A mix of fibers

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Best Layer, 2026
 

The necktie is a symbolically charged men’s accessory that can conjure up memories, hint at a personality, or represent cultural status, a particular career, or even an entire industry. Here they have been used to create a web of sweeping lines across the surface. These "silk brush strokes" symbolize those themes in our lives that overlay the ordinary or everyday web of activity. The obvious reference is to a professional career, but it could also call to mind a creative journey, or a life’s passion, (really anything important to us), that surges forward to grab our attention, energy and efforts at various times in our life. These things may also include false starts, dead ends, moments of redirection. Still, they are that part of our life's journey that add color and dimension to the layers of existence.

The composition for Best Layer is composed entirely of reused elements. The shimmering green back ground is a length of raw silk I salvaged from my mother’s fabric “stash” as we were helping her down size. It is paired with the remnant cotton cut away scraps from an earlier appliqué project. This created a neutral toned webbing to contrast with the colors and patterns found in thrifted men’s neckties.

Working with a mixture of fiber content adds a new challenge to my creative process. Cotton fabric is pretty straight forward to work with, but the fragility and smooth textures of silk require fabric prep and extra planning. I’m learning to better manipulate the different fabrics and take advantage of their properties. It suggests a lot of possibilities for future projects.


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