Output details

Ethereal Planes (2011)

Building on the work carried out in Output 1, new work was made developing the themes of fleeting patterns of light, translated from digital designs of collaged layers of pools of paint, hand drawn lines and photographic patterns of dappled light. The interest lies within the interplay between drawing, designing and making and the embodied skills therein. Translating designs directly form the luminous computer screen, the question was – could the vividness of colour be captured in woven tapestry using wool, cotton and silk yarns? The slow process of construction belies the sense of immediacy in the finished work, which creates an illusion of shimmering light, drawn lines and pools of paint or pigment. An invitation to exhibit the new work was received from Contemporary Applied Arts, London – a gallery of international renown. The exhibition curator wanted artists whose work was considered to embody the theme of “the sublime”. Four artists were selected; accomplished makers working in textiles, glass and ceramic, all with international reputations. The work explored boundaries such as horizons in landscapes; changes in the body of material; the interface between colours, or the powerful effect of light. Further exhibiting opportunities were invited in Edinburgh and London. The work was featured with an artists profile in a specialist textile book: Mathison, F, Penney, C, Wilcox,T, 2011, Tapestry: A Woven Narrative. The themes of embodied knowledge and tacit skills were picked up on with an invitation to speak at a symposium titled: Drawing and Making – The Elements of Creativity, Edinburgh College of Art (Edinburgh University), 2012. The 40 minute presentation titled “Mark, Pixel, Weft Cartoon: A Tapestry Weavers Perspective” can be viewed on Vimeo.