Sewn Stories, Shared Lives: The artwork of Linda Martin and Carol Vinick

October 15 through December 3, 2022

The Windsor Art Center hosts Sewn Stories, Shared Lives, from October 15 through December 3, 2022. This exhibition features the works of Linda Martin and Carol Vinick, both master quilters, who share a mutual passion – creating art from fiber. Linda and Carol describe themselves as “sisters, one Black American, one Jewish American, bonded together from different backgrounds to share stories with common threads of struggle and survival”. Their intent is to create thought provoking quilts, expressing the vibrancy of life, while paying homage to the resilient spirit and courage of those who came before them.

With a backdrop of family histories and intertwining themes, their exhibit of narrative quilts seeks to tell extraordinary stories. The artistry of their work invites viewers to rethink the traditional concept of the quilt, and reflect on the intrinsic thoughts of humanity – the appreciation that life with intentional purpose, determination and value is a witness to one’s ability to rise above their odds; and that the human spirit can endure, as love and hope prevail.

Their original designs are created using a variety of techniques such as, [fabric dying, appliqué, unique stitching, other details], and enhanced with embellishments such as paint, found objects, beads, and other decorative details.

The Artists

Linda Martin

After a successful career as an Education Administrator, it wasn’t until January of 2014, that Linda [finally] accepted the title of “Fiber Artist”, though having been acknowledged as a lifelong creative, while “serendipitously stumbling into her gift” of fusing color, pattern, and design to tell amazing stories with a collage of textiles. She describes her artwork as means to “connect who I am with where I come from; what I see and where I am going”. With this exhibit, she is determined to use her artistic voice to tell authentic and heartfelt stories of her people, while engaging viewers in conversation through the vibrant visual composition of her art. Her persona, which can only be described as infectious joy, epitomizes her ever mindful credo “Lift Up the Gift.”

Carol Vinick

Featured in numerous exhibits over the last decade, Carol attributes ‘spontaneity’ as the signature component of her work. Artistically inspired by color, fiber, and life’s vibrant energy, her passion for peace, advocacy for justice, and commitment to civil rights has played a significant role in the evolution of her work. Enthused by the freedom to work in a medium without restrictions or rules, her work has progressed from traditional quilting to art quilting, incorporating a myriad of creative techniques. Paraphrasing her words, “I allow the creative forces to take me to a place where without inhibition, I paint, dye, manipulate, layer, collage, and quilt fabric to relay a message and to create beauty”. With this exhibit, her work is intended to unveil ancestral stories of hardship and survival, and undeniable evidence that love is stronger than hate.

Events

Opening Weekend: Saturday/Sunday, October 15, 10am – 4pm & Sunday, October 16 11am – 4pm • FREE Grab & Go Treats! While supplies last.

Meet the Artists Saturday: 11am – 1pm and Sunday, 1 – 3pm

Artist Talk – Stories Behind the Quilt: Saturday, October 22, 10:30am – 12pm

Movie Night: Friday, October 28 at 7pm How to Make an American Quilt

Fabric Collage Workshop: Fish or Face Saturday, November 19, 10:30am – 12:30pm
Participants will be instructed on creating a fabric collage inspired by their image or an aquatic creature. Limit 10. Fee $35 plus $10 materials fee payable to the artists.

Sign up for the workshop!

Women of Exceptional Talent (WOET) Marketplace Handmade fine crafts by local artists
Saturday, November 26, 10am – 3:30pm
Sunday, November 27, 11am – 3:30pm

This exhibition is made possible with support from CT Humanities, The PrintHub, Travelers, Links of Farmington Valley (CT) Chapter, Incorporated, and other individuals, businesses & organizations in our community.

Gallery hours for the Windsor Art Center are Thursday, 6 to 8pm; Saturday, 10am to 4pm; and Sunday, 11am to 4pm.