Fiber on a Whim

JANELLE GIROD AND KRISTIN RODRIGUEZ 

April 14-28, 2013

“Give yourself permission to play”- Janelle Girod

Fiber artists Janelle and Kristin are following their own advice during their residency at A.I.R. Studio. The mother/daughter duo operates Fiber on a Whim together, an online shop based in Marietta, Georgia. This is their third trip to Paducah, but the first time that they will be here to focus on their own work.

When I met with Janelle and Kristin they had already spent some time exploring Paducah with a friend and local fiber artist, Rosemary Claus-Gray. Their favorite stop thus far was Jefferson Street Studios where they coveted both Helene Davis’s hand-dyed fabrics and studio space. They made stops at Bryerpatch Studio and the Yeiser Art Center to see the international “FantasticFibers” exhibit.

Both Janelle and Kristin rely heavily on collage techniques in their work. Whole pieces of cloth are cut up into smaller pieces, which are then stitched or fused together to construct backgrounds and objects. Stitched lines and layered sections call attention to the important areas of their work. Their wide range of techniques and tools adds to the diversity of their work, and their wide range of subject matter is typically playful in subject matter.

Janelle started making quilts in the 1970s and quickly became tired of the traditional quilt form. She felt constrained by the color trends and wanted to explore more vibrant colors than what was typically acceptable. She was often asked to “sit at the back of the classroom” during classes and workshops, and quickly felt the need to break out of the repetition of the traditional quilt block and be more creative in her work.

Kristin’s intuitive use of color shines through in her work. The range of colors that she brings into her work and application of stitching creates a dynamic relationship in her work to emphasize specific area and make details stand out. Her Iris piece, in progress, was created using Helene’s hand-dyed fabrics. When we talk, she tells me that she is planning to work back into areas with hand stitching to accentuate the middle parts of the flower through a change in texture and color.

In addition to their own works of art, Fiber on a Whim specializes in hand-dyed fabrics, supplemented by books and products to promote creativity and exploration. They hand dye more fabrics than just traditional cotton, including silk, burlap and cheesecloth. The versatility of their fiber choices allows for manipulation and layering far beyond a traditional quilt.

The creative spirit that Kristin and Janelle bring to Paducah is sure to transfer to those they come in contact with this week. They are offering several technical workshops this week intended to produce small works while introducing a specific product or skill and encourage creative play with materials. For more information, visit their website at www.fiberonawhim.com.

Sarah Holland

Sarah Holland: April 1-13, 2013

Sarah Holland is an emerging artist visiting from her hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee. She graduated in 2011 from the University of Tennessee with a B.F.A. in Painting. She is the Artist in Residence at A.I.R. Studio through April 13th.

I met Sarah for coffee last week, and dropped in on her again later at A.I.R. Studio. This is Sarah’s first residency. She is hoping to immerse herself in a process of art making here that she can apply to her daily life back in Knoxville.

Sarah interprets her environment and experiences to produce large, colorful abstract paintings. Her work is process oriented, building with multiple layers and reacting to the surface over time to dictate the content. She uses photography as a source to inspire her work, and spent the first day of her residency exploring and photographing Paducah. During her time in here, her focus is on creating new work. She expects that the local area will act as a source for her new paintings. 

She would like to be compared to artists Cindy Sherman, Jessica Dickinson, and Mark Rothko; they avoid the obvious, and allow the viewer plenty of space interpret the work. She explains to me that Jessica Dickinson only makes four paintings a year; she admires her discipline and ability to let her work develop over a length of time. 

Sarah is mixing paints when I drop by the studio. She works with a wide range of colors, but feels limited sometimes by her palette. The floor is covered with a variety of painting surfaces in different stages of progress and there are little picture frames scattered across the table at the back of the studio. She has been working on small paintings and collages to fill the frames to take a break from her larger works. I am impressed by her ambition and energy, and look forward to seeing what she has finished by the end of the week.

Saturday, April 13^th from 12:00-5:00pm Sarah Holland invites the community to see her new body of work, “Made in Kentucky”, which she has produced during her residency at A.I.R. Studio.

To see more of Sarah’s work, visit her website.

Introducing Erin Hebert

I had the pleasure of speaking with Erin Hebert A.I.R. Studio’s current Administrative Assistant. Erin is just the person artists’ seeking residencies in the Paducah area should see.  Her knowledge of the arts and cultural scene as well as her work as an arts administrator make her a catch in the management of residency applications and in the promotion of the studio space.

I was able to ask Erin a few questions about her work with A.I.R. and her knowledge of the Paducah area during our phone conversation. Calling to Kentucky though had its own surprises as I had encountered an unexpected change in the time zone, Erin who was very kind about my earlier calls shared a few laughs with me in our conversation an hour later. The following text covers her role with A.I.R. Studio, benefits and information on applying to A.I.R. and her knowledge of the Paducah area.

What’s your involvement/role with A.I.R. Studio?

I’m the Administrative Assistant, my primary role is to raise awareness about A.I.R. Studio locally and internationally. My job is to get more people interested in taking on a residency here and to visit the Paducah area. I’m also working to build the facebook and twitter pages and trying to redirect traffic to the blog.

How did you become involved with A.I.R.?

I use to work at the Yeiser Art Center, where I helped to administer the grant for the Paducah Artist in Residence Program. Yeiser currently runs the Paducah Artist In Residence Program in partnership with the Paducah Arts Alliance (PAA) as a part of a grant awarded from the NEA and Paducah Renaissance Alliance (PRA). I left Yeiser shortly after having a baby. Alonzo Davis (A.I.R. Studio Owner) was impressed with my work and asked me to assist with advertising as the grant period ends.

What do you enjoy most about working in your current position?

I enjoy seeing the fruits of my labor. For example, I was contacted by a woman from Israel who had seen my work. I was amazed that it had made an impression that far. The woman is actually a part of this well know arts collective in Israel. I’m now responsible for working with her so that she can exhibit her work and the work of her peers here in Paducah.

What do you believe artists stand to gain from their stay in Paducah?

Working among other artists in the Paducah Community. The community is very small and has a strong arts community. People are very friendly and willing to make connections with visiting artists. Unlike major cities Paducah has a lot of downtime so people have more time to make connections with visiting artists.

What are some of the hidden gems in the area? What cultural organizations would you recommend artists staying in the area visit?

The National Quilt Museum is often overlooked because people underestimate what they’ll see. There’s a lot of interesting quilts and innovative exhibitions. A couple of months ago they exhibited work by a woman who made sculptures out of quilts. Also a lot of the shops in LowerTown, which are run by artists. Places like Terra Cottage, Aphrodite Gallery and an up and coming studio run by Mitch and Shand, a local potter and jewelry artist.

Do you know any odd facts about the area?

This area was once known as Atomic City, it produced enriched uranium. There’s also a large industry focused around the river. The local urban legend is that you can find buttons inside of sea shells along a beach where a huge button factory used to be.

What are some of the perks of carrying out a residency at A.I.R. Studio?

The ability to focus on getting work done and the close-knit atmosphere of the community which is generally supportive of artists. (Commenting on the studio) The storefront allows artists to show their work to the community without interruption it's also a place where artists can host workshops or classes. The large studio space is good for accommodating artists as it's not media specific, they can easily bring their work to the studio. The living space accommodates two people (a spouse or another artist) who don’t mind sharing a living space.

How long has A.I.R Studio been accommodating artists?

Nine years.

Who’s eligible for a residency with A.I.R.?

It’s pretty open. There’s an age requirement of 21, which makes it open to college students. While we do want to see good artists, we don’t solely rely on experience we also look at what an artist can bring to the residency. For example applicants may not have strong visual work but may want to lead workshops and engage the community.

Do the artists get assigned dates or do they pick their dates?

Artists pick their dates or preferences. A.I.R. usually works within their proposed time frame to book their stay.

When is the best time of the year to commit to a residency in Paducah and why?

Each season has it’s own benefits. Artists visiting in the winter are the most productive as things are a lot slower, there aren’t as many events going on and people want to stay indoors. The summer is a good time to work in the community and make connections with other artists. There’s an art school near by and visiting artists can work with arts educators as they have time off. In the fall there are a lot more arts events or happenings. The spring is the best time for fiber artists, especially during Quilt Week. It’s a big national show. The area welcomes over 40,000 quilters from all over.

Can you briefly describe the application process for applying to a residency at A.I.R.?

It’s very simple we ask for a CV or Resume and your proposed dates and alternative dates. If you’re a visual artist we ask for images of your work and details about the images. If you’re a writer we ask for work samples so we can get a sense of your work, which the artists would send via email to airstudiopaducah@gmail.com. Community engagement is not a requirement of the residency but if applicants express an interest I would work with them to make sure those activities were advertised.

How can artist interested in staying at A.I.R Studio find information?

Through the A.I.R. blog. The program offered through the Yeiser/PAA is currently full. Artists should look at the A.I.R. blog for all information. They can also contact me through email at airstudiopaducah@gmail.com

Are you an artist? What’s your discipline?

Yes, I studied Studio Art at Berea College in Berea, KY. I specialize in fibers and Printmaking and have had a handful of shows.

Have you ever held a residency? What do you feel you gained and would you recommend it to other artists?

I did something similar to a residency when I was in college. I attended a two week printmaking class in North Carolina at the Penland School of Crafts. Because I participated the class I was able to take time off from school and focus on my art. I haven’t had the time to take on a full-blown residency as I have a family now but would like to do one eventually when my family is older. A lot of residencies also ask artists to commit a lot of time, which is hard to do when you have other responsibilities. That's what’s so great about A.I.R. its flexibility, we ask artists to commit at least two weeks and we’re willing to work with artists.

Interview by Ashley McDonald

Vivian Hyelim Kim

PAA Artist-in-Residence
November 30 - December 28, 2012 

Korean American painter and mixed media artist Vivian Hyelim Kim closes out the year as our current artist in residence. Already in the third week of her residency Kim has devoted much of her time to her artwork - covering the windows, wall and floor of the studio's front exhibition space with hundreds of colorful snowflake-like patterns. Each pattern is intricately unique and carefully hand cut from paper or stenciled onto the studio walls using pastels. This process is not foreign to the artist whose wildly sprawling symmetrical designs have appeared - flowing out of windows, cascading down gallery walls, and overtaking natural environments. By showcasing different patterns and colors Vivian hopes viewers will walk away with a greater appreciation for diversity and pattern. Her artwork is also a part of a larger debate around the distinction between high and low art and what aspects of the artwork makes that distinction. To challenge this notion Kim integrates craft supplies such as glitter, beads, wire and origami paper into her work. The inclusion of materials largely associated with the craft realm (or low art) call into question whether project scale, labor, materials, intricacy, complexity or the distinctive quality of the artwork itself classifies it as high or low art. 

As part of her residency Vivian also plans to host a workshop at a local high school. At the high school she'll be assisting students with a similar installation project. She also conducted a workshop with 5th graders.

This blog post was written from Casey Northcutt's post on Vivian Hyelim Kim:iList Paducah
Click the link above to read Casey Northcutt's post.

By Ashley McDonald