The following article was reproduced from the original from the Times-News, a daily newspaper by Times-News Publishing in Burlington, North Carolina, Thursday, March 26, 1998.
Only an artist could look at a plain, white tuxedo shirt and see an untouched canvas. Burlington artist Walt Hodges saw it while the shirt was still hanging on the clothesrack.
What Hodges saw, he said, was a way to create a new style of shirt by adding characters, original modern paintings and more. Hodges found the tuxedo shirt four years ago while looking for gift ideas for his three older sisters. "I had first planned on doing an applique on a pantsuit for them, but that just didn't hit me like this did," Hodges said from his at-home studio in Burlington. "I bought three small men's tuxedo shirts and designed them by drawing one of my own designs on them first and then painting around the design. Then I put the shirts through rigorous tests of washing, drying and ironing. Of course, these shirts should always be hand washed and dried, but I wanted to see how durable they were." Hodges said that the paint -- and the shirts -- held up well. The gifts were well received by his sisters.
Hodges, a former stylist at the Positive Image Salon on South Church Street in Burlington, showed the photographs of the shirts to his clients and immediately began selling them. "Clients in the salon wanted them for their sons' proms and other uses," Hodges said. "Women wanted them to pair with leggings and even with a nice pair of dress pants." The tuxedo shirts sold for $100 apiece, and he said he has sold at least 100 of them.
His creations -- on shirts and elsewhere -- come partly from intuition, partly from imagination and, of course, partly from the clients' vision. "I'll ask people what they don't like, and that helps out a lot," he said. "If they start with what they don't like, I can work forward from that. Of course, sometimes I'll ask them what their favorite color is, and that helps, too."
Hodges also designed an Oriental-inspired fresco for Joe and Sue Rich of Burlington and a pair of lovebirds for the beach home of Dr. Howard and Rebecca Miller. Hodges said the Riches are personal friends of his, and he worked with them on detailing exactly the right type of painting to place above their doorways. "I like this kind of artwork because it seems to help people out," Hodges said. "A lot of times, people aren't sure where to hang their artwork, and this is a way to design their own by putting it straight on the wall -- no frames." Using acrylic paint that he described as environmentally-friendly and quick-to-dry, Hodges took four days to complete the Oriental fresco. That may seem like a dream come true to artists and painters who have to spend weeks on end waiting for paint to dry.
To Hodges, all of his work has been a dream come true. A stylist for 17 years, six of which were spent at the Positive Image Salon, Hodges said he calls his work "the perfect marriage between science and art." The work with color and design that a stylist does is similar to the care an artist takes with his paintings, he said. Although it was a difficult decision and a bit scary at first, Hodges said he decided in January 1998 to go out on his own and work at home. "I tell people I think I came into the world with a crayon in my hand," he said. "I don't remember ever not doing this. I can remember, as clearly as if it were yesterday, the time that I won my very first art contest -- it was in the second grade."
Although he still uses crayon in some of his works, he admits that he has come a long way since the second grade. Because texture, color and style are related to both his former job and his current job, Hodges said he hasn't found the transition to be rocky at all. He said it's been smooth, but a little quiet. "I miss having conversations with people all day," he said. "That was tough at first. But now, well, I just enjoy getting the work and helping people beautify their homes and their wardrobes a little bit."
In addition to tuxedo shirts, home design, and framed paintings and drawings, Hodges creates original paintings on boxes and bar stools. He also created a print called "Child's Play" for the Duke University Pediatric Eye Service, a division of the Duke University Eye Center. The print, from a colored pencil drawing, is designed to make the waiting area more kid-friendly. Although designing and creating artwork is satisfying, Hodges said nothing is more rewarding than seeing the joy that his work generates. "If that painting will make a child's day brighter or transport a parent back to a happy moment in his childhood, then I've done my job," he said.
Nadine and Bert Arico have organized a benefit for the Duke University Pediatric Eye Service featuring singer-songwriter John Stitt. It will be held at 7:30 tonight at Whitley Auditorium on the Elon College campus.
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