Arts & Entertainment

Woven Tapestries As Art Forms: Mamaroneck Artist Caren Sacks

Caren Sacks, a Mamaroneck resident and local artist, will be displaying her quilts at the Village of Mamaroneck Council of the Arts' craft fair on Dec. 10. Patch spoke to Sacks about her process.

Although arts and crafts fairs represent a long standing and deep seated tradition among self reliant rural communities across the country to be able to sell their wares to a larger audience, the appeal of handmade and individually crafted items is something shared by more urban dwellers as well. Manhattanites have the option of attending a host of holiday craft fairs in Bryant Park, Union Square and Grand Central Station, however, what exists in the less urban but by no means rural communties bordering NYC?

This year Mamaroneck residents won't need to schlep across town via subway or bus to scope out holiday gifts.

For the first time, the Mamaroneck Public Library will host the Village of Mamaroneck (VOM) Council of the Arts' craft fair on Dec. 10 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Community Room.  The event—made up of over 40 local artists and vendors—is partially a fundraising effort to raise money to expand the library's ability to hold larger art exhibits, said Phyllis Gutterman, chairman of the VOM Council of the Arts.

Find out what's happening in Larchmont-Mamaroneckwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The Council of the Arts is asking each participant to donate five percent of their proceeds from the Fair back to the library. The Council of the Arts will be collecting the money and then purchasing a Walker hanging system as a gift to the library...The gallery space as it exists now is limited in size, with only a few hanging cables," she said.

As part of a series leading up to the fair, Patch will be profiling local artists who will be participating in the show. This week Patch spoke with Mamaroneck resident and quilter Caren Sacks.  Here's what she told us:

Find out what's happening in Larchmont-Mamaroneckwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Larchmont Patch: How did you start in your quilting career?  

Caren Sacks: Quilting began as a hobby when I was in graduate school in Cambridge and I found an amazing quilting shop in Harvard Square. It was during the reemergence of quilting.  

Larchmont Patch: Did you study design or textiles?  

Sacks: I double majored in Art and Psychology in college.

Larchmont Patch: Apart from being functional, how does the medium of quilting lend itself to artistic expression?

Sacks: Quilting, fiber art, fabric collage are all forms of artistic expression, allowing the artist to create, just about anything, from one's imagination. There are some artists who use fabric in three dimensional form as well. 

Larchmont Patch: How would you describe the theme running through your quilts?

Sacks: My functional quilts are often pieced in an abstract manner, both in size of the pieces and in color. While they may appear random, there is much planning and organizing and re-organizing of each color and piece before being stitched together. I also use only cotton fabric for all my functional quilts, including the backing and the batting.  My wall hangings vary, some are pictorial others are design based. The quilts where I incorporate photos, the photos often are the inspiration for the quilt. 

Larchmont Patch: Have you won any awards or shown your quilts in any galleries/museums?

Sacks: I have been awarded an honorary mention at the Quilt show in Sommers some years ago. I also did receive an award for one of my quilts at the Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Fair.

Larchmont Patch: How many quilts will be for sale at the fair?

Sacks: Many, both functional and fiber art wall hangings as well as a variety of photographs and accessories.

Larchmont Patch: How can a quilt tell a story differently than a painting or drawing?

Sacks: I don't think a quilt necessarily tells a story differently than a painting or drawing, it is a different medium to tell one's story. One of the differences though, is the abilty to touch and feel the quilt's surface and texture. We take in addiitonal information when we view a piece of art both visually and via touch. Being able to touch, feel and manipulate the fabric is what draws me to this kind of artistic expression.

Larchmont Patch: What do you think of Amish quilting techniques?  Are you inspired by any of the designs?

Sacks: I love Amish quilts, and find the combination of the simplicity of design elements and color choices beautiful and inspiring.  

Larchmont Patch: How many hours, on average, does it take to complete a quilt?

Sacks: 10-20 hours on the average.

Free parking on the top tier of the Hunter Parking Lot on Dec. 10 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Entry to the fair is free. Sacks' work can be purchased through her shop on Etsy here. 


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