Artistry in Textiles

“Fractured,” an exhibit by acclaimed textile artists Lynn Pollard and Karen Tunnell, is open through Jan. 22 at the Ventulett Gallery on the Holy Innocents’ campus.

In the exhibit, Tunnell and Pollard have used two of the most traditional art forms—dyeing and quilting—­to produce sophisticated contemporary work. The pieces reflect Pollard’s interest in weaving with paper, and Tunnell’s experimentation with the ancient technique of marbling.

“Earlier this year we spent a day together experimenting with her (Pollard’s) papers and my fabrics,” said Tunnell. “We were tearing, cutting, coloring, combining. I was eager to incorporate some of her work with mine into cloth and paper collages.”

The name of the exhibit, “Fractured,” alludes to upheavals in both of the Atlanta artists’ lives. One has dealt with a parent’s illness in recent years, and the other became acutely aware of disastrous problems in the environment.

“The name resonated with both of us,” explained Tunnell. “It’s about the fractures in all our lives.”

In the Ventulett exhibit, Tunnell offers complex images referencing disasters such as oil spills, drought, and even an explosion in the jellyfish population. “Because I have so many concerns for the health of our natural world, I often see suggestions of unnatural disasters,” she explained. “My goal is to create work that is beautiful at first glance but often has an underlying story to tell.”

Pollard wove with cloth for many years and now is working with paper and what she calls the magic of plant-derived indigo dye. The artist has developed her own technique of folding papers, dipping them multiple times into vats of indigo dye, and then moving them in different ways to create images with beauty, depth and complexity.

“I hope these portrayals of ideal landscapes suggest the ecologically sound world that we remember, dream about, and long for,” Pollard said. “I seek to create grace, serenity, and refuge, while searching for a mere mark that resonates deep within us.”

The light-filled Ventulett Gallery is located on the Holy Innocents’ campus, just inside the entrance to Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church at 805 Mt. Vernon Hwy. N.W., Atlanta. The public is welcome to visit the gallery from 9 a.m.­–5 p.m. weekdays, and during service times on weekends.