Deann Rubin

Deann Rubin’s Artist Statement

For several years, I have been experimenting, in my tapestry designs, with an abstracted woman’s face that I sketched quickly with a magic marker. The drawing reminded me of Japanese calligraphy-beautiful expressive lines/strokes. I have designed and woven the sketch with different colors, patterns, and surroundings resulting in different emotions, moods, and genders.

In these three pieces, the context is the “jester”, carnival, circus, the harlequin, Cirque du Soleil, and Bob Fosse images. “J Block” is reminiscent of children’s ABC blocks. The piece was woven flat, folded into a three-dimensional graphic block, and sewn together with two sides that were woven separately. Each of the six sides of “J Block” is a different graphic/narrative design that forms a kind of haiku on the jester. In “Ringmaster” and “Yellow Jester” the red nose draws the viewer in while the hand cautions the viewer to keep some distance. Cotton, silk, wool, and metal wire are woven in these 10 to 20 threads per-inch tapestries.

Deann Rubin’s Biography

Deann Rubin holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Design from The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. She has a two-year certificate in computer graphics and in illustration from Collin County Community College in Plano, Texas. In 1980, she started a full-time, year, and six months apprenticeship to Muriel Nezhnie, a St. Louis tapestry artist. After her apprenticeship, Deann pursued a studio career as a handwoven tapestry artist and continued her work in graphic design and illustration.

Deann has exhibited her tapestries nationally and internationally, including in Russia, Canada, and Australia. She has been seen on Channel 9 television in St. Louis and has had her work in many professional magazines, newspapers, Fiberarts Design books, and illustration books. In 2007, she curated the exhibition “Matters at Hand: Contemporary Narrative Tapestry” at Craft Alliance Gallery in University City, MO, and in 2014, had a solo show there. She was the editor of the Journal for ITNET, an international tapestry organization, Past-President of Tapestry Weavers West, a San Francisco Bay area tapestry artists association, and, Missouri Fiber Artists, a statewide fiber organization. Presently, she is the St. Louis Rep. for MOFA.