Gray Caskey | Fiber artist
Gray graduated from the University of Kentucky Fine Arts Department where she studied fiber arts and art history. She now lives in Portland, Oregon where she works as an Art Director for an international non-profit.
Currently my artistic practice is fueled by my obsession with construction sites (sometimes even in my own house) and salvage yards. I’m most inspired when digging through piles of discarded construction materials, looking for interesting shapes and textures that can be transformed into art objects while staying true to my fiber background.
Using a variety of methods including layering, stitching, weaving, paper-making, folding and interlacing, I aim to manipulate the core materials in such a way that they are no longer recognizable as their original form. I’m often working with repetition and connection and am always trying to refine and elevate the materials at hand.
“While visiting the Egyptian wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I became enamored with a burial piece that was covered in a diamond pattern of overlapping strips of fabric. I began experimenting with overlapping and interlacing fabric and became obsessed with the process. The spontaneous patterns that formed and the visual depth created from the overlapping layers motivated me to push further. Through trial and error, I have been rewarded with serendipitous moments of clarity where suddenly the fabric takes on a form that resonates with me. I have combined these patterns to create larger compositions. I began machine stitching the fabric pieces before interlacing to add additional texture. When the layers overlap, the aligned stitching forms its own pattern. The repetitive process becomes meditative as I build layer upon layer. My hope is that this meditative energy is reflected back in the piece itself, and that the viewer is able to find a moment of calm while viewing.”
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