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

Marjorie Durko Puryear Art

Travel Documents 1-Moments On The Grid. ArtQuilt 30" x 30"

mardurpur.blogspot.com/

I am a fiber artist, formally trained, with both BFA and MFA degrees. I construct textile compositions that are unpretentious stories. Typically small-scale, they are easy-to-live-with pieces, often quirky, and very enjoyable. This work is defined by a passion for collecting cast-offs: delicate handkerchiefs and monogrammed linens; handwritten notes and letters from another era; and odd photos. I identify with the history each item carries and am obsessed with assembling found parts into a new whole, inventing a new message for the appropriated materials.

My work is meticulously conceived and honors fine craftsmanship.

Most pieces are small-scale, single unit/single element compositions, formally framed. Other work is in traditional quilt form – both art quilt and functional.

My work has been exhibited in hundreds of group and solo shows, recently: the ARC Gallery, Chicago IL; Fuller Museum of Craft, Brockton MA; Carnegie Center, New Albany IN; Turchin Center, Boone NC; Prescott College/Sam Hill Gallery, AZ; Craft Alliance Gallery, St Louis MO; Museum of Decorative Arts and Design,  Riga LATVIA; and soon, Selden Gallery, Norfolk VA.

My work is sold through exhibitions and now by direct contact through my blog.

Artist's statement:  The textile art that I create is emotionally linked to everyday humble craft- forms and the tactile, sentimental memories they can embody. I transform the mundane parts of an ordinary life into compositions that evoke intrinsic beauty and a viewer’s curiosity - objects that become new and extraordinary decorative elements.

Location:  USA. Split residences-Massachusetts and Alabama

Blog:  mardurpur 

Memberships:  

   Surface Design Association, MA/RI.
   Weavers Guild of Boston, WGB.
   Handweavers Guild of America, HGA.

Languages spoken:  English

Notes From You Series - Judge Me. detail Framed size 18" x 18" by Marjorie Durko Puryear Art

Tags:  collage, lace, Victorian, letters, memories, writing, small, feminine

Salley Mavor

www.weefolkstudio.com

I am a fiber artist and children's book illustrator. My fabric relief sculptures are photographed and reproduced in picture books. The books are not just for children--they're also used as art and reference books for all ages. I've also written the instruction book for adults, Felt Wee Folk: Enchanting Projects.

Salley Mavor

Artist's statement:  I have had a life-long fascination with little things and needlework. Toward the end of art school, I rediscovered my childhood delight in sewing and creating miniature scenes. Leaving traditional illustration mediums behind, but still interested in narrative work, I taught myself stitching and fiber art techniques, which I used in my class assignments. For me, manipulating materials with my hands with a needle and thread was so much more satisfying than rendering with a pencil or brush. I found that I could communicate my ideas more clearly this way and that my hands would direct me in a compelling way.

My early pieces were soft sculpture, and then turned flatter, with raised figures and objects on a fabric background. I came up with the term “fabric relief” in 1982 to better describe my evolving method. My 3-dimensional pictures resemble miniature, shallow stage sets, with scenery, props and characters telling a story. I embroider, wrap, appliqué and paint different materials and found objects to create scenes in relief, with figures imposed on an embellished fabric background. My work is decorative and detailed, full of patterns from nature, all stitched by hand.

For the past 20 years, I’ve been working in the field of illustration, making artwork which is then photographed and printed in children’s books. The original fabric relief pictures have a second life when they are mounted and framed under glass in shadow boxes, ready to show and sell as individual pieces. Through my books, I hope to inspire children as well as adults to see art in fresh and unexpected ways.

Location:  Falmouth, Massachusetts, USA

Online shops:  Amazon, Wee Folk Enchanting Projects

Blog:  weefolk

Memberships:  SAQA, SCBWI

Languages spoken:  English

Detail of Self Portrait by Salley Mavor: a personal history of fashion, fabric relief, 2007, 12”H x 12” W x 1”D

Click on the slide show images to go to Salley's books on Amazon:

Tags:  mixed media, found objects, wool felt, dolls, beads, wood, RISD

Crossroads Trade

http://www.crossroadstrade.com

I started Crossroads Trade as an outgrowth of my love for ethnic textiles, joining it to my commitment to fair trade. After running a brick-and-mortar store in two locations for 11 years, my business is now all on-line.

As a retailer and wholesaler, I'm always looking for uncommon works by ethnic artists. Most items you will see on my websites are not available in stores or online. I showcase work from producer groups whose traditions are little known in the United States. Each year I scout new locales to identify new artisans and traditions.

I'm dedicated to ensuring fair trade. I purchase directly from artisans, cooperatives, refugee communities, economic development initiatives and a limited number of wholesalers who subscribe to fair trade principles. Artisans are paid promptly, receive a fair wage by local standards and set the price for their work. Working conditions are clean, safe and accessible. Children who are learning traditional crafts are doing so after school; many mothers are working to pay school fees for their daughters and sons. I'm an active member of the Fair Trade Federation.

-Kate Harris

Mission:  Crossroads Trade is dedicated to ensuring the survival of indigenous craft traditions around the world. These traditions may express themselves in such timeless works as Kuna Indian molas and Palestinian cushion covers, or in new forms. Ghanaian batiks are fashioned into messenger bags. Shangaan artisans from South Africa have expanded their embroidered works from ostrich-leather bags to spectacular cushion covers and wall hangings. These artisans deserve a fair price for their labor and the opportunity to work in safe surroundings.


Location:  Arlington, Massachusetts, USA
Online shops:  crossroadstrade,  worldofgood
Blog:  crossroadstrade
Other social media:  Twitter
Memberships:  Fair Trade Federation, World Fair Trade Organization
Languages spoken:  English, French, Spanish, some Japanese and Russian

Kuna Mola from Crossroads Trade

Tags:  Inuit, Africa, Latin America, India, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Central America, Mexico, South America, human trafficking

Jwrobel

http://jwrobel.com/

I have always been fascinated by fabrics and textiles.  Something about them just resonates.  Color and texture combine to not only create beauty, but function, as well.  While I work in and am enthralled by the exploration of numerous fiber techniques, knitting, in particular, seems magical to me.  The ability to create something from nothing is inspiring.  That I can sit with a ball of string and turn it into a piece that provides beauty, warmth, comfort, and usefulness all at once is awing.  I wait in rapt attention for each piece to descend from my needles.  Manipulating and combining my textiles with my experience in costuming, papercraft, and surface design is a never ending and enthralling pursuit. 

The pieces I create are all one of a kind or made to order pieces, created by one real person for another.  My design aesthetic is an amalgam of my bohemian and vintage sensibilities with a dose of classic design.  A retro/mod type of feel makes an appearance from time to time, too.   My inspiration is vast and varied:  sometimes it's from a textile, image, or museum artifact, sometimes a color or a texture.  Life experience is a frequent influential contributor.   I source my materials to be organic, fair trade, recycled, and/or re-purposed.   Frequently, my fabrics and yarns come from other artisans who work in small, exquisitely executed batches, who also maintain an environmentally friendly mind-set. This makes ""one of a kind"" an even truer description of some of my pieces.   Through my work and studio I seek to marry creative inspiration with mindful business practices to contribute to the strength of a meaningful community of artisans and the people we create for. In all, I aspire to make beautiful things for you.  

Thank you-
Jess

Artist's Statement:  Through my work I seek to create beautiful things for my clients in a way that is kind and respectful to our environment and communities, while fulfilling my own creative vision.  I further hope to contribute to an increasing sense of value of artisan work of all kinds by strengthening the dialog between artists and the people we create for.

Location:  Ipswich, Massachusetts, USA

Online shops:  

   Jwrobel
   broodbaby
   JwrobelStudio
Blog:  jwrobel

Languages spoken:  English

Knitted Hoodie by Jwrobel

Tags:  organic, natural, baby, clothes, accessories, bags, purses, eco-friendly, hats,  gifts

Fabricadabra

  www.fabricadabra.us

Decorative pillow covers made only from natural, non-toxic fabrics. Pillows include ikats, suzanis, kilims, wool, wax prints, batiks, indigo cloth, mudcloth and a smattering or printed organic cottons.

The fabrics are woven only from natural, non-toxic fibers, using mostly ancient techniques and low impact dyes. A story, a person and a culture are behind every fiber. Most decorative pillow cover fabrics are woven on handlooms and the artisans are paid fair wages for their skills.

Decorative pillow inserts are made with kapok fiber filling and organic cotton shells. Kapok fiber is natural, organic, pesticide free, non-allergenic, mold and mildew resistant, lightweight, odorless, silky, sustainable, washable and non-toxic. All inserts are made in the U.S.A.

Mission:  What I am offering is high quality natural and pesticide-free textile products that don't offend one's sense of beauty, function and compassion. My goal is to be a proponent for all that is pure, healthy, beautiful and respectful. This is a humble attempt to share my passions and values.

-Donna Halloran

Location:  Northborough, Massachusetts, USA

Online shop:  www.fabricadabra.us

Blog:  fabricadabrablog

Memberships:  Green America, Kiva

Languages spoken:  English

Ikat Pillow by Fabricadabra

Tags:   ethnic textiles, ethnic pillows, handwoven textiles, pillows, organic cotton pillows

Julia R. Berkley Works in Fabric

"Midsummer's Daydream II" by Julia R Berkley, Fabric Collage

http://www.juliaberkley.com

I'm essentially a collage artist who uses fabric as her medium. But if I tell you I'm a fabric collage artist you're likely to picture something very different. I use adhesives, rather than stitching, and my images are somewhat abstract, based on natural elements.

So far my art has been well-received locally, with many pieces commissioned for area hospitals. This has been a good fit because while I intend my art to have an unexpected nature to it, at the same time it's soothing and uplifting.

I hope to connect with others working with fiber in interesting ways, and to learn from their paths, both in terms of process and marketing.

Artist's Statement:  I create my collages out of my love of color, texture, and the rich possibilities fabric brings to design. In celebration of the beauty around us, I choose forms that refer to nature, and play with their shapes and colors until something new emerges. People don’t generally expect to find textiles framed in glass, as many of my collages are, yet I enjoy how framing highlights the painterly quality of fabric.

Fabric collage allows surface decoration to inspire vision, and texture to define details. I hope to make art that brings a rush of familiarity and pleasure at the same time it evokes something unexpected and unique in the viewer's mind.

"It's a Jungle Down There!" by Julia R. Berkley, Fabric Collage

Location:  Maynard, Massachusetts, USA

Online shop: fineartamerica.com

Blog: Sticking to Art!
Other Social Media:
   LinkedIn
   Twitter

Memberships:

   Women's Caucus for the Arts (Central MA, Boston, and National)
   Concord Art Association
   LinkedIn: Visual Artists and their Advocates

Languages spoken: English

Tags:  assemblage, collage, movement, color, natural forms, batik, framed art

CherScapes

www.cherscapes.com

I am a mixed media, collage artist who has focused almost exclusively on fiber art since 2004. I create art quilts and one-of-a-kind wearable art from hand dyed, painted and embellished fabric. I personally dye, paint, embellish, design and stitch every garment, shawl and scarf myself. From my 1800 sq. ft studio, I also teach a variety of art classes to both children and adults, and was recently contracted by Storey Publishing to write a comprehensive book on over 80 surface design techniques. All of these techniques and much more are covered in my fiber art classes and workshops, as well as in the classes of many other artists who come to the CherScapes Downtown Fiber Arts Studio to teach their own fiber art passions.

Artist's Statement:  In 2006 I began this incredible journey of combining my love for fiber, my skills as a fine dressmaker and 20 years experience as a mixed media, collage artist into one-of-a-kind wearable art garments for both women and men. I have been fascinated with fiber and thread since I was a little girl watching my mother create stunning dresses, suits and elegant evening gowns. I marvel as the white silk, wool and rayon fabrics come alive with the addition of dyes, paint, embroidery, beads, buttons and metal leaf! Each piece is a dance of materials, a living painting that’s only purpose is to delight and adorn the person brave enough to wear it.

-Cheryl Rezendes

Location: Greenfield, Massachusetts, USA
Online shop: cherscapes
Brick and Mortar: CherScapes Downtown Fiber Arts Studio
   278 Main Street, Suite 307
   Greenfield, MA 01301
Blog: cherylrezendes
Memberships:
   Surface Design Association
   Studio Art Quilts Association
Languages spoken: English

 Wearable Art by Cheryl Rezendes

Tags:  One of a kind, wearables, art quilts, hand painted, hand dyed, embellished, hand made, kimonos, scarfs, wraps

Dee Mallon

 

www.deemallonquilts.com

I am an improv quilter who uses a lot of upcycled clothes and home decorator fabrics in my wall hangings.  Sometimes I incorporate photo-transferred images.  Over the years, I have made quite a few commissions, and especially enjoy making quilts for special occasions.  My work has taken me into elementary and pre-schools, and many of my favorite moments over the last ten years has been making collaborative quilts with young children.

Artist's Statement:  I am a collagist at heart and work improvisationally.   I like to work on the floor, moving chunks around and constructing as I go.  I am enamored with machine quilting and tend to apply it densely -- even a small quilt can take several hours or days to complete.   I like my quilts to tell a story and the narratives in print fabrics often are what make that possible.  More and more, I am adding hand quilting to my pieces, which means I am getting more and more interested in both neatly tucked under applique AND raw edges.

Location:  Newton, Massachusetts, USA

Online shop:  Cloth Company

Blog:  deemallon

Groups: Slow Cloth on facebook; Quilters Connection guild

Languages spoken: English

Tags:  "fiber art", celebration quilts, quilt, hand stitching, machine quilting, grief quilts, recycled, shirts, dolls, totems, felt, "pin cushions", pillows, heirloom textiles, vintage, silk, linen, doily, global warming, houses, felt houses, boro, installations

Cross Cultural Collaborative, Inc.

Adinkra stamps from Ghana

http://www.culturalcollaborative.org

I have always been interested in cultural connections and have been fortunate to have done a lot of travel.  I landed in Ghana, next to the ocean.

In Ghana I am called Aba, a female born on Thursday.

My guest house/cultural center is in a fishing village in a suburb of Accra.

Many people go to Africa and only have a superficial connection. We want to change that by introducing you to the culture and people on a personal level.  We offer culturally relevant tours, volunteer opportunities, workshops with indigenous artisans, opportunities to write curriculum or perhaps you'd like to learn how to cook African food.


I divide my time between Boston, MA and Ghana. When in Boston, I sell work by Ghanaian artisans from my house.  Because I work with so many artisans, the stock is always changing. My best sellers have to do with adinkra: the adinkra stamps, charts, cloths...  I am also willing to ship, so if there's something you're interested in let me know, or if in Boston, stop by. Email me for more info.

-Ellie Schimelman

Mission: Cross Cultural Collaborative, Inc. is an educational non-profit that invites people to Ghana to promote cultural exchange and education through the arts.

Our vision is to place people from different life experiences in an environment where they can exchange ideas and find universal connections.

Location: Accra, Ghana, West Africa and Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Online shops: Cultural Collaborative, African Craft in Aba's Shop
Blog: Cross Cultural Collaborative
Languages spoken: English

 Handmade paper booklets from Aba House

Tags:  adinkra, kente, traditional african cloth, indigenous textiles, Ghanaian, handmade paper, cultural tours, ocean

Ann Brauer

"Autumn Afternoon" by Ann Brauer

www.annbrauer.com

I have been supporting myself for more than 28 years making contemporary art quilts that use color, fabric and the traditions of quilt making to create contemporary landscapes. My quilts are in the Museum of Art + Design, the new Federal District Courthouse in Springfield, MA and The Lodge at Turning Stone in Verona, NY as well as many other public and private collections.

I like working with designers, architects and individuals to make the piece that is just right for a particular spot. I also do a number of the finest craft shows each year including the Baltimore Craft Show, the Smithsonian Craft Show and a number of the Paradise City Arts Festivals. I am easy to work with and always aim to be professional.

Artist's statement:  My quilts are a reflection of a particular space and moment in time whether it is the prairies of Illinois where I grew up, the hills of western Massachusetts where I live or vistas of my imagination. To make each piece I add small wedges of fabric creating a palette of color that can move and flow or create blocks of color. The simple designs of the piece add to feelings. I put great attention into the detail both in terms of the fabric and the design on the fabric.

My work represents a unique perspective on contemporary quilt making bridging the traditional with the abstract.

Location: Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, USA

Brick and mortar:  My studio in Shelburne Falls, MA is open to the public when I am not doing a craft show. Please do contact me for hours.

Blog: Ann Brauer

Memberships: SAQA
Shelburne Falls Area Business Association
American Craft Council
Languages spoken: English
Social Media: LinkedIN

"Prairie Sky" by Ann Brauer

Ann Brauer on Facebook

Tags:  quilts, art quilts, custom quilts, landscape quilts, abstract, color studies, Shelburne Falls, craft shows, impressionist, Josef Albers