A few months ago, I wrote about Sita Gomez’s ravishing solo show at Hudson Hall, and once again I sing the praises of this historic venue for its continued focus on diverse regional talent. As soon as you walk through the door, the buoyant group exhibition “Surface, Structure, String: Hudson Valley Textile Art Now” will win you over with its gleeful, carefree ambiance. Curated by Richard Saja and featuring mixed media artworks by 24 artists working throughout Hudson Valley, the exhibition celebrates creative textile practices including dynamic uses of embroidery, fabrics, threads, and fiber.
The merriment begins with Portia Munson’s sculptural tondos on opposing walls at the entrance of the gallery hall: both Something Olde, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue (2025) and Pink Moon (2024) are comprised of porcelain female figurines and miscellaneous porcelain objects bound together by string as they writhe in a jumble of glossy china chaos. The nearby Auric Translations (Portia) (2024) by Erika deVries is a towering altar-like installation that combines plushy organic shapes with Dan Flavin-inspired neon shapes in an eccentric configuration that borders on futuristic Pop.
There is a sense that anything goes in this show, and Jessica Ludwicki’s Shear Luck (2024) made of milky wool felt is reminiscent of a ballerina’s tutu as it hangs warmly against the wall. I’m a fangirl for anything that Courtney Puckett comes up with, and her trio of colorful quasi-architectural sculptures, Seed: Mission (2022), Seed: Hold (2023), and Seed: Slow (2022) are as amusing as ever. Heading into the side gallery, a series of smaller embroidery and needlepoint works by Becca Van K. are skillful and brilliant, and her Kit #2 (2026) with the vision of a pink-hued deer resting peacefully against a lime green-patterned background conjures nostalgia combined with craft and a hint of country.
We are all desperate for a heartfelt laugh in these wackadoodle times, and Clauda Renfro’s Gimme Some Head (2026) is wonderfully silly. This black banner-like piece with a tannish border features rows of little jolly heads with expressive faces: some look aghast, others weep, some smoke cigarettes, while others flirt unabashedly with ripe nipples protruding. Three works by Katharine Umsted, all titled Kinship (2023), employ brown, black, and flesh colored pantyhose to create gridded patterns, and the larger is the champion among them. The Ground Remembers (2026) by Christine Domanic is a voluminous wool sculpture on the wall that resembles a heap of Cheerios lumped together (ironic), while Kat Howard’s nearby installation Cautionary Tale (2026) occupies a full corner of the room with a sturdy cascade of thick cotton batting and twisted rope that hangs down from the ceiling in a ghostly tangle (rugged).
Among the most commanding works in this exhibition is Guardian of Tulips (2022) by Laleh Khorramian. Consisting of a psychedelic mash-up of silk, mesh, velvet, cotton, muslin, and other media, this hanging piece is quasi-figurative (by way of a rounded head at top and arms outstretched) and exudes a mystical shamanic energy. Five cyanotypes by Hilary Jane Gluck feature the same portrait of Judy Garland as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz in various combinations, and Judy Face Crack (2026) is a ruptured image of this sweet heroine and her classic look of trepidation. Heading back into the main hall, the monumental The Nosebleed [Panels 1-3] (2026) by Will McLeod is a sprawling, sensational triptych composed of satin, twill, flannel, terry, and velvet pulled taut across stretcher bars. On that same wall, Padma Rajendran’s Striped Shrine (2023) looks like an ancient pink and purple ceremonial weaving, while Soft Focus (2019) by Paolo Arao is a multicolor geometric pattern that induces a trance.
As with any generous group show, a cursory write-up fails to accommodate a salute to every fantastic artwork presented; alas these are the good-natured woes of writing about art. Altogether a robust vision, “Surface, Structure, String” honors textiles as the infrastructure for unbridled creative adventures and flirty-arty fun.
This article appears in June 2026.
