Fabric Messages AT 48 Natoma

This is Deb saying that If you find yourself in the Sacramento area between now and March 9, 2019, take the extra drive out to Folsom to see the Fabric Messages exhibit at the Gallery at 48 Natoma.* Under the curatorial vision of Cindy Abraham, this unassuming gallery has quite a history of promoting both nationally known and regional artists. The current show features Linda Waddle, Lin Schiffner, and Susan Heller. All three are northern California-based artists who work in the fabric medium. I describe the art as representational work in unrealistic colors, earthy-toned fabric impressions of tribal art, and meditative quilts in vibrant colors.

Based on this description, I wouldn’t have expected a cohesive exhibit. But, it works. Groupings of four or five similar objects tie the art together. They could be pieces from the same artist or the black and white pieces done by all three. On the wall as you enter the gallery is a carefully selected piece from each artist:  Linda Waddle’s Abstract # 1, Lin Schiffner’s Living the Seasons, and  Susan Heller’s Royal Blue Mask. 

 

Linda Waddle

When you look right or left, you see groupings of each artist’s work. Hang a sharp left and Linda Waddle’s series of doors comes into view. At first glance, I thought the doors were the same with only changes in color. No, each artwork consists of a different door.

 

 

From Linda’s website (www.lindawaddle.com), I learned she loves “the challenge of changing a piece of plain white fabric to one of depth and intrigue through the use of various dye, discharge, eco-printing, rusting or other surface design techniques.” If you look carefully, you see she also uses lace fabric to create the shading in her doors.

 

 

Lin Schiffner

In the far left corner of the gallery you’ll see Lin Schiffner’s four brightly colored quilts, Meditations on Earth/Water/Fire/Air. Each depiction of a classical element features an orb shape on a vertical column.

 

 

In a different section of the gallery, Lin has more similarly colored pieces containing stitched phrases. It’s no wonder. On Lin’s website (https://www.linschiffner.com/), she states her work “combines personal and heartfelt subject matter with a passion for color and a compulsion for finely detailed craft.”

Susan Heller

Susan and I must share a love of visiting the African and Oceania galleries in the de Young and Crocker art museums. Her work is very reminiscent of tribal art from these areas. I love the following statement from her website (www.quiltedbysusanheller.com): “My work falls outside of the traditional function of a quilt. Most have been released from the confinement of the customary background.” Released from the confinement of the customary background. What an apt description of 3-dimensional “quilts.”

My favorite piece is The Guardians, a set of five anthropomorphic conical shapes decorated with shell casings and other metal. Just look at this close up below.

 

I am proud of the fact that all three artists are members of one of the organizations Pixeladies support: Studio Art Quilt Associates. SAQA is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the art quilt through education, exhibitions, professional development, documentation, and publications. SAQA defines an art quilt as “a creative visual work that is layered and stitched or that references this form of stitched layered structure.” There is no requirement that the work consist of 3 layers, be functional or flat. To see more examples of the art quilt, visit www.saqa.com.

* Gallery at 48 Natoma
48 Natoma Street
Folsom, CA 95630
Tel. 916.461.6601
January 25 to March 9, 2019
Regular Hours:
Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.,
Tuesday and Wednesday evenings 6-8 p.m.
Call for additional evening and weekend hours.
Admission is free.