Fiber artist Clora Hamilton is the featured Guest Artist from July 31 to September 1, at Gallery 302 in Bridgton. She will share her creative process, some of her work and her experiences with textiles at an Artist Reception at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 5, at the gallery.
Hamilton grew up in Massachusetts part of a family of artists and makers, and a vacation visitor to Maine. After retirement, she and her husband Wayne fell in love with their property in Lovell, where they are summer residents. She has been creating all of her life, passing on her childhood crayons for working with fiber and textiles. In junior high school she was inspired by her grandmother’s gift of yarn and needles, from which she created a knitted dress. Ever since, she has been adventuring with fiber on interesting projects inspired by beautiful places, texture, and the energy she feels in colors. For a time she knitted classic garments, made painted floor cloths and decorative furniture but creative knitting and felting with fiber called her, along with the voice of the yarn which says what it wants to become. The retired clinical Social Worker likes to inspire as well as be inspired by sharing with others. In this era of cell phone photos and the internet there are opportunities to visit far-flung places all sources for greater inspiration in her art practice.
Preferring 3D art, there are few areas she is unwilling to explore with experimentation and creativity. Her work is always evolving according to her whims and life experiences. Her next project is inspired by some old yard sale braided rugs with non-braided centers, waiting for her inspired whims to decide what will happen with them next.
Gallery 302 is located at 112 Main St., Bridgton. Gallery hours are from 12 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday; and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday-Sunday. For more information, call (207) 647-2787, visit gallery302.com or visit the Facebook page.
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