Process and Result

Working with the shape of the neck

The completed "Sweep" with its fuzzy neck

As I look around my studio, I see pieces that I started awhile ago and want to finish to include them in my Shaman Show. This particular one I named "Sweep" was finally completed just a few hours ago.

"Sweep" began its life as a woven straw basket that I took apart and reformed with an extended neck that I adjusted several times before settling on the latest version. What I love about this process is the flexibility that I have with the combination of plastic, wood and tape. It all gets covered with paper glued down as a skin. What happened here was that I wanted to add interest to the neck and managed that with string tied around and fuzzed out. Twine can be untwisted so that its threads unfurl and become frayed or fuzzed out like hair.

The inside of this boat has two sticks running the length of the bottom.  I did some lacing in a fashion that is inspired by the way the Inuits work with their kayaks and unimaks. Years ago, I used to do a lot of sewing and it was fun to use a needle and thread on paper.


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