A juried fiber arts exhibition celebrating happy accidents, successful satisfaction in Wabi-Sabi, and unintended artistic experiences that often lead to evolutionary forms of expression and joyful acceptance that experimentation is part of one’s art practice. Fiber Artists yearn for thorough planning and tight intention, gratification in challenging practice, and ritual appreciation and amusement in transience and incomplete mistakes. Bumblebunching are the exuberant jumbled loops created by the bobbin when stitching has improper tension while machine sewing. Seasoned or newer creations are welcome. Open to all fiber arts media.
The Bumblebunching – Warped, Twisted, & Imperfect exhibition is a component of the 16th Annual North Olympic Fiber Arts Festival Oct 1 – 3, 2021 at the Sequim Museum & Arts location at 544 N Sequim Ave, Sequim WA 98382. Many fiber arts events and exhibitions happen throughout the months of September, October, and November on the Olympic Peninsula that are partnerships with the North Olympic Fiber Arts Festival.
Irresistible Aesthetics – Beauty, Absorption, & Ideology at the Sequim Museum & Arts in 2019.
A juried fiber arts exhibition celebrating happy accidents, successful satisfaction in Wabi-Sabi, and unintended artistic experiences that often lead to evolutionary forms of expression and joyful acceptance that experimentation is part of one’s art practice.
Fiber Artists yearn for thorough planning and tight intention, gratification in challenging practice, and ritual appreciation and amusement in transience and incomplete mistakes. Bumblebunching are the exuberant jumbled loops created by the bobbin when stitching has improper tension while machine sewing.
Seasoned or newer creations are welcome. Open to all fiber arts media.
Entry Deadline: September 7, 2021
Exhibit Dates: October 1 – November 27, 2021at the Sequim Museum & Arts
Online Application and full prospectus coming soon.
“Deep Water Turquoises” hand spun yarn by Kathy Martin
I wheel spun “Deep Water Turquoises” from a blend of Polwarth Wool and Silk, Navajo (chain) plying it with hand-dyed Kid Mohair locks. 245 yards of this bulky yarn will make a cowl or shawlette.
“NW Autumn” by Kathy Martin
“NW Autumn” is a wrap composed of Kid Mohair, Targhee Wool, Bamboo, Silk and bling. Many of the fibers are handspun. The wrap was knit using my own bias scarf design and taking advantage of the art yarn textures.
hand dyed, spun, and knit fingerless mittens in Shetland wool by Susan Kroll
Susan’s fiber artwork is made of wool from her own Shetland sheep. She uses mostly natural dyes to color the yarn that she has hand-spun and then hand knit.
hand dyed, spun, and knit shawl in Shetland wool by Susan Kroll
At the Junction is an original design composed of blocks made using freehand cutting techniques. Creating the flow of color with special attention to value provided an intriguing design challenge. Dense quilting lines in graduated colors create texture while allowing the piecing to take center stage. Improvisation provides endless decisions at every junction of the process!
“For the Love of Squircles” by Marla Varner
“For the Love of Squircles” (73″ x 63″)
Inspired by my first squircle quilt, this second version uses solid scraps and continues the process of creating a block a day for a year. I once again joined a group of online quilters making daily circle blocks. I cut my shapes freehand and applied them using needle turn appliqué. The resulting squircle blocks created an opportunity to explore transitions and provided the perfect canvas for hand quilting.
Due to health safety concerns the 15th Annual North Olympic Fiber Arts Festival which would have been held on Oct 2 – 4, 2020 is cancelled. We are all disappointed by how Covid-19 has suppressed our creative opportunities, yet we are looking forward to artistic and economic pursuits in the future.
You might find it ironic that our 2020 fiber art exhibition theme was “Clarity of Vision – Coherence, Perspective, & Hinesight” and I developed that theme 5 years ago!
So focusing on the future, think about the 2021 theme “Bumblebunching – Warped, Twisted, & Imperfect” instead!
What is Bumblebunching? Oh you know it! The tangled loops of stitching on the bobbin side of the fabric that result from improper tension when machine sewing. A chance to embrace Wabi Sabi!
Let’s continue to be an optimistic light for our community with our inclusive creativity and educational outreach! We will keep sharing our fantastic fiber friends’ artwork to encourage us all!
Thank you very much for your kind support and please take care,
Renne Emiko Brock, North Olympic Fiber Arts Festival Director
Fond memories of the 2019 exhibition installation! photo by Marla Varner
During the last day of the “Irresistible Aesthetics – Beauty, Absorption, & Ideology” art exhibition on November 30, delight in a special Small Business Saturday Fiber Arts Market event supporting local artists and producers selling fiber to finished products at Sequim Museum & Arts, 544 N Sequim Ave. Uncover unique gifts of fine art, wearable art, accessories, housewares, yarn, fleece, and fuzzy treasures. As you are exploring Sequim’s Hometown Holidays events, come meet the fiber arts creators and learn about the methods used to make these one-of-a-kind works.
The Fiber Arts Market event is part of the North Olympic Fiber Arts Festival which is an educational and economic opportunity to learn about Olympic Peninsula Fiber Artists and related businesses that maintain traditional and innovative techniques in raw fiber, yarns, textile home goods, apparel, and fine art while fostering community inclusion and teaching future generations. FiberArtsFestival.org
Several small, homebased businesses will be selling at the North Olympic Fiber Arts Festival Fiber Arts Market at the Sequim Museum & Arts including members of the North Olympic Shuttle and Spindle Guild, Renne Emiko Brock, Lisa Gilbert, Leslie Hoex, Kathy Martin, Jan Tatom, Jean Wyatt, and the Twisted Strait Fibers Co-Op. And, nearly all of the participating artists are also educators who can assist you to ignite your own creativity.
Small Business Saturday is an opportunity to support neighborhood enterprises with unique shopping experiences that contribute to our local economy. Look for the hashtag #ShopSmall and signage of participating businesses.
“Geometry In Textiles” by Betty Cook – red, Nancy Wilcox – orange, Mary Ann Clayton – yellow, Peggy St. George – green, Janet Green – blue, and Anne Davies – purple
The North Olympic Fiber Arts Festival celebrates its 14th year which is always the first weekend in October in Sequim and various events and locations throughout autumn. Join us for this interactive fiber arts event connecting to the community with activities like a museum exhibition, workshops, educational demonstrations of fiber processes, hands-on projects for children and adults, Fiber Arts Market of local artists’ work and fiber supplies, and information about local fiber activities, groups, businesses, and instructional resources.
“Night Wave” by Estelle Jackson
Excellent volunteers make this community event possible including several local fiber arts groups, artists, fiber friendly businesses, and educational organizations. We are grateful for their fostering natures and fiber arts talents. Join us at the NEW Sequim Museum & Arts at 544 N Sequim Ave, Sequim WA. The North Olympic Fiber Arts Festival is an opportunity to experience positive inclusion, creative expression, and the economic enterprise of art. Always encouraging genuine growth and artistic integrity, most activities are free to the public and all forms of fiber art are welcome.
“Irresistible Aesthetics – Beauty, Absorption, & Ideology” is a juried fiber arts exhibition of spellbinding, splendid, and sublime delights for the senses embracing the fascination of working with mesmerizing materials and hypnotic methods. Expressed as satisfyingly subtle to voraciously hedonistic, aesthetics is defined as the perception, appreciation, and creation of what is considered beautiful. Belief systems, color values, and personal philosophy are embedded into the pleasure of creating and experiencing fiber art creations. From utilitarian towels to fancy fluff, attraction and obsession fuel creators to produce exquisite works through time honored techniques and enthusiastic experimentation.
“Michelle Ma Belle” by Gladis Marr
Artists include Carolyn Abbott, Judy Anderson, Lora Armstrong, Lynn Baritelle, Catherine Bilyard-Eagle, Renne Emiko Brock, Mary Ann Clayton, Betty Cook, Anne Davies, Lauralee DeLuca, Liisa Fagerlund, MarySue French, Nona Giersch, Lisa Gilbert, Janet Green, Stan Green, Marilyn Hiestand, Leslie Hoex, Erica Iseminger, Estelle Jackson, Susan Kroll, Gladis C. Marr, Kathy Martin, Donna McMillen, Brianne Moores, Sherry Nagel, Sue Nylander, Ilse Osier-Forrest, Patti Pattison, Jolene Sanborn, Pauline Schultz, Gloria Skovronsky, Peggy St. George, Jan Tatom, Gail Van Horsen, Marla Varner, Linda Wesseler, Nancy K. Wilcox, and Jean Wyatt.
“Changing Seasons” by Stan Green
Exhibit Dates: October 1 – November 30, 2019
North Olympic Fiber Arts Festival Events
Friday, October 4, 2019 –
First Friday Art Walk Sequim Fiber Arts Exhibition Opening Reception for “Irresistible Aesthetics – Beauty, Absorption, & Ideology” 5 – 8 PM at Sequim Museum & Arts at 544 N Sequim Ave, Sequim WA SequimArtWalk.com SequimMuseum.com
Saturday, October 5, 2019 –
Fiber Arts Extravaganza Demonstrations and Fiber Arts Market 9 AM to 3 PM at Sequim Museum & Arts. NOFAF Fiber Arts Market from fleece to finished products including apparel, household goods, and supplies to create your own fiber works with creators Renne Emiko Brock, Lisa Gilbert, North Olympic Shuttle and Spindle Guild, Kathy Martin, Jan Tatom, Twisted Strait Fibers, and Jean Wyatt. Explore and learn from demonstrations of fiber processes in action with the Strait Knitters, exhibiting artists, and the North Olympic Shuttle and Spindle Guild.
Fiber Arts Exhibition “Irresistible Aesthetics” 9 AM to 3 PM with “Meet the Makers” Reception starting at 12 PM
Sunday, October 6, 2019 –
Fiber Arts Exhibition “Irresistible Aesthetics” 12 to 3 PM
Friday, November 1, 2019 –
First Friday Art Walk Sequim Fiber Arts Fiber Arts Market and Exhibition 5 – 8 PM at Sequim Museum & Arts at 1544 N Sequim Ave, Sequim WA
Saturday, November 30, 2019 –
Fiber Arts Market Small Business Saturday 11AM – 4PM at Sequim Museum & Arts.
