Stephanie Grubbs' 

Knotted Vessels

Much of my work concerns the conflict between order and chaos. One reason I enjoy fiber art is the constant battle to control those errant threads into rows of knotting or woven cloth and to tame thousands of wool or cotton fibers into felt or paper forms.

My small vessels are made of cotton thread in double half hitch knots which are tied knot-by-knot, row-upon-row, from bottom-to-top. I have limited myself to a few materials in order to concentrate on color and form in this repetitive and contemplative process. This is perhaps the height of compulsion, but I find the repetition of the knotting to be comforting and calming. The excitement comes from the designing of this knotted surface and the form of the vessel. I hope the viewer feels both the meditative calmness and the excitement.

My influences come from happenings in my home, my garden, and the world. I like to elevate the ordinary or the small into a place of importance by embellishing with intricate stitches or knotting. 

- Stephanie Grubbs