critique night.

Tonight I will be leading the critique for the Textile Arts Center Residency. I am delighted to be invited to do this as I love, love, love critique in general and am just honored to be invited into their beautiful studios and meet all of them.

I am a little nervous as 2 of the 3 artist being critiqued tend to focus a little more on the actual creation of textiles and even clothing which are not areas of my expertise- but as an artist very interested in the conceptual aspect of creation maybe it will create a good discussion for them.


Jill Magi I have mentioned here before as she was a student of mine awhile back.


and then we will be looking at the work of Tali Weinberg who weaves incredibly gorgeous scarves and such, but as an artist she is incredibly interested in the politics of labor. Often approaching this via participatory installation.


She states:

...my practice of making is informed by my work in human rights and fair trade advocacy, community organizing, and grassroots development. Through weaving and stitching, I explore how labor rights, community, ecology, and meaning shape and are shaped by the craft of turning fibers into textiles. I find beauty and liberation in the ability to take something apart in order to create something new and the knowledge that amidst constraint we have an abundance of choice in how we produce meaning, objects, and social lives. I find further inspiration in the women labor movement’s call for “bread and roses:” life should be beautiful as well as just. So I use my hands to make cloth that touches our skin and inhabits our lives: to turn the results of my own consumption away from excess and back into objects I hope are of comfort, beauty, and meaning for others.

and then there is the incredible knit wear by Julia Ramsey. She seriously makes some of the most exquisite wedding dresses ever! I want to get re-married all over again and wear a dress by her. (to the same wonderful man though.)

On her website she describea her practice:

my personal aesthetic tends to reflect varying combinations of strength and femininity. The structures that make up my fabrics create strong foundations for otherwise extremely feminine, body conscious garments. Ultimately, the body guides me. Initially, I am inspired by all “things” tangible experienced by way of the senses. More slowly, I am working to embrace the conceptual…

So as you can see I am in for a wonderful night of discussion, critique, community and inspiration.