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Nancy Loorem AdamsLoorem Adams' conceptual sculptural basketry frequently references challenging contemporary issues with an intention to provoke reflection, emotional response, paradoxical thinking and to create beauty. She is drawn to these aesthetic themes for what she perceives as their capacity to express what haunts and engages her imagination. Loorem Adams specializes in random weave basketry techniques utilizing materials such as wood veneer, cane, reed, pigments, ink, dyes and lacquer. She employs these materials in uncommon applications with mixed-media components to develop narratives giving expression to the societal psyche.
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Bio |
Loorem Adams 45-year career spans art production, art education, and art advocacy with a concurrent career as a public school teacher, principal and senior administrator. She first created fine art jewelry that incorporated hand-made warm glass beads and medallions with world beads from her collection resulting in small scale wearable sculpture. Her current focus is contemporary sculptural basketry.
During her years in public education, Loorem Adams wove her love of art and commitment to art education into the development of school-based art programs. She served on the Board of the Bellevue Art Museum— a museum dedicated to contemporary craft, for seven years becoming Board President and Liaison to the Capital Campaign to build the stunning Steven Holl designed museum in Bellevue, Washington. After retiring from the public schools, she became Head of School at the Bellevue Art Museum, and then went on to found Art’s Cool! a company offering after school art classes and summer art camps for elementary children in 12 schools in the Bellevue and Mercer Island school districts of Washington. Art's Cool! employed outstanding producing artists to engage children in creative experiences that culminated in an exhibition of student work at the end of each session. Loorem Adams turned her full attention to making and exhibiting sculptural basketry, curatorial projects and writing in 2012. She curated an exhibition at the Bellevue Arts Museum, Ron Ho: A Jeweler's Tale, 2019, and wrote an accompanying 32 page monograph of the same title; curated NOW Beauty and Paradox, 2018 a group show at Museo Gallery Whidbey Island, Washington, and co-curated Earth Elements, 2017 also a group show at Matske Fine Art Gallery, Camano Island, Washington. Loorem Adams serves on the Board of Northwest Designer Craftsmen as Vice President for Educational Programs and Museum Liaison. She is active in the Whidbey Island Surface Design Association, an affiliate of the National Surface Design Association. Loorem Adams achieved the doctorate at the University of Washington in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in1993, Masters and Bachelors degrees from Western Washington University in Public School Administration, and Elementary Education. She attended numerous art workshops, classes and mentorships in silver-smithing, warm glass techniques, and basketry at Pratt in Seattle, through the National Basketry Organization and the local guild, and the Northwest Art Center on Whidbey Island. Loorem Adams travels the world studying history, culture, art movements and attending art exhibitions. |
Exhibitions, Curatorial, Publications and Awards
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National Basketry Organization, Basketry Now: 10th Anniversary Exhibition, The Kentucky Museum at Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, Kentucky 2019 Excellence in Fibers Craft in America Gallery, Los Angeles, California 2019 Excellence in Fibers juried exhibition in print IV Fiber Art Now Winter 2018/2019 STEM+Art+Design Northwest Designer Craftsmen Create, Schack Art Center, Everett Washington 2019 Playlist Museo Gallery, Langley Washington Group Exhibition February 2019 Northwest Designer Craftsmen The Contemporary Art of Fine Craft, Washington State Convention Center 2018 Art at the Port, Anacortes Arts Festival juried exhibition 2018 Anacortes, Washington Great Basins Basketry Exhibition HGA Convergence Conference 2018 Reno Nevada Manga Artifact, Second Place: Made It, Honorable Mention "Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot" Fall 2018 Issue Front Cover Image Manga Artifact, and article Handweavers Guild of America, Inc. Whatcom County Musuem Gathered Together Group Show NW Basketry Guild 2018 Bellingham, Washington Nancy Loorem Adams One Woman Show Skagit Community College 2018 Mount Vernon, Washington All Things Considered 9 Basketry in the 21st Century exhibition and catalog National Basketry Organization International Show Tacoma Washington 2017 In Response to Baskets Art Stop Gallery Northwest Designer Craftsmen Juried Exhibition 2017 Tacoma Washington Interwoven, The Sculptural Basketry of Nancy Loorem Adams LaConner Fiber and Textile Museum LaConner Washington 2017 NOW Beauty and Paradox Exhibition Museo Gallery 2017 Curator and Artist, Langley, Washington Bellevue College Northwest Designer Craftsmen Juried Exhibition 2017 Bellevue, Washington Garden Show Museo Gallery April 2017 Langley, Washington Crafting Community Inaugural International Exhibition in Print, Surface Design Journal Winter 2016/2017 Karla Matzke Fine Art Gallery, Earth Elements Exhibition 2017 Co-Curator and Artist Vashon Art Center Northwest Designer Craftsmen Exhibition 2017 Museo Gallery Beach Party Exhibition February - March 2017 Fiber Fusion Juried Traveling Exhibition, Jurors' Award Winner, Schack Art Center Everett, March -April 2017; North Winds Gallery Port Townsend, WA February 2017,;Vala Art Center November - January 15th 2017; Allied Arts Richland WA June, 2016 Museo Gallery Gift Show November - December 2016 The Garden Show, Museo Gallery April, 2016 Mardi Gras Invitational Exhibition, Museo Gallery 2016 Langley, WA Beyond the Surface 2016 Juried Exhibition La Conner Quilt and Textile Museum, La Conner WA Craft Forms 2015 International Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Craft, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA Entwined Invitational Exhibition Museo Gallery, 2015 Langley, WA Expressions Northwest 2015 Juried Exhibition Northwind Art Center Port Townsend, WA Whidbey Island Whidbey Island Center on the Art’s Group Show, 2015 Langley, WA The Grid Show, invitational Artist Exhibition Museo Gallery, 2015 Langley, WA Pop Art Exhibition Museo Gallery 2015 Langley, WA Schack Art Center 2014 Juried Exhibition, Everett, WA I Can’t Believe It’s Fiber Invitational Artist Exhibition Museo Gallery, 2014, Langley, WA Medieval Exhibition Museo Gallery 2014 Langley, WA Out of the Blue Juried Exhibition Northwest Quilt and Textile Museum 2014, LaConner, WA White on White Invitational Exhibition Museo Gallery 2013, Langley, WA Whidbey Island Center on the Arts Lobby Exhibit 2013, 2014, 2015, Langley, WA Dancing Surfaces Juried Exhibition, Surface Design Association of Washington Phinney Ridge 2014 Curator: Ron Ho: A Jeweler's Tale Exhibition , Nancy Loorem Adams Curator, Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue, Washington 2019 NOW Beauty and Paradox Group Exhibition 2017 Museo Gallery Langley, Washington Curator and exhibiting artist Earth Elements Group Exhibition 2017 Karla Matzke Fine Art Gallery, Co-Curator and exhibiting artist Publications: National Basketry Organization, Basketry Now: 10th Anniversary Exhibition Catalog, The Kentucky Museum at Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, Kentucky 2019 Ron Ho: A Jeweler's Tale 32 Page Exhibition Monograph Nancy Loorem Adams Curator/Author 2019 Collaboration Bellevue Arts Museum & Northwest Designer Craftsmen Shuttle Spindle & Dyepot Fall 2018 Issue Front Cover Image Manga Artifact, and article Nation Basketry Organization Inaugural Exhibition In Print 2018 Basketry A Way of Life Whidbey Life Magazine Winter 2017-18 Crafting Community Surface Design Association Inaugural International Exhibition in Print Surface Design Journal Winter 2016/2017 Awards: Juror's Award for The Birth of the Grid, Fiber Fusion, 2016-2017 Juried Traveling Exhibition, Washington Great Basins Basketry Exhibition Handweaver's Guild of America Convergence Conference 2018 Reno NV Manga Artifact, Second Place: Made It, Honorable Mention |
