Artist’s CV
EXHIBITIONS
2024 All That Moves Us, Art Rave Biennial AV Museum, Port Alberni, BC
2023 Coastal & Copper, Foyer Gallery, Squamish Public Library, Squamish BC
2023 Group Exhibition, Harmony Arts Festival, W. Vancouver BC
2020 Woven, mixed media group show, Ferry Building Gallery, W. Vancouver BC.
2019 Art Comes Alive, Cincinnati, Ohio www.adcfineart.com
2017 Art Comes Alive, Cincinnati Ohio www.adcfineart.com
2016 World of Threads Festival 2016,'Cosmic Geometry 'group show, Oakville On.
2016 Cu: Copper and Textile Fabrications, Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, Almonte, On.
2016 Front Window exhibit: Brentwood Art Exchange, Brentwood MD
2014 The Reclaimers' group show, Cityscape Community Gallery, N. Vancouver
2013 Holding Place: A Repository of Containers and Vessels by Metalsmiths from around the world www.ganoksin.com
2012 ‘Squamish, Mother of Wind’, Visuals Group Show, Scotia Creek Gallery, Whistler, BC
2011 Snaps & Scraps’ Foyer Gallery, Squamish Library, Squamish BC
2010 ‘Up, Up & Away’ astronomy exhibit, Silk Purse Gallery, West Vancouver, BC
2010 ‘Contain’ Vessels & the art of Containment, Luke & Eloy Gallery, Pittsburgh
Collections
1999 The Donor Wall art piece, Squamish Public library (competition award)
2011 Westin Grand Hotel, Vancouver, 3 vessels
Awards
2017 Fine Craft Artist of the Year, Art Comes Alive
2017 Niche Award: Finalist, Scrapyard Quilt (Home Decor): Finalist Rumpled (woven/basketry)
Niche Award 2016 Winner, Scrapyard Quilt (mixed media) and Finalist , Rumpled (fabricated metal)
Brentwood Arts Exchange, Excellence in Fine Craft Award, 2015
Niche Award 2015 , Winner, woven vessel
Niche Awards 2014, Winner, pleated vessel
Publications
Fiber Art Now, winter 2014 ‘Architecturally speaking’ www.fiberartnow.net
Artistry in Fiber Vol 1, Wall Art www.schifferbooks.com
Artistry in Fiber Vol 2, Sculpture www.schifferbooks.com
Fiber Art Now, Spring 2018 front cover www.fiberartnow.net
Artemorbida Textile Arts magazine 2022 Interview
Artist Quote
I find the improvised play of the masculine materials with the traditional feminine techniques and forms. Free standing sculpture and wall mounted work is endlessly entertaining and challenging. It is very satisfying to be able to transcend the inherent qualities of the metallic materials often associated with weight and rigidity and create forms that are sensual and flowing in appearance.
Artist Statement
Frances Solar has been a traditional weaver & textile artist for many years, and applying the same techniques & ideas to industrial materials is a natural progression of her work.
Fran began working with copper as its warm colour has always attracted her. Copper wire is easily available in many colours, and just like traditional fibers, it is flexible, can be manipulated, patinated etc. She now has more freedom to design & improvise on the loom as she weaves & the resulting wire cloth can be shaped into a sculptural form that has no real function other than being something beautiful with wonderful colors, and textures .She names them ‘vessels’ rather than ‘baskets’ as the latter word implies a function.
The Rumples, Ripples and Folds developed from a desire to explore the pliability of the material to create sculptural reliefs that also reference the visual aesthetics of the copper wire vessels.The vertical wall hangings are initially woven flat on a loom, then later shaped by hand into deep vertical folds or soft contours. As the copper panel is bent and twisted, the surface takes on an exciting energy and the flatness is transformed into a metal wall sculpture with a lively,dynamic and colorfully vibrant surface.
