Fabric art shines in new Brick City exhibit

Tag : Fabric Pattern

But this summer, not only is the Summerfield quilters work hanginginside the Brick City Center for the Arts, but it won Best of Showin the gallerys latest exhibit, Jewels.
The show offers an intriguing look into the world of fabric art andtextiles, displaying the beauty and versatility of this unique artform with pieces made of cloth, printed fabric, burlap and woventhread. Theres even a few fabric-themed paintings and photographsand a pair of painted skirts.
Spence, a Weirsdale native, started learning about quilting in1995. After living in Jacksonville since the late 1970s, she andher husband, also an artist, relocated to Ocala two years ago.Spences Cotton Rainbow is one of the few traditional quilts inthe show.
At 66-by-78, the large quilt has a beautiful square/block-likepattern accented with faint, but at the same time noticeable,feathered-wreath designs sewn into the negative space, or whiteblocks of the quilt. What really makes this piece shine are thesparkling purple, gold, clear and green crystals spread throughoutthe quilt. It was a way, Spence said, to add more pizzazz to thesoft-colored quilt.
It was highly coincidental, she said, referring to how her piecefits with the title of the show, Jewels.
The Marion Cultural Alliance, the local arts organization thatoperates Brick City, said Carole Law Trachy was the organizer andinspiration for the show. Last year during the holidays, Trachy, alocal artist who started working with fabric art about five yearsago, suggested to Nancy Ledding, MCAs executive director, thegallery host a show with an out-of-the-box theme like fabric andtextiles.
She hopes the show will enlighten people about the medium and helpbroaden the publics scope on art.
Art is not just painting, said Trachy, retired Humanitiesprofessor at Valencia Community College. Its not just people,landscapes and flowers. Its expression.
Trachy has three pieces in the exhibit. The most engaging isOthello: The Handkerchief. She was inspired to do the fabriccollage after she flipped to a TV station that was showing the playOthello. Her collage is filled with pieces of fabric of alldifferent patterns sewn together to form silhouettes of the maincharacters. Round, iridescent shell earrings hang from the fabricin the places where the characters ears are located. An ivoryhandkerchief is attached in the corner with cursive-written linesfrom the play on it.
Trachy said she loves creating art with fabric because its muchfaster than painting, and artistic opportunities are boundless.
You can do a lot with it, said Trachy, who also has an unfinishedKimono in the show. The details are in the fabric. You just haveto find the right fabric.
The judges for Jewels, were George Hanover, local sculptor andpainter; Terry Popick of Custom Fabric Creations; and MarieFielding, MCAs education coordinator.
The ever-imaginative Grace Senior Morandi won Honorable Mention forher mixed media Recuerdos. In it, fabric flower petals push fromthe canvas as the centers of each flower are filled with elementssuch as wool, silver, beads and jewelry pieces.
Her other piece, Stranger in the Night, is made of cloth andmiscellaneous materials. It depicts a woman, dressed in a reddress, sitting and playing a guitar as stars, hearts and flowersfloat around her. Her neck and ears are adorned with real jewelry,casting a three-dimensional look.
Artist Donna Baileys Essence of a June Bride assembles nearlyevery symbol of a wedding day onto a white canvas in a whitelace-covered frame. With a lacy white slip as the focal point, themixed media piece includes items such as a bridal ring set,bouquet, Camelot pendant, pearls  all surrounded by the phrasesFrom this day forward and To have and to hold written in whiteon the white background.
Kathryn Metzges two rayon skirts add a unique perspective to thefabric art show. One is painted with oil, creating a verytribal-like design and the other is hand-dyed for a very hippieeffect.
Im just so thrilled with what came through, said Trachy aboutthe pieces. The artists here love a good challenge & Im justdelighted with the show. Theres great variety, and it shows youcan do a lot with fabric.
Lashonda Stinson-Curry can be reached at lashonda.stinson@starbanner.com or 867-4129.