Cathy Stechschulte

Several years ago, to my surprise, I recalled early memories of my fascination with textiles. As a child, I delighted in going to my favorite aunt’s Interior Design Studio. There, I would page through book after book of fabric samples, marveling at all the designs and colors.

Life took me in other directions for decades as I raised a family and had careers in teaching and clinical counseling. However, I always found a way to be a sideline artist, cheering others’ artistic passions. Two of my children are now working artists. In addition, I used art therapy as an effective tool in counseling children, adolescents, and adults.

Happenstance and chance-encounters over the last ten years brought me to my own art. I met and learned from incredible artist/teachers: Paula Swett, Jane Sassaman, Nancy Crow, Jan Myers-Newbury, Diane Reardon, and ultimately, Jane Dunnewold During my first Complex Cloth Workshop with Jane Dunnewold, I rediscovered my early love of textiles and decided that designing textiles would be my encore career. With Jane as my teacher and guide over the last three years, I can now describe myself as an emerging artist.

Just as there are cycles in my own life, I look at the world around me noticing in nature the seasonal cycles...and always the promise of new beginnings. Images and colors emerge from my garden, the countryside and forests of Central Pennsylvania, and from my passion for food and cooking. To support my creative process, I journal, in both written and visual forms, photograph, and sketch from observation. There is a dance between "intention" and "playfulness" - two energies at work in my art.

Designs for my textiles develop primarily from my photographs and observational drawings. Starting with black or white fabric, the process begins with dyeing or discharging then overdyeing. Manipulating the fabric in various ways produces interesting surfaces. Textile paints are applied through hand-drawn stencils and silkscreens to cover the surface with images of varying sizes; these are layered to create depth. After careful consideration, I may choose to add other mixed-media embellishments, such as, foiling, metal leaf lamination, embroidery, beading. Presently, most of my designs are organic, but abstracting the organic images is also an exciting new direction.

When failures with projects have occurred, creative problem-solving has followed, and surprises have emerged. Endings have become new beginnings. These experiences of surrendering to the process have been exhilarating and liberating for me. I find it helpful to remind myself to always be beginning...like a child.

Biography

Cathy Stechschulte is a Pennsylvania-based textile artist. In 2008 her art quilt "Descansos" was juried into Quilt Visions 2008, San Diego, California. She also received an Honorable Mention in the Fabric 2008 exhibit at the Quilt Surface Design Symposium, Athens, Ohio. In 2009, Cathy will complete the two and a half year Art Cloth Mastery Program at Art Cloth Studios, and will be a featured artist at Gallery Nord, San Antonio, Texas.

Cathy Stechschulte

Joanne Weis

Our world is changing at an unprecedented rate; communication is immediate and without boundaries. Even in the angst about our planet and in spite of the excess of information, I can sometimes find that place to be still, to filter out the unnecessary noise and simply lay a hand on what is important. These are the moments when I realize a learned lesson, when I recognize connectivity with others, when I sense a message or understand a mystery. These times don’t all result in art but if these occasions of spiritual and personal recognition coincide with an opportunity to make art, I may be off on a series.
My process begins with research into the chosen subject matter, not so much to gather information to educate the viewer but to educate myself by gathering visual images. I journal, sketch, take photos, participate in pertinent activities or go to a significant location to strengthen my grasp of the content. Images, colors and design choices begin to evolve. With white silk as my primary medium, I start the work, usually in a series of three or more pieces. Using fiber reactive dyes, I fold the fabric, lay in resists, immerse, screen or stamp the surface, building layer after layer, using impressions garnered during my earlier visual exploration. When dyeing the fabric I often add silk, cotton, linen or other cords to the bath to have compatible threads for embroidering surface detail and texture. Textile paints, discharge pastes, paper or other materials may be added as I move toward the final layer - stitching.
The content covers a wide range of topics. Recently I became vitally aware of refugee concerns and realized that our own country has forced selected populations into similar heartbreaking journeys. In one part of a series on “American Journeys”, the theme was based on the markings and signs used by unemployed, Depression era “Hobos” to guide each other toward safety and away from danger. Living south of the Mason Dixon Line on the Ohio River, I am sensitive to our shore being a destination for slaves running to freedom. Preparing myself to make a piece on the Underground Railroad included doing a 27 mile pilgrimage arranged by a local organization, walking on paths and into places that were part of the slaves’ journeys. Over the past months I have been studying early Christian art. The beauty, simplicity and depth of 3rd to 6th century Egyptian textiles led to a series where I simply enjoyed immersing myself in those images. Finishing a piece of textile art happens only when it is on a wall somewhere, being viewed by and shared with others.

Biography
Joanne Weis is a mixed media textile artist in Louisville Kentucky whose work can be found in numerous private collections around the country. In addition to producing and exhibiting her art, she is enrolled in the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Louisville working toward her Masters Degree with a focus on fiber and textile. She is President of the Louisville Area Fiber and Textile Artists and as such actively juries and curates shows and promotes appreciation of fiber and textile art within the community.

Joanne Weis

Kathy Williams

I have completed two series revolving around the definition of “season”. Colors of the Seasons explores the four distinct seasons of nature inspired by photographs and the colors I see in each season where I live. Seasons of Life explores the chaos of the 20’s, selecting partners/careers of the 30’s, upheavals of the 40’s and the freedom of the 50’s. The 20’s are a time of infinite choice with the 30’s being a time of choosing partners, settling in careers and trying to fit in. Many changes can happen in the 40’s with children leaving home, parents/loved ones dying and facing one’s own mortality while the 50’s bring about a freedom from others expectations – a blank slate to present your true self to the world.

Biography

In addition to many years of self directed artistic endeavors, Kathleen Williams completed Complex Cloth Intensive, November 2005 and is a graduate of Art Cloth Mastery Program, 2009, Art Cloth Studios, San Antonio, Texas. Exhibits include Surface Design Association Member Show, “Off the Grid”, May 2009 and “Twelve Voices from One”, Gallery Nord, San Antonio, Texas, June 2009. Additional information can be found at contexturalfiber.com

Kathy Williams

Patt Wilson

This body of work embraces two themes – a study of peacock feathers and the colour turquoise in an art cloth format. I am using the unifying, recurrent feather element to further my design and colour work. This body of work, using that central focus, is an exploration of realism to abstraction, and how to make those contrasting styles evolve from one to the other.

As part of the Art Cloth Mastery Program, I studied the “circle” motif. This started with very simple visual imagery and evolved into an in-depth study of the circle and its relationship to myself and the world. This work continues that study of the circle and focuses on the eye of the feather.

Combining these two themes provides a strong contrast in my work – realistic and abstract forms, interpreted in fabric and thread – complementary works playing against each other.

Biography

Textile artist Patt Wilson has worked with surface design, quilting, and wearable art since 1995. Creating art cloth is her way of expressing and sharing with others her work, which is influenced by personal experiences and the environment we live in. Her art cloth is a celebration, using line, shape and colour to evoke an emotional response.

Wilson's work has been exhibited throughout North America. She has taught quilt making since 1995 in Canada and is dedicated to the encouragement and promotion of artistic self-expression in cloth, thread, and surface design.

She lives in Port Moody, Canada and works from her home studio.

Patt Wilson