“Elongating the Thread,” which is free and open to the public, features the work of Jappie King Black G’92, Anne Cofer G’05, Annet Couwenberg G’83, Jennifer Gandee G’08, Mary Kester G’81, Susan Krueger G’90, Laura Reinhard ’89, Barbara Jean Weingart G’03 and Victoria Zacek ’03 G’06. A number of the artists will be present for a panel discussion on their artistic practice on Thursday, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m., followed by a reception from 6-8 p.m. Regular exhibition hours are Wednesday-Sunday, noon-6 p.m.

The selected work in “Elongating the Thread” highlights the breadth of work based in the fiber and textile arts program in VPA’s School of Art and Design and the success of the participants to explore their individual studio practices on a national level. The diversity of the group is evident through the variety of media (wool, silk, copper, steel, clay and doilies) and concepts (weight, domesticity, identity, nature, war and the subconscious) explored by the artists.

The exhibition is curated and coordinated by Cofer, Mary Giehl and Olivia Robinson, all faculty members in the fiber and textile arts program. Many of the exhibiting artists are active members of the local artistic community and continue to make Central New York their home.

“We are grateful to the artists for their enthusiastic response to this exhibition and for donating the time and energy to make it a success,” the curators write. “Through exploring the links between these artists, it is hoped that current students will see the potential of a course of study within the fiber and textile arts program, that the artists will be enriched by the unique opportunity to exhibit together and that the community will enjoy the standard of excellence present within the artistic work of Syracuse alumni.”

About the artists:

• Jappie King Black G’92 was born in Detroit and currently lives in Brockport. She has also lived in Argentina, Mexico, Wisconsin and Michigan. She earned a bachelor of fine arts (B.F.A.) degree in textile design at Interlochen Arts Academy, Rhode Island School of Design before earning a master of fine arts degree (M.F.A.) in fiber arts at SU. To learn more, visit http://www.kingblack.com.
• Anne Cofer G’05 of Syracuse is an installation artist who earned an M.F.A. in fiber arts from SU. Her first museum solo exhibition, “Concealed Objects,” was held at the Everson Museum of Art in spring 2009. She is currently working on a permanent, site-specific project for the SU campus that will be installed this year. She has been published nationally in Ceramics Monthly and internationally in Ceramics Art and Perception. Her work has been pictured in The New York Times and was selected for the spring 2009 publication “500 Ceramic Sculptures” (Lark Books).
• Annet Couwenberg G’83 was born in the Netherlands and now lives in Baltimore, where she is a faculty member in the Maryland Institute College of Art’s fiber department. She holds an M.F.A. from Cranbrook Academy of Art in addition to an M.F.A. in textile arts from SU. She has received individual artist awards from the Maryland State and Ohio State art councils and had a monograph of her work published by Telos Art Publishing in 2003. Her work is in numerous collections—including the Textielmuseum in Tilburg, Netherlands—and has been exhibited nationally and internationally.
• Jennifer Gandee G’08 has lived and worked in the Syracuse area since 1998 and holds an M.F.A. in fiber arts/material studies from SU. Her work was shown at the Everson Museum of Art’s 2008 Biennial and at the Icheon World Ceramic Exposition Center in Icheon, South Korea. She currently teaches art and ceramics at Cayuga Community College in Auburn and is owner of the Gandee Gallery in Fabius.
• Mary Kester G’81 lives in Baldwinsville, where her studio is also located. There she weaves tapestries and makes felts, baskets and nets for galleries, competitions and commissions. She was born in Iowa and was drawn from the Midwest to SU to earn an M.F.A. She taught fibers at SU and was a visiting artist in the Syracuse, Liverpool, Westhill and Fayetteville-Manlius schools, as well as in Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri.
• Susan Krueger G’90 received an M.F.A. in fiber arts from SU, where she also taught courses in batik and off-loom fiber techniques in the School of Art and Design. She also holds B.S. degrees in biology and art education from Northern Illinois University. After moving to Ohio in 1995, she taught foundations classes in the School of Art at Bowling Green State University for nine years.
• Laura Reinhard ‘89 is a sculptor living in Florence, Mass. Her six- to nine-feet abstract figurative sculptures formed from copper tubing evoke the emergent energy of nature. Inspired by pods, seeds, shells and all forms of sprouting life, her work is not a re-creation of these forms. She received a B.F.A. in fiber arts from SU and has shown her work at the New England Flower Show. She also has work permanently installed at the Center at Westwoods in Westwood, Mass. For more information, visit http://www.LauraReinhard.com.
• Barbara Jean Weingart G’03 lives in Syracuse and is inspired by nature in all seasons. She has a cabin in a remote area of the Adirondacks and spends summers there, painting and paddling. She paints on natural textiles, including silk, cotton, linen and wool. She enjoys painting on such simple shapes as scarves and yardage. She then creates kimonos and ties as well as bags, pillows, duvet covers, table runners and home decorative items. She has been silk painting since 1986 and has sold her work professionally since 1990. She earned a master of arts degree in textile and fashion design at SU.
• Victoria Zacek ’03, G’06 returned to school in 1999 at the Munson-Williams-Proctor School of Art in Utica, earning an associate’s degree. She went on to receive B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees in fiber arts from SU. She has participated in shows in Utica; Syracuse; Santa Barbara, Calif.; and Montreal since completing her degrees. She currently resides in Lowville and is an active board member of Utica’s Sculpture Space, a residency program for emerging and mid-career artists concentrating in sculpture.

For more information, contact Robinson at orobinso@syr.edu. XL Projects may be contacted at (315) 442-2542 during gallery hours or visit online at http://vpa.syr.edu/xlprojects.

By Erica Blust • (315) 443-5891