Join us for Expressive Free Motion Sewing, an artist demo by Erin McAllister on Monday, July 29 from 4-6PM. Her exhibition Sanctuary is on display at Art Gym July 18-August 9, 2019.

Created in a spontaneous burst after a trip to Barcelona, Erin McAllister found inspiration for Sanctuary in the colors of stain glass in that colorful city. Similar to Doren’s paintings described above, McAllister uses art as a meditative device, letting her mind rest while her hands work. In her artist statement, McAllister explains that this series explores the “relationship between the need to create and constant movement in life – going by too fast to sit still. These pieces represent my therapy – my sanctuary, and safe place through the chaos.” She began the mixed media fiber works in the series by drawing, allowing her hand to make impromptu marks on the page. She then took the drawings to the sewing machine, adding stitches of various colors, creating painterly lines with thread to work alongside the playful drawings. Through the creation of the series, McAllister strives to ask the audience “Where do you feel safest? Where do you go to reflect and slow down?”