This exhibition showcases three artists, Paula Froehle, Deborah Hirshfield & Laurie LeBreton, using fiber materials and sculptural elements to create a cohesive display exploring gender roles, healing and identity.

Paula Froehle is a film director, visual artist, educator and entrepreneur. As a filmmaker she has directed 12 films and 20+ media projects. Her directing credits include her feature-length documentary, “The Show Must Go On, An Intimate Portrait of The Flying Wallendas,” which is distributed by MVD Entertainment Group. As a visual artist she explores new approaches to traditional mediums, most recently blending portraits and stitching to create “floating drawings”. As an entrepreneur she has been involved in the founding of several startups, including Opal Pictures design & film production company; Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy media arts college (as Founding Academic Dean), and Chicago Media Project, a member-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting impact documentary work and presenting the DOC10 Film Festival each year. She is also co-founder & co-fund manager of CMP Invest/Impact (CMP I/I) one of only two equity funds in the US to invest in documentary films as a “pay it forward” approach in supporting documentary work. Ms. Froehle received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and her BFA from the Columbus College of Art and Design. She lives in Chicago with her two grown children, Grace, the artist, and Alexander, the entrepreneur, and Charlotte, their fluffy cockapoo.

Deborah Hirshfield was born and raised in Chicago and Evanston, Illinois and graduated from the American High School in Mexico City, Mexico, after which she studied Dance Theater in New York City, travelled throughout Europe and Israel, and began her career in the textile arts, teaching at the Institute del Arte, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Upon her return to the United States, Ms. Hirshfield taught Batik at various North Shore venues. As a single parent, Ms. Hirshfield matriculated with honors in Art and Music Education from Mundelein College, Chicago and received her Masters in Education from Columbia College, Chicago while her son was in elementary school. After twenty years of encouraging Chicago public schools students PreK-Grade 8 in the arts, she returned to her first career in textile arts. Ms. Hirshfield has most recently exhibited at Womanmade Gallery, “Adorn,” 2015, the Evanston Art Center, “Undefineable,” 2017, the Highland Park Art Center, “Voices and Visions,” 2016, and “EcoArt,” 2017, and Oakton Community College Koehnline Museum, “Nevertheless She Persisted,” 2018.

Laurie LeBreton is a sculptor living and working in Chicago. Her primary material is abaca, a paper that she makes herself. She also uses a wide variety of other materials, including yarn, ribbon, beads, aluminum cans, wire and flower petals. Toward the end of a career working with non-profit organizations, she began taking classes in artists’ books. Her interest increased over time, and she eventually decided to go to graduate school.
LeBreton graduated from Columbia College with an MFA in interdisciplinary arts with an emphasis on the book and paper arts. She has exhibited widely in the Chicago area, across the country and internationally. In the fall of 2018 she had two solo shows, at the Robert DeCaprio Gallery at Moraine Valley Community College and at the Lee E. Dulgar Gallery at South Suburban College.

Paula Froehle, Deborah Hirshfield & Laurie LeBreton will be exhibited in the first floor gallery of the Art Center. There will be an opening reception on Friday, March 1 from 5 – 8pm, which will be free and open to the public.