The Fusion of Fiber Arts, Fashion, & Design

Each year, SDA’s International Exhibition In Print showcases the breadth and depth of contemporary artists and designers working with or inspired by fiber art and/or textile-based materials, methods, and techniques. The work of selected artists is featured in the Fall 2022 issue of the Surface Design Journal. To buy a copy of “The Fusion of Fiber Arts, Fashion, & Design”, go to the SDA Shop. Read more about the issue on our blog, or, if you are a member, login to Read the Digital Edition.

The Fusion of Fiber Arts, Fashion, & Design: SDA International Exhibition in Print

As Guest Juror for this issue of Surface Design Journal, I want to highlight individuals who create within the blurred boundaries of fiber art, fashion, and design. From artists incorporating technology or unconventional materials to those working with hand-skilled techniques, these categories—art, fashion and design—make up the connective fibers that reflect different cultures, diverse values, social environments and specific visual languages. By underscoring the stories tailoring the work—beyond the visual and material qualities—our examination offers insight into these intriguing zones. The borderland where art and fashion meet is often used to pose critical questions about culture and identity, while reflecting on the power of visual representation. Each unique creation may explicitly tell an artist’s story or have a message hidden within the passion and labor of the artistic process. In this way, the work renders diverse histories visible and draws attention to the underrepresented. Whether viewed as accessory, commodity or art, each work captures memories ready to be shared, and through which viewers can reflect upon their own personal histories.

–Amber-Dawn Bear Robe, Guest Juror

JURORS

Amber-Dawn Bear Robe (Siksika Nation) is Assistant Faculty of Art History in the Museum Studies department at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), Santa Fe, NM, and Fashion Show Program Director for the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA), Santa Fe, NM. Bear Robe achieved an MA in American Indian Studies and a second MA in Art History, both from the University of Arizona. Regional Emmys were awarded to Bear Robe in 2020 and 2021 for two documentary short films on Indigenous fashion. She is an acting trustee for the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) board, CO, and the Wheelwright Museum board, NM, and sits on the curatorial committee for Vital Spaces, NM.

Lauren Sinner is a multidisciplinary artist based in Portland, Oregon. She is currently the Managing Editor of Surface Design Journal, Mentor to MFA candidates, and an independent contractor to many arts organizations throughout the country. She received her MFA in Applied Craft + Design from the joint program between the Oregon College of Art and Craft and the Pacific Northwest College of Art in 2016.

AWARDS

Award honorees are featured with expanded coverage in the Fall edition of Surface Design Journal, The Fusion of Fiber Arts, Fashion & Design, SDA International Exhibition in Print.

  • Art as Fashion / Fashion as Art Award: Ivy Anderson
  • Current Statement Award: Dong Kyu Kim
  • Innovation in Technique Award: Tanni’ (Tyra Shackleford)
  • Surface Design Award: Theo Trotter
  • Unconventional Materials Award: Peter T. McCarthy
  • Modern Meets Traditional Award: Leisa Rich
  • Guest Juror Award: Joyce Watkins King

Questions?

For questions, contact info@surfacedesign.org.