Biography and Artist Statement

ARTIST STATEMENT
Penny Mateer Artist Statement

My artwork is textile based drawn from generations of women before me who expressed themselves through stitching, often in resistance. I focus on social and political commentary using quilt making, needlework and/or newspaper collage to call out injustice and question authority. There are recurring themes throughout that address systemic racism, sexism and misogyny, the military industrial complex, climate change and economic inequality. I find that there is something about the intimacy of cloth and recognition of the work required in the making, that helps dissolve the distance between the viewer and the art. Difficult subjects become less intimidating and new pathways for understanding can emerge. For economical large-scale printing and immediacy, I often reproduce my collages on commercially printed fabric or common objects to make difficult topics more accessible



BIOGRAPHY
Penny Mateer, artist/activist, works with textiles and recycled materials. Mateer’s art is rooted in quilting and embroidery traditionally thought of as “women’s work.” Drawing from this rich history of creating functional objects intended to provide warmth and comfort, she uses fabric as her primary material because it is both recognizable and relatable. Her work centers on social and economic issues with the goal to spark thought and discussion.

On January 22, 2017 President Trump’s inauguration, Mateer launched In Today's News, a series of daily hand-cut collages from the NY Times, to bear witness to this period in US history. She organizes Pole-2-Polls a community-made public art project to promote voting.

Mateer has received numerous awards including Best of Show Fiberart International 2016 and was an artist-in-residence at MASS MoCA. Her work is in the Pittsburgh Public School System collection. She was co-director of Knit the Bridge, a community-made public art project installed on the Andy Warhol Bridge in Pittsburgh. Mateer lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.