Dirty Dozen Exhibit in Cape Canaveral, FL

Y’all, I am SO fortunate to be part of the Dirty Dozen Fiber Artists. This group of women is not only artistically talented, but great friends! What a blessing to each of us.

Here’s most of the gang viewing our current exhibit. Can you tell we’re having fun?

L-R: Linda Geiger, Ruth Anne Parker, Gabrielle DiTota, Perlie Petrillo, Sandy Shenker, Ellen Lindner, Kathryn Robinson, Dij Pacarro, and Anne Kobus. Not shown: Jill Brown, Andrea Luliak, and Becky Stack

Our group is mostly about making art, but we also like to occasionally display our work. Right now, we have 19 pieces in an exhibit called Fiber Arts: An Ancient Local Tradition. The oldest textiles in the world have been found at an archaeological site in our county so this exhibit was curated to honor that. It’s on display at The Cape Center, in Cape Canaveral, FL. It’s a very nice venue, with most of the artwork well lit. Visiting is free and it will be up through October.

Here are just a few of the wonderful pieces on display.

Gabriele DiTota’s huge banana leaf is the largest piece in the exhibit. To make it she printed an actual banana leaf with cyanotype. The title is No Bananas Today. It was made during the pandemic, when many things were out of stock at the grocery store. She has text on the piece listing several other things that were also hard to find.

Gabriele DiTota with her piece, “No Bananas Today.”

The Cape Center was specifically looking for pieces with a local or environmental message for this exhibit, so Sandy Shenker’s piece about Red Mangroves fit right in. The title is Keystone, reflecting the importance of these plants in the ecosystem of our local river/lagoon. Can you see those BIG roots?

“Keystone” by Sandy Shenker

Anne Kobus created this wonderful quilt, Sunward.

” Sunward” by Anne Kobus

Andrea Luliak made this triptych featuring the life of a sunflower. She calls it Life Cycle.

“Life Cycle”by Andrea Luliak

“Salty Air and Sunshine” was made by Kathryn Robinson. It include sheer fabrics, computer printed ones, and hand stitching.

“Salty Air and Sunshine” by Kathryn Robinson

Hanging high, in the most prominent corner, are 3D fish made by Joan Engel. Part of an earlier work about the plight of fish in polluted water, all of these live in our local river/lagoon. Now displayed independently, they make great shadows on the wall.

*By Joan Engel

I hope you get to see these great pieces for yourself!

Ellen Lindner