Join us for a communal sewing event with artist, Erica Fitzgerald. This special session of Crafternoons will to bring women (and others with any gender identity) together to stitch a 30-ft-long red fabric curtain that will be feature in the upcoming MFA thesis exhibition at the Krannert Art Museum in April. This task honors the legacy of women as providers, menders, and creators—using their hands to repair what others have broken.
Unbreakable Threads, 2025
Erica Fitzgerald in collaboration with the Women’s Resource Center
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
www.elfitzgerald.com
Artist Statement: This work focuses on the intersection of material, labor, and gender, drawing from historical narratives tied to eco-based materials making found in textile production. Through large-scale sculptures, weavings, and installations, I explore themes of feminine labor, generational ritual, and the political erosion of women’s autonomy. The historical act of mending—stitching, patching, and repairing torn fabric, traditionally a labor of care performed by women, becomes a metaphor for strength, resilience, and community. It is both a literal and symbolic act of reclaiming what has been damaged, reflecting women’s enduring role as creators and restorers in the face of societal fractures.
Project Statement: As women historically transformed plant fibers into cloth, they wove not only physical structures but also the fabric of their communities. Their work was an act of care and survival, binding generations together through skill, tradition, and shared strength. In this spirit, and through the generous support of the Women’s Resource Center, we will host a communal sewing event to bring women together to stitch a 30-ft-long red fabric curtain that will be feature in the upcoming MFA thesis exhibition at the Krannert Art Museum in April. This task honors the legacy of women as providers, menders, and creators—using their hands to repair what others have broken.
As we stitch together this immense cloth, we weave solidarity into its seams. Each thread becomes a testament to resilience, and each stitch a defiance of oppression. Like spider silk spun strong against the storm, this collective act of mending transforms loss into power, reclaiming space for women’s voices and stories. By gathering women in one place to create something monumental, we embrace the historical and symbolic strength found in feminine labor, building a tapestry of unity, care, and empowerment, creating an opportunity for connection and dialogue as we mend together—literally and metaphorically—the tears in our world.