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Illustration: Erin Wilson. Short Story #4 , 2009. The textile artwork of Erin Wilson at first seems effortlessly simple. Small boxes are repeated in a composition that includes regular rows and columns. However, when you consider that each small frame has been individually and consciously designed as a unique composition, and that some of Wilson's finished pieces can incorporate a large number of individual small framed art pieces, then the task set by the artist becomes much more one of quiet construction, with each individual square being seen as a world in itself. All the fabrics are hand dyed by Wilson and so therefore, each compositional piece of artwork takes that hand dying into consideration, bringing a harmony and balance to the many individual works that go into making Wilson's textile pieces. Illustration: Erin Wilson. Short Story #5, 2009. In some respects, the artist has taken the idea of the mechanics of quilting and the production of pattern work into the realms...

Illustration: Terry Jarrard-Dimond. Crush. The work of textile artist Terry Jarrard-Dimond is one of precision both in colour and in line. It is not surprising to learn that the artist worked 3-dimensionally as a sculptor for many years before coming to textiles, as these five pieces by the artist shows. Each composition has a level of understanding and consideration for real penetration of the surface level, giving a natural feeling of depth rather than that of a superficial and stylised interpretation of 3-dimensions. It is fair to say that a creative artist with sculptural experience has a better understanding of spatial awareness and an intrinsic feel for dimensions and planes. Illustration: Terry Jarrard-Dimond. Little King. Jarrard-Dimond does not clutter her compositions with any unnecessary creative 'furniture', but keeps the work simple with shapes, colours and textures all adding their own significant contribution towards the overall composition. Rather than fill the ...

Illustration: Deborah Gregory. Choices and Pathways II. An interesting phrase that could perhaps be used towards an explanation of one of the main themes of Deborah Gregory's work is that of the natural cycle of decay and renewal. Across her portfolios of textile work is the recurring theme of decomposition and the aging process that is so much an integral part of the lifecycle of nature. However, tempering this inevitable death and decay that affects every living organism, is the eventual rebirth through the raw materials produced from that death. The great aspect of this universal and sobering theme is the fact that Gregory can choose to interpret the cycle in any number of ways, from the birth, death, and rebirth of an individual, to that of the continuing cycle of the seasons as seen from a shoreline, a group of trees, or a range of animate or seemingly inanimate objects. Illustration: Deborah Gregory. Genesis. Gregory's work should not be seen as morbid, dwelling on the in...

Illustration: Deborah Lacativa. Clubbin , 2007. Illustration: Deborah Lacativa. Clubbin (close up), 2007. I was actually looking for work by another artist altogether today, when I came across the intriguing work of Deborah Lacativa. I have become an instant fan and therefore decided to write a post dedicated to her instead of the original artist that I had been looking for. Lacativa is an American artist from Georgia (the state not the country). She deals very much in the genre of textile art, using dye discharge techniques, along with free form stitching, to produce pieces of art work that are really not meant for anything but display purposes. This is not a criticism, as I personally believe that textile art deserves a place in the fine art pantheon. Unfortunately, it is very often either dismissed altogether by those with a vested interest in the narrow confines of the fine art definition, or placed within the large undefined world of craft. Illustration: Deborah Lacativa. Koda...