Geometrics
On view: September 1 – October 2, 2022
Shop Maine Craft presents Geometrics, a Center for Maine Craft exhibition of modern string art by Heather Kelly of South Portland, Maine.
I find an abundance of inspiration from the underlying geometry found in nature and our connection to it. I hope that my work will inspire a moment of quiet reflection and capture the beauty of mother nature’s designs.
Historically used as an educational tool to help teach children mathematics in the early 1900’s, string art has expanded broadly from DIY projects to modern and contemporary art in recent decades. Using string as a humble medium, the layering of threads creates a dynamic three-dimensional effect that can be taken to any scale.
Drawing much of her inspiration from the natural world and sacred geometry, Heather has taken the old craft of string art and elevated it into a modern and captivating body of work. For years, Heather has been known to collect driftwood and old planks that catch her eye, often turning them into furniture or home accents. Her first ventures into string art began as a gift for a friend and expanded to a small business, soon growing to her sole artistic focus. Working in series, Heather begins each unique design within a circle. The shape emphasizes the intricacy of the form and creates a structural support of symmetrical balance and beauty. By adding contrasting surface color and textures with hand selected reclaimed wood, each piece is thoughtfully constructed with careful consideration to wood grain and color. Heather has developed her own method of stringing the design in continuum, careful not to cross over the same string line repeatedly. The process requires her to find the pattern within the pattern to achieve a seamless, clean single line. Once the desired stringing method is established, the repetition of the process evokes a state of mindful meditation. Heather repeats the same pattern over and over until the final design is revealed.
From the intricate design of a sunflower’s center to the spiral of a pinecone, artist Heather Kelly is drawn to the connection we have to patterns found in the natural world, the cosmos, and in our bodies. Nature is an endless source of inspiration for her work.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Heather Kelly is a MECA graduate, and is the creative force behind Nail it Art, a small Maine based company that creates modern accents and unique art pieces for the home. Her work has been featured in catalogs, galleries, West Elm local, Amazon handmade, Boyne Mountain ski resorts and fine stores throughout New England.
Visit the Center for Maine Craft
The Center is located within the West Gardiner Service Plaza, just south of Augusta.
288 Lewiston Road
West Gardiner ME 04345 (Map)
Contact:
(207)588-0021
center@shopmainecraft.com