Kathie Whitehall - Paper Weaving
From Kathie:
The visual art I create is vibrant and three-dimensional. I blend photography, ink, paper and textural elements together to create something that's visually interesting and innately handmade. Everything I do has some element of creativity to it. The line between work and hobby is blurred for me. I’m a gardener, musician, photographer, woodworker. I’ve spun my own yarn, colored with dyes made from plants grown in my yard. I’ve taken photos of botanicals, animals and architectural elements for years. When I got my first digital camera, my photography improved exponentially—it allowed me to see the results of manipulating depth of field and shutter speed immediately. It gave me the ability to photograph subjects without the frustration I felt with film.
Professionally, I’m a graphic designer. As the design industry has shifted away from print to web and electronic mediums, I’ve felt a lost connection to the paper and ink that has inspired me as a graphic designer. In response, I combine digital image technology with traditional layout and paste-up skills to manipulate my photographs, slice the printed images by hand into thin strips, and then weave the two together—a weaving of old and new methods. The finished pieces bring a handcrafted and textural feeling to my work.