Regina Benson & Mary Hosick

 
Mary Hosick

Regina Benson

Opening Thursday, July 3rd (no Friday night opening on the 4th)

Free Artist Lecture, Thursday, July 3, 4 to 5 pm:

Benson will share inspiration, vision, design and techniques. See textile samples she has surface designed using her own techniques of discharge and rusting. Using both natural settings both in subject and process Benson works in ‘green’ alternatives such as soy wax and incorporates rusted fence wire, etc. She will also touch on challenges of design, materials and construction.

Inspired by nature, archeology, travels and the weaving heritage of her native Lithuanian culture, textile artist Regina Benson creates intricate wall hangings, art quilts and dimensional textile sculptures. Working from her high plains Colorado home and studio with materials such as silk and cotton to horse-hair and industrial polyesters, a piece typically begins with black fabric.
She “discharges” (removes the base black dye) with paste or soy wax resists and Shibori (Japanese dyeing) techniques. Then she overdyes or rusts the fabric surface multiple times with natural, disperse and acid dyes to create additional images and textures. Over-sewing with other textile fragments, she stitches the work with hand-dyed threads and incorporates encaustic processes and burning.
Benson will show her newest work, undulating dimensional pieces and a number of painterly, flat pieces. “People are interested in my mark-making, so I’m choosing pieces that show the variety of the marks. My pieces are very graphic and intricately detailed at the same time. I want the viewer to feel the overall piece at 10-15 feet; and as the distance gets closer, discover more and more detail of color and texture to enhance first impressions.”
Benson's work has been seen in galleries and museums in The Hague in the Netherlands, San Diego, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago and Pittsburgh. Primarily self-taught, Benson lectures on textile surface design trends. She has served as guest curator for cutting-edge fiber and textile exhibits. Benson was the recipient of Quilt National 2007 Award of Excellence.

Mary Hosick, earned a BFA in Weaving, but she also developed a parallel interest in ceramics. Member of Seattle Weavers’ Guild since 1973, Hosick has continued to challenge herself to merge fibers, or the concept of fibers, with clay.
Hosick considers herself a perpetual student and says working with clay keeps her centered as she sits at the wheel, transforming both herself and the clay. One of her favorite recent learning experiences was a trip to China in spring 2006, as a member of the Ceramics Arts Professional and Cultural Exchange visiting studios of master potters and exhibiting work in the Sanbao International Art Exhibition.
While previous work was primarily unglazed vessels, wheel formed vessels for this show will highlight a repertoire of form and firing techniques (raku, electric, propane and wood fired) using copper wire, steel wool and horsehair and finishing elements such as leather and kumihimo, a multi-strand braid. Hosick’s new direction is high-fired pieces in her signature subtle, earth tones. “I have an idea to create something round, open or tall; sometimes the wheel decides something else. I like the uniqueness of each form.”
A 2002 VAA Art Auction Commissioned Artist, Hosick has shown her work in galleries including Silverwood Gallery, Blue Heron Gallery, Museo Gallery in Langley, Kelly’s Gallery of Fine Art, Joseph, Oregon and many others.