Tuesday, March 20, 2012

FiberPhiladelphia & Walker Art Museum- Trip Post #1

Pieces by Mary Smull...

 
...observed while walking through the Philadelphia Airport...

 
...as part of FiberPhiladelphia's biennial this year.

 
Mary takes 'found', partially completed needlepoint pieces...

 
...and rescues them from oblivion by filling in the unfinished areas with white yarn.

 

FiberPhiladelphia is currently up and running in my city...

...and I was pleased to see these wonderful pieces while walking through the Philadelphia airport a couple of weeks ago.

FiberPhiladelphia is a biennial festival showcasing innovative fiber and textile arts...

...with disparate exhibits on view in 40 different locations throughout the city.

This particular work is by Mary Smull...

...founder of the 'textile welfare' organization, SPUN (The Society for the Prevention of Unfinished Needlepoint).

Their projects are collaborative works begun by anonymous artisans...

...and completed (with white yarn only) by members of the society.

You may want to consider this idea yourself, the next time you find yourself in a thrift store or at a garage sale...

...and create your own mini 'rescue society' for long-ignored partial masterpieces! :)

*********************************************************************


Next stop: the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, MN.

 
Wonderful, saturated, retina-blasting colors...

 
...and beautiful patterns.

 

My very first stop in Minnesota was to visit the Walker Art Center...

...a truly wonderful modern art museum.

This is only the first of two sets of photos for you from the Walker...

...since there were so many wonderful things, I didn't want to leave any out. :)

Next time: Trip Post #2...

...with more modern art!!
Posted by Picasa

4 comments:

Rachel said...

I'm going to be finishing some of my own pieces - does that count?

Heather Woollove said...

Oh, YES, Rachel!! SPUN's stated goal is to see every unfinished needlepoint project completed, and then they can cease to exist as an organization!! :)

Anonymous said...

I had no clue that anyone, anywhere, rescued unfinished needlepoint. But the fact that it is exhibited is even more surprising. :)

Heather Woollove said...

Sandie--These 'textile folks' are always coming up with interesting new ideas...aren't they?!??