Handwork and Textiles

Handwork and Textiles

The work in this series combines traditional handwork techniques, textiles, and time-honoured printmaking techniques in order to create work that examines our need to nurture and protect our threatened and fragile environment.  I like to think of my etchings on textiles as contemporary Toile de Jouy.  Like the work created by Oberkampt’s employees in the 18th century, I hand print my etched copper plate images on linen or cotton using French inks (Carbonnelle).  As in 18th Century Toile de Jouy, my work depicts recognizable scenes: reflections of trees in a lake,  shorelines, and bogs.  However, I break with tradition by cutting up the images and sewing them back together.  In my work, I use methods, materials and techniques that have stood the test of time.  While this could suggest permanence, endurance and stability, the divided images, frayed edges, and uneven stitching suggest that things might not be as stable as they appear.

My hope is that my work will challenge viewers to engage in dialogue about our increasingly threatened environment and our need to help it withstand the stresses and tests of our times.