A unique collection of fiber art completed chain letter-style by a pair of Poplar Bluff natives and a friend will be featured in May at Margaret Harwell Art Museum.
Sisters Lorri Scott and Janet Brown, along with artist Roxanne Evans-Stout, may live in different cities and states, but it didn't stop the friends from collaborating on pieces for "Storyscapes: Fiber Art Narratives."
An opening reception will be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday at the museum for the artists.
About a dozen works completed with input from all three women will be on display, along with many individual pieces.
Each member of the group started some of the collaborative pieces, then passed the art along by mail to the others, explained Scott, who now lives in California.
Bits of fiber, scraps of fabric, natural finds or other elements would be added at every stop.
The art piece would ultimately end up back with the original creator for finishing touches.
"Just to try to create something that resonates with the other artist, it was hard," said Scott. "I think it was harder than we thought it would be."
It was also exciting, said Evans-Stout, who lives in southern Oregon.
"When you do a collaboration with someone, it takes you out of your comfort zone. You get inspired and challenged at the same time," she said.
New things emerge that an individual artist would never have expected, said Evans-Stout.
Evans-Stout and Scott met through art classes and have taught together.
Brown said she thinks very highly of the work by her older sister and Evans-Stout. She knew this would be a good experience, according to Brown, who lives in southwest Oregon.
The pieces in this show also include stitching, collage, botanical dyes and rust dyes.
Evans-Stout likes using found or discarded items in her work.
"Found objects and objects people have discarded and thrown away, I feel like we give them a new life," said Evans-Stout.
Brown brought an interest in collage, both in paper and fabric, to the mix.
"I've always enjoyed working with my hands and creating things, whether it be art in general or gardening, putting together patterns and textures," said Brown.
Scott is also interested in collage and collecting different items, then giving the items meaning.
Brown and Scott are both Poplar Bluff High School graduates, and are the children of Donald and Rose Brown.
The museum is open noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 1-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free.
The museum is physically impaired accessible.
For more information, visit the museum's website at www.mham.org, Facebook or call 573-686-8002.
This show is made possible through the financial assistance of the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.