U
ntil a friend introduced me to Helen
Parsons I had no idea what the term fiber
artist meant, or encompassed. And if I’m
being honest, I still don’t because the
boundaries of what’s possible continue
to be pushed and redefined by this
amazing artist. Her work is a blend of
traditional and experimental techniques,
fabrics, fibers, and fantasy. Helen herself
is every bit as vibrant, intricate, and
interesting as her art. Read on to learn
more about this lovely and amazing
artist.
Art Chowder: Helen, please tell us where
you are from originally (if not from
Spokane) and how you landed here?
helen: I grew up in the military so I’ve
lived all over the United States. My
father was in the Navy so our home
has always been seaside. I spent most
of my teens and young adult life in
the San Francisco Bay Area so for me
that’s home. Growing up in a Navy
family is a very transient life, but I
didn’t want that for my son. I decided
to leave the Bay Area to create a life
where he could put down roots and
make lifetime connections to people and
neighborhoods. Moving so much when I
was young was difficult for me. I wanted
my son to have a childhood with more
stability. A house became available in
our family’s estate here in Spokane, at a
price we couldn’t say no to, so we made
the move.
"We Are Stardust"
RAKU
Art Chowder: Glad you are here. I have
to say though, I think you may be the
only fiber artist I’ve ever known. Is
there a large community of fiber artists
hiding somewhere or is my definition
too narrow?
helen: The fiber arts community is very fragmented and the term itself is so broad that it’s easy to feel displaced. Fiber art is a
medium category that includes spinning, quilting, basket weaving, loom weaving, macramé, embroidery, lace making, felting,
eco-dying and textile design among others. Each category has its own groups, events and sources and rarely crosses over. It seems
that the largest categories in this region are quilting and spinning. There is, however, a distinction between fiber arts application in
fine art and fine craft, furthering the disconnect. I’d like to see that change.
July | August 2018
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