Kevin Kissell contributed to this story.
Textile making is a time-honored craft, with a documented history across the ages. Remembered and recorded in poetry and ancient myths, textiles have always been important to humans.
This tradition continues in the Colorado State University Department of Design and Merchandising, where students are learning the art of textile design. Last fall, students in the course Apparel and Merchandising 342: CAD Textile Design, created original designs which are now on display.
From March 6-May 12 the exhibit entitled, The Effect of Mindfulness Sensation is up in the Gustafson Gallery in the Gifford Building on campus, which showcases the work of students in design and merchandising.
Exhibit location and hours
The Gustafson Gallery is located in room 318 of the Gifford Building at 502 West Lake Street. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday. Admission is free. There will also be a student and guest reception on Wednesday, May 3 at 5 p.m.
The textile designs in the exhibit are the result of a project that blends design and psychology. Students used Adobe Creative Suite software and direct-to-textile and dye sublimation printers in the Richardson Design Center to bring their designs to life.
“The students researched color theory and psychology as well as the theory and psychology of line, shape, and form,” said Kevin Kissell, instructor for the class. “They created a textile print story that explored their unique connections to cloth and how personalized and thoughtful textile design can heighten interactions between the mind, body, spirit, and environment.”
A long-awaited opportunity
This exhibit marks an exciting return to in-person exhibits in the Gustafson Gallery. The COVID-19 pandemic and then a remodel project in the Gifford Building led to the gallery being closed since Spring 2020.
Every culture on the planet has some connection to cloth, dress, and ornament, such as textile design. William Morris, noted British arts and crafts textile artist said, “No pattern should be without some sort of meaning.”
“Ornament can lead the narrative to communicate the feeling of comfort, levity, memory, or honor. It can help share a personal story,” said Kissell.
For apparel and merchandising students, the projects in The Effect of Mindfulness Sensation exhibit serve as a platform to express who they are and reflect on their history. Don’t miss this impressive display of student work.
The exhibition is sponsored by the Department of Design and Merchandising. The Gustafson Gallery is under the umbrella of the department’s Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising, part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.
