Student Work at College of the Atlantic

Exhibit features weavings of seven fibers, photos of the hands of ten artisans

"Working Hands" by Hannah Stevens

College of the Atlantic’s spring series of senior work continues with “Working Hands,” a show focusing on the artistry of the hand. The exhibit combines the efforts of Becky Wartell of Portland, ME and Hannah Stevens of Canton, NY. Wartell is a weaver and all-around craftsperson. Stevens is a photographer who has spent the term photographing craftspeople in the highly artistic region in upstate New York where she was raised, known as The North Country.

Wartell’s project involves seven different items each woven with one of seven different fibers: animal fibers of wool and silk; plant fibers of cotton, linen and hemp; and two cellulose fibers (plant fibers that require heavy processing): bamboo and tencel. Her exhibit includes the graduation dress she made from silk she wove, a bamboo skirt, a woolen blanket and some cotton plaid fabric. At the reception, the runner on the food table will be made of linen woven by Wartell. Also part of the exhibit will be a loom on which gallery visitors can experience weaving. The resulting communal piece of fabric will be turned into a purse that will be sold to raise money for a weaving-related cause.

"Working Hands" by Hannah Stevens

Crafts have captivated Wartell since she was a child, when, she says, “I was obsessed with potholder looms.” She has since gotten much more sophisticated, using techniques such as double weave and designing her own overshot patterns. These are also colorful offerings; most fibers Wartell bought in colors, one piece was hand painted with fabric paints. “My biggest inspiration in my work is colors and how they interact with one another,” she says.

Weaving by Becky Wartell

Stevens was raised in the region known as the North Country of New York State. It is an area filled with craftspeople, among them Stevens’ mother, who makes paper and books. Having spent a lot of time at COA studying photography, Stevens decided to make her final project a tribute to the artists and craftspeople of her region. Her show focuses on the hands and their work.

“It’s a rich community to study people’s hands with a camera,” she says. Her exhibit features 30 photographs of ten individuals. Besides her mother, the artists include a calligrapher, printer, boat builder, knitter, beader, blacksmith and two silversmiths, one of whom weaves strands of silver echoing Native American basketry.

Acrylic Paintings by Haley Schwarz