Cindy Summerfield and Tricia Biesmann are The Way We Art collaboration. Cindy grew up in Bend sewing and quilting with her mother while Tricia grew up in Minnesota crocheting and knitting with hers. This common love of fiber arts led them to the nuno felting process several years ago which fuses natural fibers like silk and cotton with unspun yarn (roving).
Creating their art is a dance with friends from all over the world. The materials come from people in Thailand and Shanghai, local thrift stores and closets and even the local sheep get involved. Friends for over 30 years, Summerfield and Biesmann consider working together a gift that allows them to share ideas and think outside the box while maintaining a respect for each other’s art sense.
“Creating beautiful wearable art is what we do and each scarf has a story,” says Tricia. “A puppy discovered a wedding shawl and from the pieces we created a remembrance scarf.” Summerfield recalls a couple that came into the Red Chair Gallery. “They were looking at our toppers at the gallery and fell in love with them. We ended up creating a topper for Karen with all four of us involved in the process. She wore it for their wedding.”
Once an idea is formed they layer various textures of fabric, natural fibers, and roving until the composition is complete. Next, the piece is dampened with water and soap to allow the fibers to begin to fuse together. Then the agitation stage finishes the fusion of the fibers at just the right moment. That moment is a combination of feel and intuition.
The process takes time and energy and each piece is infused with the love that creates its individual story.
Tricia and Cindy feel that individuals are drawn to particular pieces due to the life of the materials and the creative process. When a scarf meets each owner there is true moment of joy. This moment is what feeds their creativity.
Cindy and Tricia currently show their work at the Red Chair Gallery in Bend and are featured artists for the month of December.