Craft Awards - Eiko Emori Glass

Fuzzy Mall
Shanks Memorial Award in Textiles

Fuzzy Mall's work in portraiture is interaction driven. He captures people in action, in personal settings, doing things they love to do. The work is a response to our current media landscape, which is jarring and anxiety-inducing. As an American living in Canada, He has been feeling helpless watching each news cycle. He feels sad, angry, frustrated, and ineffective. Fuzzy knows the stories of school shootings, corporate greed, decaying environment, and corrupt politicians won’t stop anytime soon; and as a result, he can only focus on a localized and momentary happiness. This series portrays people doing simple things that bring them bliss, whether it be gardening, biking, yoga, or playing with a pet. Ephemeral moments disappear unless made permanent in some way. His goal is to tap into the tradition of quilts and painted portraits as family heirlooms by creating contemporary portraits from these casual photographs that are snapped by cell phones, often live in the cloud, and usually disappear. More than ever, Fuzzy needsa to see people enjoying life’s small moments.

This work is created from appliqué and reverse applique techniques, composed of mostly reclaimed fabrics. The project breaks the square/rectangle format of traditional portraiture by eliminating the frame. Figures are larger than life-sized, include the entire body, and exist independent of any background, floating on the wall or in space. Each portrait becomes more sculptural, casts its own shadow, and lives in a space in a new and unexpected way. Our experience becomes more intimate; the figure invites the viewer to enter this personal moment, and allows us to be in the same space during that captured moment. Hopefully we slow down.

https://www.quiltedportrait.net/

<PREVIOUS  MAIN MENU  NEXT>

Thom Brow
Mostly reclaimed textiles, Thread, Industrial felt: Applique, Satin stitch Machine sewn; 198 cm x 214 cm; 2020

Thom Brow
Mostly reclaimed textiles, Thread, Industrial felt: Applique, Satin stitch Machine sewn; 198 cm x 214 cm; 2020

Amanda Pocha
Mostly reclaimed textiles, Thread, Industrial felt: Applique, Satin stitch Machine sewn; 214 cm x 84 cm; 2019

Amanda Pocha (Detail)
Mostly reclaimed textiles, Thread, Industrial felt: Applique, Satin stitch Machine sewn; 214 cm x 84 cm: 2019

Ryan Stephenson
Mostly reclaimed textiles, Thread, Industrial felt: Applique, Satin stitch Machine sewn; 320 cm x 147 cm; 2021

Ryan Stephenson (Detail)
Mostly reclaimed textiles, Thread, Industrial felt: Applique, Satin stitch Machine sewn; 320 cm x 147 cm; 2021

Emma and Clarke
Mostly reclaimed textiles, Thread, Industrial felt: Applique, Satin stitch Machine sewn; 233 cm x 167 cm; 2020

Emma and Clarke (Detail)
Mostly reclaimed textiles, Thread, Industrial felt: Applique, Satin stitch Machine sewn; 233 cm x 167 cm; 2020

Aleef Mehdi
Mostly reclaimed textiles, Thread, Industrial felt: Applique, Satin stitch Machine sewn; 218 cm x 117 cm; 2020

Installation view for scale
Mostly reclaimed textiles, Thread, Industrial felt: Applique, Satin stitch Machine sewn; Various sizes; Image Credit: Laura Kukkee

Who We Are

Formerly the Ontario Crafts Council, Craft Ontario is a not-for-profit service organization that works to have craft recognized as a valuable part of life. We promote and celebrate professional craft through providing member opportunities, and advocate for craft practice by educating and empowering diverse audiences.