DAMARISCOTTA—One portrait is the deep, bold blue of twlight whereas the other two are the hot orange fire of Autumn.

River Arts Gallery is currently hosting its Members’ Show featuring 160 artists from all over Maine. Three women, Cathie S. Peterson, Laura McNelly, and Anne Holmes all have work in the show. Each fiber artist has her own preference and style. Here is the story behind each portrait.

Cathie S. Peterson

A Glimmer of Hope

Cathie has been a fiber artist for about 10 years. “I went to visit a farm near Bethel and while I was visiting I saw this giant needle-felted piece of a path going into the woods and I just said to myself ‘I just want to walk into that,’ she said. “So then I just practiced the art form. I’ve been taking watercolor classes and it has changed my process. I never took art classes in my life and until in my 50s, I didn’t even try to do anything. I wish I’d started earlier.”

“This piece I had to do at the last minute,” she said. “I bought this beautiful roving [unspun yarn with textured fibers and shape] and I laid it down and wen ‘Ahh...that’s it.’ This is the first time I’ve made a piece that wasn’t matted; I just left the wool on the felt and left the felt as the outside edge. It’s made with Angelina, which is a very superfine nylon sparkle. I couldn’t decide if it’s dusk or dawn, which is why I named it ‘A Glimmer of Hope.’”

To learn more visit her website

Laura McNelly

View to the Sea

Laura has been felting for a couple of years. Of her inspiration, she said, “I made this piece from an image of the blueberry barrens in Waldoboro on Scott’s Blueberry Farm looking down to the sea in late August or September. I’d gone up there at the height of blueberry season and took photographs, so I worked on this piece from the photograph.”

She said she’s been working on it bit by bit. “It’s wet felted and needle felted,” she said. “I started with the base and added details to it. There are so many beautiful places in Waldoboro that most people don’t see, so I like to focus on them with my work.

laura said she’s a new Member at River Arts Gallery and doesn’t have a website. “I’m just taking one step at a time,” she said.

Anne Holmes

Autumn View

Anne Holmes has been a fiber artist for the last 20 years. “I did this one from the view outside my study window,” she said. “I like doing fall colors and I was just sitting there looking outside my window one day.” Anne often buys wool from thrift shops and unspins it with carding combs. “You can undo a finished piece of clothing, rough it up, and turn it back into roving,” she said. “That gives you the opportunity to use any old thing you can get your hands on. What you’re dealing with is microscopic hooks in wool or felt.” With this piece, she laid down a base and needle-felted a pattern onto it. She then took different colored wool and carded it together to achieve the fiery oranges and yellows.

To learn more visit her Etsy site.

The Members’ Show is up until July 23. For more information visit: https://riverartsme.org/

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com