Crowds enjoy variety of fiber arts in stroll

Crowds strolling through Sisters last Saturday, July 2, saw the many artistic interpretations of fiber. From llamas to quilts and spinning to weaving, people at Around the Block Fiber Arts Stroll got a sneak peek at this Saturday’s Quilt Show.

At The Stitchin’ Post, fiber arts strollers enjoyed Betty Carlsmith’s oil paintings of quilters. As an art major, Carlsmith began painting and then tried quilting later in life. In an example or “art imitating life,” she has even painted one of her own New York Beauty patterned quilts.

“I like the intricacy of quilting and the freedom of painting,” said Carlsmith.

At High Desert Gallery, multi-media artist Trisha Hassler showed wall hangings that combine traditional quilting techniques with torch-cut steel. Hassler said she likes the combination of hard and soft in her pieces.

“I work a lot with paradox,” she said.

Hassler is grounded in traditional quilting through her family — both grandmothers quilt and she still quilts with her mom. She is also experienced with metal and can send sparks flying when she cuts steel to marry with her fabric.

She said the steel “makes it a little bit masculine.”

Hassler encourages people to touch the wall hangings and finds women appreciate the handiwork in the fabric and the men connect with the steel.

At Paulina Springs Books, Madeleine Landis demonstrated rigid heddle weaving. Her hobby grew from the llamas she owned for use as pack animals.

In an effort to use their wool, she began felting, dying, and spinning.

“It’s been an evolution,” said Landis. She likes the portability of her loom and enjoys making smaller items such as scarves and purses.

At Bad Ass Coffee, Terry Sanchez demonstrated antler baskets.

She began that hobby, along with fly fishing, as a calming outlet from her job as an orthopedic surgeon’s nurse.

Sanchez said you can’t weave the same design twice, so before she starts a basket she looks at the antler and asks herself, “What kind of basket can I make it become?”

Cliff Scharf Gallery hosted a llama with an important job in life. Deborah Slocum has trained her llamas to be therapy animals for cancer kids, brain injury victims and other patients.

Slocum said her llamas have faults that breeders don’t want, which helps her teach patients that “what matters is what’s on the inside.”