Roots Project

There is a magical place among the rolling hills of Port Hope, where the land feels raw yet cared for.  A beautiful friend Michiko Nakamura lives there with her husband.   Michiko is a clay sculpture artist who works from that spiritual place within and from the earth.  

I was honored to have her ask me to do an installation of our work together in this magical space.  

Heavenly Art

Heavenly Lighting

Then reality hit me.   "What material would withstand the elements?"

This two-year test is strips of reclaimed hot air balloon fabric, knitted in i-cord technique to create a tube. Then it is hung in a tree, and looks impressive with the nests the animals built inside.  "I hadn't thought of that part."

Another two-year test ~ wooden weaving factory spools with synthetic yarn on them, strung on sea grass and hung from both ends in a tree.  The moisture did affect the wood spools with cracking at the center post and ends separated from the center.  Yet the yarn did not fade much. Also, bits of naturally-dyed fleece held their color and stayed together.

The study begins.  What dyes will work and not fade too much on this fabric? 

At the same time I am learning about when to cut willow for the color I want.  Winter-cut keeps the color, while fall-cut will turn black.  There are so many kinds of willow, each one having a different color.  

At the same time I am learning about bark, and when to strip basswood or cedar.  When is dogwood the reddest and how much will it fade? Will fleece survive the elements?

My experience has given me a wealth of information. So has my friend Sandi McNeil, whom I consider to be my "Basket Making Mentor."   She has helped me through my  artist's blocks, as well as mentored me through the learning of new materials.   Through experimentation I learned how the new material of bark, twigs and willow react when woven, twisted and tied.

ROOTS is a whole new playing field, and I love a challenge!  Many walks through this magical space gave me a sense of which little group of trees, rocks or openings actually spoke to me.  The shape of the trees filling one space and the openness of another, started my mind drawing circles and diamonds, with rectangles placed just so.  

And so the ART has begun.