ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio (January 18, 2013) - Lancaster artist, Sue King, will be exhibiting her artwork at the Ohio University Eastern Campus Art Gallery through February 14. A reception for the artist will be held on Thursday, January 31 at 7pm. The exhibit, "Exploration: A Textile Journey," will showcase her talents in contemporary textile art.

"I grew up on a small farm in central Ohio," said King. "Relatives on both sides of the family were artistic and included self-taught painters, wood carvers, furniture makers, and my mother who sewed and knitted beautiful clothing. As a child, she nurtured my love of fabric and art by teaching me to embroider and later to sew."

"My current work is very personal to me and reflects my love of travel, which often focuses on the natural world or the joyful memory of a journey taken," said King. "I also have an interest in history and old photographs, which has compelled me to engage in figurative and portrait work. The resulting textile pieces in this exhibit are my attempt to call forth the ghost into the room, searching for a way to connect our present condition with the human experience of those who came before."

The King exhibit clearly illustrates her admiration for the beauty and textural quality of different fabrics. Silk, velvet, denim and corduroy, as well as traditional cottons are sewn together using paper and piecing constructions. The fabrics are enhanced with paint, pastels, and colored pencils, then embellished by embroidery, beads and found objects. Cyanotype and heliographic prints capture the natural world. She uses heavy, free-motion machine quilting as a personal signature to add texture and unify her artwork.

King's work has been shown in both individual and group shows throughout Ohio. The cities include Cincinnati, Columbus, Gallipolis, Ironton, Lancaster, Logan, Nelsonville and Zanesville. King credits her educational background and work experience as major influences on her work. She earned a bachelor's degree in art from Ohio Dominican College and a master's degree in social work from Ohio State University.

"As a clinical social worker, I am ever searching for connections with others; the emotions and commonalities of experience that bind us together and define what it means to be human. The eyes of the human face often betray the mask of the people present to the world at large. Through portraiture, I seek to penetrate this façade and expose the emotion hidden from view."

The Ohio University Eastern Art Gallery is open to the public and admission is free. The art gallery is located on the second floor of Shannon Hall.

For gallery hours or more information, please contact Ohio University Eastern Campus at 740-695-1720.