Call for Artists!

International Fiber Collaborative © 2007 Jennifer Marsh


I came across this very interesting political art project and thought you might want to participate. Artist Jennifer Marsh, (a graduate student at Syracuse University, NY) has come up with a novel way to use fiber art politically. She's calling for artists to send fiber pieces (patchwork, crochet, knitted, woven etc.) to create a giant patchworked "cozy" (like a teapot warmer) for an abandoned gas station. What a wonderfully wild idea! Jennifer explains the project:

The goal of the International Fiber Collaborative is to provide an opportunity for people who enjoy working with crafts, whether professional artists, hobbyists or students to come together from all over the world to express their concerns about their countries extreme dependency on oil for energy. Those who participate will crochet, knit, stitch, patch, or collage 3 foot square fiber panels that will express each participants concern about this topic. Your panel need not contain an image or be a literal portrayal of your idea. Simply by designing and creating a panel of any colors and any fiber technique and participating in this project you are, in the larger picture, expressing your concern about this important subject to the rest of the world. In April 2008, they will be sewn together to completely cover an abandoned gas station in central New York State.

I applaud this integration of "home arts/crafts" with public discourse and intend to participate myself. I hope you will too. The deadline is March 15, 2008 so there's plenty of time to design and create a panel. Here are a few that Jennifer has already received:














Silvia Piza-Tandlich
Costa Rica
























Carol B. Lovell
Central Square, New York


















Christi Beckmann
Besthoud, Colorado
Quilted Panel

Go HERE for details on how to participate in Jennifer's project. HERE IS THE FORM you need to send along with your fiber donation. Help pass the word about this novel political art piece to your fellow artists, friends, and family members!

Please respect the work of the artists you see here and be sure to credit them when you share their artwork with others.

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