Seattle artist Maggie Orth awarded $50,000 grant

This is the second year for the United States Artists fellowships, which last week gave away some $2.5 million at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles. Seattle textile artist Maggie Orth was among 53 visual and performing artists to receive $50,000 grants. Others include choreographers Anna Halprin and Bill T. Jones; artist Ann Hamilton; violinist Leila Josefowicz; theater director Robert Woodruff; and Native American filmmaker Chris Eyre. They were selected from among 344 nominees.

Orth graduated from the Media Lab at MIT and creates electronic textile art. She heads the Seattle-based company International Fashion Machines, creating designs that blend technology and decorative arts. Her husband works for Intel and the couple have two children.

Orth's work was included in an electronic media show at McLeod Residence gallery in Belltown last summer, but she has no plans to exhibit here in the near future. "I'm just taking a break from that," she explained in a phone conversation. "I'm going to use [the money] to spend much-needed time in my studio."

With grant opportunities for artists drying up, the USA fellowships are an important new resource. "In a climate of declining support for individual artists, USA is investing in the nation's creativity and shining a light on the important contributions of our finest artists," said board chair Susan V. Berresford in a news release.

The USA fellowship program was started with $20 million donated by the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Prudential Foundation and the Rasmuson Foundation. Other private and corporate donors have since added to the fund.

Sheila Farr: sfarr@seattletimes.com