Programs for 2008-2009

Every year the Guild features a lecture and workshop series featuring regional and national artists, curators and educators, presented from September through May. Member critiques are scheduled for two times this guild year: October and March; and Fiber Conversations are back by popular demand. All GUILD lectures are open to the public for a $5 fee. Events are free for members with the exception of workshops, which carry varying fees with an additional materials fee paid to the instructor during the workshop. Space permitting, the public is invited for an additional $15.00.

Meeting Locations

Sixth Presbyterian Church
1638 Murray Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 (At corner of Forbes and Murray Avenues in Squirrel Hill.)

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
6300 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15232 (At corner of Fifth and Shady Avenues in Shadyside.)

For more information about programs contact fiberartspgh@yahoo.com

Calendar

August 28, 2008 Thursday 6-9pm
Welcome Back Potluck Party
Norma Lipscomb’s home in Highland Park
1318 N. Sheridan Ave., Pittsburgh PA 15206
Our Meet-Greet-Eat program to kick off the 2008-09 Fiberarts Guild year.

September 23, 2008 Tuesday 3-5pm
Critique: Hosted by Barb Kubala
Sixth Presbyterian Church, Forbes & Murray Aves., Squirrel Hill
Bring your in-progress or finished work for supportive and enjoyable feedback. Participants report that these sessions are very helpful for their work and in getting to know fellow artists.
More critique sessions to be announced.

September 23, 2008 Tuesday 7-9pm
Lecture: Sigrid Piroch, fiber artist/weaver and teacher
Sixth Presbyterian Church, Forbes & Murray Aves., Squirrel Hill
Guild member Sigrid Piroch will speak on her travels as a fiber artist/weaver. She has taught in 11 countries, 4 continents and 45 US states. For full information on Sigrid and her ARTS Studio, visit www.artsstudio.org

October 4, 2008 Saturday 10am-4pm
Fiber Conversations: Sigrid Piroch’s home
We’ll begin by touring Sigrid’s authentic log home overlooking the Allegheny River, including her coverlet collection. Then we’ll lunch at the Foxburg Inn on the Allegheny. In the afternoon we’ll visit her ARTS Studio in Emlenton. A teaching studio, it houses several dozen looms, including Anni Albers’ countermarche loom from the Bauhaus and a cutting-edge electronic jacquard loom from Norway. A fiberart lover’s beautiful fall day on the Upper Allegheny!

October 24, 2008 Friday 7-9pm
Lecture: Elin Noble – Dye and Discharge
Sixth Presbyterian Church, Forbes & Murray Aves., Squirrel Hill
Artist, teacher and author Elin Noble will speak on dye and discharge. Among many other accomplishments, her work was included in Fiberart International 2004.

October 25, 2008 Saturday 9am-4pm
Workshop: Elin Noble – Marbling
Sixth Presbyterian Church, Forbes & Murray Aves., Squirrel Hill
$45 members / $60 non-members / Materials Fee TBD

November 6, 2008 Thursday 5-7pm
MAKING CONNECTIONS receiving for jurying at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.
Making Connections Prospectus (pdf)

November 6, 2008 Thursday 7-9pm
Lecture: Nancy Davidson, juror for Making Connections membership show
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Simmons Hall
6300 Fifth Ave., corner of Fifth & Shady Ave., Shadyside
Nancy Davidson is an accomplished artist who lives and works in New York City. She creates sculpture from inflatable weather balloons using humor to explore cultural issues. Davidson exhibits nationally and internationally and is widely published.
www.nancydavidson.com

November 14, 2008 - January 25, 2009
MAKING CONNECTIONS - membership show
OPENING RECEPTION
Friday, Nov 14th, 2008 5:30 to 8:00 pm
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts

November 15, 2008 Saturday 9am
ALL-NEW PROGRAM! Dry Skill Play Day
Sixth Presbyterian Church, Forbes & Murray Aves., Squirrel Hill
Members $1/half day, $2/full day;
Non-members $5/half day, $10/full day
Building on our Skill Sharing programs from past years, we are offering these expanded Skill Play Days. Participants will have the fun of working with other artists, both learning and sharing skills. (Choose half or full day.)
Nov. 15 is Dry Play Day. Sewing, beading, knitting, crochet, cutting, and piecing are among the activities that will be going on. A sewing machine will be available. Find a friend, bring a project, have fun. Contribute your skills and your questions! See also March 7’s Wet Skill Play Day.

January 22, 2009 Thursday 10am-2:30pm
Potluck Fundraiser and Artists’ Talk
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Simmons Hall
6300 Fifth Ave., corner of Fifth & Shady Ave., Shadyside
Annually, our most heavily attended event. Bring a dish and share others’ great cooking. Clean out and bring items and materials from your own studio, then have a chance to purchase bargains from other artists’ studios as well. In addition, we have a silent auction of members’ artwork. All proceeds go to the Guild. Featured speakers this year will be the artists in our Making Connections members show in the PCA’s galleries.

January 24, 2009 Saturday 2-4pm
Fiber Conversations:Annie Lawrence’s Squirrel Hill Studio
6546 Dalzell Place, Squirrel Hill, 412-521-4681
Come see Guild member Annie Lawrence’s new studio and her variety of beautiful work. Have a chance to discuss interesting fiberart issues with other artists, and bring any of your work you’d like to show.

February 20, 2009 Friday 7pm
Lecture: Risë Nagin – Interplay of Color & Design
Sixth Presbyterian Church, Forbes & Murray Aves., Squirrel Hill
Known for her distinctive handling of materials, technique and color, Guild member Risë Nagin’s work marries the concerns of craft with those of other contemporary art forms. Risë’s kimonos, quilts and books have been exhibited internationally and are included in museum, corporate and private collections in the US, Japan and Europe. Honors include the Quilts Japan Prize, Quilt National ‘91 Best of Show, and an Individual Fellowship from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.

February 21, 2009 Saturday TBA
Workshop: Risë Nagin – Interplay of Color & Design
Sixth Presbyterian Church, Forbes & Murray Aves., Squirrel Hill
Fees TBA
The workshop will involve a number of design exercises that illustrate the varied effects that result from simple changes in color. The class will encourage participants to play and experiment, with the goal of developing ideas that can be used in their work. Details to follow in upcoming newsletters.

March 7, 2009 Saturday 9am
ALL-NEW PROGRAM! Wet Skill Play Day
Sixth Presbyterian Church, Forbes & Murray Aves., Squirrel Hill
Members $1/half day, $2/full day;
Non-members $5/half day, $10/full day
Building on our Skill Sharing programs from past years, we are offering these expanded Skill Play Days. Participants will have the fun of working with other artists, both learning and sharing skills.(Choose half or full day.)
March 7 is Wet Skill Play Day. Dyeing, painting, marbling, felting, screen printing (constructed or deconstructed), and shibori are among the possibilities. Find a friend, bring a project, have fun. Contribute your skills and your questions! See also Nov. 15’s Dry Skill Play Day.

March 24, 2009 Tuesday 7-9pm
Lecture: Mary Kobet — Slide presentation featuring the work of Anna Goebel
Sixth Presbyterian Church, Forbes & Murray Aves., Squirrel Hill
A former student of Professor Anna Goebel, Guild member Mary Kobet will present a slide show of Goebel’s fiberart and studio classes in Poland. Internationally known artist Anna Goebel studied under Magdalena Abakanowicz and works with spatial compositions and paperart. Her work has been shown in Europe, Japan, Australia, South America, Israel and the U.S.

April 22, 2009 Wednesday 7-9pm
Lecture: Joanne Baxter – Let Your Inner Child Come Out and Play
Sixth Presbyterian Church, Forbes & Murray Aves., Squirrel Hill
Guild member Joanne Baxter will present a slide lecture on art dolls. Joanne has studied with nationally known doll artists but considers herself mainly self-taught. Her work has evolved over 25 years. She now produces Goddess Art Dolls which are based on her life experiences or people close to her. They are made from fabric, with painted faces, various fibers for hair, and accessorized.

May 15, 2009 Friday (TBA)
Lecture: Jiyoung Chung on Joomchi, Korean papermaking
Workshop: Sat. & Sun, 16 & 17th at SCC
(Details will be announced)