We are all connected, 2023
Found plant material, wool, jute
Hanging Sculpture
4.33in x 5.1in x 8.5in
This piece began as a crocheted teardrop using recycled wool (i.e. a failed knitting project gave its’ wool to this project). As I hung the teardrop, it felt unfinished. I left it in my studio as I find that seeing an object regularly keeps it in my mind. I started adding to the shape, creating braids and crocheted ropes intertwining around the original shape. But it didn’t feel finished. There was something missing. Several months later, I was walking on the beach with a friend and found a long piece of dried plant. I’m still not sure what it was, but the natural twist and curves inspired me. The final combination spoke to me. I loved the two natural materials intertwined and it made me think about the interconnectedness of our world and the people it in. There is also a fragility to the piece, a sense that this connectedness can also be tenuous. It responds to the environment, gently waving as air is displaced, just as we must continuously adapt to our own disruptions.
Heather J Chamberlain 