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Getting in Gear

A A A Comments By Susan Froyd Thursday, Jun 9 2011

While the common thread in all TACtile Textile Arts projects remains the preservation of old stitching skills and other fiber arts, there’s nothing old-fashioned about the way the center promotes handiwork: At show after show, the gallery features pieces by artists who re-work traditions in hip new ways. The latest exhibit to open there, Steampunk: Mechanical Science Meets Victorian Romance, is no exception. Picking up on a modern pop trend that’s rooted in a reverie of the past yet played out in a parallel universe of pure technological fantasy, Steampunk celebrates Victorian textures, re-created in ribbon, velvet, filigree, lace and gears.

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“It’s an esoteric trend and yet very well known among certain circles,” says TACTile director Dianne Denholm of the show’s theme. To mine that vein, Denholm and TACtile volunteer Jennifer McPherson, a local designer who also runs the center’s monthly SewFA Lounge, went straight to the local steampunk community to seek entries for the juried show, which opens with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight. The opening will also mark the debut of TACtile’s foray into button sales, including the newly minted Steampunk Button Collection from JHB, the button distributor with which TACTile shares space.

See Steampunk through August 6 at TACtile, 1955 South Quince Street, Suite 200; the center will complement the exhibit with a fashion show in June and a series of steampunk workshops. For more information, go to www.tactilearts.org or call 720-524-8886
Tuesdays-Saturdays. Starts: May 5. Continues through Aug. 6, 2011

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