Category Archives: Shows

Storefronts Bellevue

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a big empty container to put art into

Back in July I posted about some shibori dyeing I was doing for an installation that was to be somewhere in Bellevue on a date to be determined for Storefronts Bellevue.

See those posts here:

Back in Seattle Again and It’s All Part of the Process

 

The project is coordinated through Shunpike, a local non-profit that helps artists and communities with the business of art. They manage Storefronts programs in Seattle, Bellevue, Auburn, and Mt. Vernon which match vacant storefronts with artists to activate the spaces. Artists get a small honorarium to create temporary (3 month) installations to enliven these empty spaces. I was juried onto the roster for Bellevue in late Spring but it’s been slow to get going. It’s a new program there and it seems that it’s taking a while to get all the cogs to line up.The coordinator I’m working with, Anne Blackburn, has been very helpful.

I finally have my location and my install date, December 18th, so it’s a good thing I got all that dyeing done this Summer!

Anne and I did a site visit last week. The space I’ve got is beautiful. Many of the vacant spaces are kind of grimy, or unfinished, but I lucked out. Apparently, the former tenant was a gallery, so it’s a clean open space with nice lighting. The main challenge of the space is that the ceilings are about 30 feet high. My original concept to hang my piece from the ceiling just isn’t going to work. I wouldn’t even want to be up that high on a scissors lift, even if I had the budget to rent one. Time to think outside the box. It was great to toss ideas around with Anne and I think we came up with a good solution. It involves cables, and no, I haven’t worked with them before, but it should work. Faith, remember?

Today my intern, Annie, helped out at the studio so I took advantage of the extra hands (and her young knees) to hang all the panels and determine their order. There are 28 panels, each 18 inches by 12 feet long, that will be sewn together into a single piece of fabric 12 feet tall by approximately 37 feet long. Because each panel is different, it took some looking and moving them around, and looking some more, to figure out the best arrangement. I think it has a nice flow.

Tomorrow, I’ll take a trip to the hardware store to talk about cables and connectors. Then, back to the studio, where I’ll set up my serger and start making a really, really big piece of fabric. It should work.

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Milestones

the studio gang

the studio gang on the ferry: Paul E McKee, me, Pam Gray, Anna McKee, and Claire Holguin

Fifty.  It’s a big number, all right.

I feel completely blessed by the many, many wonderful things in my life: health, family, friends, art, travel, delicious food, beauty, laughter, comfort.

On my birthday this week my studio-mates, past and present, took a trip to Bainbridge Island to go to the new Bainbridge Island Museum of Art and have lunch. It was a perfect way to celebrate. It was a gorgeous day for a ferry ride. We walked on and sat outside going both directions, absorbing the sun and taking in the natural beauty of our landscape. All the travel I’ve been doing this year has really helped me recognize the special place that I live–and this stretch of fine weather we’ve been having helps, too.

The trip to the museum was partially motivated because I had heard that a piece of mine was included in the opening exhibition. I was thrilled to see that not one, but two pieces are on display and that they are promised as part of the permanent collection! I also got to meet Greg Robinson, the Executive Director and Cynthia Sears, the Founder of the museum. Cynthia is the collector who purchased my pieces and has lent them (for now) to the museum.

my pieces in the gallery with work by Cecil Ross, Philip McCracken, and Christopher Hoff

my pieces in the gallery alongside work by Cecil Ross, Philip McCracken, and Christopher Hoff

It’s a beautiful, well-designed building just a short walk from the ferry. There is no sense of the stuffiness and formality that is often felt in an art museum. Instead it feels personal, like being welcomed into the living room of someone who has a really terrific collection and wants to share with you. Lighting is a big part of that sense of ease. The big windows, which have UV protection, suffuse the entire entire building with natural light and the art glows in it. Although they are diverse in terms of media, the exhibitions feel cohesive, the  voices of the Northwest artists singing together harmonically. The curators have done a nice job of creating vignettes where the pieces can tell a short story to viewers before they move on to the next conversation.

I highly recommend making a visit to the museum. The ferry, the museum, and a delicious lunch at Cafe Nola with terrific friends made for a wonderful entry to this next decade. I can’t say I’m excited to be the Big-Five-O, but as they say, it sure beats the alternative!

me with Heartwood and Parchment from the Madrone Series

me with Heartwood and Parchment from the Madrone Series

 

We Had a (Really Big) Ball!

IMG_9608Saturday was the 25th Annual Fremont Solstice Parade. I’m one of only seven people who has been involved in all 25, having gotten involved when I was just a youngster in my twenties. In the early years I was very active in both the organization and in making large-scale floats and costumes for the Parade. These days, I still wouldn’t miss it but I’m much less involved.

The ball gets stuck in a tree.

The ball gets stuck in a tree.

For the past four or years I’ve coordinated a parade ensemble called “Beach Ball Mayhem.” We bring a 12-foot-diameter beach ball and many smaller beach balls too and take over the street. It is terrific fun and very interactive. We toss the balls back and forth with the crowd and they run into the street and lie down to be run over by the big ball. Sometimes we “pop” the ball high into the air and let if fall back down. It’s always exciting because the crowd can tell that the big ball is just barely under control. Early in the Parade this year the big ball got  stuck in a tree momentarily before gravity slowly tipped it back down. The crowd went wild.

the crowd in the street

the crowd in the street

getting rolled over by the big ball

getting rolled over by the big ball

This ensemble wouldn’t be possible without my friend, Jay Dotson. Jay is a wonderful guy, terrific photographer, great dad, and happens to own a really big beach ball. Each year, when I call him about doing the Parade he says, “Let’s do it!” It’s all so easy, fun and family-friendly. And when we’re done, we just deflate the balls and store them for the next year.

Look for us again in 2014, this time NEON!

me and my family in the Parade

me and my family in the Parade

SDA Members Show

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The Member’s Show at Say Si Gallery is a gem. It is a non-juried show of over 130 pieces from all over the world and provides a terrific snapshot of what is happening right now in surface design. Felt, embroidery, dyeing techniques, slashing, burning, quilting, weaving, knitting, crochet, and even Elmer’s Glue were all well represented.

As interesting as the work was, reading the labels was another kind of education. Prices ranged from $1000 as the highest to the ridiculous lows of $100-$150. Most were in the range of $300 to $500. Other interesting reading was the way pieces were described. Some were labelled as “mixed media,” “mixed media textile,” or simply “fibers”. Others labelled every material and technique used, down to the adhesive. Labeling is something I’ve struggled with myself. How much information is enough? How much is too much? This is the kind of nuts and bolts information that would be good to talk about within SDA. Although it’s not nearly as exciting as talking about pretty things, how do we know how to value and represent ourselves within the art world, especially if there is no unified representation among ourselves? Food for thought, anyway.

The following are photos of work that caught my eye at the show, some of them prize winners, many of them not. Please excuse the photography here, it was difficult to shoot, and some pieces in dark corners didn’t make the cut.

Separating III, Amie Adelman

Separating III, Amie Adelman, fibers

 

Topography of Healing I, Fiona Duthie, traditional feltmaking

Topography of Healing I, Fiona Duthie, traditional feltmaking

Cabbage Interfaces with Skunk, Gwen Lowery

Cabbage Interfaces with Skunk, Gwen Lowery, machine stitching on canvas

Splash, Adrienne Sloan, cotton knit over wire

Splash, Adrienne Sloan, cotton knit over wire

The Persistence of Memory, Jane Dunnewold, mixed media textile

The Persistence of Memory, Jane Dunnewold, mixed media textile

Dreaming of Summer, Shirley Boudreaux, thread and felted alpaca

Dreaming of Summer, Shirley Boudreaux, thread and felted alpaca

Dreaming of Summer, detail

Dreaming of Summer, detail

Spring at Last, Miriam Otte, mixed media

Spring at Last, Miriam Otte, mixed media

Colorplay XVI, Sharron Parker, handmade felt

Colorplay XVI, Sharron Parker, handmade felt

Glass Bridge, Natalya Aikens, mixed media

Glass Bridge, Natalya Aikens, mixed media

Duality, Naomi Adams, batting, cotton fabric, cotton thread, textile paint, adhesives

Duality, Naomi Adams, batting, cotton fabric, cotton thread, textile paint, adhesives

Hiding, Laura Nicole Kante, drywall, crochet lace, tissue paper, graphite

Hiding, Laura Nicole Kante, drywall, crochet lace, tissue paper, graphite

Transmission, Mary Ann Johnson, surface design, dyed, hand stitched

Transmission, Mary Ann Johnson, surface design, dyed, hand stitched

Functioning System I, Mary Giehl, crochet thread on muslin with 30 coats of Elmer's Glue

Functioning System I, Mary Giehl, crochet thread on muslin with 30 coats of Elmer’s Glue

It Is a Tale Told . . ., Tamryn McDermott, hand-dyed cotton and embroidery floss

It Is a Tale Told . . ., Tamryn McDermott, hand-dyed cotton and embroidery floss

Elements II, Kate Stiassni, textile construction

Elements II, Kate Stiassni, textile construction

Element Earth, Beth Johnson, weaving, weft, and warp ikat

Element Earth, Beth Johnson, weaving, weft, and warp ikat

Hurricane Tracks, Nancy Crasco, silk organza, embroidery

Hurricane Tracks, Nancy Crasco, silk organza, embroidery

 

Meet Fish, A Close Encounter with Another Kind, Mary Livie, fiber art

Meet Fish, A Close Encounter with Another Kind, Mary Livie, fiber art

 

Gallery Day at SDA

Artwork by Elise Deringer

Artwork by Elise Deringer

On Thursday, the first day of the SDA Conference, we took a bus tour around the city to see most of the SDA sponsored shows. There were six stops on the tour including solo shows by eight artists and three group shows. There were also three shows at the Southwest College of the Arts which I saw a couple days later. Although it wasn’t the total fiber show immersion that I saw at Fiber Philadelphia, there was a lot of really interesting work and some real stand outs for me.

Conscription, by Janet A. Lasher

Conscription, by Janet A. Lasher

One of these was Janet Lasher’s sculptural work in paper at Parchman Stremmel Gallery. These simple forms standing in their rigid grid had a quiet power. Janet explained how she made the forms by shaping reed and paper over molds which she then cut apart to remove and stitched them up the back like a corset. She pointed out how, although they are all made on the same mold, each figure has subtle differences. Her use of scale, color, and multiples was very effective, bringing to mind issues of gender stereotyping and the commodification of women.

Residue #9 (Why I Wake Early), by Elise Deringer

Residue #9 (Why I Wake Early), by Elise Deringer

Renewal II: Contemplation, detail

Renewal II: Contemplation, detail

I loved Elise Deringer’s work at AnArte Gallery. She had several pieces from Residues, “A series of dye-based drawings investigating intentionality, chance, & the gesture.” These were made up of two layers of silk organza, dyed and sewn together like a large pocket, containing residues of sand, their marks accentuated by lines of stitch. Her other work at the gallery included large-scale painterly textile constructions embellished with salt. These were luminous and could hold their own in any exhibition of contemporary painting.

Changing Waters, by Nathalie Miebach

Changing Waters, by Nathalie Miebach

Changing Waters, detail

Changing Waters, detail

Gallery Nord had an exhibition by Nathalie Miebach, Changing Waters. Miebach interprets weather data in three-dimensional form through basketry. I have seen images of her work over the past few years but very much enjoyed seeing her work in person. Her work, with its bright colors and fantastic shapes, evokes the excitement and disorientation of amusement park rides while translating very real, and sometimes devastating, atmospheric conditions. She gave the closing talk of the conference and was a compelling and inspiring speaker. She explained how she came to this work and the way that the data she works with informs and shapes her sculptural basketry. I would love to have had a chance to see this work again after hearing her talk.

Untitled, detail, by Joan Morris

Untitled, detail, by Joan Morris

One of the group shows on the tour was Earth Friendly Alchemy: Explorations in Natural Dyeing. This show developed from a collaboration between nine artists, all experts in their fields, who explored using natural dyes while sharing their collective knowledge. The resultant show, with works by Catharine Ellis, Sara Goodman, Lisa Grey, Ana Lisa Hedstrom, Joan Morris, Elin Noble, Jay Rich, Valerie d. Walker, and Bhakti Ziek, is a document of a moment in time. Currently, there is a huge interest in natural dyeing, inspired by makers and teachers like India Flint, and responding to the “green” consciousness of the times. This exhibition was timely and appropriate as part of the conference.

Family Values, by Betty Jarvis of Baylor University

Family Values, by Betty Jarvis of Baylor University

PH (Potential Hazard) by J.P. Burton of University of Missouri at Columbia

PH (Potential Hazard) by J.P. Burton of University of Missouri at Columbia

The Phenomenology of Impairment by Katherine Hobbs of East Carolina University

The Phenomenology of Impairment by Katherine Hobbs of East Carolina University

The Phenomenology of Impairment, detail

The Phenomenology of Impairment, detail

The SDA Students’ Show at the Durango Building on the UTSA Campus was large, lively, and strong. Themes and materials were interpreted with skill and maturity. I was surprised and delighted to see a piece by one of my students from my workshop in Philadelphia, Katherine Hobbs. I might not have recognized her name in a room packed full of art, but I certainly recognized her face!

Form, detail,  by Portia Roy

Form, detail, by Portia Roy

Say Si Gallery had the SDA Member’s Show (which I’ll cover in another post) and also a small collection of works by Portia Roy, an emerging artist from Portland, Oregon. These small works were deliciously disturbing, pustules of silken tapestry bursting through a skin of stitched and sculpted cotton batting. The artist says, “Through construction and material, this work continues an ongoing exploration of the tension between allure and repulsion, ease and discomfort.” They were very effective, beautiful and horrible at the same time.

 

 

 

 

 

Mugogo -- The Crossing, by Naomi Wanjiku Gakunga

Mugogo — The Crossing, by Naomi Wanjiku Gakunga

Mugogo -- The Crossing, detail

Mugogo — The Crossing, detail

Entrances, by Naomi Wanjiju Gakunga

Entrances, by Naomi Wanjiju Gakunga

Another show I enjoyed was work by Kenyan artist, Naomi Wanjiku Gakunga, at the Southwest School of Art. Her works in recycled metals and crocheted wire reference the quilt in their patchworked construction. Surface design in the patterns and textures created by rust contrast with the shine of stainless steel. Traditional fiber techniques of basketry, weaving, stitch and crochet are translated through use of non-traditional materials. They speak of Gakunga’s Kenyan heritage with a contemporary voice.

This post is merely a short tour of what spoke to me on that particular day, and not a judgement by omission of the fine work that was presented by many artists. I find that through looking at art, and by paying attention to what appeals to me, I can find a way in to issues that I am currently looking at in my own work. On this particular day, simplicity is what I kept seeing. Learning and research are always personal. In an overwhelming abundance of visual stimulation, we can find a message to ourselves if we pay attention.

 

 

East and West of the Mountains

When I travel to exotic locations I’m always surprised when the locals express an interest in visiting here. Why would anyone in Paris or Costa Rica or New York want to come to our podunk little corner of the country? Seattle doesn’t have the history, the depth of culture, or the weather of the places that I like to visit. Although I’m happy to call the Northwest home, it’s sometimes hard to see why it would be a destination. This last weekend I took a trip that reminded me to look at both the forest, and the trees.

This was the long Memorial Day weekend and my husband and I traveled across the mountains to Tieton, a tiny town in Eastern Washington that is recreating itself as a center for arts and artisan businesses. It’s a noble cause led by Ed Marquand, a publisher of fine art books. It’s a leap of faith to see a vibrant center in this dusty and mostly deserted town but it appears to have taken root. It will be very interesting to see how it grows over the next 5-10 years.

the “Tieton Towers”

1920s book binding sewing machine

1920s book binding sewing machine

 

100 year old heavy duty paper cutter

100 year old heavy duty paper cutter

I have three pieces in Salsa, a show in Tieton put together by the Contemporary Quilt Art Association. The opening of the show was a good excuse to make the trip across the mountains to check the Mighty Tieton out for myself. The long weekend, and the prediction of bad weather in Seattle, made it even more attractive. We had a good time: saw the show which is high quality and varied, got a tour of Paper Hammer and the Marquand Editions Bindery, ran into some old friends and made some new, drank wine into the evening, slept on the floor of an old church, and had a lovely breakfast with fellow fiber artist Jean Hicks and her husband Ross, an old friend and one of the creators of The Fremont Troll, and their son Asa. It was great to catch up with Ross, it has been almost 25 years since the adventure of building the Troll. That was a crazy time!

Along the road in the Yakima Canyon

bluffs

Yakima River

On our way back across the mountains we took a scenic drive through the Yakima Canyon. It was beautiful with rolling hills and a riparian zone along the Yakima River. My husband is a birder and we are a good match for pace as long as he’s got his binoculars and I’ve got my camera. The geography and ecology are so different there and yet it’s only a 2-3 hour drive away.

aspen leaves

trail at the Umtanum recreational area

It’s always good to get home, even if you’re only gone overnight. Monday there was a minus tide of 3.7 so, even though it was damp and chilly, my husband and I went for a walk along the Puget Sound at Richmond Beach which is about a 20 minute drive away. That was a whole different kind of beautiful, and one that is very familiar. Vistas in shades of gray, a tapestry of multi-colored seaweed, crab molts and starfish, anemones and fish eggs clinging to a strand of seaweed, the shock of color of a wild rose all the more vibrant in the muted light. All of these provide a source of comfort and inspiration to me.

Richmond Beach Park

 

collar from a moon snail egg case

roe attached to the seaweed

beach cobble

 

Travel always resets me. By stepping away, I’m able to re-see what’s in front of me. Experiencing the new helps me appreciate the familiar. And reminds me of just how much where I live has to offer visitors from any part of the world.

One Small Piece

I’m working on a piece for the SDA Member Show at the San Antonio conference. I put together panels for three pieces and was going to finish all three and then pick the best one. Great idea but, with the cold I’m still recovering from and the fact that I’m leaving for a trip to Paris on Saturday (!!!), I decided one is just fine.

So I sat down at my sewing machine for the first time in over a month yesterday to do the stitching on the piece. Wow, was it a rough reentry! Some combination of the silk crepe fabric and the slippery rayon thread made for very uneven tension. That and the fact that the thread kept breaking made it a very frustrating experience. Once I moved on to the other panel of the piece it was smooth sailing which was reassuring. I haven’t lost my touch, after all.

the offending uneven tension

 

Working with the rayon threads can be so frustrating. I have some polyester thread made by Mettler which is great stuff but none of my local shops carry it anymore. It’s hard for me to pay the extra money to shop online. JoAnn’s carries all the Sulky rayon threads and I get them at 40% off when they’re on sale. They drive me crazy because they break so much but I love the luster they add.

The piece is just about done. Just the final stitching together and gluing it up to a canvas. I’m trying not to obsess about the uneven tension in my thread. I told my husband about it and he scoffed, “No one’s going to notice but you.” Hah! I’m entering it in a show of surface designers! If anyone’s going to notice, it will be this crowd.

One of these days I really should learn how to fine-tune the tension on my machine. I have a book but I’m such a visual learner that it doesn’t make sense. I really just need someone to show me. Anybody local want to spend 15 minutes showing me? I’ll buy you a cup of coffee!

ready to finish up!

the inside of the piece that won't be seen once it's finished

Profile in the Daily Art Muse!

While I was in Hawaii I was profiled on the Daily Art Muse blog. It’s a terrific blog written by Susan Lomuto and showcases contemporary fine craft. I’ve discovered many, many wonderful artists through her blog and am honored to be among them. Plus I had a huge spike in visits to my website!

Thanks Susan!

Madrone

It was a terrific opening! Lots of good friends and even a couple of sales. Below is the artist’s statement for the show.

Madrone

Along Puget Sound’s shores Madrone trees cling to rocky cliffs. The trees’ rough bark splits and peels away to reveal layers of brilliant orange contrasting with smooth green inner bark. Textile-like shreds surround the bases of these evergreen trees, with their muscular trunks and curving limbs. Shaped by wind and weather, the trees provide food and habitat for wildlife and their broad root systems stabilize the rocky soil, preventing erosion.

But Madrones are sensitive to environmental stresses. Many are dying in the San Juan Islands from diseases that may be linked to climate change. Deer, whose population is unchecked by natural predators, keep new trees from establishing. The groves are interdependent in ways not completely understood by horticulturalists and, when one tree is removed, the others will slowly fail and die. These trees do not thrive in cultivated landscapes, but only in nature, protected from encroaching development.

This new series of artwork is inspired by the beauty of the Madrones and also by their fragility. Fabric, which is fundamental to my work, provides a metaphor for the trees. The bark of the Madrone peels away from the tree, littering the ground with papery sheets like the scrolls of a vanquished civilization. Fabric is strong, its threads interwoven to create the cloth that swaddles us from birth to death, much like the roots of the Madrones bind the rocky soil together. And yet, cut just one thread and a weak point is created in the whole cloth.

Standing amongst the Madrones on land sacred to the Lummi tribe, I feel the trees’ ancient presence. They are lonely sentinels, emblematic of our region and the struggle for permanence in a changing world.