Aurora Borealis, Yellowknife

Weaving, dupioni silk knotted pile, linen/cotton twining and warp

Aurora Borealis, Yellowknife is a series of weavings inspired by a life-changing visit to the Northwest Territories of Canada for a week of viewing the Northern Lights. Night after night I stood on the frozen Great Slave Lake and was treated to an amazing show of the powerful forces of our universe. When I returned home, I thought for months about how to express the experience.  To capture the glowing movement of the aurora, I worked with iridescent dupioni silk fabric torn into strips and woven in a knotted pile technique. The dark linen twining serves to represent the night sky. Much of the warp yarns are deliberately unwoven, enhancing the sense of a fleeting moment in infinite time and space.  The weaving, when suspended from the ceiling, appears to float.  An intricate cast shadow also serves to enliven the space.