Inspirations/Background/Process/Affiliations/Collaborations

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Inspirations

When I create with my arts and craft work I am inspired by the rhythms and patterns found in nature…such as the ebb and flow of surf on sand, pulsing volcanic lava, fluttering leaves, the feathered wings of birds. swirls of clouds, and multifaceted shapes of buds and flowers. As I work I indulge in repetition and variation in both my process and form. As one observes my work the patterns displayed can serve a meditative purpose -- as the viewer explores crosscurrents of color in the shapes that emerge.

I am also attracted to the wide array of distinctive forms created by man -- including architecture and other repetitive forms. I agree with Levi-Straus -- an anthropologist who expressed his viewpoint of art in a unique way. After studying many cultures, he drew the conclusions that art and its accompanying myths have no unique authors. Art just occurs and is transmitted over generations and from tribe to tribe.

Background

With intensive self-study and experimentation for many years, I work with a variety of mediums in diverse areas of craft. Originally I was a fiber artist and weaver. I attended classes at Rochester Institute of Technology in the early seventies and have been to the Penland School of Crafts many times to study fiber structures, hand dyeing, painting and marbling fabric, as well as mixing metals with glass. Themes I explored in fiber arts are now reflected in other mediums... Marbled Silk, Collage, Fused Glass, Paper Making and Journals, and even jewelry. The possibilities for patterns and figures using a wide range of materials sustains my interest.

Of note, I received a Masters Degree in Media/Visual Design from UNC Chapel Hill in the mid 70s. 

My Process

I begin my tapestry work by drawing a detailed design on a grid of graph paper where I draw various shapes. To these I add color that represent the skeins of yarn I plan to use in different portions of the design. 

When I settle down to weave the tapestry planned I swipe across the loom and position yarn that varies in color, texture and tone. As a result what one views is carefully planned but also contains random features that un-expectantly materialize in the design. 

I vary the types of fiber I use; sometimes my fibers are twisted and spun in unusual ways. I even incorporate various scrap materials from shredded rug selvages and saris. When a work is complete it appears to float around a frame on the wall, or hang on a hand-crafted rod.

When I work with marbled silk or paper, the various patterns appear more organic and result from manipulating colors of paint dropped on a viscous surface;  the resistance of water allows patterns to emerge; repeatedly dying one-panel results in cross-currents of color and form.

When I make collage I include pieces of marbled works, my handmade paper, various rice papers and fiber I stitch to create a stream of figures..

My fused glass work is made from earth elements; silica is the basics of glass. There is an association with fire because articles are fused at high temperatures. The glass is a hard medium, but the light that passes through the layers can be soft and diffused — enriching the visual experience. My glasswork contains many-faceted cut pieces of glass, carefully constructed, frequently with many layers.

Jewelry involves arranging and attaching a wide range of colored beads to make an enticing display to accompany what one wears.

Affiliations  

I am a member of the Orange Country Artists Guild. I have served as Tour Coordinator while on the board. I am also a member of Pittsboro Gallery of Arts, Durham Arts Guild, and Triangle Visual Artists. My work has been juried into various gallery shows throughout the triangle area as well as way beyond...

The Art Center in Carrboro 

Raleigh Fine Arts  

Litmus Gallery in Raleigh

ArtSpace in Raleigh  

FRANK community Gallery in Chapel Hill  

Higgins and Myers in Chapel Hill

Hillsborough Gallery of Art 

Eno Mills Gallery in Hillsborough

Margaret Lane Gallery in Hillsborough  

Eno River Unitarian Universalist Gallery in Durham  

National Humanities Center Gallery in Research Triangle  

Page Walker Arts in Cary

Impulse Creativity in Mebane

Kirby Galery in Roxboro  

Incubator in Siler City    

Art Fields in Lake City, SC

ADC Fine Art in Cincinatti, Ohio

The Studio Door, San Diego, CA

Collaboration with Ed Ralston

For framing and other unique applications, I collaborate with my partner, Ed Ralston, and together we develop tools and refine processes needed to execute our crafts. Ed applies his skills as a craftsman to combining different media, including glass, wood, and copper. Ed creates brackets for wall hangings as well as unique frames for my tapestry and marbled art. He also assembles bases and armatures for other media.  Ed has been active in woodworking for 20 years, creating custom cabinetry and applications for fine homebuilding.

Expertise

I also create attractive, effective, and affordable websites for artists. You can see that talent at: https://website-design-at-the-crest-of-the-hill.com/