"High in Fiber" at the Abington Art Center by Dianne Hricko

 I really enjoyed visiting High in Fiber curated by THECOLORG. 

The exhibition presents works that span a variety of mediums, all using fiber in innovative ways. Whether through the delicate use of thread, the manipulation of fabric, or the sculptural possibilities of the materials, the artists push the boundaries of what fiber art can be. 

Liz Quay

The exhibition runs until [Jan 6 2025]. Admission is [free/price], and The Abington Art Center, with its beautiful grounds is well worth a visit. You can get a preview here https://abingtonartcenter.org/high-in-fiber-2/ I've included a few of my favorites .

Valarie Goodman 

Margery Amdur 

Well worth the visit. 

Dianne

 

'Peel' In Process by Barbara James

At this busy time, hand stitching can provide a meditative practice. I am currently working on a piece that is inspired by memories of my grandmother.  As I stitch “Peel”, I think of her peeling fruits and potatoes with me by her side. The piece gradually takes shape as I layer sheer silk organza and add hand stitching.  Here it is in process. 

Fond Memories of Good Company by Merill Comeau

A combination of recovering from an overwhelming schedule and living in the isolation of the pandemic has caused a shift in my impulse to make -- my conceptual underpinnings and the imagery I employ reflect my current sense of absence and presence.  Missing from my days is a consistent active engagement with others; present in my days is an increased awareness of my immediate environment.  The continuity in my practice is my love of working with repurposed fabrics, needles, and thread.  My interest in using traditional techniques in a new ways also endures.

In my ongoing project Fond Memories of Good Company textiles once used in my dining room and kitchen bearing the marks of food preparation and consumption are deconstructed then reconstructed into a patchwork ‘tablecloth’ which is then embroidered with outlines of tableware.  Infill stitches surround forks, spoons, and plates in a variety of styles evoke a possible record documenting the countless numbers of meals prepared and served.  

Hopefully, as we manage CoVid infections, we will return to shared meals with good company!                                                             Merill Comeau

In process: Fond Memories of Good Company by Merill Comeau

"It Helps Sometimes To Take the Long View" by Joan Diamond

  “It Helps Sometimes To Take the Long View” is my piece that has been juried into Studio Montclair’s upcoming exhibit called ViewPoints.   The show runs April 23-May 27, 2022. You’re in luck:  the opening is today! 3:00-5:00 p.m.  And if you come you will be treated to the talents of 51 participating artists.   In case you live far from NJ, below I’ve included the artist statement which  accompanies this piece and will explain more to you about the work.

2021. Wool, Silk Noil, Silk Organza, Acid Dyes, Single Use Plastic Bags, Thread. 52"H x 48"W

Like tectonic plates shifting earth’s features, lockdown imposed a paradigm shift in the ordinariness of reality.  Globally, collectively, our nests of normalcy shape shifted, morphed by deadly contagion, violent storms effacing landscapes born centuries ago, and twenty six million refugees seeking shelter in other lands.  Science drew its blood along political fronts.

This backdrop of chaos, isolation, and uncertainty caused me to reconsider my own complacency, my ideas about things precious, and, of loss: of loved ones, but also loss of culture and landscape. The title of this piece references a healing prayer by Shamanistic teacher don Oscar Milo-Quesada.  

Shibori is a technique with which dye records the shape and pressure placed upon a cloth that has been manipulated-crumpled, squeezed, folded, etc.  It is a process akin to the recording of forming geology in that the agents of change are memorialized. Shibori seems an appropriate visual metaphor for the thing that is bigger than our lifetimes:  the passage of time.  Working with what was on hand in the studio, mountain ranges, plastic, and timeless Shibori mix to ask:  are we mindful enough of what we hold dear? 

Detail