Closing reception for STITCH: Contemporary Textile Art from Kentucky and Surrounding States is Aug. 30

The main gallery of Morehead State University's Claypool-Young Art Building will host "STITCH: Contemporary Textile Art from Kentucky and Surrounding States" June 5 through Aug. 30.

The exhibition features two and three dimensional textile artworks, involving a wide range of media and techniques such as sculpture, quilting, digital imagery, felting, embroidery, tapestry, weaving, painting, and papermaking.

A closing reception will be held Wednesday, Aug. 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the gallery with refreshments and live music, along with a juror's talk.

The exhibition was juried by Nick DeFord, who is an artist, educator and arts administrator from Knoxville, Tennessee. He received his MFA degree from Arizona State University, and a MS and BFA degrees from the University of Tennessee.  He exhibits nationally, with recent exhibitions at the Coastal Carolina University, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, University of Mississippi, Lindenwood University and William King Museum in Virginia.  He has had artwork or writing published in Surface Design Journal, Elephant Magazine, Hayden Ferry Review, and Willow Springs.  He has presented recent lectures at Eastern Carolina University and the University of Louisville. Currently, he is the program director at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Tennessee, and works on his fiber art practice from his home studio.

DeFord selected 40 out of a submitted 190 pieces for the exhibition. He selected the following works for awards:

BEST IN SHOW: 

• Miriam Omura, William, 2014, Weaving: tencel painted warp and weft, f-dyes, 13 x 13"

MERIT AWARDS:

• Betty Ison, Missing Dixie, 2016, Quilt, 75 x 63”
• Susan Lenz, I Am My Own Worst Enemy, 2015, Fiber, 7 x 18 x 7”
• Jennifer Boe, Chili Cheese Dog, 2016, Embroidery on linen, 6 x 11”

Participating artists include:  Philis Alvic, Lexington; Jennifer Boe, Kansas City, Missouri; Jinni Copp, Bloomington, Tennessee; Jennifer Crenshaw, Athens, Georgia; Kerri Cushman, Farmville, Virginia; Sara Drower, Wilmette, Illinois; Connor Dyer, Champaign, Illinois; Renee Ferrell-Dillard, Makanda, Illinois; Alysia Fischer, Weaverville, North Carolina; David Gabbard, Atlanta; Charles Gandy, Clayton, Georgia; Laura Gaskin, Fairview, North Carolina;

Helen Geglio, South Bend, Indiana; Betty Hilton-Nash, Asheville, North Carolina; Betty Ison, Morehead; Jess Jones, Decatur, Georgia; Susan Lenz, Columbia, South Carolina; Erin Miller, Ypsilanti, Michigan; Miriam Omura, Birmingham, Alabama; Herb Rieth, Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Luanne Rimel, St. Louis, Missouri; Priscilla Roggen Kamp, Alliance, Ohio; Abigail Schnure, Kent, Ohio; Jenny Stopher, Charlestown, Indiana; Billie Theide, Champaign, Illinois; Tonya Vance, Lexington; Beverly Walker, Winchester; and Rena Wood, St. Louis, Missouri.

The gallery, within Claypool-Young, features contemporary art for the MSU community as well as the University’s service region.

The gallery is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. or by appointment, and is free and open to the public. Parking is available on Main Street and across campus after 5 p.m. Due to limited summer staffing, call the art office at 606-783-2766 prior to your visit to insure it will be open. 

Additional information is available by contacting Jennifer Reis, gallery director, at 606-783-5446 or j.reis@moreheadstate.edu.

Photos: Pictured above, top to bottom, are: 

• Betty Hilton-Nash, A Butterfly Garden, A Homage to Dom Robert, 2014, Tapestry, 40 x 40 x 1”
• Luanne Rimel, Scaffold Curtain 2, 2017, Textile, 18 x 18”
• Betty Ison, Missing Dixie, 2016, Quilt, 75 x 63”
• Susan Lenz, I Am My Own Worst Enemy, 2015, Fiber, 7 x 18 x 7”
• Jennifer Boe, Chili Cheese Dog, 2016, Embroidery on linen, 6 x 11”