SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2008
Shoescapes, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, San Jose, CA
2006
Shoe Stories, Contemporary Crafts Museum & Gallery, Portland, OR
2005
Byzantine Las Vegas De Novo, Pi Gallery, Kansas City, MO
2004
Byzantine Las Vegas, Charleston Heights Arts Center Gallery, Las Vegas, NV
2003
All Sewn Up, The Sturm Gallery, Truckee Meadows Community College, Reno, NV
2002
Contained in Stitches, Stevenson Union Gallery, Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR
1999
Susan Taber Avila, Threads of Light, Sonoma Museum of Visual Art, Santa Rosa, CA
1989
Susan Taber Avila, Los Gatos Museum, Los Gatos, CA
SELECTED TWO-FOUR PERSON EXHIBITIONS
1998
Threads on the Edge,Four Person Exhibition, University of Wisconsin, Madison Design Gallery, Madison, WI
1990
Two Person Exhibition, Young Gallery, Saratoga, CA
1989
Oil Drops & Tattooed Spots, Two Person Exhibition, Olive Hyde Art Gallery, Fremont, CA
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2008
Intertwined: Contemporary Baskets from the Sara and David Lieberman Collection, Palo Alto Cultural Center, Palo Alto, CA, traveling exhibition starting in 12/05 at Arizona State University Art Museum, AZ, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, TX, continuing to James A. Michener Art Museum, PA, Bellevue Arts Center, WA, New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe, NM 2007
Off The Wall, Translations Gallery, Denver, CO 2006
Basket Invitational 2006, Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA
2005
Contemporary Fiber Art--A Sampler, Sisneros Fine Art, Tulsa, OK
2004
ART in Embassies Exhibition, U.S. Embassy in Mbabane, Swaziland, through 2010
From Lausanne to Beijing 4th International Fiber Art Biennale Exhibition (Suzhou), international juried exhibition, Gallery of Suzhou Art & Design Technology Institute, Suzhou, China
By The Hand. A National Juried Exhibition of Traditional & Innovative Craft Bedford Gallery, Walnut Creek, CA
Material Culture. The Fine Art of Textile, Salt Lake Art Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Contemporary Baskets, Del Mano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
5th International Fiber Biennial, Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA
Beyond the Weave: New Directions in Fiber Art Oakland International Airport (Oakland Museum of California partnership), Oakland, CA
Textile 05, international juried exhibition, M. K.Ciurlionis National Museum of Art, Kaunas, Lithuania
In the Narrative: Textiles Object/Word THE I.E. Millstone Gallery at COCA, St. Louis, MO
Celebrating Bay Area Textile Artists, Jack London Square Partners LLC, 70 Washington St., Oakland, CA
From Lausanne to Beijing: 3rd International Fiber Art Biennale, international juried exhibition, Academy of Art & Design Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai, China
Basketry Invitational, Snyderman-Works Galleries, Philadelphia, PA
The Artful Table, Exploding Head Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2003
Far Off The Runway: Images of Clothing, Virginia Breier, San Francisco, CA
Generations/Transformations: American Fiber Art, American Textile History Museum, Lowell, MA
Needle Art: A Postmodern Sewing Circle traveling exhibition 9/2003 through 8/2006, including J. Wayne Stark University Ctr. Galleries, College Station, TX, Ellen Noel Art Museum, Odessa, TX, Milton Hershey School Museum, Hershey, PA, Blanden Memorial Art Museum, Fort Dodge, IA
2002
The Art of Collecting, Sonoma Museum of Visual Art, Santa Rosa, CA
Bay Area Art V, juried exhibition, Napa Valley College Fine Arts Gallery, Napa, CA
Bold Expressions, international juried exhibition, Sacramento Fine Arts Center, Sacramento,CA
2001
Beyond Thread: (a)mending social thought, Braunstein/Quay Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2000
Measure for Measure, Juried Exhibition, H&R Block Artspace at the Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City, MO
Persistent Anomaly: Visual Arts in Fiber, Solomon Dubnick Gallery, Sacramento, CA
14th Emeryville Art Exhibition, Juried Exhibition, Hollis Business Center, Emeryville, CA
Inspirations and Outcomes, Fort Mason Bldg. #D, in conjunction with the Tribal Arts Show, San Francisco, CA
1999
Vessel Forms/Fiber Techniques, Virginia Breier Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Art of the Stitch, International Juried Exhibition, Barbican Centre-Concourse Gallery, London, UK, traveling to Shipley Art Gallery, Tyne and Wear, UK
Needlearts, Invitational Exhibition, Bedford Gallery, Walnut Creek, CA
1998
Fiber Art Exhibition, Nortel Corporate Galleries, Santa Clara, CA
Defining Fiber, Braunstein/Quay Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1997
Fiber 97, Juried Exhibition, Textile Arts Centre, Chicago, IL
Fiberart International '97, Juried Exhibition, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA
Mid-Atlantic Art Exhibition, Juried Exhibition, d'Art Center, Norfolk, VA
1996
From Every Angle, Juried Sculpture Exhibition, Galeria Mesa, Mesa, AZ, Juror's Award
California Works, Juried Exhibition, Expo Center, 1996 California State Fair, Sacramento, CA, Award of Merit
Chautauqua International for Fiber Art, Juried Exhibition, Adams Art Gallery, Dunkirk, NY
Materials Hard & Soft, Juried Exhibition, Meadows Gallery, Denton, TX
MFA Degree show, Buehler Alumni Center, UC Davis, Davis, CA
ProFemina Research Consortium, UC Davis, Davis, CA
1995
New Faces in Basketry, Banaker Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Student Design Exhibition, Juried Exhibition, Design Gallery, UC Davis, Davis, CA, First Place Graduate Division
1994
Materials Hard & Soft, Juried Exhibition, Meadows Gallery, Denton, TX
26th Annual Textile Exhibition, Juried Exhibition, Olive Hyde Gallery, Fremont, CA
Needle Works II, Juried Exhibition, Benicia Camel Barn Museum, Benicia, CA, Best Innovative Work
1990
Baskets by Susan Taber, Young Gallery, Saratoga, CA
Focus: American Baskets, Banaker Gallery, Walnut Creek, Katie Gingrass Gallery, Santa Fe, NM and Milwaukee, WI
22nd Annual Textile Exhibition, Juried Exhibition, Olive Hyde Gallery, Fremont, CA
1989
Focus: American Baskets, Banaker Gallery, Walnut Creek, Katie Gingrass Gallery, Santa Fe, NM and Milwaukee, WI
Fiber Miniatures '89: A Show of Hands, Juried Exhibition, The Carnegie Art Museum of Oxnard, Oxnard, CA
Juried Fiber Arts Exhibition, Juried Exhibition, Todd Madigan Art Gallery, Bakersfield, CA
1988
About Fiber, Juried Exhibition, Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, IL
Small Forms, Juried Exhibition, Textile Arts Centre, Chicago, IL
Needle Expressions, Juried Exhibition, McLean County Arts Center, Bloomington, IL, Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester, MA, Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA, traveling show through 1989
The Manipulated Thread, Juried Exhibition, Missoula Museum of the Arts, University of Montana, Paxson Gallery, Missoula, MT
20th Annual Textile Exhibition, Juried Exhibition, Olive Hyde Gallery, Fremont, CA, First Place
Paper/Fiber XI, Juried Exhibition, The Arts Center, Iowa City, IA
The Container Show, Juried Exhibition, South Dallas Cultural Center, Dallas, TX, Juror's Award
Fiber Structure National VI, Juried Exhibition, Downey Museum of Art, Downey, CA
1987
Contemporary Container Exhibit, Juried Exhibition, Redding Museum, Redding, CA
Fiber Structure National V, Juried Exhibition, Downey Museum of Art, Downey, CA
16th Annual 3-D Art Regional, Juried Exhibition, San Jose Art League, San Jose, CA
1986
Degree Show, Solo Exhibition, Goldsmiths' College, London, England
1985
Textile Expressions, Juried Exhibition, Fiberworks Gallery, Berkeley, CA
17th Annual Textile Exhibition, Juried Exhibition, Olive Hyde Gallery, Fremont, CA, Best of Show
Point of Departure-Surface Explored, Juried Exhibition, California Crafts Museum, San Francisco, CA
GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS, EXHIBITION AWARDS
2006
From Lausanne to Beijing: 4th International Fiber Art Biennale (Suzhou), Suzhou, China, Silver Medal
2004
From Lausanne to Beijing: 3rd International Fiber Art Biennale, Shanghai, China, Outstanding Honorable Mention
2002
Bold Expressions, Sacramento, CA, Award of Excellence
1994-1996
Teaching Assistantships, UC Davis, studio and lecture courses
1996
From Every Angle, Mesa, AZ, Juror's Award
California Works, Sacramento, CA, Award of Merit
1995
Jastro Shields Research Grant, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, UC Davis, for research in Guatemala
UC Davis Humanities Research Grant for project in Guatemala
Student Design Exhibition, Davis, CA, First Place Graduate Division
1994
Needle Works II, Benicia, CA, Best Innovative Work
1988
20th Annual Textile Exhibition, Fremont, CA, First Place
The Container Show, Dallas, TX, Juror's Award
1985
17th Annual Textile Exhibition, Fremont, CA, Best of Show
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
University of California, Berkeley, University Health Service
Alameda County Public Art Collection, Oakland, California
Kaiser Permanente, Santa Clara, California
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, De Young Museum
WORK FEATURED IN:
Reviews:
Gilsdorf, Bean. "Susan Taber Avila: Shoe Stories." Fiberarts, 33:4 January/February 2007:57
Roberts, Prudence. "Susan Taber Avila at the Contemporary Crafts Museum & Gallery." Artweek 37:8 October 2006: 19.
Anania, Katherine. "Review Susan Taber Avila." American Craft 64:4 August/September 2004:70-71
Hemmings, Jessica. "Beyond Thread." Surface Design Journal 26:3 Spring 2002: 44-45.
Malarcher, Patricia. "Measure for Measure The Contemplative Stitch." Surface Design Journal25:2 Winter 2001:51.
Gordon, Allan. "'Persistent Anomaly: Visual Arts in Fiber' at Solomon Dubnick Gallery." Artweek, 31:4 April 2000:21.
Clowes, Jody. "Threads on the Edge in Wisconsin." Fiberarts 25:3 November/December 1998: 57.
Review of Needle Expressions '88, The New York Times, Sunday August 27, 1989
Review of Tattooed Spots & Oil Drops, San Jose Mercury News, Wednesday, March 29, 1989
Catalogues & Books:
Catalogue, ART in Embassies Exhibition, 2008
Catalogue, From Lausanne to Beijing 4th International Fiber Art Biennale Exhibition (Suzhou), 2006
Catalogue, Contemporary Baskets, 2006
Kieffer, Susan M., ed. 500 Baskets: A Celebration of the Basketmaker's Art. New York, NY: Lark Books 2006
Catalogue, Textile 05, 2005
Catalogue, From Lausanne to Beijing 3rd International Fiber Art Biennale Exhibition (Shanghai), 2004
Kieffer, Susan M., ed. Fiberarts Design Book Seven. Asheville, NC: Lark Books. 2004. Pg. 112
Catalogue, Generations/Transformations: American Fiber Art, 2003.
Orbin, Nancy, ed. Fiberarts Design Book Six. Asheville, NC: Lark Books. 1999. Pg. 19
Catalogue, Defining Fiber, 1998
Catalogue, Materials Hard & Soft, 1994
Catalogue, The Manipulated Thread, 1988
Catalogue, Needle Expressions, 1988
Illustrated citations & Articles:
"Exposure." Surface Design Journal 31:2 Winter 2007: 61.
"Gallery." American Craft 66:9 December 2006/January 2007: 72
Gallery Issue. Surface Design Journal 30:5 September 2006: 8,43
"Material Culture: The Fine Art of Textile." Salt Lake City Art Center Summer News 2006: 4-5
"On The Town: Art." Portland Monthly, August 2006: 188
Koppman, Debra. "Previews 'Material Culture.'" Artweek 37:5 June 2006: 24-25
"Fiber Biennial Highlights Communication, Current Events." Fiberarts 32:5 April/May 2006:12 "Summer Conference Exhibits: A Sampling." Fiberarts 32:3 November/December 2005: 57
Kallenborn, Carolyn and Malarcher, Patricia. "Kansas City Galleries to Focus on Fiber in June." Surface Design Newsletter 18:2 Spring 2005:1-2
Yowell, Erika. "Golden Touch." Las Vegas Mercury 4:8 February 19-25, 2004: 30.
"Artist of the Week" El Paso Times, Sunday, February 1, 2004.
"Gallery." American Craft 63:4 August/September 2003: 76
Patterson, Sunita. "Generations/Transformations." Fiberarts, 30: 1 Summer 2003:41-42.
Shuttle, Spindle & Dyepot 34:2 Spring 2003, front cover.
Tuttle, Nancye. "Works From the Warp and Woof of Life." The Lowell Sun Thursday, April 17, 2003:S6
Oktay, Diane. "Flowing Across Generations: Mentoring in the World of Fiber Art." The Overshot 8:2 Spring 2003:1,4-5.
"Artist of the Week" El Paso Times, Sunday, April 6, 2003.
Wong, Jennifer. "Uncommon Threads: The Diversity of Fiber Art." Art Business News 29: 13 December 2002:44-47
Chargeurs Annual Report, Paris, France, 2002: 9, French and English versions.
"Gallery." American Craft 61: 6 December 2001/January 2002:80
Thompson, Sandy. "Susan Taber Avila: Creative Investigations." Fiberarts 26: 4 January/February 2000:14
"Spotlight on Education." Surface Design Journal 25:1 Fall 2000:55
"Best Bets: Art Trio." The Press Democrat, Sunday, June 6, 1999
"Magazines feature works by El Pasoan." The El Paso Times, Sunday, November 8, 1998
"Exposure." Surface Design Journal 23:1 Fall 1998: 43.
"Portfolio Susan Taber Avila." American Craft Magazine 58:4 August/September 1998: 77.
Brazill, Linda. "Embroidery artists start with thread of an idea." The Capital Times April 1, 1998.
Threads Magazine, Dec. 1988--Jan. 1989 issue, back cover
PUBLICATIONS BY SUSAN TABER AVILA
FiberScene.com, a web site devoted to S.F. Bay Area Fiber Art. In partnership with Myra Goodall Block. Avila, S.,Italy’s La Tessitura: Design Lab and Concept Store, Fiberarts 34:2 September/October 2007:58-59.
Avila, S. (translated into Chinese by Xu Chunyan) Creating Structure with Fabric and Thread, Journal of Suzhou Art & Design Technology Institute,16:1/2007:61-66.
Avila, S. and Nguyen, D.,Si Hoang. Ao Dai Artistry, Ornament 30:4 2007: 52-55.
Avila, S., "Shoe Stories: A Textile Art Narrative." Abstract in 2006 Seoul The Costume Culture Association & Ars Textrina Joint International Conference Proceedings, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea, 2006
Avila, S., "Geometry Awry: Creating Structure and Form with Dissolvable Fabric." Ars Textrina International Textiles Conference Abstracts, University of Leeds, UK, 2005
Avila, S., (translated by Graciela Smith) "Desde Lausanne a Beijing." (From Lausanne to Beijing), Revista Magenta 13: 127 May 2005:36-38 (Critical Exhibition Review, published in Argentina)
Avila, S., "Intersections II." Surface Design Journal 29:3 Spring 2005:50-51. (Critical Exhibition Review)
Avila, S., "Looming Large: Contemporary Weavers of the Vanguard," Surface Design Journal 28: 1 Fall 2003:48-49. (Critical Exhibition Review)
Avila, S. and Block, M., "The Shining Cloth," Fiberarts 27:4 January/February 2001:61. (Book Review)
Avila, S. and Block, M, "Business Bites: www.fiberscene.com," Surface Design Newsletter, Spring 2000.
Avila, S., "Culturized Merit. Mary Yaeger Traces Behavioral Patterns in Thread," Surface Design Journal 22:2 Winter 1998: 23-25,57.
Avila, S., "Mayan Machine Embroidery. Keeping Culture Alive," Ornament 19: 3 Spring 1996: 48 51.
Avila, S., "Embroidery and the Modern Mayan Woman," 14th Annual ARS Textrina International Conference on Textiles Proceedings, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, 1996.
LECTURES, PAPERS, WORKSHOPS
Shoescapes & Other Stitches. San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, San Jose, CA February 10, 2008
Promoting Sustainability: A Silk Company’s Longevity and Environmental Awareness, Paper Presentation at ARS Textrina International Textiles Conference, University of Ulster, Belfast, Ireland, September 12, 2007
Cultural Identity Through Fabric and Thread, Presentation with Danh Nguyen at 2007 International Surface Design Association Conference, Kansas City, MO, May 31, 2007
Textile Art in Stitch. Powerpoint lecture, Suzhou Art & Design Technology Institute (International Fiber Art Symposium), Suzhou, China, October 29, 2006
From Virtual to Physical: The Basics of Making Clothing Patterns. Half day workshop for Pixar University, the continuing education program at Pixar Animation Studios, Emeryville, CA, October 6, 2006
Art Talk by Susan Taber Avila. Salt Lake Art Center, Salt Lake City, UT August 30, 2006.
Shoe Stories: A Textile Art Narrative. Presentation at The Costume Culture Association & Ars Textrina Joint International Conference, Ewha Woman's University, Seoul, South Korea (international, peer-reviewed), September 2006.
Artist Talks Shoes. Talk and exhibition walk-through. Contemporary Crafts Museum & Gallery. August 2006.
Experimental Fashion. Three day workshop at Design With Heart Conference, Santa Fe, NM, March 27-29, 2005
Artist Talk. Slide lecture on my textile artwork during Friends of Fiber Art meeting, S.F., CA, October 16, 2005
Geometry Awry. Creating Form and Structure with Dissolvable Fabric. Presentation at ARS Textrina conference, University of Leeds, UK (international, peer-reviewed)
In the Studio and Beyond, Lecture/discussion on creative practice and studio tour for Senior thesis student seminar, California College of the Arts
Undressing Fashion - Redressing Global Disconnects Fashion Show, Wyatt Pavilion Theatre, UC Davis. Undergraduate Fashion Research Conference, April 8, 2005
Susan Taber Avila in the Studio, Presentation and studio tour in conjunction with Textile Society of America biennial conference, October 10, 2004
The Textile Art of Susan Taber Avila, Valley Stitchers Guild, Walnut Creek, CA, November 3, 2003
Susan Taber Avila: Creative Practice, Lecture and studio tour for the Textile Arts Council, Emeryville, CA, October 4, 2003
Susan Taber Avila: Creative Work, Sacramento Center for the Textile Arts, Sacramento, CA, October 1, 2003
Panel Discussion on Mentorship, with Cynthia Schira, Ana Lisa Hedstrom, Gyöngy Laky, Marilyn Pappas, at the symposium in conjunction with Generations/Transformations: American Fiber Art, Lowell, MA, April 12, 2003
Graduate Critique, with Myra Block for Graduate Critique Seminar, UC Davis, Winter 2001
FiberScene.com, with Myra Block, California College of Arts & Crafts evening lecture series, Oakland, CA, October 18, 2000
Susan Taber Avila: Structure and Surface, College of Marin, Kentfied, CA, October 13, 2000
Life After Graduation, guest lecture for Graduate Seminar, UC Davis, November 21, 2000
Inventing Structure, studio workshop and slide lecture for Fiber Structures course, UC Davis, November 21, 2000
Discharge Printing, studio workshop for Surface Design course (DES 160A), UC Davis, Winter 1999
Guatemalan Textiles:Tradition and Change, guest lecture for World Textiles course, UC Davis, Spring 1998
Introduction to Surface Embellishment, studio workshop, Academy of Art College, San Francisco, CA, Fall 1998
Machine Embroidery and the Modern Mayan Woman, presentation at ARS Textrina conference, University of Nebraska, Lincoln (international, peer-reviewed), June 1996
Using Indigo for Ikat, guest workshop for Weaving course, UC Davis, Winter 1996
A Huipil From Quetzaltenango, guest lecture for World Textiles course, UC Davis, Spring 1996
CURRENT PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Costume Society of America
Friends of Fiber Art International
Surface Design Association
Textile Arts Council, San Francisco Bay Area
Textile Society of America
CURRENT TEACHING AFFILIATION
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, University of California Davis, Design Program, California, U.S.A.
EDUCATION
1996
1986
1982
Born 1960, El Paso, Texas
University of California at Davis
M.F.A. in Textile Arts and Costume Design
University of London, Goldsmiths' College, London, England
Postgraduate Diploma in Textile Art
University of California at Los Angeles
B.A. in Design