BREC’s Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center kicks off its 20th anniversary celebration with the fiber art show “Swamp 20,” which they hope continues their goal of connecting the community to nature.
Though the fiber art show has been a staple at Bluebonnet Swamp for many years, this is only the second year it has been organized by the park itself. The show was previously run by the Contemporary Fiber Artists of Louisiana, special facilities manager Claire Coco said.
“The January after they stopped, we had people coming in, wondering where the fiber art show was,” Coco said, “This show is great because the art is so varied.”
This year, BREC offers cash prizes to artists in the categories of Visitors’ Choice and Best in Theme. While the Visitors’ Choice award is about which piece gets the most votes, the staff focuses on the theme of the event when giving their prize.
Both prizes are offered in adult and youth categories, but fiber art pieces are rarely submitted by children.
“We love having children participate, but for some reason they don’t submit to the fiber art show,” Coco said.
The park also hosts a photo contest and a fine art show around May and September, and this year the themes revolve around Bluebonnet Swamp.
The photo contest has a “Swamp Magic” theme, and the theme of the fine art show encourages people to connect with nature. Coco said that the fiber art show is her favorite of the three art events put on by Bluebonnet Swamp.
The show’s featured artists hail from across Louisiana, but Coco said this year’s participation was lower than usual, due to the effects of the flood.
“It’s not a great time for wildlife, but this show is a pop of color in a drab winter,” Coco said.
To encourage artists to use the swamp as inspiration, the park will hold two field days for artists on April 8 and Nov. 18. The artists will receive free access to the park, as well as areas set up for them to work.
Coco said that Bluebonnet wants to encourage participation from artists of all kinds, especially University students.
“We’d love to have participation from the LSU student body,” said Coco. “Involvement like that would bring more people to the park to experience what it has to offer.”
The fiber art show, which opened Jan. 17, will end Feb. 12, with a reception to honor the artists where prizes will be given to the winners. Coco said this is one of her favorite parts of the show, because you get to hear the story behind pieces, which gives them more personal meaning.
Coco, her mother and her sister, Laura Montagnino, submitted pieces for the show. Montagnino’s piece is mostly made from Mardi Gras beads, and depicts the swamp in a style similar to Vincent Van Gogh, while Coco’s artwork depicts the animals she’s worked with in her 17 years at the Swamp.
Bluebonnet Swamp’s fiber art show, “Swamp 20” is open Tuesday through Saturday 9am-5pm and Sundays noon-5pm, with an artist reception on its closing day, Feb. 12.

Gallery • 3 Photos

Jordan Marcell

A fiber art piece crafted using ties by Mary Nell Barringer hangs on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017 at BREC's Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center.