The Foster and Muriel McCarl Coverlet Gallery at Saint Vincent College will host an exhibit and sale of paper-cutting art and wooden baskets by folk artists Polly Winkler-Mitchell and Marion W. Mitchell from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday, April 19 and 20 at the Fred M. Rogers Center.
Winkler-Mitchell creates Scherenschnitte, a form of Swiss-German paper-cutting used to create elaborate storytelling art. Her unique pieces are created freehand and without the use of patterns. In the past few years, she has been increasingly adding color to her work. “The Pennsylvania-Dutch often used watercolor to decorate cuttings and many Swiss artists have used color cutouts in order to present their ideas more effectively,” she commented. Winkler-Mitchell has enjoyed experimenting with Polish-style cuttings in the past few years. The bright colors and native design elements are appealing. Her fondness for the intricate German Scherenschnitte and the Polish Wycinanki and its color have influenced her designs that combine the best of both techniques. The result is a unique style of folk art that has a sculptural depth.
Winkler-Mitchell’s husband, Marion, will showcase his pieces as well. He creates Shaker-style sewing baskets and boxes along with Norwegian-style “tine” baskets featuring a locking lid. “More than 30 years ago, I became intrigued with the notion of resurrecting a 2,000-year-old craft that had all but disappeared,” he commented. He uses woods from the southern Illinois woodlands and strives to use period-appropriate techniques and designs. Both artists’ work will be on display and available for purchase.
Marion Mitchell will give a lecture on traditional Shaker-style baskets at 2 p.m. Friday, April 20, in the Gallery. All events are free and open to the public.
For further details, contact Lauren M. Churilla, curator of the McCarl Gallery, at 724-805-2188 or lauren.churilla@stvincent.edu.