I've been helping put together an invitational exhibit at the Kerr Arts and Cultural Center in the Hill Country town of Kerrville, about an hour northwest of San Antonio. The exhibit opens next Tuesday, so it's about time I put a little bump here about it, right? Time Flies, my friends, Time Flies.
Here's the overview -- and check back daily for some little features on each of the participating artists.
Fiber Art Invitational Exhibit, 2013, Kerr Arts and Cultural Center
Cornels Gallery, 228 Earl Garrett, Kerrville, TX 78029-3634
June 3-23, 2013
Artists’ Reception, Saturday, June 15, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
How many different ways can a strand of silk, a length of thread, a spool of wire, a twist of wool be transformed from mundane material into beautiful, contemplative, energetic, imaginative works of art? The possibilities of fiber art will be revealed in an upcoming exhibit of work from eleven Texas artists.
Among the work on display: jackets that tell stories, paintings collaged with recycled fabric, plastic shopping bags woven into sensuous surfaces, silk scarves with intricate dyed patterns, animals sculpted from wool felt, landscapes “watercolored” from stitch, and mixed media work that juxtaposes hard and soft, structured and free-lowing. The exhibit will be on display in June at KACC in the Cornels Gallery.
The artists, invited to participate by executive director Debbie Mims and artist Susie Monday, were selected to represent the diversity of fiber art that is being created today -- art that uses traditional and contemporary textile techniques; functional, decorative, realistic, abstract and innovative work will all be represented in the exhibit. The artists include Barbara Attwell (felt 2-D and 3-D work), Susan Bradley (contemporary and landscape art quilts), Laura Ann Beehler (art cloth), April Dominy (fiber jewelry), Robin Early (silk shibori banners and art-to-wear), Naomi Wanjiku Gakunga (metal and fiber jewelry, baskets and wall pieces), Caryl Gaubatz (narrative garments), Susie Monday (textile paintings), Miki Rodriguez (innovative textile art), Rosa Vera (paintings with fiber collage) and Doerte Weber (woven art). Many of the artist will be present at a reception on June 15 to talk about their work and answer questions. The exhibit materials will include artist statements and a “touching” gallery of hands-on samples of the techniques used in the work on display.
The exhibit is concurrent with the biennial conference of the international Surface Design Association in San Antonio, and one of more than a dozen fiber art and surface design exhibits on the calendar in the San Antonio/Hill Country region. SDA conference members will receive a special invitation to the exhibit.