Here’s Faith standing by her piece at the opening of the new Taos Town Hall this year. It’s called Martin’s Song and is a 36″ x 36″ acrylic collage on clay panel. She was in last year’s Beyond The Fringe and will be in this year’s as well.

What drives you to create?
I create because I am enthralled with the process. Driven by the act of allowing my hands to create space for the unexpected to come through, my work develops from exploration. I am a painter with more than 25 years of experience in Fine Arts and have always done hand work for relaxation. One day in 2004, I had an epiphany, and it came to me, why not use fiber in the same way I use paint (?)… with the same attention to shape, form, color, composition. I started creating non functional pieces, more for myself, than for public viewing. In 2008, one of my pieces won the blue ribbon at the Taos Open and came to the attention of BTF curator Merce Mitchell. The BTF concept is perfect for stepping outside the box and letting the imagination run wild. The creative excitement generated by this show is highly contagious.

Why did you choose fiber as your medium?
The addition of using fiber in my repertoire has expanded my oeuvre considerably.

What kind of materials do you incorporate into your art?
Being a mixed media, collage person to begin with, I tend to mix my materials up, using thread, leather, beads, fabric, metal as well as yarn and roving.

Where do you find them?
I am always on the look out for interesting and unusual materials.

How much time do you typically invest in a piece?
My fiber pieces typically take a month or more to complete. My first piece was a year long on-going project.

What is your process to turn your artistic vision into the finished piece?
I usually just start somewhere and let the piece develop… each addition of different color and/or materials suggest the direction to go. I start with an idea or concept, rather than a plan. I do not use patterns.

What is the special meaning or message behind your work?
Each piece has it’s own message. The work for BTF 2010 is based on a poem by Veronica Golos. The poem led me into a deep exploration of the veil and its significance in different cultures. It reads: sky is everywhere; blue burqa sky

Some artists create their art for therapy purposes. Does that apply to you?
Knitting and crocheting are very meditative for me but I don’t exactly think of it as therapy, but perhaps, it is.

What artists do you admire most?
In Fiber Arts, Jane Thornley is my muse.

Where do you find inspiration?
Absolutely everywhere!

Do you have any upcoming projects or art shows this year?
The poet, Veronica Golos and I are collaborating further on a fiber piece to be included in the next showing of THIS LAND IS ME. So, the exploration continues!

How can people contact you?
Faith Welsh