The Fabric That Connects Us All and the Stories We Share

"Heliotrope 1"

 

         This past week, I enjoyed an artist talk at FLCC's downtown Canandaigua gallery and studio, ArtSpace 36. The featured artist, Lydia Boddie-Rice, engaged the group in a compelling conversation amidst her exhibit, "Mixed Messages. Stories Told Through Fragments and Fabric".

"Naomi's Match

"Eyes Up Frances"

This striking exhibit is made up of Boddie-Rice's dynamic, mixed media pieces. She uses fabric, different paints, beads, and other 3D elements to tell a story. In her words, many of these stories are of "healing and transformation."    

 

"Thaddeus"

 

 "Peace Among the Peonies"

   

 

   The conversational tone of her artist talk reflected her mission as an artist to inspire connection. She certainly connected with her audience that day.  Her warmth made everyone in the room feel like friends.

            Boddie-Rice spoke of her past career in her corporate life and how she left that all behind to become a full time artist. She advised her audience that once you decide what you want to do, and let go of the how, you will start feeling the universe supporting you and pushing you into the right direction.

        As someone who has pivoted in mid life, gone back to school, and returned to my artistic roots, I deeply connected to this sentiment. It seemed serendipitous- this also happened to be the day after my husband and I had taken our own leap of faith. We had just signed a PSA for our business, looking forward to the next, somewhat uncertain, chapter of our life together.

                                                                            "Psalm 46:5"

When asked about the reason Boddie-Rice chooses fabric as a medium, she explained that fabric was a part of her.  She spoke of her Mother and Grandmother sewing and she herself had quilted and knit. This also resonated with me- another connection if you will. As a child, I often was clothed by the patterns brought to life by my own Mom and Grandma. I also have quilted and knitted and crocheted.

  Boddie-Rice's connection to fabric is apparent in her work. She uses a wide variety of remnants from Ghanian to Jacquard style upholstery type fabric and everything in between. These textile choices add to the stories she is telling in each piece.    

I found Lydia Boddie-Rice's work to be very successful. Not only is it visually pleasing with well thought out compositions, but the stories she is trying to tell come through the pieces. You will not walk away without feeling something. It might be the solemn reverence or the faith of a prayer desperately needing to be answered. Possibly it's the soft feel and sweet scent of peonies reflecting the essence of the woman amongst them, or maybe it's the resilience of a woman working through a beautiful distraction. Whether the story you hear is yours or hers, it is there for you to discover.

If you happen to find yourself in Upstate New York, you can currently find Lydia Boddie-Rice's  kite exhibition, "Rising on the Wind" on display at The City Art Space at RIT. (April '26)

To learn more about Lydia Boddie-Rice and her inspiring art, or to follow her, you can find her on Instagram at @boddierice  or on her website, boddieworkscreations.com.