This series began during a time when my commute as a professional glass artisan was a lengthy schlep from Oakland to Santa Clara. Notoriously unpredictable, the trip would leave me frequently in bumper to bumper traffic. Often bored, I would eye the discarded stuff that drifted into the shoulders of the highway while crawling along. During a particularly sluggish day I noticed a rainbow of neatly bundled telecommunication wire seemingly abandoned in a triangle patch of the median where two freeways merged. I was doing mental gymnastics trying to figure out if I should stop to grab the mass. Instead I passed by for another couple of days before finally, after watching the heap turn from a neat bundle to a crushed and tangled mess, I pulled over to rescue it.
The next few weeks were spent meticulously untangling the wire mass (which took up several feet of floor space in my living room) and bundling the separated wires by color. Some were vibrant, others appeared to have sun fading, others wires looked slightly flattened. Sometimes a single wire could have all three features. Each had to be carefully pulled from the others, lest the quality of the plastic coating deteriorate further. After a week’s worth evening’s spent sorting, I had many satisfying stacks.
Really excited and loving the colors, I wasn’t yet quite sure how to use the material. My current body of work during that time period was creating framed shapes from heavy gauge copper wire and crocheting lace designs into the centers capturing bones, buttons and beads. It occurred to me that this type of framework could also be used for wrapping the wire. And from this experimentation, the series Color Bound was realized.
I’ve gravitated towards sculptural and geometric forms highlighted by the bold colors, likely an influence of the glass window designs I was working on at the time. Wanting to keep color central, the cording is hand crocheted then dyed in complementary colors. Detailed elements such as sterling silver caps, careful knotting and beaded tassels are often incorporated into the pieces.
Materials
Each piece is made with one or more of the following materials:
Please note: Each of these materials have potential to change over time and exposure to the elements, perfume and regular wear. The telecommunication wires are sealed in an UV resistant acrylic coating to help prevent skin and oil contact with the copper - but anyone with copper sensitivities should be aware that it’s not 100% protection. Cotton cording can be gently hand washed with some shampoo to help return to some semblance of the original state. The sterling may tarnish - I kind of love this article for ways to polish.