textile paintings
Exhibition
Georgia Artist’s 2012
113 years ago
by Virginia Greaves
in Exhibition
Last night was the reception for the Georgia Artist’s Exhibit in Sandy Springs, GA. I rarely get to openings of my shows, but this was near to my home and is sponsored by my own Fulton County.
Both Beach Guardians and Amelia Earhart were in the show. Beach Guardians was in the front of the exhibit and was one of the first pieces you’d see as you walked in the door.
One of my daughters attended with me — I wondered if anyone would realize that the model was at the show. She was probably four or five in the photograph and she’s twelve now, but she still looks the same to me.
I was so stunned when I placed in the show! This is the first time that I’ve placed in an all art show — and my work was the only fiber in the show. I was so excited at how accepting most everyone was to include fiber. Omar, in fact — the gentleman to my left who won Viewer’s Choice and Best of Show — was so excited about my work that he insisted that we be photographed together in the winner’s circle. I was very flattered.
I received third place with an orange ribbon — which was quite a show against my purple dress!
And Amelia Earhart took the ribbon. She was placed on a back hallway — and although I think the majority of attendees were most taken with Beach Guardians, Amelia captured the eye of the judge.
This is Omar Richardson’s wonderful piece — My 2 World Look Deep, Lyns? As I mentioned, it took Viewer’s Choice and Best of Show.
I also had the opportunity to meet Penny Beasley, a wonderful artist that works in my area. This is her piece — Untitled. It was hanging next to Beach Guardians, and I didn’t realize it at first, but it has almost the same color palette as my piece. They made a wonderful complement to each other.
Her friend took a picture of us together in front of our works. I hope to see Penny again.
It was a great show. Several of my friends showed up — and a good time was had by all! The show will be on view from now until June 15, 2012 at the Abernathy Arts Center.
Reception Tonight
013 years ago
by Virginia Greaves
in Exhibition
I have two pieces, Amelia Earhart and Beach Guardians, in the Georgia Artists exhibit being shown at the Abernathy Arts Center in Sandy Springs, Georgia. The reception is tonight 6:30-8:30. I am honored to be included in such a wonderful show. The talent of the other Georgia artists is incredible. Last year, my favorite piece was a bronze sculpture of a huge wing that sat on a pedestal & could be rotated. I can’t wait to see the work included for this year.
Opening of Taking Flight
114 years ago
by Virginia Greaves
in Exhibition
We had the opening artist’s reception last night for Taking Flight at The Art Place Gallery in Marietta. I think my favorite part was when some traditional artist friends of Rebecca’s came and they got so excited by the work. They were truly inspired by what they saw as a new level of expression. I know that fiber art is growing, but there is still of lot of work to be done in the Southeast — to draw the art of the quilt beyond the bee’s of Southern grandmothers. I plan to enter more traditional art venues in the Southeast — beyond traditional quilt venues — and we’ll just have to see how it goes.
The Art Place Gallery is a small space, but it is more forward thinking than many other galleries in regards to fiber art. We are blessed that they give us the opportunity every year to show our work in their gallery.
For those of you that won’t make the trip to Atlanta in the next couple of weeks, I have prepared images of works in the show so that you may enjoy the exhibit.
Taking Flight From My Life by Julie Runyon Kokan
Statement: The first week of summer vacation, I went to Greece and Italy with my husband, leaving our four kids with my sister. It has been 7 years (and two kids) since we last left them. I had a stressful year at school last year, and I needed to get away. We went to Thessaloniki, Greece and Rome, Italy, both places visited by Saint Paul. Since my husband was attending a conference while we were in Greece, I was free to wander the streets of Thessaloniki by myself every morning. Since I could not speak the language, let alone read the language, I had a lot of time with just my thoughts, and thinking about Saint Paul, as my dad put those thoughts in my head just before I left. Then I went to Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, where there is a statue of Saint Paul. It was a very spiritual experience for me. This piece is my impression of Saint Peter’s Basilica.
Dreams of Flying: Peter Pan by Denny Webster
Statement: Only once have I flown on a magic carpet–on my way to some unidentified dreamworld destination. Lately, when I wonder why I feel compelled to create, I think I may be living part of the life my uncle had planned. He died at 18 in a plane over Italy in 1944. He wanted to be a cartoonist.
Dreams of Flying: Spain by Denny Webster
Statement: As a child I was sick much of the time and I filled many of those home-bound hours listening to the Disney version of Peter Pan. I never wanted to grow up either and I longed to fly. In my dreams I could rise above the houses and yards and float unseen. Sometimes I still can.
Dreams of Flying: Spain by Denny Webster
Statement: In most of my flying dreams I am trying to get to Spain, although “why” remains a mystery. Usually I am racing to get a ticket for a commercial flight, but sometimes I fly a tiny, funny, wind-up plan. What a rush of freedom and adventure!
Exponential Butterflies by Julie Runyon Kokan
Statement: This piece features 31 ribbon butterflies displayed in an exponential growth pattern as you go down the piece. As a math teacher, I am always looking for ways to cross math and art because using different parts of the brain together creates better understanding. If you start with the one butterfly at the top, it doubles each time you go down the panel, ending with sixteen butterflies on the bottom part.
Up, Up and Away by Ben Hollingsworth
Statement: This balloon was made from extra (mistakes) from a paper-pieced piece that I made for the Olympic Quilt Project 2012.
Fall: With a Spring Kind of Attitude by Ben Hollingsworth
Statement: After a guild presentation on stamping on fabric my bee group (the WannaBees) decided to dedicate one of our meetings to stamping on fabric. I finished quilting the leaves and needed a background. The next day I attended a workshop with Nancy Prince on thread painting. I used her technique on the background trees.
Jet Stream by Hellenne Vermillion
Celestial Home by Virginia Greaves
Statement: I created this piece to convey a sense of expansiveness. The snowy mountain peak juts out above the cloud layer, and the eagle flies about in his own personal Elysium.
Nature's Helicopter by Ben Hollingsworth
Statement: One day while walking, I notice this incredible wonder and the idea for this piece was born.
Highway to Hell I by Deb Lacativa
Mirage by Deb Lacativa
Highway to Hell II by Deb Lacativa
Amelia Earhart by Virginia Greaves
Statement: “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is mere tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward.” — Amelia Earhart
Supersedure by Rebecca Reasons Edwards
Supersedure by Rebecca Reasons Edwards
3 to 5 for Moprey by Deb Lacativa
Field of Gold by Sharon Serrano Ahmed
Statement: This piece was actually inspired by a container flower garden. Sitting amidst several other plant-filled containers sat an amazing combination of various flowers and textures. At first it was just the smaller stitched mixed media piece but as I tried to decide the best way to display the piece, I kept remember my initial impression of this one unique container.
Phoenix by Hellenne Vermillion
*SOLD*
Stars Over Elijay by Sharon Serrano Ahmed
Statement: Last year, I purchased a cabin in the North Georgia Mountains. The region inspires me a hundred times a day. It has brought back to me the capacity to see with “new” eyes. Sitting on the deck at night and viewing the clear sky away from the bright lights of Atlanta has become one of my favorite pastimes! When I made the decision to focus on one design theme to create a series of work, it was the clear choice for a subject. The aim was not to create a single large piece, but instead to generate variation on a theme with an emphasis on design creation. It has been an incredible progression as I started with the obvious symmetrical designs and slowly moved to designs that obscuring the star until it isn’t always apparent what the source of the design was.
Elation by Virginia Greaves
Statement: The quiet grace of hot air balloons allows a view of the world altogether missed through the speed of other air travel.
I only got a couple of pictures of the artists. This is Sharon Serrano Ahmed & Julie Runyon Kokan.
And this is me sitting between them.
I have 3 proposals waiting for my consideration so it’s time for me to look forward. Most of the exhibition opportunities that I consider come at this time of year, and this is turning out to be a busy year.
Laboring in the Georgia Heat
014 years ago
by Virginia Greaves
in Exhibition
I don’t produce as much work in the summer because I have school aged children that are home in the summer, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not busy with other projects.
Rebecca Reasons Edwards and I have co-curated Nine Strands: Taking Flight held at The Art Place Gallery in Marietta, GA. The artist’s reception is 7pm this Thursday July 15th and the exhibit runs through July 29th. Participating artists include Sharon Serrano Ahmed, Rebecca Reasons Edwards, Ben Hollingsworth, Julie Runyon Kokan, Deb Lacativa, Hellenne Vermillion, Denny Webster, and myself. If you are in town, we would love to see you and share our work with you.
Rebecca, Ben, Julie, & I hung the show yesterday (and they were WONDERFUL) — and of course I forgot my camera — but Ben sent me these pictures that he took. This is just a teaser — I’ll take individual shots in a few days that I’ll post.
This is me in the tie dyed shirt. I found it at a lacrosse tournament in the spring, and the colors were so vibrant, I had to have it.
This is a shot of the hot air balloons — we hung them from the ceiling. I think they give a whimsical touch to the show. I think that doing the unexpected can sometimes draw more interest. They are made from fabric, Timtex, and some hardware & chain — but they can be squashed flat (crumpled anyway) or pressed out into their balloon shapes.
Did I mention that this was hard to do? I couldn’t have done it without Becca, Julie, & Ben. It took almost four hours — but I was happy with the final result. We always worry about filling the space — but everything we had fit in neatly. The group that usually does the show only contributed a couple of members so we filled the show with invitational artists, but it is a really good mix and I think everything is cohesive and works together well. I hope it’s an indication that fiber arts is growing in Atlanta.
Speaking of which, I forgot to post a pic of my work Bukonyan Elder that hung at The Abernathy Arts Center in Sandy Springs, GA in May & June for the Georgia Artists exhibit. Mine was the only piece of fiber in the show — although there was a piece made with paper with yarn woven through it.
The pieces were hung a little high — and I’m a little short — but this was my best try without a ladder.
This is me with the piece. (The piece is square on the wall although it doesn’t look like it. It’s a good example of how easily camera distortion occurs.)
I think it showed well with the other art. From experience, I know it is hard to place fiber in a gallery with photographs & paintings. The color in the fiber is more saturated — and most other forms of art reflect the light more — so you have to be careful what you place next to a fiber piece. My piece was in the mixed media category — which I admit was a stretch — but it was a stretch that the curator & judges were willing to make — thankfully.