Colors of Colorado: Woven by Hand

An exhibit featuring works by Susan Bowman, Jeanne Steiner, Beverly Weaver, and Dottie Weir.
From plains to mountains, the colors of Colorado have been the inspiration behind many works of art. The name Colorado comes from the Spanish word “colored red” and the state was named for the many hues of sandstone that are prevalent throughout the region. Land, water, sky, flora, and fauna add their own palettes to this backdrop.
Four local artists who are also friends, use handweaving and dyeing to create art for the wall. They each employ different techniques and materials to bring their own aesthetic, inspired by the many colors of Colorado.
Bios:
The remarkable contemporary abstract weavings by Susan Bowman combine large complex designs with hand dyed threads and often evoke a sense of seeing Colorado’s land and sky from afar. Her award-winning work has been in publications and international juried exhibits, and she has co-chaired international weaving exhibits. An engineer’s perspective has informed Bowman’s use of materials, designs, and color in her weaving.
Striking works by Jeanne Steiner are created by simultaneously weaving multiple layers of exceptionally fine silk. In a nod to Colorado history, she uses exotic materials like gold leaf along with other elements of surface design that draw the viewer closer to her fascinating geometric designs. Her work has been shown extensively and is in many private collections. For 36 years Steiner was a weaving teacher and Arts and Crafts Program Director at Colorado College.
Stunning wall art, rugs and tapestries woven by Beverly Weaver often contain hand dyed cloth strips in meditative color gradations or are impressive large-scale geometric works in calming colors that reflect the Colorado landscape. Her work has been in international exhibits and publications, and she has co-chaired several international exhibits. Weaver’s professional background as a software architect dovetailed well with the detailed requirements of handweaving.
Masterful blending of dyed layers with other surface design techniques is Dottie Weir’s signature as she weaves bold contemporary statements of hand and spirit. Recent art pieces woven using shibori techniques reflect this aesthetic and have won awards in international juried exhibits. For many years Weir used her creative flair as an interior designer in Colorado Springs and often finds Colorado’s colors to be inspirational.