Fiberarts International

Keeping with my mini-theme of doing things out of the ordinary I went to an exhibit of part of the most recent Fiberarts International on Saturday with Maureen, Nancy & Dolores. We also had lunch.

The exhibit was at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles. The exhibit is on now through January 19, 2014. It is worth going to see. Not quilts, but inspiring in some ways.

I think I mentioned that I joined after a long hiatus of not being a member and one of the benefits was that I got into the exhibit for free. I went there ‘light’, meaning I took no sketchbook, no magazine in case people were late, no book, no camera. Getting in free kind of felt ‘light’ to me, too.

Lung of the City
Lung of the City

I almost didn’t go. Going meant not sewing, but then I decided that my machine would still be there when I got back. I think I needed to hang out with some sane people and Maureen, Nancy & Dolores were just what the doctor ordered. It turned out to be good, because there was a piece that I loved.

Lung of the City
Lung of the City

 

The piece was by a Hungarian woman and called Lung of the City. I don’t really like the name, because the word lung evokes pink fleshy bits that should not see the light of day.

This piece was named, because it had to do with the city in which the artist lives and how the parks act as lungs for the city. I am guessing she means cleaning the air that is polluted by exhaust and industrial output.

Lung of the City
Lung of the City

The photos do not show the airiness and light that you could see through the piece. The piece was made up of three panels that must have been 10 feet tall. They were delicate, but must have been heavy as well, because they didn’t blow around as we walked by.

 

One of the things I noticed about many of the pieces was the layering. The one shown in the many photos, Lung of the City by Eszter Bornemisza, was three panels hung one in front of the other. It was made from a grid of thread and newspaper. This was a wonderful piece, partially because of the delicacy and partially because of the way the piece used shadows as part of the work. The photos above do not do the piece justice.

This piece really made me think. Not boring kind of thinking about art, but more about me making art quilts. The piece made me think about maps and place and community and my place and other people’s places. This piece with the foundation of watching Sarah’s video has made me think about art quilts again. I want to use her technique; I just haven’t found for what yet.

I don’t want to replicate what Bornemisza has made, but I want it to inspire me to do something different.

With the beginnings of the above conversation swimming around in my head, I went into the next gallery and saw what is, perhaps, a transition to a piece inspired by Bornemisza’s piece.

Untitled by Rachel Meginnes
Untitled by Rachel Meginnes

A long time ago I made several (3? 4?) woven quilts. I was happy with them at the time and though there could be more in the series, but there was something that wasn’t quite satisfying about them and, as time when on and I learned more, thought more, I, frankly, moved on.

Those woven pieces, however never quite left my mind and Saturday they were back at the forefront, dusted off, rejuvenated, new life breathed into them.

Untitled by Rachel Meginnes
Untitled by Rachel Meginnes

I saw this piece, which is also layered, and it reminded me of those woven pieces. It gave me a new idea for one of those woven pieces. I haven’t thought it all the way through, but I never thought the other woven pieces all the way through, so perhaps that is a good thing? I jut have a clear a few things off my to do list, which I did a bit of yesterday and pick some fabric and then we’ll see.

 

The French Fries at lunch were excellent.

Author: Jaye

Quiltmaker who enjoys writing and frozen chocolate covered bananas.

One thought on “Fiberarts International”

  1. I loved that map piece also. It made me want to crawl underneath, behind, side, etc. to take in the view from all angles. I really like the art quilt map theme idea and would love to make some map inspired quilts. Maybe a CQFA challenge. I’m glad you enjoyed the museum and the french fries!

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