I designed Drift to install in the center of the Arvada Center Theatre Gallery. It’s always a challenge to design something big when my studio space is so small. I started the design process with the idea of a wave form, the elusive, ever changing pattern of wind and light upon water. First, I drew the form, then created a paper mock-up, which I hung up in my living room. Once I liked the shape, I created a warp in fine viscose coated silk yarn. I sent it to Rowland Ricketts, who indigo dyed it in a graduated scale from dark to light and back again.
Once I got the warp back, I wove four 260 inch lengths of fabric. I hung two of them in my living room to see how the staggered white crests would interact. I wouldn’t see the final four pieces all together until Drift was installed in Arvada, which was quite suspenseful.
The Drift textile is very light and delicate. I hope that it might sway slightly as people move around it in the gallery. Maybe if you blow on it or wave your hand you can make it move.
