Lower Township Library Features Member of Cape May Artists Cooperative Gallery

During the month of July, the Lower Township Library will feature fiber works by Mary Stewart, as well items from her collection of antique sewing and knitting implements.
Mary Stewart is a member of the Cape May Artists Cooperative and a fiber artist who has been sewing since she was ten years old. A BA in Fine Arts from Rosemont College helped her develop her sense of design, color and texture. She relocated to Cape May from Philadelphia in 1986 and works for the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). Sewing is her way of relaxing. Mary “enjoys the challenge of taking two dimensional raw materials and creating three dimensional pieces. Sewing really is a sculptural art, but it’s also like painting to me. My fabric stash is my paint box. Each piece is unique and I work largely without patterns, letting the texture and hand of the fabric dictate what it will become.” Recently, Mary has begun experimenting with knitting, picking up a skill her mother taught her when she was just six years old. Mary lives in Town Bank with her husband and two entertaining cats. One case at the library will feature knitted pieces including several pairs of socks Mary accomplished over the winter. The other case will feature one-of-a-kind bags, from small change purses to large tote bags. Mary’s work is for sale at the Cape May Artists Cooperative Gallery in the West End Garage, 484 West Perry St. The Gallery is open daily.
The Lower Township Library is a branch of the Cape May County Library system. Located at 2600 Bayshore Rd in the Villas section of the Township, the library is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9am to 8pm; Tuesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For information call 609-886-8999.