Art Out and About: Spring 2023

June 9, 2023 0 Comment

US or abroad we’ve got lots of suggestions — 10 in fact — of exhibitions you can visit in June and beyond.

1) Christine Joy and Sara Mast: Passage 
Yellowstone Art Museum 
Billings, MT 
through July 16, 2023

Christine Joy Connecting to the Sky sculpture
Christine Joy, Connecting to the Sky, 2016. Photo courtesy of Christine Joy

https://www.artmuseum.org/project/christine-joy-and-sara-mast-passage/

Christine Joy and Sara Mast explorethe mystery of nature through the transformation of materials, texture, and form.

The large, twisted willow forms by Christine Joy are the result of a rhythmic process beginning with the hunt and harvest of willow in autumn — followed by sorting, bunding, and storing. Joy began rug braiding in the 1970s. Over time, Joy moved on from rug braiding, leading her to a period of experimentation, and ultimately to reclaiming and reorienting her love of gathering and process with willow, grounding her to the earth. Sara Mast, a descendant of miners from Cornwall, England, resides on the site of Storrs, Montana, an early Anaconda Company mining town. Today, she incorporates PEM (plasma enhanced melter) glass into her work. PEM is a byproduct of plasma gasification, an advanced waste management technology that turns any kind of trash into inert, non-toxic glass and clean fuels. Mast writes, “PEM glass is not just another art material, but represents a profound paradigm shift in using technology to heal our environmental dilemma by keeping waste out of landfills and greenhouse gases out of the air. My use of PEM glass is one way I am able to reclaim a healthy relationship with the earth.”

2) International Linen Biennial in Portneuf (BILP)
Heritage sites throughout Deschambault-Grondines 
Quebec, Canada
June 18 – October 1, 2023
https://biennaledulin.com/

Blair Tate, from the 10th Linen Biennial in Quebec
Dialogue, detail, Blair Tate, from the 10th Linen Biennial in Quebec. Photo courtesy of Blair Tate

Anneke Klein (the Netherlands) Blair Tate (United States of America) Stéphanie Jacques (Belgium), Carole Frève (Québec) will all participate in the upcoming biennial of Linen — the 10th in Portneuf. The biennial will feature two exhibitons; the work of 20 professional artist; 20 emerging artists; multiple mediation activities and a day of converences. 

3) Couples in Craft
Craft in America Museum
Los Angeles, CA
through September 24, 2023
https://www.craftinamerica.org/exhibition/couples-in-craft/

Jim and Veralee Bassler
Jim and Veralee Bassler at the opening of Couples at the Craft in America Gallery in LA.

Couples in Craft highlights artist couples that specifically work in fiber and ceramics, either collaboratively or independently. While very different in their physical qualities—malleable and rigid, vegetable and mineral—both media require methodical construction processes that can take years to master. Many of these artist couples met during their formative educational years and thus share a lifelong dedication to each other and to their respective craft. These partners support and inspire each others’ extensive pursuit of mastering materials and continued exploration of their potential. Their intuitive knowledge of process allows for layers of meaning to become integrated into the works as they are made.

Among the artists included in this exhibition are Veralee Bassler and Jim Bassler. Veralee Bassler graduated from the UCLA Art Department with a concentration in ceramics. She shared her passion for creativity, teaching, and ceramics with the students of the Los Angeles School District for 25 years. Jim Bassler graduated from UCLA with an MA in Art in 1968 and later served there as professor and department chair between 1975–2000. Jim, recipient of the American Craft Council 2022 Gold Medal, is a renown weaver whose work adapts ancient Peruvian techniques and explores a range of materials and concepts. Veralee and Jim live and work in Palm Springs, CA.

4) At Own Pace: Włodzimierz Cygan 
7th Riga International Textile and Fibre Art Triennial
Mentzendorff’s House 
Grēcinieku iela 18, Riga, Latvia
through July 27, 2023

Włodzimierz Cygan Fiber Optic weaving detail
From the series Between the Lines. Detail, Włodzimierz Cygan, Linen, optic fiber, weaving, artist’s own technique. 2021. Courtesy of the artist. 

https://www.lnmm.lv/en/museum-of-decorative-arts-and-design/news/programme-of-the-7th-riga-international-textile-and-fibre-art-triennial-quo-vadis-139

Baiba Osīte: Exodus
7th Riga International Textile and Fibre Art Triennial
Art Station Dubulti 
Z. Meierovica prospekts 4, 

Baiba Osīte. XXX. 1993.
Baiba Osīte. XXX. 1993. linen, cotton, wood, artist’s own technique. Collection of the Latvian National Museum of Art. Publicity photo

Jūrmala, Latvia https://www.lnmm.lv/en/museum-of-decorative-arts-and-design/news/programme-of-the-7th-riga-international-textile-and-fibre-art-triennial-quo-vadis-139

The 7th Riga International Textile and Fibre Art Triennial,  QUO VADIS? unites 79 artists from 30 countries who were selected by an international jury from 237 submissions. Responding to the motto of the triennial, QUO VADIS? (Where Are We Going?), the authors, through their works, partake in conversations about the evolution of art and this particular field today as well as global geopolitical and social problems, engaging in self-reflection through the perspective of their time and art form. 

The Triennial features an exciting solo exhibition by the internationally acclaimed Polish guest-artist Włodzimierz Cygan at the Mentzendorff’s House in Riga and one featuring Latvian artist Baiba Osite.

5)  Ferne Jacobs: A Personal World
Claremont Lewis Museum of Art
Claremont, California
through September 24, 2023

Origins by Ferne Jacobs
Origins, Ferne Jacobs, 2017-2018, Craft in America, Metro Madizon

https://clmoa.org/exhibit/ferne-jacobs-a-personal-world/

Ferne Jacobs: A Personal World at the Claremont Lewis Museum of Art presents the work of Ferne Jacobs, a pioneer in fiber arts who creates unique three-dimensional sculptural forms using ancient basket-making techniques. Ferne Jacobs: A Personal World features a broad selection of her sculptures as well as books of her psychological drawings and collage diaries. 

6) Jane Balsgaard
Galleriet Hornbæk
Hornbæk, Denmark
Summer 2023

http://xn--galleriethornbk-bmb.dk/category/jane-balsgaard/

Paper Ship by Jane Balsgaard
Paper Ship by Jane Balsgaard. Photo courtesy of Jane Balsgaard

Jane Balsgaard’s work is available this summer at Susanne Risom’s Galleriet Hornbæk in Denmark.

7) Scandinavian Design and the United States, 1890 – 1980
Milwaukee Art Museum
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
through July 23, 2023

https://mam.org/exhibitions/scandinavian-design/

Scandinavian Design and the United States, 1890–1980 is the first exhibition to explore the extensive design exchanges between the United States and Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Iceland during the 20th century.  It includes works by Helena Hernmarck who moved from Sweden to the US, and Lenore Tawney, who studied with noted Finnish weaver Martta Taipale at Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina.

8) Indigo 
Denver Botanic Garden
York Street Location
Denver, Colorado
July 2 – November 5, 2023 

Synapse indigo weaving byPolly Barton
Synapse, Polly Barton, to appear in Indigo, at the Denver Botanical Gardens. Photo by Tom Grotta

https://www.botanicgardens.org/exhibits/indigo

Rich and alluring, the striking blue color known as indigo has inspired weavers, dyers, designers, and sculptors across the globe. This exhibition, which  contemporary artists from the United States, Nigeria, Japan and South Korea Includes several works loaned by browngrotta arts  from artists Polly Barton, Eduardo Portillo and Mariá Dávila, Chiyoko Tanaka, Hiroyuki Shindo, and Yeonsoon Chang.

9) Shaped by the Loom: Weaving Worlds in the American Southwest
Bard Graduate Center Gallery
New York, New York
through July 9, 2023

https://www.bgc.bard.edu/exhibitions/exhibitions/117/n-a

Shaped by the Loom: Weaving Worlds in the American Southwest invites you to explore the world of Navajo weaving. This dynamic gallery and online experience presents never-before-seen textiles created by Diné artists. These historic blankets, garments, and rugs from the American Museum of Natural History are situated alongside contemporary works by Diné weavers and visual artists, such as Barbara Teller Ornelas and Lynda Teller Pete.

10) Expressing Cloths: Oceanian Modeling and Shigeki Fukumoto/Shigeko Fukumoto
Aomori Contemporary Art Center
Aomori, Japan
through June 14, 2023

https://acac-aomori.jp/program/2023-1/

This exhibition features Fukumoto, who has pursued an expression that can only be achieved through “dyeing” through his insight into the theory of craftsmanship in Oceania and Japan, and handcrafted fabrics that have been handed down since before textiles, such as tapa (bark cloth) and knitted fabrics from Melanesia in the South Pacific. In recent years Shioko Fukumoto has developed works using old natural fabrics that were made and used in rural life and labor. Three works. By group, we will think about the expression that can only be achieved with cloth, and the possibilities of cloth as a medium of expression. Both Fukomotos have visited Papua, New Guinea on more than one occasion.

Art Assembled – New this Week in May

May 31, 2023 0 Comment

Welcome to our May Art Assembled blog, where we are delighted to present the latest additions to our New This Week series. As we bid farewell to our in person exhibition, Acclaim! Work by Award-Winning International Artists, we are thrilled to announce that this captivating exhibition is now available for online viewing on Artsy. For a closer look at the remarkable artworks that graced our in-person exhibition, click here.

In this month’s feature, we turn our spotlight to the exceptional talents of Grethe Sørensen, Dominic Di Mare, Mercedes Vicente, and Lewis Knauss. Each artist brings a unique perspective and artistic vision, showcasing their mastery of different mediums and techniques. From Sørensen’s intricate tapestries to Di Mare’s dimensional weavings and intricate assemblages, Vicente’s captivating sculptures, and Knauss’s textured landscapes – their artworks will transport you to new realms of artistic expression.

Read on as we delve deeper into the artistic journeys of these remarkable artists, exploring their inspirations, techniques, and the stories behind their captivating creations. Be prepared to be captivated and inspired by their exceptional talent!

Grethe Sørensen
Art details: 23gs Woven Detail II, Grethe Sørensen, handwoven cotton, 28” x 43.125” x .875″ 2023. Photo by Tom Grotta.

At the beginning of the month, we highlighted art from the one and only, Grethe Sørensen. If you don’t already know, Sørensen is a visionary Danish artist whose exploration of digital technologies has revolutionized the art of tapestry. Her mastery of digital thread control and digital jacquard weaving has allowed her to weave intricate and diverse motifs with remarkable precision.

Sørensen’s technique combines the ancient craft of weaving with the realm of video, where she meticulously selects and manipulates still images to create poetic compositions of pixels, traffic lights, neon signs, and more, all rendered in delicate cotton threads. Color gradation holds a special fascination for Sørensen, as she experiments with dying the warp before weaving, blending threads of varying nuances to achieve captivating shades and tones.

Dominic di Mare
32ddm Arrow Piece, Dominic di Mare, raffia, feathers, wood, 31.25” x 13.75” x 3.5”, 1976. Photo by Tom Grotta.

We then turned our spotlight to the remarkable artist Dominic Di Mare. Hailing from the United States, Di Mare is a true master of multiple artistic mediums, including weaving, abstract mixed-media sculpture, watercolor paintings, cast paper art, and fiber art. His diverse body of work explores themes of personal spirituality, captivating viewers with its depth and emotive power.

Di Mare’s artistic journey has been marked by groundbreaking innovations. In the 1960s, he gained acclaim for pioneering dimensional weaving, pushing the boundaries of traditional weaving techniques and creating captivating three-dimensional structures.

In the following decades, he continued to push artistic boundaries, exploring cast paper techniques and mixed-media sculpture that seamlessly blend different materials and textures. His sculptures, featuring delicately carved hawthorn branches adorned with feathers, beads, paper, and horsehair, evoke a sense of poetic beauty that resonates deeply with viewers – which is obvious in the artwork we highlighted throughout the month.

Mercedes Vicente
5mv Sin Pauta, Mercedes Vicente, notebook, cord 37” x 14” x 9”, 2014. Photo by Tom Grotta.

We then turned our attention to Mercedes Vicente, hailing from Galicia, Spain. With a specialization in craft art, Vicente has garnered recognition as a regular participant in exhibitions worldwide. Her current artistic endeavors revolve around wood and textile projects, with a particular focus on sculptures crafted from canvas strips.

Vicente’s artistic journey has been a dynamic one. While her early work leaned towards the pictorial, it eventually evolved into the realm of sculpture, with canvas becoming her primary medium of choice. Embracing this technique, she discovered that people were captivated by the intricate and labor-intensive process involved. This realization led her to view her work as a fusion of craftsmanship, art, and design—an expression of creativity that transcends traditional boundaries.

What truly inspires Vicente is the remarkable nature of the fabric she works with. The elastic, organic, flexible, and translucent properties of the material serve as a constant source of fascination and experimentation. It is through her meticulous manipulation of these fabrics that she breathes life into her sculptures, imbuing them with a sense of fluidity and movement.

The best of all? You can now get your hands on artwork from Vicente in our spring exhibition, Acclaim!, which is now live on Artsy.

Lewis Knauss
38lk Spiked Horizon, Lewis Knauss, woven, knotted; linen, hemp, acrylic paint, 16″ x 16″ x 3″, 2018. Photo by Tom Grotta.

Last, but not least, we delve into the captivating world of Lewis Knauss, where the significance of place takes center stage. Knauss’s artistic practice revolves around the exploration of landscape, identity, and our sense of belonging, all expressed through the textures, materials, and processes of textiles.

In Knauss’s intricate works, we witness a visual narrative that pays homage to the places that hold deep personal meaning to the artist. From the charming towns of Macungie and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the serene landscapes of upstate New York, the rugged beauty of Colorado, the enchanting deserts of New Mexico, and the coastal allure of Cape Cod—each location weaves its essence into his art.

Using a diverse array of fibers and materials, Knauss meticulously knots and weaves these elements together, creating intricate tapestries that evoke the organic growth found in nature. Through his masterful craftsmanship, he artfully references the passage of time, capturing the ever-changing landscapes and the narratives they hold.

We invite you to continue exploring the diverse and captivating works of these artists by visiting our online exhibition, Acclaim!, now available on Artsy until Friday, June 30. Immerse yourself in the beauty, intricacy, and thought-provoking narratives captured in each artwork. Let their creations spark your own creative journey and inspire a deeper appreciation for the boundless possibilities of art.

Thank you for joining us on this artistic adventure. Stay tuned for more exciting exhibitions, artist highlights, and art discoveries in the months to come. Until then, keep embracing the transformative power of art in your own lives!

Acclaim! Catalog

May 26, 2023 0 Comment
Acclaim! Work by Award-Winning International Artists cover

In conjunction with our spring exhibition, Acclaim! Work by Award-Winning International Artists, we produced our 56th catalog. The 164-page volume features images of art by each of the 51 artists in the exhibition. It also includes detail shots and installation images of the works in space. 

Olga de Amaral spread

The 51 artists in Acclaim! like the others that we work with at browngrotta arts, have had their work acquired by museums and recognized by collectors. In addition, each of the artists included have achieved formal art acknowledgment in the form of an award or medal or exclusive membership. In the US, that may mean the award of a Gold Medal from the American Craft Council — 10 of the artists in Acclaim! belong to that group. In Canada, it means membership in the Royal Canadian Academy of the Arts, which three of our artists have achieved. The late-master weaver Peter Collingwood received an OBE, Order of the British Empire.Yeonsoon Chang of Korea was selected Artist of the Year, by the Contemporary Art Museum in Seoul. In France, Simone Pheulpin was awarded the Grand Prix de la Création de la Ville de Paris. Grethe Sørensen of Denmark and Agneta Hobin of Finland received the Nordic Award in Textiles; Sheila Hicks the French Legion of Honor, and so on.

Helena Hernmarck Spread

The catalog also includes an essay by Caroline Kipp, Acclaim! and the Art of Serious Play. Kipp (she/they) is a curator, artist, and historian. She holds a BFA in Fibers from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, an ALM in Museum Studies from Harvard University, and is currently a PhD student in Art History at the University of Maryland, College Park.From 2019 to 2023, Kipp was the Curator of Contemporary Art at The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum in Washington, DC where she curated Anne Lindberg: what color is divine light?. Previously, she was the Curatorial Associate in the Department of Contemporary Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston where she was responsible for the contemporary decorative arts collection, including the Daphne Farago collection. She curated the Farago gallery rotations, Jack Bush: Radiant Abstraction, Community Arts Initiative: Mindful Mandalas, and Community Arts Initiative: Endless Feast, co-curated Beyond the Loom: Fiber as Sculpture/Subversive Threads as part of Women Take the Floor and Perception is the Medium. Kipp served as the assistant and project manager on Cecilia Vicuna: Disappeared Quipu, Sheila Hicks, Nan Goldin, Lorraine O’Grady: Family Gained, Candice Breitz: Love Story, Maia Lynch: In Between, and Monuments to Us. Prior to this, Kipp was part of the MFA Boston’s Textile and Fashion Arts Department where she contributed research to the exhibition Gender Bending Fashion. She serves on the boards of the Textile Society of America (TSA) and the James Renwick Alliance for Craft (JRA). You can find her on Instagram at  @carolinekipp_curator.

Jane Sauer Spread
portrait by Photo: Eric Lee
Caroline Kipp. photo: Eric Lee

In the “very insightful and thoughtful” essay, Kipp writes about the importance of community, identifying fiber departments and exhibitions like the Lausanne Biennials, where artists interacted with peers from around the world. Kipp also writes about motivation, noting that these artists continued their work even without recognition, leading to “a contradictory point about accolades and honors: they represent high points within a career and simultaneously are rather anticlimactic.” Kipp observes that “the labor of artmaking is heavier and deeper than most people realize.” These artists have realized that it’s possible to turn a difficult task into a fulfilling one by engaging in the act of “serious play.” In artmaking, serious play is the heart of a sustained studio practice — leaning into uncertainty generates creativity. Kipp finds “playful” qualities in many of the works in claim!, experimental material choices and techniques, and innovative uses of color, form, and imagery. 

Dominic Di Mare Spread

Order a copy of Acclaim! Work by Award-Winning International Artists, to learn more. One of our readers described it as “an important document much needed now.”

Then and Now … works across time

May 17, 2023 0 Comment

In compiling works for our Spring 2023 exhibition, Acclaim! Work by Award-Winning International Artists, we gathered works from several decades. Many of those included were artists with longstanding careers. They were pioneers, active in the early days of the fiber movement and still innovating today. At browngrotta arts, we have always sought to exhibit artists who are willing to experiment — push boundaries, reinvent themselves and the medium. Acclaim! offered many fascinating examples of artists whose work transformed throughout their careers.

Cherry Ys, Dorothy Gill Barnes, waxed linen, raffia, and cherry branches, 31.25″ x 15″ x 3.5″, 1970-1980.
Willow with Log, Dorothy Gill Barnes, willow, 40″ x 20″ x 15″, 1998. Photos by Tom Grotta.

In some cases, like Dorothy Gill Barnes’ work, a logical progression from earlier to current work is apparent. Cherry Ys is a study that Barnes had created when more traditional weaving was a larger part of her process. Some 30 years later she created Willow with Log — weaving again, but this time with a material she has mastered — tree bark. 

The Mourners, Dominic Di Mare, waxed linen, wood, (Back row from left to right: 48.5″ x 24″; 46″ x 24″; 50.5″ x 24″; 47″ x 24″) Front row from left to right: 49.5″ x 24″ ; 46.5″ x 24″; 48.5″ x 24″).
Mourning Station #4, Dominic Di Mare, hawthorn, handmade paper, silk, bone, bird’s egg, feathers, gold and wood beads, 13″ x 7″ x 7″, 1981. Photos by Tom Grotta.

Dominic Di Mare is widely known for captivating sculptures of simple materials like carved hawthorn branches with delicate feathers, beads, paper, eggs, and horsehair. In Di Mare’s hands, these were transformed into intensely poetic and spiritual works which he made in the 79s. For Acclaim!, however, we were able to show Di Mare’s intriguing assemblages and a series of elegant weavings, The Mourners, that he had made in the 1960s.

Five Panel #2, Warren Seelig, corduroy weave 48″ x 55″ x 1″, 1972. Small Double Ended, Warren Seelig, nylon, stainless steel, 63″ x 33″ x 16.375, 1996, Photos by Thomas Grotta.

The transition from early to later work was even more dramatic in the works included in Acclaim! by Warren Seelig. Five Panel #2 is a complex corduroy weaving from the 1970s. You’d be forgiven if you didn’t recognize, Small Double Ended, of metal and fiber, as a work by Seelig made nearly 25 years later.

Landform, Lia Cook, cotton, 14.25″ x 12″ x 2.25″, 1978; Legs, Lia Cook, cotton, 14.25″ x 12″ x 4.5″, 1977.Presence/Absence: In the Folds, Lia Cook, cotton, rayon; woven, 192” x 41”, 1997. Photos by Tom Grotta.

There are few artists who have mastered as many bodies of work as Lia Cook. Acclaim! included Landform and Legs, pop-art-like weavings that Cook made in the 70s, shortly after completing a Master’s degree in 1973. Also exhibited was Presence/Absence: In the Folds, created two decades later. By that time, Cook was creating works on a Jacquard loom based upon photographs. In between, she had worked with painted strips of cloth to create fabric mosaics of sorts and since, she has been integrated EEG reports into her weavings.

You can see all the works in Acclaim! in our online exhibition on Artsy. You can hear more about the works by joining us for Art on the Rocks, an art talkthrough with spirits! on Zoom on June 9, 2023.

View Two: Online Exhibitions on Artsy

May 10, 2023 0 Comment
Acclaim! on Artsy

Did you miss the in-person Spring exhibition at browngrotta arts last week? If so, good news! You can see all the works in Acclaim! Work from Award-Winning International Artists (even the sold ones) now on Artsy. There are installation shots on Artsy as well. 

Acclaim! in-person
We were visited by a bus load of art lovers from Canada. Photo by Rhonda Brown

Acclaim! was a go-to Spring event in Connecticut. Our attendance was up 30% over our last show. The mix of fiber art luminaries like Sheila Hicks, Lenore Tawney, Dominic Di Mare and Peter Collingwood and accomplished artists newer to the field like Jo Barker, Anneke Klein and Mercedes Vicente was an potent one. 

Wordplay installation
Wordplay installation-Photo by Tom Grotta

Many visitors to Acclaim! also visited our sister show, WordPlay: Messages in Branches & Bark, which we co-curated with the Flinn Gallery at the Greenwich Library, Greenwich, CT.  WordPlay celebrates work by Gyöngy Laky and John McQueen in which words, puns, rebuses, and other messages to be coded and deciphered appear. 

Good news about WordPlay, too, closes today at 5. Beginning May 29th you can find the works from that exhibition in an Artsy Viewing Room. There will be great installation shots as well.

Thanks for keeping the art admiration going and visiting us on Artsy — this week and on May 29th.

Art Assembled – New this Week in April

May 3, 2023 0 Comment

Welcome to our April Art Assembled blog, where we are thrilled to showcase the incredible artists featured in our New This Week series. Last month, the artists highlighted in our New This Week series all happen to be included in our current exhibition, Acclaim! Work by Award-Winning International Artists.

As we near the end of the exhibition, we’ve been enjoying seeing and meeting everyone at Acclaim! and invite those who haven’t had the chance to visit yet to come experience the stunning works of James Bassler, Adela Akers, Ed Rossbach, Helena Hernmarck, Mary Giles, and so many more while it’s still open! You have until this Sunday, May 7 to come check it out in person.

In the following paragraphs, we will dive deeper into the art of James Bassler, Adela Akers, Ed Rossbach, Helena Hernmarck, and Mary Giles, highlighting some of their stunning pieces on display in our exhibition.

James Bassler
17jb Unravelling, James Bassler, agave warp and weft, natural dyes, avocado seeds, weave madder root, wedge weave, embroidery, 28″ x 47″, 2022.

To kick off the month of April, we introduced you to the masterful textile artist James Bassler, whose piece “Unravelling” exemplifies his skill and creativity. Bassler’s unique style combines traditional weaving techniques with modern sensibilities, resulting in pieces that are both timeless and contemporary.

This particular piece features a map of the United States on PBS, illustrating the deep divide of the states and Bassler’s concern for the state of democracy. He wondered if our democracy is unraveling, leading him to name this piece “Unraveling.” He finished the piece on his 89th birthday.

Throughout his career, Bassler has received many accolades and honors for his art, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Craft Council.

Adela Akers
52aa Silver Waves, Adela Akers, linen, horsehair, paint & metal foil, 63” x 24”, 2014. Phot by Tom Grotta.

As the month continued, we introduced you to Adela Akers, a talented textile artist who uses mediums like metallic threads and horsehair to create a mesmerizing interplay of light and shadow, evoking the movement of waves in the ocean. “Silver Waves” is a captivating piece that will leave you in awe of Akers’ skill and imagination. Her art is a beautiful representation of the delicate balance between nature and human creativity.

Born in the Czech Republic, Akers grew up in Venezuela and later moved to the United States. Her art is a beautiful representation of the delicate balance between nature and human creativity, and her pieces are included in many prestigious private and public collections, including the Smithsonian Institution.

Ed Rossbach
200r Eternal Summer, Ed Rossbach, 14″ x 8″, 1995. Photo by Tom Grotta.

Ed Rossbach was a master weaver and sculptor who revolutionized the world of basketry with his innovative use of ancient techniques and unconventional materials like plastics and newspaper.

His incorporation of pop culture references into his art is a testament to his imaginative prowess. Rossbach’s art invites the viewer to see beauty in the unexpected, and his unique style continues to inspire artists today.

Throughout his long and prolific career, Rossbach received many awards and honors, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

Helena Hernmarck
62hh Tabula Rasa 2, Helena Hernmarck, wool, 53″ x 44″, 2010

Up next, we turned our attention to the visionary Swedish-born artist and handweaver, Helena Hernmarck. Hernmarck has revolutionized tapestry as a medium for modern architectural spaces. Her tapestries are renowned for their incredible illusion of movement, captivating viewers and transcending the boundaries of two-dimensional art.

Born in Stockholm, Hernmarck studied at the Handarbetets Vänner textile school in Stockholm before moving to the United States. She has received numerous awards and honors throughout her career, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Craft Council.

Mary Giles
69mg Quill Bowl II, Mary Giles, waxed linen and porcupine quills, 4.5″ x 11.5″ x 11.5″, 1983

Last, but not least, we highlight the work of the late Mary Giles. Giles was a renowned artist who mastered the coiling technique associated with Native American basket traditions. Her work included striking wall pieces and freestanding sculptures that draw inspiration from the environment, human figures, and vessels.

Her signature style incorporated thin metal strips, some of which are shaped like human figures, layered over a surface or core. Her pieces are a beautiful representation of the connection between art and nature, and her work is included in many prestigious collections, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

There are only a couple of days left to experience the stunning works of the incredible artists in our Acclaim! exhibition in person. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to engage with the art and immerse yourself in the world of these talented artists. For more information on Acclaim! or to register, click here. We hope to see you there!

Sneak Peek: Acclaim! Opens Saturday

April 26, 2023 0 Comment
Colorful Jane Sauer fiber sculpture
15js Genesis, Jane Sauer, waxed linen and pigment, 11″ x 17″ x 8″, 2001. Photo by Tom Grotta.

Here are more images to pique your interest in our Spring “Art in the Barn” exhibition. Acclaim! Work by Award-Winning International Artists features more than 40 artists who have created art textiles, fiber sculpture and mixed media work from the 60s to the present. Each has received accolades, recognition, and awards. Among the works that will be included are several very rare and special works from the resale market.

Among these special works are Genesis, a colorful and whimsical work from 2001 by noted artist and gallerist Jane Sauer. The Smithsonian says that Sauer’s pieces “reflect her life as a mother to her children and as a productive, professional artist. [Her] closed baskets symbolize these different roles, evoking the sheltering environment of the womb and the ‘personal space’ that all artists require to create their work.”

Two Cynthia Schira textiles
1csh Nightfall, Cynthia Schira, cotton and linen with fabric backing, 28.5 x 28.5, 1979 and 2csh Spring Lyric, Cynthia Schira, cotton and linen with rod, 27″ x 26″, 1979

Another artist whose work we are excited to be including in Acclaim! is Cynthia Schira. Schira’s work often draws imagery from the notational codes, ciphers, and diagrams that visualize systems of knowledge in different disciplines and professions. The works in Acclaim!, Nightfall and Spring Lyric have that sense; they resemble notes jotted down in haste or using shorthand.

Warren Seelig stainless steel sculptures
5was Small Double Ended, Warren Seelig, nylon, stainless steel, 63″ x 33″ x 16.375; 6was Small White Wheel, Warren Seelig, nylon, stainless steel 62″ x 40″ x 12″, 1996. Photo by Tom Grotta.

New for browngrotta arts are also Warren Seelig’s works of metal and stone. Seelig has family ties to fiber milling and the textile industry and was exposed to both textiles and the textile manufacturing machinery. He received a BS from Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, where he created his first woven works, then an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1974. Seelig moved from woven works to unique structural, fan-like works using mylar frames and an innovative double-weave technique. He then shifted to suspended spoke-and-axle pieces and wall-mounted shadow fields, like White Wheel and Small Double Ended, and Stone Shadowfield which viewers will see in Acclaim! Seelig has been regularly commissioned to create installations for corporate offices and convention centers. Seelig teaches, curates, and writes on various subjects related to textile, fiber, and material studies. 

Gerhardt Knodel Jacquard weavings
1gkn Santa Cruz, Gerhardt Knodel, cotton twill tape painted and printed before weaving, Mylar, metallic gimp, linen, lined with cotton fabric, 24.75” x 57” x 1.5”, 1981. Photo by Tom Grotta.

Gerhardt Knodel is another artist new for browngrotta arts. Knodel has contributed to the evolution and identity of contemporary work in the fiber medium for more than four decades. For 25 years he led the graduate program in Fiber at Cranbrook Academy of Art, and subsequently was appointed Director, being awarded Director Emeritus in 2006. Knodel’s work with fiber includes installations, theater, architectural commissions, and the pictorial potential of weaving. In Acclaim! there are three works by Knodel each of which involves intricate patterning and interesting use of metallic threads. Santa Cruz features an image of the boardwalk in California; Jacquard Suite 7 and Jacquard Suite 10 interesting patterning.

29ddm Mourning Station #4, Dominic Di Mare, hawthorn, handmade paper, silk, bone, bird’s egg, feathers, gold and wood beads, 13″ x 7″ x 7″, 1981. Photo by Tom Grotta.

The works by Dominic Di Mare that is included in Acclaim! is particularly intriguing. It includes, The Mourners, a group of woven hangings from the early 60s. It also includes a work from 20 years later, Mourning Station #4, that features the artist’s characteristic assemblage of feathers, handmade paper, beads and woven silk, one of what the Smithsonian calls his, “enigmatic sculptures from handmade papers, polished hawthorne twigs, and feathers.”

Hope you can join us at Acclaim!

Location:
browngrotta arts
276 Ridgefield Road Wilton, CT 06897

Artist Reception and Opening: 
April 29, from 11am to 6 pm

Remaining Days:
Sunday, April 30th: 11AM to 6 PM (40 visitors/ hour)
Monday, May 1st – Saturday, May 6th: 10AM to 5PM (40 visitors/ hour)
Sunday, May 7th: 11AM to 6PM [Final Day] (40 visitors/ hour)

Protocols: 
Eventbrite reservations strongly encouraged • No narrow heels please (barn floors)

Reserve a spot:
Eventbrite

8ddm The Mourners, Dominic Di Mare, waxed linen, wood, (Back row from left to right: 48.5″ x 24″; 46″ x 24″; 50.5″ x 24″; 47″ x 24″) Front row from left to right: 49.5″ x 24″ ; 46.5″ x 24″; 48.5″ x 24″) 1962-63. Photo by Tom Grotta.

Sneak Peek: Acclaim! Opens Next Saturday – The Luminaries

April 19, 2023 0 Comment
Ed Rossbach plastic Wall Hanging
Gateway, Ed Rossbach, yellow and white plastic, foam rubber and plastic tape, 53.5″ x 56″ x 2.5″, 1970, photo by Tom Grotta

Our Spring “Art in the Barn,” Acclaim! Work by Award-Winning International Artists, is a truly stellar event. We’ve gathered work by 51 luminaries in art textiles, sculpture and mixed media for this exhibition. Each of them has achieved some formal recognition — an Artist of the Year Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, a Gold Medal or honor from a king (of Sweden) or queen (of the UK). Works from the 60s join works from 2023 — offering viewers perspective on the contemporary fiber art movement from its origins to the present. Here’s your sneak peak at the work by some of the best-known of the prominent artists that make up Acclaim!

Mickey Mouse Bowl by Ed Rossbach
New Mickey Bowl, Ed Rossbach, paper and various fibers, 12.5″ x 12.5″ x 12.5″, 1995. Photo by Tom Grotta

Among the artists included in Acclaim! is Ed Rossbach. Rossbach is known as the “father of contemporary basketry.” Relentlessly inventive, he experimented with materials and techniques and encouraged and inspired others to do the same. Acclaim! includes two quintessential examples of Ed’s ouevre. One is a wall hanging, Gateway, constructed of plastic, tape, and foam rubber, which now seems like a particularly prescient contemplation on the intersections between materiality and climate change. The other work, The New Mickey Bowl, is a large basket featuring Mickey Mouse. Rossbach often used pop imagery in his work, including John Travolta and pages from Sports Illustrated, but Mickey Mouse for an image he used repeatedly in various forms, woven, transferred, crocheted. There was irony in the choice. Rossbach said, “I like Mickey Mouse. I think it’s partly because it’s a defensive attitude on my part, that what people think very much is Mickey Mouse. They refer to the classes that you teach as Mickey Mouse classes, and everything is just dismissed as, ‘It’s Mickey Mouse.'” Rossbach found that embracing Mickey was a way to respond. “So I put a Mickey Mouse on baskets and the most elaborate textile; I wove Mickey Mouse in double damask,” he told an interviewer laughing. “I did him in ikats. I’ve done a lot of Mickey Mouses. And Mickey Mouses sell,” he added wryly. 

Sheila Hicks Wall Hanging
Araucario, Sheila Hicks, linen, cotton, nylon and araucario, 39.375″ x 39.375″ x 3.125″, 2015. Photo by Tom Grotta

From Sheila Hicks we have Araucaria, which incorporates cones from a evergreen coniferous tree. Hicks is a lauded American artist known for her innovative and experimental weavings and sculptural textile art that incorporate distinctive colors, natural materials, and personal narratives. Her diverse approach to textiles put her at the center of the burgeoning Fiber Art movement of the 1960s and ’70s, in which artists, were inventing new possibilities for pliable mediums. As the Museum of Modern Art has noted, Hicks is “[c]aptivated by structure, form, and color, she has looked to weaving cultures across the globe to shape her work at varying scales.” Hicks has exhibited internationally in both solo and group exhibitions. She was included in the 2017 Venice Biennial, 2014 Whitney Biennial in New York,  the 2012  São Paulo Biennial in Brazil. Recent solo presentations include Lignes de Vie at the Centre Pompidou in Paris in 2018 and Free Threads 1954-2017 Museo Amparo, Mexico.” A major retrospective, Sheila Hicks: 50 Years, debuted at the Addison Gallery of American Art and traveled to the Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia and the Mint Museum, Charlotte, NC. 

Assemblage by Lenore Tawney
Book of Foot, Lenore Tawney, assemblage, 22.25″ x 5.375″ x 5.75″, 1996, photo by Tom Grotta

We have two works by Lenore Tawney in this exhibition. Lenore Tawney (1907 – 2007) was an American artist known for her groundbreaking work in fiber as well as for her drawings, collages, and assemblages. She, like Sheila Hicks, was at the center of the move to take textiles off the loom and off the wall. Her imagery and invention extended to her collages. There are two of those included in Acclaim!, Gift Pipe and The Book of Foot. They are both examples of Tawney’s collages that mixed found objects, newsprint and her drawings. She sent hundreds of postcard collages with cryptic, sometimes humorous messages to friends. 

1970s Olga de Amaral weaving
Untitled Columna, Olga de Amaral, cotton, wool, horsehair, 83.375” x 22”, 1970’s. Photo by Tom Grotta

An early weaving by the Colombian artist Olga de Amaral is included in Acclaim!. Columnar Untitled is a vividly colored tapestry that incorporates horsehair. She is an important figure in the development of Latin-American post-war abstraction. She is known for her large-scale abstract works made with fiber, gesso, paint and prescious metals. She studied at Cranbrook Scool of Art,  As her website explains, “she transforms the two-dimensional textile structure into sculptural presences that seamlessly blend art, craft, and design. I their engagement with materials and processes, her works become essentially unclassifiable and self reflective. 

Kay Sekimachi Leaf Bowl
Leaf Bowl, Kay Sekimachi, skeleton of big leaf maple, 5.75″ x 6″ x 6″, 2011, Photo by Tom Grotta

Also included in Acclaim! are two rare works by Kay Sekimachi. Sekimachi is an American fiber artist and weaver, best known for her three-dimensional woven monofilament hangings as well as her intricate baskets and bowls. The Smithsonian describes her artistic journey this way: “Kay Sekimachi learned to make origami figures and to paint and draw while in an incarceration camp for Japanese Americans during World War II.  She enrolled at the California College of Arts and Crafts in 1946, spent two summers at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine, and by 1949 was weaving large, complex wall hangings. In the late 1970s, Sekimachi began to create small pots and bowls that combine Japanese paper with materials left over from her weaving.” In Acclaim!  we’ll exhibit one of Sekimachi’s prized leaf bowls and a blue paper basket through which threads are incorporated.

Hope you can join us later this month or in early May for Acclaim! Details appear below:

Location:
browngrotta arts
276 Ridgefield Road Wilton, CT 06897
Artist Reception and Opening: April 29, from 11am to 6 pm

Remaining Days:
Sunday, April 30th: 11AM to 6 PM (40 visitors/ hour)
Monday, May 1st – Saturday, May 6th: 10AM to 5PM (40 visitors/ hour)
Sunday, May 7th: 11AM to 6PM [Final Day] (40 visitors/ hour)

Protocols: 
Eventbrite reservations strongly encouraged • No narrow heels please (barn floors)

Reserve a spot: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/acclaim-work-by-award-winning-international-artists-tickets-568340761517?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete

What to Visit On Your Trip to browngrotta arts April 29 – May 7

April 12, 2023 0 Comment

There are lots of things happening in our neighborhood this Spring. If you are planning to join us at browngrotta arts’ Spring exhibition (and we hope you are) there are some stops of note you can make along the way. Acclaim! Work by Award-Winning International Artists runs from April 29 to May 7, at browngrotta arts in Wilton, Connecticut. Here are some additional destinations to add to your trip.

Wordplay installation Flinn Gallery Greenwich Library
photo by Tom Grotta

Greenwich:
Wordplay: Messages in Branches and Bark, work by John McQueen and Gyöngy Laky.  browngrotta arts has partnered with the Flinn Gallery, Greenwich Library, 101 West Putnam Avenue. You’ll see forty-plus works by these talented and innovative artists.

Black Art in America

The Bruce Museum, is featuring Then Is Now: Contemporary Black Art in America, which explores how Black artists of our time critically engage with the past and present. The Bruce is located in downtown Greenwich at 1 Museum Drive.

Rainbow in the Dark
photo courtesy Jenna Bascom Photography

Westport:
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Westport presents Rainbow in the Dark, a solo exhibition by German contemporary artist Anselm Reyle. Anselm Reyle’s best-known works include his foil and strip paintings and his sculptures. Remnants of consumer society, discarded materials, symbols of urbanity, and industrial change play a central role in his works. MoCA is at 19 Newtown Turnpike.

The Glass House
photo by Tom Grotta

New Canaan:
The iconic Glass House, built between 1949 and 1995 by architect Philip Johnson, is a National Trust Historic Site located in New Canaan. The pastoral 49-acre landscape comprises 14 structures, including the Glass House (1949), and features a permanent collection of 20th-century painting and sculpture. Advance reservations are recommended. The Glass House is at 199 Elm Street.

The Shed
photo by Tom Grotta

Wilton:
If you come to browngrotta arts April 29th or 30th, or May 3-6th, you may be able to visit the Kudos Shed that features an exhibition of work by Robert Longo. The concept is that of Fernando Luis Alvarez, the owner of the Alvarez Gallery, which we learned about from an interview with Alvarez in Good Morning Wilton. The Kudos Shed is in Wilton’s historic Cannondale area. Reservations are recommended.

Acclaim! Work by Award-Winning installation. Photo by Tom Grotta
photo by Tom Grotta

We look forward to seeing you at our spring “Art in the Barn” exhibition in Wilton. Details are below.
Acclaim! Work by Award-Winning Artists
browngrotta arts
276 Ridgefield Road Wilton, CT 06897
Artist Reception and Opening: April 29, from 11am to 6 pm
Remaining Days
Sunday, April 30th: 11AM to 6 PM (40 visitors/ hour)
Monday, May 1st – Saturday, May 6th: 10AM to 5PM (40 visitors/ hour)
Sunday, May 7th: 11AM to 6PM [Final Day] (40 visitors/ hour)

Protocols 
Eventbrite reservations strongly encouraged • No narrow heels please (barn floors)

Hope you can have an art adventure this spring!

Reserve a spot here: RESERVE

Mapmatics: Maps as Elements in Art

April 5, 2023 0 Comment
Detail: Next Year in Jerusalem, Toshio Sekiji, lacquered maps of Jerusalem, 48" x 28" unframed, 1997. Photo by Tom Grotta.
Detail: Next Year in Jerusalem, Toshio Sekiji, lacquered maps of Jerusalem, 48″ x 28″ unframed, 1997. Photo by Tom Grotta.

“Many artists have used maps to tell wide-ranging stories about conflict, migration, identity, and social, cultural, or political networks,” notes the Museum of Modern Art in New York (Maps, Borders and Networks). “While we often regard maps as objective representations, they are in fact laden with subjective views of the world. And maps change over time. Borders and boundaries are constantly in flux, shifting with wars and politics and in response to changes in international relations.” Numerous names have been suggested for various strains of this intersection: “psychogeography,” “locative media,” “experimental geography,” “site specific art,” “new genre public art,””critical cartography,” and “critical spatial practices.” (Art and Cartography online). We coined “mapmatics” and we like it. Like the study of math, it suggests an abstract view of number, quantity, and space taken by maps in art. Like math, mapmatics may be studied in its own right or as applied in collage or sculpture. 

NY Street Map Collage, Toshio Sekiji, lacquered New York street maps
NY Street Map Collage, Toshio Sekiji, lacquered New York street maps, 29″ x 40″, 1997. Photo by Tom Grotta

Toshio Sekiji of Japan, for example, uses maps to explore the merge of cultures in collage/weavings — as well as repurposed newspapers and book pages. His works have included weavings of maps of New York streets, and the subway system and of Jerusalem where ancient and modern cultures collide. “New stories are created atop the old,” he says, by reading the strips of papers and the areas he has enhanced, by selection and sometimes with lacquer. When the strips are woven, the result is a tapestry of almost-symbols, a tapestry that vanishes at the border of meaning.

I Am Here, Marion Hildebrandt
I Am Here, Marion Hildebrandt, Napa Valley topographical maps and ash strips, 1995. Photo by Tom Grotta.

In I Am Here, the late Marian Hildebrandt makes a personal statement about her artistic identity. Hildebrandt gathered materials for her baskets and structures exclusively from riverbeds, ravines, meadows, and woods near her home in Napa Valley, California. That process is reflected in her use of a topographical map of Napa to create this work.

Ladakh I, Chris Drury, woven maps of Leh region of Himalayas and Karakoram, together with earth rubbed paper from the same area pressed into a bowl shape and set into a paper square painted with watercolor and rubbed with charcoal, mounted on hardboard and backed with timber, 48″ x 48″ x 5″, 1997-98. Photo by Tom Grotta.  

Chris Drury uses maps — preprinted and hand drawn — as a “schematic way of mapping place and experience.” In Ladakh I, he has mixedEarth-pigmented paper and maps woven into a convex bowl, mounted into paper covered board with blue water color and charcoal to document a trip there.

Crossing and Recrossing the Rivers of Iceland, Chris Drury, handwritten text in ink, on canvas backed peat impregnated paper. 74.75" x 30.625" x 2.625", 2003
Crossing and Recrossing the Rivers of Iceland, Chris Drury, handwritten text in ink, on canvas backed peat impregnated paper. 74.75″ x 30.625″ x 2.625″, 2003

In Crossing and Re-Crossing the Rivers of Iceland, Drury used hand-written text in ink, on canvas-backed, peat-impregnated paper, to list and repeat all the rivers crossed on a six-day walk from Porsmork to Landmanalauga. “My friend Phil,” Drury explains, “a climber who had developed a heart condition, came with me on this walk. On the fourth day we were hit by a storm and waited out the night in a hut. Anchoring Crossing and Re-Crossing the Rivers of Iceland is a satellite image of that storm. The following day, we started for the next hut, crossed a cold river and climbed 2000 feet to a snow-covered plateau where the storm returned. Phil, who was cold and tired, announced he wasn’t going to make it.” He was, in fact, having a heart attack – his heart was shutting down. He swallowed pills, given him by his doctor for just such an emergency, which saved his life and made it to the hut. “The double vortex in Crossing and Re-Crossing is a pattern called a ‘Cardiac Twist,’ ” Drury says, “a term referring to blood flows in the heart. The storm we were caught in had that same pattern.” 

Migration, antique wooden shoe form, thread, map pins, maps: McNally’s System of Geography, 1868; Swinton’s Elementary Geography, 1875, 9.5 x 3 x 3.25 in, 2022. Photo by Carole Kunstadt.

By contrast, Carole Kunstadt, a collagist, painter, book arts and fiber artist, maps a more metaphysical journey. By combining disparate found objects, ephemera, antique maps, and illustrations she aims to present new levels of involvement. “Beyond the experience of a specific space/time, we are brought to other places, fantasies and experiences through these combinations,” she writes. Such imaginings include the whimsical map-wrapped foot that makes up Migration, which leaves the viewer wondering where has it been and where it is going. Kunstadt’s work is currently on display at the Olive Free Library in West Shokan, New York in cARTography: alternate routes, through May 6th. “By altering the context, format, and purpose of a map,” the curator explains, “this group of ten artists presents a diversity of approaches that are thought provoking and visually exciting.” 

Want to learn more? Visit Maps as Art an online exhibition at the University of Michigan or MoMA Learning: Maps, Borders, and Networks.

Rhonda Brown