The Bennington Arts Guild will host a joint show by members Judith Kniffin and Paula Kautz-LaPorte during September. An opening reception with refreshments will be held on Saturday September 15 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm and is free and open to the public. The Guild’s gallery is at 103 South Street in Bennington, Vt.
North Bennington artist Judith Kniffin’s series of oil paintings are all organized on a single theme – decay. She paints old buildings, rusted metal, discarded glass and paper, as well as organic matter, in all their altered colors and softened shapes. Initially inspired by old rhubarb leaves, which had shriveled, changed color and formed an arresting design on the ground, her work explores the beauty of a generally-ignored part of the life cycle.
Strewn Rhubarb Leaves by Judith Kniffin
Paula Kautz-LaPorte wove six small rugs on her floor loom to create the six carpet- bags in the show. Each purse-sized bag is made of Navajo carpet yarn on linen warp with hand-stitched seams and vintage buttons and beads used as fasteners and decorative accents. She says, “I still use the first carpet bag I made for myself in the 70’s. I made it from lovely upholstery fabric that my Uncle Dick – a master upholsterer – gave me. My current bags are even studier because they are carpet stock.”
Carpet-bags by Paula Kautz-LaPorte
North Bennington artist Judith Kniffin’s series of oil paintings are all organized on a single theme – decay. She paints old buildings, rusted metal, discarded glass and paper, as well as organic matter, in all their altered colors and softened shapes. Initially inspired by old rhubarb leaves, which had shriveled, changed color and formed an arresting design on the ground, her work explores the beauty of a generally-ignored part of the life cycle.
Beautiful work–You draw me into down town yet again! Thank you!
Wish I could be there. My sister Paula makes me very proud again. She is so talented in many art forms.