Featured Artist

Silo Gallery presents “Thread and Canvas” on November 16

By Published On: October 7th, 2024

Silo Gallery in Middleburgh, NY, presents “Thread and Canvas,” in collaboration with artist Clare Watt, on November 16. Silo Gallery is housed in a 19th-century barn nestled in Upstate New York, a “region where quilting has been a long-standing tradition and cultural staple.” 

“Thread and Canvas” is Silo Gallery’s fifth exhibition and was curated in collaboration with Clare Watt, an artist based out of Lakeville, CT. “Drawing inspiration from the 1983 exhibition ‘The Artist and the Quilt,’” this show features the work of Lydia Donohue, Liv Ryan, and Clare Watt and celebrates “the intersection of fine art and textile traditions.” 

About the artists 

At the exhibition, artist Lydia Donohue will present “Piece II,” a cyanotype quilt incorporation flora from Northwest England. Also prevalent throughout is cowrie shells, a symbol of mending and fertility, and shades of blue reflect cosmic and domestic themes. 

“Threading together anthropology and craft, my work uses textiles to explore the often overlooked and underappreciated world of women’s work – positioning craft communities as central for a renewed recognition of the intimate relationship between body and cloth,” Donohue’s website states. “I shape fabric pieces by combining textural porous surfaces with temporal alternative photography. I see my work as a love letter to the long-stitched biography of lives spent bent over cloth, revering their experience whilst reimagining and interlacing my own.” 

Keeping in theme with sustainable design, Liv Ryan will present “Swatch Patchwork,” a tapestry created from discarded fabric swatches. Ryan is a Brooklyn-born and based artist who primarily focuses on clothing design. Her “knowledge of art, architecture, and cooking has played a major role in the investigation of sculptural shapes, structure, and subtle texture.” She produces locally in Brooklyn, NY, using sustainable, eco-friendly fabrics and dyes. 

Lakeville, CT, based artist Clare Watt will present “Unearthed,” a collage made from repurposed canvas scraps. “Her process transforms remnants of past works into new creations, celebrating resilience and reinvention.” 

“My practice explores the relationship between art and design. My work is inspired by the philosophy of Bruno Munari, who believed that design is an art form in its own right,” Watt explained in an interview with VoyageLA. “Following in his footsteps, I approach my work with a creative and experimental mindset, seeking to push the boundaries of what is traditionally considered ‘design.’ I work specifically in collage and paint, using a range of 1970s architecture, design, and art magazines to produce my work.

The exhibit will run from November 16 to 17 and will kick off with an opening reception on Saturday, November 16, from 2-5pm. Contact Clare Watt with any inquiries cwatt20@gmail.com

Silo Gallery
235 Kelsey Hill Road
Middleburgh, NY 12122 

By Lydia Donohue