Leslie has been a costumer since the 1970s, and is back with new-found excitement after a multi-year absence. She creates original designs and historical interpretations, and has competed and won in masquerades at Westercon, Baycon, Balticon, Worldcon, and CostumeCon, among others. She regularly leads and participates in panels on construction techniques, costuming history, and large group collaborative costuming. Leslie can and will talk for hours at a time about her 30+ year career in cultural heritage and higher education technology; she specializes in the preservation of born-digital and digitized collections in libraries, archives, and museums. She has worked with the National Archives, the Library of Congress, the Getty, and several research universities.
Sessions in which Leslie Johnston participates
Saturday 22 April, 2023
Did you know that the International Costumer's Guild has an archive? And an online image gallery? The ICG helps to save the history of costuming back to its roots in 1939, collecting images and tracking down the stories behind them. Come see some highlights!
Sessions in which Leslie Johnston attends
Friday 21 April, 2023
Casual discussion with the ICG leadership.Note that this is separate from the formal Board meeting, which will be held earlier in the day.
Documenting your costuming work should begin at the design phase and continue after the construction is complete. Drawings and patterns, process photos, and journaling are all useful, but it doesn't end with your competition documentation. What happened to your work after it was presented? What did you learn? How can your experiences help other costumers?
Everything you always wanted to know about the Costume-Con Archives.
Saturday 22 April, 2023
Conductive thread and washable components have made incorporating electronics into costumes much easier. By integrating lights, sound, and other effects, costumers can bring their outfits and props to the next level. Come learn what's out there and how to incorporate it into your material fantasies.
Question and answer session with convention Chairs Erin Card and Beverly Warner for Costume-Con 42 in 2024.
Yearning for jewels to accent your period costume? Just love jewelry? Metal clay is a wondrous medium that starts as a soft pliable clay and, when fired, will transform into a piece of fine silver. This class will cover the basics of metal clay techniques from start to polishedFEE: $100 Pre-pay before the convention via Venmo or e-mail Jewelsbyoliviac@gmail.com