Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) is delighted to host Small Expressions 2017, the Handweavers Guild of America’s annual juried exhibition of small-scale fiber works. Featuring the work of 24 artists using a wide range of fiber techniques, the show requires that each piece is no greater than 15 inches in any direction. Despite their small size, the works on view reflect a strong conceptual component, as well as emotive narrative content, a variety of materials and textures, and, of course, skilled craftsmanship. Mary Ruth Smith, an esteemed fiber artist and professor at Baylor University, juried this year’s applicants. The exhibition will be on view during the Contemporary Handweavers of Texas’ biennial conference, Crossing Threads/Connecting Cultures, in the Houston area.

Now in its 34^th year, the Small Expressions annual exhibition series was conceived in 1983 by the board of directors of the Handweavers Guild of America to mark the 15^th anniversary of the organization. The format was initially inspired by small-scale fiber shows in England and Hungary.  With thousands of pieces submitted since its inception, the show has included works by artists from each of the 50 states and more than 20 foreign countries and has traveled to art institutions across the U.S. and internationally. The series not only provides a platform for artists working in fiber but also a format that encourages innovation.

Small Expressions 2017 Featured Artists
Jennifer Angelo
Kate Barber
Linda Barlow
Julie Marks Blackstone
Beth Blankenship
Nicole Bunting
Al Canner
Andrea Cook
Sandra DeLozier
Emily Dvorin
Molly Koehn
Jean Koon
Jane Marie
Rebecca McEntee
Elizabeth Michel
Erin Miller
Joh Ricci
Michael Rohde
Kathie Roig
Ellen Schiffman
Amy Sloboda
Ruth Tabancay
Lillian Whipple
Peggy Wiedemann