A Common Thread

by | Mar 23, 2012

A Common Thread: Textile Artists Anne Eckley and Ann Matlock at the Museum of the Big Bend:

Join the Museum of the Big Bend at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, as it showcases the fiber art creations of textile artists, Anne Eckley and Ann Matlock. Opening on May 15 the exhibit will feature the free motion embroidery work of Anne Eckley along with the weavings and watercolors of Ann Matlock. An evening opening reception will be held on June 8 from 6 to 8 pm at the museum. Works will be available for sale and a percentage of each sale will benefit the Museum of the Big Bend. A Gallery Talk is scheduled for the following morning from 10am to 12 noon featuring both artists at the museum. Tickets are $15 per person and seating is limited.

20120324-003044.jpgAnne Eckley is a native of Oklahoma, but came to Texas over forty years ago. She received her BA and MA from the University of Oklahoma and a MA in Education from Central State University. She has worked with jewelry, sculpture, ceramics and paintings, but found her voice when she began to paint with a sewing machine. Initially she created wearable art and then moved to thread paintings. Anne sketches the design on canvas, over paints with acrylic paint and using free motion machine stitches, covers the canvas with thousand of stitches. Her works are exhibited across the United States, France, Mexico and Switzerland.

20120324-003118.jpgAnn Matlock was born and raised in Texas. She received her BFA in Painting and Photography and an MFA in Art Education from the University of Texas, Austin. Ann is a Professor at Lamar University, Beaumont, where she teaches Fibers, Art Education and Design. She has been weaving since 1969 and hand spins and hand dyes most of her yarns. Her weavings combine traditional tapestry techniques with brocade stitches that she has developed. Ann also creates watercolors painted on location, which are the basis for many of her weavings. Her works are exhibited across the United States and are in corporate, public and private collections.

The Museum of the Big Bend is open Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 5pm and Sunday 1 to 5pm. Parking and admission is free, but donations are always welcome. For more information about this exhibit and how to purchase tickets to the Gallery Talk, please contact Mary Bones at 432-837-8734 or by email at .