Gems in Fiber

If you weren’t able to be at the Harrison Center on First Friday due to the holiday weekend, I encourage you to stop by to see these absolutely lovely shows. If you follow our blog, you have already read about Abi Ogle’s exquisite work (which did not disappoint visitors to the Harrison Gallery!) I’ve been very excited by work in the other spaces as well, and I want the world to know it is here to see! 

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It isn’t rare to find people in this area who have an emotional tie to Indiana University and the beauty of its Bloomington campus. Even if you aren’t an alum, you’ll want to see the wonderful pieces by Lucy Burton that are in the Gallery Annex this month. They are like little 5x7” jewels hanging on the wall, each referencing a special place on campus. What I love about these is the way I can experience them on different levels. They are not only unusual mixed media pieces using cotton duck, silk organza and leaves sewn together and mounted on masonite, but they also feature an etched acrylic plate with a sketch of a location. The acrylic plate is screwed into the Masonite leaving about an inch of space between the two, resulting in a third layer of information given off by the shadow of the etching. Each piece creates a magical and unique conversation about Indiana University. The effect of seeing a row of these in a line in the gallery is very fun.

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These beautiful “jewels” would be appreciated gifts for “IU Peeps” who also love fine art.

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Turn down the hallway and see a refreshing display of Kate Oberreich’s work. I always respond to Kate’s mixed media combinations, and these are especially fun since they employ inventive mark-making using embroidery. The pieces in her “Drift” series are done in loose, splashy acrylic on canvas marked with geometric doodles in embroidery floss. The largest piece is hemmed with a piece of netting that creates a watery looking shadow below the canvas, grounding the dreamy composition.  The series includes a number of smaller pieces that pair darker, powerful hues under crisp white or bright lines that create a surprisingly intense message.

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Once again, the artwork hanging in the annex has demonstrated that this space is so much more than just a hallway, and not to be missed on your tour of Indianapolis Art each month! Feel free to stop by from 9:00 until 5:00 any weekday to view our monthly shows. Stay tuned to learn more about other shows that are currently being shown in the Harrison Center.