Bren Ahearn
Thread of Masculinity
pink_break_flower

Artist Statement

Growing up as the son of a craft-loving English teacher, I spent many hours pursuing crafts and playing Scrabble. As I grew older, I believed that in order to fit in with my peers, I had to be in the closet about my crafting, eventually stopping my creative activities altogether. My Scrabble playing, however, continued and turned into a life-long love of the study of language intersecting with my current art practice.

In 1996, I signed up for a textiles class, thereby reawakening my dormant artistic side. I am attracted to textiles because textiles are like language both are subtle, yet powerful. Also, both can protect, expose, reveal social position, and show affiliation. I later learned that the words textile and text are derived from the same root, and several of my earlier pieces are focused on this text-textile connection.

My focus has since expanded beyond this literal connection to the multi-layered texts or readings of the cloth. Recent themes that have emerged are the socialization of American men to be violent and conflicting views on sexuality/masculinity. My hope is that upon reading my work, viewers will engage in a dialogue about the confining nature of behavioral norms.

 

CV

  • Representation
  • Solo Exhibits
    • Thread of Masculinity, v. 2.0. Ridley Gallery, Sierra College, Rocklin, CA, USA, October 17-November 4, 2011. Curators: James Devore and Johnnie Terry.
    • Manmade. Evolve the Gallery, Sacramento, CA, USA, June 9-25, 2011 (extended to July 9, 2011). Curators: Brady and Michelle Blakeley.
  • Group Exhibits
    • Behind the Mask: Women, Men & Masculinities. Loranger Art and Architecture Center, University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI, USA and LeBel Art Gallery, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada. February 27-March 10, 2012. Curators: Libby Balter Blume, Ph.D., C.F.L.E. and Allegra Pitera.
    • Men's Work. The Box Factory, San Francisco, CA. October 1-November 7, 2011. Curator: Jeremy Sanders.
    • Fun R Us. Tangent Gallery, Sacramento, CA. September 10-24, 2011. Curators: Gioia Fonda and Ianna Frisby.
    • in-organic. Collar Works, Troy, NY, USA, August 26-September 16, 2011. Curator: Jennifer Hunold.
    • That's so Gay. Tangent Gallery, Sacramento, CA, USA. June 11-25, 2011. Curators: Gioia Fonda and Ianna Frisby.
    • Play. Textile Arts Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA. May 13-June 24, 2011. Curator: Joetta Maue.
    • Don’t Hate on Me. Carol’s Bookstore, Sacramento, CA, USA. April 23-May 7, 2011 (extended to June 4, 2011). Curator: Allahiya Shabazz.
    • Gay for Eagles. Hotel Hadley Studios, Siler City, NC, USA, April 15-May 14, 2011 (extended to June 10, 2011). Curator: Drucilla Pettibone.
    • A.I.D.S. Artists Intent on Destroying Stereotypes. Evolve the Gallery, Sacramento, CA, USA, December 9, 2010-January 17, 2011. Curators: Brady and Michelle Blakeley.
    • EMERGE: The Next Generation of Masters. Evolve the Gallery, Sacramento, CA, USA, November 11-28, 2010. Curators: Brady and Michelle Blakeley.
    • From the Tongue. Lotus Salon/34 North Moore Exhibition Space, New York, NY, USA, June 24-August 6, 2010. Curator: Joetta Maue.
    • Chronotopia. SOMArts Cultural Center, San Francisco, CA, USA, June 5-30, 2010. Curators: Cheryl Dunye, Tirza True Latimer, Rudy Lemcke, Matt McKinley, Pamela Penniston, Tina Takemoto.
    • MFA Thesis Exhibition. SF State Fine Arts Gallery, San Francisco, CA, USA, April 24-May 14, 2010.
    • Drawing in Thread: Contemporary Embroidery. The Gallery at Mt. Ida College, Newton, MA, USA, March 30-May 2, 2010. Curators: Kathleen Driscoll, John Tricomi.
    • Reinvention: Textiles from Textiles Conference Speakers and Presenters, Cesar Chavez Center Art Gallery, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA, March 18-April 22, 2010.
    • again and again and again: repeat pattern, now and then, The Artery, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA, March 4-April 8, 2010. Curator: Vic De La Rosa.
    • Continuum, Martin Wong Gallery, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA, March 4-April 8, 2010. Curator: Vic De La Rosa.
    • Birmingham Queer Open, Birmingham, England, November 3-6, 2009. Curators: David Viney et al.
    • Art Department Office Invited Exhibit, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA, August 24, 2009-May 30, 2010.
    • Threads, SOMArts Cultural Center, San Francisco, CA, USA, June 7-26, 2009. Curators: Tirza Latimer, Rudy Lemcke, Matt McKinley, Pamela Penniston, Allison Smith, Tina Takemoto.
    • Twentieth Annual Stillwell Exhibition, San Francisco State University Fine Arts Gallery, San Francisco, CA, USA February 24-March 19, 2009. Curator: Karen Kienzle.
    • North American Graduate Art Survey, Katherine E. Nash Gallery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, January 20-February 19, 2009.
    • Design Shibori, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, France, October 27-November 8, 2008.
    • Immediate Future: The 2008 Murphy & Cadogan Fellowships in the Fine Arts, San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery, San Francisco, CA, USA, September 6-October 18, 2008. Curators: Dana Hemenway and Meg Shiffler.
    • artSpace, Civic Center Plaza, Thirty-eighth Annual San Francisco LGBT Celebration and Parade, San Francisco, CA, USA, June 29, 2008. Curator: Robert Melton.
    • The Fabric of Cultures: Fashion, Identity, Globalization, Museum of Craft and Folk Art, San Francisco, CA, USA, February 15-April 27, 2008. Curator: Amy Winter, Ph.D.
    • Baulines Craft Guild Master Annual Exhibition, Artworks Downtown, San Rafael, CA, USA, November 6-December 7, 2007.
    • Nancy Boy traveled to City College of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA, October 1-26, 2007.
    • Raised in Craftivity, Greenlease Gallery, Kansas City, MO, USA, September 7-29, 2007. Curator: Maria Buszek, Ph.D.
    • Handymen and Girly Boys: Masculinity, Craft, and Culture, Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO, USA, April 27-August 18, 2007. Curator: Maria Buszek.
    • Nancy Boy traveled to Truman State University, Kirksville, MO, USA, October 16-November 17, 2006.
    • Inspired by Marin — The Spirit of the Baulines Craft Guild, Marin Community Foundation, Novato, CA, USA, February 21-May 4, 2006.
    • Nancy Boy traveled to L.H. Horton, Jr. Gallery, San Joaquin Delta College, Stockton, CA, USA, October 6-November 3, 2005.
    • Nancy Boy, Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA, USA, January 25-March 20, 2005. Curator: Nancy Mizuno Elliott.
  • Presentations/Panels
    • Men's Work Show Artists Panel. Box Factory, San Francisco, CA, USA, November 6, 2011. Moderator: Tina Takemoto.
    • Crafty Queers, v 3.0. Sierra College, Rocklin, CA, USA, October 26, 2011.
    • Thread of Masculinity, v. 2.0 Show Walkthrough. Ridley Gallery, Sierra College, Rocklin, CA, USA, October 19, 2011.
    • State Of Community - Art, Politics & Community Panel. Underground Books, Sacramento, CA, USA, September 26, 2011.
    • Manmade Show Walkthrough. Evolve the Gallery, Sacramento, CA, USA, June 11, 2011.
    • Don't Hate on Me Show Artists Panel. Carol's Bookstore, Sacramento, CA, USA, May 7, 2011.
    • Thread of Masculinity. San Francisco State University Fine Arts Gallery, San Francisco, CA, USA, April 29, 2010.
    • Crafty Queers, v. 2.0. Queer Art History Course, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA, April 28, 2010.
    • Emerging Artists. Panelist, Reinvention Conference sponsored by Studio Art Quilts Associates and Surface Design Association, San Francisco, CA, USA, March 20, 2010. Moderator: Vic De La Rosa.
    • Crafty Queers. Queer Art History Course, San Francisco State University, April 28, 2009.
    • The Journey Continues. Golden Gate Weavers Guild, Berkeley, CA, USA, November 21, 2005.
    • The Journey Continues. Silverado Weaving Guild, Napa, CA, USA, February 28, 2005.
    • My Journey Through Weaving. Tamalpais Weaving Guild, Marin County, CA, USA, November 19, 2002.
  • Catalogs
    • Evolve the Gallery Presents Manmade by Bren Ahearn, 2011.
    • Play, 2011, p. 6.
    • SFSU MFA 2010, 2010, pp. 2-3.
    • Drawing in Thread: Contemporary Embroidery, 2010, p. 3.
    • Shibori, 2008, pp. 22-23.
  • Reviews of Shows and Work
  • Appearance of Work/Artist or Reference to Work/Artist in Publications and/or Presentations By Others
    • "Design Showcase 2011: Armchair Quarterback by Doug Brown and Bren Ahearn." Apartment Therapy, September 23, 2011.
    • Janairo, M. "Connecting threads: 'In-Organic' at Collar Works celebrates fiber arts." Times Union, September 8, 2011, p. 9.
    • "Manmade by Bren Ahearn." Evolve the Arts, Issue 1, Summer 2011, p. 4.
    • Foster, T. "Artist Bren Ahearn at his opening at Evolve the Gallery." Midtown Monthly, July 2011, p. 14.
    • "Current & Coming." Fiberarts, Summer 2011, p. 54.
    • Anonymous. "Monday grab bag." Heckasac, June 13, 2011.
    • McConehea, S. "Taken at the Gallery Opening for Manmade." Adventures of an Introvert, June 11, 2011.
    • McConehea, S. "Untitled posting." Adventures of an Introvert, June 10, 2011.
    • Watson, M. "Bren Ahearn embroidery." Now that's crafty, May 2011.
    • Watson, M. "Bren Ahearn weaving." Now that's crafty, May 2011.
    • Anonymous. "Bren Ahearn." The Rhumboogie, May 22, 2011.
    • Chalmers, J. "eMbroidery – Bren Ahearn." Mr. X Stitch, May 22, 2011.
    • Cawood, J. "Bren Ahearn." Popular Sizes, May 18, 2011.
    • Maue, J. "Thread Reviews – Application Etiquette." Textile Arts Center Blog, April 6, 2011.
    • Chalmers, J. "eMbroidery – FilmResearch." Mr. X Stitch, March 27, 2011.
    • Schinderman, Ellen. "Umpf." Schindermania! , March 3, 2011.
    • Fauver, M. Untitled posting on Landscape of My Preoccupations, December 2, 2010.
    • McKenna, C. "Negative Space Escape." Time Well Spent, September 22, 2010.
    • McDade, M. "Reinvention in San Francisco." Fiberarts, Summer 2010, p. 8.
    • "Extreme Embroidery." la Motif, May 15, 2010.
    • Woog, D. "Crafting a Career." Nationally syndicated interview appearing in several publications, including The Rainbow Times, 3(10), November 5-December 2, 2009, p. 23; Between the Lines News, Issue 1746, November 12, 2009; and ACCESSline, 23(9), December 2009.
    • De La Rosa, V. "Unraveling Fiber Education." Fiberarts, November/December 2009, p. 8.
    • QCA. The Newsletter of the Queer Caucus for Art, 21(2), June 2009, p. 2.
    • University of Minnesota Digital Content Library (ID numbers: AR002599, AR002600), 2009-present.
    • Kahn, J.M. "Faggotstitch." Queering Craft roundtable, College Art Association, Los Angeles, CA, USA, February 27, 2009.
    • "2008 Student Showcase." Fiberarts, November/December 2008, p. 46.
    • Williams College Women’s and Gender Studies Department webpage, August 15, 2008-present.
    • "Letters from our Readers." Fiberarts, November/December 2007, p. 6.
    • "Gallery." American Craft, August/September 2007, p. 73.
    • "Dozens of Exhibitions, Conference in Kansas City." Fiberarts, Summer 2007, p. 18.
    • Meetze, J. "Celebration Coat Inspired by an Article in Handwoven." Handwoven, May/June 2007, pp. 68-71.
    • Brackmann, H., The Surface Designer’s Handbook: Dyeing, Printing, Painting, and Creating Resists on Fabric. Loveland, CO; Interweave Press, 2006, pp 44, 99.
  • Publications
    • Ahearn, B. "Response to Letter to Editor." In Letters from our Readers, Fiberarts, November/December 2007, p. 6.
    • Ahearn, B. "Celebrate with Cloth in Strip-Woven Shadow Weave." Handwoven, Mar./Apr. 2005, pp. 52-55. (Reprinted in Best of Handwoven Technique Series: Shadow Weave, Interweave Press, 2011, pp. 13-16.)
    • Ahearn, B. "Weave Shibori Bookmarks and Mark Your Weaving Journey." Handwoven, Sept./Oct. 2004, pp. 58-63.
  • Education
    • San Francisco State University (SFSU), San Francisco, CA, USA Master of Fine Arts in Textiles, 2010
    • Monterey Institute of International Studies, Monterey, CA, USA Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, 1991
    • University of Pennsylvania Wharton School and College of Arts and Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA Bachelor of Science in Economics and Bachelor of Arts in English, 1986
  • Awards
    • SFSU Graduate Student Award for Distinguished Achievement, 2010.
    • Leo D. Stillwell Award, 2009.
    • Murphy & Cadogan Fellowship in the Fine Arts (Sponsor: San Francisco Foundation), 2008.
    • CNCH Scholarship, 2005.
  • Membership in Professional and Avocational Organizations
    • College Art Association, 2009-2011
    • Queer Caucus for Art, 2009-2011
    • CNCH, 1998-2009
    • Baulines Craft Guild (Journeyman member), 2007-2009
    • Loom and Shuttle Guild, San Francisco, CA, USA, 1998-2009
    • Surface Design Association, 2007-2009
  • Service
    • Lavender Library, Archives and Cultural Exchange Volunteer, Sacramento, CA, USA, 2009-2011.
    • Assistant Graduate Programs Coordinator, San Francisco State University Art Department, San Francisco, CA, USA, 2008-2010.
    • High Fiber Under Five Art Sale Participant, San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, San Jose, CA, USA, November 3-8, 2009. (Fundraising sale for the museum)
    • Education Department Intern, Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA, USA, 2008.
    • CNCH Liaison, Loom and Shuttle Guild, San Francisco, CA, USA, 2004-2005.
    • Various Service Positions, Loom and Shuttle Guild, San Francisco, CA, USA, 1998-2005.
    • Printing Chair, CNCH Conference, 2004.
    • Special Sample Service Contributor, CNCH, 2002, 2004.
    • Co-Designer of Icons Used in Organizational Logo, CNCH, 2002
    • Printing Chair and Conference Logo Designer, CNCH, 2002