Fiberworks - A Celebration of South African
Fiber and Textile Artists

Title: The Three Watchers

Description: Africa's wildlife has always moved me; the cough and roar of an amber cat; the elegant reach of a giraffe, the coiled carpet that is a python. Wild dogs, their coats daubed in umber, sienna and denim blue are a painters dream. The focus in this work lies outside of its border. The dogs stare fixedly at something beyond you, the viewer. Their attention is captured, they are rigid in their relaxed poses, all their energy is honed towards a movement in the long, dry grass; they are ready to chase rather than flee.

Title: Tiptoeing into the Future

Description: We are losing the war against the steadfast eradication of our "African unicorn" and we may be shamed into seeing its extinction in the wild within the next few decades. Historically, animals have seldom won out against man's enormous capacity for greed and stupidity. I used several different photographs as reference for this work - I wanted to show the behemoth stepping lightly, tentatively forward, unsure of what lies ahead; tiptoeing into the future.

Title: The Joys of Ritualistic Dancing

Description: I have always loved dancing. I am definitely not a dancer of any training or discernment but movement to music needs neither" to be a joyous and healthy thing. Waking up stiff and sore the next day from boogying around on the grass is a great way to remember pleasure. I am sorry that we have forgotten the importance of weaving rhythmically around a bonfire to celebrate being alive.

Title: Seeking out Secrets in Nooks and Crannies

Description: After my divorce I had an affair and was blessed with finding one of my best friends; his wife. Her grace and amazing acceptance of my actions inspired this title; black lizards creeping on their bellies in and out of hidden places.

Title: My Family in Threads

Description: I was saving for a new sewing machine when my mom told me about a competition that she had seen advertised. First prize was a state of the art Bernina sewing machine! The theme was about creating memories and the concept of an album came to me whilst sitting on the beach. The first sketch was scratched into sea sand. It was further developed in a parking lot on the back of an envelope and finally, about a week later, was begun in my studio.

Title: The Shout Out Loud Self Portrait

Description: I have a digital camera and a computer program which enhances the photographs. Whilst playing around with a picture of myself, the colors separated into islands of saturated hue and I interpreted this into an appliquéd self portrait. My interest in tromp lieu ouil led to the fabric frame. The paper "mount board" was torn and rubbed at and interestingly shaped holes emerged. I laid the turquoise corduroy beneath the holes and scribble stitched them to give them greater depth.

Title: Just One Small Act of Kindness

Description: I have always wanted to paint a small mural onto my front door. It would be one of hands offering a drink of water to the visitor. I have not yet done the mural but I have made the wall hanging. I took some photographs of my sons' hands and let him offer the water to some birds instead. I had a small sample book of upholstery fabrics and used them to create the background around the embroidered piece. My love of hessian is ongoing so I used it to frame the work and painted it with watered down artist's acrylic paint.

Title: Mark in Time

Description: Our mark in time is related to the way which we use the planet's natural recourses. We are locked into a way of thinking that is keeping us caged. We cannot break free from our exploitative ways and we are "marked" for that.

Title: Marking in Time

Description: The Natural resources are marking our time here on earth with their very existence. They are dying because of us. Caged, they are diminished, as are we but they pay with their lives while we…we merely pay with our souls.

Title: Africa Skinned

Description: The guts of Africa would be its gold and diamonds; the bones of Africa are its mountains and gorges and the animals and birds would have to be its skin. I am eternally grateful for being born into a continent that still houses so many of its earliest and most exotic inhabitants.

My inspiration for this work was the unavoidable lifelessness of an animal skin spread-eagled across a floor or staring blankly down from a mounting on the wall.
The stuffed or skinned ammonal is so far from its living brother that it is hard to imagine the spirit of the wild creature that once inhabited it. I concentrated on the eyes and patterning of the different creature because I wanted not only to inform the viewer of the animal's appearance but also to remind him of its individual presence.

Title: Handkerchiefs for Africa

Description: Travel across the seas and through the skies. Come to a land where black paint has taken a walk across a white horse and tortoises trundle over the road carrying their starburst homes on their backs. Come to a land where a gazelle's longing for the juiciest, top-most leaves has stretched its neck so that it has to spread its legs wide to drink. Come to a land where the dogs have been splashed and stained with mud and molten rock. Come to a land where large cats sleep in trees and flowers burst across their pelts. Come to land where animals such as these are as common as handkerchiefs.

Come to Africa.

Title: Portrait of a Sheep Named Jeanette 1

Description: One of my neighbours has, besides incredibly irritating, obsessively crowing roosters, a sheep named Jeanette. She lives in the house with the family, is bathed and powdered and groomed and petted. "She shall never, ever end up on the spit". I was told this very firmly when I jokingly hinted at fattenning the lamb for the slaughter. I like the fact that she looks as if she is wearing just a hint of pale pink lipstick.

Title: Portrait of a Sheep Named Jeanette 2

Description: One of my neighbours has, besides incredibly irritating, obsessively crowing roosters, a sheep named Jeanette. She lives in the house with the family, is bathed and powdered and groomed and petted. "She shall never, ever end up on the spit". I was told this very firmly when I jokingly hinted at fattenning the lamb for the slaughter. I like the fact that she looks as if she is wearing just a hint of pale pink lipstick.

Title: Massive seas - Study of a Wave 1

Description: We woke up one morning to the roaring of a sea that sounded like it was smashing itself to smithereens on our front lawn. Waves had built themselves up during the night to hights of over 6 meters and were crashing down onto the road, hurling boulders the size of suitcases accross its width. It was wonderfully exciting, frighteningly so and very beautiful to watch.

Title: Massive Seas - Study of a Wave 2

Description: We woke up one morning to the roaring of a sea that sounded like it was smashing itself to smithereens on our front lawn. Waves had built themselves up during the night to hights of over 6 meters and were crashing down onto the road, hurling boulders the size of suitcases accross its width. It was wonderfully exciting, frighteningly so and very beautiful to watch.

Title: Massive Seas - Study of a Wave 3

Description:

Title: Massive Seas - Kwelera Mouth

Description: We woke up one morning to the roaring of a sea that sounded like it was smashing itself to smithereens on our front lawn. Waves had built themselves up during the night to hights of over 6 meters and were crashing down onto the road, hurling boulders the size of suitcases accross its width. It was wonderfully exciting, frighteningly so and very beautiful to watch.

Title: Branded

Description: I have always hated the trend of wearing the makers' label on the outside of the clothing - felt it was a double whammy kind of situation; not only do you have to pay a large some of money for a mass produced item, but you are also obliged to do a large part of their advertising free of charge. You are supposed to feel priviledged to wear that label whilst advertising for that label after having handed over a big chunk of money for said label. The emphasis is often on the label rather than on the workmanship or quality of the item. This got me to thinking of taking labelling a step further - wearing a logo on our bodies. I realized that this had been done over and over again since the beginning of thinking man's becoming self aware. Tattooing is a form of labeling. The body is branded with logos of choice - from primitive man with his dots and slashes, to modern man with his lines and shading. My son is a tattoo artist who advertises his trade by the quality of labelling on his skin. The label itself has become the artwork.

Title: Hayao Miyazaki: "The Pigness in us All:"

Description: Mr Miyazaki caught my attention because of his wonderful smile, Andy Warhol hair and the fact that he squeezes a pig into all of his works. He says that we are very like pigs because of our round bellies - that was enough to convince me of his enthusiasm for life and all things living. This quilt is made for a very interesting international quilt exhibition: 30 South African, 30 French and 30 Japanese artists were all asked to choose from a list of 30 film directors and each artists' interpretation of the chosen individual will be hung side by side. ie: all 3 Hayao Miyazaki quilts will be togethor. All 3 Alfred Hitchcock quilts will be togethor, etc. etc.

Title: Travelling Medicine Mouse

Description: A vibrant Italian friend of mine had to leave South Africa to live in America for a while and she was very saddened by the imminent move. She had very little choice as the man she loved was going over for work. This was a gift I made for her.

Title: Swe-Swe Guinea Fowl

Description: I have always loved the vibrant colouring of the guinea fow - its raucous "clack-clack-clacking" and brilliant blue head seem so African to me. Swe-swe, a fabric, originally from Germany and now made here in South Africa is another of my favourites so combining the two gave me great pleasure.

Title: Portrait of a Guinea Fowl

Description: he best part of the bird lies in its powder blue head, gimlet eyes and scarlet baggy bits.

Title: Guinea Fowls on the Prowl

Description: Guinea Fowls always seem on the look-out for food unless it is mating season and then they chase each other relentlessly in between prowling for food.

Title: Swe-Swe Guinea Fowl

Description: I have always loved the vibrant colouring of the guinea fow - its raucous "clack-clack-clacking" and brilliant blue head seem so African to me. Swe-swe, a fabric, originally from Germany and now made here in South Africa is another of my favourites so combining the two gave me great pleasure.

Title: Fiber Platter featuring Bianca's Mouth

Description: As well as being a fiber artist I also work with clay, creating free standing sculptures and 3-dimensional framed pictures. I have very little interest in wheel work, mainly because I am not very good at it, so I decided to cheat and create a series of fiber platters, (representative of my non-existent wheel work). I plan to have an exhibition in about a year's time and want to fill a wall with Fiber Platters. These 3 are my first and form a part of the 'Body' series.

Title: Fiber Platter featuring My Hand

Description: As well as being a fiber artist I also work with clay, creating free standing sculptures and 3-dimensional framed pictures. I have very little interest in wheel work, mainly because I am not very good at it, so I decided to cheat and create a series of fiber platters, (representative of my non-existent wheel work). I plan to have an exhibition in about a year's time and want to fill a wall with Fiber Platters. These 3 are my first and form a part of the 'Body' series.

Title: Fiber Platter featuring Ilse's Eyes

Description: As well as being a fiber artist I also work with clay, creating free standing sculptures and 3-dimensional framed pictures. I have very little interest in wheel work, mainly because I am not very good at it, so I decided to cheat and create a series of fiber platters, (representative of my non-existent wheel work). I plan to have an exhibition in about a year's time and want to fill a wall with Fiber Platters. These 3 are my first and form a part of the 'Body' series.

Title: The Sketching Vessel

Description: I saw the work of American artist Kay Kahn and was absolutely 'blown away' by her exquisite vessels. She was the inspiration behind my first vessel.

Title: The Sketching Vessel

Description: I saw the work of American artist Kay Kahn and was absolutely 'blown away' by her exquisite vessels. She was the inspiration behind my first vessel.

Title: A Fistful of Freedom

Description: This piece was specifically created for a travelling exhibition celebrating the life of Madiba. I have recreated the South African Flag on the back - bits of it are reflected in the border.

Title: Divine Swine: Big-pig pillow and Little-pig pillow

Description: I have always loved pigs and the way they trip around on their tippy-toes as if wearing pink, satin high-heeled slippers. Their soulful eyes and dolphin smiles make them truly delightful subjects.

Title: Shattered Face Quilt

Description: I needed to demonstrate some of the techniques which I teach in my workshop, "Using Your Sewing Machine as a Creative Tool ", so I sketched an eye onto a scrap of canvas and began teaching one of the techniques: fibre embedment and free motion machine embroidery. The students offered me the piles of fabric and fibre scraps left over from the workshop and I completed Shattered Face on my return to my studio, letting the face grow around that one eye and using only the bits and bobs from the gifted bag of scraps.

Title: Looking Forward into the Past

Description: I was inspired by a national portrait competition dangling a one hundred thousand rand prize and a photograph that I had taken of my mother-in-law a couple of years previously. The expression of "past memories" in her eyes appealed to me and I liked the way the light wrapped around her face. I had bought a packet of used ties from a hospice shop and knew that they were what should be used to make up the bulk of her portrait. Re-purposing these old ties to recreate a moment of memory seemed appropriate.

Title: What is Life Without a Little Risk

Description: This was a commission for a 21st gift and was created from a black and white photograph, the 21 year old-to-be's best quote from one of the Harry Potter books and the information that her favourite colour was red.

Title: Using Life to Clothe Me in Death

Description: The idea was developed from some pictures I had seen of kimonos. This form of clothing has always inspired me; its shape and wonderful outline lends itself to myriad interpretations. I attended a weekend course with Rosalie Dace in East London a couple of years ago and she inspired me to incorporate other quilting techniques into my work.

Title: Birds on a Platter

Description: I have become an avid gardener since we bought our own home and finally understand the attractions of bird watching. These marvelous little creatures flit from tree to tree, pecking at seeds and insects. They inspired me to create a picture to fill a beautiful old, skirting board frame that I'd bought in a second hand shop many months before. Sewing little snippets of fabric and scraps of wool into the work was as opportunistic a process as theirs is in finding food; the scraps were scattered over the floor of my workroom demanding to be "eaten".

Title: Portrait of a Pet

Description: This was a gift to my son and drawn from a photograph of his amstaf, Kaizer. He has spent many an hour saving and re-homing pit bulls from the horrific 'unsport' of dog fighting, so prevalent on the Cape Flats of Cape Town.

Kathy Harmer Fox