Interview with Evanston Art Center Faculty Member & Artist: Bryana Bibbs
What inspired you to pursue a path in art?
Thats a good question. I’ve always gravitated towards art. When I was younger I would always paint, collage, or use clay. I always made sure I took art classes in High School and I even had the chance to take a few drawing classes during the summer. It wasn’t until I was in college at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago that I found weaving and loved it.
Has your time during quarantine enabled you to develop any new approaches when creating?
I create everyday. Quarantine really helped me with that. I have a studio space at the Bridgeport Art Center in Chicago, Il and I didn’t know what I was going to create since my floor loom was there. So over quarantine I decided to weave on my 13” x 13” cardboard loom with different materials that I had had in my home like junk mail, chalk, leftover clay, and yarn. I also bought a spinning wheel over quarantine and thats helped me explore different fibers like wool, bast fibers, and other protein fibers.
How does workshops from your “We Were Never Alone Project” bring you motivation and inspire new ideas?
The “We Were Never Alone Project” is new for me. My first workshop will be held at Compound Yellow in Oak Park. I had thought about making a free space for other victims and survivors of domestic violence but I never thought it was the right time. Then when I had read about the rise in domestic violence cases due to the shelter-in-place rules because of COVID, I knew people could possibly benefit from a workshop like this. My hope is that this project will travel to other states and different spaces
What is/are your favorite mediums to work with, do you like to intertwine these materials in pieces?
Because of quarantine I’ve been working very small so lately I’ve been using my Schacht Lilli Loom and using my spinning wheel and drum carder to make different fiber combinations. Typically I do larger pieces that have handwoven cotton strips that are hand sewn together and then painted on with acrylics. Everything that I make is based off of my personal life and now that I have my Lilli Loom, I consider it to be a journal of documenting my day-to-day life.
Artwork shown (top to bottom; left to right): "Quarantine Weaving No. 44"; "Quarantine Weaving No. 32"; "Quarantine Weaving No. 21"; "Quarantine Weaving No. 25".
ABOUT CONCENTRICS
Concentrics is a quarterly interview series featuring EAC Exhibiting Artists, Faculty Members, Board Members and Students.
Find out how our faculty and board members started at EAC and why our students love it here. We want to give you a look into the community that makes up the Evanston Art Center!