ARTS&LIFE
ART
K
atie Shulman, who grew up in
Maryland, developed her interest
in art as a student at the University
of Michigan (U-M), where she earned a
bachelor’s of fine arts degree.
Although Shulman’s first interest was
in printmaking, she moved into creating
abstract designs through fiber while
achieving her master’s degree 10 years later
at Syracuse University.
Last year, after moving to Detroit
during the pandemic, Shulman wanted
to create a community of fiber artists and
organized Fiber Club, which has close to
100 members meeting monthly at MOCAD
(Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit).
This year, the group has set up its first
art show for free public viewing. It will
be held during certain days in September
at Convent Detroit and feature works by
about 60 artists.
Shulman, privately saddened by
miscarriage, has expressed her feelings with
a 4-foot fiber assemblage titled “Heavy/
Hollow v.1” for the exhibit titled Mending
the Net. The piece represents metaphors of
the body as explored through reed, textiles
and elastic. Colors include beiges, pinks,
reds and purples.
“Every artist will be showing a piece
that varies in size and scope and shape,”
Shulman said. “Every artist is coming to
this space with work that comes from
various times and places. Some of the
works are more figurative than abstract.
“There is not a consistent background or
academic grounding (among the artists),
and that’s the ethos of this group. There
will be all sorts of different articulations of
Fiber
Arts
continued on page 88
SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
86 | SEPTEMBER 14 • 2023
Exhibit Mending the Net can be
viewed this month in Detroit.
Katie Shulman
practicing her
craft.