“A Touch of Silk,” an exhibition of works by fiber artist and silk painter Traute Leemann, will open at Arts on Main’s First Friday event in Gloucester from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, July 6. The exhibition is sponsored by Helen and Warren Haley of Gloucester.

Live music will be provided by House of Cards with Cheryl Starr, Kate Landman, and Drew Landman. Based in Norfolk, the trio plays original songs and not-so-classic covers. Their sound is acoustic with a folk/Americana flavor, blending acoustic and electric guitars with harmony and the occasional ukulele or mandolin.

The event is free and open to the public, with beer, wine and paninis available for purchase. The exhibition runs throughout July.

About the artist

Leemann, a resident of Yorktown since 1985, originally trained in her native Germany as an orthoptist (a physical therapist for the eyes) and, after her move to California in 1970, earned a diploma as a preschool teacher. She embarked on her artistic career following a one-hour introductory class in silk painting in 1986. While she also received instruction at Penland School of Crafts in Penland, North Carolina, she considers herself essentially self-taught.

A regular exhibitor since 1992 at local and regional shows and galleries, Leeman began with an exhibit at Yorktown’s On the Hill Gallery, where she still sells her work. In 2014 she shared a major show with three other artists at This Century Art Gallery in Williamsburg and has exhibited her work at several “An Occasion for the Arts” shows in Williamsburg and in a variety of other venues. She was featured in Vivian’s Art for Living in Charlottesville from its foundation in 1997 until its closure in 2015.