Monthly Archives: September 2011

Connecting the Community through Art

by surfacedesignwa

We asked Barbara Zander to write about her new silk constructions for Evergreen Medical Center.

Art can transform a space, evoke an emotion, tell a story, spark a memory or inspire hope. I experienced this recently while working on two silk constructions for Evergreen Medical Center.

Art is an integral part of Evergreen They had recently completed two new buildings in Redmond and Woodinville, Washington and they wanted art for each of these buildings.  They also wanted the Evergreen staff and public to have a part in the creation of the art so they would feel a connection to the new buildings.

The design accepted for Woodinville is called “River Of Hope”. It has a “river’ meandering through the abstract piece. “Threads of Hope” is the name of the Redmond art. That clinic serves people from all over the world and Evergreen wanted that reflected. Threads seemed to tie everyone together.

For the public part of both pieces I dyed yards of silk ribbon.. I constructed small looms for the ribbon. Each building had two open houses for the staff and public. At each event staff and public were asked to write on the ribbon what hope means to them. Messages ran the gamut from hope for cures for cancer, health for their families, thanks to Evergreen for providing hope to their children’s names. Particularly poignant were the messages of hope for the victims of the Japan tsunami which had just occurred. After writing their message each person could weave their ribbon into the larger piece. As we all know, art speaks volumes and these two projects definitely proved that. There were long lines waiting to write their messages.

I then took those weavings and began to incorporate them into the final construction. Both constructions have hand-dyed and arashi pleated silk in panels that surrounded the weavings. The silk is mounted on textured aluminum. Each 70” x 36” construction contains 400 individual pieces.

The art was installed in May. Next to the art are the names of each person who contributed to the piece.

To see more of Barbara’a work:  www.barbarazander.com

And do take a moment to see her youtube videos about her process.

River of Hope

Threads of Hope

Janet Steadman has been busy……….

by surfacedesignwa
(Always click on an image to enlarge it)

Why3

Janet’s three small quilts, Learning Why, Why 2, and Why 3 have been selected to be in the High Fiber Under Five 2011 exhibition and sale at the San Jose Museum of Quilts.  For the past three years High Fiber has been a successful weekend benefit art sale created to generate support for both fiber artists and the Museum.

High Fiber showcases a variety of textile art forms including quilts, tapestries, sculpture, basketry, jewelry, wearable art, and mixed media pieces where fiber plays a prominent role.

High Fiber Under Five
San Jose Museum of Quilts
520 South First Street
San Jose, California 95113
October 22 – November 6, 2011

Janet will also have two quilts made in the eighties, while living in Houston, in the new book LONE STARS III: TEXAS QUILTS TODAY. The quilts will be on display at a special exhibit at the International Quilt Market/Festival Houston 2011 in November.  The two large pieces are Reflections at Sunset (made in 1987) and Spiral Progression (1988).  They will travel for the next year to other exhibits.

DreamFields

And if that isn’t quite enough, Janet will also have a piece in Quilt=Art=Quilt to be held at the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center in Auburn , New York.  The show will run from  October 30, 2011 – January 8, 2012.

New Bellevue SDA group to meet Sunday, October 2!

by surfacedesignwa

Hi, SDA Members,

Lynne Rigby and I have decided we’d really like to start having a regular meeting for SDA Members who live on the Eastside.  We’re hoping you can come join us for the first meeting and help shape the group and direction we’d like to go.  Our plan is to determine interest areas for our members, look at how we want to structure our meetings, discuss the upcoming WA state SDA Symposium, and do any show and tell or critique for items that we bring to the meeting.  Our fantastic WA state SDA representative, Peggy O’Heron, will be attending to help us kick-off our Eastside group.  We’ll be meeting:

Sunday October 2 from 2:30-4:30 pm
QuiltWorks Northwest – Classroom 2
121A 107th Avenue NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Phone: (425) 453-6005 :: Toll Free: (877) 295-7222

Please come join us!  If you can’t make it at this time, let me know that you’re interested so we can keep you in the loop of what’s going on.

Sincerely,

Christina Fairley Erickson

Ulrieke Benner Workshop- “Fundamentals of Sheer Felt Scarf Fabrics”

by surfacedesignwa

This from Lisa Bernhardt of the Pacific Northwest Art School….

Fundamentals of Sheer Felt Scarf Fabrics

October 14 – 16, 2011

A comprehensive introduction to making fine felt fabrics. Day One is dedicated to exploring fibers such as merino, merino/silk, bamboo/merino/alpaca, mohair, wensleydale and local Cotswold to make sheer cobweb felt fabric samples decorated with novelty fibers, soy, bamboo and silk. On Day Two you will work with fine merino roving to lay out and felt a lace-felt muffler. You can explore many designs and shapes, open spaces, carding/blending colors and color gradation. On Day Three you will create another light-weight neck wrap, this time using the nuno felting technique. With sheer silk or cotton fabric as your base ‘canvas’, you will sketch out your design. After making your selection of colors comes the fun part of laying out your personal imagery. Then the felting of your scarf can begin!

Please visit our website to register online on our secure registration page or call us toll free at 1 866 678 3396.

$365 tuition with a $50 materials fee

info@pacificnorthwestartschool.org

www.pacificnorthwestartschool.org

Ann Maki Needs Your Vote !

by surfacedesignwa

"Jelly Beans" by Ann Maki

Ann Maki’s “Jelly Beans” was selected as one of six finalists for the City Arts Magazine Fall Art Walk Awardas one of their favorite pieces displayed over the last few months in Seattle. That means she is nominated to win $1,000 and a profile in an upcoming issue of City Arts (print, online, social media etc) and we know how valuable that is.

The winner is chosen by the public at a party happening on Sept 29th on Capitol Hill at FRED, 127 E. Boylston. Ayone who attends gets to cast a vote, so they are encouraging Ann to bring as many of her fans, friends and family as possible and to stack the votes in my favor.

The party starts at 9pm and the winner will be announced around 10:30.

There’s a DJ, free beer and a full bar, killer visual projections on huge walls, and admission is free when you RSVP. It’s a really fun night and is sponsored by City Arts, Blue Moon Beer, 4Culture and SeattleArtWalks.org.

Here’s a link to the Facebook invite:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=276979878997085
You can RSVP on Facebook, or by emailing promos@cityartsmagazine.com with Art Walk in the subject line.

Please RSVP and go vote for Ann’s “Jelly Beans”!

The Gail Harker Creative Studies Center Open House This Weekend

by surfacedesignwa

Stephanie Metzger, Anacortes, WA

(Click on any image to make it larger)

The Gail Harker Creative Studies Center, which moved to La Conner in August to the renovated 1930’s dairy barn on Chilberg Road, will hold an open house this weekend, Sept. 17 and 18.

The event, which is free and open to the public, is a celebration of six graduating Art & Design students, who have just completed two and a half years of study, and the center’s move to La Conner.

It is the first time the general public will have a chance to see the grounds and the new classroom and art space of the landmark building, which was renovated by architect Allen Elliott in1999.

On display will be colorful multi-media artwork and sketchbooks of the six graduates as well as work from 18 other graduates.

Kim Weers, Woodinville, WA

The six graduates include Stephanie Metzger of Anacortes, Nancy Scagliotti of Bow, BJ Arnold of Olga, WA, Jarina Moss of Freeland, WA; and two Canadians, Margaret Joseph of North Vancouver and Marny Stevenson of Victoria, BC.

Center founder Gail Harker holds the equivalent of a PhD in textile and fiber art and in contemporary embroidery, also known as stitch.  More than 1,000 fabric artists, including several who went on to win national and international recognition, have studied under her.

The Gail Harker Creative Studies Center offers professional certificate and diploma programs, as well as shorter classes, in design and stitch.

Jarina Moss, Freeland WA

Anywhere from eight to 20 people take intensive, one-week courses at the center, where Harker or any of the center’s six instructors guide students through foundational studies of design, color or stitch. The certificate and diploma programs typically take two years and involve multiple one-week sessions interspersed with three months of at-home study to accommodate busy lifestyles.

The center’s shorter classes and programs include textile art, art and design, color studies, dyeing of fabrics and threads, felt and papermaking, painting fabrics, machine and hand stitch, and collage and other offerings are suitable for beginner to expert skill levels.

What: Open House and Exhibition
When: 17 & 18 September 2011 From 10 – 5 p.m.
Where: Gail Harker Creative Studies Center at 12636 Chilberg Road in La Conner

500 Felted Objects just published.

by surfacedesignwa
(Clicking on any image will enlarge them)

Whidbey Island SDA member Marianne Burr is pleased to announce the release of the new Lark book 500 Felt Objects  which includes two of her hand made felt pieces.  The book presents beautiful photos of the wide variety of objects being produced by felt makers from tiny adornments to room filling installations.  This book is just full of inspiration and has just been released to bookstores and on-line distributers.

To see more of Marianne’s work visit  http://marianneburr.com/

U W Certificate Program starting soon – a few spaces still available!

by surfacedesignwa

UW Certificate Program in Fiber Arts

Develop your artistic voice and the expressive and conceptual aspect of your work in any fiber medium with a certificate from the University of Washington in Fiber Arts.  Places in the program, which starts Oct.1, are still available.  Topics include the following:

  • How to bring yourself into your art.
  • Ways to stimulate your ongoing artistic creativity.
  • Conceptual strategies to express an idea, emotion or experience.
  • Examples from the history of art and craft for inspiration.
  • Professional art practices, ways to have your art find an audience, and preparation for an art exhibit.

You will leave this program with an enhanced body of work, a strengthened artistic voice, and strategies for ongoing artistic growth.  The program meets five Saturdays per quarter for nine months on the UW campus.  Your work will be shown at a closing student exhibition.

Apply now!

Applications are being accepted now. See complete program information, instructor bios, and application instructions at http://www.pce.uw.edu/

For more information contact:
info@pce.uw.edu
206-685-8936 or 888-469-6499