fibre-motif

Through my art, I hope to appeal to the viewers senses by providing the eye with equal opportunity in finding a place to be excited through color and shape & a place to sink in, relaxed and calm.

There are two things that continue to intrigue me time & time again...pattern, motif, and color in traditional fibre arts such as weaving and quilting work & the many naturally formed patterns one can find in nature. When I am creating my work, I become fully attune to how these two are directly related & how enriching they are to me personally.

My work over the last year or so has been an exploration of traditional motifs in some of my favorite weaving and quilting styles. These styles range from the Rio Grande Weavings of New Mexico to the work of the Bauhaus School Weavers to Early American Quilt motifs.  Recently, larger scaled work inspired by pattern & texture found in plant material have become my primary focus.

A type of "yarn painting" technique I have adapted is inspired by the very colorful and symbolic paintings of the Huichol Tribe of Mexico. Their art form utilizes yarn, beeswax, and a wood surface,  which is completely covered with the yarn in spiritual imagery.  My use of the technique differs in that I do not completely cover the surface as some of my design inspiration comes from the grain, color, and shape of the wood I am using.

A portion of my work in this technique takes on more of a collage technique with the use of paint, paper, and other natural textured materials on canvas. Conscious of environmental concerns, I try to use re-purposed wood and recycled canvas in my art work.

 -Dawn Wakiya