Page 10 - 50 Years of Fiber Art: The Fiber Artists of San Antonio Exhibition Catalog

Beth Cunningham

Texas, FASA member, bellabethvt@gmail.com

www.bethcunningham.com

DECADE: 1970s, 1980s

The Pattern and Decoration Movement (P&D) of the 1970's and 1980's was associated
with exuberance and sumptuousness of surface decoration and ornamentation, lush
overlays of pattern, fabric and fiber elements, non-Western sources, and repeating
designs. Though the movement was short-lived, the reverberations are endless,
especially for recuperating an appreciation of decorative beauty as a positive value.

Miriam Schapiro, an early participant in P&D, invented the term "femmage" to describe
a combination of painting and sewing techniques. She embellished her painted
canvases with traditionally
female work such as
embroidery, cross-stitch
and quilting.

P&D is a support
validating Fiber Art as
Fine Art. As artists we
follow in the footsteps of
Joyce Kozloff, Valerie
Jaudon, Robert Kushner
and Kim MacConnel.

Suckered by Sweets
Candy Corn has an over
the top embroidered piece
overlapping a paler,
skeletal image that spouts
names of sugars and
unusual ingredients found
in this sweetie.

Suckered by Sweets:
Candy Corn , 2021
Organza, paper, floss,
beads ,maRe medium,
sequins, hand-sTtch
24" x 17.5" x 2.75”
$2500