P R O F I L E
Fantasies
from
fabric
and foam
by Duff Bishop
Robin and Arthur have worked together
many tim es during the past five years; they
met at Storefront Robin created the costumes
for Luna Pettibone s Epsilon Eridani and Ar­
thur helped her put them together.
Currently they are up to their eyeballs in
foam and fabric putting together several vita­
m in bottles for Great Earth Vitamins. Arthur's
bottles were the hit of the Great Earth Vitamin
franchisers convention this summer, accord­
ing to Dee Haflik, manager of the Washington
Street store in Portland.
In addition to the vitamin bottles. Arthur
Photos by Jay Brown
Wanna wear a vitamin bottle? How about
Manhattan's Chrysler Buiding? Mo problem.
Just tell Arthur Harold and he'll put it together
for you. He fashions costumes such as these,
and many others, out of fabric and foam.
Arthur has been making costumes since
he was in college. He graduated from Lewis
and Clark about 6 years ago and his first job
was in Ric Young’s costume shop at the old
Storefront Actors Theatre on Morth Russell
Street. That's where he made the Chrysler
Building for Rutabaga Country, a childrens'
show.
“I am a sculptor," Arthur says. "I make
sculptures which can be worn.”
A couple of years ago he made a very sexy
washing machine out of foam and peach
colored satin for another childrens' show,
which caused one wag to comment that it
m ight warp the kids’ minds. The show also
had a huge refrigerator complete with open­
ing door, all out of fabric and foam.
For about four years Arthur worked in
restaurants supplementing his meager
income with costume contracts, but now he
has gone into business with another costumer,
Robin Chilstrom. This past summer Arthur
and Robin made three huge Mike shoes,
Arthur's first. Robin's made about a dozen of
them, alone.
created a "Super Chicken" for Great Earth
Vitamins. On tap, Arthur says, is a Famous
Amos cookie for a store in Santa Monica,
California.
When Arthur can manage to tear himself
away from his sculpture/costumes, he
indulges his first love, acting. He recently
appeared in ART’s h it The Dresser, at the
Wilson Center for the Performing Arts. His
previous acting credits include Portland Civic
Theatre's Hot l Baltimore. Theatre Work­
shop’s Power (both directed by Melinda Pitt­
man), and Sumus’ O f Mice and Men and A
Midsummer's Might Dream, among others.
So, if you see a vitamin bottle roaming
Portland’s streets you’ll know it’s a home­
grown (home sewn?) product And inside is
Dalana Lyn, another Storefront alumnus.
Just Out. Oct 28-Nov 11.1983