Ellicottville Library Sculpture Exhibit
Ellicottville Library Sculpture Exhibit
Artisans Kari and James Roslund showcase “Filling the Void”
ELLICOTTVILLE - Collaborative Sculpture by Kari Roslund and her husband, James, is currently featured at the Ellicottville Memorial Library through December 2021, with an exhibit entitled, “Filling the Void: How We Kept Our Minds Occupied and Our Hands Busy During the 2020 COVID Pandemic". This is a fascinating display that honors the natural beauty of wood as well as the artisans’ creative handling of it to make a work of art. The needle-felted elements emphasize the homage to making something beautiful and unique with one’s own hands.
“This series came about from a discussion about the various tactilely engaging practices that many in our communities were learning about or revisiting to fill the void left by canceled social engagement,” said Kari. “Practices such as baking, gardening, traditional arts and crafts were all making a resurgence, as society found or reestablished interests in exploring our own creativity. In renewing this interest, the populace discovered the emotional benefits found in meditative arts; an opportunity to relax and be creative without the pressure of performing.
“Using both wood and wool - our preferred mediums - James and I set out to create a small series of sculptures capturing the restorative power that these activities and practices have had on so many during the COVID Pandemic.”
Kari Roslund discovered her love for fiber arts while raising a small herd of sheep in rural Pennsylvania. Although she received her BA in Studio Art from Lycoming College, she credits her education in fiber to other wool growers and fiber enthusiasts she has met as she moved throughout Pennsylvania and New York.
In 2020 and 2021, Kari was awarded the Individual Artist Decentralization Grant from the New York State Council of the Arts and the New York Foundation for the Arts for two projects that focused on examining regions and communities through sourcing her materials from a specific area. Over the past few years, she has shown in both New York and Pennsylvania, including The Gold Standard of Textile and Fiber Art at the Westbeth Gallery in New York, New York.
Come view Kari and James Roslund’s exhibit now through December at the Ellicottville Memorial Library, 6499 Maples Road. For additional information and library hours, call 716-699-2842.