Wild Webs, Freeform Fiber Art Exhibit

Wild Webs\ Freeform Fiber Art Exhibit\ U.S. Premier of 50-Years of Flower Power & works by Karen Ballard\ Exhibit Dates: October 15-December 4, 2021\ \ ARTfactory\ Gallery Hours: Monday-Saturday (10 am-5 pm) \ 9419 Battle St, Manassas/703-330-2787\ www.VirginiaARTfactory.org/wild-webs\ \ Wild Webs features the freeform fiber art creations of local artist Karen Ballard and the U.S. premier of Prudence Mapstone’s collaborative freeform crochet and knit artwork 50-Years of Flower Power. Freeform fiber art is fiber art that is unrestrained by patterns, techniques, materials, shapes and/or colors. Karen Ballard exhibits a sampling of freeform crochet, beading, and weaving creations, most of which are jewelry pieces. Karen is one of Prudence’s students, and a contributor to 50-Years of Flower Power. \ Prudence Mapstone’s 50-Years of Flower Power is a large (33 feet x 5 feet) collaborative freeform piece created with contributions from more than 200 people, representing 24 countries. 50-Years of Flower Power has been shown throughout Australia and in Hamiton, New Zealand. The artwork was made to commemorate 50 years since the term ‘Flower Power’ was first coined in Berkeley, California, and used as a passive resistance slogan for non-violent protest against the Vietnam War. This ‘flower power’ or ‘hippie’ art style is often recognizable from its simple, graphic, brightly coloured, poster-like designs; and as many flower children sought a return to basics and simple living, crafts had a resurgence, and a distinctive style of no-rules crochet sprang up as a small part of the hippie, grass roots ethos.\ \ About the Artists\ Karen C.K. Ballard is a textile and bead artist, and writer that has lived in Northern Virginia most of her life. Her first art classes were taught by her mother, the local artist: Cecille Kuhnke; and at age 7 her great aunt taught her the basics of crochet. These classes instilled Karen with a lifelong love for textile arts and history. Since then she has