Fiber art window to close ‘Birds of a Feather,’ open ‘Beatlemania’

By Kirk Boxleitner
Posted 9/25/24

 

 

The Peninsula Fiber Artists will be changing the subjects of their “Fiber Habit” display window as September gives way to October.

The 24/7 walk-by streetside …

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Fiber art window to close ‘Birds of a Feather,’ open ‘Beatlemania’

Posted

 

 

The Peninsula Fiber Artists will be changing the subjects of their “Fiber Habit” display window as September gives way to October.

The 24/7 walk-by streetside textile exhibit topic, at the corner of Tyler and Lawrence streets in uptown Port Townsend, will remain “Birds of a Feather” through Sept. 30, before the Fiber Habit window switches to showcasing “Beatlemania” starting Oct. 6.

Curated by Port Townsend artist Pat Herkal, this month’s window exhibit at 675 Tyler St. features two dozen pieces by Herkal and four other Port Townsend fiber artists — Leslie Dickinson, Sue Gale, Cynthia LeRouge and Debra E. Olson — including avian-themed textile sculptures, mixed media, a banner and art quilts.

According to Herkal, the Peninsula Fiber Artists have maintained the Fiber Habit window for a number of years, even as the owners of the window have changed over time.

“There’s no contract, but the latest owners were happy to let us keep the display window occupied, as long as we kept it looking good,” Herkal said. “We change the theme every couple of months, sometimes with just a select number of fiber artists, other times with all of our artists participating. ‘Birds of a Feather’ is the five of us, but ‘Beatlemania’ will include works from the entire group.”

You can visit the “Birds of a Feather” exhibit online at sda-np.com/fiberhabit, or view a variety of pieces by Herkal at patherkal.com, by Olson at itzadebdesign.com, or by Dickinson, Gale and LeRouge at sda-np.com/meet-our-members-1.

And Port Angeles artist Merrie Jo Schroeder will be curating the Fiber Habit window’s “Beatlemania,” starting Oct. 6, in honor of the 60th anniversary of the first appearance of the Beatles in the United States, with the exhibit set to include British Invasion-themed textile art and memorabilia from 1960s beat group events.

“That’s going to be really fun,” Herkal said. “We’ve got art based on ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps,’ ‘Octopus’s Garden’ and ‘Blackbird,’ just for starters.”

Linda Carlson, who handles publicity for the Peninsula Fiber Artists, explained that they came together in 2013, to serve fiber artists and craftspeople in western Washington’s Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas.

The group, which Carlson said welcomes fiber artists “from anywhere,” meets the second Wednesday of each month, with sessions alternating between the Gardiner Community Center in Sequim, and the Northwind Art School at Fort Worden.

Guests are welcome, and there is no admission fee.

“We’re an open group with no dues,” Herkal said. “We just want to get the word out.”

Fellow Port Townsend fiber artist Caryl Fallert-Gentry added that they’re “a show-and-tell group. We like our artwork to be seen, but we rarely have outside speakers or programs. We come together to share our work.”

For a meeting schedule, visit sda-np.com/meetings1.

For more information about the group’s current exhibits, including the Fiber Habit window and the Mead Works tasting room at Wilderbee Farm, also in Port Townsend — albeit the latter only on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. through Oct. 27 — visit sda-np.com.