Art Review: ‘Fibrations’: New layers of meaning

A trip to the art venue in Springfield called The Great Hall provides a look at an evolving art. The current exhibit, “Fibrations,” shows visitors art forms emerging from old crafts.

“Tall Trees,” by Liz Alpert Fay, are made with hand-dyed wool, hooked on linen fabric backing. Photo: Provided photoPublished December 24, 2014 in the Rutland Herald Visual Art Review: ‘Fibrations’: New layers of meaning By Victoria Crain Arts Correspondent A trip to the art venue in Springfield called The Great Hall provides a look at an evolving art. The current exhibit, “Fibrations,” shows visitors art forms emerging from old crafts. The exhibit is formally called “New England Fiber Art and Mixed Media Invitational Exhibition.” Not so long ago in our national history, thrifty people, mostly women, made useful household items by repurposing fabric from worn-out garments, sails, bedding and the like, and making warm coverlets for family life. But sometimes, reclaiming worn fabric and fiber was about putting the joy of color, design and craftiness into a homely article. Necessity gave birth to a hobby and fabric designers and purveyors began to propose using new fabric to make these household objects. However, the objects in “Fibrations” move the old hobby and craft processes into the world of art. Like a metaphor for the whole exhibit, Nancy Pulliam Weis’ installation depicting an archeological dig illustrates history: layers of soil, overhung with gleaming pine needles of thin copper wire, bestrewn with found objects. In her statement, she says, “Everything that happens affects what happens after it.” In just that way, the “Fibrations” exhibit points to what comes next. Two household crafts in particular are elevated here. Rug hooking is another old activity involving the production of rugs using repurposed materials, design sense and hard work. In “Fibrations,” the works of two artists demonstrate a new direction for hooking. Rae Reynolds Harrell presents two large wall hangings called “The Guitar” and “The Flute.” Both feature realistic female figures making music. The solid colors are dark and jazzy, and Harrell’s control of the medium is striking. Rug hooking, like needlepoint, can result in fragmentation of images, but Harrell uses her fiber to create curves, blended colors and shadows. She uses border devices one might see in much more traditional pieces. In contrast to Harrell’s realism, Liz Alpert Fay presents an evocative installation titled “Tall Trees.” Her sense is modern, her swaths of color vivid. The trees are nearly abstract, but convey the majesty of the leafless trunks. These are not hooked rugs. They are art works made by using an old craft technique: hooking hand-dyed wool strips through linen. Similarly, the quilted wall hangings on display are not quilts in the old sense. Many artists are represented here and their works are distinctive and divergent. Kate Themel greets visitors first with her gorgeous, realistic purple iris. Directly across the Hall, Judith Reilly presents her bright, surprising shapes and often funny stitchery. She has a direct visual sense and her stitching is as meaningful as her color choice and composition. Hanging on the back wall is the wildly romantic depiction of “Miranda: The Tempest” made by Christine Fries. She writes that she does not work from drawings, but proceeds on instinct. Her wall hanging shows a shipwreck scene with Miranda looking out through a storm. Every strand of the figure’s flying hair is individually stitched. Judy Dales uses hand — and machine — quilted commercial fabrics to make swirling abstracts. Frances Holliday Alford, on the other hand, monoprinted her fabric for “Figment of Imagination” and created a free form modular pieces of appliqué like collage, stitched and quilted. The piece is a dash of sparkling happiness. The Great Hall is a multi-purpose space that serves as a gateway to other businesses in the old Fellows factory. Just now it is filled with numerous decorated trees and a holiday/winter tableau with an old sleigh. It’s festive, yet in some cases the décor obscures the art. Still, a visitor can see it all and it’s worth consideration. The Great Hall The Great Hall presents “Fibrations!: New England Fiber Art and Mixed Media Invitational Exhibition,” through March 27, at 100 River St., Springfield. Hours are: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; for information, call 885-3061.