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Fiber artist Laurie Wohl is internationally known for her unique Unweavings®, liturgical projects, and interfaith message. Her works convey spiritual narratives through form, color, texture and calligraphy. Recognized by the AIA Interfaith Forum on Religion, Art and Architecture, and by the Surface Design Association, her Unweavings® are held in the collections of the Museum of Arts and Design, American Bible Society, Constitutional Court of South Africa, Catholic Theological Union, and numerous other public and private collections. Her works have been on long-term loan to the United States Embassies in Beirut, Vienna, Tunis, Cape Town, and Pretoria.
Major liturgical projects include The Psalms Project (Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago – 12 works) and the Talbot Bible Stoles Project (Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, NYC – 4 works), as well as pieces for Monmouth Reform Temple (NJ), Congregation Solel (Highland Park, IL), Central Presbyterian Church (Atlanta), and First Presbyterian Church (Durham, NC). Wohl received the Honor Design Award for The Psalms Project from the AIA Interfaith Forum. “Window of Prayers” and “Will There Be Enough Justice” received top honors in the Liturgical and Sacred Art exhibitions of 2014 and 2016.
Wohl received grants from the Center for Arts, Religion & Education, and the Surface Design Association for her interfaith project – ”Birds of Longing: Exile and Memory” – which relates spiritual texts and poetry from the Convivencia to contemporary Middle Eastern poetry in the context of her Unweavings® fiber art pieces. The project is traveling through Fall 2018 to various interfaith and educational venues in California, Georgia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Indiana, Texas, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Minnesota.
Wohl’s current work in progress – “The Kabbalat Shabbat Project” – embeds Shabbat prayers in new unwoven works.
Wohl has curated a number of interfaith and multi-cultural exhibitions, including “With Many Voices” (Fourth Presbyterian Church) and “Art from Soweto” (Catholic Theological Union). Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, she has given a series of lectures and workshops in Soweto, Johannesburg, and Pretoria, South Africa. She speaks frequently on art and worship; text and textile. Among her special projects have been interactive set designs for full-length dance pieces by Callince Dance (NYC) and Jan Erkert & Dancers (Chicago).
Call to Worship, Fiberarts, Surface Design Journal, 500 Judaica, and Seminary Ridge Review have featured her Unweavings®. Wohl’s work is discussed in Ori Soltes’ book “Tradition and Transformation: Three Millennia of Jewish Art and Architecture.” Her exhibition history goes back to 1989.
Ms. Wohl lives and works in New York City.
View this artist’s recent posts here.
lauriewohl18@gmail.com
