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Sunday, January 6, 2019

Jenne Giles, Fiber Artist, Fresno Art Museum

 I used to live in Fresno, but it has been close to 30 years since I was last here.  It was in this location that I learned that people who make baskets do not make nearly enough, because when I tried to make my own, I was hopeless at it.
Here is the artist's statement about her work: There are many people who feel bewildered by America today.  Caught between clashing waves of feminism and gender openness on the one side and nostalgia and patriarchy on the other, we do not know which way the next wind will blow.  Americana expresses both being a female in America and the objects that describe culture in America.  I hope that the combination of these works shines a light on our present moment through the lens of an artist's singular perspective of being American.
I loved this exhibit.  There were several felted pieces like the one on the left that are both playful and beautiful.  I have no idea how the artist made these, but I would love to learn.  The fiber sculptures that are in the exhibit range from depicting the natural world to objects that are all too familiar to Americans as being part of our greater culture, especially the esperience of being female in our culture. 

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