Artist Statement

Although I find myself dedicated to technical skills within weaving, I find myself even more drawn to the combination of contemporary art combined with traditional skills. And, what better way is there to develop traditional skills in weaving other than tartan? A world-wide symbol of weaving using a 2/2 twill, a striped warp, and the repetition of the warp backwards as the weft. Having always had a huge love for tartan, mainly started by my 13 year old self thinking the sex pistols were the best thing to happen to the world, I was sold. Ever since then I’ve had the drive and need to be able to create something I love. I find it extremely hard to like something and not make myself learn how to do it. I can’t enjoy something unless I understand technically how I could re-create it myself. Within a few weeks of re-searching double-cloths and pleats, I had already started to weave using them as my passion simply takes hold.

Alongside my passion for tartan, I have an ever-growing interest in psychoanalysis, firstly inspired by the ways in which our brains work. The connections, the fibres, the flow, the ways in which a signal is sent that makes your body do things, it makes me weave. The way cloths can flow, and repeat these signals. The way cloths can track those thoughts. When a fabric is woven, the fibres are forever embedded, just like the motion of the fibres. Then as I began to read more and more about psychoanalysis, I began to involve Freud’s theory of making the “unconscious mind conscious” created to help with anxiety issues. Does textile art work as a substitute? Can something like tartan that’s used in comforting ways such as scarves and blankets, also portray images of discomfort, and make people more aware of their unconscious mind by secretly displaying imagery and patterns from within the brain? I believe so.

Rorschach Test

 

I created some examples of my own inspired by the original Rorschach test linking to Freud exploring the way things appear to be symmetrical, but in fact, they are not.

On the loom

I always find weaving a lot more interesting on the loom rather than taken off it. I think it shows that "technical" side to it a lot more. Surely yo ucan see the technical side when you look at a fabric closely, and you can you can work out the draft and peg plan used from a cloth. But I just love the way the cloth looks on a loom. Showing it in all its glory in the process of being produced with the lengths of warp still flowing through the fabric and the loom itself.

Doodles

Sneak preview

Lia Cook

I never do posts about other artists and I feel its time I do as Lia Cook is currently my greatest inspiration. Shes a California based textile artist who specialises in weaving and has embarked on a new project based around neuroscience.

I don't think I have EVER felt this inspired.

"I work in a variety of media combining weaving with painting, photography, video and digital technology. My current practice explores the sensuality of the woven image and the emotional connections to memories of touch and cloth. Working in collaboration with neuroscientists, I am investigating the nature of the emotional response to woven faces by mapping in the brain these responses and using the laboratory experience both with process and tools to stimulate new work in reaction to these investigations. I am interested in both the scientific study as well as my artistic response to these unexpected sources, exploring the territory between scientific investigation and artistic interpretation. Recently I began using DSI Diffusion Spectrum Imaging of the brain and TrackVis software from Harvard to look at the fiber connections of communication between parts of the brain and to integrate these fiber tracks with the actual fiber connections that make up the woven translation of an image. In one case, I have included in an exhibition a participatory behavioral study (voluntary). I will be collecting data for scientific analysis at the same time as my audience is engaging directly with the work"

The above is Cooks artist statement explaining her current work. I was just blown away.  Looking at Cook alongside people like Freud has really made me want to cross the boundaries of science and textiles and be able to challenge myself in both subjects. I hope to develop my understanding of science by using my technical knowledge of weaving to display this.

Cooks work is available to view at: www.liacook.com

I don't want to go too much into my theory just yet but as my wok develops I will explain bit by bit.

Warp #2

Now, my colour scheme I have got from geysers, originally inspired by yellowstone national park, I do have som photos a friend took in Iceland however I currently can't find them (really don't know what I've done with them) so a google image will have to do...

 

(image found on: http://yetanotherhomeschoolblog-sheri.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/volcanoes-and-igneous-rocks.html)

And this then inspired by warp to create my tartan (see below)

This is only the inspiration for colour.. I have a whole other concept behind my work I will go into another time. But I felt the colours worked really successful. I won't bore you with all the maths but I worked out my total count to create a 6 inch wide fabric and then decided on a random assortment of numbers (as much as I love things being technically challenging.. I also love doing things my own way, I just can't help it) so unbelieveably excited to weave.

Warp set up on a 24 shaft ARM loom.