Bundled up in sweaters, scarves or hoodies, patrons of the Kenai Art Center may find that their fiber clothing is similar to the more than 50 pieces of art on view. That’s because this month’s exhibit focuses on fiber-based art, like quilts, rugs and even handbags.
“So many of us, we think of fiber as a utilitarian thing, like for clothing or towels or something like that,” said Charlotte Coots, executive director of the art center. “But, it can be used for the most creative, expressive art form.”
About 30 artists submitted work for this month’s show. One of them is Sterling’s Tracey Bunts. She has three pieces on view. There’s a quilted rug and a hand-woven scarf.
Her third piece is a wool painting. That means different colors of wool have been laid flat into a felt that looks similar to a painting. It’s based on a photograph Bunts took at Tern Lake, near where the Sterling and Seward Highways meet. She says the original photo was taken just days before the first snowfall of the winter season.
“Usually there’s swans, but this time I actually put in fish that were kind of at the end of their life there in the fall time,” Bunts said.
Bunts, a long time quilter, says it's her first time having work on view at the art center.
“It’s exciting," she said. "And I love to see what other artists are doing. It’s very inspiring.”
Marali Sargent-Smith has a background in painting but has dabbled in fiber art for the last few years. She submitted two large, framed quilts, each depicting a different outdoor setting.
One is embellished with stitches, which adds detail to a frenzy of green, yellow and red plants resembling those seen in her garden. Sargent-Smith says that process took over nine months.
“I get a great deal of pleasure and enjoyment out of growing plants all winter long,” Sargent-Smith said.
Although the art center has shown Sargent-Smith’s work in the past, it's her first time submitting quilted work. She says it’s been eye-opening to learn about the possibilities of fiber.
“Pieces that we have, that we use for utilitarian, can be turned into beautiful works of art,” Sargent-Smith said.
“If more people thought about using fiber, I think we’d find more people feeling artistic," Coots said. "Not everybody has oil paints and easels and canvases, but we all have fiber sitting around, even if it's just out in our backyards.”
The Kenai Art Center’s fiber art installation will be on view through February. The exhibit’s opening reception with artist talks will be this Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
