MADEONEARTH

¡Luchadora Libre!

Like many artists, Los Angeles-based Sophia Allison her chic, pink wrestling ensemble with intricate started out painting portraits. But a fascination with embroidery and interior padding stitched from indi-WWE wrestling eventually led this painter down a far vidual maxi pads.) In 2002, Allison bought a sewing more unconventional path. machine and taught herself to sew.

Starting with a wrestling mask she already Since then she’s created a whole retinue of alter owned, she says, “I turned the mask inside out and egos, made from domestic or recycled materials studied how it was put together. I created a rough found around the house. Band-Aids, shoelaces, and pattern, and worked off of that to create the pieces various felts and fabrics have found their way into for my first homemade mask.” her work. One cape is hand-sewn from used tea

Allison’s interest in wrestling led her to lucha libre, bags, while some tough-looking headgear is crafted Mexico’s version of the sport, which relies heavily from deconstructed Converse basketball shoes. on the power of masks to alter and transform the A vermilion felt mask, dripping with shimmering identities of los luchadores. Still, something was pink threads, packs a punch. A flesh-toned, tapestry-missing. and-nylon mask has an eerily menacing appearance,

“I was disheartened that there weren’t many part ghost and part hosiery-horror-show. well-recognized female wrestlers — those that were Although Allison’s imaginatively feminine wrestling known in American wrestling were seen primarily as attire hasn’t yet entered the ring, it provides end-sex symbols,” she says. “This sparked my interest less possibilities to transform the contemporary in creating masks and capes that fit me, and these Everywoman into an explosive domestic diva — sort of became alter egos.” Supergirl, beware. —Annie Buckley

So how does a painter learn to design and stitch sculptures that double as wearable art? (Witness

>> Luchadora Masks: sophiaallison.com/maskindex.html

Photography by Chloe H. Park

24 Make: Volume 18