Great Fiber Art in Southern Indiana

If you are close to southern Indiana (or making a trip in that direction) and are a fiber lover, you are in for a treat. Louisville Area Fiber and Textile Artists (LAFTA) has its annual juried group exhibition at The Carnegie Center for Art & History in New Albany, Indiana, from July 26-October 5, 2013. For a more traditional view of quilts, visit the Patoka Valley Quilt Guild exhibit at the Krempp Gallery in Jasper, IN. That exhibit runs from August 2-August 29, 2013. See this blog post for more information on that exhibit.

Now...back to the LAFTA exhibit...LAFTA, founded in 1995, is an organization of local visual artists whose work encompasses many surface design and construction techniques. LAFTA members are a very diverse group who share a deep appreciation and passion for a wide range of fiber arts. To find out more about LAFTA (including how to join) visit their website: LAFTA.

The juror for this exhibit (Beverly Glascock) said, "The selected entries are the ones that I felt succeeded the most in showing the incredible range of innovation that exists in fiber and textile art today. They include examples of hand and machine embroidery; beading; netting; dyeing; and screen-printing; mixed collage and assemblage."

I had the chance to take a few pictures at the LAFTA exhibit and thought I'd post some for you to enjoy. You really need to see the exhibit in person!

This piece is called New York, New York and was made by Felice Sachs. It has a pieced background and includes photographs, photo-transfer, machine quilting, and fabric collage. Felice says, "The architecture, crush of people, jumble of sights and images of New York City are overwhelming at times and always visually exciting...I wanted to capture a sense of that energy and visual stimulation using fabrics, photographs, paint and stitches." I had the opportunity to see this piece in various stages along its path to being finished. It was such fun to see the development of the piece from the idea to a finished product. I love the colors and how "busy" the piece is. That "busyness" truly gives me the sense of being in New York where my senses are often overstimulated!

A Touch of the Sea, 2012, was made by Lisa Leigh Payne. It is made with embroidery gimp, felt, beads, and ribbon. She says, "My fascination with embroidery begins with the simplicity of the needle, thread, and cloth. Through my work, these familiar materials transform the cloth's surface into a complex and organic design." I love Leigh's work because of the colors, textures, and the hand work involved. I truly LOVE hand work and can appreciate the time and love that goes into each of Leigh's pieces.

If you'd like to see more of Leigh's work, she currently has a solo exhibit called "Touching Your Inner Peace" at the Wayside Christian Mission's Wayside Expressions Gallery. You can see a demonstration of how she works on Sunday, August 11, 2013, from 12-4 pm (Eastern time). There will be a reception on August 18 from 2-4 pm. The exhibition will be on display through September 3. The gallery is open Monday through Friday 11-1:30 or by appointment. Wayside Expressions Gallery is located in the Hotel Louisville, 120 West Broadway, SE Corner of 2nd and Broadway Streets in Louisville, Kentucky. For more information, you can call the Wayside Christian Mission at 502-836-7661 or 502-584-3711.

Lisa Leigh Payne at the Wayside Expressions Gallery with her piece Tree of the Mother II.

Closeup of Tree of the Mother II.

This next piece is called Zion Sunset and was made by Marti Plager. It is made of cotton fabric which has been dyed, overdyed, and painted. She has also used flour paste and soy wax resist along with screen printing on the piece. The piece is machine quilted. Marti says, "I love to sew. The hum of my machine is like music as I bring to life the texture that I so love on the surface of the quilt. I derive great pleasure in exploring the variety of techniques that can turn white cotton fabric into color and pattern. Some of those explorations can be quite frustrating or lead to new ideas." This piece is already sold; so if you'd like to see it in person, you need to get on it!

This really is a good show, and the Carnegie is such a nice facility. Take in the exhibit if you get a chance. Make an afternoon of it; New Albany has some nice little restaurants and interesting shops to visit while you are in town.

 

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