Joan Carrigan
Media: natural fibers, wood
It was during travels in the South Pacific, when I was first drawn to the natural beauty and significance of Basketry. Upon returning in 1991, I attended my first Basketry Conference in Toronto. This was an exhilarating experience and my passion for basketry has continued to grow over the years.
It is fascinating to study how different cultures use the plants in their region to weave baskets, shelters and clothing for basic survival and how these basic skills developed into beautiful objects and works of art. The use of natural materials in basketry has always appealed to me and a great deal of my inspiration comes from nature and the characteristics of the materials I work with. I am drawn to the intrinsic beauty of barks, roots, and sedges. Working with these materials is a process of discovery, a collaboration, turning a flat piece of bark or strands of sedge into a 3-dimensional form.
In my work I am interested in blending the random aspects of the natural world with the control of human involvement; simplicity with complexity; yielding with exertion. It is a balance between exercising control over the materials and allowing it’s own characteristics and presence to come through in the piece. It is my desire to honor the natural world by using these materials in a way which allows the spirit of the living plant to be content in its new form.
http://www.joancarrigan.com/
