FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 2022
Evanston Art Center 2022 Exhibition
The Needle’s Excellency: The Art of Needlepoint
EXHIBITION DATES: August 20 – September 25, 2022
OPENING RECEPTION: Sunday, August 21, from 1-4pm
EXHIBITION HOURS: Monday–Friday, 11am–4pm; Saturday and Sunday,11am–4pm
EVANSTON ART CENTER ANNOUNCES A NEW EXHIBITION, THE NEEDLE’S EXCELLENCY: THE ART OF NEEDLEPOINT, FEATURING WORK BY STUDENTS OF THE NEEDLE’S EXCELLENCY, CURATED BY AMRITA GOLDBERG.
The Evanston Art Center (EAC) is proud to present a new exhibition, The Needle’s Excellency: The Art of Needlepoint, featuring work by students of The Needle’s Excellency, curated by Amrita Goldberg.
Traditionally, needlepoint embroidery was used for decorative upholstery due to the sturdy nature of the canvas and wool. In the 1970s, a variety of fibers came on the scene and a number of designers started painting patterns for needlepoint. Thus began an exciting resurgence of this new artistic hobby.
The Needle’s Excellency was established on Evanston’s Central Street in the early seventies. At this time of growing popularity for needle arts, The Needle’s Excellency promised personal satisfaction in working on a project of your own choice and, if you chose, participating in group workshops and classes. In time, these classes became the most popular part of the business, with substantial numbers of participants enrolling in workshops on a continuous basis throughout the years.
Needlepoint’s popularity has continued into the present, as the material and technical possibilities have expanded immeasurably. The Needle’s Excellency: The Art of Needlepoint showcases the meditative nature and artistic challenge of the medium as it evolves from a traditional craft into an art form in its own right.
ABOUT THE CURATOR
Amrita Goldberg has been a needlepoint instructor and advisor at The Needle’s Excellency in Evanston for many years. Her background in the Fine Arts has been her motivation to approach the craft of needlepoint through a creative lens. Her students are skilled and inventive stitchers whose talent, enthusiasm, and perseverance have produced remarkable and unique works of art on canvas using a variety of stitches and fibers. Amrita holds a BFA from Sir J.J. School of Art in Bombay, India, and an MFA from The Art Institute of Chicago.
The Needle’s Excellency: The Art of Needlepoint will be on display in the Evanston Art Center's Main Second Floor + Atrium Gallery from August 20 – September 25, 2022, with an opening reception on Sunday, August 21, from 1-4pm. The exhibition and opening reception are free and open to the public. This project is partially funded by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and EAC's general membership.
Evanston Art Center, a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization, is dedicated to fostering the appreciation and expression of the arts among diverse audiences. The Art Center offers extensive and innovative instruction in broad areas of artistic endeavor through classes, exhibitions, interactive arts activities, and community outreach initiatives.
Evanston Art Center is located at 1717 Central Street, Evanston, IL. Evanston Art Center Exhibition Hours: Monday– Friday, 11am–4pm; Saturday and Sunday, 11am–4pm. First and second floor gallery spaces are accessible. Limited free parking is available. Masks are optional but strongly recommended for students, visitors, and staff.
For more information, please visit us online at www.evanstonartcenter.org or Audrey Avril, Manager of Exhibitions, at 847.475.5300 or [email protected]. Visit the Evanston Art Center on Facebook: www.facebook.com/EvanstonArtCenter/, follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/#!/evartcenter, or on Instagram: @EvanstonArtCenter.
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