Woven Wonders Exhibit

 

The application of fiber and textiles as an art form using traditional and nontraditional design weaves a world of woven wonder in this upcoming exhibit. Wonders of the Woven World, opening Dec. 18 with an Opening Reception from 5 to 7 p.m. (free to the Public) at South Haven Center for the Arts, 600 Phoenix St. Many of the artists will attend the opening event.

 

“The exhibit comprises sculpture, wearable art, tapestry and art quilts as forms for the beauty and functionality of the medium,” says Sarah Hess, Curator for this event, and Art Center Program Director. Renowned local, regional and national fiber artists will be displaying their works in this unique exhibit which is the first of its kind at the Art Center, according to Hess.

 

Artists displaying their fiber art are:

 

Midge Lewis, South Haven, well known for her creative wearable fiber art, says she likes creating hand-woven wearable art such as hand-dyed scarves and silk shawls, which she will feature at the exhibit. Lewis has participated in renaissance festivals throughout the state. “I look forward to being part of this exhibit and meeting the other artists,” says Lewis.

 

Jacqueline Skarritt, from Bangor, also looks forward to being in the exhibit. “I was honored to be asked to be part of this exhibit.” The watercolorist turned fiber artist notes she still likes watercolor but, “My heart is in fiber art. It’s a continuous learning process and it’s a blast.” Skarritt will feature hand-dyed quilts of various sizes and Shibori, which stands for the traditional resist dyed patterned textiles of Japan created by actions involving force and pressure. Traditional Shibori includes, in part, the Adire cloth of Africa and the fabrics of Japan and China.

 

Geary Jones, Grand Rapids, will present tapestry and sculpture. Geary has exhibited his works nationwide and has received numerous awards. He’s been featured in “American Craft”, “Fiberarts”, “Threads” and other publications.

 

Aron Lowe, Saugatuck, and BFA graduate of GVSU, will feature sculpture and decorative arts with 3D felting technique.

 

Ann Keister, Grand Rapids, the Professor of Art at Grand Valley State University, will display art quilts. Keister likes her images to feel contemporary while depicting decorative art of the past. She says she often merges visual ideas from more than one style or culture, and she enjoys changing her design for each quilt as she creates it. She was also a participant in Art Prize 2009 in Grand Rapids. Her works have been commissioned by Indianapolis Museum of Art and the Discovery Channel, among others.

 

Leslie Riley, Skokie, Illinois, a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago, will be displaying vibrant art quilts with themes of “plaid” and “ribbon”.

 

Sherry Konya, of La Porte, Indiana, displaying felted jewelry and wearable art, says she has been exploring fiber arts most of her life. Konya integrates various fiber techniques to create her sculptures, pictures and clothing items. Felting is her specialty and she teaches felting workshops throughout the Midwest. Konya’s work has been featured in galleries of Indiana, Michigan and Chicago.

 

Anna Campbell, who teaches art and design at Grand Valley State University, will be featuring sculptural works. She has exhibited her creations nationally and says she especially enjoys working in mixed media and installation.

 

Carol Gustavson, Grove City, Minnesota, a full-time Shibori artist, a Kimono maker and a Kanzashi artist (traditional Japanese hair ornaments), will present new creations she has never shown before. Gustavson is a student and performer of Fujima School or classical Japanese Dance, in Chicago and Fujima School of Dance in Tokyo, Japan. Her client list includes CBS, NBC, WGN television and numerous celebrities, dignitaries and Imperial families.

 

John Koch, Chicago Ill, will feature sculptural and wearable art. Koch specializes in design and construction of fashion accessories. In his Chicago studio he creates jewelry through a centuries’ old process of creating beads from molten glass, called lampworking. He uses techniques similar to those of glass artisans of Venice.

 

Wonders of the Woven World, exhibited from Dec. 18 to Jan. 17, 2010, is open and free to the public. Art works will be for sale.

 

For more information, call 269-637-1041, Monday, noon to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 1 to 4 p.m.   www.southhavenarts.org