Visual Arts Center

Interwoven
Fiber in Three Voices

December 12, 2025–June 21, 2026

Shultz Gallery

Featuring Artwork By

Emily Anderson, Amy Jarding, Sue Kaihoi

About the Exhibition

This exhibition brings together the work of Emily Anderson, Amy Jarding, and Sue Kaihoi. Their art is part of a long tradition of textile and fiber art. For hundreds of years, weaving, stitching, and rug-making were seen mainly as domestic tasks—skilled but not considered “fine art.” In the late twentieth century, feminist artists and scholars challenged this idea. They reclaimed fiber as a strong artistic medium and showed the value of materials once thought of as feminine or decorative.

Continuing the Legacy

The artists in this show continue that tradition in exciting ways. Emily Anderson turns a rug-making technique into bold, sculptural wall pieces that surprise viewers. Sue Kaihoi creates hand-stitched textiles that show the emotional impact of careful, repetitive work. Amy Jarding makes woven pieces that use one of the oldest forms of making. Her work shows how threads can carry both meaning and beauty.

Honoring Tradition, Expanding Possibilities

Together, these three artists celebrate the history of fiber art while taking it in new directions. The exhibition shows fiber as a lively, expressive, and modern art form—one that continues to grow and earn recognition in the art world today.

Meet the Artists

Education and Career

Emily Anderson earned her B.A. in Gender and Sexuality in Art from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and works as the Administrative and Development Coordinator for the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra.

Exploring Feminine Expression in Fiber Art

Her art explores feminine expression and looks at what happens when expectations and appearances don’t match. She uses materials and techniques often seen as “women’s work”—like fibers, textiles, and tufting—to challenge the idea that these materials are only craft, not fine art.

Artistic Style and Approach

Amy Jarding is a visual artist from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She is known for her mixed-media artworks that turn everyday objects into imaginative, sometimes surreal pieces. Her work uses bright colors and a touch of humor to invite viewers to look closely and think deeply.

Early Career and Creative Process

Jarding started her artistic journey in her mid-20s, exploring art through experimentation and intuition. She began creating mixed-media collages using found objects and pages from books and magazines. For her, the process of making is just as important as the finished piece. This approach results in art that is both playful and meaningful.

Textile Work and Large-Scale Weavings

In her textile work, Jarding creates large-scale weavings using yarn and found materials. She often adds personal items, like family heirlooms, to give her pieces extra layers of meaning. Her focus on texture and form makes these works engaging to both see and touch.

Art as a Universal Language

Jarding believes art is a universal language that connects people across age and background. She wants her work to be personal, yet accessible, letting each viewer have their own emotional experience.

Learn More About Amy Jarding

For more about Amy Jarding, visit her website: amyjarding.com. She also shares updates on her projects and exhibitions on Facebook and Instagram.

Artistic Focus and Mediums

Sue Kaihoi is a textile artist based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She makes abstract tapestries and collages using textiles, fibers, and paper.

Early Life and Connection to Nature

Her love of natural textiles and stitching started in childhood. She spent her early years hand-stitching, doing embroidery, painting, and drawing. Growing up in Minnesota—summers at the lake, camping in the North Woods, ice fishing with her father, and tromping through the snow—gave her a strong connection to nature. Memories of wool jackets, Hudson Bay blankets, canvas awnings, and fresh linens hanging on the line continue to inspire her work today.

Influences and Design Approach

Kaihoi draws creative inspiration from the Gees Bend Quilters and Ellsworth Kelly. She admires their simple use of line, color, and composition, and brings similar ideas into her own textile collages and tapestries.

Sponsored by

South Dakota Arts Council support is provided with funds from the State of South Dakota, through the Department of Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Price List

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Artist Reception

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