Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair awards scholarships

Submitted by Andrea L. Brown

The Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair has announced its 2012 scholarship recipients. The fair took place in June at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake.

“The Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair is proud to create and present the Fiber & Textile Art Awards,” said Carol Cassidy-Fayer, president of the Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair.

“All of our scholarship applicants this year emphasize everything we stand for. It is important to pay it forward, and these awards represent the future of fibers in the arts.”

Two students will each receive a $2,000 scholarship made possible by fair sponsor Toni Neil, owner of The Fold, a fiber arts studio in Marengo.

The Northwest Area Arts Council assists in choosing the recipients and administrates the awards.

“I think it’s really important to support creativity,” Neil said. “A lot of people have ideas and inspiration, but don’t have the means to pursue their goals.”

Both scholarship recipients this year are students focusing on fiber arts in undergraduate fibers/textiles programs.

Caroline Kipp, 24, of Somerville, Mass., is a student at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Kipp’s submissions included examples of weaving, handmade paper and basket making.

She said in her artist’s statement she plans to pursue a graduate degree in fiber studio work and wants to be a professor of fibers. Her work has appeared at the Fiber Craft Museum in Brockton, Mass.

Brooke Peterson, 21, of Kansas City, Mo., is a student at the Kansas City Art Institute. Peterson is a weaver. She said in her artist’s statement that she hopes have a small fiber farm where she can process material from start to finish and eventually sell her custom work.

Established in 2008, The Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair scholarship program has awarded $20,000 in scholarships since its inception.

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