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Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Bras You Won't Get Slapped For Looking At

Dozens of shiny car keys link together to lock in a pair of double D's, a busty garden of hope is embraced by a white picket fence, and Glinda the Good Witch casts spells of bubbles onto a pair of lucky breasts.

The creative bras on display in the entrance to the Center For the Arts are grabbing attention and raising awareness for a good cause.

Bras are made to go beneath clothes, but the beautiful brassieres created by the artists contributing to the UB Artful Bra Project created lingerie with the purpose to be seen.

The project started three years ago with the goal of raising awareness for breast cancer through the decoration of bras.

Mary-Camille Schwindler, senior staff assistant at the Registrar's Office and a leader of the UB Artful Bra Project, explained that the campaign started in 2009 when a friend of hers emailed her a website from the quilters of South Carolina who hosted an event named, "The Artful Bra." After bras are created, they are auctioned off and the money raised from the auction goes toward the American Cancer Society for breast cancer research.

In UB's first two years involved in the project, the campaign raised $3,000 from auctioning bras, selling calendars, raffle tickets, and other items like bookmarks and pins.

This year's raffle is a guessing game; ticket-buyers guess how many keys they think are displayed on a bra aptly named ‘Finding the Key to the Cure.' Layers of keys cover each cup and a prize will be given to the guesser who is closest to the number of keys.

Schwindler says that the UB Artful Bra Project gets new and different ideas every year, and the bras are always unique.

"I love it and I think they're getting better every year. The imagination is marvelous and they did marvelous work," said Joe Meachem, an economic advisor in the School of Engineering.

Not only do artists get to exercise their creative skills, but they also participate in this event to support a cause they feel is meaningful.

Diane Kruger is one of the artists on display this year and is an employee in the Registrar's Office. She created three bras titled ‘D-cup,' ‘The Missing Piece,' and ‘Molars, Bicuspids, Incisors, Oh My!' and says that she always creates two funny bras and one serious one.

‘The Missing Piece' includes assembled puzzle pieces with the word ‘hope' printed on each individual piece on the left breast cup. The puzzle is missing a middle piece, and what seems to fit there is a separate piece glued onto the right breast cup with the word ‘cure' on it.

"I'm a survivor [of breast cancer]," Kruger said. "It was a tough time, but everyone was very nice and helpful. I had great doctors. Everyone was very supportive. I have a great husband [and] family, so I can't say anything [negative]."

Kruger dedicated her third bra, "Molars, Bicuspids, Incisors, Oh My!" to her next-door neighbor who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and is going through treatment.

"[My neighbor] is a dental hygienist and I got all the stuff [to make the bra] from the dental office," Kruger said. "[The office] gave me a care package. My husband's cousin works at an orthodontist's office, so they all contributed [materials as well]."

Every bra will be auctioned off, with prices starting at $25. Schwindler explained there was a "bidding war" for last year's event between customers on a bra that was completely hand-beaded.

Bras will be on display in the CFA until Oct. 8, glittering and gleaming for a good cause and raising awareness on breast cancer.

Email: features@ubspectrum.com


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