While many of our shows are canceled or postponed, most of us are still making work. California Fibers’ members recently met (via video, of course, the new reality), and enjoyed seeing each others’ faces, but also came up with an idea for a group show, online, responding to what is surrounding us. Member Lydia Tjioe-Hall suggested we all work within our personal medium to create something mask-like that was a response to our new reality, whether it's what it feels like to wear a mask, or to NEED to wear a mask, or about the changes in our daily routines due to COVID-19 and Shelter-in-Place orders.
Member Debby Weiss has been making masks and using her leftovers to create art pieces. She has made over 600 masks from scrap fabric.
The piece below is made of scraps from her mask-making activities.
Member Michael F. Rohde has made work related to masks in the past. The piece below is Asora, from a photo he took in Papua New Guinea, during festival time. The Asora group creates masks constructed of mud that cover their entire head. They are often called Mud Men. Rohde comments that this might be the best way to go to the grocery store at the moment.
He has been weaving some large pieces lately from photos of walls he took last Fall in Oaxaca, Mexico. The current tapestry needed 165 colors, all dyed by Rohde himself.
Member Kathy Nida is currently working on a large COVID-19 quilt, as she processes the overwhelming input of virus-related news and manages online teaching. She has finished the drawing and tracing stages, seen here.
And is now spending hours cutting out fusible pattern pieces for the next stage, the fun one with all the fabric and colors.
Stay tuned for more work in progress and updates on the online mask exhibit.