Artist's Statement

Since the early 1990s, I have been creating fiber and mixed-media art.  I make art to express my passion for the captivating forms and exquisite colors and textures I find in nature and the world around me.  My goal is to distill the essence of these forms and present them in an unexpected way, so they may be appreciated in a new light.  I take everyday objects out of their original context and emphasize certain aspects through my use of materials and form.

In my earlier two-dimensional fiber work, I used my own technique that expressed the fluidity, texture and color of natural forms.  I wove an open-work tapestry, giving the basis to the image, and then embroidered on top of the woven work, in a fluid fashion, to develop the image further.

In my more recent work, I have continued my Interest in color, texture and form, but have pushed my use of materials much further, as well as developing my techniques into a three-dimensional artistic language.  I incorporate found objects, fiber, screen wire, wire and metal-work to create sculptures and jewelry with dynamic forms and unexpected materials.  I am continuing my exploration of materials and three-dimensional forms, as well as developing my metal-working skills in order to broaden my aesthetic vocabulary and to facilitate the creation of my untraditional metal designs.  In creating designs that make dramatic use of materials and form, as well as technique, I hope to further capture the beauty of my subject and to surprise the viewer into appreciating something they see everyday in a new way.

Amber O'Harrow