Yum, Yum! Valdese Weavers at Caldwell Arts Council Exhibition

Yesterday I wrote about the three downstairs galleries at the Caldwell Arts Center and the exhibition of my art work and Sondra Dorn's artwork. Today I want to explore the fascinating exhibition of fabrics upstairs from the designers at Valdese Weavers.

Before lots of folks were downstairs I had the opportunity to spend some time upstairs with the exhibition and the designers. It is eye candy for fabric lovers of many persuasions. Around the room were exquisite framed artworks that were weavings, paintings and embroideries and next to each artwork were examples of the contemporary fabrics created based on the artwork as inspiration.

This is a good example of the antique embroidery work used as inspiration for the hanging contemporary fabric on the right.

Above is a painting that inspired the fabric to the right.

The antique silk above has lots of motifs to be used for inspiration. The designers selected one small motif in the border to create the large scale floral fabric used in the dress to the right. The photo shows how the design can be interpreted in contemporary colorways.

Two of the Valdese Weavers Designers were at the exhibition to discuss the fabrics and their company. It was really interesting to see the commercial aspects of fabric design at the exhibition.

One of the most fascinating aspects were the books of vintage and antique fabrics on display that the viewers could go through. I would love to spend a few hours with them for inspiration and education.

Great exhibition. The curators and placers of the art did a great job. If you are anywhere near Lenoir NC during May I highly recommend spending some time on both floors of this delightful arts building.

Please let me know if you find this interesting. Notes from readers help me know that I am not just writing for myself. 

Nancy

What Fun! Opening Reception of Fabric Fascination

The curators at the Caldwell Arts Council put together a varied and interesting exhibition that showed a lot of variability in how fabric art is handled today.

Today I will focus on the great job done by the volunteer "Placers" who decided which pieces of art went where. And tomorrow I will focus on one of the exhibitors -- the Valdese Weavers Designers.

The Caldwell Arts Council has a very active group of board members and volunteers who work to produce top notch exhibitions for the community. In the downstairs there are three galleries, and two artists - Sondra Dorn and I - were in those galleries.

While Sondra works with fabric, her collage style and processes could not be more different from mine. She uses a lot of surface design techniques combined with applique and stitching to create her collages, many of which are also treated with acrylic medium. Her abstract work referencing natural objects is very appealing.

The curators were quite courageous to choose these two very disparate art forms into one exhibition. Their courage was borne out well with very careful selections of which art would be combined in each room and on each wall. 

A wall of blues and violets

The top photo shows four pieces of Sondra Dorn's work and one piece of my work, Mimosa Dancing, in the center. I think the placers really brought together work that relates well. The photo above has another wall with both our artworks - Dorn's art are the four pieces to the left - and my work, Ligustrum Twilight, is on the right. the work really goes well together. The balance is good in both color and form.

The photo below featured three of Dorn's collage pieces above the fireplace and  one of mine - Pinus Virginianus II on the left.

One gallery had primarily Dorn's art and another had primarily my art. I took several photos of walls featuring groups of my work.  Love the way Winter Fruit looks between Teasel Morning and Teasel Twilight.

The photo below is another wall. I love the way Mossy Cup Oak looks over a fireplace. 

 I was impressed with what a great job the placers did in selecting work to go together when sizes differed and styles of art differed dramatically.  Overall a really great exhibition.

 The Lenoir Woman's Club hosted the reception for the opening, and a lovely reception it was! My artwork was on several of these walls.

Hope you have enjoyed a peak at this exhibition.

Tomorrow I will cover the fascinating exhibition by the Valdese Weavers Designers that was in the large gallery on the second floor.

Nancy