Culture Vulture  / Valerie Hoh Brings Hoh Couture Back To KW

By C.S Gilbert

“Every woman,” says artist Valerie Hoh, quoting friend and fan Rita Troxel, the Keys movie production maven, “needs a little Hoh in her life!” The sentiment is universal—certainly among those who have owned pieces of former local Hoh’s ashtonishing art.

That art over the years has evolved from producing and presenting metal sculpture to designer fabric art to her new Afro-beat collection, an individually crafted, clay jewelry line. This writer cherishes a shirt from her last show in town and a two foot-high angel from the days her studio housed metalwork artists including Cindy Wynn.

Afro-beat, along with fabric arts Rock & Roll, Reggae Rags and Rumba Wrap, will be introduced on Sunday, Feb. 7, 11 a.m. till 6 p.m. at The Gardens Hotel, 526 Angela St. The fashion show will begin at 4:30 p.m.

“Every collection is named after music because each genre seemed to fit so well. Rock & Roll is embellished to the max and makes you feel like a rock star when you wear it. Reggae Rags is a linen collection with cool frayed edges that includes hand painted and hand stitched tops and jackets and even hippy 60’s pants. Rumba Wraps is made up of translucent and interesting fabrics to create a lacy effect and can be used as a scarf, obi belt or fashionable head wrap,” Hoh said.

Each clay piece of jewelry in Afro-beat is hand built, carved, fired, painted and then sanded for a unique and organic look. Then all the pieces are assembled using rubber tubing, grommets and washers to achieve the tribal look she is striving for.

Hoh also designed a corrugated cardboard bag with multiple uses, as first a display for the pieces and then the bag each customer will carry away with their purchase.

Response to Afrobeat from Asheville to London and Sicily on her travels have been overwhelming, the artist reported. “A fellow designer advised, ‘You have to find the right chemistry between your designs and your customer.’ I take that advice to heart each time I design a new collection and I think Afrobeat really has that right chemistry,” said Hoh.

A former local, Hoh owned a successful gallery/store, Pandemonium, in the eighties in Key West and is also the tile artist behind the many colorful tropical house number tiles seen on residences and businesses in town. Her tiles can be found at Island Style on Duval Street. For additional details please contact her at (828) 242-1526.

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