Soka University Exhibit: Details

The California Fibers exhibit at Soka University in Aliso Viejo is nearing the end of its stay...through May 8. If you haven't been, it's definitely worth a trip. The gallery is in a gorgeous setting on the campus and is a wonderful space to view art.

I recently was finally able to go up and see the show and brought back some more photos of pieces not previously highlighted, plus detail shots that may persuade you to visit...because fiber in real life is very different than it is in photos.

There are two floors of hanging art, with plenty of open space to view the work.

On this trip, I focused on documenting details of some of the work, as well as some pieces that haven't been on our blog or Facebook page.

This is a detail of Lynne Hodgman's Altarpiece...

Next is Michael Rohde's Transect and Chari Myers' Neighborhood, with Peggy Wiedemann's Off the Wall on the opposite wall.


Here is Myers' piece close up.

Marilyn McKenzie Chaffee's pieces Marking Time #4: Contemplating a Forty Year Milestone and Marking Time #5: Celebrating a Forty Year Milestone hung together (#5 is on top)...

Interestingly, the glass panels on either side of her pieces echo the Xs...

Which we spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out, construction-wise. They are fascinating pieces close up.

Next to them is Lori Zimmerman's intriguing series Mending 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3...

Doshi's hand-dyed pieces are a treat to see in person...this is Bamboo...

with a closeup photo of the details in the silk...

This is also Doshi's, Golden Sunset.

This is a detail of the bottom of the kimono, so you can see the bits of silk organza, which look like ashes or leaves floating in the sunset sky.

Susan Hart Henegar's Triptych of tapestries were stunning.

And this is Cameron Taylor-Brown's Indigo Dreams #1, which caught our attention for quite a while, as we tried to figure out what was ikat and what was paint and how it all came together.

Gail Fraser's Impulse also intrigued us...

Part pod, resembling a canoe, but reminding me (the science teacher) of a nerve cell with ganglia on either side...

Resting inside, more pods...

Carrie Burckle's piece Rend 1 reminded us of skin, torn and patched and wrinkled...

especially when you see it as a whole...this is a fascinating piece.

 This is Kathy Nida's Untied...is she falling to Earth or rising above it?

Another of Carrie Burckle's pieces, this is Healing Field 1...

with a closeup of the stitching...

Around the corner is Lydia Tjioe-Hall's intriguing Mother and Child, built on metal electrical hardware...they seem to be speaking to each other...

Here is one of Julie Kornblum's recycled art pieces, Plastic in the Trees 2, made of surplus yarn and plastic bags.

Charlotte Bird's Small Wonders is at the entrance to the exhibit, and pulls everyone in to the room...

Here are some detailed shots of her tiny living creatures...

Under the microscope...

The detail in the tiny pieces and the embroidery could engage you for quite a long time...

Polly Jacobs Giacchina's piece Specimens is another collection of intriguing items...

The attention to detail and use of the wire with natural materials asks you to stay longer...

and is also reminiscent of biological beasts under the microscope or things found in your fishnet at the end of the day.

Carrie Burckle's two hanging pieces Bruised and Empty Purple and Bruised and Empty Pink have to be seen in person to be fully appreciated...

The detail of the dye process and the stitching are subtle (with Susan Henry's Vortex in the background).

Susan Hart Henegar's piece Still the Voices hangs near Carol E. Lang's pieces...

On top is Lang's Tribute in Black; below is Tribal Tribute XIII...

We were (again) fascinated with Lydia Tjioe-Hall's piece Time Warp...

No matter from where you view it...

it grabs your attention.

This is Gail Fraser's Sojourn II...

A mail cabinet with photos illuminated in the back of each section, small canoes throughout...

Definitely requiring some time to experience...

Near there is Peggy Wiedemann's Hanging Out...

And a detail looking up to the top, showing the intricate stitching and wrapping in this piece...

This is a detail of Polly Jacobs-Giacchina's piece Textures Strung Out...

This is another of Doshi's pieces, Illusion Waltz...

with a detail of the discharged fabrics...

Julie Kornblum's Plastic in the Trees 1 hangs nearby.

Looking down the wall, you can see Michael Rohde's Pastorale and Julie Kornblum's The Fifth Element...

This is an overview of the upstairs, with a Chihuly glass sculpture hanging in the center.

This is a detail of Charlotte Bird's Nebula showing the layers of organza and sparkly bits...

That make up this stunning piece.

This is not everything in the show, by far, and the venue is a wonderful place to experience the art. The gallery is open from 9-5 Monday through Friday, and it is free to the public. With only three and half weeks left, you should put it on your calendar.

Coast to Coast Opening at Visions Art Museum

Last weekend, the joint exhibit Coast to Coast between California Fibers on the West Coast and New Image Artists on the East Coast opened at the Visions Art Museum. The exhibit runs through April 19.

Candace Egerley's Garden Window is on the far right.
There is a wide variety of fiber art in the show, from basketry and quilting to weaving and felting.

Ginny Smith's One Strange Bird is on the far left, with Chari Myers' Indigo Dream next to it. You can also see Lesly-Claire Greenberg's Thorns II: Points of Interest on the far right. On the pedestal in front on the right is Susan Hart Henegar's Ideal Woman/Ideal Love.

 A closeup of Henegar's work is below...

And this is Lynne Hodgman's Cryptic Diptych, hidden in the gallery photo...
This section of the gallery contains Mary Beth Bellah's Tip of the Iceberg on the left.
 Visitors discussing Catherine Kleeman's Divide by Red...
 And a view of Verena Levine's Deep River...
 Charlotte Bird's Forest Primeval...
Also seen here in closeup...
 California Fibers artist Michael F. Rohde discussing his piece Tara with gallery visitors.
 This gallery view also shows Doshi's Garden Fable on the left wall.
 A visitor studies Joan Dreyer's Tree of Loss #2, with Dominie Nash's Foliated Calligraphy 4 to the right.
Cameron Taylor-Browns' Colors of Gujarat: On the Line sits on the pedestal to the left of Bellah's work, with VALYA's Speechless Scroll on the far right.
 Guests view Julie Kornblum's Gyre...
 On the wall to the left of it is Polly Jacobs Giacchina's Biosynthesis, shown below in closeup.
Visitors looking at Marilyn McKenzie Chaffee's Marking Time #8...
which can be seen below...
Also in the show...Brecia Kralovic-Logan's Audacious...
 Carrie Burckle's Living in the Margins
Kathy Nida's Buried Under...
 Lori Zimmerman's Unbound...
 Lydia Tjioe Hall's Intake...
 Peggy Wiedemann's Regal...
There was lovely French music played out in the hallway where the food and drink was placed, making for a nice reception.
California Fibers' artists in the exhibit include Charlotte Bird, Carrie Burckle, Doshi, Marilyn McKenzie Chaffee, Polly Jacobs Giacchina, Susan Hart Henegar, Lynne Hodgman, Lydia Tjioe Hall, Julie Kornblum, Brecia Kralovic-Logan, Kathy Nida, Chari Myers, Michael F. Rohde, VALYA, Peggy Wiedemann, Cameron Taylor-Brown, and Lori Zimmerman.

California Fibers Exhibit Opens at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts

Last Sunday, the most recent California Fibers exhibit opened at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts in Ojai, California...
The exhibit continues through March 30, with an artists panel planned for the closing day.

Michael F. Rohde's Labrang, Polly Jacobs Giacchina's Accumulated, Charlotte Bird's Habitat: Granite, Peggy Weidemann's Of the Same Beginnings, and Carol Lang's Orbital Moves.

The exhibit was juried by Kevin Wallace, seen here with Polly Jacobs Giacchina, after he juried the Soka University exhibition...
The exhibit includes a wide variety of fiber work, from crochet, through quilting, felted work, basketry, surface design, embroidery, weaving, wearables, and other mixed media.
Ashley Blalock's Untitled Doily Arrangement #2

Some of the artists traveled to Ojai for the opening; this is a sampling of the show from their photos.
 Brecia Kralovic-Logan's silk collage Redemption

 Cameron Taylor Brown with her piece Indigo Vat: Colors of Gujarat

 Chari Myers' piece 5931 Street

Above is a piece of Gail Fraser's Illusory Path, Lydia Tjioe Hall's Barnacle, VALYA's Memories A, and Susan Hart Henegar's The Invisible Man Series.

Above is Lori Zimmerman's Soon on the left, with Lydia Tjioe Hall's Three Studies next to Fraser's piece.

 Julie Kornblum's Our Layer in front of Doshi's Black and White wearable on the back wall.

 Doshi's piece again with Peggy Weidemann's sculpture Of the Same Beginnings and Carol Lang's Orbital Moves in front.
 Carrie Burckle and Lori Zimmerman in front of Burckle's Rend 2.

 Kornblum with her piece Our Layer.

 Tjioe Hall's Three Studies

 Polly Jacobs Giacchina's Warehoused.

Kathy Nida's Here.

Marilyn McKenzie Chaffee's piece Marking Time #6.

The exhibit continues through the end of March, so there is plenty of time to stop by and see it. We will have a list of participating artists and times for the artists' panel as soon as they are available.

California Fibers Opening at Soka University

Thursday, January 30, California Fibers' members gathered at Soka University for the official opening of their show, which will be open through May 8.

California Fibers' members installed the show themselves in early January...with Charlotte Bird's Small Wonders featured here...
Lynne Hodgman's Altarpiece is being hung here...
The opening included piano music and singing...
 
The first song was sung by Erica Charlton, SUA Class of 2016, with piano Selections by Chihiro Tsumori and Yurika Nakagawa from the SUA Extended University Bridge Program.

 California Fibers' president Peggy Wiedemann spoke about the exhibit...
And Arie Galles, Professor of Painting/Drawing and Director of Creative Arts at Soka welcomed the group and introduced the students...
These are pictures of the exhibit, which is in a very large space in Founders Hall on the campus. 
It's nice to have an exhibit with so much open, airy space around the pieces...
 giving you the opportunity to experience each piece on its own.
 Here is California Fibers' artist VALYA with her piece Waiting List...
And a detail of that piece, which includes felting.
 VALYA's piece Porcelain BABA...
 and a detail, also in felt.
 VALYA with her piece Cell Memories...
 also here.
 Susan Hart Henegar's Triptych with Brecia Kralovic-Logan's Hush Hush and Vision Quest...
 Cameron Taylor Brown's Indigo Dreams 1 on the left, with Gail Fraser's Impulse hanging in the corner.
Kathy Nida's Earth Mother on the left, with Polly Jacobs Giacchina's Specimens and Ashley Blalock's Keeping Up Appearances in the corner.
 Continuing around the corner, you can clearly see Michael F. Rohde's Sisyphus on the right.
These are Ellen Phillips' Tribal Women India 1-6.
 This interesting piece is Lydia Tjioe Hall's Pins and Needles Second Incarnation.
 Susan Henry's Vortex is next to Carrie Burkle's Bruised and Empty Purple and Pink.
 This is Polly Jacobs Giacchina's piece Textures: Strung Out.
 Kathy Nida's quilt Earth Mother...
 Ashley Blalock's Keeping Up Appearances next to Susan Henry's Vortex...
On the left, three of Cameron Taylor Brown's smaller pieces, with Julie Kornblum's Plastic in the Trees in the middle and Michael F. Rohde's Pastorale on the right.
A closer shot of Gail Fraser's Impulse...
 A closeup of one of Ellen Phillips' Tribal Women India.
Carrie Burckle's Bruised and Empty Purple, with Bruised and Empty Pink behind it.
Lori Zimmerman with her Mending 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3.
Members whose work will be included in the exhibition are: Ashley Blalock, Charlotte Bird, Carrie Burckle, Marilyn McKenzie Chaffee, Doshi, Gail Fraser, Polly Jacobs Giacchina, Susan Hart Henegar, Susan Henry, Lynne Hodgman, Julie Kornblum, Brecia Kralovic-Logan, Carol E. Lang, Chari Myers, Kathy Nida, Ellen Phillips, Michael Rohde, Cameron Taylor-Brown, Lydia Tjioe Hall, VALYA, Peggy Wiedemann, and Lori Zimmerman.

The exhibit is open Monday through Friday from 9-5 and admission is free. Click here for a map and directions.