Elizabeth Whyte Schulze – 31 Years of Vessels

Congratulations to NBO member Elizabeth Whyte Schulze on her remarkable accomplishment, and the exhibition just opened at the Mobilia Gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The exhibition displays over 70 vessels Elizabeth Whyte Schulze created throughout her career of over 30 years, on view through September 2, 2023.
Schulze creates vessels inspired by her travels throughout the world: Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Peru, and France. She is particularly interested in indigenous textiles and basketry as well as petroglyph and archaeological sites.
“I create basket sculptures with pine needles and raffia. I often adhere a thin skin of Japanese handmade paper to the basket. The paper veneer allows me to paint and mark the nubby surface with reflections on my travels. I layer images by intersecting and overlapping figure, design and text and bring figures to life as they run, walk and fly across the basket.” – Elizabeth Whyte Schulze
More information at Mobilia Gallery.
NBO PRESENTS: TEXTILE TALK – Art Evolved: Intertwined

Art Evolved: Intertwined is a collaboration between SAQA Global Exhibitions and the National Basketry Organization. This exhibition is the first of its kind, featuring the best in art quilts and basketry. For this Textile Talk, we’re joined by Pam Morton, NBO Executive Director, and Martha Sielman, SAQA Executive Director. They will discuss the collaborative process of creating the exhibition. We’ll also feature two exhibiting artists: fiber artist Irene Roderick and NBO member and basket maker Cael Chappell.
Textile Talks are ALWAYS free and open to everyone. They are presented by Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA), Quilt Alliance, International Quilt Museum, and Surface Design Association.
Free online event: Tuesday, June 28th at 2PM Eastern Daylight Time.
Information and registration link: Textile Talk – Art Evolved: Intertwined
Peggy Wiedemann in “Accessories”

NBO member Peggy Wiedemann is featured in this exhibition that features artwork of accessories: bags, shoes, jewelry, hats, belts, eyewear, scarves. purses, man-purses, backpacks, etc. Jurors Andrea Caron and Amy Smith defined “accessory” as “an object or device that is not essential in itself but which can be added to something else in order to make it more useful, versatile, or attractive.” The exhibition runs through May 7th at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts.
Information at Sebastopol Center for the Arts
Sarita Westrup – “The Tension of Connection”

NBO 2023 Conference Instructor Sarita Westrup was recently featured in an interview with Glasstire, Texas Visual Art. In 2022, Arts Fort Worth announced its new Emerging Artist Residency Program. The program provides one artist with a non-residential studio space at the arts center for 12 months, a monthly stipend for materials, and arranged studio visits with established local artists and arts professionals. The program culminates in a solo exhibition. NBO member and North Texas-based artist Sarita Westrup was selected as the inaugural participant in the program. The work she created during the residency is now on view in her solo exhibition, The Tension of Connection.
Enjoy reading the full interview with Sarita at Glasstire, Texas Visual Art.
Shown above: Movement III by Sarita Westrup
Below: Connection by Sarita Westrup
Ed Eugene Carriere (Suquamish) Named 2023 NEA National Heritage Fellow

Congratulations to Ed Eugene Carriere (Suquamish) for being named a 2023 National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellow.
“For more than 40 years, the NEA has annually presented these lifetime honors in recognition of the diverse cultural traditions that comprise our nation and the individuals whose dedication and artistry contribute to their preservation and growth. Each fellowship includes a $25,000 award. Fellowship recipients are nominated by the public, often by members of their own communities, and then judged by a panel of experts in the folk and traditional arts. The panel’s recommendations are reviewed by the National Council on the Arts, which sends its recommendations to the chair of the NEA, who makes the final decision.”
The Fall 2019 issue of the NBO magazine features Ed and Dr. Dale Croes in “Generationally Linked Archaeology: The Study Of Ancient Salish Sea Basketry” by Carrie Anne Vanderhoop. The featurer details how Ed was taught basket weaving by his grandmother. “In those days, you didn’t dare ask questions, you just had to watch and learn,” Carriere explained. He would gather weaving material for his grandmother—cedar limbs, bark, and roots. “If they weren’t good enough I’d find them thrown in the backyard and that’s how I learned what to look for.”
Enjoy reading the entire article by clicking on the image below:
More on Ed and the award at National Endowment for the Arts – National Heritage Fellow
Spotlight: Paula Gron, Fiber Artist

NBO Member Paula Gron is a featured artist on the Create Whimsy blog.
“Always an artist, Paula Gron has evolved from creating sculptural baskets to designing and constructing 3D fiber art. Inspired by nature, she explores life-giving seeds and pods. Her experience in painting, weaving, sewing and fabric manipulation gives her the technical skills to create these amazing art pieces.” Read the full interview at Create Whimsy
Barbara Shapiro in “The Color of Water”

NBO member Barbara Shapiro has had a piece selected for “The Color of Water,” an exhibit at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts in Sebastopol, California. Her work, Troubled Water is made of hexagonally plaited sedori cane globe that supports a swirl of soiled papers and cloth with a pool of debris inside the globe as well. The exhibition opening reception is February 11, 2 to 4 PM. The exhibit will run through March 26, 2023.
More at Sebastopol Center for the Arts.
Elizabeth Runyon in “From Lausanne to Beijing”

Congratulations to NBO member Elizabeth Runyon, who has had 3 of her woven sculptures juried into the the 11th “From Lausanne to Beijing International Fiber Art Biennale”. Runyon was invited to submit three works in conjunction with this year’s theme, “Space–The Dimension of Fiber”. Her artworks included were “Greed,” (shown above),”Gluttony” and “Dancing on Three Legs.” The exhibition is jointly hosted by the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University and the China National Arts and Crafts Society. Over 300 works of fiber art by artists from five continents are featured in this Biennale. The exhibition will be available for online viewing to audiences across the globe through Feb 16, 2023.
“With the pandemic spreading, no time in recent years has ever been as full of instability as the present. Lin Lecheng, head curator of the exhibition, said of this year’s Biennale: “Fortune rewarded artists’ passion, providing an opportunity to hold this exhibition in this challenging year and once again proving art’s indomitable vitality.” The Biennale pursues the intrinsic nature of fiber while also exploring a new format: The virtual exhibition. The virtual exhibition hall revolutionized the relationship between fiber and space, making it possible to experience art from anywhere in the world. By the “2.5D” virtual venue, audiences were provided with all-new perspectives and experiences.”
Polly Sutton and Gail Tremblay are SOLA Award Recipients

Congratulations to Polly Sutton and Gail Tremblay on their 2022 SOLA Awards!
Founded in 2016 by Seattle artist Ginny Ruffner, the SOLA Awards… Read More
Kadey Ambrose and Sarita Westrup Chosen for ACC Emerging Artists Cohort

Those familiar with NBO online programs and member exhibits will know the names of these two artists recently selected to be designated among the 2022 American Craft Council Emerging Artists Cohort.
“Through facilitated workshops, presentations, and conversations, these artists will gain a deeper understanding of the professional skills and opportunities that will help them diversify income streams and thrive in their chosen careers. Participating artists will connect with established industry leaders from a variety of craft sectors including gallerists, curators, marketplace artists, exhibiting artists, social practice artists, designers, and more. After the three-month program is complete, all participating artists will receive an incubator grant of $10,000 to help propel them to the next level of their profession.”