Welcome to Borderweave
My work explores borders, edges, and boundaries. I weave with the splint from hand-pounded black ash, needles from the Longleaf Pine, willow, bark, vines, and other natural materials. Sculptural forms turn and twist on frameworks of gnarly roots, twisted vines, and naturally shed deer antlers. Traditional vessels merge new materials with time-honored techniques and colored borders punctuate complex twill weaves to highlight the mathematical formulas that lie within.
At the heart of my work is black ash, Fraxinus nigra. I make good use of a degree in botany, as one must know how something is constructed in order to take it apart. Every few years, I select an ash tree from a northern cedar swamp and remove its growth rings, one at a time. Each ring encircles the tree with a border that takes a full year to create. It takes me two months to separate the rings and process them into narrow, flexible strips that are ready for weaving. One tree provides enough ash splint for several years of weaving.
Must a border be solid, or can it be textural? What if negative space IS the border? What if borders overlap and turn different directions? What if they are woven and pierced with light? What if the entire piece is entirely comprised of borders? What if...
It is the "what ifs" that power my work. What if I could mimic a twisted rhododendron branch by inserting a wire into the core of a pine needle grouping and wrapping the core with appropriately colored thread? What if I used the looping technique to cover a shoe last with cotton and then stiffened the entire thing so it will retain its shape after removing the last? What if I take materials (pine needles, willow, and ash splint) and techniques (coiling and plaiting) that typically comprise a single piece and combine them into one weaving? What if...
Natural Materials
My weavings are created with natural materials that I have foraged from the wild. I also trade materials with weavers from other parts of the country so we can both utilize materials that are not available in our local environments. I also work with numerous invasive species, such as Cogangrass (Imperata cylindrical), Purple Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus), Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), Chinaberry (Melia azedarach) and English Ivy (Hedera helix).
Baskets & Sculptures
For those who prefer to purchase traditional or bespoke weavings, I occasionally make my works available online. My schedule varies with time of year and exhibit commitments, so it is best to reach out directly if there is something you would like me to make for you.
Weaving Instruction
Instruction is available both in person and online.
For online learning, I highly recommend the courses available from Take Two. I work with Harriet Goodall to support students wanting to identify and prepare botanicals for her class, "Form to Freedom". Click the button below for course information.
In Person instruction - I lead a monthly Basketry Circle at Momentum Gallery in Bartow, Florida. Participants bring a work in progress or focus on the "technique of the month", in which I guide students in specific basketry techniques such as coiling, looping, and plaiting. For more information, click the button below for Bartow Art Guild Event listings.