Artist’s CV
EXHIBITIONS
2024 All That Moves Us, Art Rave Biennial AVMuseum, 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 Ont,
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
Holding Place 2013: A repository of Containers and Vessels by Metalsmiths from around the
World, www.ganoksin.com page 115.
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 2010
2010 ‘Off the Floor’, online exhibit, www.crafthaus.ning.com
2010 ‘Earthly Pleasures - it’s easy to be green’, online exhibit, www.crafthaus.ning.com
2009 ‘Celestial Textiles’, Group show, Silk Purse Gallery, W. Vancouver, BC
2008 ‘Spontaneous Combustions’, Foyer Gallery, Squamish Library, Squamish BC
2008 ‘Contemporary Craft in BC, Excellence within Diversity’ Vancouver Museum,
2004 .2009 Wild at Art, a Winter Festival of the Arts, Squamish BC
Collections
The Donor Wall art piece, Squamish Public library,(competition award) 1999
Westin Grand Hotel, Vancouver, 3 vessels 2011
Awards
Fine Craft Artist of the Year,2017 Art Comes Alive www.adcfineart.com
Niche Award 2017 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 www.NicheAwards.com
Niche Awards 2014, Winner, pleated vessel www.NicheAwards.com
Publications
FiberArt Now magazine, 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.She began working with copper as its warm color has always attracted her. Copper wire is easily available in many colors, 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 and Ripples 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.
