fibre art

Today I dropped off my entry (via CD) to a national fibre art exhibition that is held each year locally. It's a bit nerve wracking waiting to see if I will get accepted. I was two years ago with my wall hanging "21 Stations", which was also commended by the judges.

“21 Stations” memorialises the twenty-one stations of the Nelson railway section, which were written on the side of the “demolition train” which starting at Glenhope lifted the rails back to Nelson in 1955-56.  Eighty years of railway service in Nelson was over.  Where there once was a railway station there is now just a road sign, or nothing at all. There is a great article on the history of Nelson's railways here.

This year I am still working on vintage woollen blankets, but am cutting them also and needle felting the two pieces together.

"Chi"

"Yin and Yang"

The hardest part was writing my artist statement. How I hate doing those things! It was late last night and I was trying to watch Project Runway at the same time, thankfully the hubby was helpful! He actually helped with the naming of the two pieces - yep, I hadn't even managed that yet!

Excuse the navel gazing, but here it is:

I am currently exploring themes of structure and forces in the natural world. 

I have never been able to walk down a beach or river and not resist picking up a stone.  They can be hot or cold, smooth or rough, rounded or angular. To me they are a tangible reminder of part of the fabric of the earth. They are formed by tension and force, but eventually succumb to time and motion as they erode to smaller and smaller particles.

I enjoy playing with shapes and positive and negative space to find a balance. By cutting into woollen blankets, which have been discarded by their previous owners, I have now given them a new life.

“Yin and Yang” represents complimentary opposites that interact, as each cut out piece of fabric is retained and re-positioned.

“Chi” represents a life force that sustains, as plants grow from the earth.