wELCOME TO THE WEAVING DEN...

a.k.a. my studio. Here is a behind the scenes peek of the chaos that ensues during the physical aspect of the creative process. 

All of the rope that I work with has been salvaged from remote coastlines across Australia and beyond. Each piece has navigated countless days on a restless ocean before finding its way into my company. The character imparted on each strand by raw unforgiving elements hints at journeys travelled and time weathered. I imagine these fragments akin to weary sailors, with tales to tell.

A timeline, a story of sorts, is exposed in the unravelling process. The extreme contrast between the internal sheltered twists, and the dishevelled nature of the external faded surface become apparent.

Unravelling rope is a full body workout, all limbs often enter the equation. Brittle and abrasive fibres inspire one to devise methods to retain the skin on ones hands. As I unravel the threads, the rope often perished, falls apart in my fingertips. Broken fibres litter the floor. Miniature flyaway plastics inhabit the air. I wear a mask to protect my lungs from the onslaught. The rope crumbs are an important part of the story, so I gather them to integrate into the corresponding pieces.

The techniques I employ are relatively straightforward coil and open weave techniques. I intentionally keep my methods understated because my medium is complex, unpredictable, laden with character; it is the nature of the rope that I wish to focus on. Each individual piece behaves differently. The rope has ideas of it's own, so I embrace the imperfections, and allow these quirks to steer me towards the finished form.