Common Threads: Art & Fiber at the Petaluma Art Center | June 11 - July 23, 2022

Common Threads: Art & Fiber

June 11 - July 23, 2022 Opening Reception June 11 5:30-7:30pm

Artists:

Patricia Briceno

Marlie de Swart

Karla Jacobs

Alissa Kaplan

Carol Larson

Travis Meinholf 

Joan Pont

Carol Lee Shanks

Marta Shannon 

Kate Tatum

Jessica Teem

Susan Vorbeck

Curated by Carole Barlas, Irma Vega Bijou and Llisa Demetrios

As curators, we each had some experiences, interest, and the desire to learn more about fiber arts.  The more we researched and explored various fiber artists in Sonoma County, the more we knew we wanted to share what we had discovered with our community. 

We have included some of the early history of Ida Belle McNear and the nearby former silk mill.  We have examples of the range of plant and animal fibers locally available like cotton, flax and tencel to wool, silk, alpaca and angora.  Most of these fibers were raised or grown locally. We also wanted to share many of the spinning and weaving tools that take a fleece to garment.

As we spoke to the artists about their art works, there was a passion, joy and enthusiasm for what each could make with fibers. The possibilities were endless from functional to decorative, from practical to artistic, and from utilitarian to playful.  They are all very hands-on as they work. Some work by hand every step of the process of taking the fleece or fiber to the finished piece.  The artists would often iterate on an idea. There was a boundless, endless curiosity of each artist about what fibers could do.

There is a thriving fiber arts community here in Sonoma County and we hope that this exhibit will serve as an introduction and spark continued interest in fiber arts. We would like to thank all of the artists, Windrush Farm, Black Mountain Artisans, Fibershed, Fiber Circle Studio, Petaluma Library, Petaluma Historical Museum, and Eames Ranch who helped us celebrate this vibrant fiber arts community in this exhibit.

Carole Barlas, Irma Vega Bijou & Llisa Demetrios

Special thanks to Mimi Luebbermann of Windrush Farms, Marlie de Swart of Black Mountain Artisans, Alisha Bright of Fiber Circle Studio, Vicky Kumpfer, Rebecca Burgess and Lexi Fujii of Fibershed.

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