Today we’d like to introduce you to Ginny Eckley.
Ginny, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
As a kid, I LOVED making things. We had a family owned craft shop in our town, outside of Cincinnati. It was wonderful, and had a range of materials, tools and machines to create with. A neighbor, who happened to be the Mayors wife, taught me to sew one summer. It was so empowering, I thought I could make anything. After trying to make a pair of shorts, my Mom signed me up for sewing lessons. Between classes and books, I thought I could do anything.
. I love that art is so accessible now. It isn’t just for making beautiful things. It opens your mind to knowing there is always more than one way to do anything. You truly see differently.
My other love is being out in nature. It’s a great balance, to create, and be in the woods. We have trails and parks in our neighborhood that are amazing.
So, I have always lived in fun places. I used to live across the street from the Orange Show, while the creator, Jeff McKissack was putting the finishing touches on it.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
Textiles is my favorite medium. It is so easy to manipulate. I paint it, create custom silkscreens, dye it, weave it, sew it, quilt it, and of course make clothing. One of my current projects is creating 2 fabric covers for an art car that looks like an Indian shoe. The Quilts that I create usually tell a story. I am working on an exhibition called Women of the West, which will be at Quilt Festival in Houston in 2019. There are 3 other people involved, Susan Ennis, Kim Ritter and Janet Bodin.
In the exhibition, Women of the West, I’m relearning about our history. I vaguely remembered the Homestead Act, so it has been fun discovering stories of individuals and families who moved West to acquire land. State historical societies have amazing records, showing how their towns were created. So, for one of the tapestries, Susan Ennis and I created a scene with a sod house. (a house made of dirt, in lands where there weren’t trees to use for homes).
Currently we are researching and creating 2 pieces about the Prairies. Due to our land development, only 5% of the prairies are left. Fortunately, there are people and organizations making great efforts to restore native prairies, such as the Nature Conservancy and American Prairie Reserve.
What I hope to do with my art, is inspire and intrigue the viewer. So, I love researching and using that knowledge to tell a story through color and imagery. Happy to say I am also in a show from September – December, 2019 in Walla Walla, Washington, called The Nature of the Stitch, at Sheehan Gallery. They chose a silk tapestry I created called War Ripples, for the show. It depicts the Genbaku Dome in Hiroshima and portraits of Japanese Americans from the internment camp at Manzanar, California. I have taught in Japan three times, and taught in Hiroshima. Traveling always brings inspiration and enlightenment. I had so many beautiful experiences while I was in Japan, but Hiroshima was difficult. Creating the tapestry gave me a way to learn and share the story. I found out the photographer Ansel Adams was paid by the US government to photograph the Japanese- Americans in the internment camp in Manzanar. Ca. Those photos are accessible online through the Library of Congress!
Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
I think it is an amazing time to be an artist. So many tools, materials, videos, that provide insight for research and inspiration, and they are easily available. Houston has numerous museums with talented staff – so besides online resources, we have a city full of art and libraries. The most difficult part for artists is making enough money. Becoming part of an art organization is one of the best ways to thrive. I’d also recommend trying creating more than one revenue stream. For me, I sell art materials, do commission work and teach. I continue to sell my artwork through galleries and exhibits,
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
There is a big annual Quilt Exhibition in Paducah, Kentucky. This year, Sept 12-15, Susan Ennis and I will have 3 quilts that we created for the juried show. My website is www.fabricpaintings.com
Contact Info:
- Address: 2423 Kings Forest Dr, Kingwood TX 77339
- Website: fabricpaintings.com
- Phone: 281 15 9688
- Email: eckleyginny@gmail.com
Image Credit:
ok, so sorry image of me is not horizontal- photo of art car parade in Victoria Texas 2018
next photo is War Ripples, currently at Sheehan Gallery, Walla Walla Washington.( soft colors, building with dome, people on side border)
credit Rick Wells
Second Photo: Splash! To be exhibited at Paducah, Kentucky, Sept. 2018 ( black and white with colors on top)
Credit Rick Wells
Twilight in the Garden ( turquoises, geometric)
credit Rick Wells
to be at Quilt Festival in Paducah KY in Sept 2018
King Bird of Paradise ( lots of green, large bird with red feathers)
to be at Quilt Festival in Paducah KY in Sept 2018
photo credit Rick Wells
City Birds of Houston
photo credit Rick Wells
Koi under the Willow
photo credit Rick Wells
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