An analysis of the critical factors affecting the continued development of fiber as an art form

The purpose of the study was to examine the status of contemporary fiber as an art form and to identify critical factors affecting its continued development.An extensive search of available literature was conducted. From this search, coupled with the researcher's extensive personal involvement with fiber, populations were identified and questionnaires were designed.Three pertinent but different populations, consisting of fiber artists, college/university and art school heads, and museum, gallery, and textile directors/curators were selected to receive the questionnaires. The questionnaires were designed to reflect the similarities and differences of the population.Data were treated to comparative percentages, valid percentages, cumulative percentages, frequencies, and Chi-Squares. Four major concerns were identified and discussed. They are:1. Fiber as Fine Art2. The Importance of Content and Message Orientation in Fiber3. The Problem of Plurality and Fiber4. The Need for a Critical Language Relative to FiberFindings and Conclusions1. The division between fine art and crafts still exists. Therefore, the division also exists for fiber art, which is part of the crafts discipline.2. Most individuals are not in favor of limiting the parameters of what constitutes fiber art in order to help gain a clearer understanding of what fiber art really is.3. There does not appear to be a critical language for fiber art except that which is technique, method, or materials based.4. The opinion of whether fiber art should be message or statement oriented is divided. Some were in agreement while others were not. In addition, some of the respondents answered with "sometimes."Thesis (D. Ed.