Work from the Textile Center, Vision and Focus, Exhibit

I finally had my images from this fall's exhibit digitized.

This is Meridian, 38”W x 39”H x 5”D. It is made from fibers, clay, and wax. The clay and fibers form a clay plaster. The plasters used in natural home building incorporate straw as the fiber. Builders apply the plaster over clay/straw, adobe, cob, or straw bale walls. For this piece, I mixed papermaking fibers with red clay slip. I formed a first layer over a plaster mold. Then I added a second layer of fibers mixed with white clay slip. The plaster is stiff and durable.

Packing the fibers around inserted candles created the spaces for holes. Pounding and paddling helped to interlock the fibers and create texture. As a final finish, I applied a wax medium. Fibers show through the wax and clay.

Next, I'll post a detail.