University City Arts League presents Karin Schaller, in The Circle in the Square

March 14 – April 5

A solo exhibition by Karin Schaller, The Circle in the Square features embroideries, weavings and stitched pieces.

In time for St. Patrick’s Day, Karin Schaller debuts a solo exhibition of fiber art works based on her Irish Ringfort Series and travels to Ireland. The show titled “The Circle in the Square” opens Friday, March 14 with a reception at 5:30pm -7:30pm and closes on Saturday, April 5. University City Arts Leagues’ gallery is located at 4226 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.

For more information, contact 215-382-7811 or www.ucartsleague.org.

Inspired by Ireland’s rich history and architecture, “The Circle in the Square” will consist of 25 embroidered and stitched pieces from Schaller’s Irish Ring Series. Individual pieces are 12” by 12” and made from silk/rayon thread couched with cotton floss on linen.

Schaller notes, “These embroideries feature images inspired by and based on the Irish ringfort, referring to both cashels—built from stone—and raths—a bank-and-ditch form of enclosure. The stitching technique results in a slightly textured bas-relief effect. These works are formatted with reference to the symbolic aspects of the circle and the square. They also recall the Irish landscape, the ubiquitous stone walls.”

The exhibition will include three, 21.5” x 45” weavings created from silk, rayon, cotton and gold metallic yarn. The weaving are part of Schaller’s Ogham Alphabet series and refer to overlapping time periods in early Irish history. The Ogham alphabet, specifically developed for the Irish language, can be seen today on ancient stones dating from approximately 300 to 700 AD.

Karin Schaller is the recipient of five Artist Residency Fellowships from The Hambidge Center, Rabun Gap, Georgia and a Handweavers Guild of America Award for Outstanding Creativity and Craftsmanship. She received her graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of Florida and a diploma in fiber arts from Haywood Technical College, Clyde, NC. Locally, her work has been seen at DaVinci Gallery, Philadelphia College of Textiles and Sciences and Art in City Hall as well as in prestigious private and public collections such as; Chorca Dhuibhne Regional Museum, Ballyferriter, County Kerry, Ireland; The White House, Washington, DC; The Hambidge Center, Rabun Gap, GA and John J. McCann.

UCAL Gallery hours are: Mon.-Thurs. 1-6PM; Friday 1-5PM; Saturday 11:30AM-1:30PM; and Sunday by appointment.

Release Date: Thursday, February 21st 2008