Tying The Knot

As a young girl, I fantasized about becoming a bride. I regularly dressed my fashion doll in a wedding gown and I hopped her on down the aisle to her destination: wedded bliss. I also owned a collectible bride doll that I didn’t dare play with, so she would maintain her value. Both experiences contributed to an attitude where marriage was the ultimate, most beautiful thing in the world.

I’ve since come to realize that the clothing, trappings and trimmings a bride wears for that one day are merely the outward expression of her sense of self, inner beauty, and confidence. Tying The Knot is displayed in a seemingly unfinished state to represent that I am a work in progress, and that in healthy relationships, both parties encourage each other to continue their growth.

I have been perfecting my knotting artistry for over 50 years. Working with simple materials such as cotton string and rope, I sculpt each vessel carefully selecting and meticulously tying thousands upon thousands of knots. This labor-intensive technique, the process of making the work, becomes just as important as the resulting form.

There is also a certain intimacy in my knotted work that is borne of the process itself. Each knot is a moment of my time spent in studio, providing structure and bringing a sense of order to the chaotic lengths of string and rope. The knots I use most in my work are a contemporary form of Macramé. I wrote the book Macramé Today: Contemporary Knotting Projects to teach others the techniques and processes which first inspired me as an artist. This artwork was selected selected to be the cover image for the book.

Available - Ask me about this artwork or series!