Photograph by Kathy De La Torre
Lorri Scott is exhibiting this hand-dyed silk dress with handkerchief scarf skirt and a hand-dyed silk hat at Aegis Gallery in Saratoga. The outfit was sewn by Jennifer Whitmer.
Fiber artists are appearing in dual exhibit
Handweavers converge at big conference
By Shari Kaplan
Two dozen textile artists have come out of the woodwork--or the fiberwork, as it were--to participate in a month-long, dual art exhibition in Los Gatos and Saratoga, as well as in a weekend event in Santa Clara.
The Conference of Northern California Handweavers, whose theme for 2000 is "Threads of Continuity," takes place on April 14-16, at the Santa Clara Convention Center. It's a venue in which textile artists of all genres, including weavers, spinners and basket-makers, gather to celebrate their craft and share their passion. It's also a time to introduce this passion to the public.
Coinciding with the conference, Elemental Arts Gallery in Los Gatos and Aegis Gallery of Fine Art in Saratoga are co-hosting "Fiber Artists of CNCH 2000." The multimedia exhibit features the works of Los Gatans Lorri Scott, Mary Simmons and Jeanne Tillman, Saratogan Judy Heintz and residents of Scotts Valley, Ben Lomond, Boulder Creek, Santa Cruz, Watsonville, San Jose, Mount. Hamilton, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Fremont and other cities of the greater Bay Area. About two-thirds of the artists are showing at the larger Elemental Arts; the rest are at Aegis Gallery.
"I had this idea that it would be a good promotional event for the two galleries and a great way to promote the conference. I pulled together various artists who are also directly involved with the conference, says Tillman. A few are not involved, but, she adds, "it's a diverse group whatever way you look at it--a nice combination of fiber arts from paper to technical weaving."
Tillman's contributions, on display at Aegis Gallery, include hand-bound books with paper of woven threads and wild iris fibers, and hand-cast paper leaves whose shape and texture rival the real thing.
Saratogan Judy Heintz's spin is very different. She fashions decorative gourds, all of which have some element of weaving or basketry on or around them. A former interior designer, Heintz grows some of the gourds herself; others she buys. After cleaning out the "guts" and sanding down the exteriors, Heintz paints the gourds with watercolors, acrylics, leather dyes and other mediums. She then uses a clear acrylic spray to preserve and protect them. Reeds, willow branches and yarn are some of the woven elements she uses with her gourds.
"It's a lot of fun. It's like having a canvas that is a different shape every time!" says Heintz, a member of the Calabash Club of Silicon Valley.
The Threads of Continuity conference includes workshops, exhibits, demonstrations, a fashion show and an arts and crafts marketplace. The public is welcome. Admission is $8 for adults; children 12 and under are free. For more information, call 831.335.5792. Elemental Arts Gallery is at 354-6608 University Avenue. Its exhibit runs through April 30. Aegis Gallery of Fine Art is at 14531 Big Basin Way, Unit 2. Its exhibit is through April 23. Call 408.354.6608 or 408.867.0171, respectively, for gallery hours.
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