Timothy G. Fleming Named New Executive Director of Textile Center

(June 4, 2012) MINNEAPOLIS—Timothy Fleming of Saint Paul has been named executive director of Textile Center following a nationwide search that began early this year. Fleming brings widespread experience in the field to the role. His past accomplishments include chairing the Textile Curatorial Council for the Minneapolis Institute of Arts for nearly a decade and cofounding Ampersand, a home accessory retailer. His own Timothy Fleming Interiors, which produces upscale residential interior design projects all across the country, has been his main focus recently.

“The search committee was impressed with Tim’s passion for textiles and art across the ages and his involvement in raising awareness for the field and its artists,” said Ruth Stephens, president of Textile Center board of directors. “We met with many highly talented individuals during the search process; it was encouraging to see how highly valued our mission and goals were to so many leaders across the country. Tim’s work locally and his international experience set him apart. We’re very glad to welcome him to Textile Center!”

Textile Center serves as a national beacon for fiber art. Last year it co-sponsored an international fiber art conference with Surface Design Association. Each year it exhibits works in its galleries that range from solo artists like the recent Joyce Melander-Dayton exhibition “Constructions in Concert,” to Jerome Foundation-funded artist works, to Textile Center member artist works. Currently “Land By Hand” is on exhibition in the Joan Mondale Gallery at Textile Center.

“I’ve long respected Textile Center from when I participated in the gala opening in 2001. As the new executive director, I will build partnerships and collaborations to generate more interest in fiber art not only locally but also nationally and internationally,” said Fleming. “This is a superb alignment of goals, Textile Center’s and my own. It is exciting to me that this strong organization is building, growing and moving forward.”

Textile Center educates hundreds each year through its classes, lectures and workshops. It has one of the world’s largest circulating collections of textile books in the Textile Center Pat O’Connor Library, and its shop was recently recognized as the 2011 Outstanding Art Gift Shop by the Twin Cities Fine Arts Organization.

Textile Center has been led from its founding by a single executive director, Margaret Miller, who announced her retirement earlier this year.

About Textile Center
Textile Center, a national center for fiber art, honors textile traditions and promotes excellence and innovation in fiber art. Through exhibitions, education programs and textile art resources, Textile Center represents and supports fiber artists working in all forms of textile media including weaving, quilting, knitting, sewing, needlework, dyeing, felting, basketry and beading. The facility features a fiber art gallery and shop, flexible 300-seat auditorium and classroom space, fiber art library and dye lab. For more information, please visit http://www.textilecentermn.org or call 612-436-0464.