I stopped in to visit a local art gallery called the Artery last Saturday morning. The Artery, located at 207 G Street across from the G Street Pub parking lot, is a cooperative, meaning it is owned and operated by the artists whose work is exhibited.
The Artery has more of the feel of a store than other galleries I’ve visited. Many pieces are tagged with price tags, and most of the art objects in the gallery (like small figurines, or scarves) seem like nice gifts to buy for someone on a special occasion.
My friend Sara Helen Yost is one of the artists who owns and operates the Artery. Her medium is textiles. She makes vests, purses, pillows, and other such objects out of recycled fabrics. She gave me one of her bags as a birthday present.
This bag, like all of Sara Helen’s bags, is made out of fabric that had another purpose in a previous life. That the bag is made of repurposed material gives me satisfaction, because I think it’s clever and ethical to find handsome, functional ways to reuse materials instead of throwing things away after their first use. When I wear the bag I feel a little bit like I’m a small part of a conscious cultural movement away from a disposable paradigm.
Aside from the holier-than-thou attitude I get to cop when I wear the thing, I also happen to simply enjoy looking at it. The earthtone colors, nubby textures, and nature-inspired design of the fabric give it a handmade aesthetic that I like. I also like the addition of the heart, which seems to beckon the viewer to like it. According to Sara, she sews one on to all of her designs as a tribute to her mom, who taught her how to sew.
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