Kate Dwyer

Fiber, collage

I found my way to art down the garden path. Instead of art school my education came by way of working in and then designing gardens (including being the first female gardener at the Bloedel Reserve a very long time ago). When not building gardens, I traveled widely in books and in the world focusing on design- be it buildings, textiles, ceramics or paintings. I came to making these vessels after years of painting on glass and then metal. One day I happened into a fabric store and was, as always, entranced by the materials and frustrated by my inability or unwillingness to sew. I brought a few choice pieces of fabric determined to make something of them without a needle. Paper mache’ is an easy craft one does with 6-year-olds — a form, torn paper, glue. I adapted it to fabric and thread using my painter’s eye for color and composition and line. Their only function is aesthetic. My artistic influences include, of course, nature. Then comes, Japanese arts, mid-century design, and modern art in general.