Northwest artists share their works’ stories at ‘Pacific Northwest Perspectives’ in Lynnwood

The Lynnwood Event Center hosted a “Meet the Artists” reception Tuesday evening for the exhibit Pacific Northwest Perspectives: Creations by Northwest Designer Craftartists. This free, public exhibit features the works of 25 artists, including those from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. 

Board of Northwest Designer Craftartists (NWDC) President Nancy Loorem Adams said that one of the organization’s missions is to educate the public about fine craftworks, which mainly involves ceramics, glass, wood, textiles and metal. She said NWDC does not have a “brick-and-mortar” gallery but partners with communities and galleries for exhibitions, such as Schack Art Center.

“We want people to understand the value and beauty of really exceptional designer craft people’s work, and so we put on shows all over,” Loorem Adams said. “For this particular exhibition, we were limited to work that could be suspended from guy wires against the wall. Many of our exhibitions would have lots of pedestals because a lot of the artists are sculptors.”

Washington artist Barbara J. Matthews talked about her artwork – called Into the Flow – which is made from Icelandic wool felt and other materials. She was inspired by the rolling hills of Iceland and her residency during her month-long stay there.

Matthews said that felting involves laying out roving (wool fibers) on a panel and then feeding it through a felting machine equipped with about 100 needles. These needles tangle the fibers as the material passes through, and the process is repeated around 20 times to produce a piece of fabric. This machine-based method is much easier and less labor-intensive than traditional wet felting, which requires rolling the material by hand for a long time, she said.

Matthews added that her artwork reflects the Icelandic community and the people who are “very laid back and very friendly.”

Seattle weaving artist Gabriela Nirino, who is from Buenos Aires, Argentina, showed her eight-piece exhibit, which consists of fabrics made from merino wool. She is a former textile design professor and researcher at the University of Buenos Aires and at the National University of Lanús.

She said artwork is “something for your soul,” like a good book.

“I have all these pieces that are created last year for another exhibition, and they [Lynnwood Event Center] talked to me about this idea of fiesta celebration,” Nirino said. “And so I thought this because this is an event center where people meet…that will be a good title, a good piece to bring here.”

Pacific Northwest Perspectives: Creations by Northwest Designer runs through Dec. 12, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., and during evenings and weekends when the building is open for events. All artwork is for sale.