The Reinvention Conference

cheryldineenferrin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:02:58 +0000

I just got back from a joint conference of the Surface Design Association and Studio Art Quilt Associates. I am a member of both organizations. While this was not the first professional conference for artists I had attended, I thought it was the most useful. Rather than focus on techniques or professional development the focus of the conference was very much about identity. How does fiber art and the art quilt fit into the art world today.
I stopped asking myself why I wanted to work in fiber, as opposed to paint, a long time ago. For me the tactile and manipulative qualities of fabric perfectly mesh with my desire to create innovative and interesting works of art. I did, however, start asking myself “to what extent do I allow public perceptions of fiber artists and art quilts to influence my creative decisions?” There were many interesting speakers at the conference and I know I will be mulling over their comments for some time to come.

Lacey Jane Roberts, Dropping Stitches. (Detail) Hand-knit yarn. 10ft x 20ft. 2002.

Lacey Jane Roberts was one of the participants in a panel of emerging artists. Her work reflects her love for, and understanding of, the power of the word. She’s an interesting and motivating speaker who seems to have a solid bead on the art world. If you would like to see more of her work, please visit her website at
www.laceyjaneroberts.com
I thought LJ’s tools for working were just hilarious. She creates these knitted forms, not just with regular knitting needles, but with kids crank-style knitting machines – in particular, a lovely sparkly Barbie knitting machine. I thought I had seen every thing in knitting machines . . . how did I miss that? Here are a couple more great works by LJ. I just could not stop laughing at Armed and Dangerous. Hope you enjoy them too.

We couldn’t get in. We couldn’t get out. Detail. Installed in Clarion Alley, San Francisco, California. Detail. Hand-woven wire, crank-knit yarn, steel poles, assorted hardware. 10’ x20’. 2006-2007

Vacation

cheryldineenferrin — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:55:22 +0000

Ferrin Homestead, Au Sable Forks, New York

[caption id="attachment_211" align="alignright" width="288" caption="Au Sable Chasm, outside AuSable Forks, New York, about 65 miles south of the Canadian border."][/caption]I must have looked and acted as if I needed a vacation after the Portfolio went off to the printer. My husband and his father were going on a genealogy research trip to upstate New York and swept me up with them. Humm, I don’t suppose the years I spent running the research department for a few newspapers in Michigan had anything to do with that. My husbands family settled in Au Sable Forks, New York prior to 1850: it’s about 24 miles east of Lake Placid. The Au Sable Forks area is really beautiful but, as with many areas of our great land, suffering in this economic downturn. The local hardware store recently closed-a hardship for a rural/agricultural area.
With the help of the town historian, an 1873 atlas and an old painting of the property, we found what we believe, with a very high degree of confidence, is the old family homestead (pictured left). And just to show that it wasn’t all the grind of researching local records-here is a picture from the hiking trail we traversed in the Au Sable Chasm. I will be back in the studio on Monday, rested, refreshed and ready to start the new cycle of my yearly activities. Hope you are all doing well, wish you were here.

Interview 2 » New York

The Reinvention Conference

Vacation