Happy Holidays!

Facets of Fiber

I want to thank everyone who entered work.  There were 150 works submitted.    The jury selected 45 works for the show and there are 37 artists represented.  This was a wonderful response so thank you all so much!  I have a list below of the accepted artists, congratulations!

Video:  I have decided to do a slide show of artists working in their studio or with fiber in some way. I would love everyone to participate in this.  I think the more images we have the more interest in fiber art we can generate, so even if you are not in the show please send me pictures! Just email me digital pictures, I am asking for 1600 x 1200 ppi image size. (If you have no idea what this means just send your images and I will see if I can use them or if they will be too grainy.) I will be teaching myself this process so please bear with me.

Volunteers: I have a list of volunteers from the meeting and I will be sending you an email very soon.  If anyone else wants to volunteer let me know.  Thanks!

Save the Date:  Opening Reception  January 27, 2012 from 5:00 – 7:00pm.

Another Show Opportunity!   The State of the Art

We have another great opportunity to show our artwork!!  This will be at Red Rocks Community College in Lakewood from January 9, 2012-February 29, 2012. The Susan K Arndt Gallery is a beautiful space with case, wall and pedestal display available. The show will be titled The State of the Art. This is a ‘showcase’ of SDA and SAQA artists work; it is not a juried show so it is free to members.  We would like to show the scope of textile work today so in addition to quilted wall art we welcome art cloth, textile based book art, vessels, jewelry and garment accessories. We are thrilled that this space will allow us to showcase 3-D work and smaller work.

Because the space is very large we have few limitations on size (height limit is 8 feet) Small and 3-D works are welcome. You must include any necessary easels or props for display in either cases or pedestals.  Work for pedestals can be no larger than 28” wide and 28” high. The glass display cases give us a lot of flexibility to display smaller pieces as well as garment accessories such as scarves, purses, hat, jewelry, bags etc. If you have small work suitable for display cases we ask that you provide easels or props if needed.

An important detail is that the school does not provide insurance for your work. You must have your own insurance or waive the school of any responsibility. This may eliminate some of your work from a show. The facility does have lockable display cases and pedestals. Cameras and security are in place.

Please e-mail me or our volunteer Sandra Clark fiberart.clark@gmail.com with your piece name, short description, size and price if applicable. (The school will not facilitate sales but we will have contact information available for each artist.) We need your entry information as soon as possible.  We will be hanging the show on January 7^th so all work needs to be received by then.  We have several volunteers who are accepting work (Kristi Baca, Christi Beckman, Kate Cox and Liz Kettle) so when you email to submit ask about delivery options close to you.

Art work may also be mailed to: (Please include return postage and packing materials.)

Kristi Baca

10653 W. Berry Pl. Littleton, CO 80127

Liz Kettle

334 Winding Meadow Way  Monument, CO 80132

I know there is not a lot of time but take a look at the beautiful gallery space and just imagine your work there, lets take advantage of another art display venue!  I also would like to thank Scott Farmer for creating this opportunity for us!

Member Spotlight

Miriam Basart

All of Basart’s works are slowly and carefully hand-                 stitched.  She collects old embroidered cloths, men’s ties   and suits, women’s suits and skirts.  They are all cut apart inspected, cleaned then filed away to be used in   later projects.

The work process is slow.  “It’s never about speed” Basart commented.  Firstly she thinks, and then develops an idea — works it out in her mind — then, without photographs, sketches or patterns, she stitches directly onto the project.  She goes where the needle takes her.

  “My art is influenced by my childhood.  I grew up just outside       war-torn London.  The children at school wore striped sweaters that were in various shades with both thick and thin stripes.  These garments were made from remnants of wool left over from other hand-knitted garments.”

Textile artist Basart, embroiders and re-embroiders her cloth collection.  Because embroidery was once an everyday expression of women for many years, Basart works on salvaged, once used items that are no longer wanted, she makes them alive again.  She does not want to forget the original embroiders and machinists.  She holds them in high esteem!

From the punk to the exquisite from the grunge to the perfect; silk, canvas, rayon and wool – all are grist to the mill.  Course, fine, thick and slender – colored threads balanced with the awkward benign mistakes. Colors that blend or clash, light and shadow casting its own defects. Casual ideas are taken to extremes.

Miriam’s Website

Kudos!

Anne Vickrey Evans

Her work “Russet Bolero”  was accepted into the 8th International Shibori Symposium in Hong Kong, Dec.28, 2011 – Jan 2, 2012. At the Hong Kong Design Institute.  The exhibition is called “Animal Fibre: Art Informs Shibori”

This  piece is a bolero made of handmade 100% merino wool felt. It is studio-dyed using shibori resist techniques.

Scott Farmer

His work was accepted into the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum Men’s Quilt Exhibit in January.

The Business Corner…

In the Business of Dreaming the Impossible -Mary Hertert

Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said: “one can’t believe impossible things.” “I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”         (Through the Looking Glass)

Winter Solstice is earth’s rhythmic shift back towards the sun and returning light.  It is the time of promise for new ideas, and creative dreaming.  It is also the time we tend to fray our own edges with holiday preparation, work and worry about what we haven’t done, can’t do or don’t have time to think about.

My goal this time of year is to do my best to dream the impossible and see that it happens. I want to turn off or at least tune down that inner critique that says “there’s no use trying” and get on with the practice of losing the dual millstones of fret and worry.

In fact, several impossible things have come about for me.  I thought it impossible that my artwork would or could grace a clothing line.  That opportunity is in its budding stage.  I thought it impossible that my installation art would be useful as designs for interior office and home spaces. That opportunity is in its budding stage.  I thought it impossible that I would find space to work that I could afford. That opportunity became reality – and added bonus- fully stocked for a fiber artist.

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat. “I don’t much care where–” said Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat. “–so long as I get SOMEWHERE,” Alice added as an explanation. “Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”
(Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland)

The second part of this wonderful time of year is dreaming the path for the time coming up.  It is very true that if we walk long enough we’ll arrive somewhere but how often do we end up not where we want to be but where someone else wants us to be?  Without that knowledge of direction it becomes very easy to create a path that forever winds back on itself rather than connecting to other paths.  It’s the hardest question I have to ask myself.  Where do I truly want to go with my art (business, life)?  Once I choose my destination than I’m free to enjoy the journey with its many paths and characters I find along the way.

As the light returns I will practice dreaming the impossible even if it is only seconds a day.  I’ll be up to six impossible things before breakfast by the time spring equinox rolls around.  I’ll also dream of my destinations so that I don’t have to worry about which paths I need to take; allowing myself the luxury to take pleasure in knowing they are the right ones.

Here’s wishing you joy and good dreaming now and in the New Year.  I look forward to seeing you next year when we cross paths on the way to our respective destinations.