This presentation includes some history of artists that blazed the trail of working with metal using fiber techniques. The author's and other contemporary artists work are highlighted in this presentation.
2. Pioneers of Working With
Metal Using Fiber Techniques
Mary Lee Hu
Arline Fisch
Stuart Golder
Donna Kaplan
My Influences
3. Mary Lee Hu
In 1966 while earning her graduate degree in Metalsmithing
from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, Hu
studied under renowned metalsmith L. Brent Kington. It was
during this time that Hu started to work with fiber inspired
techniques after taking a fiber arts course.[3] This led to the
development of her signature style of wire wrapped jewelry.
Since the late 1960s Hu has developed new techniques in
coiling, wrapping, weaving, knitting, and twining wire. Her
work consists mostly woven wire earrings, rings, bracelets,
brooches, and neckpieces that emulate natural forms,
movements and symmetry.[
American Craft Council article
Professional Jeweler Magazine article: Innovators 8: Mary Lee Hu
(from Wikipedia) 3
6. Arline Fisch
In 1956-57 she studied silversmithing at the School of Arts and
Crafts in Copenhagen and in 1966-67 returned to Denmark for
further training in metalsmithing. Since 1961, she taught full time at
San Diego State University for 40 years. Fisch has played a central
role in the revitalization of jewelry as a contemporary art form. Her
outstanding contribution has been the introduction of weaving
techniques into the field of jewelry making. Employing flattened gold
and silver wire, she knits, braids, plaits, and crochets lightweight,
flexible forms with dense, light-reflective patterns, subtle textures,
and glowing color. (Smithsonian American Art Museum)
Oral history interview with Arline M. Fisch, 2001 July
29-30
9. Stuart Golder
Since 1967 Stuart Golder
has been redefining the
art of goldsmithing.
Basically self-taught, he is
known for his attention to
detail and exquisite
craftsmanship. In 1977 he
added the woven element
to his work for which he
has become famous.
11. Donna Kaplan
Donna Kaplan creates vessels
by weaving with wire to create
a woven metal fabric. She
often will use beads as her weft
to create a beaded fabric.
Donna studied with Mary Lee
Hu, reknowned for her work
with metals using fiber
techniques. She was a major
influence on me as I attended a
workshop she gave to our local
weaving guild. Learning to
weave with wire that weekend
changed my life! I’ve been
weaving with wire ever since!
20. Karen Searle
I think of my wire
sculptures as 3-
dimensional line
drawings in space.
The line and
movement of the
object and its shadow
suggest the energy of
a human presence.
22. Ruth Asawa
She wrote, “A woven
mesh is not unlike
medieval mail. A
continuous piece of
wire, forms envelop
inner forms, yet all
forms are visible
(transparent). The
shadow will reveal an
exact image of the
object.”
24. Susan Wood-Onstad
Susan uses shakudo in her jewelry work. This is
a Japanese technique creating gold and copper
alloyed metal which produces patinas of brown,
grey & black.
25. Jeanie Pratt
The textile patterns
and textures fixed
into the metal evoke
memories of the
traditional textiles
and basketry
encountered while
living abroad.
25
27. Marilyn Moore
Working in fibers is a
natural medium for
Marilyn. As a child she
learned to embroider,
knit, crochet, and sew.
Her love of fiber work
continued into
adulthood adding
spinning, weaving,
basketry, and now wire
work, to her fiber
vocabulary.
29. Susan McGehee
Incorporating
traditional weaving
techniques, tools and
patterns she creates
lightweight
contemporary wall
hangings that seem to
float on the wall using
a computerized 16
harness dobby loom.
31. Barbara Berk
I learned that metal can
be worked like fiber,
that sheet and wire can
be woven. Most exciting
was the realization that
sculpture -- both smaller
and larger scale,
wearable and
installation -- can be
fashioned from the
precious metal “fabric”.
33. Anastasia Azure
Anastasia Azure combines
ancient weaving, traditional
metalsmithing and
contemporary materials to
create sculpture and
jewelry. Her work is hand-
woven on a floor loom with
metals and plastics. Her
forms are inspired by the
elegance of geometry and
complexity of science.
35. Weaving with Wire
This basket is twined
with telephone wire.
Wire is a perfect
material to use with
fiber techniques. It is
flexible and comes in
lots of different colors!