Fiber Arts

In the next few weeks I will post photos of my latest venture into the fiber arts. I love to dye and print fabrics. I also love to knit, crochet and combine the arts. My favorite knitting is fair isle or stranded knitting.

But first, I must travel to Chicago to drive across the country to NYC with my daughter as she transports her work to her next show. And before it gets too cold, I need some more time to kayak a few more lakes in New Hampshire. There is nothing more peaceful than kayaking a fresh water lake among the mountains in the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire. Fall Foliage is also the perfect time to hike some of the smaller mountains and interesting trails.

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Floorcloths

Floorcloths are what the Early American Folks used to protect their wooden floors. They didn't have the funds for carpet so they painted with milk or oil paints on the old fashion old cloths. Very few are in today's museums but President Andrew Jackson has one in his home.

Here are some photos of my floorcloths.

Today, I create floorcloths for customers who need to protect a wood or tile floor. Sometimes, folks just want a decorative mat. My floorcloths will outlast any commercial throw rug, if given proper care.

My process is to use a heavy cotton duck canvas, prime it and paint it. It is then protected with lots of coats of water based varnished made for heavy use.

My claim to fame!

I am the mother of Beth Lipman, the well known glass artist.

Beth graduated from Tyler School of Art with a art degree in both glass and fiber. She has truly made a mark for herself in the glass industry. She was Education Director at Urban Glass Studios in Brooklyn, NY. From there, she developed a glass studio for the Worcester Center of Crafts in MA, worked a the Wheaton Village Glass Center and is currently working at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan, WI. All the while, Beth has secured grants and attended artists residencies to further her art career. She also teaches her art.

Recently, the Renwick Gallery in D.C. purchased the large table of glass. Tyler Schoool of Art is inducting Beth into the Gallery of Successful Graduates, an honor bestowed on two graduates per year.

Beth's next show opens September 6 at The Heller Gallery in New York City.

The meaning of Early Lipman Art

Having been an artist for all of my life and creating art to sell for more than 30 years, I am often seeing people who say: "I have an early Lipman piece of art.".

This makes me smile. For many years, I created art which was part of product line sold to Country Magazine, QVC, hundreds of stores, galleries, numerous mail order catalogs, designers etc throughout the world. This product line evolved from Wood Folk Art (remember the Americana revival of the late '70's) to cut and painted folksy tin, to painted furniture and floorcloths.

The floorcloths have been most of my focus for the last 15 years. In fact, I teach Floorcloth painting at the Sharon Art Center in Sharon, NH. and the Fiber Art Center in Amherst, MA.