For me, and perhaps most of us, aprons are a utilitarian item that keeps our clothes clean while we cook or work. For some, aprons conjure nostalgic visions of our grandmother canning and the delicious smells of her kitchen. For Wendy Arnold-Leroux, aprons are a passion to make, collect and research. As the guest speaker at an upcoming tea at the Rahr-West Art Museum, Arnold-Leroux will explore aprons over the decades. Given Arnold-Leroux’s background, it is sure to be a captivating presentation.
Wendy Arnold-Leroux was raised in Manitowoc and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1970. She graduated with bachelor of science degree from UW-Madison 1977 and was a costume major before changing to a textiles major with a design minor. In 1984 she founded Genevieve Designs, a custom garment design studio that focuses on tailored, bridal, madrigal and general women and menswear. From 2001 to 2006, she worked at David Alban, LTD, as his in-house beading and hand-finishing sewist. She is married to John Leroux and has one son, Rhys . When she is not sewing, you can find her listening to music and training puppies.
Wendy Arnold-Leroux’s own experiences with and memories of aprons began with her own grandmother, who would teach her different types of handwork each summer during her annual summer visits. Cross stitching a gingham apron was their first project when she was seven or eight years old. Later in 7th grade home economic class, the first sewing project was a blue terrycloth half apron with edges bound with white bias tape. Wearing an apron like this one in the kitchen became a firmly entrenched, lifelong habit for Arnold-Leroux. In the early 1980s, Arnold-Leroux lived in England with Jim and Susie Miller. She remembers fondly the printed, full British aprons they wore as they worked together in the kitchen.
Wendy’s sewing was not limited to aprons, even early on. While in high school, Arnold-Leroux worked on costuming in the theater department under Paul Involstad and Jim Miller. She says, “I am one of the original Peter Quincers where I performed, costumed and generally pitched in (as we all did in those broke, early years).” She later served as costume head for Attic Theatre in Appleton one college summer.
According to Wendy Arnold-Leroux, each apron has a story, such as who made and wore it, where it was found, a special memory of it at a family meal or event, all sorts of interesting details. Stories reveal relationships, working together for a common purpose and often emotional feelings connected to them. Her own apron collection began 20 years ago when she volunteered to present a program on aprons. A retired teacher gave her about two dozen she had received as gifts throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Needless to say, Arnold-Leroux was hooked. She says, “from then on, I was on the alert for finds at St. Vincent de Paul’s, rummage and estate sales and, as I gave more programs, friends cleaning out their own or their parents’ homes passed discovered aprons on to me.”
One of her most treasured finds came at an farm auction, where her high bid of $5 on a box of household textiles unearthed a World War I souvenir apron brought home by a soldier for his mother or sweetheart, complete with embroidered national flags of all the Allies.
A few of her aprons tell stories of her own family. Her mother, Jean Arnold Sutter, after seeing one of the presentations on aprons, told her that she should at least have an apron or two that belonged to the family. Out of a trunk came a ‘60s classic full apron of her grandma’s, the likes of which she wore every day on the farm. The other family treasure is from the 1880s!
Every apron program that Arnold-Leroux gives is different. One focused only on aprons with floral motifs, another on different apron styles and more than one on varieties of surface embellishments, such as cross stitch, painting, netting and bead work. Of course, several presentations feature Christmas and other holiday-themed decorative aprons.
The program at the Rahr-West will have the theme “Decades,” where diverse styles highlighting usage and fashion trends reflect the current culture of times past and present. Arnold-Leroux says that attendees are in for some surprises, as she has couple of new items that haven’t been presented before. Participants are invited to bring a special apron and share their favorite story, to pass it around so all can enjoy it and be reminded of their own stories.
MORE ART FORWARD:
The Friends of the Rahr-West will present A Tea at the Mansion with special guest speaker Wendy Arnold-Leroux on Saturday, May 18, 2019, from 1 to 3 p.m. This event is open to ages 16 and older and costs $15 per person. RSVP by May 1 to 920-686-3090, [email protected], or on the Rahr-West Art Museum’s Facebook page.