Textile Talks: Connections

Conversations with the Artists

Join artists Jim Hay, Rivka Hamdani, and Connie Rohman for an hour of art and conversation. These exhibiting artists from SAQA Global Exhibition Connections will share their art, process, and inspiration followed by a Q&A session moderated by Martha Sielman.

Connections was juried by Ellen M. Blalock. In today's fractured, divisive world, connections - both intentional and accidental - are more important than ever. We are bound by love, rituals, family and faith. We are also connected to our past, our community - near and far, and to nature. To be connected is to find commonalities with others.

Exhibition Benefactor
Frank Klein

About the Artists

Rivka Hamdani is a mother, grandmother, and a retired occupational therapist. She's always loved to make things, and at an early age started sewing. Even though she has always loved traditional quilts, Rivka only started making them 15 years ago. A few years ago she challenged herself to make an art quilt and now she can't stop. Rivka loves the challenge of expressing her ideas in fabric.

 

Jim Hay was a Sculpture Professor Olivet College in Michigan (USA) before moving to Japan in 1990. They bought a house and Jim made the curtains--it was his first time sewing. That led to large cloth collage artworks winning many awards at Tokyo International Great
Quilt Festival including #1 Creative in 2018. The Takasaki Takashimaya Gallery has shown Jim's solo exhibitions since 2006 with the next one scheduled in 2024. Jim is a SAQA Juried Artist with artworks that travel to exhibitions and museums across four continents. Pretty good for a guy living in the Japan countryside.
Textile artist Connie Rohman hand-dyes her fabrics, and uses traditional methods to explore abstract shape, line and color. Connie has won numerous awards for her work and has exhibited internationally and in museums.