Twisted Vines and Hanging Vessels

Oct. 18, 2014

Fun with Fiber and Pottery at Manistee Art Show

What do wedding veils, plush animals, glassware and quilts have in common?

They are all curated elements of the upcoming art show at the Ramsdell Theatre’s Hardy Hall in Manistee.

A spin-off from last year’s Manistee Arts Institute’s multi-media exhibition, Twisted Vines and Hanging Vessels runs Oct. 24 through Nov. 2. The 2013 exhibit included glass, pottery, fiber arts and photography. It was such a success, with so many entries, that the Arts Institute decided to enhance this year’s event with dedicated shows for some of the most popular mediums.

The result was an acclaimed photography exhibit, which recently closed, and the upcoming showcase for fiber arts (the twisted vines) and pottery, ceramics and glass (the hanging vessels). Despite the broad appeal of featuring so many different art forms, the 2013 exhibit was the Institute’s initial foray into these areas.

"Last year was the first time we tried any of these media," says Kerry Schubach, president of the board of the Manistee Arts Institute.

"It was so well received, with a variety of art, and we had so many [exhibitors], we decided to split off photography."

Schubach says the upcoming show is open to artists working in any of the mediums. On the soft side, fiber art makes use of natural or synthetic fiber with other components, such as fabric yarn and thread. Fiber Arts include knitting, rug hooking, felting, braiding or plaiting, macramé, lace making, and flocking.

"We want to expand beyond quilts," says Schubach, though quilts are still welcome.

The other end of the show’s spectrum focuses on hard surfaces such as glassworks, pottery and ceramics.

The items displayed can range from blown glass to plush toys. The latter, in fact, are what started the ball rolling in 2012.

"What spurred it was, in the previous year, we had an animal exhibit," explains Schubach. "There was a 3-D frog and we thought that would be really nice to have more of." The result was 2013’s very successful show, which lead to this year’s companion pair of exhibits.

A non-juried show, all entries are welcome as long as they meet the requirements.

The artworks must be two and three-dimensional pieces that have been created within the last three years. They must be original and cannot have been displayed in any previous Manistee Arts Institute shows. Artists may submit up to three works each.

Schubach says the anticipation of the show begins to build as they get the first entries. With an open invitation, organizers never know what the submissions are going to look like. That creates an air of expectancy and uncertainty that Schubach says is both invigorating and causes some trepidation. Not knowing exactly what is coming, or when, generates a buzz among those organizing the exhibit that they translate to the show and to those attending.

"The excitement comes when we put it all together to make it wow people," she says.

Last year, one of the works created that wow factor for them, as well.

"We had a wedding veil last year that was 18 feet long. How do you display something like that?" she asks rhetorically.

They managed–and drew a crowd that she estimates topped 500 for the entire week.

"We had embroidery, some real interesting things," she says.

Schubach anticipates the same this year, both in terms of attendance and works. The show opens Friday morning with an opening reception Friday evening from 6:30 to 8:30pm. The show is free of charge, both for artists and those attending.

"We want to make it available to everyone," says Schubach. "It’s the off-season.

We’d love to draw from all over."

In addition to several exhibits each year, the Manistee Arts Institute also offers numerous classes and workshops that range from music to dance to cooking and visual arts. For more information, call (231) 723-2682 or email manisteeartinstitute@gmail.com.