“ Landscape of the Heart ” | Betty Hayzlett
“ Water Garden ” | Louise Kodis
fabric designs and the special dying and weaving of Meisen kimono silk .”
Betty Hayzlett of Boise , Idaho , learned to knit and sew clothes from her grandmother and friend ’ s mother . Later , while in college pursuing an art major , she grew frustrated with some of the more traditional material available , driving her to include fiber arts in her final project , a six-foot sculpture of cloth and steel . Long inspired by form and sculpture , she continued to explore sculpting , weaving , and felting techniques , growing into current her works .
Betty is always open to new inspiration . She says , “ I love the joy of playing with things that tickle my creative juices , like a different bead or piece of wood .” Like many in fiber arts , she ’ s very adept at exploring texture , and shape , taking special note of contrast , and taking pride in finding or creating just the right materials to combine with her textiles . “ I have only just begun to explore the possibilities of combining fiber and ceramics . My inspiration over the years continuously shifts . I went from expressing personal issues , such as dealing with my son ’ s struggle with mental illness and the dissolution of my long marriage , to other inspirations .”
Louise Kodis , a well-known name in the fiber arts scene and a Spokane local , has a portfolio filled with collaborative pieces and large public works that are meant to be shared . “ Without fail my artwork brings smiles of delight and satisfaction to people of all ages — rich warm colors , supple embracing texture , translucent fabrics , excited by light flowing through them and reflecting off the surface .”
Her pieces are colorful , joyful , and interact with the space around them by collecting light and providing levity and texture often pulled from nature . Her work is contemporary but timeless , it pushes the medium forward , while being something that will clearly last and augment a space and public imagination for a long time .
As much as this two-part article has presented on the current artists and history of fiber arts in the Northwest region , there is so much more to delve into . If you ’ re interested , below are links to the guilds and individual artists mentioned in this article , and ways you can find their work . If you find yourself intrigued , any of these organizations and artists would be happy to share more , as I ’ m sure you ’ ve gathered by now .
28 ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE