TLD DESIGN CENTER & GALLERY (ESTABLISHED
1993) Tammy
caught the fiber art and stitching bug early...by age 5 her creative mother, JoAnn, was
teaching and enabling all of her creative interests. She began sewing for Barbie,
stitching
needle-point florals for grandma, altering and embroidering her own jeans. Learned
to knit with mom in 6th grade. She was the consummate DIYer... making candles, perfume,
jewelry, basket weaving, home decorative items, gifts and fashion. She excelled
in junior high and high school sewing/stitching classes. She
sewed half a dozen costumes for the school's production of "The
Princess & the Pea". Tammy attend business
classes and work program with her mall job at SoFro Fabrics. She
entered and won a trophy in a business competition and even a medal down state.
Upon suggestion of her guidance counselor, Tammy graduated
high school a year early.
Tammy immediately enrolled at
Harper College - Palatine, IL in fashion
design. Her desire to "make" her own textiles/fabrics led
her to Fiber Art at Northern Illinois University -
DeKalb, IL. While an undergrad, Tammy also stitched costumes and
received recognition for her work on several
NIU dance and theatre productions. Tammy held an internship with a Chicago
artwear designer who also purchased a number of Tammy's hand-woven fabrics,
hired her to machine knit their sweater designs and included Tammy's hand
weaving work in a dress for Oprah Winfrey. Tammy received a BS degree in Clothing & Textile Science (Major)
with Fiber Art Minor in 1985. Tammy went on to post graduate studies blending
the textile science & fiber art disciplines.
She received a graduate assistantship position teaching Sewing Skills 101 and
the T/A in Textile Science Lab while working on her personal concentration
in wet-felting, hand weaving and knit wearables.
January 1986, Tammy founded her label, "TLD Designs" (at the age of
22). She was
immediately involved in the "indie" and "slow fashion"
movement as she began making and marketing her
one of a kind ArtWear pieces. Her modest dream, at the time, was to
simply sustain and support herself in textile fabrications
and wearable art. Each item was, and continues to be, made by Tammy, one
piece at a time. Pieces may include one or more of the following
techniques: hand weaving, hand and/or machine knitting, hand dyed/painted yarns and
fabrics, hand-made felt, laminated (Nuno) felt, recycled sweaters/textiles, appliqué, stitching,
embroidery, assemblage,
lampworked, enamel 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 that boutique
allowing them the space to
showcase the work of other Chicago area artists.
In May of 1991, Tammy formed another partnership with 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 on Wells St.
September 1993, Tammy and JoAnn secured a commercial location in Westmont, IL -- a close suburb of Chicago
-- and
TLD Design Center & Gallerywas created. Initially, the space was a gallery setting for their own work and maker's
studio for Tammy. The Gallery opened to the public within 12 mos and in
response to repeated requests, Tammy began offering creative art classes leading
with Beginner Level Weaving Skills, knitting and felt making. The Design Center
hosts classes in a variety of mediums taught by Tammy, as well as, other local Artisans.
Tammy has attend as a student in all of the different mediums offered at TLD
Design Center to stimulate her own artistic growth and become educated daily
support for TLD students and customers.
The Westmont Gallery & Yarn Shop is open Wednesday through Saturday 11am to
6pm (no appointment needed for shopping) Tammy is on hand
daily (when not scheduled away at a fair or event) teaching, making,
Dyeing Yarn, up-dating
class schedules and social media. Sadly, JoAnn H Deck
passed away December 29, 2013. JoAnn
lives on through her
body of work which continues to be exhibited in various venues installed
by Tammy. On August 11, 2015, a Live/Work building was purchased in Berwyn, Illinois
and Tammy opened her second location for TLD Design Center & JAD
Gallery. Classes and Gallery Exhibits are now available in both locations. 2619 Ridgeland Ave Berwyn,
IL ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 2018, Tammy launched her new Line: "
Purple Cat Art" which includes hand painted yarns & warps,
hand knitting, felting and weaving patterns and kits....with more artful merch
on the horizon. May 2018, Tammy began exploring Acrylic Painting
Techniques including brush work with "Paisley Paint Box" Artist,
Christine Stuzynski and Acrylic Pour Paintings introduced by Patty Pulliam at
a TLD Design Center "Creativity Continuum" session. Chicago Area Events: Tammy's Westmont, IL Studio: TLD Design Center Studios &
Gallery: 26 E. Quincy St., Westmont, IL (630)
963-9573
Tammy's Berwyn, IL Studio:
TLD Design Center Studios &
JAD Gallery: 2619 Ridgeland Ave., Berwyn, IL (630) 963-9573
2018 ~ Best of Show
:
Glen Ellyn Festival of the Arts /
Glen Ellyn, IL 2018
~
1st
Place overall :
Art in Bloom / Cantigny Park, Wheaton, IL 2017 ~
Best of Show
:
Prairie View Arts Invitational /
Naperville, IL 20
2014
~
3rd Place overall : Art in Bloom / Cantigny Park, Wheaton, IL
2013 ~ Best of Show
: Art in Your Eye / Batavia, IL
2013 ~ 2nd Place 3D : Long Grove Art and Wine Festival
/ Long Grove, IL
2013 ~ 2nd Place in 3D : Hinsdale Fine Art Fair / Hinsdale, IL
2012 ~ Judges Award : Glen Ellyn Festival of the Arts / Glen Ellyn, IL
2012 ~ 2nd Place 3D
: Long Grove Art and Wine Festival
2012 ~ Award of Excellence : Art in Your Eye / Batavia, IL
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" June 2017 ~ "Art to Wear" Group Exhibit : Bloomingdale Park
District Museum : Bloomingdale, IL
February 2015 ~ "Ten Felt Hats"
Group Exhibit : "Hat or a Crown" Ausrine's Art Room Evanston, IL
January 2015 ~ "One Dozen Felt
Hats" Solo Exhibit : Orland Park Public Library
November 2014 ~ Featured Artist: Illinois Artisan Chicago
Gallery
Sept. through Nov 2013~ Hinsdale Public Library Solo Exhibit : Fractured Felt by Tammy L Deck /
Hinsdale, IL
2011 ~ Felt Inspired / Group Exhibit : Saugatuck Center for the Arts /
Saugatuck, MI
January 2008 ~ Sculptural Felt Hats : Solo Exhibit : Orland Park Public Library 2016 ~ Suburban Life
Newspapers: "Art Legacy: Artist Expands Family Business to
Berwyn" by Lee V. Gaines
2013 - The Doings Newspapers: "Fractured Felt show a textime (and
tactile) treat" by Sara Clarkson
2013 - Suburbanlife.com : Hinsdale Public Library Announces Fall Art Exhibit
2011- Western Springs Patch / Donna Sauers' Blog : Artists Spotlight
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 former member of the Board of Advisors Tammy is a
former, Adjunct Faculty Member /
College of DuPage / Glen Ellyn, IL teaching Textile Printing/Painting/Dyeing I and II / Weaving I and II /
Knitting Machine Skills I and II Tammy is a former "Illinois Artisan" and a current member of the following guilds / groups
Naperville Art League
Oak Park Artist Guild
Illinois Prairie Weavers Guild (past
President)
Pending: Feb
14th 2018 : Workshop: Bloomingdale Art Guild : Bloomingdale, IL
Pending: Oct 2017 : Presentation/Demo:
Midwest Collage Society : Darien, IL
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.
Past Work Shop:
Dillmans Creative
Art Retreats
Oct 2013 - Whitehorse, Yukon Canada :
Yukon Arts Centre : Artists Talk and
Northern Fibres Guild : Wet Felting Workshops
Tammy
L Deck: Entrepreneur/Award Winning Fiber Artist/Educator
Purchase her work:
IN PERSON:
ONLINE:
Awards:
2012 ~
Best of Show
: Art in the Park / Northbrook, IL
2012 ~ 2nd Place overall : Art in Bloom / Cantigny Park, Wheaton, IL
2012 ~
Best of Show
: Hinsdale Fine Art Fair / Hinsdale, IL
2011 ~ 2nd Place overall : Oswego Collaborative Art Fair / Oswego, IL
2011 ~ Honorable Mention : Hinsdale Fine Art Fair / Hinsdale, IL
2011 ~ Award of Excellence / Fiber Art : Naperville Women's Club / Naperville, IL
2010 ~ Award of Excellence / 3 Dimensional : Geneva Fine Arts Fair / Geneva, IL
2010 ~ Award of Excellence : Naperville Women's Club / Naperville, IL
2010 ~ 2nd Place / 3 Dimensional : Hinsdale Fine Art Fair / Hinsdale, IL
2010 ~ 2nd Place overall : Riverside Fine Arts Fair / Riverside, IL
2009 ~
Best of Show :
LaGrange West End Art Festival / LaGrange, IL
2009 ~ Award of Merit : Festival of the Arts / Glen Ellyn, IL
2009 ~ 1st Place Award of Excellence : Art in Your Eye / Batavia, IL
2009 ~ Hats Off to You : Prairie State Art Festival / Arlington Park Race Course
2009 ~ 3rd Place overall : Riverside Fine Arts Fair / Riverside, IL
2008~ Honorable Mention : LaGrange West End Art Festival / LaGrange, IL
2008 ~ 1st Place in Fiber Art : Art in Your Eye / Batavia, IL
2008 ~ 2nd Place overall : Prairie State Art Festival / Arlington Park Race Course
2005 ~ 3rd Place overall : LaGrange West End Art Festival / LaGrange, IL
2003 ~
Best of Show :
Fall Colors Art Festival (4th weekend) : Morton Arboretum / Lisle, IL
As Seen In:
August 2011 - "500 Felt Objects" Book by Lark Crafts
Tammy's Felted Silk Wrap Shawl (page 56) and
Felt Cuff/Bracelet (page 184)
Nov/Dec 2006 - "Belle Armoire" Magazine
Article and featured items by Tammy: Free Hand Felt Lace
Sleeveless Wrap Top together with several scarves.
"Altered Couture" Magazine 2006 (pg 146) Article and featured
hats & mittens by Tammy: Recycled Sweater Hats
March/April 2006 - "Belle Armoire" Magazine
"Arboretum Shawl" a felted Silk piece shaped like a Fall Leaf.
Summer 2003 - "Belle Armoire" Magazine "Summer Social" a square
brimmed Felted Silk hat and "Trellis" a Felted Silk, lattice patterned shawl.
ON YouTube:
June 20, 2009
On Broadcast TV:
Gallery Exhibits:
Articles and Reviews:
Affiliations:
Fashion Design Dept / College of
DuPage ~ Glen Ellyn, IL
Social
Media:
Traveling Workshops
&
Presentations:
Pending:
Jan 2019 : Workshop : Northshore Needle Art Guild : Northbrook, IL
2015 : Northern Wisconsin
Collage, Layering and Laminating
in Fibers
Click
here to see her