Artist Profile: Shelley Koss
Fiber, Watercolor
Shelley Koss is a Phoenix, Arizona award-winning fiber and watercolor artist. Shelley’s fiber art includes fabric collage, fabric painting, thread painting and art quilting. Thread painting is a technique of painting on fabric with thread instead of oil or acrylic paints. The threads are densely free motion stitched to create a work of art. Frequent thread color changes create objects, shadows, light, and intensity. Reflection and depth are created using different sheen threads with different thread weights and textures. Much of her thread and watercolor painting is guided by her perception of nature and a desire to realistically create an image solely with thread. Shelley zeros in on a detail getting to know the subject intimately. The density of the fur, the reflection in the eye, the wetness of a petal guide her curiosity and hands to create one-of-a-kind portraits. Shelley’s abstract fiber art is driven by a modern aesthetic. Bringing a social issue to light by cutting the issue down into its most simplistic image challenges her. Allowing the simplicity to drive the viewer’s thoughts creating an open-ended commentary so that art drives discussion signals her success. Each work of art is one-of-a-kind.
Shelley’s studio includes a 14-foot wide long arm sewing machine, a sit-down long arm sewing machine, a traditional sewing machine, and a serger. Built in and free-standing furniture, including a 10 foot long work table, help organize supplies and provide ample painting and sewing surfaces. A sink for washing raw fleece, dying wool and fabric, and washing brushes rounds out her studio. Much of her home will be open to the tour, with art displayed in all the rooms, as well as her studio gallery. The home was part of the 2021 Phoenix Home & Garden Tour.
Shelley Koss
