Carol Kuebler

Ash and Birch, 3.5x2,inner cedar and ash, 2007

Artist’s Statement
My weavings are functional traditional-style basketry and creative sculpture art pieces. Fibers used for each style are from nature, such as barks, vines, willows, red osier twigs, or natural dyed fibers of jute, grasses, cane and wools. Other materials may be unraveled yarns, dismantled mats, and woven cloth. Weavings may also be combined with dyed, painted and engraved gourds of all shapes and sizes for home décor and jewelry. Adornments are a combination of woven wax linen embellished with fetish and beads. My more stylish line of jewelry is stitched from a combination of colorful seed beads combined with glass cabochons and glass pendants, and use of silk and linen threads, and wireworks. Each piece becomes original as the creation evolves from the materials being used.

Artist’s Bio
In 1970s I became intrigued with traditional style baskets, their materials, and how they were woven. I value the opportunity I had to obtain the knowledge to gather logs, pound, split, and weave with Native Americans in the real traditional way. They taught me not only the technique of basket weaving, but also that weaving is a process. Each basket has its own signature and that we need to allow the spirits to take it to the place it needs to be. I have always carried this within my journey of weaving. More recently these spirits have taken my work to the less traditional style. Containers have moved towards sculptures. Material once split from ash and cedar is now a variety of found fibers containing more texture and color. Adornments and jewelry pieces are woven in complementary colors of waxed linen and beads rather than painted strips of leather. Gourds have become the canvas for dyes, burnishes, weavings and embellishments.

I have demonstrated and participated in many local events before I became a member of Artists Own in 2004. The energy and creativity of being with other artists has inspired me in many ways. I have gained many new friends through Artists Own who also enjoy and share the fascination of creating art for this community. It has been a whole new fascination of art in the making!

My show demonstrates this progression. Unraveled place mats, modern yarns or jutes, and beads and linens of more colors than can be named may have replaced the inner bark of fallen trees once found in woods and lumber yards, but my roots will always show through with the spirit woven within.