INTERNATIONAL FIBER COLLABORATIVE
2007-2008
Jennifer
Marsh, Syracuse University
Comart Bldg, 1055 Comstock Rd
Syracuse, NY
13244
United States
ph: 1-614-561-9057
alt: jenniferbrookemarsh.com
blueangl
The Post-Standard
News Stories
The following articles have been published in The Post-Standard newspaper of Syracuse NY:
Saturday August 11, 2007
Front Page
Friday May 2, 2008 - Consider This, "Bold thinking: Why not?" www.waer.org/roundtable.html
Saturday April 26, 2008 - Page A -10, "Saturday's Quiz"
Friday, April 25, 2008 - Local News Section, Page B - 5, , "Colorful Cover"
Monday April 14, 2008 - Local News Section, Section B, "Vacant Building a Work of Art"
Sunday April 13, 2008 - Local News, Page B - 3, "All WRAPped Up in Art"
Thursday January 2, 2008 - The Post-Standard Neighbors, Onondaga County East, "What's Up in 2008?" Cover & page 4
Wednesday December 12, 2007 - "Student Asks For Art, And The World Answers, Patches Project Goes Global", by Pam Lundborg, Page B-2
Saturday August 11, 2007 - Local News Section, the following article:
“Crocheted cover is artist's statement about gas prices”
Public art project, a
blanket over a gas station, is to be installed in April.
"Sometimes
things just feel right, and you just have to go with it."
Interview By Nancy Cole - Staff writer
What do gas prices and crocheting have
in common? For artist Jennifer Marsh, a lot.
Marsh plans to blanket an abandoned DeWitt gas station with a giant
fitted cover made up of about 465 individual panels crocheted, knit,
quilted or stitched by people from around the ure a large
fitted tarp, colorful and fuzzy. The project,
called the International Fiber Collaborative, is part public art and
part political statement.
"There was a point where I was so mad at gas prices, and then I saw this abandoned gas station and I thought, 'Wow, we could actually cover the whole gas station,' " said Marsh, a Want to know more? Artist Jennifer Marsh has created a Web site detailing her International Fiber Collaborative project to cover an abandoned DeWitt gas station with about 465 individually crocheted, knit or sewn panels stitched together. For information about the project, or how to submit a panel, go to:
"There was a point where I was so mad at gas prices, and then I saw this abandoned gas station and I thought, 'Wow, we could actually cover the whole gas station,' " said Marsh, a Want to know more? Artist Jennifer Marsh has created a Web site detailing her International Fiber Collaborative project to cover an abandoned DeWitt gas station with about 465 individually crocheted, knit or sewn panels stitched together. For information about the project, or how to submit a panel, go to:
InternationalFiberCollaborative.com
The third-year
Syracuse University graduate student pursuing her master's degree in
fine arts.
Marsh, 26, originally from Columbus, Ohio, envisions people from all walks of life contributing to the project. Panels can be as simple as sewing together a bunch of pot holders. The 3-foot-by-3-foot panels don't have to say anything about the price of oil, she said.
Marsh has experience crocheting covers for unconventional objects. She spent about five months crocheting an intricate cover for her lawn mower dotted with crocheted flowers. She also crocheted a matching cover for her gas can. The piece is on its way to a Texas exhibition of art made of fiber, such as yarn.
Marsh decided to try a larger project and planned to crochet a fitted cover for a barn. She even planned matching cozies for the farmer's sheep. But then she started thinking that it would be better to make a statement with her art and involve the community.
Her idea came to her one day in March as she was driving by an abandoned gas station on East Colvin Street and Nottingham Road, near Drumlins Country Club. She turned on impulse into the property and sat staring at it.
Marsh, 26, originally from Columbus, Ohio, envisions people from all walks of life contributing to the project. Panels can be as simple as sewing together a bunch of pot holders. The 3-foot-by-3-foot panels don't have to say anything about the price of oil, she said.
Marsh has experience crocheting covers for unconventional objects. She spent about five months crocheting an intricate cover for her lawn mower dotted with crocheted flowers. She also crocheted a matching cover for her gas can. The piece is on its way to a Texas exhibition of art made of fiber, such as yarn.
Marsh decided to try a larger project and planned to crochet a fitted cover for a barn. She even planned matching cozies for the farmer's sheep. But then she started thinking that it would be better to make a statement with her art and involve the community.
Her idea came to her one day in March as she was driving by an abandoned gas station on East Colvin Street and Nottingham Road, near Drumlins Country Club. She turned on impulse into the property and sat staring at it.
"It dawned on me that that was what I could do," she said. "As an
artist, sometimes you just get these intuitions, these feelings that
come over you, these instincts that are just the healthiest thing to
follow."
Marsh abandoned her barn plans. She tracked down the gas station owner, Richard Neugebauer, and got permission to use his property. Then she went to the DeWitt Planning Board to get approval.
"Anytime I talk to anybody about this project, there's always a moment of silence, especially when I was talking with the sheep farmer about borrowing his sheep and making fitted cozies for his sheep," she said. "People just give you these looks like either, 'You have the time for this?' or 'Where did you come up with that idea?' "
Richard Robb, DeWitt's commissioner of development and operation, said the planning board members at first thought Marsh's idea was humorous. Then they became skeptical.
"It's not often that someone wants to crochet a building," Robb said.
But as they talked with Marsh, they realized she had a well thought-out plan. After making some suggestions she embraced, they approved a temporary installation.
Marsh has contacted about 300 individuals and groups across the country to request help in making the panels. She's planning to travel to three art and craft shows this fall, two in New York and one in California, where she will have an exhibition booth about the project. She's spending close to $2,000 to travel, promote and exhibit her project idea. Next, she plans to start hitting international groups.
Marsh abandoned her barn plans. She tracked down the gas station owner, Richard Neugebauer, and got permission to use his property. Then she went to the DeWitt Planning Board to get approval.
"Anytime I talk to anybody about this project, there's always a moment of silence, especially when I was talking with the sheep farmer about borrowing his sheep and making fitted cozies for his sheep," she said. "People just give you these looks like either, 'You have the time for this?' or 'Where did you come up with that idea?' "
Richard Robb, DeWitt's commissioner of development and operation, said the planning board members at first thought Marsh's idea was humorous. Then they became skeptical.
"It's not often that someone wants to crochet a building," Robb said.
But as they talked with Marsh, they realized she had a well thought-out plan. After making some suggestions she embraced, they approved a temporary installation.
Marsh has contacted about 300 individuals and groups across the country to request help in making the panels. She's planning to travel to three art and craft shows this fall, two in New York and one in California, where she will have an exhibition booth about the project. She's spending close to $2,000 to travel, promote and exhibit her project idea. Next, she plans to start hitting international groups.
Marsh is
hoping to have enough panels stitched together to cover the building
April 12. She is hoping for about 800 panel
submissions in case some need to be replaced as they endure three
months of weather.
"I have never done political art. This is not normal for me," said Marsh, who is primarily a sculptor. "Sometimes things just feel right, and you just have to go with it."
Nancy Cole can be reached at ncole@syracuse.com or 470-2173.
"I have never done political art. This is not normal for me," said Marsh, who is primarily a sculptor. "Sometimes things just feel right, and you just have to go with it."
Nancy Cole can be reached at ncole@syracuse.com or 470-2173.
Jennifer Marsh, Syracuse University
Comart
Bldg, 1055 Comstock Rd
Syracuse, NY
13244
United States
ph: 1-614-561-9057
alt: jenniferbrookemarsh.com
blueangl
