Big Sky Country Fiber Art
When you are looking for a rustic getaway within a pristine and breathtaking mountain landscape (with a bit of natural pattern inspiration thrown in!), Northwest Montana is the place to be.
Nestled in a quiet river valley between the Kaniksu and Kootenai National Forests, you will find the picturesque town of Troy, Montana, pop. 957. This community sits within a wonderland of outdoor beauty and recreation with a long history of the pioneer spirit. This spirit lives on in an enterprising gallery of local art and craft called Real Art Works. Founded as a center for a vibrant artistic community, it showcases creations by local artists inspired by the surrounding natural beauty, crafted by hand with some made from natural materials such as wood and antler.
One of the gallery’s founding artists, Kathy Jones, caught our “pattern literate” eye with her texturally rich quilted fiber art wall hangings. Inspired by traditional quilting techniques and shaped by her take on her natural surroundings her work take us on a rich visual journey of color, form and texture.
As in any pattern design, each of Kathy’s original pieces start with a rough concept. Fabrics and fibers incorporated are first hand-dyed and silk-screened by her to add another layer of depth. And with her masterful quilting skills the textiles are cut and sewn together. Framing is also hand wrought and dictated by the finished artwork. The final representational textile results in brilliant layers of patterns intersecting in ingenious ways reflecting the vivacity and awe we experience in the natural world. Her artwork demonstrates beautifully that pattern inspiration can be found anywhere.
Artwork featured above is by Kathy Jones
More Info:
Pat Nugent