Maria Shell - SDA Conference Exhibition, San Antonio

Another stunning exhibition at the SDA conference was a collection of Maria Shell's quilts, at Gallery Nord.

"Color Grids"

Every quilt was made using the same quilt block.

But Maria played with 'line, shape, print, and color' to produce a collection of technically exquisite and very different quilts.

The quilts were installed in a 3-sided booth, which made viewers move in a complex dance back and forward between the walls as they looked, compared, and looked again as discoveries were made.

2013 SDA Exhibition - Kathryn Clark

Foreclosure Quilts
This is the intro members got before viewing Kathryn Clark's work:
"Clark's life as an architect and urban planner influences her work as an artist. As the foreclosure crisis spiraled out of control, this exhibit took its form from foreclosure maps that marked the disintegration of neighborhoods in major U.S. cities."
Many of us had also previously read articles about her work.

'Detroit Foreclosure Quilt' 

But I wasn't prepared for the impact of her work.
The fabric was torn and roughly cut away. Each exposed, raw, red shape documented the upheaval of family homes or businesses.

We had all heard the statistics but Kathryn's quilted cloth mapped out the reality of the situation.

She translated the collected numbers into a story the viewer could relate to.

Back to the SDA conference

Portia Roy's work was captivating - obviously very personal although her artist statement tells of universal trauma to the human body.

I found her series of small works repulsed me while at the same time they drew me in.
I've never experienced that before, while standing in front of art.

In another way I was captivated by the simplicity and complexity of work by Dawn Scent (Wei Sun).
She has used the essential design elements to show atmospheric perspective in a classical Chinese landscape scene - Xia Gao?

By using the simplest of techniques -burning silk to give a brown edge - she singed the fabric using burning incense - a strong and, at the same time, subtle reference to the sense of place and to her inherited culture.
Masterful!

Mark Makers Exhibition

Mark Makers is a group of fibre artists who all met up in the Lower Studio of the Victoria College of Art, Victoria BC.
They studied mark making by hand with the threaded needle and mark making with the sewing machine,  and some went on to study the design of repeating patterns.
They enjoyed being together as a group so much they have continued to meet regularly to share, support and inspire, to have workshops, go to exhibitions together, and movies, and go on a retreat for the weekend.
These mark makers have decided it is time to show what they have been creating.
They are having their first exhibition of fine arts textiles in the college where they got together.
The exhibition opens on Sunday August 11 and closes on Saturday August 17 with a closing reception from 1 to 3 pm.
The rest of the week the exhibition will be open from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm with artists in attendance at all times.
Groups can phone Eileen, 250 592 9404,  to arrange a tour led by attending artists.

If you are in town I do hope you can get to the college to see this exhibition of fine arts textiles.

SDA Members' Exhibition

One of the best exhibitions (there were lots of 'bests') at the 2013 SDA conference was the Members' Show 'in~ter~face: connections' in the SAY Si Gallery.
There were so many works to look at there wasn't time to do justice to them all.
While doing a survey swoop of the space I saw reoccurring extreme texture.
I decided to spend my time looking for it.

Abby Sherrill

Side view of Abby's embroidery.

Naomi Adams, 'Duality'

Side View of Naomi's work where she used batting, cotton fabric, cotton thread, textile paint and adhesives.

Marty Jonas', 'Ode to Marg' 

Side view of Marty's work.

Wendy Klotz, 'Platonic Interfaces'

Side view of Wendy's work where she seems to defy gravity.