Sounds fab-ulous
A contrast in expressions, materials and function will make a dramatic impression when Central Oregon-based artists Linda Gettmann and Charlene Virts bring their soft, dreamy scarves, sturdy saddle blankets, intricately curved pine needle basket sculptures and more to the Lincoln City Fiber Arts Studio Gallery.
The show opens this Friday, Feb. 25 with an in-person reception at 5 pm and runs through April 24.
Virts is a weaver of wall hangings and creator of colorful hand-painted scarves and natural dyed saddle blankets.
In basketry, she creates one-of-a-kind sculptures using Ponderosa pine needles collected near her home. The needles coiling around sagebrush and juniper branches collected in the aftermath of fires is the center element of the work.
During 40 years working in fiber-related arts, Virts has made her home in several places in the West: the high desert of Northeastern Nevada, the Sonoma Valley wine country and now, Central Oregon.
Her work has been shown in Nevada at the Northeastern Nevada Museum and the Common Thread traveling show and in Oregon at the High Desert Museum in Bend. Currently, her work is shown at the Artist Gallery in Sunriver.
She is captivated by the beauty and tradition of functional craft and artwork rooted in each region and loves how cultures throughout time have made functional items beautiful.
Gettmann is a veteran crafter who escaped from the financial services industry to have more time for her passions: weaving and knitting. She enjoys designing and weaving all types of items with a focus on function and beauty: cotton towels, table runners, silk and tencel scarves, wool and rayon shawls and quilted placemats.
An avid fiber nut, Gettmann taught weaving at many fiber festivals, regional guilds and yarn stores throughout the past 15 years. She belongs to the Central Oregon Spinners and Weavers Guild and Portland Handweavers Guild. She sells her creations at local art fairs and boutiques under the name Fiber Art Designs. Since 2013, her woven designs have often been featured in Handwoven Magazine.
The Fiber Arts Studio Gallery is located inside the Lincoln City Cultural Center at 540 NE Hwy. 101 and is open from 10 am to 4 pm, Thursday through Sunday. For more information, go to lincolncity-cultural center.org.