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.