The Textile Artist: Sculptural Textile Art: A practical guide to mixed media wire sculpture

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When I was in junior high school I decided to become an artist, so I went to a high school which offered a fine art major. There I learned about art in general, such as painting, sculpture, design, and art history. I really had a great time, and then I went to an art college after that. So, I was determined to become an artist at an early age. I allow myself a lot of freedom, and the flexibility and creativity in my mind is not restricted by categories or rules, which I believe is very important to an artist. Artist Tammy Kanat thinks beyond the conventional rectangular loom to create massive organic shapes. The pieces often resemble nature. Some of her most recent creations look like flowers blooming on the wall with tantalizing combinations of earthy hues, wrapping, fringe, and knots.

This dress is a beautiful example of the, often unattributed, work and art of women in the textile and garment industries. Immense skill and concentration would have been needed to paint the complex, replicating design on the fabric and the dress itself would have been cut, constructed, and sewn into this close-fitting gown without the use of patterns or machines. The completed garment was a high-fashion status symbol, but also a testament to the talent and ability of those involved in its manufacture. This work shows Ryggen’s capacity to memorialize the key political narratives of her era. And yet the work is also biographical, with events presented, as it were, through the eyes of the artist herself. The placement of Ryggen and her family in the boat shows their desire to flee and yet their inability to do so. The formal and compositional aspects of the work were also vital in ensuring that the message carried across—as Paasche explains by outlining how Ryggen’s works grew in conception over time: “[Ryggen’s] journal entries reveal that the colour scheme also played an important role, often directing the composition. Once the entire image ‘sat’ well enough, she could begin to weave. ” By twisting two strands together in my fingers, I start to make the cord or string. This is essentially a two-ply thread. If a strand of fibre is twisted in one direction it will generally un-twist itself when you let go. So I use a ‘ZS’ twist structure to join the two strands of thread or fibre together. The strands are twisted together in such a way that they pull against each other and won’t unravel. When considering why fabric was an attractive medium to the artists, Professor Peter Jelavich stated: "Christo and Jeanne-Claude claimed that textiles marked the beginning of civilization; agriculture and weaving stood at the dawn of human history. They also contended that fabrics evoke transience, like the tents of nomadic tribes." The extensive history and ephemeral quality of fabric enticed the artists; it would wear and deteriorate over the installation period, and eventually be permanently removed, but it would have a lasting historical impact. My work is intimately linked with my allotment plot. Here, I have been exploring the variety of found, grown and gathered materials for several years. This ongoing exploration was initially the basis of my practice-based research for an MA degree, and it continues to form the focus of my current practice.This work represents an imagined blue world where the sky touches the earth at the horizon line. It was inspired by Rebecca Solnit’s book A Field Guide to Getting Lost in which the author describes ‘the blue of land that seems to be dissolving into the sky’.

Yet, along with all the positives, there’s a real challenge textile sculptors face: figuring out how to help fabrics maintain intricate shapes and forms. But that’s where 3D textile art gets even more exciting, as sculptors brainstorm ingenious ways to help fabrics hold themselves upright in their manipulated splendour. Leisa used metallic vinyl to create the individual hanging pieces, and then she stuffed each with traditional batting. But before sewing everything together on her beloved vintage Bernina 807, Leisa grabbed a very sharp pair of dressmaker shears and sliced into the vinyl. She had planned to do so to create a feathery feeling, but she was later rewarded to discover the slits made the pieces swirl and curl as viewers walked by the sculpture.Consider cutting your fabrics in ways that create movement when freely hung. Leisa Rich cut slits into her vinyl fabric to create a feathered effect that then twirls with even the slightest breeze. For many centuries, art meant the mastery over a particular, skill, style, or discipline but this changed in the 19 th century when the term began to be associated with something that was intended for display but did not necessarily have a practical use. Consequently, the definition of textile art is also fluid - initially inseparable from the practical uses of textiles in dress and home comfort - more recent examples of textile art do not always have a direct function. In a historical context, it is also difficult to separate the learned craft and skills associated with the manufacture of textile art from the art of its design and execution, particularly given that the people, usually women, associated with making and designing historic, domestic textile art are rarely recorded. It was later in 2022 that Yu-Mei submitted a project proposal to the TextieilMuseum’s Textile Lab in the hopes of earning the opportunity to collaborate for her project ‘Soft Sculpture’.