cast on/bound off

I have been a total fan of Jamie Lea Bersch since she first submitted to the show Cutting Edge. I love her sense of color and texture. She makes work that has a hodge-podge energy & loose sense of craft yet all of her work has an incredible sense of elegance. This shot of her studio makes me want to go over and have some tea talking art...


Then I could see more of her gorgeous work in person.


She is currently showing her thesis exhibit in Milwaukee and seeing the images of her installation and performance work cast on/bound off I felt the need to mention her here again.


In her statement she says:

I work with fiber because of its comforting quality and its unparalleled way of speaking to and interacting with the body. The fabric I use carries its own memory, structural elements, and inherent cultural and historic ties....Through making spaces into unfamiliar but comforting places, I explore the universal sensory experience.

The materials and techniques within my work question value and purpose. By combining remnants of fabric with utilitarian mechanical objects, I create unlikely but believable systems that take on a life of their own. Synthesizing elegant and everyday materials.

Piles... my favorite thing. I have always thought of doing a show that is just piles. Jamie's work would be great inspiration. Hmmm... how great would that be as a curated group show. Piles.

I love this piece which combines fabric and cement. As you know I love the contrast of soft and hard materials and have always wanted to play with casting soft objects myself. I actually really LOVE plaster and miss playing with it. Maybe when I no longer have to have a kid friendly studio I will return to it.

Read my previous review of her work here. See more of her work here. And if you are in Milwaukee go see her show.