Material as Medium

I'm pleased to have two fiber works included in Material as Medium at the Target Gallery in Alexandria, Virginia. My tactile collection of Bound Scissors and recent wall sculpture, Lifeline will be on display along with the work of fifteen other fiber artists. The exhibition explores the future of contemporary fiber and textile art using traditional materials in a new context, or unconventional materials in a more traditional form. The juror for this exhibition is Aaron McIntosh.

Material as Medium

Torpedo Factory / Target Gallery

December 3, 2016 - January 15, 2017

Reception: Thursday, December 8th, 6 – 8pm / Juror Talk at 7pm

Participating fiber artists:

Meg Arsenovic, Richmond, VA

Emma Balder, Denver, CO

Diana Baumbach, Laramie, WY

Arisa Brown, Everett, WA

Danielle Burke, Black Mountain, NC

Brooks Dierdorff, Orlando, FL

Julia Gartrell, Durham, NC

Lindsay Hall, Arlington, VA

Krista Heinitz, Eugene, OR

Hannah Hiaasen, Brooklyn, NY

Kathleen Kennedy, Mechanicsville, VA

Tiffany Lange, Menomonie, WI

Matthew Paulson, Rockaway Beach, NY

Suzanna Scott, Ruston, LA

Meaghan Westfall, Rock Hill, SC

Katie Westmoreland, Brooklyn, NY

Pink Palette

In need of a wider variety of peachy-pink material for my series of Fiber Forms and other studio experiments, I've turned to an unlikely source--avocado pits. After searching online for what natural dyes would lend my desired palette I came across this recipe and proceeded to buy/eat avocados for weeks. Unfortunately I'm the only one in the family who likes them so I collected them in the freezer til I had enough to make a full dye pot. I boiled eight pits for this batch of old linen scraps, stained cotton doilies and cheese cloth. The aged whites and creams were transformed into a subtle palette of the fleshy pink textures. I was more than pleased with the outcome and have already started stitching with my new stash.

A video posted by Suzanna Scott (@suzanna_scott) on Aug 16, 2016 at 9:11am PDT

Chair Decay

After all the tête-à-têtes these chairs have been privy to, they now decay by the side of the road. On a recent road trip to Louisiana, I deemed the pair worthy of a u-turn in order to document their moldering beauty. Exposed to the elements their upholstered innards have begun to spill and nature fills them. The textures of decay are palpable in the fraying fabrics, weathered wood, touches of rust and puddled stains that riddle the surface. I may or may not have hauled a few scattered bits back to the studio--a distinct possibility that these chairs will live on in an alternate form.

 

Fiber Forms

A collection of fiber forms has been slowly evolving in my studio. The core of each one is made using a common household material--aluminum foil. Once the skeleton is constructed I wrap it with layer upon layer of fabric, lace and string. These bound layers are pinned into place until I'm satisfied with its shape, color and texture. During the tedious process of stitching I let go of time and enjoy the meditative process of slowly marking the surface with stitches and securing the layers of each cocoon. On a few of the pieces I've sculpted glandular caps out of resin. After they are finished with a brass metal coating these accents add visual contrast to the stitched surface. So far I've completed thirteen of these intimate fiber forms and I invite you to take a peek.