Fiber Arts 2002 on display this weekend

One of the main art shows of the year, Fiber Arts 2002, will be on display this weekend at the Pahrump Community Center.

The show features quilts, needlework and other crafts. Loretta Lindell, a spokeswoman for the sponsoring Pahrump Visual and Performing Arts Council, said at least 30 displays are expected. The hours are from 4 to 8:30 p.m. today, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

"One thing we're doing this year for the first time is we've gotten volunteers to make many quilts to auction off. We'll have a silent auction over the weekend," Lindell said. "This is the first time we've had a quilt for sale. Most people will have a quilt and give it to someone."

The choicest quilt for sale, she said, is a 76-inch by 89-inch hand-quilted, hand-pieced quilt, in a double wedding ring style, made by Lee and Russ Workman from Iowa.

Nowadays, in an age of sewing machines, some quilts are made by large quilting machines, said Lynn McDonald, a member of the Shadow Mountain Quilters. Most quilts that are sold commercially are made by machine in China and can be bought for $60, to $70, McDonald said, adding most of the quilts at the fiber arts show can't be made for that much.

"Normally you do it for love rather than money because it's something that takes a long time," McDonald said of the art of quilting. "It depends on what you're doing. Some things go relatively fast. Or you can put hundreds of hours into a quilt easily and perhaps hundreds of dollars of material."

The show will include a section called heirloom displays. One of the more interesting quilts on display, will be one that was given to Joanne Cristal by her great-grandmother.

"My mother got the top to me after I was married and said she was holding it for me to see if my marriage would last more than a few days," Cristal said jokingly. That was back in 1950. She recalled her great-grandmother died a few years after that. The quilt was finished by the Women's Missionary Society in Montrose, Colo., she said.

The popular friendship quilt returns this year. Everyone attending the show will be invited to stitch on the quilt, guided by experienced quilters who will demonstrate how a quilt is assembled and stitched. The quilt top is a hand-pieced original, dating from the 1930s.

Members of the Shadow Mountain Quilters, like Judy Romanko, Donna Chiodo, Judy Geohring, Roberta Clark, Victoria Brazzle, Kathey Benoit and Leona Claar will have works on display. The group meets twice monthly.

While it may seem like a craft dominated by women, McDonald said that's not true.

"There are more men than you think that are doing various quilt designs," McDonald said. One of the exhibitors at Fiber Arts 2002 is Jerry Brazzle, she said.

"Quilting is a billion-dollar industry in this country. It's becoming more popular all the time," McDonald said.

Now people can buy material to make a quilt at a fabric store, Lindell said. Previously they would use clothing scraps, she said.

Various artisans will demonstrate their skills over the weekend. The demonstrations begin at 10 a.m. Saturday with Bernie Toy demonstrating bead weaving; at 11 a.m., Flo Provenza will demonstrate silk embroidery; at noon, Victoria Brazzle will show how to make quilts; at 1 p.m., Dotty Pardis will give a demonstration on knitting and crocheting; at 2 p.m., Ann Louise Pugh will give a talk on, "What's the judge looking for and do I care?"; and at 3 p.m., Dorothy Johnson will demonstrate tatting.

Demonstrations on Sunday begin with Barbara Griffiths' demonstration of hand applique techniques at 11 a.m.; at noon, Jerry Brazzle will give a quilting demonstration; at 1 p.m., Kay Smith and Connie Tate will demonstrate decorating gourds, while Janet Toy will talk about drop spindle yarns; at 2 p.m., Marilyn Summers will demonstrate crocheting and at 3 p.m., Lynn McDonald has a hardanger demonstration.

A quilting workshop, "Tribute to Grandmother," will be held from Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., instructed by Ann Louise Pugh of Las Vegas, who is the quilt judge for the show. Advance registration is required. Participants will create a small quilt top using fabric and doilies. The cost of the workshop is $10. Interested participants should call Barbara at 727-4673 for information and to register.

Danielle "Hope" Kouba will provide live entertainment Saturday and Sunday. The Arts Cafe will be open Saturday and Sunday serving refreshments.

Showgoers will be able to vote for their favorites among all the items on display in the "people's choice" cash awards that will be announced Sunday at 2 p.m. Cash awards in the judged categories will be announced at 8 p.m. today. Door prize drawings will be held throughout the weekend.

Just Desserts, the open reception and fund-raiser, kicks off the event at 7 p.m. today with music by Mandy Cafeo. A variety of gourmet and sugar-free desserts, punch, champagne punch and coffee will be served. A limited number of tickets are available at $10 per person, advance tickets only. Anyone who wants to attend can call Al at 727-1847.

A $1 admission will be charged for the Fiber Arts Show. Children 12 and under are admitted free.

Fiber Arts 2002 is sponsored by PVPAC and is funded in part by Pahrump room taxes, the Nevada Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.


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