Creative Growth artists Gail Lewis and Sherrie Aradanas discussed their recent collaboration with SOFT MATERIAL in a two-part Discussion and Demonstration hosted online by the Museum of the African Diaspora, NIAD Art Center, Creative Growth, and Elbow Room.
SOFT MATERIAL is a collaborative garment construction project, between artists who have an interest and connection with what one might call fashion and textiles, but what could also be seen as the corporeal, the body and performativity. Soft Material supports and connects artists living with disabilities whose studio programs have been severely interrupted by the pandemic. Soft Material’s mission is to reduce the isolation of artists with disabilities by giving them the space to express their creative lives in community with each other through the support of skilled teaching artists. They are interested in elevating the artistic knowledge held in disabled communities of textile arts and garment construction.
The project, in part funded by the Center for Craft and through generous material donations from the community, began a collaborative correspondence of a collective of six neuro-divergent artists who practice in three different progressive art centers, NIAD, Creative Growth and artists previously affiliated with PALS in Portland. With weekly supportive Zoom meetings offered by artists and Soft Material Co-founders, Nan Collymore and Celia Lesh, the six artists in the collective were brought into regular and meaningful creative connection.
Part One features artists Elmeater Morton, Raven Harper and Shantae Robinson who will share their experiences of collaborating together through their different textile languages. Each artist will demonstrate their poetic way of gathering materials and sewing, Raven through beading, Elmeater through her thread work and Shantae through embroidery. The discussion takes place Friday, May 21, 1–2:30pm (PT) and will be moderated by co-founder Nan Collymore.
Part Two features artists Ricky Bearghost, Gail Lewis and Sherrie Aradanas who will share their experiences of collaborating together through their different textile languages. Each artist works in very distinct ways and through their individual vocabularies they will demonstrate the ways that this collaborative moment has brought them out of their comfort zone. Ricky will share his weaving style, Gail her journaling and crochet/knitting practices and Sherrie her abstract and figurative embroidery. The discussion takes place Friday, May 28, 1–2:30pm (PT) and will be moderated by co-founder Nan Collymore.
Soft Material Textile Collaboration