Cascade

I can often have an idea or a title for a piece of work long before I develop and create it, Cascade was one of those ideas. The title first popped into my head at the beginning of 2019, I can date it as I mentioned it in an Instagram post on the 8th of January, but it wasn’t until I read the RHS report gardening in a changing climate for the Changing earth exhibition with the eastern Region Textile Forum that the title began to make sense to me as a piece of work. I had always imagined the possibility of many butterflies, but I didn’t know what they related to.

As I read through the report and all the changes happening to our climate from rainfall to temperatures, the effects on seasons and how they then disrupt patterns in life cycles my thoughts turned to Cascade. How so many aspects of life are changing, quite fast, and although we are told about them or may witness some, they can also be quite hidden. However, if we all make a few changes to our gardening and life habits there is hope for a more balanced future.

 Woven in repurposed fishing line, cotton, linen, wool and wire, Cascade represents hope for the future of eco systems.

 

 The clear falling flowers represent the changes we are aware of that often go unseen. Inspired by the Brimstone, the butterfly is woven in natural fibres and symbolises rebirth, change, hope and life. The purple flower represents wisdom, harmony and the balance between opposing forces we need to create.

The butterfly was woven with traditional woven tapestry techniques on an upright loom, this was then attached to the purple flower which I wove on a circle loom in wool and hand dyed fishing line. The purple flower, along with the Cascading flower were constructed in parts on circle looms before being attached together. All the fishing line used in the piece is repurposed.