Chicago, Tammy Deck Chicago,Beads, Beads, Beads, Tammy Deck Illinois, Tammy Deck IL,
Felt Making,Beads,Knitting,Classes,Supplies and Gallery, lampwork glass bead making classes IL -
lampwork glass bead making classes Illinois - lampwork glass bead making classes
While at NIU, in addition to her course load, Tammy received recognition for costume design work
on several
NIU dance and theatre productions. It was also during her matriculation that she designed and produced
hand-woven and knit fabrics for Grass Orchids of Chicago. The designer for Grass Orchids,
Paige Mayberry, incorporated one of Tammy's hand woven fabrics into a dress she created for Oprah Winfrey
to wear to Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwartzeneger's wedding.
Tammy's focus for the first 10 years was to create original ArtWear pieces and present them to the buying
public. Each piece she creates is one-of-a-kind and may include one or more of the following techniques or
textiles she, herself, produces: hand weaving, hand and/or machine knitting, hand dyed/painted yarns and
fabrics, hand-made felt, laminated felt, recycled sweaters, appliqué, stitching, assemblage,
lampworked and/or fused glass.
In June of 1988, in partnership with her mother, JoAnn, Tammy opened her first mini-boutique within a
"retail incubator" located in Chicago's historic "Oldtown" neighborhood. From their
50 square foot retail space, they sold jewelry, apparel, accessories, fine art and home decorative objects.
Initially, all items were produced by the pair, but they quickly expanded their boutique space and began to
showcase the work of other Chicago area artists whose work they admired.
In May of 1991, Tammy formed another partnership with fellow boutique owner and wearable designer Zully.
The two ladies took over the "retail incubator" that housed their boutiques, Chicago Originals, Ltd.
Tammy served as the director of operations, overseeing the day to day business activities and the full time
staff for the 3 years they continued in this format.
During the fall of 1993, Tammy and JoAnn secured a commercial location in Westmont, IL -- a close suburb of Chicago
-- and TLD Design Center & Gallery
was created.
The initial intent for their space was to provide a gallery setting for their own work and to function as Tammy's
working studio. It was a full year before the Gallery opened to the public.
In the spring of 1995, in response to repeated inquiries, Tammy began offering creative art classes in this location.
Her very first class was Beginner Level Weaving Skills. Currently the Design Center offers well over
150 different classes with a core of Illinois Artisan instructors. Each year, several specialty workshops
are scheduled and led by nationally recognized artists.
Tammy founded "TLD Designs" in January of 1986 just one month after graduation from college at
the age of 22. Her hope at the time was to be able to follow her heart and sustain herself in textile fabrications
and wearable art.
Tammy studied fashion design at both Harper College - Palatine, IL, and at Northern Illinois University -
DeKalb, IL. She received her degree in Clothing and Textile Science with a minor in Fiber Art
in December of 1985. The next month, she began post graduate studies and a graduate assistantship teaching
sewing classes and textile/science lab.
Tammy L Deck ~ January 1, 2012
In November of 2004, Tammy shot two segments for the HGTV show "Crafters Coast to Coast" which initially aired on April 19, 2005 and re-aired on October 13, 2005. The show has been renamed "That's Clever" and aired on March 28, 2006. In the episode, Tammy demonstrates the creation process for her felted silk scarves and her glass hair/scarf/hat accessory she calls a "Passion Twist"
Gallery Exhibits:
2011 ~ Felt Inspired / Group Exhibit : Saugatuck Center for the Arts / Saugatuck, MI
Articles and Reviews:
2007 - The Doings Newspapers: "Art Exhibit illustrates what can happen when people take time to be creative" by Sandy Illian Bosch
2007 - The Doings Newspapers : "Suburban Art Groups are Alive and Well" by Jennifer Larsen Duda
2006 - Reporter/Progress Newspaper : "Artists in Action set for Summer Series" by Allison Swade
2005 - Reporter/Progress Newspaper : "Westmont artist will be featured on HGTV program" by Dave Fornell
2004 - Chicago Tribune : "Lye or no lye, making soap is a true challenge" by Sandra Swanson
2000 - Westmont Progress : "Gallery gives home to art in the suburbs" by Tricia Despres
2000 - Press Publications : "A gallery grows in Westmont" by Randall Mielke
1995-Daily Herald : "Creative mom, daughter find happiness working together in gallery" by Beth Wilson
1994 -Chicago Tribune : "Meet Tammy Deck, dream weaver" by Nancy Stetson
1991 - Today's Chicago Woman : "Space-Age Entrepreneurs Share your hopes, fears and rent with other in an incubator" by Tammy Deck
1991 - Entrepreneur Magazine : "Hatching a Business"
1990 - Bolingbrook Sun : "Bolingbrook woman weaves herself a business" by Karen Kaegebein
Tammy is a member of the Board of Advisors
Fashion Design Dept / College of
DuPage ~ Glen Ellynm, IL
Tammy is an "Illinois Artisan"
and a member of the following guilds / groups
Handweavers Guild of
America (Currently the President of this Guild)
Illinois Prairie Weavers Guild
Tammy's work is available through this website, at TLD Design Center & Gallery 26 E. Quincy St., Westmont, IL (630) 963-9573, at the Illinois Artisan Shop located inside the James R. Thompson Center at 100 W Randolph St Ste: 4-300, Chicago, IL 60601... as well as, a select number of art festivals in the Chicagoland area.
Click
here to see her art fair schedule
Tammy is available to lead workshops in
weaving, dyeing, felting, and Lampwork bead making techniques or to serve as a
guest speaker for groups and guilds. Please inquire for
fees, scheduling and travel discussion. Tammy@TLDDesigns.com