Textile Arts Council Lecture: Faces, Mazes, and Fiber Tracts

The Textile Arts Council presents celebrated Bay Area fiber artist Lia Cook. One of the first weavers to employ digital photography in her work, her recent weavings look like photographic enlargements of faces, but dissolve into a maze-like surface upon closer inspection. She was interested to see that viewers were so emotionally invloved with the pieces that they were often moved to touch them.

Long interested in the science of the brain, and curious about these reactions to her art, Ms. Cook was invited to participate in the TREND program at the University of Pittsburgh’s school of medicine. This program invites an artist to take residency for collaboration with neuroscience researchers. Through this collaboration, Ms. Cook was able to map the responses in the brain showing areas of touch and emotion when viewing the art. Lia Cook’s work is in the permanent collection of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco as well as the collections of many other institutions and private individuals. She has exhibited her work internationally and is a respected teacher.

WHEN: Saturday, January 21, 2012 – 10 am

WHERE: Koret Auditorium – de Young Museum

Free to TAC members, $5 for museum members & students, $10 for non-members