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QUILLS & QUEUES Quills & Queues: Artists share love of animals, magical realism 'Magical Realism' exhibit runs through September Comment By Vickie Aldous for the Tidings Follow @@VickieAldous DailyTidings.com By Vickie Aldous for the Tidings Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Sep. 1, 2016 at 4:21 PM Updated Sep 1, 2016 at 4:23 PM By Vickie Aldous for the Tidings Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Sep. 1, 2016 at 4:21 PM Updated Sep 1, 2016 at 4:23 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Schneider Museum part of Oregon's 'largest art show' • Quills & Queues: Artist taps into Japanese culture, traditions... • Ashland author transports readers to Antarctica • Quills & Queues: Photographer adds symbolic elements to portraits... » Social News When artists Denise Kester and Liza Hamilton were both looking for a studio partner at the Ashland Art Center, it was a natural for the two to pick each other. "I love Liza's work and it felt like a very good fit," Kester said. "Both of have a really strong sense of imagination and magical realism." The duo have shared a studio and display space at the downtown art center since June. This month, they are staging a joint exhibit titled "Magical Realism." Kester is known for combining animal and human imagery in prints that hint at underlying mythic stories. Often the characters in her prints have both animal and human attributes. Her art is frequently inspired by dreams. "I just adore animals, bird especially," Kester said. "I can't seem to stop making them. I love the idea of animal people. Each of my pieces has a story that goes with it." Hamilton uses the relatively new medium of needle-felted wool to create fantastical creatures that either mix human and animal forms or parts of different animals. A fox sprouts deer antlers; a cheetah has the spiraling horns of a bighorn sheep; a lion has the horns of an African antelope. Hamilton said people began sculpting with needle-felted wool in the 1980s. Rows of barbed needles had been used in industrial machines for years on wool. Then an artist began using a single barbed needle to pull and tangle wool fibers into new shapes. In the past several years, needle felting exploded in popularity in the craft world, and continues to gain ground in the fine art world. "Kids and adults can create sculptures. It's gaining in popularity because it's so approachable and easy to do," said Hamilton, who also teaches needle felting. Needle felting involves no harsh chemicals, and clean-up is easy. Working with textiles also taps into deep-seated human desires, she said. "We connect with fibers instinctually because we've relied on fibers like wool for warmth for so long," she said. Hamilton recently ventured into bronze work and will display four whimsical, magical bronze creatures along with her felted wool sculptures. The exhibit "Magical Realism" will continue through September in studio space eight at the art center, 357 E. Main St. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, with extended evening hours for the First Friday Art Walk. Hamilton offers drop-in "Felting Friday" needle felting classes every Friday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Each class costs $10 and includes materials. For more information about Hamilton and her art, visit wooliza.com . For more information about Kester and her art, visit drawingonthedream.com . Reach staff reporter Vickie Aldous at 541-776-4486 or [email protected] . Follow her at www.twitter.com/VickieAldous . By Vickie Aldous for the Tidings Follow @@VickieAldous DailyTidings.com By Vickie Aldous for the Tidings Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Sep. 1, 2016 at 4:21 PM Updated Sep 1, 2016 at 4:23 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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