CLOSER TO COTTON
After thinking about how cotton, design, textiles, science and technology have intersected with one another in my college experience, I decided to try and incorporate each element into this piece. I started by assessing cotton, the role it’s played in my life, its prevalence at our school, North Carolina’s economy, and in the industry as a whole. In contemplation, I realized I was taking a microscopic look, analyzing, and obsessing over it. Which in turn, made me think of some of the more in-depth courses I’ve taken at NC State in which we approached fibers from a scientific, engineering, and forensic view. I remembered how fascinated I was by the characteristics, shapes, colors and environments present when we observed various fibers microscopically. That’s where the idea of making a textile painting came from; I felt the beauty that I witnessed should be shared and independently merits the right to be considered art.
From there, I took a microscopic photo of a cotton stem, converted it to a digital image in Illustrator. Then wove, stretched and framed it just as a painting is done.
I have such an appreciation for the textiles of the past and the vital roles it played in peoples’ lives. I embrace this mentality and think that there should be a resurgence of its importance in our culture, heritage, and lives.
Process
