Tamar Shadur: Tapestries Amy Putnam: Quilts Katherine McClelland: Felt images Artists' Reception: Wednesday August 7, 5:30-7:30 PM The artists' statements follow. Tamar Shadur Since weaving tapestries is extremely time consuming, I choose concepts that hold my interest throughout the process of designing, making a cartoon to guide the weaving, selecting yarns and colors, and the weaving itself. And then there is the journey of evolving artistic decisions as I pack down weft threads over and under the warp threads to create the fabric, the tapestry itself. My latest body of work is about notable historical and contemporary aspects of the town of Florence, MA where I live. Other tapestries in this exhibit are inspired by poetry, folk art, nature, and liturgy. Katherine McClelland I find felting to be the perfect mix of painterly expression and physical process, satisfying me in a way that other mediums have not. When I create, I am looking to tell a story. Whether I am working on still lifes or figures, I am interested in the narrative of the subject. Felting falls into the category of textiles which, in our culture, is often in the domain of women. This is something I reflect on as I consider the content of my work. Creating fiber art with a social commentary feels appropriate and in line with a long tradition of women makers who have used this discipline to have a voice in a world that would prefer their silence. Amy Putnam I make quilts that seek to challenge the commonly accepted distinctions between "craft" and "art." By celebrating the artistic functionality of quilts, I explore the multiple facets of their usefulness - both as objects to use and subject matter that reminds us to notice and care for the world around us. Basing my art in the rich histories of women, craft, function and human expression, I seek to blend craft and art into a growing exploration of form, story and everyday use.