FARMINGTON – FolkAnna is the featured artist of the month for October at Vera’s Iron and Vine on 155 Front Street. Kathy Beauregard of Industry is the owner of FolkAnna. The month-long exhibit will open on Oct. 4 and show her range of needlework over the past 15 years from wall hangings to beaded purses. Included in this exhibit will be a showing of the antique Czech folk dress (kroj) that inspires her work. The exquisitely embroidered blouses, aprons and cap celebrate the devotion to celebratory times of our lives. On Friday, Oct. 18 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. an Artist Reception will be held with light refreshments. All are welcome.
Beauregard’s embroidered and beaded artwork is inspired by ethnic designs from her great, great grandmothers’ Czech homeland and her passion for color, botanical motifs, and the mischief of woodland fairies. Her work also includes wycinanki, which is Eastern European papercutting.
Beauregard creates soft matryoshka dolls, fairy bird ornaments, soft children’s books, Mir (Peace) Babies, beaded textile purses, bracelets, and more. Each “BabiAnna” doll has a unique name, from the long list of grandmother’s names shared by friends of FolkAnna.
Babi is a word for grandmother and Anna was the name of all my Czech grandmothers. I love celebrating them. Many of them passed down their needlework skills to us; as was my story from a very early age. In fact, my earliest childhood recollection is falling into a basket of clothes waiting to be mended,” says Beauregard.
In addition to showing her work at the Artist Reception at Vera’s on Oct. 18, FolkAnna’s textile art is on exhibit at Center for Maine Craft in West Gardiner; Lupine Cottage in Belfast; High Peaks Artisan Guild in Kingfield; Vera’s in Farmington and on www.etsy.com.Kathy can be reached at kathyfolkanna@gmail.com.
