MemphisWeaver

http://memphisweaver.com

MemphisWeaver is where form meets function. My handwoven clothing and accessories will not only keep you warm and comfortable but will also mark a stylish and contemporary woman. The creative side of you will delight in writing and sketching your innermost thoughts and wildest dreams in my hand bound blank books

Yes, weaving and hand bound books go hand in hand. The rhythmic flow of the shuttle from side to side mimics the rhythmic movement of carrying the threads along the spine of a beautifully constructed book. My weaving began in 1980 when I finished my work in museum studies, and instead of heading to a curator's workbench, I headed to the weaving studio, and I have stayed there ever since! My work in book arts stemmed from a life long love of reading. In 1985 I gave myself a gift of an art retreat with one of the foremost book artists in the world. I saw how inter-related weaving and the book arts were and I have never looked back.

In both weaving and book arts, I constantly look for new materials, new forms, and new ways to express my love of both. My work continues to change and evolve, but in my handcrafted products you will always find something you will love to use for a very long time.


My work can be found at WinterArts, a seasonal gallery of fine handcrafted items by local artists in the Memphis area. The gallery is open twice a year from Thanksgiving through Christmas, and also for two weeks before Mother's Day.  Check the website for locations, as it varies from year to year: Winter Arts Memphis.  My work can also be purchased year round at the gift shop at the Memphis Brooks Museum during museum hours:  Brooks Museum.

-Felicitas  Sloves

Artist's statement:  Drawn by the colors and textures of yarns, I began weaving on a traditional floor loom in 1980.  My early pieces included original design clothing and accessories woven from natural wool fibers.  A move from New Jersey to Memphis in 2000 inspired a new direction in weaving.  Natural cotton and silk, and more recently sustainable fibers such as bamboo and tencel became my fibers of choice.  Not only do the fibers drape beautifully and feel luxurious, they also are easily replenish-able with little need for toxins to promote growth. My belief in stewardship of our Earth extends into  my work with hand bound books as I often incorporate hand made paper from natural products.

The Judaic concept of hiddur mitzvah has always been a part of my artistic life. Literally, the Hebrew phrase can be translated as “to make a good deed beautiful”. The use of textiles with a thought toward repairing the Earth can be viewed as a good deed, and to create beautiful handwoven textiles fulfills the directive issued by hiddur mitzvah.  As an artist, I believe that this concept can be applied to all manners of not only religious worship, but also by extension into one’s personal life.


Location:  Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Online shop:  memphisweaver
Blog:  memphisweaver
Memberships:
   Tennessee Association of Craft Artists
   Memphis Association of Craft Artists
   Handweavers Guild of America
Languages spoken:  English, Dutch

Handwoven Scarf by MemphisWeaver

Handbound Books by MemphisWeaver

Tags:  Handweaving, Clothing, Accessories, Hand bound book, Journal, Sketchbook, Sustainable, Memphis, Tennessee, Scarves

Meg Black Handmade Paper Paintings

http://www.megblack.com

I am a papermaker and art educator.  I am looking for opportunities to place my work in public and private settings as well as teach papermaking workshops in my studio and in other locations both nationally and internationally.  

My work can be found at the following galleries:   covegallery, lattitudegallery, and bostonartinc.

Artist statement

Inspiration:      
My work expresses my interests in nature and the environment.  When considering nature, I do not try to copy the natural world as I see it but, rather, as I feel it.  Moved by the natural light and organic shapes I observe in the places I visit seeking inspiration, I try to capture in my work the essence and mood of the place as well as to formulate a graphic interpretation of what I see. 

My environmental interests derive from the precarious condition of our planet and from my urgent desire to record the environment before it is too late.  By recording visually all that inspires me in the natural world, I attempt to document what beauty still exists, perhaps as a legacy for future generations.

I work with handmade paper for two reasons: (1) handmade paper has not been widely used as a painting medium, thus I am constantly discovering its potential and am challenged by its capacities, which allows me to be a pioneer in this exciting medium; and (2) the texture of pulp provides an almost three-dimensional quality to the painting’s surface, thus mimicking nature in all its splendor.

Technique:       
My paintings and wall reliefs are created exclusively from fibrous paper pulp: there is no “paint” of any kind on the surface.  Each work is pigmented with 100% pure, non-fading, acid-free pigments and is carefully treated so that it can be exhibited with or without glass.  My unique process and careful attention to craftsmanship provides a seductive, textured surface that lends itself to the natural subject matter of my work.
                  

Location:  Topsfield, Massachusetts, USA

Online shops:

   megblack
   megblackprints
   megblack (Etsy)
   fineartamerica

Blog:  megblackhandmadepaperpaintings 

Memberships:

   valleyfiberlife
   megblackstudios

Languages spoken:  English

"Northshore Scape", Paper Painting by Meg Black

Tags:  Handmade paper, seascapes, wall reliefs, paper sculpture, Meg Black, painting, garden paintings, nature, contemporary landscapes, landscape painting

Anni Hunt

"Copper Pot", Detail, by Anni Hunt

www.annihunt.com

Stitching and fabric have been an important part of Anni’s life since childhood. As so many people do she started making clothes, then  moved on to quilting and now is making stitched, dyed and painted 3d pieces and wall hangings.  All art making gives its creator certain freedoms and creating work in 3D has given her a new view of what she wants to and can do.

Having had a career in “grayscale” imaging she has necessarily become acutely aware of subtle changes in shade.  In many ways this has pushed her towards a love of, and perhaps a need for, the rich and colourful, but at the same time kept her very aware of changes in hue and tone.  As an artist she has found this very helpful. 

The sleek and elegant lines of Japanese design concepts has also been a strong influence on Anni.  She finds its strength and simplicity inspiring and in a way comforting.

With her containers she wants to create the contradictory feeling of containment and freedom, a contradiction which is something that everyone finds in their lives.

Artist's statment:  I have always had a very good ""eye"" for subtle changes in colour . I think my thirty years in ""grayscale"" imaging in medicine has definitely honed those skills to a finer degree than most. So it is wonderful to be able to apply that in stitch with the use of fibre and threads to create a rich and colourful texture reflecting nature in my work.

I tend to use my surroundings from the west coast and nature to influence and inspire me.
My design sense has definitely been influenced by sleek, elegant Japanese lines and the Art Deco clothing styles of Erte` to which I apply to my wearable art creations.

My work is available at Crafthouse, a gallery run by the Craft Council of British Columbia.

"Family Connections" by Anni Hunt

Location:  West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Memberships:  

   SDA, Surface Design Assoc.
   SAQA, Studio Art Quilts Assoc.
   Gail Harker Creative Studies

   Workshop on the Web

Languages spoken:  English, Norwegian

"Dream Twigs" by Anni Hunt

 

Tags:  Mixed Media, Textiles, Machine Embroidery, Collage, Encaustics, Abstracts in Nature.

Green Baboon Designs

www.greenbaboondesigns.etsy.com

After the birth of my son, something shifted inside me.  A longing to create a home full of softness and comfort.  A safe haven for him free of harsh chemicals, toxic plastic toys, and commercialism.  A place where he could play gently, use his imagination, and engage in his surroundings and in nature.  

It was in that line of thinking, and with my husband's urging that I opened my Etsy store, Green Baboon Designs in November of 2009.   I wanted all my materials to be as natural as possible consisting of items that came from the earth, the plants, and the animals.   My hope was for all my creations to be things I would gladly place in my home, and that I would be proud to send to others' homes as well. 

I specialize in needle felted acorns, needle felted soft sculpture figures and paper star lanterns.  All items that are eco-friendly, biodegradable, safe for little ones and Big Ones who care for them.  

I draw upon my fine arts background to guide me through a new design process and gather my inspiration for new creations from my son - experiencing the world and all her mysteries through his eyes. 

-Danita Berg

Mission: At Green Baboon Designs we specialize in felted acorns, paper star lanterns, and natural and felted toys. Green Baboon Designs creates unique, eco-friendly items for your home in the Waldorf tradition using only the finest wool paper products.  All of our items are inspired by nature and made with love.

Location:  Portland, Oregon, USA

Online shop:  greenbaboondesigns

Blog:  homemadeserenity

Membership:  Crafting in Color Team on Etsy

Languages spoken:  English

 Needle felted dolls by Green Baboon Designs

Tags:  felt acorns, felted acorns, needle felted acorns, needle felted mama dolls, felted pregnant dolls, felted figures, paper lanterns, Waldorf Star Lanterns, felted toys

The Greene Fairy

http://thegreenefairy.etsy.com

Hi! My name is Kerry and I absolutely love to create art and make handmade recycled paper.  I have an art degree from the University of Wisconsin Madison, but have really been creating art my whole life.  I first made handmade recycled paper when I was 10 or 11 years old,  at Octoberfest up in LaCrosse, WI. I then began making it again in my late teens and refined my technique over the years.

I have learned a lot through trial and error, and created my own techniques over time to make my paper one of a kind, earth friendly, and lovely.  It gives me endless joy that I can make something beautiful from papers and items that might normally be cast aside, thereby helping the environment and also providing a unique art supply for other artists and craftsmen. I have found that these recycled papers have many great uses, including card making, gift tags, soap wraps, book marks, book binding, and scrapbooking. Oh yeah, and they look great framed as art too!

If you are looking for a certain size, color or style, just contact me and let me know! I love working with potential clients on custom orders :)

Artist's Statement:  At The Greene Fairy we strive for a high quality paper product that is decorative, eco-friendly, and of many purposes :)

Location:  Savannah, Georgia, USA

Online Shop:  thegreenefairy

Brick and Mortar Presence:

I have my own studio/gallery in Savannah's City Market! I also show work at  The Horizon Gallery, also in Savannah, and soon may be expanding up to Asheville, NC.
Blog:  snitterdog

Memberships:

   The City Market (Savannah, GA)
   Horizon Gallery (Savannah, GA)
   The Book Nook (Asheville, NC)

Languages spoken:  English

Handmade Recycled Paper with Dragonflies 

by The Greene Fairy

Tags:  paper, upcycled, diy, earth- friendly, supplies, textured, ornate, ooak, crafting, playful

Fibre Arts Australia / Glenys Mann

www.fibrearts.viviti.com

FIBRE ARTS AUSTRALIA organises four events each year. Twenty international and Australian tutors are invited to each event to share their skills and knowledge over a five day period. These fibre/textile events are five day workshops that contain: hands on experiences, lectures, fibre/textile exhibitions, traders, networking with like minded people all in a wonderful live-in environment. They are held in country areas in Australia.

Mission:  Fibre Arts Australia endeavors to bring the best Fibre/Textile Artisans in the world to a place where knowledge can be shared with like-minded Fibre/Textile enthusiasts in a nurturing environment.

Location:  All over Australia
Blogs:   
   fibreartscollage
   fibreschat
Memberships:  Craft Australia, NAVA
Languages spoken:  English 

Mixed Media Book by Glenys Mann

Tags:  weaving, surface design, dyeing, bookbinding, found object jewelery, hand-stitching, basketry, felting, hats, wearable-art