(Above: Caroline Commins and I at CYBER FYBER)
(Above: Caroline Commins posing in front of her fiber postcard # 75...the one with the recycled silk tie.)
Everyone knows that today is a historic day. There's an inauguration in Washington, DC....lots of buzz on television, the Internet, and in this morning's newspaper. It's a big day here at CYBER FYBER too.....a big day on the heels of a big weekend....at the end of a major fiber exhibition here in Columbia, South Carolina. Yes.....CYBER FYBER ends today at 5 PM.
There were all sorts of details, pretty pictures, precious memories, and tidbits of information I meant to capture for this blog. Alas, I could only do so much! So...here's a few things I'd like to share:
Caroline Commins, the creator of Postcard # 75, flew into Columbia late last Saturday night from her home in northern California. Steve and I had attended a black-tie wedding celebration earlier in the evening (a busy way to wrap up ATC DAY!) and arrived at the airport clad in a tuxedo and a floor length, red trimmed black kimono. We held up a sign with Caroline's name and tried to tell her that proper Southern hospitality always means formalwear at the airport! (This really should have been a blog photo!)
On Sunday I hosted an informal gathering in Caroline's honor. Susan Sorrell, Caroline's long-time on-line fiber instructor, had cancelled but the afternoon was still lots and lots of fun.
Yesterday was a busy one in the gallery. Caroline was able to tour Ellen Kochansky's art residency studio at 701 Columbia Center for the Arts. We went to dinner at Gervais and Vine. Then, I tried to sleep but dreams of all the people, inspiration, and future plans for CYBER FYBER 2 danced in my head.
CYBER FYBER has attracted so many people.....those who only go to art venues now see stitches in a new light....many who sew see their creations destined for gallery walls...there were ladies from the Charleston quilt guild, the Fringe Sisters, a group of French quilters whose husbands work for the Savannah River Plant, women from Charlotte, Nellie Durand and her husband from Tennessee with friends, Betyann Shaver's entire family from Aiken, Joni Fedderson and her husband from Sumter, Jill Rumoshosky Werner at the opening reception, Fulvia Boriani Luciano and fiber friends on ATC day, Mimi Renne Sainte-Laudy's family, tatters and knitters and those who crochet, all sorts of people who learned about ATCs and others who didn't think anyone else in the area even knew what an ATC was. Linda Neely, the Interim Dean of Education and Art Professor at Lander University sent three ceramic ATCs for the International Random trade....and I didn't even know she was aware of CYBER FYBER! Sarah Graham, a local librarian who helped with ATC Day was one of the lucky receiptants of these interesting cards. Deirdre Mardon came to Sunday's party and was thrilled with the response. As director of the Conagree Vista Guild/CYBER FYBER's lead sponsor, her impression is quite important. We brain-stormed about the future direction for CYBER FYBER 2. Every day has been an adventure. Today is the last one for the show at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios....but the journey is far from over!
Steve and I will dismantle the exhibit at 5:00 PM today. We'll be boxing all the artwork in the Main Gallery and sending it back to the artists....except for Veleta Staffney....all three of her pieces are sold! We'll have an opportunity to thank the Vista Guild for their support at tomorrow's monthly meeting....and "warn" them that we'll be needing their help again in 2010!
So....today is the last of CYBER FYBER....but it is just the beginning of CYBER FYBER 2, January 7 - 19, 2010.
I can honestly say that the coming show will NOT be the same as this exhibition. I have no problem doing lots and lots of work again....but it absolutely CANNOT be the same work! CYBER FYBER must evolve....it must be an exhibition that shows how the threads of communication established this year have stitched us together into something else! I also know that the future show requires input from our supportive, global community of Internet connected fiber artists! So.....let me know your ideas! Post a comment or email me at cyberfyber@prodigy.net or mouse_house@prodigy.net!
Susan, I am sure you are so proud and relieved to have this show complete. I would love to see Cyber Fiber evolve into a collaborative piece of work. For example a large quilt or a fiber book, where each person creates a piece of it. I would suggest mailing the entire piece to each person so that we could see it as it evolves but I know that can be a bit risky.
ReplyDeleteThanks for allowing me to participate in this show and I'm thrilled to see that my postcard was in the photo of Caroline (the lavendar one to the right of her head).
The collaborative idea is a great one. Not sure how that would work though. Perhaps it could be several collaborative pieces made by chosen artists. Perhaps you could do several themes or specific colors so you could have a whole wall of red fiber art or blue or whatever. It's always interesting to see what different people do with the same idea. You did a wonderful job and I'm looking forward to CF2
ReplyDeleteWell done on an amazing job Susan and here's to CF2....my thinking cap is on!
ReplyDeleteFirst off, congratulations on a wonderful exhibition!
ReplyDeleteCount me in on anything for Cyber Fyber 2, I would love to be involved in whatever way. I was surprised by the number of e mails that resulted from my postcard in the show! As has been said in previous comments, some kind of collaborative work that shows how the internet has stitched us all toghether would be interesting. Perhaps some type of round robin?
Susan, what a great job you did. Be very, very proud! I wrote about the opening on my blog. http://wernerstudio.typepad.com/redefined/2009/01/cyber-fyber.html
ReplyDeleteI am a BIG Susan Lenz fan now. Much love to you and your family!
Wow...count me in! Sorry..I just have no ideas. YOU are the idea person. I just hang on to your skirt tail and go for the ride! (did I say that right?) But let me know. Let me know what I can do and what you would like for me to do. And it's already being called CF2!!! How cool is that?! This has been so wonderful! And you are right....the journey is far from over. Maybe you'll be able to get a good night's sleep sometime.
ReplyDeleteSusan and CF1 Participants - KUDOS!
ReplyDeleteI stumbled onto your blog and exhibition and have checked in every day since discovering it.
I am thrilled to know that there are other fiber artists nearby. I am near Raleigh, NC and just lately feeling confident enough to "put my toe into that ocean" of marvelous art, ideas and fun. Your exhibit and blog are just what we need this cold, often gray, time of year. Thanks so much for sharing - everyone!- and next time (CB2!) or round robin, whatever, I wanna play.
Suzanne G in NC
Gwycon2@yahoo.com
Susan, I'm still on cloud nine from my visit with you at Cyber Fyber. It couldn't have been more exciting or fulfilling. Seeing everyone's work on the internet is one thing, but seeing all the work in person is mind blowing. I have come home with so many ideas, I just hope I can implement all of them.
ReplyDeleteThank you again for a most marvelous visit.
Caroline
So delighted that you are doing it again! i'll get my act together for the next one and maybe get a postacrd there on time. I don't suppose mine arrived, as I only sent it on 12th.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on a spectacular idea and event.
fantastic work Susan. I have to say a big thank you for putting my card on the invitation that you send out - what an honour to be representing Scotland in effect! Just trying to brainstorm ideas and the first thing that springs to mind is to show the links between us outside and inside cyber world. Geographic location springs to mind and I can envisage a world map like hanging that ran the entire walls of the gallery with peoples work both forming and hanging from appropriate areas, continents linked by strong cords. You could even go as far as linking them over head cross continent where there were exchanges made.... Maybe invited artist could make the continents that we get to hang a postcard or atc from relative to the place we're from?...goodness! oops sorry rambling spontaneously, lol.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on a show well done and so well received..by people of all ages from all over the world! You have some many things to be proud of, CyberFyber is just one of them.
ReplyDelete