Holly Laws

Statement

I make objects using techniques that are labor-intensive and time consuming. Some of these techniques have been considered women's work; some associated with a specific trade or craft as opposed to fine art. I became fascinated with knots as I learned processes related to lace making, tatting, and macramé. This led to an interest in other ornamental knot work, functional knots, and mathematical knots. A single knot is a beautiful form that dynamically activates space, and presents a rich and complex metaphorical language. Knots as subject matter, laborious fabrication methods, and materials chosen for their meaning are entwined. Metaphorically, the work addresses my desire to find order and balance in a complex and tangled world.

Artworks

This work is based on a form that is fundamental to the study of knot theory. It is fabricated using the most basic single under-and-over weave in basketry. Basket weaving developed independently across cultures throughout the world, as did the trefoil knot which denotes unity and strength in its endless loop. The crossings in knot theory remind me of the language of basket weaving. There are rules and systems that organize and classify both. The absence of the weft in a section of the knot exposes the warp which is carefully wrapped in red cotton thread. The contrast between the linear red interior and the woven exterior underscores the forms interconnectedness.