For the Love of the Loom – The Fine Art of Weaving
November 16, 2019 – January 5, 2020
Special Exhibition at the New Hope Arts Center
Opening Reception is on Saturday November 16th from 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Gallery Hours: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Noon to 5:00pm through Sunday January 5th
Seven contemporary fiber artists —Rita Romanova Gekht, Bojana Leznicki, Susan Martin Maffei, Ilona Pachler, Mary-Ann Sievert, Armando Sosa, and Betty Vera—work with a variety of techniques, from traditional to experimental. Though equipment may range from manually operated to computer-assisted looms, each artist approaches weaving as an artistic medium. As vehicles for personal expression, their textiles reflect the artist’s background, influences, and individual artistic vision—whether encompassing ancestral traditions or commenting on contemporary life.
Tapestry art has an ancient history that continues to the present day. The late 1960s and early 1970s brought about a revival of interest in this art form as artists began to experiment with weaving in new ways. Two internationally renowned tapestry artists from this groundbreaking movement, Archie Brennan and Michelle Lester, are also represented in the exhibition. As weavers and teachers, both of them have had a profound influence on many fiber artists and were mentors and/or colleagues of six of the artists in For the Love of the Loom.
Today there is renewed interest in creating work by hand, making the exhibition For the Love of the Loom particularly timely. Textile art is once again experiencing a revival and receiving wide exposure, as evidenced by the Tate Modern’s recent exhibition of Anni Albers’ groundbreaking Bauhaus weavings. The works on view at New Hope Arts Center further affirm weaving’s expressiveness as an art medium - one that can both embrace the past and present a fresh view of today’s world.
A special feature of the exhibition is a Boutique of functional fiber work by local weavers will be open on Saturdays starting November 30th.
In conjunction with the show, on November 23rd at 6:00pm The New Hope Art Center will present a lecture on Collecting, Commissioning and Conserving the textile art.
For the Love of the Loom is curated by tapestry artist Rita Romanova Gekht, founder and
owner of Rita’s Dream Weaving Studio in Lambertville, New Jersey.
Thanks to our exhibition sponsor:
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