Surface Design Association is excited to announce Seeing / Being Seen: LGBTQIA+ Writers on LGBTQIA+ Fiber Artists, our Winter 2023 edition of Surface Design Journal. Led by Guest Editor, Rebekah Frank, this special edition of the SDJ focuses on LGBTQIA+ writers exploring LGBTQIA+ artists, highlighting the complexity of intersectional identity and how it informs creative …

We had another lovely year of reviews to add to our ever-growing collection for the SDA Book Club. 2023’s reviews included recurring authors Faith Hagenhofer and Vivien Zepf, with the addition of Zia Gipson, who joined us in the summer and will be reviewing more books to come in 2024. Here’s a combined list of …

Spirituality of Rust: A Sacred Language of Iron Through Art by Rio Wrenn Depending on who you talk to, you can get some pretty heated or positive thoughts on rust. To some, it shows unsightly wear and tear and needs to be removed. To others, like author Rio Wrenn, it is a conduit for creative …

“The impetus driving the work in this exhibition does not arise from the need to abolish cohesive traditions. Instead, each work possesses an energetic momentum to protract all-too-familiar art forms by translating, rearticulating, unwinding and rewinding the components of material practices. Yet subtle disloyalties to traditional assumptions regarding craft, tradition, language, meaning, and interpretation murmur. …

Surface Design Association is excited to announce Lasting Impression: SDA International Exhibition in Print, our Fall 2023 edition of Surface Design Journal.  “Readers may recognize a familiarity, a closeness or shared intimacy in the works chosen for SDA’s eighth annual International Exhibition in Print. This year we had the privilege of welcoming Lorna Hamilton Brown, …

100 Amulets by Susan Ball Faeder Omamori are pocket-sized good luck charms sold in Japanese shrines and temples that convey wishes and protection. In 2019, Susan Ball Faeder created her own collection of omamori–inspired amulets as part of The 100 Day Project. Her time as high school exchange student in a small Japanese village had set …

SDA is committed to supporting the efforts of community members to realize their creative goals and positively impact the world of textile and fiber art. SDA’s Grants & Awards program provides an array of opportunities to support members as they demonstrate excellence in the studio and in exhibitions, engage in professional development, organize events, and …

Unraveling: What I learned about life while shearing sheep, dyeing wool, and making the world’s ugliest sweater by Peggy Orenstein Fortunately for SDA review readers and writers, the book topics we encounter are familiar: Review readers of Surface Design Journal have immense curiosity and some knowledge—passing as well as deep—about all things textiles. So talk …

My project The Modern Jester began with humor being the central theme, and I believe that everyone has their own way of discovering and expressing humor. Though it is a common factor among people, humor is perceived differently depending upon factors such as geographical location, culture, level of education, intelligence, context, and gender.  Preconceived assumptions …

Photo Memory Quilts by Lesley Riley As someone who loves photography, I was particularly excited and intrigued to read Lesley Riley’s new book, Photo Memory Quilts. I’ve been searching for ways to incorporate photos into my fiber artworks and Riley has been combining photos with her quilts for decades. “I tell visual stories”, writes Riley. …