A COMMON THREAD. A new installation at the Heyde Center for the Arts in Chippewa falls, “Celebrating Fiber Arts,” will begin on Oct. 21 and continue through Nov. 21. (Submitted photo)

“Wearable art reminds us that creativity does not need to exist within a frame or a pedestal,” Patty Wollum, a local textile artist, said. “It allows us to create art that can be woven, stitched, shaped and carried into everyday life.”

Patty will be one of dozens participating in a forthcoming artist installation with these truths at its core: “Celebrating Fiber Arts,” from Oct. 21 through Nov. 18 at the Heyde Center for the Arts (3 S. High St., Chippewa Falls).

With a selection of more than 230 submissions from 80-plus creators across the Chippewa Valley and beyond, Valley Fiber Artists organizers are proud to introduce a collection dedicated exclusively to textile craft.

In Chippewa Falls, guests will encounter an array of creative disciplines – from quilting and weaving to needle felting, embroidery and knitting – all chosen to represent the possibilities beyond everyday utility.

The Valley Fiber Artists group began as an intimate gathering of creatives who were already members of the Valley Art Association, founding member and fellow textile artist Cari Raynae Jacobson said.

Since launching in 2025, the organization gathers frequently to exchange tricks of the trade and build a broader artistic movement across the region.

“fiber turns art into something personal and meaningful.”

Patty Wollum

textile artist, Blue Sky Retreat and Gifts

While fiber has served as an essential tool in human survival throughout history, it also has been reimagined as a fine art medium to document social trends in communities both locally and across the world.

“Fiber art has exploded and continues to gain recognition globally,” Cari continued. “Hand-sewing is once again popular with embroidery, knitting, crocheting and ‘slow stitching’ everywhere.”

Anchored by these principles, the Celebrating Fiber Arts exhibition will also feature a “Strut Your Stuff” runway event to showcase the wearability of creations. Valley Fiber Arts organizers anticipate vibrant dialogue will come from this interactive space – from beginner visual artists to experienced fabric aficionados.

A hand made cover jacket by regional fiber artist, Cari Raynae Jacobson, pictured. The floor plan fabric was a vintage sourced item used in tandem with five other fabrics, Cari said. (Submitted photo)

"My Garden Wears Me," hand-printed jacket by Patty Wollum of Blue Sky Retreat and Gifts, pictured. This piece will be one of dozens featured in the Heyde Center for the Arts installation later this month. (Submitted photo)

An artist reception will be held from noon-3pm on Oct. 25, where attendees can enjoy live demonstrations of spinning, weaving, collage and more by those entered in the gallery. At 2pm, the fashion show will begin with models wearing hand made fiber clothing and accessories.

The Valley Fiber Artists argue textile crafting has journeyed full circle to today’s age; these communal spaces, organizers say, honor shared histories across generations and shape the future of these mediums.

“Whether it is a quote stitched onto a wall hanging, the memory of where you were sitting when you wove the yarn, or the scene that inspired the colors or pattern you chose for a quilt,” Patty noted, “fiber turns art into something personal and meaningful.”

Celebrating Fiber Arts will be on display from Oct. 21-Nov. 18 at the Heyde Center for the Arts (3 S. High St.) in Chippewa Falls. Visit cvca.net/events to learn more about participating artists and Oct. 25 reception details.