Artist's Statement

My attraction to working in fiber stems from the range of possibilities offered by the materials and techniques. From the fluid act of painting on cloth, to the focused visual attention of arranging parts, to the tactile working of the stitches, I am continually excited by what I see.

My visual responses guide the process. I set up and paint on fabric in a way that will result in unique effects of color and texture. Using these painted fabrics in layering and building each piece, I will expand a form that emerges out of adjacent fabrics; echo a line that I’ve noticed twice already in paint and in cloth; articulate a pattern that appears too subtle; or use layers of sheer fabrics to deepen a color, alter a value, define a line, or mask what lies beneath. Hand stitching complements the relationships between colors and forms.

Throughout the process I am involved in an interplay between fresh responses and returning to influences, a balancing of structure and freedom.

Emily Richardson at work