Style Spotlight: Philadelphia’s in Stitches

Diane Savona’s “Formal Argument,” crafted from repurposed vintage textiles, beads and odds and ends will be featured during FiberPhiladelphia. CREDIT: Diane Savona

It’s fitting that Philadelphia, the home of Betsy Ross, America’s first famous fiber artist, should play host to a major biennial festival celebrating textile art. But Betsy might not have been familiar with some of the mediums used today: as well as traditional materials, the artists celebrated in FiberPhiladelphia 2012 use metal, clay and even light in their textile art.

Throughout the months of March and April, 40 locations, including major institutions such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the University of the Arts and the Fabric Workshop, as well as smaller venues, will welcome artists from all over the world for exhibitions, workshops, lectures and other events. Traditional craft techniques will be celebrated, as well as an exploration into the seemingly limitless realm of contemporary textile art and design.

Events kick off on March 2 with “Fiber in the 21st Century Art World,” a lecture by art historian Elissa Auther, at Moore College of Art and Design. For more information and a schedule of events, go to www.fiberphiladelphia.org.