring mistletoe from florist Hilary Horvath. Whether designing in fabric, clay, or flowers, these five artists create unique & beautiful work. Skin By Ori will be offering her amazing lip sugar waxing. For one evening only, come meet these rad women and experience their captivating ways. 

☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄ ☃❄

Hilary Horvath is dedicated to sourcing the most beautiful, local flowers to feature in her shop & for her clients. One of her favorite and distinguished customers has said, "not even in Paris are the flowers this beautiful." Hilary is constantly amazed and inspired by the offerings of the many flower growers with whom she is fortunate to know in the Pacific Northwest. Hilary Horvath Flowers is located inside Alder & Co in downtown Portland.

Holly Stalder is a clothing designer, bridal designer, and shop owner holding court at 811 East Burnside in Portland, OR. Her days consist of dreaming up and making fanciful clothing in her tiny treasure box of a store, HAUNT where her two clothing labels, HOLLY STALDER and THE DIAMOND SEA BRIDAL, can be found. She is sweet, likes to accept challenges, and loves anything over a 100 years old. Since she established her business in 2000, she has been featured in national magazines, including Elle, Martha Stewert Weddings, The Wall Street Journal, Bust, and Venus. She is hands down what Nationale has missed the most since moving to Division in 2014.

Self taught through experimentation and an artist’s vision, Kate Towers creates non-seasonal one of a kind clothing. From 2000–2007, Towers was co-founder and co-owner of seaplane, a renowned shop in Portland featuring local designers and an intriguing collection of hand-made clothing. It is there that she developed her own line and helped inspire the fashion scene that is now Portland. She works out of her studio—located at 1215 SE 8th, Suite C—during the hours of Portland Public School. Visitors welcome! 

Nahanni Arntzen was born in a teepee in Kingdom Inlet, 11 miles up the river on a sandbar, way out there on the Southwest coast of British Columbia, Canada. Partly inspired by the styles she grew up with, as well as for a desire to expand her everyday jeans and t-shirt uniform, Nahanni designs clothing to be worn anywhere. All pieces are designed and produced onsite in her studio in Portland, OR (located at 1215 SE 8th, Suite C).  

Sea + Pattern is a Portland-based minimalist jewelry line and lifestyle blog with an edge by Britt Campagna Hawkes. There she shares her unique perspective and provide inspiration to all lovers of design.

Skin By Ori is the practice of Oriana Lewton-Leopold, a licensed esthetician and certified Reiki practitioner. She specializes in holistic facials using organic, plant based products that incorporate massage and healing touch, as well as natural sugar hair removal. Sugaring is an art form dating back to ancient Egypt. Using a paste made of sugar, lemon and water, it is molded to the skin and then flicked off, gently extracting hair at the follicle. Oriana’s background as an artist guides her as she helps her clients tap into their inner beauty, enhancing what makes them uniquely lovely. Skin By Ori is located across the street from Nationale, within Luminary Salon.

SOFT SERVE UP THROUGH SATURDAY

Kate Towers’ pop up Soft Serve will be up through this Saturday (7/25)—only a few days left to check out these amazing pieces. Also, she’s replenished the rack with some new gems, and is offering all Soft Serve items at a 10% discount! Thanks to our lovely intern Emma Lou for modeling Kate’s rad terrycloth dress!

SOFT SERVE RECEPTION LAST NIGHT

Thanks to everyone who showed up last night to celebrate Kate Towers and the new creations she made for our special July pop-up, Soft Serve. We are hoping to replenish the rack by Wednesday, but there’s still a few little gems up for grabs…