Woodland Crown, Marcie Ziskind, 2024, mixed media, 24 x 24 x 11 in. / 60.96 x 60.96 x 27.94 cm.

Fiber and Earth: The Art of Marcie Ziskind

Featured image: Marcie Ziskind’s fiber artworks weave landscapes with texture, depth, and a strong sense of place. 

Marcie Ziskind's fiber work inspired by landscapes uses wet felting, embroidery, and mixed media to explore the relationship between nature and human impact.

Utilizing wet felting, embroidery, and inclusions such as stones and chunky yarn, Ziskind transforms merino wool into striking visual narratives. Her pieces are deeply connected to the land, capturing the essence of natural spaces through felted fibers and intricate stitching. Each piece reflects her artistic journey, inspired by travel and environmental transformations.

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Common Ground - Iowa, Marcie Ziskind, 2022, mixed media, 30 x 25 in. / 76.2 x 63.5 cm.

Common Ground - Iowa, Marcie Ziskind, 2022, mixed media, 30 x 25 in. / 76.2 x 63.5 cm.

In Common Ground - Iowa, Ziskind presents an aerial perspective of agricultural land. Using wet felting and embroidery, she constructs a textured landscape with intersecting patches of green and warm earth tones. Small stone inclusions add an organic touch, reinforcing the deep-rooted connection between people and land. The intricate stitching highlights the boundaries that define yet unify the landscape, emphasizing how humans shape and coexist with nature.

The Snake River is Burning - Wyoming, Marcie Ziskind, 2022, mixed media, 33 x 26 in. / 83.82 x 66.04 cm.

The Snake River is Burning - Wyoming, Marcie Ziskind, 2022, mixed media, 33 x 26 in. / 83.82 x 66.04 cm.

Inspired by the wild terrain of Wyoming, The Snake River is Burning portrays a dramatic contrast between flowing water and consuming fire. The red felts, rippling like flames, are juxtaposed against cool blue mountain hues. Layers of silk and felt mimic the shifting textures of the landscape, while delicate embroidery adds movement to the sky. The work embodies both the beauty and destruction of nature, reminding viewers of the delicate balance between preservation and inevitable change.

Broken Landscape, Marcie Ziskind, 2021, mixed media, 25 x 50 in. / 50.8 x 127 cm.

Broken Landscape, Marcie Ziskind, 2021, mixed media, 25 x 50 in. / 50.8 x 127 cm.

Broken Landscape is a bold visual statement on environmental disruption. Ziskind physically deconstructs a felted landscape, inserting red felt swaths between the original composition. These interruptions represent the fractures in nature—whether caused by geological shifts, human intervention, or climate change. Hand-sewn and embroidered details enhance the depth of the scene, reinforcing the idea that nature, though disrupted, remains resilient and interconnected.

Marcie Ziskind’s work is a profound exploration of landscape and transformation. Each felted piece is a meditation on nature’s beauty and vulnerability, blending fiber artistry with storytelling. Through her intricate layering, textural contrasts, and symbolic deconstruction, she invites viewers to contemplate the relationship between humanity and the environment.

Learn more About Naturalist Gallery of Contemporary Art.

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