Several artists entered the Baldishol curated exhibition with plans of one type–and then world events intervened. Amy Ropple, a mixed media textile artist from Reading, Massachusetts, was very enthusiastic in her application form sent in March, 2019. “I am extremely interested and inspired by the imagery and style of medieval textile art! I am an art teacher and fiber artist, and have grown increasingly interested in tapestry, and would love the opportunity to focus on this amazing piece as inspiration in a new work.”
Fast forward one year, and Amy was dealing with teaching middle school art classes during the pandemic shutdown. She wrote, “Sadly I’ve been sewing masks for nurses that I know in such quantity I have not been able to get to my piece for you…yet…this is crazy.”
As she continued on her piece, the current world of pandemic tied in with the medieval world and plague. She wrote about her work process and her new piece.
Each piece tells a story, often personal, and is imbued with meditative memories that are created as the piece unfolds. This piece, based on the Baldishol tapestry fragment from medieval times, contains embroidered text from first-hand accounts of past pandemics that are strikingly relevant as we navigate the fallout of the Covid-19 virus today. Embellishments include glass beads, rock crystal, jasper, cotton stitching and couched silk.
Amy joked while working on the birds inspired by the ones on the Baldishol Tapestry, “I think of them as the Four Birds of the Apocalypse right now.” Amy’s intention may have to do with plague, but the result is a vibrant and joyful rendition of the Baldishol April man.
The exhibit, The Baldishol: A Medieval Textile Inspires Contemporary Textiles, opens at Norway House in Minneapolis on June 26. Be sure to check the Norway House website for news of virtual events in connection with the exhibit, as well as news of opportunities to visit in person. Check the exhibit page for more stories of works in the show, too.
Be sure to check out more of Amy’s work at http://amyropple.com.