Karen LaMonte is a contemporary artist whose works examine culture, identity and environment through the use of glass, ceramics, marble, bronze, and iron. In this video, LaMonte explains the meaning behind the materials she chooses, from the humble clay used in some of humankind’s first sculptures to the ethereal cast glass of her life-size dresses. (Written and narrated by Karen LaMonte; edited by Margot Buff; video by Steve Polaner; photography by Martin Polak)

For an earlier exhibit, LaMonte used a large printing press and ink applied directly to clothing to create semi-transparent prints of vintage fashion. These unique works, titled Sartoriotypes, capture the construction and texture of the clothes along with subtle traces of their owners’ stories. (Written and narrated by Karen LaMonte; edited by Margot Buff; photography by Martin Polak.)