I received a fascinating new book in the mail! Martha Sielman has hit it out of the ball park again with this next book in the Portfolio series. Many of the artists I am familiar with and many I became acquainted with in this volume. Twenty-one specific artists are given feature status, endowing the viewer with a perspective of their work in six-page spreads. Other artists’ works are sprinkled throughout, amply adding to this comprehensive look at current work featuring people and portraits in the textile art world . Each of the featured artists’ work is accompanied by a rich narrative of what makes them who they are and how they arrive at their finished works.
Enjoy Bodil Gardener’s work with her playful, exaggerated characters. So much fun!
Collette Berends uses a very painterly effect in her work.
I adore the quirkiness and simplified forms of Yoshiko Kurihara. I especially like Morning Breeze.
Mary Pal’s amazing works using simple cheesecloth on black backgrounds portrays details not thought possible by this writer!
Viola Burley Leak uses highly expressive images. Her works are colorful with lots of movement. The use of black gives weight to her use of brilliant colors.
The cartoons of Pam RuBert entertain, as always. She is probably the most humorous textile artist I know.
Kathy Nida is provocative, daring the viewer to be offended by her raw depictions of women in various social situations.
Jenny Bowkers, depicting her middle east travels has work included in this volume. Olga Norris with her faceless figures, and Lora Rocke, Joan Sowada, and Maria Elkins, all with the most breathtaking realism, are in the Portfolio. The painted work of Inge Mardal and Steen Hougs is here.
Sielman has gifted us with another stunning compilation of art in textiles. Purchase here.
Art Journal---A Creative Journey 