Students, Individuals, Foundations & Groups; Welcome to the International Fiber Collaborative!

In May of 2007 I found myself frustrated with the direction that my artwork was headed. I was a sculptor working mostly in a closed studio, having limited interaction with other artists. I wanted to find a way to escape my isolation and be a part of something that was bigger than me. Already having a history of fiber related work found in my sculpture, I thought about how this medium could be used to have an impact on people from all over the world. Everyone could relate to and appreciate textiles as well as enjoy working with their hands. This type of medium was accessible to people in every country and it wouldn't be too expensive to ship in the mail. Paralleling with these ideas, I realized how textiles are universal to all countries, just as certain important issues and concerns were ubiquitous around the world. Pairing these elements together, I created the International Fiber Collaborative — an initiative that would give people from all countries, all walks of life and ages, the opportunity to collaborate with other communities and countries worldwide on a single mission.

The Gas Station Project

The first project of the International Fiber Collaborative was to provide an opportunity for people who enjoyed working with fiber arts, whether professional artists, hobbyists or students, to come together from all over the world to express their concern about the worlds extreme dependency on oil. The project was called the World Reclamation Art Project (W.R.A.P.), otherwise known as the Gas Station Project. Participants crocheted, knitted, stitched, patched, or collaged 3 foot square fiber panels that expressed each participants concern about the topic. Simply by designing and creating these panels and participating in this project, they were expressing their concern about this important subject to all nations. All of the panels were then sewn together to completely cover an abandoned gas station in central New York State.

For reference, I have archived the progress and photos of the project here.

 

Click here for IFC Flyer

Donations appreciated!