New Exhibits at The Hudgens Feature Fiber Arts

The Hudgens Center for the Arts in Duluth has three new Fiber Art exhibits that opened Tuesday, March 26.

“Repetition & Ritual: New Sculpture in Fiber” is a group fibers exhibition featuring the works of 17 artists united by their materials and creative process. 

Curated by Atlanta artist Sonya Yong James, the show centers specifically on the creative act as personal obsession. James states: “Some of the artists deliberately seek out the meditative qualities of repetitive activity to express their ideas, while the repetition found in other artist’s work is an aesthetic result of their process.  A prescribed order of assembling, manipulating and presenting materials borders on ceremony for these artists.”

Artists participating in this exhibit are Emily Barletta, Karen Ciaramella, Susan Cipcic, Jennifer Crenshaw, Elisa D’Arrigo, Meredith Re’ Grimsley, Amy Gross, Pat Hickman, Ferne Jacobs, Sonya Yong James, Clay McLaurin, Ruben Marroquin, Kim Matthews, Junco Sato Pollack, Karen Searle, Vadis Turner, and Katya Usvitsky.

The “Confession” exhibition by Louisiana artist Jes Schrom features vintage handkerchiefs hung on clothes lines in the gallery. Each handkerchief is embroidered with text revealing a secret, which range in content from silly things like “I shave my big toe” to more serious secrets such as “Sometimes I cry at night,” and “Son, he’s not your real father.” 

This select collection of secrets originated from a public art project created by Schrom for Flux Projects, called “Secrets of Atlanta.” Participants were able to anonymously submit private information through locked boxes stationed around the city. No names, no trails from the post office, no handwriting analysis, no preplan of what to say, no recognizable links at all. The private confessions were then made public by distributing printed paper towels via public rest rooms. For this exhibit, however, more permanent ‘canvases’ were used in the form of the embroidered handkerchiefs displaying the secrets.

“Needles & Threads: Gwinnett Celebrates Traditional Fiber Arts” is the first juried fibers exhibit at The Hudgens. Local fiber artists were invited to submit their works to be considered for inclusion, and the resulting exhibit features works by 15 artists, including many beautiful quilts, a handful of cross stitch samplers, several fine needlepoint examples, and much more.  A “Best in Show” award of $100 and three “Honorable Mention” awards of $50 will be announced at the reception.

The reception for the new exhibits, and the artists represented in them, will take place on Thursday, March 28, from 7p.m.–9 p.m.  The reception is free and open to the public.  All three exhibitions will remain on display through May 25.

There will also be a Curator’s Talk by Sonya Yong James, on Saturday, April 20, at 10:30 a.m. James will discuss the artists, their processes, and the works chosen for the Repetition & Ritual exhibition. The Curator’s Talk is free for members of The Hudgens, and included in the price of admission for the public.

On Saturday, April 27, there will be a free Family Day at The Hudgens, featuring hands on art activities from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Admission to the exhibits will be free all day, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Hudgens Center for the Arts is a non-profit organization that has been focused on supporting the arts in Georgia since its establishment in 1981. 

The Hudgens presents fine art exhibits year round, and offers art classes for adults and children through its Fine Arts School. It supports local community-based arts organizations through its programs, exhibits and partnerships. The Hudgens’ mission is to bring art lovers, leaders and learners together through quality programs and exhibits.

The Hudgens Center for the Arts is located at 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Bldg. 300, in Duluth, in the Gwinnett Center complex. For more information about art exhibits, events and classes at the Hudgens, please visit the website at www.thehudgens.org or call 770-623-6002.