Showcase Photos
Collaborative Efforts Showcase Maine Art and Craft in Spectacular Setting, Boothbay, September 30 — October 10, 2011
From September 30-October 10, 2011, Maine Fiberarts collaborated with Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens to present the "Maine Fiberarts Showcase." Events included a fiber art exhibition of contemporary work installed throughout Kerr Hall, CMBG's Visitors Center. Crocheted vessels, woven tapestries, art quilts, handmade paper, hooked rugs, embellished quilts, and woven textiles were all displayed.
By popular demand, a sale of fiber art and craft items by 49 Maine artists who are members of Maine Fiberarts was also displayed throughout the galleries. Finally, about thirty demonstrators filled the halls during the kickoff weekend displaying work and demonstrating skills in using natural dyes, spinning on a Rio wheel, making basketry, weaving warp ikat textiles, various embroidery techniques, dyeing with Maine wildflowers, handspinning for lace shawls, freeform crochet, floor loom weaving of twill fabric, narrative quilting, primitive rug hooking, machine stitched imagery, and so much more.
Events kicked off with a Cocktail Reception on Friday night, with wine and cheese provided by Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. They also provided a spectacular setting, great weather (towards the end of our stay), and an enthusiastic audience quite interested in art and craft. Hundreds of people attended the event speaking with demonstrators, admiring work, purchasing craft items, and learning about fiber.
As a result, sales went phenomenally well and contacts were numerous, including a museum curator from Texas, the gift shop buyer for Portland Museum of Art, a group of five silkscreen artists from Massachusetts who spent the weekend in Maine for this event, numerous attending artists, and a highly-engaged public. Coastal Botanical staff have asked Maine Fiberarts to return next year. Stay tuned for plans!
Our thanks to staff members Carol Jones, Debbie Smyth, Maggie Muth, and Christine Macchi who worked diligently to present all aspects of the event smoothly. Our thanks to Coastal Botanical staff members Valerie Augustine and Barbara Freeman for help with promotion and logistics. Thanks to Garden desk reception attendants who introduced our presence to each and every visitor and to the many staff members who lugged stuff, showed us kindness, asked questions about weaving, and offered good food in the cafe. Thanks to volunteers Juliana Cliffe, Barbara Egan, Dick Ellerhorst, Peg Parsons, Laurie Sims, Sally Skillman, and Barbara Taylor for helping us in many ways.
Kudos to Arlene Morris and Paul Hollingsworth for beautifully installing our show. Special thanks to Sue Arnold for the photos below, to Carol Jones for the exciting loan of an iPad, and to Debbie Smyth for her many gifts. Thank you to media sponsor Maine Home & Design and to Margaret Hoffman and Abbe Levin for bringing two nonprofits together.And thank you to all the artists who added their wonderful fiber work:
Carol “Chris” Antonak, Susan Barrett Merrill, Jennifer Beaven, Rachel Bingham, Emily Boochever, Barbara Burns, Susan Carlson, Mary Allen Chaisson, Jodi Clayton, Katharine Cobey, Janet Conner, Judith Fischer, Nancy Hiatt, Paul H. Hollingsworth, Emi Ito, Heather Kerner, Diane Langley, Stephanie Green Levy, Phyllis Harper Loney, Christine Macchi, Susan Mills, Arlene Morris, Maggie Muth, Wayne Myers, MD, Priscilla Nicholson, Margaret F. Parsons, Susan Perrine, Elaine Pew, Paula Robert, Sheila Shanti, Sybil Shiland, Laurie Sims, Ursula Smith, Debbie Smyth, Susie Stephenson, Karen Stickney, Elizabeth Stoyko, Barbara Taylor, Anne Walker, Catherine Worthington, Sue Wright
