Read the Press Release

Take a virtual tour of the exhibition

Homespun brings together nineteen artists in the Hudson Valley who work primarily with fabric and fiber. The exhibition features a wide variety of materials and techniques, including sewing, weaving, needlework, quilting, collaging, dyeing, and tufting. While each artist has a unique approach to their chosen medium, several distinct themes run through the exhibition, including the representation of women’s issues, the history of craft and fiber art, cultural heritage, and the environment. 

In most cases the artists in Homespun started out with an education in painting, sculpture, or fashion design, but later became interested in other creative approaches and materials. The change of direction was natural for some, as they had grown up around family members (usually women) who sewed, quilted, or mended clothing.  Many of these artists began to use fabric in their work as a conscious reaction to the male-dominated art world that places high value on painting and sculpture above all other art forms. The embrace of fabric and craft—commonly associated with women’s work—opposes and rebels against art history’s patriarchal value system. In addition, the techniques of weaving, sewing, and quilting employed by artists in Homespun are traditional folk practices, and challenge the hierarchical opposition of fine art vs. craft.