House history: This space housed mill workers a long time ago. It was built in 1847.

Art room: We wanted to move here for the house, and the location, and how it felt—that’s for sure—but having a room that would be all mine for Cotton Monster was important to me.

Fiber requirement: I was a fiber major at MICA. I graduated in 2004. It all started when I sold a lot of pieces from my senior-thesis show, which was all these monsters coming out from under a bed. That was the first time I was like, ‘People will pay me for these things?’

Mother knows best: My mom taught me to quilt. I started sewing pretty early on, beginning with pillows and little quilts.

Anything goes: The way I work is pretty intuitive, and when starting a new project, I don’t plan it out. I’ll just be inspired by the fabric and by whatever ideas are floating around—there’s lots of room for improvisation.

Where the wild things are: People have bought my work online, and I’ve sent my cotton monsters all over the world from New Zealand to Bulgaria to Japan and Singapore.

Exhibitionist: I’ve had giant inflatable works and an interactive monster installation called Belly of the Beast at Artscape and an exhibit at School 33 that is up for the year.

Room with a view: I’m usually pretty excited to come up here and have tried to make the room a place I want to be—I’m surrounded by things I like to look at and that keep me motivated. I love this space.

Fashion is art, right? Or at least it can be. 

The students at MICA aim to demonstrate that fact at the school’s two annual fashion showcases—the Experimental Fashion Event (April 5 at St. John’s Church) and the Annual Benefit Fashion Show (April 11 at the Brown Center). 

The shows will feature wearable art from the school’s fiber, graphic design, illustration, and sculpture students, as well as jewelry from continuing study students at the MICA Jewelry Center at Meadow Mills. 

The students were encouraged to push the boundaries of everyday fashion—creating eye-popping, one-of-a-kind works. 

More information and tickets are available at the MICA store, 1200 W. Mt. Royal Ave. and at store.mica.edu. For more information visit mica.edu/fashion.