Diane Wright is a well-traveled woman who spent her teens on one continent, lived part of her adult life on another continent and then returned to the U.S (on yet a third continent). She is an art collector and a studio art quilter. She’s been involved in the arts in one form or the other since she was very young. In the 1990s she represented the artworks of Aboriginal artists in the United States. And now she represents the interests of art quilters as a board member of SAQA.
Diane and I got together to talk about creative ways to display textile art. In the first part of our interview, we talked about conventional spaces and conventional ways to show off textile art. Diane’s advice on unconventional ways to display textile is this.
Some Unconventional & Creative Ways
“Not all artwork need to be hanging on walls. For pieces that are translucent, I think you will want to figure out a way to hang them from the ceiling so that you can see through them. Attach the hanging device to the ceiling, let the artwork drape from the ceiling, hang again then fall so you can see the transparencies at different light angles. I think that might show off the work really well.”
Diane and I also talked about what effect the size of your artwork has on your display options. On whether to treat small art pieces differently from large pieces, Diane says:
“I think small pieces framed, elevate their value and perception. For large pieces, you’ll need to consider their weight and ensure they don’t bow. Hang large pieces on three points – additional point in the center – rather than only on the two ends.”
More Unconventional & Creative Ways
Some other unconventional ways to display textile art include using decorative hangers. Diane uses Vietnamese textile hangers (as shown in the photo above) that can be found at Ten Thousand Villages. She says,
“I think part of it is if you are selective about what kind of hanging devices you use, these [from ten thousand villages] are simple to use and decorative as well”.
One thing is for sure: Whether displayed in residential or commercial spaces, textile art literally changes a space from clinical to homey. And Diane has given us lots of options for displaying them; -both conventional and creative ways.
And here’s my personal advice: Stay in touch with the artist who created the artwork in your collection. When in doubt ask for help and ideas from the artist. Most will be pleased to offer their knowledge or come install the piece for you if it’s feasible.
Finally, remember you don’t have to stick to just hanging your piece over your couch. Home offices, stairwells (to absorb sounds), ceilings, and ‘cold spaces’, are all unconventional and creative ways and spaces to display textile art.
I hope you have enjoyed my interview with Diane Wright as I did. Share your thoughts and comments about creative ways to display textile art below. I look forward to connecting with you in the comments section.
Warmest Regards,
You may also be interested in this: How to Prepare Fiber Art for the Walker Hanging System
Also published on Medium.
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