By interlacing textiles with jewelry metal arts, I combine an ancient cloth-making technique with metalsmithing and contemporary materials to create Dimensional-Weave sculpture and jewelry. The gracefulness of supple curves and the elegance of geometry are expressed through undulating forms of metal and monofilament. I explore how symmetry creates beauty.
My artwork, inspired by the mandala, revolves around the seamless continuity of a circle. The mandala is a symbol that represents the universe from the human perspective. The Sanskrit definition translates to a “circle containing essence” denoting a sacred space. Mandalas signify the essential structure of the universe as an ordered, harmonious system.
Weaving, as a structure and a process, embodies rhythm and order. My art is hand-woven using a conventional floor loom. The durability and strength of metal is paired with the luminosity and flexibility of plastic. I utilize a traditional weaving technique known as double-cloth. It is a complex weave structure in which two sets of warps interlace with two sets of wefts, simultaneously producing two distinct layers. To achieve a seamless connection, all of the warp ends are meticulously woven back into the piece creating a circular form. This continuity expresses oneness and harmony.
The woven layers undulate and crisscross, designating an area for tranquil contemplation. The myriad combinations of interlocking strands and intersecting planes drive my exploration of form.
Anastasia Azure is the originator of Dimensional-Weave which combines ancient weaving, traditional metalsmithing and contemporary materials. She creates sculpture and jewelry, hand-woven on a floor loom with metals and plastics. Her forms are inspired by the elegance of geometry.
She dedicated a three-year residency, at the Appalachian Center for Craft, to the research and development of Dimensional-Weave. Presently, she resides in Providence, RI where she has just completed her MFA at the Rhode Island School of Design.
First introduced to jewelry fabrication at Wellesley High School in Massachusetts, she continued more rigorous training at the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts, San Francisco, graduating in 2001. While earning her BFA in 2005 from California College of the Arts, she discovered weaving’s immense importance to her life’s work.
Website
http://www.forgedfiber.net/
