American Visionary Art Museum gala
Putting together a creative, on-trend outfit to fit the garden theme of the American Visionary Art Museum gala came as second nature to
“We lived there in a time when we were occupied by Russians. There was a [recession]. ... If we wanted to have something, we had to make it,” she said.
In addition to remaking used clothes, Gaines said, she made dolls for her sister and herself to play with.
That led Gaines to a career that is blossoming here. Although she first started her business, Candy Tree Baltimore, doing candy gifts, she found customers were more enamored with the paper decorations she made for the boxes. So she adapted. Now, business is booming for the huge paper flowers she creates.
So when it came time to decorating herself for the party, she altered a dress she had been given, to match the evening’s floral theme while staying true to her own creative nature.