Folk art exhibit on display at Center for Arts & History

LEWISTON, Idaho – A new exhibit “Common Threads: Folk and Fiber Arts” is on display at the Lewis-Clark State College Center for Arts & History, located at 415 Main Street, and will feature an Artisan Celebration reception on Feb. 5 at 4 p.m. The exhibit closes March 12, culminating with a Folk Contra Dance with the Palouse Folklore Society.
The exhibit, as well as the opening and closing celebrations, are free and open to the public. Open Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the gallery features free admission but donations are welcome. For more information or to schedule a docent tour, visit www.lcsc.edu/cah or call 208-792-2243.
The folk and fiber-arts themed juried exhibition includes works from several artists in various mediums from around the Northwest and features stories behind the works on display, including the artist’s history with the medium and the history of the craft itself. Demonstrations and workshops will take place throughout the run of the exhibit. Artists include Frank Werner (wood duck decoys), Greg Hodap (lumberjack dolls), Appaloosa Lace Guild (handmade lace and tatting), Jim Croft (handmade paper and books), and Melody Eckroth (natural fiber baskets). Other crafts represented include rug hooking, rawhide braiding, felted hats, bone tools, and Norwegian Rosemaling. Many artists will provide workshops throughout the exhibit, with dates to be announced.
A feature of the exhibit, “This Is My Home Now: Narrative Textiles from Idaho Newcomers,” is a collection of narratives and accompanying story quilts. The stories are those of refugees who made Boise home after living through catastrophic times in their native countries. Artisans For Hope (AFH) and the Idaho Commission on the Arts collaborated on the project with author Malia Collins, who elicited the stories from refugee students in the AFH sewing program. AFH volunteers worked with students on how to express the essence of their stories in small story cloths. From November of 2014 to February of 2015 the quilts were displayed at the Idaho State Capitol.
“Common Threads: Folk and Fiber Arts Exhibition” is brought to the community by sponsorship from Dick and Kim Mitchell, James and Eleanor Downey, and through grants from US Bancorp, the Idaho Commission on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.