"Common Threads" exhibit in Stevens Point

Wisconsin SDA members Susan Smith Leschke and Donna Kallner are among the artists who will be exhibiting their work at the Riverfront Arts Center in Stevens Point, WI.  The exhibit, entitled "Common Threads",  begins April 20 with an opening reception from 5-7 PM and continues through May 27th.  Congratulations!!

For more information, visit:

Riverfront Arts Center:  http://stevenspoint.com/index.aspx?nid=170

Susan's blog:  http://threadsofinspiration.blogspot.com/2012/04/common-threads.html

Donna's blog: http://www.donnakallner.blogspot.com/2012/04/common-threads.html

Metal and Willow on Silk

After Donna Kallner's inspiring demo at our October meeting, Alison Gates and Alicia Engstrom dove right in with silk ... Here are their results!

Right and left: Alicia's experiments with willow tea, nails, screws and wire. Alison created the center one by rolling horse shoe nails up, binding with wire and dousing with vinegar.

Beautiful!!!

Fiber Art Exhibit- Prairie du Sac

Collaborative art partners and SDA members Donna Kjonaas (South Dakota) and Vicki Kessler (North Dakota) are the featured artists at a contemporary fiber exhibit entitled Holding the Holy.

The exhibit will be held at The River Arts Center in Prairie du Sac, a short drive west of Madison.

River Arts Center

Wisconsin SDA meeting October 15, 2011

Professor Alison Gates, Alicia Engstrom, Dr. Heidi Sherman of UW- Green Bay
holding traditional tools used to make flax

Our meeting at UW-Green Bay was very enjoyable AND educational. We had an excellent presentation by Professor Alison Gates, student and Flax Team member Alicia Engstrom, and Dr. Heidi Sherman, an authority on medieval history. The ground-breaking Flax Team hopes to continue their seed-to-cloth flax growing project. The process was chronicled by student Alicia Engstrom whose special interest areas are spinning and weaving fibers.

One of the plots is located on top of a campus building. Its visibility has created a buzz within the campus community that reaches beyond the Art and History Departments. Members of the team have received advice and support from many who are helping keep an eye on their "babies".

The team plans to start a website to document the progress of the project-- stay tuned!

Alicia Engstrom shows flax growth

Artist, teacher, writer and SDA member Donna Kallner presented a willow and tannin printing demo at the meeting. Donna and other members discussed India Flint's presentation at the SDA Conference, and Donna showed how she uses a botanical dye that grows in abundance in Wisconsin. Donna also makes willow charcoal which can be used to make marks on silk. Needless to say, there was a lot of note-taking going on during her demo and her silk samples were gorgeous.

Donna Kallner (l) , Alison Gates (r)

raw materials for willow print process

willow printed silk scarf

By popular request, Donna is blogging about this process at donnakallner.blogspot.com.

We finished up the meeting with show and tell.  Laura Fisher-Bonvallet, weaver and designer of fine art wear, showed samples of her beautiful hand-woven wearables. Laura is a 2-time winner of the esteemed NICHE award and has her studio in Oneida, WI. See more of her work at:  www.LauraFisherBonvallet.com

Laura Fisher-Bonvallet w/ woven jacket

Thank you to all of our presenters and attendees-- it was a meeting full of beautiful art, enthusiasm and inspiration!

OPEN STUDIO -- LAURA FISHER-BONVALLET

National award winning designer, weaver, dyer, and SDA member Laura Fisher-Bonvallet, is hosting an OPEN STUDIO WEEKEND Oct. 7-9, 2011.  The 2011 Collection that won the prestigious NICHE Award (Niche Magazine, a national arts publication) will be showcased, along with work from previous collections.  In addition to handwoven wearables, Fisher-Bonvallet has also designed two different series of hand-dyed silk scarves.  All items will be for sale, many offered at deep discounts. 
  

To preview, go to www.LauraFisherBonvallet.com.  Hours are Friday, noon-5p, Saturday, 10a-6p, and Sunday noon-5p. 1150 Hill Drive, Oneida, WI 54155 – Hwy 29 west to Cty FF, south on FF .6 miles, west on Hill drive .4 miles. For more information dial 920.499.9899 or info@LauraFisherBonvallet.com.  Come and enjoy some refreshments while shopping right in the artist’s studio!

Laura's website

Flax Project - UW- Green Bay



Flax flowers



University of Wisconsin- Green Bay students are growing their own flax!

This project sprouted when a History Department faculty member researching Alexander the Great's armor found it was actually layers of linen and not metal, hence his conquering some hot climates. Another faculty member who is an expert in Medieval Russian flax processes joined forces with the Art Department and now the project has taken off.



Flax capsules



"We're going to try to go from seed to shirt- which frankly is even more work than going sheep to shawl " states Associate Professor of Arts and Visual Design Alison Gates.  "We're doing this with some help from one of our Scientists who's testing a deer repellant on our flax bed."



UWGB flax harvesting



Four members of the Flax Team recently spent 6 hours harvesting one of their plots which covers 400 square feet. Harvesting is a labor-intensive process which includes pulling, bundling and stacking. Once dry, the fiber will be separated from the stem (retting), broken into short segments (breaking), fibers extracted (scutching) and combed (heckling).

The final step will be spinning and weaving of the flax. The WI SDA blog will be following the Flax Team as they continue their exciting journey!

Online Auction: Looms/weaving supplies

The UW Oshkosh Art Department is selling equipment and supplies from its Weaving Studio!

They have looms, various collections of weaving magazines & journals, weaving supplies, and patterns.

https://mds.bussvc.wisc.edu/swap/dept.asp?mscssid=&dept_id=108