News, Exhibitions, and Events
Startup Art Fair, April 18-20
I’ll be participating in the Startup Art Fair at the funky Hotel del Sol in San Francisco from April 18-20th. Join me upstairs in room 325 where I’ll take over a suite with my sculptural forms.
Startup is an art fair where independent artists connect directly with collectors, curators, and art professionals in an intimate boutique hotel setting. Happening concurrently and short walk away from the prestigious San Francisco Art Fair at Fort Mason, Startup will present innovative artists in a fun setting. Be sure to come to the opening night celebration of Friday, April 18 from 7-10pm (only general admission ticket needed for entry).
Recently Closed: InTouch Hanging Pods at the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum
Announcing Three In-Person Sculptural Needle Felting Workshops Coming in 2025:
Textile Center of MN: July 15-19, 2025. Registration is now open; sign up here.
Willow Pond SLO: August 15-18. Registration opens soon.
Pacific Northwest Art School, Whidbey Island, WA: September 29 - October 3. Registration is now open; sign up here.
Join me for in-person learning at fantastic venues. Think of this as sleep-away arts camp for grownups. Spend an intense and enjoyable week learning all I can unload from my brain about creating sculptural forms in felt. But hurry, classes fill up quickly once registration opens.
New UnNatural Designs Apparel Available Through My Sister Site
Curious about the perfect proportions of a penguin? Perhaps you need to sport the Vitruvian Penguin Tee Shirt to remind you.
In my ‘recovery time’ after completing and installing my solo show I’ve added some ew designs for those who appreciate science + nature + art + weirdness. You can order them online at UnNaturalDesigns.com - and shipping is always free.
Content Magazine Feature for ‘In the Glow’
A huge thanks to Content Magazine; it’s always a little nerve-wracking to see what comes of an interview, since translation of a conversation involves sensitivity and creativity on the part of the writer and editor after all one has said. I was extremely pleased with Saira Singh’s resulting feature article; it truly captured a sense me and my project. And Daniel Garcia’s photos and videos are always a treat!
Read the article: Stephanie Metz- In the Glow, written by Saira Singh, with photographs by Daniel Garcia in Content Magazine Issue 16.4, Fall 2024
Watch the video: https://vimeo.com/984489435
Teddy Bear UnNatural History: Origin Story
I’ve started writing a blog about my unnatural history specimens over on my UnNatural Designs website featuring my more pop-culture-friendly work on tee shirts, photo prints, and stickers. Here’s the first entry, all about the origins behind teddy bear skulls made of felted wool.
Watch my Locals Interview on YouTube
I was featured on episode 3 of the ‘Locals’ series created by the Institute of Contemporary Art San Jose. Produced, directed and edited by Tachiya Bryant, with videography by Miguel Ozuna. Watch the video.
Introducing: UnNatural Designs
This is it: the official launch of my print-on-demand clothing store aimed at people who appreciate science + nature + art + weirdness.
This isn’t a change of direction as much as a parallel path- I’m still working in the studio on three-dimensional sculpture; I’m just letting myself play in two dimensions too.
I’m starting with designs featuring my teddy bear skulls as well as unicorn skeletons. Coming soon are shirts featuring pigeons vs doves, some fun with tardigrades, and other subjects that hit that sweet spot for me: inspired by nature, then filtered through my ‘unique’ brain.
Watch me create a complete sculpture in 6 minutes…
with a little help from time lapse and editing. This sea turtle project encapsulates all the stages of sculptural needle felting: from poking wool into separate body parts, to adding color and detail, assembling the part together, and inserting a wire armature and wooden base. This example project is part of my online video-based Sculptural Needle Felting Course.
Online Art Talks Now Booking
I’ve been invited to present Artist Talk slide lectures lately to various arts groups via Zoom. I love talking about InTouch and my journey through the challenges of making multiple, large-scale, labor-intensive touchable art with the help of volunteers, and the feedback I receive as a presenter is incredibly positive. Now I’ve also created and presented a kid-focused version in which I talk about sculpture, patterning, and my artwork with the assistance of images of my goofy dog, Splash. If you’re interested in having me speak to groups of kids or adults, contact me at stephanie(at)stephaniemetz.com for scheduling and rates.
"What a wonderful artist and presenter Stephanie is! She was very well received and feedback has been very positive! Love that the kids were so engaged that they did not want it to end." -Amy G., Elementary School Librarian, Los Gatos, CA
"You communicated so well, seemed so relaxed. And your work; I just wanted to reach out and touch it. Plus, insight about your problem creating and solving experience was a bonus and something that all of us can take as a personal lesson." -Rachelle W.
InTouch video experiences now live
Stephanie Metz: InTouch in its first incarnation delighted visitors of all ages with its tactile, interactive experiences during its run at the de Saisset Museum at Santa Clara University. The planned 6-month-long debut of the exhibition was closed early due to campus-wide COVID-19 precautions and County Shelter In Place Orders— but before that happened there were lots of photos and videos captured. Now you can experience the exhibition from home:
Watch a documentary-style Artist Talk video for a behind-the-scenes look at eh making of InTouch artworks and their presentation at the museum.
Take a video tour through the Hanging Pods and the Holdables to get a visual sense of the experience.
Please visit youtube.com/c/StephanieMetzSculpture for a full line-up of videos. If you like what you see, please share them!
In The News: InTouch
InTouch received great write-ups by Gary Singh in the Metro and Sal Pizarro in the San Jose Mercury News.
Flesh & Bone Study #3 (Sacrum/Vessel), one of the works included in Figurative Fiber.
Previously on view in San Jose: Stephanie Metz: Figurative Fiber
The San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art presented a solo retrospective of Stephanie Metz’s sculpture. Stephanie Metz: Figurative Fiber ran from February 23 - June 9 2019. The exhibition, installed in the SJICA’s Off-Center Gallery, highlighted pieces spanning eight years from eight bodies of work including teddy bear skulls, porcupine-quill-studded creatures, clothing overtaken by hair, wool drawings, and Flesh and Bone sculptures.