In the creative journeys of Alice Fox, Leslie Rottner, and Bonni Brooks, tools are far more than functional items; they’re as expressive and essential as the art itself. Each artist repurposes or crafts their tools from everyday and natural materials, transforming them into something personal and powerful.
Experimentation is also key for me. I improvise during the printing process, allowing my inspiration to guide me, resulting in a unique piece each time. I have never used printmaking in a very classical way, except when I studied it. I use printmaking more like a painter who works on a canvas.
When I first started working in sketchbooks, I often felt pressure to follow a theme or stick to a structure. But it wasn’t until I embraced a more free-flowing approach that I truly started enjoying the process.
Perez’s sketchbooks are where her creative magic begins—a space for experimenting with dyes, acrylic inks, and intricate textile techniques like shibori and monoprinting. These pages are the foundation of her richly textured fabrics and complex patterns, offering us a glimpse into the alchemical process that transforms her ideas into art.
Eliza Day-Green’s artistry goes beyond simple categorization. As the fifth featured artist in Fiber Art Now’s ongoing series, her work spans a vibrant spectrum. From wearable art to sculpting with natural fibers, her creative journey is one of constant experimentation and innovation.
“My stitching is a reflection of the calmness, tranquility, and contentedness that I feel when sitting at the sewing machine and creating. Sewing is my meditation, and the art emerges from this experience.”
Jacqueline Rueff started her artistic journey as a sculptor, making a variety of art dolls and elaborate wall sculptures called Woodland Spirits. Over time, she decided she needed to find something else to feed her creative spirit, something that wouldn’t tax her body so much. On a whim, she took a three-hour course on broom making . . . and she fell in love.
At the heart of the creative process for the three artists featured here lies a simple yet powerful tool: the sketchbook. Through their stories, they reveal how their sketchbooks serve as repositories of ideas and catalysts for their work.
Having never delved into the intricate stitching of embroidery, Zsofi took a leap and decided to transform a dissatisfying acrylic artwork with stitching, creating a canvas punctured with threads. This proved to be a creative turning point.
Pacita Abad’s retrospective exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art features more than 40 mixed-media fabric paintings and is her first US museum retrospective.
As the artist explored the area for the commissioned art piece, she glanced out the large windows and saw the New York City skyline, with water towers scattered across the landscape. This inspired the shape of the Bird Cage.
Chase’s sculptural art was born of her love of drawing and a “what if” sense of exploration. She began experimenting, creating paper sculptures through sewing and hand cutting. She made paper dresses, which were never “just dresses.”
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