A Beautiful Mess: Weavers & Knotters of the Vanguard

WEAVERS & KNOTTERS OF THE VANGUARD

Saturday, November 13, 2021 through Sunday, January 30, 2022 North, Main, and South Galleries

Kirsten Hassenfeld, Millefleur, 2019, salvaged textiles with mixed media, 78 inches

A Beautiful Mess: Weavers and Knotters of the Vanguard is a vibrant contemporary textile exhibition organized by the Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, CA. It features a diverse selection of fiber arts including wall-hangings, installations, and monumental pieces.

Made by an all-female roster of conceptual artists, the exhibition showcases twisted, tied, and braided works made from tactile and utilitarian materials like rope, yarn, clay, and wire.

Collectively, they push the boundaries of fiber art and elevate the status of weaving and knotting from craft to fine art. The artists infuse their works with personal stories and socio-political concerns to further revolutionize the previously marginalized genre of fiber arts.

Dana Hemenway, detail of Untitled (extension cords – green), 2013, 42 extension cords, fluorescent light fixtures, wood, mixed media, 120 x 28 x 60 inches. Courtesy of Eleanor Harwood Gallery, San Francisco, CA

dani lopez, detail of tell me that love isn’t true, 2019, handwoven cotton and hand-cut novelty fabrics, 88 x 36 x 3 inches

Katrina Sánchez Standfield, Waiting for Tomorrow, 2021, machine knitted yarn, fiberfill, 34 x 39 x 6 inches

Lisa Solomon, detail of Senninbari {1000 stitch knot belt}, 2016, handdyed & tied cotton rope, 122 x 299 inches. Courtesy of Walter Maciel Gallery, Los Angeles, CA Related programs

Artist workshop: Windy Chien

Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 11 a.m. $10 ■ Reservations required Walter S. Gubelmann Auditorium Generously supported by Linda R. Olsson, Inc., Realtor

Participants will have the rare opportunity to learn a handful of knots from Windy Chien, whose work is on display in A Beautiful Mess. Chien will detail her creative journey and give an overview of her current bodies of work. Attendees will gain knowledge of the history and utility of various knots and learn new knot tying skills.

Curator lecture: Emilee Enders

Monday, January 3, 2022 at 11 a.m. No charge ■ Reservations required Dixon Education Building

Join Emilee Enders, Curator of Exhibitions and Programs, Bedford Gallery, Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, California, to learn about the development of A Beautiful Mess and the processes and materials the artists used to create their stunning works. Enders will also share histories about the artists and the societal norms and traditions of the fiber arts.

The Society for the Four Arts is the debut traveling venue for A Beautiful Mess, which will tour across the United States through mid-2024. The artists featured are Windy Chien, Kirsten Hassenfield, Dana Hemenway, Kira Dominguez Hultgren, dani lopez, Hannah Perrine Mode, Liz Robb, Meghan Shimek, Lisa Solomon, Katrina Sánchez Standfield, and Jacqueline Surdell.

The Four Arts is collaborating with Fiber ArtistsMiami Association (FAMA) to highlight the talent of South Florida fiber artists in the companion exhibition Talking Threads: Dialogues with Weavers and Knotters of South Florida. It features works made by FAMA members who employ the same textile processes as the artists in A Beautiful Mess. While some FAMA artists drew upon their traditional practices, others created new pieces in direct response to A Beautiful Mess. FAMA is also contributing educational displays with images, text, video, and hands-on textile creations that explain the weaving and knotting techniques in the exhibitions.

Established in 2020, FAMA’s mission is the education and advancement of the fiber arts as a contemporary art form. To learn more, please visit www.fiberartists-miamiassocation.com.

A Beautiful Mess: Weavers & Knotters of the Vanguard was organized by Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA.