Janice Sullivan, wall hanging series, Sheltering in Place. Double woven, hand stitched, cotton and rayon, 42 inches high by 20 inches wide. Black, grey, white, cream and red.
Weaving more than 30 years, sculptural textiles were my focus . With a migration from the city to the country the imagery in my work has changed. The weavings have become woven canvases.
Photographing and mapping my daily walks have provided me with sources of information and inspiration, in composing new landscapes. My “earthmaps” are a synthesis of abstract and recognizable images.
Weaving my canvas allows me to explore, a variety of materials in conjunction with complex multi-patterned weave structures. Once the canvas is fabricated, a juxtaposition of surface texture is established. The cloth is painted, printed, and stitched to create a rich layered surface of imagery. By exploring reflective
material in conjunction with manipulated surfaces, constantly changing colors are created in these light reflective textures. I hope these fabrics transport the viewer to a place they may be familiar with in memory or imagination.
Continuing to explore the structural elements of loom controlled manipulated
surfaces, I have turned to fashion. By producing a line of shawls and scarves,
these fabrics continue to explore my sculptural ideas in textiles that are fashion conscious. The ideas that began as sculptural relief for the wall have become adornment for the body. My work in drawing and painting has translated into complex woven canvases.