Adrienne Sloane and Alissa Sorenson, Fiber Artists

Adrienne Sloane

Alissa Sorenson

I want to introduce you to these two fabulous fiber artists Adrienne Sloane ( first 2 pictures) and Alissa Sorenson (second 2 pictures)

Adrienne Sloane is one of seven artists from across the country that will present the age-old arts of knitting, weaving, crochet and basketry in unexpectedly unique and eclectic ways during the “Loose Ends: Contemporary Fiber Arts” exhibit to be held in the Lincoln Center Galleries 417 West Magnolia Fort Collins, CO 80521 from Saturday, Sept. 12, through Oct. 23. Whether made from threads, yarns or even modern plastics and wires, rich, colorful fibers form the core of this exhibit. The art pictured here is a very unique and takes a talented artist with a vision to achieve. I have being seeing some fiber artists doing this sculptural knitting using silk-steel yarns and I am very impressed with their efforts, as this yarn is very difficult to work with. Alissa Sorenson (work pictured above) won Juror’s Choice award and a Greater Columbus Arts Council award, the latter for Hungry, at the Ohio State Fair this year. Alissa Sorenson (work pictured above) won Juror’s Choice award and a Greater Columbus Arts Council award, the latter for Hungry, at the Ohio State Fair this year. Alissa also has a number of stunning fiber sculpture on Flickr as well as her site “Three Faces of Fiber Art” check out this talented Ohio artist.

Adrienne Sloane Artist Statement: Knitting shapes have long been defined by the human form. By moving the context of knitting from clothing geometry to sculpture, knitting becomes a medium with a link to a rich and complex fiber tradition that has the power of history behind it. To be able to turn a single strand of yarn into fiber building blocks with form and function, texture and color is also energizingly low tech. Working in what has long been considered a traditional woman’s medium, I aim to an artistic aesthetic informed by traditional craft, art and politics. My work aspires to dissolve the boundaries between craft and art, mindful of the historical context of the medium. I knit to rejoin the frayed and unraveled places around me.

Alissa Sorenson Artist Statement: My work is a conceptual exploration of the psyche, and the dichotomy of the human condition as beings of energy (spirit) and matter. My process is to use knitting as a metaphor for how we live our lives; each stitch represents a choice – an act – and lays the foundation for creating our futures, both individually and collectively. Education: BA Visual Arts – Studio, University of California, San Diego

Lots of Americans seem to think that May 5 is Mexican Independence Day, but that holiday actually falls on Sept. 16.

May 5 is the celebration of the Battle of Puebla, in which the Mexicans defeated the French in 1862. Independence Day marks the beginning of their fight for independence from Spain in 1810. That was the day of what’s known as El Grito de Dolores, or the cry of Dolores, for when the Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang the church bells at his church in Dolores and declared that Mexico should be free from Spanish rule.

They would fight for their freedom until 1821 when they finally gained independence.

Fabulous Classroom has a little of the history and ideas for celebrating the holiday for all age groups. There’s also a link to a good video in that post about the real story of Mexican Independence Day.

Twinkl also has a good tops about the history and different activities, discussion ideas, crafts and foods that can be incorporated into lessons at school or used at home.

I also found a few pins that no longer link to a website but include good information on Mexican Independence Day, including some questions for students to answer based on the reading. You can find more printables and questions for kids from TX Homeschool Mama on Etsy (also available in Spanish).

You can find a lot more paid resources about Mexican Independence Day at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Mexican flag crafts are a fun option for celebrating Mexican Independence Day (though the current iteration of their flag has only been in use since 1968). Kids Activities Blog has a free Mexican flag printable and a few different ideas for decorating it including dot markers and torn tissue paper.

You can also find some great Mexican crafts at Red Ted Art. The post includes all sorts of Mexican inspired projects including Day of the Dead crafts, Frida Kahlo pinatas and upcycled musical instruments. I love the giant paper flowers they shared from Honestly WTF.

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