As winter transitions into spring and brighter colors return to the landscape, Baltimore Woods Nature Center will be celebrating the four seasons in its art gallery with an exhibit of fabric art.
“Quilts for All Seasons,” an exhibit by local artist Sharon Bottle Souva, will be on view in the John A. Weeks Interpretive Center through April 26. The public is invited to attend the artist reception on Saturday, March 2 from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
This is an informal event when visitors can meet the artist, discuss the artwork, and enjoy refreshments.
The exhibit may also be viewed Monday through Friday from 9 to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 to 4 p.m.
There are no admission or parking fees, and all of the artwork is for sale with a portion of the proceeds going to support the mission of Baltimore Woods Nature Center.
Visitors to this exhibit will find a variety of original art quilts – all individually designed and sized to adorn a wall. As the word “quilt” suggests, each was created with layers of fabric, the top layers of which were handprinted, dyed or carefully selected from Souva’s readymade stash.
Images, including florals and landscapes, were created by layering on pieces of fabric, stitching by machine or hand, and in some cases, adding hand embroidery.
In addition to the quilted pieces Souva will have a selection of framed botanical prints that were printed directly from flowers onto cloth using ink and an etching press. They were then embellished with hand and machine embroidery.
“I am able to incorporate a sense of realism edged with minimalism to translate the simplicity of nature into my designs” Souva said.
This can be seen in aspects of the artist’s images that are taken directly from nature, while she often adds a bit of abstraction such as multitudes of triangles representing leaves.
Having been brought up on a farm in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains, Souva was drawn into the beauty of trees, flowers and rolling hills.
Today she adds woods, streams, and mountains to her list of inspiring subjects, and all of these can be seen in the work of this exhibit.
Souva said she found her voice as an artist in working with fabric.
She describes her method of working as intuitive and spontaneous, and as she explores materials and techniques, she finds that she can make more informed choices. In addition, new knowledge gives her even more freedom in her creative process.
Souva resides in the Central New York area.
She is an associate professor at Onondaga Community College, where she teaches color theory and drawing classes. She is also in demand for workshops and classes specializing in fabric art and collage throughout the region.
