This is part 2 of
By A Thread, curated by
Nancy Moore at the
Ridgefield Guild of Artists, Ridgefield, Connecticut. It is an exquisite exhibition of fiber art. The show runs until June 19 with artist talks each Sunday 3-5 pm.
The art shown in this post is located in the second room/gallery of
Ridgefield Guild of Artists. There were a few pieces that I just could not get good photos of for various reasons, primarily user error.
Ellen Shiffman's column of felted work within boxes (far right in above photo) is one such work. When possible, I have linked to the artist's web site (just click the name) as well as include the aritst statement. Please forgive any typing errors and please let me know if you find any. Enjoy!
---------
Great Adventure
cloth, encaustic, wool,
wood, thread
---------
Marco
wool
Marco was my wonderful, beloved pet lory who died at the age of fourteen of a liver ailment. I always imagined him as a little boy--he was curious and plucky and always playing with one toy or another. I gave this rug to my daughter, who used it on the floor in her kitchen for a year or two. It's a rug, so I was happy for her to use it as one. It got a little dirty, but that's ok. Roz Chast
---------
Stuck on Band-Aids
beads, thread, band-aids,
seed beads, embroidery floss,
acrylic gel medium, crystal
---------
Philomena School Marm
beads, thread, upholstery fabric
---------
Redbeard
cut paper, nylon thread
Making "high-touch" and "low-tech" art is an integral part of my current studio practice. My recent explorations of color, texture, and form have involved repetitive visual pattern and eccentric network structure, inspired by the growth habits of flowers, plants, and vines.
The "ColorBeard" series of cut-paper sculptures is informed by my concern as a woman with the fine line between fragility and strength with in my personal life and in my work as an artist. The dynamics of tension and release are contained within the interlocking spirals of hand-cut colored paper, individually glued and tied together with nylon fishing line. Working with a more or less chromatic palette of primary to secondary colors, I intend each piece to evoke or embody a different emotional state corresponding with each color, mimicking an unruly mass of hair or "beard" cut and hung as a mock wall trophy.
RedBeard
was inspired by the myriad archetypal associations of "red": from "red-hot" passion, love, and lust; to violent , "blood-red" rage; to the beauty of a "red, red rose" bursting into bloom. JodiAnn Strmiska
---------
Le Réve Réversed
beads, thread
I became aware of Picasso's masterpiece Le Réve
after
reading about a now famous incident in which collector Steve Wynn
accidentally put an elbow through the canvas while speaking gesturally
to friends. I altered the image in my own way, first by reversing it and
then by reimagining it with beaded embroidery.
While
Picasso is noted for his ability to speed-paint his amazing images in a
few short hours, my tribute to his genius took countless hours over the
course of months. Peggy Dembicer
---------
Ode to Klee
hand-dyed wook
---------
Configurations VI, Salsa City
hand-dyed cotton,
variegated threads
"Salsa" is a spicy condiment or sultry dance--either way, this quilt
sizzles. This piece is part of my "Configurations" series, in which I
explore the use of different combinations of my hand-dyed fabrics, this
time all hot colors. I've added accents of black and my wonky piecing to
give the illusion of buildings. Norma Schlager
---------
Filling the Void series
mixed papers, plastic,
wool, drawer liners,
disassembled shoe bags
In my fiber work, I use the traditional crafts of rug hooking and
hand weaving to create three-dimensional wall pieces. Made with
contemporary materials, the work is both timeless and an index of our
time. I experiment with everyday, contemporary materials (various
up-cycled paper and plastic fibers, and grids, such as construction
fencing or disassembled polyester mesh bags), as they are abundantly
available fibers that reflect our time. Living in an era of material
excess, it intrigues me to work in a medium that originated from need
and a scarcity of materials. My work updates traditional craft
techniques while commenting on and reusing some of the excesses of our
modern consumer economy. Constance Old
---------
Chimaerrow
cotton lycra knit
Chimaerrow
is a pure fusion of opposites: soft against hard, shiny
against matte, contrasting colors. These elements are symbolic within
me: entropy combines with control, spontaneity merges with precision,
and artistry blends with a scientific approach. My own patchwork of
endeavors has covered the spectrum from fashion designer to surgical
technologist to classical bassist. I've become the creature I need to be
in order to survive. Sooo-z Mastropietro
---------
Artifact
photocopy, acrylic medium,
surveyor's card, thread
I'm drawn to foolishness, and have learned to trust the truth that
emerges when I turn to it as an art-making tool. And, of course, I can
laugh during the process of making the work. Always a plus. So, in
creating this piece I channeled fashion guru Tim Gunn as I perused the
cereal aisles of Stop & Shop for "an excellent source of fiber." Not
Whole Foods. Noooo. I wanted to go retro. I returned home with several
boxes of Kellogg's All-Bran, emptied the cereal in the garbage, and
dismantled the boxes. Then off I went to the UPS store with said
colorful cardboard. Maintaining my foolish focus, especially in dealing
with "my assistants" at UPS ("What are you doing with that?"), required
rigorous adherence to my vision.
The
resulting piece, formed from photocopies of cereal box cardboard, gloss
medium, thread, and cord, achieved the feel I was looking for: a visual
pun delivered in the form of a long-lost attic dress, a bit battered and
worn, from a long-ago time when large corporations weren't a source of
dismay, ad could offer us some fiber we could trust.
An artifact. Claire Watson Garcia
---------
Ravishing Red
hand-dyed cotton, Dupioni silk,
rayon thread
---------
Homage to Katrina
plaster, wood, silk
thread, metal
My art has always been my reaction to events in the world and issues
in my life. Three-dimensional assemblage commentary is how I describe
it... My focus has not changed in forty years. The devastation caused by
hurricane Katrina, especially to the Black community in Louisiana, made
me very sad. The sculpture you see here is meant to symbolize flooding
water, flowing tears, Black hands... It is my empathy incarnate, an
"Homage to Katrina." Nina Bentley
---------
Red Curve (Planar Signal)
aluminum and cotton
This story is a story of history. This story is a story of family.
This story yearns for connection and searches for its lines in the
passages of the sea. A Norwegian ship captain, a New England childhood,
and a deep love for the ocean all play a role in my own story. This body
of work is influenced by lineage and ocean travel that brought not only
goods, but also my family to distant shores. Jenny Walker
---------
Tied Up
hand-dyed recycled fabric,
recycled clothing,
hand-dyed rope
Tied Up
looks at the forces of dark vs. light, good vs. evil, male
vs. female, and power vs. weakness. Women from around the world are
asked daily to submit to what "their" society feels is the appropriate
behavior for a woman. Whether it is in her clothing, her sexual
demeanor, her words, or her freedom to choose what she wants to do with
her life. The words, "A woman who knows the ropes in not about to get
tied up" express how one person (the male) thinks that he has control
over the other person (the female), but in reality even if the rope were
knotted together the mind and spirit can never be tied down with any
type of cord--physical or metaphorical. This piece is intended to give
hope to all women, empowering them to never give up their power and to
always stay true to and in command of themselves. Linda Rae Coughlin
---------
 |
| Arlé Sklar-Weinstein, Through the Eyes of My Father: Tea Vendor |
Through the Eyes of My Father: Tea Vendor
digital image transfer, mixed fabrics
(original 3" x 2" photograph by Philip Sklar: Barbados 1940)
 |
| Arlé Sklar-Weinstein, Through the Eyes of My Father: Tea Vendor, detail |
---------
Protective Garment
silk, cotton, and rayon thread,
glass beads, velvet,
vintage buttons, metal trim
Occasionally I become aware of a part of myself that has perceived
the world in its own way and now wants to come forward, to explore and
discover in a new way what the world has to offer. Sometimes that's
scary! What if that brave element of myself that quests for growth could
have some sheltering raiment?
Protective Garment
was
inspired by this idea. A part of me wants support and love and could
wear this vest in order to feel strengthened and protected.
People
in many cultures believe that what you wear can offer spiritual
protection both by drawing in positive and by repelling negative energy.
In some Asian countries children are dressed in hats that disguise them
(as flowers or as tigers, for instance) from evil spirits who are
looking for vulnerable beings. People (myself included) often choose
colors and patterns to wear based on how they feel when they are wearing
them. There are cultural and personal norms for these choices.
Because I first became aware that this tradition exists in China, Protective Garment
has
some Asian references. The embroidered oval is similar to the rank
medallions indicating stature on royal court robes. Conflating rank, a
very rigid system, with the tenderness of protection, makes me smile.
I
chose Turtle because of her nature of being at home in many
environments, but I wanted someone a bit fiercer to strengthen her. I
found the Korean divine animal Shingu, a Turtle/Dragon, a perfect
protector and vehicle for going through transitions. Missy Stevens
---------
Sally Domesticated
hand-dyed brown kraft paper,
india ink, thread, branch
I utilize a large range of domestic materials to represent fragments
of my existence as an artist and a woman. My focus is primarily on
expressing emotions abstractly through material-based explorations. I'm
interested in constructing, being so involved with the work that it
becomes a true extension of myself. My work is a reflection on my
relationship to others, my observations, and significant life
experiences. A consistent theme is the expression of building,
destroying, and rebuilding; an acknowledgment of the vulnerability and
breaking down in life shadowed by a naive hope for the rebuild. Katie Bassett
---------
