"Fabulous Fibers" at Main Street Arts, Clifton Springs, NY
Among the most memorable shows I have seen while I was living in New York City were exhibitions of quilts - on view were Amish Quilts one year, and then several years later at The Whitney Museum they held the show of quilts from Gee's Bend. The Amish quilts were collaborations, and one can imagine a regular social circle that met to create striking abstract art as important as any Joseph Albers painting. The Gee's Bend quilters were extraordinary and had such a high aesthetic vision of what could be accomplished with some patches of fabric.
So, I have been influenced by fabric arts going way back into Chinese embroidery, Ikats, Pre-Columbian Peruvian weaving, batik from Bali, printed chintz from India and Japanese kimonos.
I have collected fabric art, so I was interested to see the show called "Fabulous Fibers" from the group known as R.A.F.A. ( Rochester Area Fiber Artists). As with any show of this size ( over a hundred pieces in the exhibition ) there are always going to be some exceptional things to see, so I thought that I would share this with you.
"Cisne y Pichone"
by Pat Berardi
"Fabulous Fibers" just opened two days ago and it runs to December 29th, 2013, and it is being held at the new gallery - Main Street Arts, over in Clifton Springs, about 35 minutes southeast of Rochester by car.
"Random Windows" by Beth Kelly
On view is all manner of fiber art - from quilts and three dimensional felt pieces, wearable art and other woven surface design. Among the medium size works on exhibition are two geometric quilts by Beth Brandkamp, an abstract work of curving stripes on a strong magenta field by Pat Berardi, and in the front window was a hanging fabric construction titled "Random Windows" by Beth Kelly. Most of the artwork on view requires time and precision to make convincing and satisfying use of the dyes and fabrics and needlework necessary.
There are a few wearables in the show and one pictorial piece titled "Journey" by Judy Warner which looked like a painting with thick impasto, except everything was made out of whole cloth using ingenious stitching that conveyed a scene out of Alaska with two small figures wearing red hats in a boat. Just like that.
"Journey" by Judy Warner
