Tending to Clouds opens at Paradigm Gallery + Studio on September 4, a fiber arts exhibition bringing together three artists who turn thread, wool, and even banana leaves into dreamscape compositions. Curated by Jessica Aguilar, the show runs through September 27 on the gallery’s first floor at 12 N. 3rd Street, with the opening reception landing on Friday, September 4, from 5 to 8 PM,

Each of the three artists shares a focus on ritual and repetition, treating everyday tasks like tending a garden or maintaining a home as their own kind of art-making practice.

The Three Artists Behind Tending to Clouds

Catalina Escallón Rosselli, a Colombian artist based in Brooklyn, builds abstract colorscapes through delicate embroidery on paper, working sequins and beads into her stitching so the pieces shift in color depending on the light.

^{Catalina Escallón Rosselli}

Richie Wilde López, a Puerto Rican textile artist based right here in Philadelphia, weaves tree fibers, wool, and natural dyes into pieces that hold onto memory and domestic history, drawing on the women who shaped his life as a recurring point of reference. He’s self-taught, developing his practice through studio experimentation rather than academic training, and also facilitates community textile workshops around the city.

^{Richie Wilde López}

Margaux McAllister, based in Phoenixville, rounds out the show with tufted ceremonial masks adorned with spiritual symbols, veiling figures that preside over invented plant forms. McAllister holds an MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and a BFA from Moore College of Art and Design, and her work has previously shown at Philadelphia’s Magic Garden.

Her work has also appeared on the cover of PXV Art Mag and in multiple Arts to Hearts Project books, alongside solo and group shows across the Philadelphia area and beyond.

^{Margaux McAllister}

Tending to Clouds follows Paradigm’s recent run of strong solo and group shows, including Eustace Mamba’s Lavender earlier this summer, continuing the gallery’s steady pace of exhibitions since its move to the five-story Old City building in 2023.

The show marks Paradigm’s continued focus on process-intensive, hand-labor-driven work, a thread that’s run through much of its recent programming. Paradigm is open Thursday through Sunday, with weekday visits by appointment. Stop by for the First Friday opening reception on September 4, or catch the show any weekend before it closes on the 27th.

About Post Author

Allan Lane

Philadelphia born and bred, Allan Lane is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of digital magazines. He launched his first publication, SportBikes Inc Magazine in 2010, followed by dosage MAGAZINE in 2019. Recently, Allan launched his third online publication, Club For Man. As a journalist, Allan covers fashion, lifestyle, culture, art, and motorcycles.

See author's posts