Toni Brogan Creates a Place to Store Your Thoughts

PINE HILL — Saturday’s opening at the Pine Hill Community Center Gallery welcomed New Zealand-born, Catskills-based artist, Toni Brogan and her incredible and thought-provoking woven art. The show is a combination of new and older works all handwoven and hand-dyed by the artist using as much natural, foraged, recycled and thrifted fibers as possible.

Brogan wanted to take weaving away from the wall and put it into more utilitarian items. In the center of the room stands a striking piece consisting of a vintage table and four chairs, each one painted a different bright color and woven with fabric, fibers and found objects of that same color. The table is black and woven with the similar elements also in black. Upon closer examination, one can see surprises within the weave such as leaves, feathers, and a doll’s arm, all camouflaged by the monochromatic nature of each piece. The black table is set with black plates, each one containing a single black shotgun shell. When asked the significance of the shotgun shells, Brogan smiles, “The piece is called The Family Dinner. I’ll just let you think about what that could possibly mean.” 

Hanging from the rafters is a new collection of over a dozen ‘thought pods’ as Brogan calls them. She’s been obsessed with structures as of late and collects natural materials to create the outer shells as well as the skins that go inside them. Bark cloth, horsehair, cactus fibers and jute are just a few of the materials used to create the sturdy yet simultaneously delicate vessels. 

Across the room is another thought container titled Gold Thoughts. Standing almost six feet high, covered in shimmering vintage gold threads Brogan bought on eBay and lined with luscious gold fabric visible from the womb-like opening, this piece invites you to crawl inside. She calls it “a safe space to cocoon your thoughts.” As was the case when Brogan found the gold threads, she says she likes to collect the materials first and then let them dictate how they should be showcased.

Open Wide is Brogan’s newest piece, made of black cotton and long black threads streaming out of a steel container, signifying thoughts spilling out. Also on display are several mixed media collages, comfort pillows sewn by Brogan with vintage specialty fibers and two stunning wall hangings that keep you coming back for a second and third look to reveal hidden treasures in the rich woven landscape. This show is full of surprises and pushes the boundaries of how we traditionally think of fiber arts.

Woven Art by Toni Brogan, curated by Brett Rollins, will be showing through September 29th at the Pine Hill Community Center Gallery, 287 Main Street in Pine Hill, NY. To learn more about Brogan’s work and upcoming exhibitions, go to tonibrogan.com and follow @tonibrogan_fiberart on Instagram.