that your gender or social class has any bearing on your attraction to an involvement with needlework?" Overall, the answers reveal a recognition of the medium's feminine origins and an appreciation for the feminist attitudes that it supports. However, modern fiber arts is not strictly a feminist endeavor despite its history. In a review of the "Pricked: Extreme Embroidery" exhibit at the Museum of Arts and Design (January–April 2008), Karen Rosenberg notes that the medium has expanded to such a degree that there are many approaches which artists may take to distinguish themselves. She conjectures that curators intentionally eschewed the word "craft" to instead focus on things like "process" and "materiality" and concentrate on more serious topics. Rosenberg argues that the ability of needlework to stand in for and rise above traditional painting lends credence to the theory of fiber arts no longer being considered a niche practice, and notes that the artists have "done much to erode the distinction between the fine and the decorative arts". In The Subversive Stitch: Embroidery and the Making of the Feminine, Kate Walker writes: The overall tone of the textile and fiber arts today sounds usually similar to feminist theory and strategy when Ann Newdigate states: In 2013, Canadian artist, Colleen Heslin won national recognition for her piece Almost Young and Wild and Free which was praised for its "fresh approach to a traditional medium" using textiles and craftwork to produce a colourful, abstract canvas of dyed materials. List of notable fiber artists Resources There are many specialized textiles programs around the world. The Royal School of Needlework in England is the only school dedicated solely to fiber arts. Infrastructure supporting the recognition and development of fiber arts has increased over the 20th century. Fiber arts study groups have proven to be particularly important in this regard. Two groups of note include: the Textiles Study Group located in the U.K. was established in 1973. It began with a focus on embroidery and expanded to a wider focus on the fiber arts, particularly the delivery of education. Membership is highly selective, requiring close scrutiny of each applicants work. It maintains a core group of about 25 teachers. the Textile Study Group of New York broadly supports appreciation of fiber arts and fiber artists. Established in 1977, there are monthly meetings during the academic year in the New York City area. This group's mission has