I find inspiration in the natural world, especially the liveliness and beauty of Maine islands’ land and sea. They are ever changing, ebbing and flowing with the tide, the light, and the seasons. As do I.
I use Shibori techniques to dye and discharge cloth: bundling, twisting, clamping, tying, wrapping, and bunching cotton, linen, and silk. The resulting patterns and marks tell me their stories, calling up personal dreams and imaginings: topographies, structures, journey lines, and boundaries in imaginary countries, waterways, islands, and shorelines.
I then set about defining these visions by hand stitching with cotton or metallic thread, and sometimes by drawing ink lines. The stitching and drawing work asks to go slowly, allowing a meditative rhythm to take hold, transporting me back to the dreams.
I use Shibori techniques to dye and discharge cloth: bundling, twisting, clamping, tying, wrapping, and bunching cotton, linen, and silk. The resulting patterns and marks tell me their stories, calling up personal dreams and imaginings: topographies, structures, journey lines, and boundaries in imaginary countries, waterways, islands, and shorelines.
I then set about defining these visions by hand stitching with cotton or metallic thread, and sometimes by drawing ink lines. The stitching and drawing work asks to go slowly, allowing a meditative rhythm to take hold, transporting me back to the dreams.
EDUCATION
1997 – 2005: Fiber Workshops
Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME
Instructors include: Michael Olszewski, shibori;
John Garrett, baskets;Warren Selig, surfaces;
Katharine Cobey,sculptural knitting; Hannah
Hinchman, drawing, journals; Sharon McConnell,
textiles; Ann-Claude;Cotty, artist books
University of Michigan, Masters, Ann Arbor, MI
Vassar College, Bachelors, Poughkeepsie, NY
EXHIBITIONS
"Black and White," dowstudio, Deer Isle, ME
2005 – 2006 "Color on and off the wall,"
Dowstudio, Deer Isle, ME
Featured Artist, Susan Hutton Studio Gallery, Deer Isle, ME
Featured Artist, Eggemoggin Textile Studio, Sedgwick, ME
"Fiber Show," Friendship Memorial Library, Brooklin, ME
"Holiday Arts" Deer Isle Artists Ass’n., Deer Isle, ME
"Holiday Show," Eggemoggin Textile Studio, Sedgwick, ME
Lupine Festival Art Show, Isalos Gallery, Stonington, ME
Guest Artist, Blue Hill Farmers Market, Blue Hill, ME
PUBLICATION
"Sampling: Showcase of Maps & Experience,"
FiberArts Magazine, Summer 2006 issue
TEACHING
"Beginning Knitting and Crochet" for middle school students,
Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School, 2004 - 2007
"Introduction to Discharging Cotton" Sewing by the Sea,
Trenton ME
AFFILIATIONS
Member, Artists’ Circle: three fiber artists making monthly
work for submission to each other, 2004 – 2006
Member, Maine FiberArts Association
Member, Surface Design Association
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
The first time I succeeded with a needle the result was a green corduroy skirt for my Ginny doll (age 8, 1953, Washington DC). At fifteen I knit a Norwegian sweater on round needles for my future husband. After college, anti-war activities, and two daughters, I moved to Michigan, directed a childcare center, started a community agency, pursued a masters degree, and established several consulting businesses, serving software company clients, to great success. Meantime my artist energy slept fitfully. In 1997 I took time from the corporate life to take a Haystack workshop and finally saw an artist in my mirror. The paper-based artwork I had made and sold informally became legitimate, along with my knitting and three-dimensional sewing projects. Now living on an island in Maine I am a full-time fiber artist. The beauty of our island and its creative community encourage me to pursue work with textiles in a variety of ways: dyeing and discharging cottons and silks; knitting figures, bowls, and functional pieces; improvisational top-stitching on hand-dyed and pieced fabric; making personal textile maps of interior journeys and landscapes, with fabric, threads, rubbed seaweed, ink and paints.
I dye and bleach outside in the sea-air when possible. Controlling the power of the bleaches and dyes offers moment-to-moment challenge. Undoing the shibori bundles that I twisted, stitched, folded, bound, and clamped begets stunning surprises and lets me see where top-stitching will take place. I plan the lines, knots, and circles of my stitching in broad outline, but the detail emerges slowly, intuitively, meditatively. The images and patterns on my textiles reflect the light, the seasons, the lands and seas I’ve experienced on many journeys, both real and dreamed. Some say they can feel the energy of the coastal landscape when they touch these textiles with their hands or eyes.
1997 – 2005: Fiber WorkshopsHaystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME Instructors include: Michael Olszewski, shibori;John Garrett, baskets;Warren Selig, surfaces;Katharine Cobey,sculptural knitting; Hannah Hinchman, drawing, journals; Sharon McConnell,textiles; Ann-Claude;Cotty, artist booksUniversity of Michigan, Masters, Ann Arbor, MIVassar College, Bachelors, Poughkeepsie, NY
EXHIBITIONS
"Black and White," dowstudio, Deer Isle, ME2005 – 2006 "Color on and off the wall,"Dowstudio, Deer Isle, MEFeatured Artist, Susan Hutton Studio Gallery, Deer Isle, MEFeatured Artist, Eggemoggin Textile Studio, Sedgwick, ME"Fiber Show," Friendship Memorial Library, Brooklin, ME"Holiday Arts" Deer Isle Artists Ass’n., Deer Isle, ME"Holiday Show," Eggemoggin Textile Studio, Sedgwick, MELupine Festival Art Show, Isalos Gallery, Stonington, MEGuest Artist, Blue Hill Farmers Market, Blue Hill, ME
PUBLICATION
"Sampling: Showcase of Maps & Experience,"FiberArts Magazine, Summer 2006 issue
TEACHING
"Beginning Knitting and Crochet" for middle school students,Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School, 2004 - 2007"Introduction to Discharging Cotton" Sewing by the Sea,Trenton ME
AFFILIATIONS
Member, Artists’ Circle: three fiber artists making monthlywork for submission to each other, 2004 – 2006Member, Maine FiberArts AssociationMember, Surface Design Association
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
The first time I succeeded with a needle the result was a green corduroy skirt for my Ginny doll (age 8, 1953, Washington DC). At fifteen I knit a Norwegian sweater on round needles for my future husband. After college, anti-war activities, and two daughters, I moved to Michigan, directed a childcare center, started a community agency, pursued a masters degree, and established several consulting businesses, serving software company clients, to great success. Meantime my artist energy slept fitfully. In 1997 I took time from the corporate life to take a Haystack workshop and finally saw an artist in my mirror. The paper-based artwork I had made and sold informally became legitimate, along with my knitting and three-dimensional sewing projects. Now living on an island in Maine I am a full-time fiber artist. The beauty of our island and its creative community encourage me to pursue work with textiles in a variety of ways: dyeing and discharging cottons and silks; knitting figures, bowls, and functional pieces; improvisational top-stitching on hand-dyed and pieced fabric; making personal textile maps of interior journeys and landscapes, with fabric, threads, rubbed seaweed, ink and paints.
I dye and bleach outside in the sea-air when possible. Controlling the power of the bleaches and dyes offers moment-to-moment challenge. Undoing the shibori bundles that I twisted, stitched, folded, bound, and clamped begets stunning surprises and lets me see where top-stitching will take place. I plan the lines, knots, and circles of my stitching in broad outline, but the detail emerges slowly, intuitively, meditatively. The images and patterns on my textiles reflect the light, the seasons, the lands and seas I’ve experienced on many journeys, both real and dreamed. Some say they can feel the energy of the coastal landscape when they touch these textiles with their hands or eyes.
©Copyright 2010 Sallie Findlay - Deer Isle, Maine - All Rights Reserved