OCTOBER 10 • 2024 | 41

life or as a process to help me stay balanced 
and centered as I move through things in life,” 
said Brunhild, 29.
“The theme of this show is about finding 
one’s center in life as things happen around 
us. It’s about being able to be present and 
focus, be centered and balanced. 
“Most of my work is black and white. Often, 
it’s about process more than the outcome. It’s 
to eliminate distraction. If color is used, it’s 
usually about expressing a feeling. Black and 
white is to eliminate distractions.”
This is Brunhild’s first solo show in 
Michigan. In October, she also will be part of 
the group exhibit “Fiber Fest” at the Lawrence 
Street Gallery in Ferndale. In another display 
linked to her religious interests, the fiber 
specialist is arranging the current High Holy 
Days art display at Congregation Shaarey 
Zedek in Southfield. 
“In the library show, I have a weaving called 
Listening, and it’s about being in a room full 
of people quietly breathing and just hearing 
everyone’s breath,” she said. “I have another 
piece, Suspire, and it’s about heavy sighing 
when something’s going on that’s difficult in 
life. 
“I have a piece called Breath Weavings, and 
it’s about the experience of meditating while 
also thinking about the loom as a metaphor 
for breathing. The shafts enclose as the shuttle 
moves through, and it’s like oxygen being 
inhaled and exhaled.” 

FINDING HER FOCUS
Brunhild’s interest in fiber arts draws from 
interests expressed by members of the family 
line traced through her mother, Karen 
Schurgin, who currently is painting ketubahs 
as gifts for family members and friends. 
Painting has been an important interest of her 
mom’s pursuits and the start of art interests 
for Brunhild. 
“While I was a student in arts communities 
and apparel-textile design at Michigan 
State for my undergrad, I was taking all of 
my electives in painting,” Brunhild said. 
“I became interested in painting on the 
fabric I was working on, embellishment and 
embroidery.
“Nobody had told me that textiles was 
an option, and I was looking at graduate 
programs and saw fibers. I thought maybe 
that’s what I really like to do, and no one had 
ever directed me there. I started to experiment 
with weaving and other fiber arts.”
“I fell in love with weaving, and I’ve 
always loved embroidery. I started looking at 

stitching in terms of contemporary art instead 
of embellishment for clothing or design. I 
started to focus the things that I was doing in 
fashion that were textile and then based them 
into contemporary art lines.”
Brunhild’s library exhibit came about after 
she met Joann Kallio, the Woods Gallery 
coordinator and another student in screen 
printing studies. When Brunhild told Kallio 
about the fiber work she was doing, Kallio 
expressed her interest in an exhibit, explaining 
the gallery had never shown fiber work. 
Brunhild, who grew up in West Bloomfield 
and graduated from West Bloomfield High 
School, was a member of BBYO during her 
teens and attended services at Congregation 
Shaarey Zedek. 

She lives in Royal 
Oak, and her current 
Jewish commitments 
involve attendance 
at NEXTGen Detroit 
events and Chabad 
Shabbat dinners. 
“I use Instagram and 
a website to promote my work,” Brunhild said. 
“I spend a lot of time talking to other people 
about my art. I think that art, in general, is 
a really important way to express ourselves, 
and anyone who is interested should consider 
taking up a creative practice because it’s really 
wonderful for mental health. 
“Fiber art is an incredible field with a lot 
of opportunity to explore different media. 
I’m in a group called Fiber Club in Detroit. 
It’s a wonderful place for people to come and 
learn.” 

Examples 
of Rachel 
Brunhild’s 
fiber art.

DETAILS
“Center” will be on 
display through Oct. 
26 at the Huntington 
Woods Library, 26145 
Scotia. (248) 543-9720.

