Published May 11, 2006 in issue 0519 of the HooK.

By BILLY HUNT [email protected]

Art and fashion took center stage at The Jefferson Theater Backstage Friday night, May 5, as over 100 art lovers braved rainy skies to see the fashion designs of Alison Sharpe and the art of Allison Sommers at a First Friday opening and reception.

Sommers' drawings and prints drew viewers-- and buyers!-- with their clean lines and evocative subject matter. The influence of Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt is evident in her deconstruction of the human form in unusual, sometimes disturbing ways.

Sharpe's fashions are similarly bold. Models wearing her vibrant evening gowns added color and glamor to the opening. "The clothes you see in stores are usually bland," Sharpe says. "My goal is to make clothes interesting, elegant, and wearable."

Overview

The painting "Ghosts 1"

Leslie Channel, Heidi Pennington, Lauren Russo, Kim Corum, and Priya Curtis model clothes by Alison Sharpe

Leslie Channel and Heidi Pennington

Allison Sommers

Alison Sharpe shows off the back of one of the dresses in her show #