A Wealth of Fiber Art

I don't know about you, but I am always taken by surprise when an art exhibit turns out to be fiber-based. Right now, though, we have three current or upcoming fiber art exhibits in the Upper Valley (that I know of).

AVA Gallery in Lebanon, NH, has five artists on display right now, three of whom are fiber or closely related. You enter to Jeanne Heifetz's Geometry of Hope, which is not fiber but is sewn. Fine glass rods are whipstitched with wire to metal mesh in geometric patterns. Slow Literature: The Narrative Tapestries of Sarah Swett includes many large hand-woven tapestries, some showing images and some containing text. My favorite was an image, an old-fashioned rotary phone in the foreground, its receiver in the background being used by a figure holding a pencil. Subtle colors and fine weaving work. Dianne Shullenberger's Outside Influences is a collection of fiber collages of insects, birds, plants, landscapes, and my favorite: slices of petrified wood she has extended out on all sides with fiber collage, continuing their colors and patterns perfectly. Also on the main floor is collage and sculpture artist Amy Morel. Upstairs in the library are many playful drawings by John Joline, displayed in memorium. I just learned the main-floor exhibit's last day is this Friday, so if you want to see this don't wait!

Coming up on Oct 24 there is an all-day event in Sharon, VT, the Seven Stars Arts Festival at the Vermont Independent School of the Arts. To be honest I am not positive this has fiber art in it, but Pippa Drew is exhibiting in the multi-artist show and one of her several media is textile surface design (various resist techniques), so I am hoping. There is music, calligraphy, tai chi, and yoga all day, but the exhibit reception is 4-6pm.

Finally, on November 6 at the Main Street Museum in White River Junction, VT, there is the opening reception to an embroidery exhibit called Queering the Lines, by Rebecca Levi. I will definitely be at this!

Quilting field trips

If you want to see some lovely quilts, there are two major events within day-trip distance.

The Vermont Quilt Festival is this weekend in Essex Junction, up near Burlington. There will be exhibits and classes on quilting skills, designing, and specific quilt patterns. The festival is open Friday and Saturday 9-6 and Sunday 9-3, and costs $12 for one day plus $10 for each additional day. Check out their website for all the details.

For looking only, you can visit the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, which has a special exhibit until July 27 of the Pilgrim/Roy collection of quilts. The exhibition page has a slideshow of some of the quilts, which in person are accompanied by descriptions of the visual effects and aspects of color theory they exemplify (though these are historical quilts, made for household use). I'm intrigued by the inclusion of a section called "Optical Illusions."

If you go (or have been) let us know what you think!

First Friday in White River Junction

Tomorrow is the first Friday in December, which means it is time for what has typically been the largest First Friday event of the year in White River Junction. Just about every art gallery and studio in town is open, and several places you might not expect - the full list is on the Facebook event page. There's a limited amount of fibery action, but taking in work done in different media can be inspiring and educational. Many artists are on hand to chat, there's a lot of free refreshments, and at every turn you'll find a different live musical performer.

One of the organizers is Kim Souza, owner of one of the fiber-related locations, the clothing store Revolution on the corner of Currier and Main. There will be live music in the store, despite the apparent lack of space for it:

Since I have the picture, here's Revolution's wall of indie designers, most of whom are local:

You'll see more of them another time.

The block outlined by Currier, Main, and Gates Streets has many open studios. If you proceed north on Bridge Street you'll reach the Main Street Museum, collection of oddments, for an open house and Victrola music. If instead you go west on Main Street you'll reach the Tip Tip building, of which this is one of the many hallways:

Lots of exhibits, lots of studios. Continuing on will take you to the Upper Valley Food Co-op, which is having an open house with a shopping discount, and around the back of the building is the door that leads to the upstairs. There you'll find the raucous Vital Communities annual open house. Down the hall will be the substantially quieter Sew-op open house, the other main fiber-related location, where at least one of your two bloggers will be most of the time between 4 and 7. Hope to see you!