Daniel Fountain "Nest" (detail)

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From sea algae-based flip-flops, to NASA using origami, this week’s Friday Fibers Roundup is looking at all the ways artists and designers are taking traditional ideas and blending with technology to help create a brighter future. 1) Artist and designer Clara Daguin embroiders circuits, luminescent wires, and sensors on her clothes, revealing the poetry of …

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SDA 2017: A Year In Review

December 27, 2017

This year Surface Design Association celebrated our 40th Anniversary with a bang. We had 4 amazing journals published, multiple exhibitions throughout the country, as well as our biennial conference. Even though 2017 was rough to get through, SDA strived to meet our members’ needs, being a beacon of hope and a creative outlet for many. …

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Friday Fibers Roundup: Borders

December 22, 2017

This week’s Friday Fibers Roundup features artists who are either pushing borders–conceptually or politically–as well as making work referencing the literal borders around us. 1) “Unraveling a Racist Flag with Sonya Clark” by Cassie Packard spotlights Clark’s recent project in which she invites gallery goers to assist in unraveling a Confederate flag (via Vice). 2) …

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Surface Design Association is proud to present our winter 2017 edition of the Journal: “Future Fabrication: SDA International Exhibition In Print!” After receiving over 250 entries, jurors Kathryn Hall and Richard Elliot (also Guest Editor) curated a selection of 34 artists from 17 states, as well as Norway, Hungary and British Columbia, Canada, 7 of …

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Some artists develop an intuitive sense of color and others desire to dig deeply into theory to apply to their work. Thorough color study can span a diverse range of arts, sciences, and humanities. The exercises below have their roots in the 18th and 19th centuries, when art and science merged to study visual perception. …

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This week’s Friday Fibers Roundup looks at the behind-the-scenes ways artists, craftspeople, and designers create their work. 1) “The Invention of Modern Color: Synthetic Dyes” is Susan Clark’s recent TED Talk where she explores the origins of where our synthetic dyes came from (via Explore Fiber). 2) South African artist Marsi van de Heuvel creates …

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The holidays are fast approaching and what better gift to give than a book on textiles? Surface Design Association presents our countdown spotlighting some of our favorite books that came out in 2017–perfect for any fibers fan. Whether you’re into contemporary approaches, technical skills, project ideas, or historical readings, this list has got you covered! 1) …

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Our Friday Fibers Roundup for this week spotlights a variety of artists working with traditional and non-traditional forms of embroidery and stitching to create works that are both conceptual and visually enticing. 1) This video shows the amazingly squishy and mesmerizing sculptures by Chilean artist Serena Garcia Dalla Venezia (via Explore Fiber). 2) “Knotted Thread …

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Sheila Pepe: Hot Mess Formalism at the Phoenix Art Museum is the first mid-career review of Sheila Pepe’s work. The exhibit was curated by the Selig Family Chief Curator Gilbert Vicario and includes Pepe’s signature yarn installations as well as drawings, video, and votive works in a variety of media. It is exciting to see …

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This week’s Friday Fibers Roundup features a wonderful blend of articles and exhibitions on the ever-loved techniques of knitting and crochet. 1) Have you ever heard of the Crochet Museum? It’s a place unlike any other where all things crochet come together. 2) “30 Years of Japanese Baskets, Hisako Sekijima and Friends” from the arttextstyle …

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