BATIK WEAVES
Traditional batik is a “resist” process for making designs on fabric. The artist uses wax to prevent dye from penetrating the cloth which leaves blank areas. This process is repeated over and over building up the design. These weaves are a reverse Batik process of sorts. I use resist to remove color to varying degrees then hand paint dye back into the fabric to create the design which I then use to weave with.
Rhythm of the Wild Thing
Earth and Sea
Savanna Sapling
SAORI WEAVING
Saori (say-OH-ree) is a freeform style of weaving that emphasizes color and texture and allows the work to grow organically from the maker’s heart. I do purchase fibers if needed, though more often, I seek the lone discarded skein, forage and gather, and repurpose materials as much as possible. In my travels, the quest is eternal; discover, carry, and hold on until my inner voice asks me to let go. Choosing the yarn and fabric for a piece is a highly intuitive process for me, one that often reveals an interconnectedness between me as the maker and the receiver of the weaving.
Elements
This Saori weave represents the four elements “earth, wind, fire, and water”. Embedded are the following spiritual gemstones: Tiger Eye, red Agate, green and yellow Jade, Lapis, Amethyst, Sodalite, Kynite, Aquamarine, Chrysoprase, and Mother of Pearl. It was created using up-cycled T-shirts, and natural fibers.
Many cultures have symbolism related to the four elements. The ancients believed the elements are critical energy forces that make living on earth possible. Today, the elements form cornerstones in modern philosophy, science, and medicine. To understand their meaning and strive to balance the energy of each element in one’s life can be an effective approach for many who seek personal growth.
This weave was a labor of love, one that surely challenged my own sense of balance. Over the course of the summer of 2021, I danced with the creative forces, albeit not very gracefully, pushing and pulling to no avail. I allowed my creative “executive” to make decisions from her desk while ignoring the input of the labor force of my eyes and hands. This led to the never-ending knotting of fibers and tearing out of hours of work on more than one occasion. Ignoring those creative voices within me was a very unbalanced approach. Only when I calmed myself enough to let go and listen did the fiber weave itself into being.
This work is an explosion of vibrant color and textures inspired by the bright geometric fabric of Africa. You will find natural and man made fibers, batik cloth, and glass beads as well as precious paper beads which were a gift from my sister. Both the paper beads and batik cloth were hand made by village women in Uganda. There are numerous non-profit organizations whose mission is “to teach a human to fish” and this collaboration is producing bountiful fruit in these cultures.
Freedom