We’ve noticed many similarities among our new group of exhibiting, international artists. For example Newport, Brill and Egenhoefer all use knitting as a creative medium. Cozens-Walker and Jenson both decapitate the human figure. Newport, Egenhoefer, and Nicholson refer to childhood with their imagery. Cozens-Walker, Nicholson, and Jenson extrapolate personal experience for subject matter. The overlying connection between all these artists is their ability to humor us, whether with smiles or grimaces, as they give us a new perception of the mundane and familiar.

What if grandpa made your superhero costume?
Mark Newport's knitted bodysuits remind us of a first knitted sweater-- the sleeves are too long, the shape is a bit off. At the same time Newport convinces us that our associations with superheroes, who provide protection, safety, and comfort, also hold true for knitting.

Rachel Beth Egenhoefer literally brings warmth and comfort to the cold world of modern technology through her knitted cozies. From ipods to computers, she helps us negotiate the 21 st Century with grace and skill.

Reina Mia Brill reinvents the scary monsters of childhood nightmares as warm and fuzzy creatures. Knit with wire, the soft, whimsical figures belie the metal cages containing their forms. They beckon and taunt with charming cuteness.

John Jensen’s figures are not quite so warm and fuzzy. Resembling people from bizarre adult dreams, Jenson's work is funny in a creepy sort of way. His skewed portraits cause us to titter as we recognize the exaggerated traits of humans we also know. His pet dog is not altogether the benevolent figure we expect.

Mary Cozens-Walker also depicts her family, friends, and self in her methodically worked mixed-media portrayals of domestic banal-ness. The care and intricacy of layering paint, collage, and stitching indicate the unspoken importance and validity of these seemingly trite scenarios.

Maddie Nicholson creates bold, large-scale expressions of ironic dissonance. Her inspiration comes from the ephemera of her English childhood such as toys and disposable objects. The results are colorful, bright and kooky objects imbued with subtle messages of societal apathy.

We may not laugh out loud but we definitely snicker at what seems all too familiar. There's no denying, there's a child in all of us.