Sylvia Weir

Fiber Artist & Photographer

Figurative

A photograph of my brother-in-law
taken by his daughter was the
inspiration for this piece. Most men do
not dream of parenthood, tying their
daugher's hair ribbons or carrying
dolls and purses through stores. They
picture themselves tinkering with cars,
playing football, shaving, and having
big muscles. This piece honors all the
men who patiently and proudly carry
their little girl's dolls but are still a
man's man.
A Man at Ease
20 W by 20 T
Private Collection
Background photograph of barn on Crow Farm in Baltimore Ohio April 2007
When the Saints (go Marching in)
42 W by 45 T
$650
When the Saints is one of a series
based on music and a visual artist.
The visual artist was Romare Beardon
an artist based in Harlem and a cousin
of Duke Ellington. The background is a
variation of my grandmother's favorite
pattern, Stairsteps to Heaven. Screen
prints of family photos are also
included. This piece was recently
shown at Sacred Threads 2007
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
20 W by 22 T
$125
This piece honors the memory of
George Harrison who wrote both While
My Guitar Gently Weeps and Here
Comes the Sun.
The background is shibori dyed cotton
corduroy cut in strips and woven. The
figure and pool of tears are from
marbleized fabric. Yellow Seed beads
surround the figure.
For the Children
22 W by 33 T
$300
For the Children is a composite of
several Depression era photographs
by Dorothea Langdon. The
background is a piece of curtain that
hung in my grandmother's living room.
'Sister can you spare a little flour, for
the children' references the common
request of the time 'Brother Can you
spare a dime?'
I use the photographs as reference, do
drawings and then interpret them with
fabric and extensive thread work.
Canning Peaches
40 W by 52 T
$500
Canning Peaches features a
photograph of my mother and her
mother shortly before my mother's
marriage. Mom took care in canning
peaches, placing the halves just so in
the jars while my grandmother
wondered if pretty peaches tasted
better. The background is a simple
four-patch of repro fabric combined
with a dye-painted block of peaches.
Canning jars and the figures are
executed with extensive thread work.
This piece will be featured in a second
book featuring art Quilts collated by
Karey Bresenham of quilts.Inc.
Sweet Land of Liberty
52 W by 40 T
$600
Photos are collaged in fiber over a
background dye-painted to suggest a
flag. The bottom area is organized by
color to suggest the tune of 'My
country 'tis of thee'. Extensive thread
work completes the figures.
Shanghai Ridge
31 W by 20 T
$200
On the family farm in Wisconsin, the
favored place for all family photos was
in front of the windmill. The photos
here are of my grandparents, and my
dad and his sister collaged on top of
depression era fabrics of my
grandmother's It's fun to study family
resemblances by working from those
photos. One of my sons and one of my
brothers are clearly related to my dad
and his father.
Anniversary
30 W by 35 T
$350
A photograph of my parents on their
wedding day is placed over six roses, a
traditional gift from my father. This
piece was completed in honor of their
Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary and was
juried into the Sulky Thread Contest.
Work is for sale as noted
unless otherwise
indicated. Please contact
me to discuss details at
sylvia@sylvia.com
New Figurative Work
is in Honduras Gallery.