Visual Arts Gallery to feature fiber artist Klakulak Feb. 1-Mar. 31
Release Date: 1/6/2006. Expired: 3/31/2006
Fashion accessories and handbags have deeper, metaphorical meanings to artist Lisa Klakulak. The Nashville textile artist, who weaves, colors, stitches and beads fiber into functional and decorative art, will display her works in the Visual Arts Gallery of The Renaissance Center in Dickson Feb. 1-March 31.
An opening reception of Klakulak’s exhibit will be 6-7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3.
Klakulak also will present a five-day workshop on Exploring the Medium of Felted Wool Marc 20-24 at The Renaissance Center.
“Creating is a function, inseparable from my person,” says Klakulak. “As are my interactions with the world and implicit expressions in art inseparable from my perspectives and opinions. I am inspired by humanity’s age-old relationship with the community and the time involved fiber processes; through which I convey contemporary issues from within a society preoccupied with individuality and disposability.”
Klakulak’s creativity was nurtured at a young age by her mother’s arts, good public school art programs in the suburbs of Detroit and classes at the local art association. With an interest in illustration, dyeing, bead weaving, batik, sewing and ceramics, Klakulak began her BFA studies at the University of Colorado in 1993. During her college years, she exhibited sculptural beaded jewelry at local art cooperatives and pursued the study of natural dyes. She earned her BFA in Fiber Arts from Colorado State in 1997.
She worked as chief dyer for a naturally dyed fiber supplier and assisted fiber faculty at both Penland School of Crafts and Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts while independently traveling to research Asian textiles.
Klakulak was an Artist-in-Residence at The Appalachian Center for Craft in Smithville, Tenn., 2002-05 where she instructed workshops, was an educator in outreach programs and worked on her Visual Arts certification from Tennessee Tech in Cookeville.
Now residing in Nashville, Klakulak is creating wearable textiles, accessories and non-functional sculpture referencing issues related to being a woman, mental defense and physical security.
“I color, weave, felt, stitch and bead fiber; manifesting handbags, body textiles, head gear, jewelry and sculptural pieces that reference a variety of issues related to human vulnerability, the resulting need for physical and mental security and the unfortunate isolation that often results,” Klakulak says. “I work primarily with protein fibers from silk cocoons and wool fleece as well as other materials naturally grown and humanly produced for the protective purposes of insulation, durability and ultimately protection. In realizing the lack of defenses the human body and mind is equipped with, adornment becomes a metaphorical armor and a handbag the weapon one uses to navigate through contemporary life.”
In Klakulak’s workshop, participants will obtain an in-depth understanding of the felting process involving the organic structure of animal fiber, the chemistry needed and the mechanics imposed. With a wide color selection of Merino wool fleece, participants will create fine two-dimensional fabrics, implementing a variety of techniques including detailed designing with partial felts, strip felting and fuse felting wool through various types of fabric.
As the week progresses, two basic techniques for creating three-dimensional vessels and methods for felting solid wool forms will be demonstrated and explored. Utilizing these techniques, participants will then have the opportunity to develop personalized projects manifesting as wearable textiles, sculpture and work for wall display. To close, finishing techniques of hand- and machine-stitching, surface embellishment and stiffening will be addressed and implemented.
The workshop will be 9 a.m.-4 p.m. March 20-24. The tuition is $175 and a $50 supply fee payable to Klakulak is due on the first day. The workshop is limited to 10 students.
For more information on the workshop or a supply list, contact Bob Kucher, senior director of Visual Art, Theatre and Dance, at (615)740-5565 or . To register for the workshop, call (615)740-5533.
For more information on Klakulak’s exhibit in the Visual Arts Gallery, contact curator Curtis Southerland at (615)740-5519 or . The Visual Arts Gallery is open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and admission to the gallery and opening reception is free.
The Renaissance Center is a fine arts and technology education and performing arts center at 855 Highway 46 South in Dickson, just 35 miles west of Nashville on Interstate 40 at exit 172.
Visit the Visual Arts Gallery page for more about the gallery.