Maureen Jakubson
Maureen Jakubson is a Mixed Media Artist, Fabric Designer, and Art Cloth Maker. Born in Maine, she moved to Ithaca in 1983 to begin practice as a pediatric therapist and Fiber Artist.
In recent years, Jakubson has concentrated on developing graphic impact with Shibori Stitch Resist dyeing. Finding the hand of the maker, mark of the stitch and relationship to the history of hand made cloth, has inspired Jakubson’s original fabric creations. She produces the fabrics in all her work using traditional Shibori techniques reinterpreted for contemporary surface design, as well as, a variety of fabric printing methods to produce mixed media fiber art. She has developed innovative, large scale stitch resist work based on African Adere and Japanese Shibori styles traditionally dyed in Indigo. She hand dyes, prints and dye paints on cottons, linens, wood and paper.
Jakubson completed the Art Cloth Mastery Program at Dunnewold Studios in San Antonio, Texas In February 2018. Art Cloth Mastery is a two and half year intensive study of dyes, color and mixed media techniques. She has also studied with Nancy Crow, Emily Richardson, Ann Johnson, Sue Cavanaugh, Jan Myers-Newberry, Elin Noble, David Hornung, Kaffe Fassett, Judy Robertson, and Elizabeth Busch.
Jakubson began to sell work professionally in 2014. She sells Quilters’ Cottons, Hand Dyed Shibori Fabrics, Clothing and Vintage Linens. She works exclusively with natural fibers including; Cotton, Rayon and Rayon Bamboo, a variety of Silks, Wool and Linen. She sells fabric designs online at Spoonflower.com and Hand Dyed Shibori work on Etsy.com. In 2015, She negotiated her first royalty contract for a Fabric Design and began teaching Shibori Stitch Resist Dyeing at the Community School of Music and Art and Quilters Corner both in Ithaca New York. She vends regularly at events in the Fingers Lakes including ; Lavender Festival, Quilting by the Lake, Ithaca Artist Market and Plowshares In Syracuse New York.
Jakubson’s work has been shown at the International Quilt Festival in Houston in 2018 in the special exhibit; “Many Voices From One” and the special exhibit; “The Power of Women”.
Jakubson’s Shibori work has been exhibited at Dunnewold Studios for the Off Fredricksburg Road Studio Tour in San Antonio, Texas in February 2018, Finger Lakes Fiber Artist Show at the May Memorial Unitarian Church in Syracuse and Quilt Diva Show; “Threads of Change” in Ithaca New York. Her paintings and fiber work have been exhibited at Community School of Music and Art open and faculty shows, Tompkins County Library, Tompkins County Quilt Guild and Genesse Valley Guild shows the Lowell Quilt Festival, and Quilting by the Lake.
Jakubson has shown work in 2022 at the Quilt Divas Show ” Lookin In, Looking Out”, at the Community Art Partnership Gallery in Ithaca NY, and the Quilt Divas Show ” Looking In, Looking Out, Looking Forward” at the Trumans bury Conservatory of Fine Arts in Trumansburg NY.
This Fall, Jakubson work will be included in the Community School of Music and Arts Faculty Show for the month of September at the CSMA gallery and resume teaching Shibori Stitch Resist and Hand Dyeing at CSMA.
Jakubson is a member of Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA), the Quilt Divas, and Finger Lakes Fiber Artists formed in 2015 in association with the Schweinfurth Art Center. She has been teaching Shibori Stitch Resist and other Hand Dyeing techniques at the Community School of Music and Art in Ithaca since 2015.
Fabric Designs
I hand dye, marble, paint, stamp and batik fabrics, as well as screen print, discharge and use a variety of resist techniques. I have been spending my time lately with Shibori work including clamp and pole wrapping methods, but decided in the past few years to concentrate on Stitch Resist Shibori. I love the strong graphic quality, design
possibilities and color work when using Stitch Resist.
Opening a scarf, whole cloth piece or yardage to see the design, workmanship, and color is the best moment. It is very satisfying to hang each batch where I can see them as I work to decide what I will take forward into the next design.
I have been enjoying developing machine Stitch Resist techniques inspired by African Adere cloth. Large, bold improvisational marks covering yards of fabric are possible with this method. Working out dyeing methods to get good contrast and color has been absorbing.
My affinity for hand work extends to finishing as well. I hand finish and embroider art pieces, wearables and Home Dec.