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JO WOOD
Artist's Statement
I am a bead and fiber artist. "Painting with beads" is how I describe my work. Beads are my "paint." Needle and thread are my "brushes." Wool fabric is my "canvas." My paintings express my sense of PLACE, my deep appreciation for and unique relationship with the shores of Lake Superior and forest trails of northern Minnesota. From this picture book world I paint my impressions of the familiar yet ever changing patterns of light and color that delight and excite the senses. Through my work I invite the viewer to share a connection to nature, the abundant variety, peace, and beauty of this Place.
For me life is tactile and labor intensive&like my beadwork. It is a patient art form. Choosing one bead at a time and stitching up to two hundred beads per square inch, it can take months to complete a piece.
My skills with needle and thread have been developed and practiced for more than 40 years. Stitching is the natural choice of artistic expression for me. Beads have been my medium for nearly 10 years and my passion for them has continued to grow along with my palette of these tiny, shiny orbs. The way light plays in and on the glass creates amazing color possibilities.
My subject matter is rich in color, depth and texture. It is important to me to explore materials and develop techniques that incorporate those qualities in my paintings. I have worked on a variety of wool fabrics, sometimes covering the entire surface with beads or leaving part of it exposed as a background and contrast to the glass beads. I use a huge variety of bead sizes, colors and surface finishes. In some pieces I use stitching techniques that lift the beads off the surface of the fabric or layer beads for more depth and texture. These variations in materials and technique give my paintings depth, both physical and visual.
In early 2001, I began working with a knit/felted wool material developed by Lou Ann Forbes of Blue Sky Prairie Textiles in Illinois. This material most certainly added the depth and texture I sought for my work. The most exciting discovery for me has been that when some parts of the multi-colored pattern are left exposed the fabric can be more than foundation, under painting or background. The colors and texture of this fabric become an integral part of the finished image. In December 2001 I was awarded a Minnesota State Arts Board grant to work with Ms. Forbes, designing fabrics that will serve as both the "canvas" and the "paint" along with the beads for specific pieces. I now use Blue Sky Textiles in all my work.
I will continue to explore beads and fiber as my medium and produce paintings that express my personal experience, the inspiring moments of being here, where every sense is open to the magnificence of this place.
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