Textile or trompe-l’œil? Whether sewn, beaded, or embroidered, Richard Moninski’s textile paintings delight the eye – capturing an accurate yet painterly rendering of these masterfully crafted textile works. Moninski of Mineral Point, Wisconsin explored the varieties of brystklut, ornamental bodice inserts found on Norwegian women’s folk costumes, in this exhibition of his realistic oil paintings. Intrigued by the rich cultural heritage that shows through in the bodice designs, Moninski visited Norway in 1996 and 2000 to study first-hand the geometric and traditional patterns integrated into these complex pieces of fabric. The cleverly juxtaposed, abstract patterns inspired him to create this ongoing series of textile paintings.
Moninski received an MFA in 1984 from the State University of New York in Albany, and his BFA in 1980 from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. He is the owner and director of Green Lantern Studio in Mineral Point.