Maggie Tookmanian

Wayne, NJ, United States

About Maggie Tookmanian

I graduated from Parsons The New School for Design in 2012 with a BFA in Fashion. While attending Parsons, my senior thesis collection was chosen to be featured in the schools final fashion show. Immediately after graduating from Parsons, I interned for my fashion professor at Three as Four. He sought me out knowing my abilities working with materials more often used in sculpture than fashion. I was asked to create a full body suit made from 300 pieces of plastic mirror. I designed, cut, shaped, and attached each individual piece of plastic to the body suit. I then began working at a startup fashion company named Maiyet. As the assistant jewelry designer, I handmade jewelry using materials such as animal horn, bone and brass. After a year in jewelry, I became the assistant handbag and footwear designer. The company sent me to Italy to oversee the production and sample making at the factories where our handbag and footwear collections were being produced. Working alongside the craftsman inspired me to get back into fine art, which was when I began thinking about my life as an artist. For this reason, I started creating my first piñata drawing. Shortly thereafter, I left Maiyet and began exploring my vision. I became infatuated with the concept of a piñata, specifically, how its purpose is to be used and thrown away with no attention paid to the beauty and detail of its construction. With this, I decided to create piñata sculptures that exemplify quality and craft and are meant to be kept forever, contradicting their original function. As soon as I had a small collection of piñatas and drawings finished, I decided to look for outlets to exhibit my artwork. This was when I discovered The Other Art Fair, which gave me the opportunity to present my first collection of piñatas.

Education:

Parsons The New School for Design

Exhibitions:

The Other Art Fair Brooklyn 2019

The Other Art Fair Brooklyn 2018

Irwin Garden 2017-2018

Rosie Assoulin 2017-2018

Saks 5th Avenue Window 2012

John Varvatos Window 2012