Fiber Art Studio
Carole Smollan enjoys teaching, particularly beginners and children, “I encourage them to access their creative processes.” I find this fascinating and inspiring and with children I believe it sets them up for a lifelong advantage.
Smollan began exhibiting her art work from the age of 17. As a lace and lingerie designer she became head of a public company, won a prize at the Cologne Fair and was elected “Young Business Woman of the Year. Subsequently she ran her ceramic studio for 20 years making large murals for public buildings – the proudest one being in the foyer of the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg. Creating ceramics for the blind in Gardens, Cape Town was an awe inspiring experience. For many years she did the critique for a distance learning Art Course.
In 1996 she emigrated to England without her kilns and began to develop her textile work.
Her love of cloth began in her grandfather’s tailoring room. Smollan specializes in Synagogue Art. She has been commissioned to produce artwork for synagogues all over the world, exhibited on many one-man shows and museums all over the world, recently with a show of 150 pieces at the Yeshiva University Museum in New York.
Artist Statement 2014
My work embodies my philosophy of life.
“Be open to what the universe presents to you”
The mark making and repeat patterns created in the Shibori process, are the basis of my work. The Shibori silks are used as “wallpaper” to my textile paintings. While I wrap stitch and bind with intent and a plan in my mind, the magic revealed in the interaction of the dyeing process formulates the image which I then stitch and embellish
I have developed a process of bleeding the colour of the silk into the background fabric, moving away from traditional Shibori colour and working in the style of Matisse cutouts.
I am particularly interested in manipulating and embellishing antique and old documents and this is a large part of my current work.
What is Shibori?
Shibori is the traditional Japanese dyeing technique using indigo dyes, to fold- bind- stitch fabrics for mark making. I use Arimatsu and kumo shibori techniques. It is a an exciting process and becomes an obsessional occupation.
Monthly Courses – One Day Courses – Critique & Advice Day – Parties – Bridal – Paypal
Carole Smollan
Some of the World Wide exhibitions where I have shown my work .
Yeshiva University Museum NEW YORK
LOST SHTETL Museum Shadova, Lithuania.
KINLOSS SYNAGOGUE
Contemporary Works of Faith, Schumacher Museum, Ohio
Sothebys Johannesburg -a SELLOUT SHOW
British Biennale Liverpool 1999
2nd world Ceramic Exhibition TOKYO
Art of the Torah New York
2002 Whitworth Museum Manchester
London Jewish Museum
Modern British Judaica London
SA Embassy, Washington
Bnei Brith Museum Washington
Spiro Instituto
Smithsonian Women’s Gallery of Art, Washington
Courtauld Gallery
Etz Chaim gallery
Althorp GalleryLondon
Jewish Museum, Judaica 2000
Tolerance Centre, Vilnius
Office of the Chief Rabbi London,