Fabric, Books and Fiber Weekend
On a weekend in April, I chose three events from Maine Fiberarts’ newsletter to attend: the Fiber Arts Marketplace and The Yarn Sellar in York; Portsmouth Fabric Company in New …
Finding Fiber Art
An overall category covering where you will see fiber art. It may be on display, at special fiber events, fairs, galleries, exhibits, or at a fiber farm.
The Curious World of Barbara Bean
I am an artist who earned a living as a social worker for 35 years before settling in Brunswick and turning to art full time. My husband, a biologist, taught …
Lissa Hunter: materials + meaning
Fibers, Clay, Basketry, Paint, Ideas Lissa Hunter spends her life working in and around fibers. She has worked as a painter, weaver, basketmaker, coiler, papermaker, and assemblage artist. She also …
Morris David Dorenfeld: Tapestry Artist
Morris David Dorenfeld: Tapestry Artist (3/30/1937-2/13/2023) Long after studying painting at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Art Students League in New York City, Morris David (Morrie) Dorenfeld found …
Maine Quilts 2024
Pine Tree Quilters Guild, operating since 1978 in Maine, is the organizer for the Maine Quilts Show. This event, held annually in July at the Augusta Civic Center features special …
Harpswell Studio Tour I
The inaugural Harpswell Open Studio Tour took place July 13-14, 2024 and included “Open Studios and Display Spaces” in and around Harpswell Neck: Sebascodegan Island, Orrs Island and Bailey Island. …
Harpswell Studio Tour II
Here is a continuation of the Harpswell Studio Tour I took this past July (see Harpswell Studio Tour I) . In these travels, I visited the home and studio of …
Ed Musholt’s Art: Whimsy With Punch
Arlene and I visited the studio of Ed Musholt in Portland after seeing three of his sculptures in an exhibition at Maine Fiberarts. Ed can draw and paint, but prefers …
Revisiting Rhinebeck 2023
Four of us rented a house near Rhinebeck to visit the New York Sheep and Wool Festival this past October. The area is beautiful at this time of year and …
Stephanie Crossman
Traditional Knotted Netting Stephanie Crossman is one of a handful of artists throughout the U.S. using traditional knotted netting to create art. She learned the technique in 1992, when she …
Creativity at Two Imagine Studios
In July, Two Imagine Studios held an Open House to announce their new gallery in Farmington called “This Is It.” I traveled the backroads of Litchfield, Monmouth, Readfield, and Mt. …
Her Life in Braiding
Read about Master Braider, Nancy Young, how she got her start in braiding, how she held Braiding Camps attracting makers from all over the U.S. and beyond, and view pages …
Interviewing Bobbi Mahler
Braiding in Belgrade. Rug braider, demonstrator and teacher, Bobbi Mahler of Belgrade has been braiding since 2004. She began doing decorative wood craft: birdhouses, household items, and cat or bear …
A Visit With Renu
Enjoy these photos of the studio of Renuka O’Connell. Full interview of her work coming soon.
Fiber at Common Ground 2022
Common Ground Country Fair, sponsored by the Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener Association, was held September 23-25, 2022. Because of the pandemic, this was the first time the Fair welcomed …
Maine Quilt Show 2022
This past July, Maine Quilts presented its 45th Annual Show at the Augusta Civic Center in Maine. A beautiful variety of work greeted visitors who were delighted to once again …
Far Western Maine – Day Two
Fiber & Vine, McLaughlin Gardens, Parris House Wool Works: When in Norway, Maine, a must-stop is the beautiful yarn and wine shop of Kimberly Hamlin called Fiber & Vine. We …
Hugh Verrier: Birds in Flight
Hugh Verrier of Eustis, Maine [10/29/1931-5/31/2023] creates birds and fish that are a unique combination of watercolor painting and paper sculpture. We visited his home studio in June where Hugh …
Waldoboro Historical Society
The images below include Fire engines (one from 1834), quilts, braided rugs, several examples of the well-known Waldoboro hooked rugs, model ships, 1900’s wall calendars, embroidery samplers, military paraphernalia, historical …
Belfast in Springtime
Carolyn Wollen and her great friend Mary Lou Steptoe came together for some fiber explorations in Maine this Spring. They like to peruse Maine Fiberarts’ online Tour Map and publications, and …
Barbara Burns’ Tapestry Studio
Friends Mary Lou Steptoe and Carolyn Wollen truly love to explore fiber art when traveling. Mary Lou found the studio of Barbara Burns in Maine Fiberarts’ “Fiber Art Masters Book”—a …
Planting Garlic
I’m a tad late for planting garlic in Maine’s Midcoast during early November, but we had a four-day stretch of 68 degree weather, and I was ready to go. Allium …
Summer Travels: Part II
Franklin/Somerset Travels: South Solon Meeting House, Skowhegan, Maine Grains and Happy Knits Up early the next morning, I settled my camp and took to the road. I had been to the …
Summer Travels: Part III
Franklin/Somerset Travels: Dark Star Fabrics, Anne Walker Studio, Mt. Blue State Park and Farmington On this day, I started off in Strong, gassing up at The White Elephant, a huge catchall …
Common Threads of Maine
Visiting a new learning center in an old mill Maine Fiberarts visited Common Threads of Maine in Westbrook just before the pandemic caused businesses to shut down. A huge room …
Rhinebeck 2019
Wandering through the New York Sheep and Wool Festival A group of friends traveled to Rhinebeck, New York last Fall to attend this grand event of all things fiber! Animals, …
Harvest Hook-In
A World of Wool at The Harvest Hook-In In September, I was invited to give a slide talk about Maine’s fiber community at The Harvest Hook-In held in Brewer. The …
Hatchtown Dye Day
Our spinning group meets once per month at a different person’s home. Pam Child of Hatchtown Farm in Bristol decided to host our group in August and to organize a …
Popham Circle Quilt Show
This past July, two friends and I decided to demonstrate fiber techniques at the inaugural Quilt Show at Popham Chapel. We arrived on one of the hottest days of the …
Weaving at the Studio of Sara Hotchkiss
Gardens and looms. Lavender, weaving students, chocolate chip cookies, and looms underway. Sara and I planned this visit months ago when the snows were still swirling in Maine. But this …
Altered Couture Fashion Contest – 2019
The 9th Annual Mid-Coast Altered Couture Contest was held May 4th at Fort Andross in Brunswick. This is a unique creative fashion show event—headed each year by director/producer Christine deTroy—that …
Wild for Rug Hooking
“Chris! You HAVE to do this!” These are the words my husband, Richard, exclaimed when we saw what hooked rugs could look like! Our preconceived notions of hooked rugs—stodgy colors, …
A Tale of Two Weavers
During the Summer of 2018, Maine Fiberarts’ member and friend, Nina Ruit, entered an apprenticeship program organized by the Maine Crafts Association. Ruit is a spinner, knitter, seamstress, and sheep …
A Fully Braided Home
Nancy Young lives in both Maine and Pennsylvania and has been braiding rugs for over sixty years. She and her husband ran Waters Edge Braiding Camp in Winthrop for many …
Fiber in Western Maine – Part II
Continuing our journey through Western Maine to learn of teaching resources for our new Learning Guide, we left Rangeley and made our way back towards Maine Fiberarts in Topsham with …
Fiber in Western Maine – Part I
Maine Fiberarts is working on a new publication. “Learning Fiber Arts: A Guide to Maine Teaching Resources” will be an online and printed directory of the people and places throughout …
Traveling our Fiber Arts Mini Tour
In August, several of us spent three days traveling along Maine’s midcoast using Maine Fiberarts’ newly-printed Fiber Arts Mini Tour. This is what we saw and did: First, we toured …
A Visit to Stephanie Levy’s Studio
I visited Stephanie Levy’s studio in Brunswick in June and it was an exciting time for both of us. Stephanie had just retired from her working life to focus more …
Fiber in New York City
We took a four-day trip to New York City at the tail end of winter. First stop, Loop of the Loom uptown to do some Saori weaving. The shop is filled …
Teapots and Textiles at Meryl Ruth’s Studio
Arlene and I visited the studio of Cumberland artist Meryl Ruth in September to prepare for her solo show at Maine Fiberarts. We were able to walk through her home, see her …
Fiber Frolic 2016
Here are some images from the Fiber Frolic held in June each year at the Windsor Fairgrounds. Some beautiful fiber creations, animals, yarn, fleeces and many other goodies. Always a …
Anne Cox: Artwork and Gardens
This place is fun! Hedgerow is owned and operated by Anne Cox and her partner Julie Wortman near the tip of the St. George Peninsula in Tenants Harbor situated between Thomaston …
Susie Stephenson’s New Studio
Susie Stephenson is into fibers whole hog. She has been a rug hooker over many years known for her playful original designs, wild use of color, and reuse of woolen garments …
Elizabeth Busch: Architect, Artist, Painter, Quilter, Knitter
For Elizabeth, art is a way of life. You see it in her surroundings, in the attention to detail in her gardens, in the collections within her antique home, in …
Hillary Hutton: Master Rug Weaver
Hillary learned to weave at the Massachusetts College of Art and has stayed with it for over 30 years. She is known for her exquisitely-crafted handwoven rag rugs, but also …
Carlson’s Collaged Crocodile
To prepare for a Summer exhibition of members’ work at Maine Fiberarts, we have been visiting artists’ studios. It had been a while since I visited the studio of Susan …
Boston in 48 Hours
On the first warm sunny weekend in May, we set off for a whirlwind textile tour of Boston. We wanted to see CraftBoston, sponsored by the Society of Arts and Crafts—“America’s …
Shearing Day at Hatchtown Farm
Hatchtown Farm in Bristol, Maine, held its shearing early in April and several stalwart friends braved a very cold day to help with the harvest of wool. Farm owners Pam …
Fiber Marketplace and Yarn Sellar
It was off to the town of York this Spring to take in a special event and a yarn shop. Carrie McKie, owner of The Yarn Sellar in York, Maine …
Marlene Ekola Gerberick: Great Gifts Come
Marlene Ekola Gerberick [4/29/1935-5/21/2018] Birds’ nests, feathers, bones. Paintings, artists’ books, assemblages. The work in the studio of Marlene Gerberick is both nature-based and eclectic. The overall colors are soothing …
The Knitting Sculpture Studio of Katharine Cobey
Katharine Cobey [1/8/1938-12/5/2020]. The studio of artist Katharine Cobey is located on a cove off Muscongus Bay in Cushing, Maine. Katharine was one of the founding trustees of Maine Fiberarts, …
Maine Ag Trades Show Walk-Through
The 75th Maine Agricultural Trades Show took place January 12-14, 2016 in Augusta and I visited the show to see what’s up. Booths on gardening, maple syrup, farm equipment, composting, …
Anne Walker’s Studio in Rangeley
While touring Rangeley, Arlene and I visited the studio of art quilter Anne Walker. Anne and her husband Rick built the house several years ago and included space for a …
Travels to Rangeley
We’ve just returned from a trip to Rangeley, Maine, an area of lakes, mountains, moose and big skies. We visited Threads Galore Quilting Shop and toured the studio of Maine …
Textile Fashions at Rhinebeck 2015
This October, I traveled with a group of friends to the New York Sheep and Wool Festival at Rhinebeck, New York. Gorgeous trees, weather, foliage and a landscape of rolling hills, …
The Colorful World of Natasha Kempers-Cullen
Natasha Kempers-Cullen is an artist whose work features her hand painted and printed fabric. These fabrics are cut and torn into pieces she incorporates into collage compositions which become art …
Biddeford Field Trip
Our Field Trip to Biddeford in late August was very fun. We started at Saco River Dyehouse, then visited Suger across the street, Biscuits & Company, and Angelrox. Read on …
Susan Mills’ Studio
This weekend, I ventured out to an Open Studio held by Susan Mills in Bowdoin. Susan is a mixed media artist using felt, photography, found objects, natural materials, metal and more combined …
A visit to South Street Linen
Have you been? South Street Linen, located in Portland, is run by three artists who came together around a love of painting, printmaking and designing—Lynn Krauss, Mary Ruth Hedstrom, and …
A Trip to Rhinebeck
Six spinning friends rented a house in Rhinebeck, NY this October to tour the New York Sheep & Wool Festival. Thousands upon thousands of people attended and we saw some …