Featured Artist Emily Dvorin

Using everyday common materials in a non-traditional way, fiber artist Emily Dvorin creates wonderfully fun and quirky baskets. To see more of her work, please visit her website.

 

 

I call myself a “sculptural basket maker”. I am a contemporary basket maker, creating one-of-a-kind, non-functional, non-traditional sculptures. I have been a fiber artist for more than 35 years. I started out doing macrame.

 

 

I am known for my innovative, transordinary vessels made with everyday, common materials using traditional basketry techniques in a non-traditional way.

 

 

I am a conceptual artist; with a visual language, I tell a story by sculpting, weaving, assembling, sewing, and coiling, constructing, altering and interacting with material, repeating singular elements, manipulating pattern, color, design and texture.

 

 

My use of re-purposed, re-contextualized materials is commentary on overconsumption of commercial goods, societal excess and throwaway consumerism. My work references everyday life and our relationship with our urban environment.

 

 

I am challenging the original definition of basketry. I transform the ordinary into whimsical vessels, creating dense arrangements of familiar urban objects.

 

 

I am inspired by materials. I find them everywhere and anywhere. I am noted for my use of “odd-ball” ingredients such as cable ties, plastic tubing, straws, shoulder pads, ballet slippers, wire, hardware cloth, zippers, hair curlers, bobby pins, mountain-climbing rope, chopsticks, newspaper bags, and ordinary household items. All is recognizable in my work.

 

 

I grew up in the 50s on the East Coast. I taught third grade in the 60s, got married, had children and moved west to Marin County, CA in the 70s. After owning and operating a contemporary crafts store in Marin for 35 years, I retired to live my lifelong dream of being a full-time artist.

 

 

I now have a studio in Sausalito and I teach, speak, consult and exhibit all around the country.

 

 

My goal is to keep going! I am driven to create and teach and share my love of this art form. I am determined to make an exuberant, visual statement in today’s world and continue to pursue the love of my life!

 

Emily invites you to follow her on Facebook.

 

 

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