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Conversations with creators and organizers of the arts scene in West Michigan, hosted by Cara Lieurance

Art Beat: Faith and fabric

Fabric art by Shannon Dion
Courtesy of the artist
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Shannon Dion
Fabric art by Shannon Dion

When we think about fabric art, we usually envision a flat piece of fabric, like a quilt or tapestry. Shannon Dion does that. But she also creates fabric art in three dimensions as sculpture. Dion says she uses fabric, thread, and embellishments to create connections and stir emotions. With color, imagery, texture, and guided by her Jewish faith, Dion’s aim is to honor cherished traditions while challenging the ways in which we may view them.

A conversation with Shannon Dion

“I basically am curious and love to play,” Dion says. “I’ve been playing with fabrics since I was five. My grandmother taught me how to sew, so I’ve come to quilting from a garment background, I guess. I started making my own clothes when I was 11 and sewed for people to help put myself through college.”

Shannon Dion
James Dion
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Shannon Dion
Shannon Dion

Dion says she discovered quilting purely by accident and fell in love with it because of her attraction to fabric. She did traditional quilting in the past but has now moved on to more non-traditional fabric art forms.

“Coming at it from a garment background, I’m used to making things that are three-dimensional,” she says. “With clothing, once you add darts and seams, it’s supposed to fit a shape, not just hang on a wall. So, I come at my art from a bunch of different directions.”

Along with art quilts and fabric sculptures, Dion also creates Judaic ritual art.

“My faith does influence my work,” Dion says. “Not always obviously. It’s an aspect that I love. I don’t expect everybody to be thrilled by it or appreciate it, but it matters to me that I put thought into how I make things and what I do with them. I want to be proud of what goes out there into the world. Once it is in someone else’s hands, they do as they wish with it, but at least when I send it out, I try to make sure that I’m proud of it and that there’s a reason, some purpose behind it.”

Dion creates fabric menorahs, hallah covers, wall art and tallitot—a shawl with ritually knotted fringe at each of four corners traditionally worn by Jewish men and boys, especially at morning prayer.

Shannon Dion is a member of SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates), Signature Artists LLC., and the Pomegranate Guild. She has taught beginning patchwork and quilting classes, has work on display in public buildings and private homes, and has had her work in juried exhibits. Dion is a professor emeritus in the languages department at Kalamazoo College, where she taught Hebrew.

Listen to WMUK's Art Beat every Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 4:20 p.m.

Zinta Aistars is our resident book expert. She started interviewing authors and artists for our Arts & More program in 2011.
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