Category Archives: Fiber Fusion Traveling Exhibition

Teacher proposals needed (For Fiber Fusion Show!)

by SDA-WA Blog

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As you know SDA Washington Fiber Fusion juried exhibition is quickly approaching. We are excited to provide our visitors with opportunities to gain new skills and insights while attending the shows.

Classes will run in conjunction with each of the shows, and we are now looking for instructors to teach a variety of surface design and fiber related classes and workshops at Allied Arts Center and White Bluffs Quilt Museum, Richland WA.

 Dates are 1-23 June, 2016. 

 If you are interested in teaching in Richland, WA please provide the following information about the class or classes you would like to teach:

Instructor’s information                                                                                                                           Name, address, phone number(s)                                                                                                           Bio and/or resume

Class/Workshop information 

Class Title:                                                                                                                                                                             Class Description:                                                                                                                                                Target audience: children (give age range)/ adults/ artists                                                                   Skill level (any prerequisites required?):                                                                                                 Supply list (what students need to bring):                                                                                                Room requirements and equipment needs:                                                                                     Class fee (both what you’d like to be paid and an estimate of what you think should be charged for the class)                                                                                                                                Materials fee and what it provides (students to pay):                                                               Maximum and minimum number of students                                                                                Length of class (eg. 3hrs; 2 days):                                                                                                                Dates available/preferred:

Would you also like to submit this class to our other venues for Fiber Fusion?

VALA- Redmond  Nov 2016- Jan 2017                                                                                                Northwind – Port Townsend Feb 2017                                                                                              Schack – Everett March-April 2017

Please send proposals to:  event.surfacedesignwa@gmail.com

 

 Due Date (for Allied Arts): April 8, 2016

 

maura

Maura

This will be a wonderful opportunity to share your talents and processes with those who share our passion for fiber arts. We look forward to hearing from you.

 

Maura Donegan

Education Director, Fiber Fusion

Attention Eastern WA & Vancouver WA!

by SDA-WA Blog

Attention Eastern WA & Vancouver WA!

BE SEEN THIS JUNE!

alliedartsgallery_smHere’s another chance to be part of Fiber Fusion. Eastern WA and Vancouver, WA -area members are invited to submit up to two pieces of art to be displayed in a non-juried regional exhibition. Held in conjunction with our juried Fiber Fusion traveling exhibition in June.

This bonus opportunity provides members a space at Allied Arts in Richland where your work will be seen by all those attending the state-wide show. Best of Region award to be given. You’ll benefit from the exposure and publicity. Be part of the Event of the Year for Washington state SDA members. At least one piece is guaranteed to be displayed. Be part of this exciting event. Deadline: April 30 photo submission.

For more info or to enter the show, please see: Allied Arts Regional Non-Juried Art Show

Reminder – Fiber Fusion’s Call For Art Ends on March 20th, 2016!

by SDA-WA Blog

The Fiber Fusion Call for Entry deadline 
is 3 weeks away– March 20th.
Our wish is that we will have a full breadth of surface design artwork to show the public and that as many Washington State SDA members participate as possible. Let’s show the art world the innovation and creativity that is possible!
What is Surface Design
Does your artwork qualify as surface design? The question is still being raised. To me, this definition encapsulates it all, especially the last sentence:
Surface design refers to any process that gives structure, pattern, or color to fiber. Fibers used could include handmade felt, paper, fabric, or basket-making materials. Textile here is defined as any natural or artificial fiber or a non-textile element, such as metal, that takes on the properties of fiber or is used in combination with textiles. To these surface designers dye,paint, print, stitch,and otherwise embellish. More than the methods, surface designers are interested in the unlimited options for enhancing and experimenting with color, texture, and design.

Entering A Show – Good Photography Gets Your Work Selected

by SDA-WA Blog

Shop Talk: Good Photography Gets Your Work Selected

by LM Wood       (Originally Published in SDA Newsblog 03/20/2015)

 

Camera Setting

Camera Settings

Poorly lit photographs in unprofessional settings can kill your chances of getting your work selected for a show. Do you know how to set up your art, lights and camera to produce the most effective photographs? LM Wood produces an illustrated list of dos & don’ts to make sure your entries get seen.

Read the full blog article here: http://www.surfacedesign.org/newsblog/shop-talk-good-photography-gets-your-work-selected

 

lm-wood-from-SDA-website

LM Wood

LM Wood is an experimental artist living and working in North Carolina – as well as SDA Website Manager. Originally from Minnesota, she pursued a variety of careers before discovering art in college.  She received an MFA in Photography fromUniversity of Cincinnati and an MFA in Fibers from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL. Having been educated in a variety of diverse artistic styles and practices, Wood navigates between the domains of art, craft and technology. Her work is a blend of digital technologies and traditional processes, resulting in hybrid works that elevate process and craft to “high art”.

Entering A Show – Preparing For A Juried Show

by SDA-WA Blog

Pictures For An Exhibition,

by guest blogger Larkin Van Horn

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Larkin Van Horn

Jurying artwork for an exhibition holds no great mysteries.  A group of relative strangers sits in a darkened room while images flash before their eyes, from which they must somehow agree which to accept and which to decline.  Easy, right?  Not so fast.

Before they get to that point, they will receive instructions from the
organizer of the show.  These instructions can be as simple as “pick the best work” or “put together something cohesive”, or they can go on for pages.  Usually it is something in between.  The organizer will tell them
things like:  how many pieces to accept; how many linear feet to fill;
whether to focus on visual impact or technical proficiency; how picky to be
about any size restrictions; how closely the work should hold to the theme
of the show (if any); whether to accept controversial pieces (politics,
religion, nudity, etc.) and so on.  If the show is going to travel, the
jurors may be asked to select a sub-set for the smallest venue, or this step
may be left to the organizer.

Though some exhibits are juried from the actual artwork, most exhibits are
juried from photograhs.  And for every slot on the “accepted”
roster, there may be 10 entries or 100.  The jurors have to look at all
these photos and make their choices in one day.  They will start with a fast
run-through of all the entries, making no decisions.  The second time
through, each juror will make notes and vote “Yes”, “No”, or “Maybe”.  Those
entries with all “No” votes will be set aside.  Those with all “Yes” votes
will be accepted.  If all the stars align, the number of “Yes” votes will
equal the number of slots on the roster, and everyone can go home.  Not very
likely. The next step is to scrutinize the “Maybe” pieces to see which make
the most sense to move up to fill the roster.  There is a lot of discussion
at this point.  And then the final run-through of the accepted works.  The
jurors will be asking themselves things like “will this collection make a
cohesive show?”, “will this collection engage the viewers?”, “is this
representative of the organization?”.

To add furtmonkey covering eyes cliparther confusion to the mix, most juries are “blind”, meaning the photos are not accompanied by the name of the artist. So the jurors have no way of knowing if they have included something from everyone who entered, or if they have put together a 6 person show.  If the instructions to the jury included the requirement that every person who enters the show will have one piece in the show, then right before the final run-through one of the assistants will check the selected entries against the list of accepted pieces to make sure that hurdle has been crossed.  If not, it’s back to the
drawing board for the jurors.

Jurors come to their task with their backgrounds as artists, gallery owners,
museum curators, collectors, etc.  As much as they try to stay completely
objective, they are, after all, human.  Their personal tastes and
preferences come with them and will undoubtedly color some of their
decisions.  Accept this, forgive them, and carry on.
camera
One final note:  If the mantra of the real estate business is “location,
location, location”, the mantra of the juried exhibition is “photography, photography, photography”!  If they can’t tell what they are looking at, jurors will vote “No” and move on. Professional product photography can be expensive, and if you plan to do your own photography, remember a few things:
– No fingers and toes.  If your work is intended for the wall, hang it
up.  Don’t hold it up in the driveway.
– Don’t distract the jurors with houseplants, tablecloths, or anything
that is not THE ART.  If your piece requires a stand or support, make sure it is                            unobtrusive.
– FOCUS!  Make sure your photo is not out of focus.  Jurors won’t take
a chance on something they can’t see clearly.
– Get a second opinion.  You know what your art looks like, and may not
see any photographic flaws.  Have someone else look at your photos before                               submitting them.

And a last word about words:  the jurors may ask about the title of your
work, and even your artist statement.  Whatever you write, be clear,
concise, and let the words enhance the experience of seeing the art.
Don’t get lost in artspeak – say what you mean.

There will be future blog posts about preparing your photos for the entry
process and writing an artist statement.  Be on the look out for them, and
remember that the work isn’t done until the paperwork is finished.
And good luck!

Biography–
“Larkin is a member of the Northwest Designer Craftsmen, Studio Art Quilt
Associates, Surface Design Association, and serves on the Board of Directors
for The Grünewald Guild. She is in demand as a teacher and lecturer, and has
published books on beadwork, and patterns for wearable art garments and
fabric vessels. Her work has been displayed and won honors both regionally
and nationally, and is in many private and church collections.   She is an experienced Curator, Juror and Judge for fiber art exhibitions locally and for traveling exhibits.

Larkin grew up in Everett, and currently lives on Whidbey Island in
Washington State with her husband/photographer/webmaster, Van, and her
eclectic collection of fabric, fibers, and beads.”

To learn more about Larkin or her art, please see her website: www.larkinart.com

 

One-Fine-Spring-Day_tn

One Fine Spring Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gloria_tn

Gloria

 

Entering A Show – Step One, Create Your Art Inventory.

by SDA-WA Blog

Fiber-Fusion-Logo-Web-400x484Entering A Show – Step One, Create Your Art Inventory             Written by Barb Matthews

With the opening call for our Fiber Fusion Show in mind, we thought it might be helpful to review the various steps needed to create a successful application for any open call from shows or galleries.

We will be posting a series of steps designed to prepare you for applying to shows and galleries etc.  If you’re new to this process, these steps should provide you with some basic tools to help you stay organized and produce quality entries.  If you’re already participating in shows, these steps are a great reminder for you as well.  As artists, focusing on our art is always our desire, but in reality, a good amount of business needs to be conducted if we want to become successful!penandpaper

Before you even decide to enter your art into a show and complete a call for entry form, it is a good idea to create an inventory of the art you want to enter. The inventory will serve for insurance purposes and will be your record of when you finished your art, where your art was shown, the price, the materials, artist statement, and what has sold. Plus, having the inventory will make completing the entry form much easier.

Camera to computerMost shows will require you to name your photos with your name, usually last name, then either your first name or initial, the title of the art, and whether this is a full or detailed image, for example: Matthews_Barbara_Happier Days_Full.jpg.  Using that naming convention for all your photos makes the entry process that much easier.   If you organize your photos under one folder, you can easily find them when it’s time to complete the entry form. *More on preparing photographs of your art will come in a later post.

Below are some recommended fields of information that you could have in your inventory (Please note that not all of this information will be required by a gallery or show, but it important to track for business purposes!):

Inventory of Art, Definition of Fields

Field Description
Title of Piece The name of the piece as you would like it to appear on the label and in a portfolio.
Date art finished Month and year the piece was completed. If you are like me, this date is a few dates before the first show date.
Width in inches (whole numbers) Width in whole inches.
Height in inches Height in whole inches.
Depth in inches If the piece has a three dimensionality to it, then enter the depth in whole inches. In cases where a piece is not in standard rectangle shape, enter the maximum of the width, height, and depth.
Materials and Techniques Usually there is space on the label for one or two lines for the materials.   You will save yourself some editing later, if you stick to less than 120 characters (including spaces) for this field. The main idea is to include enough, so that the viewer has an idea of the process.   For example, ‘Hand-dyed silk using the Shibori method, wax resist, and machine stitching’. Please note, if you use a product that was made by someone else, you should note that, for example ‘Purchased hand-dyed silk…’ This prevents misrepresentation of your art to the juror and public.
Statement about the art (maximum 500 char) Here you talk about the inspiration for your art and hopefully draw the juror and viewer into the moment(s) when the art was created.   Colorful, descriptive adjectives and active tense make the description more interesting. To help, think of asking yourself the following questions:

1. What inspired you to make this piece?

2. What does the piece mean to you?

3. What is unique or special about the way you make it?

Speak from the heart and after the first draft, eliminate the lofty language that doesn’t add to the description and will only serve to turn the viewer off.
Insurance value If you keep good records of the materials and supplies used, you will have an easier time developing a value for insurance purposes. Unless you have a track record of sales on similar art, a claims adjuster will want this documentation of costs. The insurance value is not the price you place on a piece or the amount you receive after the commission is deducted. The insurance value will not change over time, but the price may.
Where art has shown  It’s a good idea to keep a list of all the places a piece of art has shown.  Many galleries or shows have rules about artwork having previously shown at locations close to them.
First venue where art was shown Keep track of where your art has shown, this will prevent showing in the same area/gallery in the future. This official name also is your reference in the future—was it Northern Lights Arts, Northern Light Art Center?
Dates shown The start and end dates of the show.
Price at that venue Price listed at this venue. This does not suggest that the price of the piece should change from venue to venue. Goodwill with the customer will not be preserved if a customer bought a piece at a higher price just weeks before seeing a similar piece in another venue at a lower price. However, that said, you may want to move your art and lower the price if there is adequate time between shows.
Second venue where art was shown Repeat these above four rows for the second, third and subsequent places the art was shown.
Images of piece Names and file locations
Full image Show requirements for title of image files are typically Last Name, First Name, Title of Piece, and whether an image of the ‘Full’ art or ‘Detail’ image.   These could be separated by underlines, for example—Matthews_Barbara_Ghostly Trees_Full.jpg. If you store your image with this name, the process to upload images for a call for entry will be easier. Images in a jpg format are universally accepted format. You should always retain an image at the highest resolution possible, so you can prepare an image that meets the requirements. On a PC, if you right click on the image and select Properties and Detail, you will see the resolution of the image and the dimension of the image in pixels.   On a Mac, Open any image in Preview and press Command+I.

There will be more on image size in a future post.
Detailed image (Ex: Matthews_Barbara_Ghostly_Trees_Detail.jpg)
Photographer This field is the name of the photographer, if you, then your name.   Photographers are artists too and should receive credit for the images.
Status of the art Has the art sold, what price? What was your share and date sold?
Name, Address, and email of the buyer To put on email list for announcement of other shows.
Awards Received Title and amount of award.

Inventory or Art Template

 

This is a template you are welcome to use for your art (The light grey fields are not required for the SDA-WA Fiber Fusion show)

Field Information about art
Title of Piece
Date art finished
Width in inches (whole numbers)
Height in inches
Depth in inches
Materials and Techniques
Statement about the art (maximum 500 char)
Insurance value
Where art has shown
First venue where art was shown
Dates shown
Price at that venue
Second venue where art was shown
Dates shown
Price at that venue
Third venue where art was shown
Dates shown
Price at that venue
Names and file locations of Images of piece
Full image
Detailed image
Photographer
Has the art sold, what price? What was your share?
Name, Address, and email of the buyer
Awards Received

 

We hope you find this helpful!  We’d love to hear from you if you have any feedback or suggestions!!

Sincerely,

The SDA-WA Team

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Social Media Intern Position

by ceartquilts

Social Media Intern Wanted!

facebookOverview

Jumpstart your social media career while networking with experienced artists.  The Surface Design Association in Washington State (SDA-WA) seeks a motivated and creative Social Media Intern, with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter experience . We’re looking for a creative communicator who would love to design/ execute a plan to promote our art event  You’ll be exposed to artists who show nationally and internationally and learn the inner workings of curating and mounting an art exhibit.  The internship position may run four to six months and you may be based anywhere in WA.

twitterSDA-WA is planning the first ever traveling exhibition of surface designers’ work in the US.  This will be a widely publicized and exciting display of textile-oriented artwork.  The exhibition will be held at four venues around the State: Richland, Redmond, Port Townsend and Everett.

For more information:

 

The Social Media Intern will help with various aspects of communication, marketing and outreach, including:

pinterest-logoResponsibilities

  • Assisting with social media messaging on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest;
  • Designing social media strategy around promoting both the call for art and the exhibition.
  • On occasion, documenting and posting/blogging about special projects and events;
  • Supporting public relations projects by researching and engaging media contacts across the state, working with the Marketing Communications Director to identify and pursue media opportunities, finding new ways to tell stories and raise the interest in artists in the Surface Design Association.

Benefits

  • Valuable insights into the nonprofit arts communication arena
  • Exposure to the ins and outs of marketing, PR, and community management
  • Opportunity to develop a social media strategy and execute the plan
  • Creative work colleagues
  • Exposure to Washington State arts and artists
  • Exposure to the international parent Surface Design Association
  • One-year membership in the Surface Design Association

 

instagram-logoSkills and Requirements

 

  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
  • Knowledge of social media– Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest
  • Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Word and Excel; familiarity with Go To Meeting/ FaceTime/ Skype
  • Ability to work in a team environment
  • An interest in non-profit communications, art, or arts administration
  • Attention to detail
  • Photoshop, video editing, and design skills a plus
  • Ability to commit to at least four months of part time work

Our interns will receive invaluable experience working on a project of wide scope, professional mentorship, and building a network of contacts in the art arena.  Interns will also receive a free one-year membership to the Surface Design Association.

Please submit a cover letter, résumé and a professional reference to event.surfacedesignwa@gmail.com with the subject line SOCIAL MEDIA INTERN. If you have a web presence, please supply a url or link.

While the position will remain open until filled, preference will be given to applications received before February 12, 2016.

Fiber Fusion Entry Form Now Live!

by ceartquilts

HeaderImage1Time flies.  It doesn’t seem like that long ago when talking about a traveling exhibition here in Washington state was just a dream a few committed surface design artists had.  But now, it’s becoming reality!  As of today, the entry form for the Fiber Fusion exhibition is now open!

http://sdafiberfusionshow.org/fiber-fusion-entry-form/

Get Ready, Get Set, DYE!

Get Ready, Get Set, DYE!

Please note that each artist can enter up to four pieces and there are four spaces on the form.  However, if you make an entry and then later want to enter another piece, you can come back and enter the additional piece(s), so long as you don’t enter more than four total.  If you’ve already paid your $30 entry fee, you don’t have to pay it again.

While opening up for entries may seem like a big step, our executive team has even more in mind!  We’ll be releasing a call for proposals for teachers for each of the venues, a call for regional art to go along with each gallery or art center, not to mention fundraising to put on the best SDA shows possible.

There's still plenty of time to make artwork for Fiber Fusion- Deadline is March 20, 2016!

There’s still plenty of time to make artwork for Fiber Fusion- Deadline is March 20, 2016!

 

Do you know someone or a company that might be interested in contributing?  We’d love to get sponsors and donors to support our publicity, juried prizes, transportation between venues, and educational components.  And the grand-daddy of it all… if we can raise the money… we’d love to have a beautiful print catalog of the exhibition!

 

If you or someone you know is able to help us out, please go to:

http://sdafiberfusionshow.org/make-a-donation/

You can use your PayPal or even just do a secure online payment with a credit card through PayPal without having to sign up for a PayPal account.

Special Thanks to Claire Jones for doing such a wonderful job on the Fiber Fusion website, as well as the fantastic volunteers working behind the scenes to set everything up for this incredible opportunity!

 

 

Regional Shows within Fiber Fusion – Guest Blogger Vicki Gerton

by ceartquilts

richland1 For those of us in Eastern Washington, the regional show at the Gallery in the Park in Richland, part of the Fiber Fusion SDA exhibit, is just around the corner. With the entry date in mid-April, we are feeling rushed. We are all excited about having a show of this quality make its first stop in the Tri-Cities in June. And since a number of the members of our group are new to surface design, we are excited that a component of the show is the regional, non-traveling, section that will not be subject to the rigid judging process. It will give those of us with less experience a chance to try our wings. We are fortunate that the Allied Arts Gallery in the Park will be large enough to accommodate all 25 of the regional designated pieces.

In the hopes that your group will get as excited as we in the South Central Group are about entering a piece in the regional part of the Fiber Fusion exhibit, I am sharing a few of our works “in progress.” Mardine Campbell has a beautiful piece of silk which she screen printed while still living in Florida. richland2Mardine grew up here in Eastern Washington and says the colors remind her our beautiful sunsets. She intends to embellish the silk with beads, silk thread, stitching, and perhaps foil.

Barb Sherrill, who is retiring after having spent the last twenty years of her life supporting her family by selling her hand painted cottons and quilt patterns at quilt shows, now has time to use some of her unique hand-painted fabrics in stitched and embellished fabric collages. In the photo at right, it looks like the piece is almost complete, but everything is just pinned on for photo purposes.

Barb has two more pieces she is considering submitting.richland3

richland4

 

richland5Judy Rice, who is a master weaver as well as dyer, has several “in progress” pieces she is contemplating entering into the regional show. One is a tapestry, one is a weaving project, and one is a hand dyed piece using resist methods which she is in the process of embellishing.

richland6For each Regional show that coincides with Fiber Fusion, there will be space for an estimated 25 pieces which will not travel. Those entering the Regional show will have to submit an entry form and a photo so that the galleries will know how many pieces to expect. The galleries may have different maximum sizes according to space available. If there are more pieces than the gallery has available space, some pieces will have to be excluded. There will be a panel of three which will review the submissions and exclude pieces, if that becomes necessary. Each entrant will be allowed to submit up to three pieces into the Regional show. The deadline for submitting into the Regional show will be after the deadline for the Traveling and Juried part of the show. It will be staggered according to the opening date of the specific gallery. As of this writing, the submission dates are as follows: Richland 4/15/16, Redmond 9/1/16 and Port Townsend and Everett 11/1/16. We hope you all will consider submitting pieces in the Regional show nearest you as well as the traveling show.

Make sure to check out the Fiber Fusion website at: http://www.sdafiberfusionshow.org/

New Fiber Fusion Exhibition Website for WA SDA

by ceartquilts

fiber fusion show

Our 2016-2017 Traveling exhibition now has its own website!  Go to http://sdafiberfusionshow.org/ to see it.  The entry form will be up there on January 15 and entries are due by March 20, 2016.  Thanks to SDA member Claire Jones for doing such a beautiful job on putting this together.

We also have had our first donations and sponsors come in.  We’re pleased to announce that on top of our jurors’ prize awards, the ‘Deb Taylor Spirit of Exploration Award’ is being funded courtesy of Gay Jensen and Bud Taylor.  We’ve also received a small event grant from SDA national- thanks to Pat Herkal for leading this up with the grant proposal.  Our donation button will be added to the website soon, but please feel free to contact us if you’d like to contribute towards the exhibition.  The more money we can raise, the more we can do (we’d love to get a professional catalog printed of Fiber Fusion!)

If you haven’t ever entered a juried show, this is a terrific opportunity to learn the process. We’re planning to do several blog posts to help our membership and readers learn all you need to know for completing and submitting a show entry.  Please let us know if there are specific topics you’d like us to cover.

We’d love your comments and suggestions on the website, as well as any questions you might have on the process.

Pad Your Artistic Resume by helping out!

Searching Song Instrument by Danielle Bodine

Searching Song Instrument by Danielle Bodine

Not only is this an opportunity for exhibiting your artwork, it’s also a place where you can contribute a little of your time and talent!  Each location (Richland, Redmond, Port Townsend, and Everett) will need a crew of volunteers… even if you can’t oversee a complete area, let us know if there is a part of the job where you’d be able to help. Here are some areas we could use some assistance:

Local Operations Chair –Sees that artwork is checked in, finds volunteer to store packing material, assists in the installation, finds volunteers for the reception, assisting at the workshops and presentations, counting of ballots, signage, placement of postcards. Repackage art for transport, store art, transport to next venue. Send thank you notes.

Local area PR and Marketing—Sees that lists of newspapers, association newsletters, galleries, stores, and interested individuals are developed.  Prior to the event, coordinate flyer or postcards to stores in the locale. Find reader-boards and volunteers to distribute with posters and balloons for the opening reception and take down after the reception.

Portfolio—Develops portfolio of artists’ photos of art and artist statements.

Fundraising–Send letters out to list of companies targeted as potential donors, followup, write credit information for promotional materials.

Catalog—Arranges for professional photographer to take images at first venue, develops catalog with lead article, jurors’ statements, artists’ photos, and artists’ statements.  Works with printer through completion of catalog.

Please feel free to share your thoughts here in the comments.  We’re looking forward to seeing the fantastic range of artwork from our members in 2016.

Happy Solstice and Holidays,

Christina Fairley Erickson, Executive Director WA SDA Fiber Fusion Exhibition and Barb Matthews, WA state SDA Representative