The annual Fiber Artists of San Antonio 2022 Art Exhibition will be held November 6 through December 9, at the Kelso Art Center, University of Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX. The theme of the exhibit, “50 Years of Fiber Art,” celebrates the organization’s half century history. We call on fiber artists, from our area and across the U.S., to consider each decade since the 1970s as inspiration for their fiber art work. The ‘70s, ‘80s, 90’s, 2000’s, 2010s are included and the decade should be noted on your application.

*DEFINITION OF FIBER, as extracted from Merriam-Webster Dictionary: 1. A thread or structure or object resembling a thread; 2. A slender and greatly elongated natural or synthetic filament) such as wool, cotton, gold, asbestos, glass or rayon) which typically can be spun into yarn; 3. Material made of fibers (includes paper), fabric, plastic or metal fibers, tapestry, art cloth.

This exhibition will be juried by Paula Owen.

Owen, president emerita of Southwest School of Art, began her tenure in1996, following 11 years as the Director of the Visual Arts Center in Richmond, Virginia. Under her leadership the school’s size, scope, and reputation grew significantly, and in 2014 a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree program was added. In 2022 Southwest School of Art and University of Texas at San Antonio announced a merger to create a new and expanded school of art.

Owen has served as curator of numerous exhibits and on national and regional boards and panels, including the Pew Artist Fellowships, the Bush Foundation Fellowships, and the National Endowment for the Arts. She is a published arts writer and co-authored the book, Objects and Meaning: New Perspec5ves on Art and Craft:, published by Scarecrow Press. Most recently, her essay “Fabrication and Encounter: When Content is a Verb,” was published in Maria Elena Buzcek’s book, Extra/Ordinary: Craft and Contemporary Art.

She earned an MFA in painting and printmaking from Virginia Commonwealth University and continues to show her work in group and solo shows throughout the nation.

AWARDS: First Place Award $400, Second Place Award $250, Third Place Award $150, and Member Excellence Award $150. Awards will be made solely by the Juror, Paula Owen, and will be announced at the opening reception, Sunday, November 6, 2022.

Application Requirements

1. The exhibition is open to FASA members and non-members. There are no time restrictions for the art submitted, but we encourage artists to submit new art made within the past 3 years.

2. Artwork must be original, unsold artwork.

3. The artwork must use some portion of fiber, if not entirely made of fiber, as defined above.

5. Art produced in an instructor-guided workshop, or by use of a kit or published pattern is not eligible.

6. Categories of art accepted include: art quilts or framed fiber art, sculptural pieces, vessels/basketry, paper art forms, art-to-wear garments or accessories, art dolls, woven textiles, mixed media work, jewelry and adornment.

7. Size limitations: Artwork cannot exceed 6’ (72") X 5’ (60") dimension, nor weigh more than 15 lbs.

8. The juror is solely responsible for selecting the entries that will be included in the exhibition. The artwork is judged by each art piece entered without reference to the artist’s name.

9. Framed works must be properly wired and ready to hang (no saw-toothed hangers.) Quilts and other fiber wall art must have a 4” sleeve to allow for use of a rod or slat for hanging or an alternative hanging method with instructions and rod or flat slat included.

10. Submit a full image and a detail image for each artwork. Maximum number of pieces is three, minimum is one. Each image should include two photos.

Eligibility Criteria

The exhibition is open to FASA members and non-members residing in the United States. There are no time restrictions for the art submitted, but we encourage artists to submit new art made within the past 3 years.

Each submission should include in the artist statement the decade chosen as inspiration and how that inspiration applies to the work.