DEBORAH WEIR
ARTIST/CURATOR STATEMENT:
I am a mixed media artist who primarily uses textiles in my work. Though contemporary in every sense, the work I do references traditional “women’s work,” slowly built up, mostly by hand, with a needle, using gentle materials – fabrics, thread, floss – in addition to more modern edgier ones such as Tyvek, metals and found objects. My work is detailed, often with reflective surfaces and tiny, rich elements, and does not always neatly fit typical categories but includes collage and heavily worked or embroidered surfaces as well as art quilts and weaving. I choose from myriad techniques, whatever works to express my vision.
I love the process of making, but my work is always idea driven. I work in series so that I can pursue themes of importance to me. The 15,000-55,000 year-old cave paintings of northern Spain, southern France and Australia are the subject of one such series. Pomegranates, which represent fecundity and come in the most amazing colors, create an additional one. A series of about industrial detritus is made of fabrics, rusty metal and random “junk” which sparkles and intrigues. Early human mark-making is an ever-present theme. My series Fierce Winds explores the excitement and terror of searing winds which have been exacerbated by sudden climate change. And Confluence, a show I curated and sent to six venues over three years, considers aspects of water: its beauty, scarcity and impact. My work in Confluence deals with the Pacific Gyre and was comprised of household plastics and other discards.
In 2019, I completed a 3-part series called Incarceration. It explores issues of imprisonment and is based in part on a visit to Alcatraz and study of a WWII POW camp in Hereford, TX, which led to the artistic development of Arturo Burri. There are 9 quilts, 17 “cells” on stretcher bars, and a dozen 6” square embroideries called the Keys. A new collaboration (Bent Needle Collective) is in the works as is a new series examining the relationship between degradation and hope.
Subsequently, I made a series of 17 figures which range in height from 1' - 7'. Wounded Sentinels are forest guardians doing their best to protect us from the ravages of climate change and the devastating fires that it has lead to. During the pandemic I created 2 new series. The first was of small, colorful but quite small embroideries called MINIMS. The second was Pendules. These are big, bold multi-part pieces in 3D. They are wall-hung but can be viewed from various angles and their shadows are an essential aspect of the work.
My curatorial approach is to collect the very best work on a clear theme and present a “ready to hang” exhibition. These exhibits are designed to meet the stated mission of the exhibiting venue and I work closely with the exhibition department. I have done a great deal of publicity and bring that to the shows I curate. I have been the co-chair of PR for the Art Cloth Network for well over a decade.
The objective of my artwork is to awaken the mind of the viewer by means of visual seduction.
BACKGROUND/EDUCATION:
1968 B.A. Costume Design, University of Hawaii
1973 M.A. Deaf Education, California State University, Northridge
1989 M.A. Linguistics, California State University, Long Beach
1972-1976 Taught the Deaf for Los Angeles County Special Education
1977-2006 Taught the Deaf and ESL at El Camino College, Torrance, CA
1965-85 Designed and built costumes for Shakespeare Festivals,
university and community theatres
1980-1984 Producer and Artistic Director of Music in Motion, a sign
language theatre troupe which performed extensively
throughout California
2001-2006 Established and was president of Yellow Fox Foundation,
which made grants internationally to artists and humanitarians.
2006-present Full-time studio artist, exhibit curator and art teacher
EXHIBITIONS CURATED BY THE ARTIST:
Into the 3rd Dimension (Solo), Alpert Jewish Community Center, Long Beach, CA 2023
Incarceration (Solo), Alpert Jewish Community Center, Long Beach, CA 2020
Bent Needle Collective, Out of Darkness, Pacific NW Quilt and Fiber Art Museum, WA 2019
Chroma (Solo), permanent installation School on Wheels HQ, Los Angeles, CA 2018
Abstraction (Solo), Mission Viejo Civic Center, Mission Viejo, CA, 2018
Elemental (Solo), Branch Gallery, Inglewood, CA 2017
From the Streets to the Skies (Quilts on the Wall), Branch Gallery, Inglewood, CA 2017
Deborah Weir (Solo), Hagafen Winery, Napa, CA 2016-17
Deborah Weir (Solo), Alpert Jewish Community Center, Long Beach, CA 2016
Confluence, Palos Verdes Art Center, CA, 2013; International Textile Art, Paterson, NJ 2013; Temporary Contemporary Gallery, Sacramento, CA 2014; Savoir Faire, Redondo Beach, CA 2015; New England Quilt Museum, Lowell, MA, 2016
Fiber Forward, PV Art Center, Palos Verdes, CA 2013
Quilts on the Wall at the Hangar, Santa Monica, CA 2012
Deborah Weir (Solo), Hangar Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, 2011
Three Perspectives, Performing Arts Center, Redondo Beach, CA, 2010
Deborah Weir: Textiles, (Solo), C1D Gallery, Long Beach, CA, 2008
Deborah Weir: A Career (Solo), STRS Gallery, Sacramento, CA, 2007
SELECTED JURIED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2022
FiberArts Now Excellence in Quilts
Australia Wide 8 (OzQuilt Network) touring through 2024
Threads of Inspiration (SAQA regional)
Advocacy Project Collaboration with Bangladeshi embroiderers
Visions Museum of Textile Art 2022
Forever Changed (SAQA Regional)
Open Space (ACN exhibit) Austin Airport, TX
2021
Textile Arts LA online exhibit https://www.instagram.com/p/CMHuBiuFTNX
Visions Members online https://visionsartmuseum.org/member-challenge-exhibition/
The Language of Fiber Art, Fiber Artists of San Antonio, TX
Sister Artists Collaboration with Ghanaian embroiderers, Textile Museum, Washington DC
2020
Southern California Contemporary Quilts, Oceanside, CA
Quilt Visions 2020
No Limits, SAQA's first online gallery
Sister Artists Collaboration with Mali embroiderers, Textile Museum, Washington DC
Keeping the Faith, Paso Robles, CA
Full Circle, Art Cloth Network through 2021
2019
Shifting Tides: Convergence in Cloth, SAQA, touring all 7 Pacific-adjacent states
South African Annual Quilt Festival, Fourways, Santon, South Africa
Elements, Marin Artists Gallery, San Rafael, CA
Australia Wide Six, touring Australia
The Space Between, Art Cloth Network through 2021
2018
Smolder, Material View, Miami International Airport, Miami, FL
2017
ArtQuilt Australia 2017, Tasmania, AU
Strings Attached, Coastline College, Newport Beach, CA
Evolutions, Rocky Mt. Quilt Museum, Golden, CO
Unbound, Art Cloth Network through 2020
2016
Gyre#11, Water is Life, UNHQ Geneva, Kean U. Human Rights Gallery, through-2019
2015
International FiberArts VII, Sebastopol, CA, through 2016
National Fiber Directions, Wichita, KS, 2015, 2013, 2009
Climate Crisis: Solutions, Water Street Studios, Batavia, Il
Cosmos, Imagining the Universe, AnnMarie Arts Center, Dowell, MD
Textiel Festival, Leiden, The Netherlands
2014
Australia Wide 4, touring throughout Australia, through 2016
Opening Exhibit, San Fernando Valley Arts Alliance
Art Quilts Celebrating 25 Years QSDS, Ross Art Museum, Columbus, OH
Infinity Art Gallery Fiber Arts (online)
Material View, Art Cloth Network through 2017
2013
Dreams from the Old Testament, Tychman Shapiro Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Confluence, New England Quilt Museum, Lowell, MA; Savoir Faire, Redondo Beach, CA; TempContemporary Gallery, Sacramento, CA; International Textile Art, Paterson, NJ; Palos Verdes Art Center, Palos Verdes, CA through 2016
ArtRageous Quilts, Chandler Center for Arts, Chandler, AZ, and 2012
Art Quilt Australia, People, Place, Nation, Canberra, Australia through 2016
Interpretations, Art Cloth Network, toured US through 2016
Page Turner, SomeThings Looming Gallery, Reading, PA
2012
Quilt Festival, PNW Quilt and Textile Museum, La Conner, WA
American Archeological Society Meeting, San Diego, CA
Interpretations, Art Cloth Network through 2015
2011
SAQA Regional, Front Porch Gallery, Carlsbad, CA
Beyond the Line, Art Cloth Network through 2014
2010
Innovations in Fiber Art V, Merit Award: Innovations, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, CA
Korean/American Joomchi, Cheongju Craft Museum, South Korea through 2011
Art of the Stitch, Visions Gallery, San Diego, CA
Frontiers Where Art Meets Science, SAQA US, England, France through 2011
Uncommon Threads, American Jewish University, Los Angeles, CA through 2012
2009
Contemporary Quilts, The Muckenthaler, Fullerton, CA
Eye of the Quilter, International Quilt Festival, Houston, TX
Art Quilts Lowell, Lowell, MA
Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, England
Nothing New, Textile Center, Minneapolis, MN
National Fiber Directions, Wichita, KS, 2009. 2013, 2015
Fibrations, SAQA, toured US through 2010
A Sense of Humor, “That’s Amore” featured in event catalog, SAQA, toured US through 2010
All Media show at the Palos Verdes Art Center, invited docent, Palo Verdes, CA
2008
Shoreline Stitchers Showcase, “Best in Contemporary Embroidery” Palos Verdes, CA, 2008
National Small Art Quilt Works, Main Street Gallery, Groton, NY, 2008, 2009, 2010
West Coast Wonders (International Quilt Festival, Inc.), through 2009
A Sense of Time (Studio Art Quilt Associates), through 2009
Countdown to Peace, Ayden, NC, 2008– End of War
A Sense of Time, SAQA, toured US through 2010
National Small Art Quilts, Main St. Gallery, Groton, NY, 2008, 2009, 2010
2007 (and earlier)
Kaiser Hospital, Panorama City, CA (permanent collection), 2007
Handweavers’ Guild of America’s Convergence, 1997, 2000, 2007, 2008
PIQF, Santa Clara, CA, 1997, 2003, 2009, 2011, 2015
Quilts on the Wall touring exhibits, 2003-2019
RECOGNITION in Print and Online:
2022 FIRST PLACE PRIZE Excellent in Quilts from Fiber Art Now
2021 Textile FibreForum Sept. ’21 Feature Article
2021 Into the Third Dimension: 75 minute Zoom presentation (Quilts on the Wall; SAQA; Open Invitation)
2021 Art Quilting Studio (Winter) feature article
2020 Fibre Arts Australia feature https://www.flipsnack.com/fibreartsnewsletter/fibre-arts-australia-x9qdseapma.html
2020 Create Whimsy feature https://createwhimsy.com/projects/spotlight-deborah-weir-fiber-artist/
2019 Cover of the Art Cloth Network catalog for Unbound
2019 Art Quilting Studio (Summer) feature article
2019 https://theweavingworkshop.com/2019/01/31/deborah-weir-awakening-the-mind/
2018 DownUnderTextiles (Australia) article
2015 Consultant on The Banquet of Donny and Ari, scenes from the opera, by poet Naomi Guttman. Brick Books Press.
REPRESENTED by Kathy's Gallery 4433 Sepulveda Bl. Torrance, CA 90505 (1)310 792-4838
TEACHES a wide variety of art techniques at FiberFly Studios in the Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA.
Contact at FiberFly@icloud.com
AFFILIATIONS:
Art Cloth Network, 2010-present (publicity co-chair)
Bent Needle Collective
OzQuilt Network Australia 2011- present
Quilts on the Wall, 2002-present
San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles 2011-present
Studio Art Quilt Associates, 2002-present
Surface Design Association, 2002-present (So.CA and HI regional rep, 2010)
Textile Arts Los Angeles 2017-present
Visions Museum of Textile Art, 2006-present