Origins: Rugs in Inspirational Places is an exhibit of hand woven wool rugs by Regina Vorgang with photographs by W. Scott Miles at the Buenaventura Gallery. Exhibit begins Tuesday, August 17 to Saturday, September 11, 2010. Opening reception is on Saturday, August 21, from 4 – 7 pm. Meet the artist on Friday September 3 for First Fridays Ventura from 5 – 8pm.

Vorgang’s creations bring a new meaning to the phrase “consider the source”. Many of us have learned to pay attention to the country our clothes were made in or the state our vegetables originated. Have you ever thought about where the fibers in your rug come from? Chances are there is a story to tell. If you’re Vorgang, then you’ve not only met the sheep, but you’ve helped sheer and card the wool used to create these utilitarian masterpieces she wants us to walk all over.

“There are people out there who don’t even know there really are black sheep!” exclaims the artist. The black untreated wool, as well as the variety of browns, grays, whites and every natural hue in between, have traveled from the farm only 20 minutes away to the loom in Vorgang’s studio at the Bell Arts factory in Ventura’s Westside…and, yes, the color of a majority of the wools used in Vorgang’s creations reflect the color of the sheep it came from.

Origins celebrates the materials used as well as their inspirational subject matter. Accompanying photographs include the woven rugs as a compositional element in their place of inspiration. This collaborative show provides insight into the creative process of a husband and wife, who celebrate their innovative expression in different media.

Although not every rug in this exhibit can claim origins from the same county it was woven in, each piece was consciously created with the skills and knowledge that is reemerging into our main stream consumerism. The awareness of where our food or art comes from is as important as how good it looks.

Vorgang is a member of Designing Weavers, a Los Angeles based juried fiber artists guild and shows her work at her studio, gallery exhibitions, and juried art and craft shows such as the American Craft Council, Contemporary Crafts Market, and the Southwest Arts Festival. Miles is a professional photographer and member of the faculty at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA.

The Buenaventura Gallery is located at 700 E. Santa Clara St, Ventura, CA 93001. Hours are Tues thru Friday from 12 – 5 pm and Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. For questions or an appointment during other hours, please call (805)648-1235 or visit www.buenaventuragallery.org.