Secret Place. Eileen Searcy, artist
The Art League of Henderson County will show off its brand-new gallery, The Art Place, with an opening reception for Material Wealth: The Art of Fiber and Textiles on Friday, August 1, from 2–4 p.m. The show, running through Friday, August 29, represents a partnership between the Art League and Local Cloth—an organization whose studios were almost completely destroyed by flooding from Hurricane Helene—and highlights the scope of creativity possible among fiber artists.
In addition to Local Cloth members’ art, the work of Art League members will be displayed in the space, providing a juxtaposition of fiber creations alongside two-dimensional paintings and three-dimensional works in clay, glass and wood.
Through Forest and Field. Karen Donde, artist
Fiber works featured include intricate embroidery, contemporary weaving, felted sculptures and experimental textile assemblages. “This exhibition stands as a testament to the resilience of artists who refuse to be defined by disaster,” says Diane Dean, executive director of the Art League of Henderson County.
“A show like the one at the Art Place in Hendersonville would have been unheard of a few decades ago, as fiber creations have only received recognition in the fine art world in the last 50 years or so,” says Local Cloth member artist Eileen Searcy. Self-taught, she creates 2D and 3D works from textiles, fiber, pigment and wax. Nature offers inspiration, but she generally uses an “imaginative” color palette rather than letting herself be constrained by realism.
“Personally, art quilting has allowed me to express myself with no boundaries,” Searcy says. “I will use any material that I can securely attach with stitching and will enhance it with any surface treatment that doesn’t degrade the material. My piece, Gush, is one of a series about the behavior of water. The multiple layers of fabric, paint and thread give it depth and life and provide a unique quality that only fiber has allowed me.”
The Art Place boasts 2,600 square feet in a restored historic building in Hendersonville’s Seventh Avenue district. The space offers a fully equipped ceramic/pottery studio with 24/7 access for studio members and room for classes and workshops for all age and skill levels.
Learn more at ArtLeagueHVL.org. The Art Place is located at 730 Locust Street. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
