I proudly introduced my latest book, The Fine Art of Crochet, in June 2013. With this book I completed my bucket list of writing.
Even in the early days of my crochet education (1970’s), my talent was the ability to search for and find “artsy” crochet patterns. The seventies was a magical time for crocheters. Creativity reigned and crochet art was accessible because the designers were willing to write patterns for their creations. I remember a particular necklace that mimicked vines and leaves hung from a simple wire choker. So subtly worn by the model on a flowing dress in the magazine, I am sure many never saw it. I made more than one, experimenting with different fibers, such as metallic gold and silver and embroidery floss. My first attempt at sculptural crochet was a three-foot flamingo using a published pattern. Living in Florida at the time, I was in my “tropical phase” then. “Palm Tree Necklace,” “Flamingo Necklace” and “Queen of Crochet: A Self Portrait” soon followed.
Palm Tree Necklace by Gwen Blakley Kinsler, 1982; crochet, various novelty yarns, wire armature.
Flamingo Necklace, 1982 by Gwen Blakley Kinsler; crochet, polyester ribbonnovelty yarns, cotton thread, fiber filling.
Crochet Queen: A Self Portrait, by Gwen Blakley Kinsler, 1994. Crocheted, fiber filling, glass bead eyes, manufactured lace fabric, wooden hooks, crochet-covered books, small basket and metal miniature hooks. 1995 Peoples' Choice Award, Chain Link Crochet Conference Juried Exhibit
I insisted from the very beginning that “crochet as art” be a part of each annual Chain Link Crochet Guild Conferences.The positive reception and amazement by all who saw the first juried exhibit at the conference in 1994 confirmed mybelief that showing crochet art is an influential way to educate viewers about the versatility and potential of crochet.
I have had the privilege of curating two large crochet art exhibitions: “Rhythm of Crochet” traveling juried and invitational sponsored by the Tenth Anniversary Celebration Committee of CGOA (2003-2004) and “Chain Reaction,” co-sponsored by the Textile Arts Centre of Chicago and CGOA (2000).
I have had the privilege of curating two large crochet art exhibitions: “Rhythm of Crochet” traveling juried and invitational sponsored by the Tenth Anniversary Celebration Committee of CGOA (2003-2004) and “Chain Reaction,” co-sponsored by the Textile Arts Centre of Chicago and CGOA (2000).
The term "fiberart" came into being around 1975. At about the same time Fiberarts magazine was started by Rob Pulleyn. Imagine my excitement when I discovered this marvelous magazine and found that they included crochet. Fiberarts magazine had a great influence on my education about crochet art. It was a rich resource for me to get to know and to write about artists who choose crochet as their medium. Sadly, Fiberarts magazine is no more; it was purchased by Interweave Press and consequently stopped publication with the Summer 2011 issue. For over 30 years, the fiberarts team covered the best in basketry, fiber, needlework, papermaking, weaving and wearable art. The amazing annual publication of the Fiber Arts Design Book series are among my most prized but today we have Fiber Art Now magazine, started in 2009 as a blog called Valley Fiber Life by Marcia Young.
Diane Savonna: "The crochet and lace made by the hands of our grandmothers are sold at garage and estate sales where people are willing to cheaply sell their family heritage." Overgrown Fossil, 2008; salvaged nightgown, sweater, crochet, handmade felt, hand-dyed; handsewn; 68 X 49 inches. Image and text from Fiberarts magazine, Apr/May 2010. http://www.dianesavonaart.com/
Nick Cave, Chair of the Fashion Dept. of the Art Institute of Chicago: Detail from Sound Suit-2006, spinning tops, noise makers, embellished fabrics, metal armature, pieced, applique; 8 feet X 38 X 36 inches http://www.jackshainman.com/artist-images9.html
Turkish artist, Sebahat Cetinkaya: Scorpion, 2008; free-form crochet; 7 1/2 X 2 3/4 inches. Photo: Aysegul Cetinkaya. "She uses Anatolian beaded crochet and contemporary free-from crochet to create improvisational jewelry inspired by nature. She takes advantage of the contrast between different fibers, combining them to form textures and abstract patterns."
from Fiberarts magazine, Jan/Feb 2009
Rebecca Earley and Kate Goldsworthy, detail from Laser Lace Shirt from the Twice Upcycled series, Top 100 Collection, 2008; recycled polyester shirt; heat-photogram printed by Rebecca Earley and laser-etched by Kate Goldsworthy. Photo: Kate Goldsworthy. Fiberarts magazine, Jan/Feb 2009. For more: http://beckyearley.com/
Logan Airport, Boston hosted One Nation Under a Groove, Bit by Bit, Little by Little, an installation by Xenobia Bailey, in January 2010. "Organized by the Fuller Craft Museum in cooperation with the Massachusetts Port Authority, the exhibit featuring Bailey's crocheted pieces, explores themes that resonate against this uniquely urban backdrop. The pieces on display include large-scale wall mandalas, which are crocheted in vivid colors and patterns and made of cotton-acrylic yarns and plastic pony beads." From Fiberarts magazine Nov/Dec 2009. For more on Xenobia: http://xenba.blogspot.com/
Long Necklace nO. 298; crochet jewelry by kjoo.etsy.com From: Fiberarts magazine, Sept/Oct 2009
Kathrin Hubl, Sweet Bondage, 2006; carved wood, corroded metal band, heavy linen crocheted lace; 14 X 35 X 12 inches. Workshop Hanover in Hanover, Germany brought together established textile artists to explore the aesthetic possibilities of textiles in the juried international show, Tales in Fabric---The Fabric in Tales. From Fiberarts magazine, Summer 2008. http://www.kathrinhubl.de/
Anna Peach: Spirit House (with detail), 2003-ongoing; sewn found doilies; 7 1/2 X 16 X 17 feet. Photos: Karl Backus. "Inspiration for this piece came from Peach's new home, Honoka'a, Hawaii. After reading that kei were once burned after they were worn out of respect for the spirits of their makers, Peach began to think about lace made by her Irish ancestors and how it contained their spirits. Making a connection between the colonizations of Ireland and Hawaii, she created this piece to acknowledge the duality lace represents in her new home. Peach uses the form of a dress as a husk to reference the spirit and to create a space in which to dwell and interact."
From Fiberarts magazine, Jan/Feb 2006
From Fiberarts magazine, Jan/Feb 2006
Tender Yarns, 2005; scarves of wool, silk, and cotton, cast bronze support, plastic hangers; 45 X 13 inches.From the exhibit Tender, 2005. "Wilson's quirky crocheted scarves and clothing was showcased on one wall. The crocheted vestments (Tender Yarns and Tender Fruits) were the results of Wilson's efforts to teach herself the needle art (crochet). She had two rules while creating these fanciful pieces: no patterns, and no correcting any mistakes. The pieces included scarves gone wild, with appendages shooting off the main rectangular bodies, ruched pieces topping off straight edges, dangling curlicues tickling border, and, for extra whimsy, surprise pieces of fruit ( not real, dare we say) tidily crocheted into pouches on several pieces. Color abounds, with no road map dictating a rigid design. free-from shapes and seemingly random hues unite to render these hangings enticing and enchanting, as if they were the work of a great aunt gone a bit dotty." From Fiberarts magazine, Jan/Feb 2006.
Shervone Neckles: Red Rag Rosie and Little Miss Pinky Rug, 2004; crocheted yarn; 4' 5" X 5'. "Fiberart/folk art/sculptor/storytelling/visual historian. I believe by expressing my ideas through fabric, I have established a kind of ownership of that item or idea." From Fiberarts magazine, Sep/Oct 2005.
Jeffrey Graul, Thank You, 2005; 6', plastic bags. From an article I wrote about men who crochet in Crochet! magazine, September 2005: " Fabricated from 1000 granny squares made of plastic bags the work of art honors relationships within his family. Jeffrey has found that balancing his work and his art, 'there is a lot of overlap between the repetitive thing I do at work and the repetitive process of crochet. One informs the other. Rhythm and repetitiveness is embedded in crochet as in the yarn, the process and the comfort from doing it.'"
Before she began her signature "camouflage" crochet, Agata Olek, now known only as Olek, created these costumes and set for racoco productions; If the Shoe Fits, 2005; crochet mixed media. Photo: Robert Polkosnik. From Fiberarts magazine, Jan/Feb 2008.
Although this is not crochet, Christo and Jeanne-Claude's monumental installation in Central Park, New York City in 2005 brings back wonderful memories for me. I happened to be in New York on a get-away weekend with my dear daughter's and we were lucky to be able to walk Central Park and enjoy this amazing exhibit, The Gates. "More than 7,000 portals, each hung with a panel of bright orange fabric, took three weeks and 100 miles of walking. Sewn in Germany, the panels were assembled by workers in Queens. Lasting only 16 days, the visual power of The Gates demanded audience participation,physical movement as much as visual focus. When sunshine streamed across the park, the effect on the panels was extraordinary, with streaks of glowing gold and pale orange translucency. February was the perfect time for the installation, as the artists surely realized. The bright panels stood warm and inviting against stark, gray tree trunks. Without their leaves, the tree branches were graphically silhouetted against the tree branches were graphically silhousetted against the panels and brought another dimension of texture to the fabric."
An added bonus as we strolled through the park: my daughter spotted Conan O'Brian strolling through the park as well!
An added bonus as we strolled through the park: my daughter spotted Conan O'Brian strolling through the park as well!
Felieke van der Leest: Party Goldfish in Pool, 2002; viscose, polyester/polyamide, rubber fish, 18-carat gold; crocheted (fish tail and pool); ring without pool, 2 X 2 X 1 inch. van der Leest crochets with intensity, passion, and abundant wit. Whether used exclusively or as a part of a narrative mixed-media piece, fibers of vivid colors and graphic patterns define her signature riotous style." Felieke describes her ring, "I made this ring while I was having driving lessons-so a fish on wheels! When you don't wear the ring, you can park it in the pool and you have a little sculpture." Featured in 1000 Rings published by Lark Books in 2004. From Fiberarts magazine, Mar/Apr 2004. For more about Felieke: http://www.feliekevanderleest.com/index.php?l=en
Mary Stevens, Midnight in the Garden, The Pond, The Silver Web (left to right), 2001; silk, cotton, and rayon thread with glass and steel beads, ribbon, and wire over a carved wooden base; each approx. 6.5 X 4.5 inches. These flowers, with their crocheted ribbon stems, embroidered ribbon leaves, Russian-needlepunched petals, and beaded wired stamens, were on view at SOFA (Sculpture, Objects, Fine Art) at the Hibbard McGrath Gallery of Breckenridge, CO. From Fiberarts magazine, Jan/Feb 2000.
Susan Marie Freda: Amber Dew; crocheted steel wire coated with tree sap varnish; 50 X 35 X 6 inches. From Fiberarts magazine Nov/Dec 2001.
Barbara Zaretsky: "Artistic interpretations of hat, scarf, purse, and shoe." Crocheted wool; 7 X 22 inches circumference and 4.5 X 24 inches repectively. Collection of Michelle Licardo. Photo: Anthony Chiappetta. From Fiberarts magazine, 2000.
"To celebrate its Presidency of the European union, Finland held a landmark fiber art exhibition in Helsinki in summer 1999.Two invited artists from each of the 15 European Union countries exhibited work in "Living Waters," Outi Martikainen from Finland: Frozen, 1999; crocheted polypropylene string over air bags; 50 inches high. Photo courtesy the artist. From Fiberarts magazine, Mar/Apr 2000. http://lostinlace.org.uk/artists/outi-martikainen
Vishna Collins, founder and president of the Australian Wearable Art Association: Masquerade, 1999; raffia, satin ribbon; half double crochet, double crochet, treble crochet, bobble stitch, picot stitch. Photo: John Cleasby. In the 1999 exhibition, Hooked: Contemporary Crochet from Australia and New Zealand. "The versatility and flexibility of raffia and its potential to be manipulated to create unexpected textile dimensions proved to be ideal. Raffia has always been a humble and much undervalued fiber, often used for domestic objects such as bags, belts, and matts rather than for any serious academic, creative work. I wanted to challenge this perception. I also wanted to prove that creating a great work of art does not always depend on using the best, most expensive materials. "From Fiberarts magazine, Mar/Apr 2004.
Cartography in cotton and wool. Mirjam Bruck-Cohen; Kfar Kara, 1998; crocheted, knitted, embroidered, and appliques; 34 X 41 inches; inspired by the map by Dov Chernobroda. " Mirjam, of Haifa, Israel, was born without nationality in a refugee camp during World War 11. She has always been fascinated by the way lines drawn on paper describing lines drawn across land can establish a national identity." From Fiberarts magazine, Mar/Apr 2003. For more about Mirjam: fibersiv.com
Miriam Schapiro: Needlework, 1996; paper on paper femmage, mixed media collage; 59 X 46.5 inches. Photo: Noel Rowe. Miriam Schapiro has long been a hero of mine because of her feminist emphasis on fiber art and he use of crochet as well. "She fought for over 50 years with all her strength and talent to erase the line between high art and craft. Schapiro pays homage to women by incorporating familiar fragments from their everyday lives such as handkerchiefs, doilies, aprons, lace, quilts and swatches of textiles. She continued to exalt the role of the homemaker by giving er the space she might be hesitant to take for herself." From Fiberarts magazine, mar/Apr 1998.
Risa Benson: Shoulder bag, hook woven silk. This is crocheted and at the time the term "hook-woven" was preferred to the use of 'crochet" to elevate the status of the technique in the art world. How far we've come: we now proudly hold our hooks high and use the term crochet for what it is!! From Fiberarts magazine, Jan/Feb 1998
Leah Shafir Zahavi: Vessel IV:, 1996; clay, antique lace; 16 X 20 X 23 inches. Photo: Peter Jacobs. "Zahavi describes the process of her work as the close observation of the effects of time on our earthly and spiritual values. She gives form to these interior struggles in a manner that is admittedly more intuitive than intellectual." This piece has intrigued me for years, from the time I made a photocopy of it from the magazine and stored it in a file for inspiration. "Just as the years are evident on one's skin and bosy, so is the biography of a textile written in its faded colors and carefully mentde rips. Poised vertically to echo the fragile, yet still erect, clay form, the delicate old lace in Vessl IV has been recast in an exclamation of dignity." Carol Russell. From Fiberarts magazine Spt/Oct 1997.
Featured in "Reviews" section of Fiberarts magazine: Woman with Wig by Chunghie Lee was exhibited in "Ancient Roots, New Beginnings," the first annual juried exhibit of crochet art sponsored by the Crochet Guild of America in 1994. From Fiberarts magazine, Jan/Feb 1995.
Also from Lark's 1000 Rings, Miriam Verbeek: Mourning Ring, 1993; silver, silk, nut; 4 X 6 X 1 inch. Collection of Stedelyk Museum, Amesterdam. Photo: Hennie van Beek. "As the ring is worn, the fine crochet work becomes frayed and disintegrates, leaving the silver rings behind. This symbolizes the period of mourning after the death of a dear one. The silver rings stay on as a memory." From Fiberarts magazine, Mar/Apr 2004.
Gerry Chase: Mother-of-all Tea, 1993; tea-dyed cotton tea bags, found crochet; 10 X 11 inches. In the collection of Monte and Candy Midkiff, Seattle. Photo courtesy the artist. From Fiberarts magazine,.
Olga Dvigoubsky Cinnamon: Serpents Skirt; "The Fates" Series, 1993; Crocheted with wax linen thread and embellished with feathers, beads & vintage buttons. "As a fiber artist, I have the opportunity to interpret thoughts and feelings about people and our world through tactile means. My work is mean to be the tactile embodiment of love and strength, the creative source of the sensory world." From Olga's artist statement. Olga has exhibited in the annual Chain Link juried exhibits sponsored by CGOA.
.
Katherine Westphal: Fish Basket, 1988; crocheted synthetic raffia; 12 X 6 X 6 inches. Katherine Westphal: The Grand Tour" at the San Francisco Craft and Folk Art Museum, provided an opportunity to look at the artist's new work in a larger context. From Fiberarts magazine, Sep/Oct 1991. http://arttextstyle.com/2009/10/01/gold-medal-winner-katherine-westphal/. From Fiberarts magazine, Sep/Oct 1991. As an aside, Katherine is married to Ed Rossbach, "artist, teacher, writer who transformed traditional basketmaking and brought this fiber form to the center of contemporary craf expression." Fiberarts magazine, Mar/Apr 1990.
From "Ties that Bind" Fiber art by Ed Rossbach and katherine Westphbas at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum exhibit, 1998. The container on the left appears to be the same as the black & white above. I love Katherine's sensibility to baskets/containers done in crochet. From Fiberarts magazine Nov/Dec 1997.
Zephra May-Miller: Channel 15, 1988; crocheted apparel of assorted plastic garbage bags. Photo: Geoffrey Carr. From Fiberarts magazine, Summer 1991.
Jane Rake: Crocheted Jacket