In my exploration of incorporating text into my fibre art I’ve been searching for a technique to write this poem onto a wall-based piece. I made a series of monoprints a couple of weeks ago based on my design and stamped the words of the poem onto the prints with copper ink. It’s a very rough draft, but the making of it helped me to realise that I may make the final piece in more than one panel.
I’ve made a video of the work in progress, incorporating my poem and a beautiful piece of cello music, a sarabande by J.S. Bach from his Cello Suite No. 4 in E flat major.
J.S. Bach's Music:
Sarabande (Mvt. 4) from Suite for solo cello No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 1010
Creator:
Melinda Schwakhofer, England
Year: May 2008
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About the Artist: (in her own words):
I am a fibre artist, photographer, gourmet cook, edge dancer and poet living in Devon, England. I have been a creative person all of my life. For me, Life and Art are inseparable. My life is my work of art. Each moment of every day I have the opportunity to create.
I am originally from Southern California and moved to the UK from Pasadena about ten years ago. I live in a converted cider barn in the Teign Valley with John and Titch, surrounded by bucolic English countryside.
My main media are photography, textiles, words and food. I also work with paper and am exploring surface design and video.
Artist’s Statement:
I have been an artist all of my life and have been working with fibre since 1997. I love the color and tactile sensuality of fibres and textiles. The process of gathering and stitching together various materials is a metaphor for gathering and piecing together my life experiences.
I am deeply moved by the worlds around me and inside of me. My art making comes from a very deep and still place. The art work is successful if another person has been able to see and experience what is beneath the surface, hidden but visible to those who take the time to look and really see.
The primary inspirations for my art work are nature, architecture and urban structures. I begin with an experience, feeling, vision or words that inspire me. I often have a general idea about the color palette, size, materials and structure (2D or 3D) of the piece. During the making of my design, I keep the process fluid enough to respond to how the art work itself will develop. Often the finished piece will have evolved from my initial vision.
