Jackie Abrams
ARTIST STATEMENT
My work is about the possibilities of basketry - the possibilities of materials, of techniques, of colors and textures. It is a constant learning process, a progression of explorations. I am intrigued by the combinations of materials and techniques, the layers in a basket, and the painted surfaces that look like stone or leather or ceramics. I am strongly inspired by architecture, other cultures, and the world around me. The challenge to keep exploring satisfies my sense of creative wonder.
My roots in basketry are strongly grounded in tradition. In 1975 I apprenticed to Ben Higgins, an 81-year-old basketmaker who worked with white ash. For 13 years I wove traditional, functional baskets of natural materials. In 1984 I started to further explore the aesthetic possibilities of basketry. I've been working with archival cotton paper, an extremely versatile and user-friendly material, since 1990.
My current choice of colors is strongly influenced by my trips to Australia; in October (2001) I returned from a teaching journey to Tasmania, Melbourne and Sydney. The sunburned colors of ochre and red continue to have a strong influence in my work.
In 2001, I received a creation grant from the Vermont Arts Council - to construct a series of architectural structures using fiber techniques. I explored the possibilities of combining paper with copper sheeting and black ash strips, creating urban skyscrapers that interact with each other. I am intrigued by the negative spaces (the windows) that encourage further exploration on the part of the viewer.
Most recently, I have started to explore "Women Forms" - forms that contain the shape of a woman's life. Each form is a collections of one woman's experiences: her passions and griefs, her pains and joys. I am excited to see where this takes me.
Selected Honors and Grants
2001 Creation Grant, Vermont Arts Council "Architectural Inquires" - exploration of architectural structures using fiber techniques
2001 Niche Award Finalist
2000 Honorable Mention Award, American Craft Enterprises, Baltimore
Selected Exhibitions
2002 Smithsonian Craft Show
Baskets Now: USA, Arkansas Arts Center
Women's Work * Exploring Life - Fiber Art Exhibition, The Society of Arts and Crafts, Boston
Contemporary Art Basket Invitational, The American Art Company, Tacoma, Washington
Other Materials/Other Forms: Exploring Contemporary Basketry, Brookfield Craft Center, CT
American Craft Enterprises, Baltimore
2001 Katie Gingrass Gallery, SOFA at New York and Chicago
American Craft Enterprises, Baltimore Baltimore 25, 25th Anniversary Baltimore Winter Show
Three-person exhibition, The Works Gallery, Philadelphia
Contemporary Baskets 2001, delMano Gallery, Los Angeles
Contemporary Baskets, Dane Gallery, Nantucket, MA
Celebration of American Basketry, Amana, Iowa
American Craft Exposition, Evanston, IL
Treasures, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Wisconsin
2000 Smithsonian Craft Show
Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show American Craft Enterprises, Baltimore
New Talent in Craft, Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, Racine, WI
Two-person exhibit, The Fountainhead Gallery, Seattle
Guild.com, participating artist, a juried on-line collection
Mobilia Gallery, SOFA at Chicago
American Craft Exposition, Evanston, IL
Treasures, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Wisconsin
Selected Reviews and Publications
2002 "American Craft," February/March issue "Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot," Winter (2001-02) issue
2001 "info 4 artists," American Craft Council publication, Summer
"American Craft," June/July issue
Object Lessons, GUILD Publishing "Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot," Summer issue
2000 Beautiful Things, GUILD.com
Making the New Baskets, Jane LaFerla, Lark Books
Carol Duvall Show, November 14 segment, HGTV
"American Craft," February/March issue
Baskets: Tradition and Beyond, Leier, Peters, and Wallace
"Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot," Summer issue
Vivi & Friends
Red Thoughts
Ochre Windows
Autumn Thoughts
Ripening