Lindsay Krais

"Where do I start? I am constantly collecting random materials and keep them in clear bins on shelving in my studio. This allows me to see them at all times while I'm working - that means that they're always fresh in my mind. At the same time I am continually drawing and sketching ideas for new forms. It may take months or years until the two come together - until I find a way to take the materials that I have saved and are interested in working with and the forms that I am ready to focus on, and have them work together in harmony. I create endless amounts of samples that hang around my studio as inspiration and almost always lead to new, finished works somewhere down the line.
Once I've found the method, materials & form that will work, I move on to making a paper pattern of the finished piece. This pattern is fashioned like a garment pattern - leaving areas where the material (usually wire mesh) will overlap and create a 'seam'. This is used as my guide and the material is cut and formed and the armature is stitched together and embellished. Careful planning is involved along the way to make sure that each seam falls in the right place and that the finished piece will support the additional materials that I then add. Coming from a background in textiles, I enjoy seeing the seams that tell how the piece was created. The stitching becomes an important design element within each work." - Lindsay Krais

To see more of her work go to http://www.lindsaykrais.com/