I create 2-D and 3-D art in a non-representational style. Stitching by hand and machine, I work with handmade paper and textiles gathered in Asia, upcycled from my closet, or otherwise saved from landfills, dyeing mostly with rust and indigo. I first learned European needle arts from my mother during childhood, painted a bit at university, and later tried my hand at pottery. But I find fiber art the most satisfying and versatile because I can incorporate so many elements that are not even fiber. I studied with various teachers on the Pacific coast and also took some workshops in Japan and Korea.
I approach the creative process as an open-ended improvisation and exhilarating engagement with color, texture, line, shape and space, pattern and design. Pieces emerge intuitively, even serendipitously, as I gradually feel my way into each piece. I select this paper or that textile, one color over another, incorporating metal, wax, wood, or bamboo from my garden, adding a layer for transparency, building up texture, making another mark with thread or brushing on paint or ink. Along the way, I embrace and celebrate the surprises.
Working in a studio on a coastal bluff, I am awestruck by how the ever-changing light transforms the colors and textures of land, sea, and sky from dawn till nightfall. I’m also drawn to the simplicity and universality of geometric shapes and flow lines. Space is as important as form, if not more so. Thus East Asian aesthetics, 20th-century abstract art, and my meditation practice are equally important influences and inspirations for my art. More recently, I have been transitioning toward projects on diaspora/migration.
For details and images, please see my website: www.mirkaart.com
