Thursday, June 16, 2011

Farewell FiberArts Magazine



It is with sadness and dismay that I remove the link to FiberArts Magazine from my blog.


Interweave Press is discontinuing it's publication.


No doubt, many of you received the email notification yesterday in which they state, 


"...The support for Fiberarts has not been strong enough over the past several years to keep it in circulation. As a result, the Summer 2011 issue of Fiberarts will be the last one Interweave will publish...".



I have read FiberArts Magazine since the late 1970's when I was first introduced to Textile Art by my wonderful high school art teacher, Ms. Sandy Stemen. 

These are changing times for publications including newspapers and printed books. I wrote a note to the editor of FiberArts asking to consider retaining the magazine as an e-zine. Perhaps others feel similarly. 
Perhaps you'll write to the editior.


Where else are we going to see new and unexpected textile artwork? 


I find much of my information by pleasant happenstance. Using the internet, I dig, and click, and click onto to links embedded within blogs to find new and exciting textile art. 


Where do you go to find interesting fiber art to discover?

It is my hope that we continue to support other noteworthy publications, such as Hand/Eye Magazine, Selvedge, American Craft, to name a few.

What publications do you like to read for Textile Art information?

Please share!

Search Amazon.com for fiberarts magazine


19 comments:

  1. Christine, I am as stunned as you are.....I have not looked at Fiberarts in some time (telling, huh?), however noticed when I have in recent years that the publication was not as 'lush' looking as it was when I used to subscribe to it in it's inception......I rely on all the wonderful blogspots for information.....here is one I love.......Abigail Doan.......at
    http://abigaildoan.blogspot.com/

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  2. Oh, that's not a publication. or is it?.......what a changing world we live in!

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  3. Dear "over the rainbow",
    I know what you mean. I felt the same way about the magazine. Ever since Sunita Patterson left as editor in 2008, I think the publication took a different direction.
    BTW, you have a super nice blog. Anyone reading this comment should click over there to take a look.
    http://visibleus.blogspot.com/

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  4. Hi Christina, maybe you can visit my website to see some interesting felt art.
    www.mekenart.com
    happy days for you
    marijke

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  5. Hi, Christine-

    Thanks for commenting on my Fiberarts Magazine post. I came over to check out your blog because of it. I guess that is one way I find new fiber art (love yours!!!).

    I started TAFA (www.tafalist.com) a year and a half ago and originally canvassed hard for new members. Now, most come to me and apply. My journey has been mostly through ethnic textiles and my own experiments. Fiberarts magazine helped me round out my knowledge about what was going on outside of my circle. There is plenty of info out there, but they are all subdivided into specialties or interest groups. TAFA hopes to bridge that divide by becoming an illustrated database of the field. We do have a community and educational component as part of our mission, but do not plan on going into print. That is what will be sorely missed. It is so hard to enter that niche now and you would think that a 35 year old institution would figure out a way to survive.

    We have an interesting discussion going on over at our LinkedIn group. It is open (but moderated) so if anyone else wants to jump in, feel free to leave your opinion there as well.

    I hope that TAFA makes these lists as a place to find inspiration and new work. We are fundraising for a new website which will make that much easier (if WE can ever raise the funds.... sigh....). Here we are: www.tafalist.com

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  6. Oh, here's the link to our LinkedIn discussion: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Fiberarts-Magazine-is-closing-down-3936946.S.58318553?qid=790f0b63-9831-4ae6-ab1b-de5c3e072eda&goback=.gmp_3936946

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  7. oh, Christine! With Rayela's comments.......I was reminded of meeting Janet DeBoer, Editor of the TAFTA (the Australian Forum for Textile Arts) Publication......which can be found here......http://www.tafta.org.au/index.html
    A great resouce.......which I would not have found were it not for an invitation to 'cross the pond' last year......thanks to India Flint and Roz Hawker for that........

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  8. i subscribe to Australian Textile Fibre Forum, HandEye and Surface Design Magazine.

    I stopped subscribing to Selvedge because the only time they've ever replied to correspondence was to inform me that their bookshop would not be carrying Eco Colour because it was a "project book". hmm.

    but i do very much like reading my friend Christine's pages because she finds all sorts of stuff i've never heard of!

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  9. I'll have to start reading TAFTA's magazine. Thanks for the input my lovely readers.
    @India, Selvedge must not have read your book.:(

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  10. I was very sadden to hear of fiber arts as it was one of my go to publications. I do have trouble receiving "selvedge", it seems to get lost coming across the pond, but I still keep hanging on as I enjoy the information and that is what I buy magazines for. Surface Design is another one I enjoy.

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  11. shocking!!!
    I too, have read FiberArts since the 70's - so sad to see the print leaving us these days -

    i do enjoy reading your posts, Christine - thanks so much

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  12. Fiberarts has been a huge resource - earlier as a fiber artist and now as a printmaker. I continue to find textiles a great source of inspiration and FiberArts offered a diverse and interesting view.

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  13. Thank you for commenting Helen, Linda and Deborah.
    I had coffee this week with 2 of my friends who are also artists. We think there are similar conversations taking place about Fiberarts Mag. All across the country.

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  14. A very focused conversation is going on at the Surface Design Association - whose quarterly journal has promoted the best in the textile arts since 1977 - and is one among many other benefits of membership. SDA members are connected by the "creative exploration of fiber and fabric" across the spectrum of art, craft and design. http://www.surfacedesign.org/

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  15. Yes, SDA is definitely one of the strongest voices out there and should be supported in every way possible. The loss is really in that
    Fiberarts Magazine covered such a broad range of topics. I especially liked it that they included an article on ethnic textiles or a cultural group in every issue.

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  16. Oh my yes, Surface Design Association has a brilliant discussion. I should place a link on my sidebar to SDA.
    Thank you for reminding me.

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  17. I too was surprised to find out that Fiber Arts was shutting down. I'm happy though to find so many links and like-minded individuals here! Thanks.

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  18. late here, but it is a loss that fiberarts has gone. i think it's particularly silly that they haven't been able to come out of the doldrums, they've been there before, and then bounced back wonderfully. shame on interweave press.

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  19. Hi There,
    I came upon this post because every once in a while I try to locate an old issue of Fiber Arts. I don't recall the exact date, but it was either in the very late 70s or early 80s. It had on the cover a picture of the back of a vest or jacket which had a very dense mixed media collage, including embroidery and charms, and I seem to recall perhaps a wooden animal charm maybe. I think the background fabric was either an olive or khaki....
    I even asked for help in determining what issue it was from the magazine staff a few years ago, to no avail. Since you have been reading it all these years perhaps you remember? If I knew the issue, I could possibly locate one for myself. THank you so much.

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