Kirsten Hassenfeld, (American, born 1971) Millefleur (detail), 2019, salvaged textiles with mixed media, 78 inches diameter, (c) Kirsten Hassenfeld — Kirsten Hassenfeld, (American, born 1971), Millefleur (detail), 2019.
Salvaged textiles with mixed media. 78 inches diameter. (c) Kirsten Hassenfeld

Kirsten Hassenfeld, (American, born 1971) Millefleur, 2019, salvaged textiles with mixed media, 78 inches diameter, (c) Kirsten Hassenfeld — Kirsten Hassenfeld (American, born 1971), Millefleur, 2019.
Salvaged textiles with mixed media. 78 inches diameter. (c) Kirsten Hassenfeld

Windy Chien (American, born 1967), Circuit Board, 2021. Rope, vintage 24k gold Japanese thread, synthetic Chainette yarn, 58 x 96 x 2.5 in. © Windy Chien. — Windy Chien (American, born 1967), Circuit Board, 2021.
Rope, vintage 24k gold Japanese thread, synthetic Chainette yarn, 58 x 96 x 2.5 in. © Windy Chien.

Windy Chien (American, born 1967), Circuit Board, 2021. Rope, vintage 24k gold Japanese thread, synthetic Chainette yarn, 58 x 96 x 2.5 in. © Windy Chien. — Windy Chien (American, born 1967), Circuit Board (detail), 2021.
Rope, vintage 24k gold Japanese thread, synthetic Chainette yarn, 58 x 96 x 2.5 in. © Windy Chien.

Liz Robb (American, born 1985), Passage II, 2021. Cotton, grout, 84 x 45 x 19 in. © Liz Robb. — Liz Robb (American, born 1985), Passage II, 2021.
Cotton, grout, 84 x 45 x 19 in. © Liz Robb.

Lisa Solomon (American, born 1973), Senninbari [1000 stitch knot belt] (detail), 2016. Hand-dyed & tied cotton rope, 122 x 299 x 4 in. Courtesy of Walter Maciel Gallery, Los Angeles, CA. © Lisa Solomon. — Lisa Solomon (American, born 1973), Senninbari [1000 stitch knot belt] (detail), 2016.
Hand-dyed & tied cotton rope, 122 x 299 x 4 in. Courtesy of Walter Maciel Gallery, Los Angeles, CA. © Lisa Solomon.

Kira Dominguez Hultgren (American, born 1980), At Least Both Your Parents are Brown, 2020. Brown yarn, silk, leather, fleece, felt, belts, fabric, wood, 82 x 77 x 3 in. Courtesy of Eleanor Harwood Gallery, San Francisco, CA. © Kira Dominguez Hultgren. — Kira Dominguez Hultgren (American, born 1980), At Least Both Your Parents are Brown, 2020.
Brown yarn, silk, leather, fleece, felt, belts, fabric, wood, 82 x 77 x 3 in. Courtesy of Eleanor Harwood Gallery, San Francisco, CA. © Kira Dominguez Hultgren.

Jacqueline Surdell (American, born 1993), Orange 2, 2018. Braided cotton cord, steel curl bar. 104 x 59 x 15 in. Courtesy of Patricia Sweetow Gallery, San Francisco, CA. © Jacqueline Surdell. — Jacqueline Surdell (American, born 1993), Orange 2, 2018.
Braided cotton cord, steel curl bar. 104 x 59 x 15 in. Courtesy of Patricia Sweetow Gallery, San Francisco, CA. © Jacqueline Surdell.

Dana Hemenway (American, born 1982), Untitled (extension cords – four blue), 2021. Extension cords, light bulbs, wood, mixed media, 81 x 24 x 14 in. Courtesy of Eleanor Harwood Gallery, San Francisco, CA. © Dana Hemenway. — Dana Hemenway (American, born 1982), Untitled (extension cords – four blue), 2021.
Extension cords, light bulbs, wood, mixed media, 81 x 24 x 14 in. Courtesy of Eleanor Harwood Gallery, San Francisco, CA. © Dana Hemenway.

A Beautiful Mess: Weavers & Knotters of the Vanguard

February 25 - June 25, 2023

From micro artworks the size of your hand to mammoth room-sized installations, the national roster of women artists in A Beautiful Mess push the boundaries of their textile-based medium. Using rope, yarn, clay and wire, this group of conceptual artists knot and twist their media into sculptures that range from minimal and hyper-organized to utter pandemonium. They explore personal and political ideals — order and chaos to the extreme — and freely break the rules to create their beautiful artworks. Serious about making a strong cultural and intellectual impact, this group deftly weaves their message into works that demonstrate extraordinary technical skill.

Artists include: Windy Chien, Kira Dominguez Hultgren, Kirsten Hassenfeld, Dana Hemenway, dani lopez, Hannah Perrine Mode, Liz Robb, Katrina Sánchez Standfield, Meghan Shimek, Lisa Solomon, and Jacqueline Surdell.

A Beautiful Mess: Weavers & Knotters of the Vanguard was organized by Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek, CA.

This exhibition is made possible, in part, with generous support from:

Platinum Sponsors
Shari and John Hicks

Silver Sponsors
Isabel Becker
Gerald and Sondra Biller
Keith Monda and Veronica Brady

Programs

Virginia Shearer in front of Christian Sampson "Vita in Motu" at Sarasota Art Museum

Director’s Tour – March 2027

Monday, March 29, 2027 | 1 pm

Lacie Barbour

Curator’s Tour – April 2027

Monday, April 5, 2027 | 1 pm

Virginia Shearer in front of Christian Sampson "Vita in Motu" at Sarasota Art Museum

Director’s Tour – April 2027

Monday, April 26, 2027 | 1 pm

Lacie Barbour

Curator’s Tour – May 2027

Monday, May 3, 2027 | 1 pm

Magnifying glasses hanging with vellum pieces of paper

Sarasota Art Museum presents immersive solo exhibition asking visitors to investigate profound questions about life, change and permanent impermanence

Opening October 18, 2026, Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design will debut “Eszter Sziksz: Seeking, I Don’t Know What I’m Looking For (And I Hope I Never Find It).”

Woman at a pool club posing with two men playing pool in the background

Sarasota Art Museum to present exhibition showcasing iconic works by 20th-century photography titans

Photographs are, as the theorist Roland Barthes wrote, “certificates of presence,” verification that a moment, a person or a place existed. From the adoration of a loved one or the wonder felt before nature to the hardship of labor or the devastation of war, photographs can be imprinted with the totality of human experiences.