In 2006, when Doris Thurber and her teenage daughter moved into a 100-year-old house in a Frankfort historic neighborhood, she already was part of the artistic community.
She had been involved in the Kentucky Arts Council and had been commissioned by the public library to create batik art for it’s new building.
Through the Kentucky Foundation for Women, Doris received grants to teach teens and residents of the local women’s shelter, where she has played a pivotal role since 2009.
A large batik illustrating women entwined in a tree hangs in the shelter.
“This symbolizes her philosophy,” says director Josie Kirker touching the fabric. “The idea (is) that women are connected to the earth and interconnected to each other. It’s what she believes – that it takes a village to raise a child and a vision to make a shelter work.”
Batik is was-resist dyeing applied to cloth using a tool called a canting.
Although Doris has a studio art degree from Kentucky State University, her primary art form was self-taught.
It began 23 years ago, when her sister returned from Thailand with a souvenir batik tool. Intrigued, Doris learned the technique from library books, then experimented on a huge piece of fabric. Her art has found a home in many downtown Frankfort buildings, including shops, studios, a soup kitchen and even the Grand Theatre, where 14-foot batik panels hang on stage behind individual musicians whenever Stirfry, a local band, performs.
Last February, when her only child, Maya, died at age 22, Doris holed up all winter and found solace in art.
“It saved my day, connecting me with her,” Doris says.
She began collecting, cutting and layering pictures associated with her daughter. One day she voiced confusion to a friend about her need to create.
“(The friend) told me, ‘Your life got blown up. Collage makes perfect sense – you’re trying to put the pieces back together.”‘
And Doris is still creating collages.
An exhibit on display at the Vibrant Life shop became a memorial to Maya. Her first batik attempted since Maya’s death is displayed among the collages. The piece depicts a female flying, a tribute to her daughter.
