What if I dipped yarn in wax? Would I be able to weave with it?
What if I knit my newspaper or wove my photographs?
Can I weave with seaweed?
Over the years, I have explored weaving various nontraditional media constantly prodded by the “what if” questions bombarding my mind. I am happiest and most creative when I am immersed in these explorations. My personal passion for working with unconventional materials in my fiber art inspired the creation of Exploring Unconventional Materials, a presentation designed to encourage creative thinking and challenge the idea of what textiles are or could be. During the presentation I will present an overview of the work of various fiber artists utilizing nontraditional materials, examine some of my own work and explorations, and take a peek into the design process I utilize when working with a nontraditional material. Hopefully, at the presentation’s conclusion, you too will have “what if” questions bombarding your mind and sparking your creativity!
Kathleen Remsa is a fiber artist currently living in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. She attained a Bachelor of Science from Cook College, Rutgers University in Plant Science and a Master of Science in Textile Design from Philadelphia University. After recently concluding a fifteen year career designing and styling jacquard woven fabrics and collections for the residential and outdoor markets for Sunbury Textile Mill and Glen Raven Corporation, Kathleen now devotes her full attention to creating fiber art and instructing others in the design process and textile explorations.