Surface Design
encompasses the coloring, patterning, and structuring of fiber and
fabric. This involves processes such as dyeing, painting, printing,
stitching, embellishing, quilting, weaving, knitting, felting, and
papermaking. The Utah Surface Design Group is a group of artists dedicated to this genre. Here are some highlights of their 2024 exhibit — titled Intersections — at the Brigham City Museum.
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Stag Quilt (2023) by Quincy Davenport, quilted by Jami Herndon
Stag Quilt was inspired by a love of kaleidoscopes, quilting, and the
challenge of using fabric panels innovatively. Quincy Davenport says, "By stacking and cutting
six stag panels into vertical strips, then further dividing them into
sets of equilateral triangles, a transformative process unfolds... The resulting hexagons, the kaleidoscopic windows,
encircle the original panel, offering a glimpse into a world of vibrant
symmetry and intricate design."
The piece was created with cotton fabric panels from the Whispering Pines collection by
Northcott Fabrics. The One Block Wonder technique used 6 panels to
create hexagons which are arranged around one of the panels. The closeup photo below shows the intriguing kaleidoscope patterns.
Black Vase (2020) by Susan Reese.
Black Vase is wonderful still life bouquet, made with collage and commercial fabrics, which were machine stitched and appliqued. Susan Reese says, "In our vegetable garden we have a section for flowers - a cutting garden. My husband makes beautiful bouquets (his art) that fill our home all summer. So once again, it's an intersection of nature and fiber and family. I find that I'm inspired to express my work series."
The Mother Tree: Keeper of Wisdom (2023) by Jane De Groff.
The Mother Tree is a beautiful piece created with shibori on cotton, dyed with juniper, curly dock seeds, and indigo. Shibori is an ancient, shaped resist, dyeing technique that involves
manipulating cloth by stitching, folding, binding, and compressing it
before dyeing. Quilting and applique were also used.
Jane De Groff says, "This
piece represents a tree but is also symbolic of the divine feminine,
who connects us deeply to the earth... Using my hands, the tactile and
magical nature of shibori, and harvesting plants for dyes, all help
create a stronger intersection between earth and heaven."
Ancient Connection (2024) by Polly Masaryk.
Here is a fascinating piece made with reclaimed cotton dish cloths and the artist's daughter's baby diapers. Raw edges, embroidered patches, and frayed edges add to the visual interest. The full title of the piece is Ancient Connection: Mother's Blood and Children's Tears, Children's Blood and Mother's Tears. The artist's description begins with a poem by Herman Hesse, including this phrase: 'This is our way of listening to it, the huge serene heart, and it is the heart of the mother whose children we are."
Polly Masaryk says, "The act of patching,
stitching, and mending my old dish towels and my daughters diapers is my
way of listening to it."
A large embroidered outline of a human heart is in the center, shown above. In addition to the reclaimed clothing and cotton dish towels, this piece used cotton embroidery floss and cotton batting. The materials were cut, pieced, patched, layered, mended, and stitched.
Paper Quilt (2020) by Judy Elsley.
This alternative quilt is composed of 25 individual collaged pieces. As Judy Elsley says, "The piece invites the
viewer to ask such questions as: What constitutes a quilt? Is a quilt
always made from fabric? Can we make quilts without sewing?"
Judy Elsley used fabric paints, stamps and stencils to create works on paper. Each piece of geli-printed paper was created with stencils and wood blocks, using fabric prints on paper. The papers were then cut up and collaged onto canvas frames.
Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the Brigham City Museum (Brigham City, Utah).