Fiber: A Closer Look

Laura Ann Beehler and I are curating a fiber exhibition this month at the San Antonio Visual Artists' (SAVA) gallery. The invitational exhibit of Texas fiber artists represents a range of artforms including art quilts, wearable and functional art, 3 dimensional sculpted fiber, artcloth, basketry and weaving. Fourteen Texas artists are featured, including Jane Bishop, Laurie Brainerd, Jane Dunnewold, Martha K. Grant, Caryl Gaubatz, Leslie Tucker Jenison, Lisa Mittler, Susie Monday, Susan Oaks, Linda Rael, Letitia Rogers, Linda Sura, Laura and I.

I hope you will join us for the opening reception on Thursday, May 6. The reception is from 6 to 8 pm and the gallery is located at the RiverCenter Mall, Suite 205 (near the Commerce Street entrance).

Below is a sneak preview of some of the items in the exhibition.

Art and Music - A Great Combination

The San Antonio Visual Artists (SAVA) are partnering with the Cactus Pear Music Festival this summer. Artwork by SAVA members will be on display at all eight of the Cactus Pear concerts in July. The works on exhibit are in a variety of media, including oil, acrylic, fiber, mixed media, wood and stone. Artists whose work will be on display include: Sonya Gonzalez, Carmen Johnson Alexander; Richard Ybanez; Janice Cooper; Ofelia Uz Gonzalez, Toni Richardson, Ronney Stevens; Ramon Vasquez y Sanchez, Ilze Dilane, Raul Castellanos, Eduardo Garza, Hebron Chism, and Steve Ortman. I will also have several pieces as part of the festival.

This month's exhibition at the SAVA Rivercenter Gallery also has a music theme. The opening reception was Tuesday, June 30, and the show runs through July 31. Below are a few of the pieces in the exhibit.

Cello, J. Cooper

Janice recently completed a series of oil paintings with music as a central theme. See her website to see more photos from the series.

Mandolin, Ilze Dilane

Accordion, Ilze Dilane

The above pieces are from a series Ilze created, each highlighting a different musical instrument. She uses a very interesting process - they have a 3-dimensional effect, as if they were etched into the surface of the painting. You can see more of her work on her website.

Struttin, Steve Ortman

Steve has recently started painting again, after a long break. He works primarily in acrylic. Photos of his work can be seen on his blog.

Adagio, Lisa Kerpoe

Awakening, Lisa Kerpoe

These two pieces are both silk, and incorporate a variety of techniques, including dyeing, color discharge, screenprinting, metal leaf lamination and beading. More of my artcloth can be seen on my website.

The Art of Family

The San Antonio Visual Artists (SAVA) opened a new exhibit Thursday night at their Rivercenter Mall Gallery. The exhibit, The Art of Family, features works in a variety of media by artists of all ages. It is a wonderful collection of painting, pastel, fiber, and sculpture. Artists were required to enter the exhibit in conjunction with a family member. Some artists collaborated with family members. Others, like me, entered individual works with a member of their family. It was inspiring to see the family art connections.

When I first heard of the exhibit, I thought "I guess I won't be able to enter this show, because no one in my family is an artist." Then I realized that my home is filled with the artwork of family members and friends. My uncle Jerry was an artist and I have several of his works in my home. My favorite is a wood cut he did about 6 months after I was born. He died long before I pursued my art full time. I regret not being able to share that with him, but I feel that he is a part of me and has influenced my art career.

My sister-in-law's aunt is an artist, and we have a wonderful pastel we received as a wedding gift. I have always felt that the girl in the picture looks like my niece when she was a young girl.

And I can't forget my husband, who has also loved art since he was young. He used to do a lot of oil and acrylic painting, but he gave it up for writing. He has just started to go back to his paints. We have a number of his works throughout our home.

And, although her work is not represented in our home, another of my sisters-in-law is an artist. We've been asking for something of hers for years. She is a wonderful artist, but working full time as a high school art teacher, she doesn't have much time for her own creations.

My family goes beyond just the ties of blood and marriage. We all have our chosen family - close friends with whom we choose to spend our time. I cherish the artwork in my home that was created by my friends. As I look around my home, I realize that most of the art on my walls was created by people I know. Each piece has a story, making it so much more meaningful.

What story does the art in your home tell?