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Woolpunk

What draws you to the materials you work with?
I make knitted installations, fiber-based sculptures, and embroidered photographs to create social change. I come from a long line of fiber-rich, self-identifying females. My paternal grandmother was a seamstress and immigrated from Italy where she found factory work sewing American flags for a living. My maternal grandmother and grandfather's sisters were all extremely skilled and trained as lacemakers in Rome. For me, textiles are not only part of my heritage, but also part of my visual language and when I first envision a project it is always fiber based.

Why "craft" and not "art"?
I do not consider myself a skilled knitter or a traditional embroiderer, but instead I make WOOLPUNK®. I recently trademarked this after two decades of creating fiber-based works that have been included in both "art" and "craft" exhibitions both nationally and internationally. I just make work and whoever wants to label it for their needs, so be it.

In what ways are you expanding upon the realm of craft?
I am inspired by artists such as Martha Rosler, Tracey Emin, and Judith Pfaff, along with my paternal grandmother. Her patriotism and factory work influence my studio practice, along with my employment at several not for profit organizations which has allowed for direct involvement with hurricane recovery, homeless advocacy, and diversity, equity and inclusion community initiatives. I welcome the shifts in perspective in both our culture and community to celebrate the arts that focus on topics like this.

Is your work rooted in any specific traditions or techniques?
The material and techniques I work with--found materials, stitching, knitting and crochet--speak to women's history and of the ways in which the discarded material of times of plenty become valuable in times of deprivation. I recombine traditional women's skills with repurposed materials and objects to create resonant works that have a texture, pattern, and meaning akin to that of obsessive drawings.

How do you navigate "craft" while avoiding popular trends?
I embrace current dialogue and topics usually referencing politics, the environment or socio-economic issues to create work, discussion, action, or sometimes all of the above. Both local and global issues serve as catalysts for subject matter and I choose to create fiber-based art to pay homage to all who live and work in America.

Do you consider craft utilitarian, or decorative, or both/neither? Why?
The art world is watching and the pandemic is helping craft-based work make the leap to the global market. Craft "art" has long been a niche taste for collectors in the U.S. and elsewhere, and some artists such as Nick Cave, Tiny Pricks Project, and others have helped it become mainstream visuals in exhibits, museums, and virtually on social media.

Why do you think so many people are returning to fiber arts these days?
Fiber is a flexible medium. It can be so many things and handled so many different ways.

How has the pandemic affected your practice?
Though I would have not wished for this to have happened due to all the loss, a smart artist friend told me to treat this time like a residency. Being a single mom, I took that advice and ran with it. It's amazing how much creativity can expand when given the proper support and time. Also, thinking-time is just as important as creative-time. We don't get enough of that in America. Working artists need more financial support for creative making. I enjoyed having art in my life to help me emotionally during this time as well. I am unsure if a lot of people had that outlet. It feels so good to have a project going to take your mind off things and a safe space to place your emotions. We forget that the mind is a muscle and, after a year of intense art-making, my brain now naturally craves it. I don't want this to go away.

 

 

Unartisanal is funded in part by the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs

 

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