The Missoula Art Museum (MAM), founded in 1975, is one of the leading contemporary art museums in the Intermountain West. One of MAM’s recent exhibitions featured Reclaiming (A Post-Nuclear) Eden, a collection of cloth sculpture work by Nancy Erickson.
According to MAM:
“Erickson is a pioneer in contemporary fiber arts and internationally celebrated for contributions to the medium. Her large, free-form, quilted animals are her most endearing, and enduring works. For more than 50 years, Erickson has addressed human-animal interactions that explore both conflicts and fantastical folly.”
Shown below are some of her cloth sculptures featuring cats.
Shown above is Exodus, 1987, satin, velvet, cotton; painted, appliquéd, machine stitched.
Shown above is The Japanese Tiger (after Kano Tan’yu), 2004, fabric paints, oil sticks, charcoal, and ball point pen on velvet and cottons; machine stitched, appliquéd, and quilted.
Detail from The Japanese Tiger.
Detail from The Japanese Tiger.
Shown above is Fire Season, Western Montana, 2012, satin and cottons, fabric paints, oil sticks, machine stitched, appliquéd, and quilted.
Detail from Fire Season, Western Montana.
Detail from Fire Season, Western Montana.
Detail from Fire Season, Western Montana.
Detail from Fire Season, Western Montana.
Detail from Fire Season, Western Montana.
Shown above is Behind the Mask, 2001, fabric paint, oil sticks, charcoal on satin, velvet, cotton; painted; machine stitched, appliquéd, quilted.
Detail from Behind the Mask.
Shown above is Felis Forever #5/Great Gray Cougar, 2000, velvet; fabric paints; painted, machine stitched, appliquéd, and quilted.
Detail from Felis Forever #5/Great Gray Cougar.
Detail from Felis Forever #5/Great Gray Cougar.
More museum exhibit photo tours
Museums 101: Montana Legacy (photo diary)
Museums 101: Montana Entanglements (art diary)
Museums 101: Coffee, Tea, and Chocolate (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Sculptures of the Human Body (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Rodin's Women (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: The Studio Glass Art Movement (Photo Diary)
Museum of Glass: Gathering the Light (Art Diary)
Museums 101: Lewis and Clark through paintings (Photo Diary)