Opening Reception for Material Possessions and Ignorance With Wings

rot3Lubeznik Center for the Arts will hold an opening reception for its new exhibits Material Possessions, contemporary fiber art by Frank Connet, Karen Gubitz, Aram Han, John Paul Morabito, Lisa Lee Peterson and Clifford Peterson (Hyndman Gallery); and, Ignorance With Wings by Michael Bill Smith (Brincka-Cross and Northview second floor galleries). Artists will be present during the event to answer questions about their work. Light refreshments will be served. This event is free to the public.

Material Possessions, presents 5 contemporary fiber artists of different backgrounds whose inspiration stems from equally different places. Artists' work range from fiber sculpting, threading, and weaving, to embroidery and shibori (sewing/dying technique). Frank Connet (Chicago, IL), specializes in indigo dying; a fascination with traditional textiles of Africa and Japan have led to his recent work, which utilizes the technique of shibori. Karen Gubitz (Oak Park, IL)who retired from her law career to become a full time artist, is inspired by nature in her work. Each summer she organizes a workshop, which teaches children the art of weaving baskets onto trees. Gubitz calls this technique BaskeTrees. LCA partnered with Gubitz to make BaskeTrees with students in the Michigan City. Aram Han's(Chicago, IL), artwork includes miniscule grains of rice that are pierced and then threaded together. Han says that his pieces represent how "Labor has become the center of many of our lives. In too many instances it is seemingly endless and underappreciated." John Paul Morabito (Chicago, IL), initially trained as a commercial textile designer, now uses precision and rigor of industrial weaving in his work. "I work in repetition. Sitting at the loom, my whole body conforms to the mechanical rhythms of the machine with continuously repeated motions." Husband and wife, Clifford Peterson and Lisa Lee Peterson (West Lafayette), have collaborated for more than 30 years. Clifford has worked in various mediums from silkscreen, digital printmaking, painting, and photography. Lisa Lee, has been a professor of textiles and fiber art at Purdue University for nearly 30 years. In this show, Lisa Lee Peterson embroiders her husband's prints on canvas.

Ignorance with Wings features new work by Michael Bill Smith (Ogden Dunes, IN), in this solo exhibition. Reminiscent of historical religious portraiture, wall tapestries and stained glass cathedral windows, Smith's artwork combines religious icons, in which he creates "anew language of painting". Utilizing materials such as sparkling vinyl, liquid acrylics, hot glue and metallic foils in playful processes allow multiple meanings to emerge.

High resolution images available upon request.

Lubeznik Center for the Arts is located at 101 W. 2nd St., at the lakefront in Michigan City, IN. Gallery weekday hours are from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (CDT). Weekend hours are from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM (CDT). Extended hours until 7pm on Thursdays between Memorial Day and Labor Day . For more information please visit www.lubeznikcenter.org or call 219-874-4900.