In our Summer 2006 issue, writer Jessica Hemmings profiles Linda Grashoff, who combines photography and textile techniques in her artwork. Grashoff takes photographs of nature and then manipulates them digitally and adds embroidery to create complex, tactile images. In the article, we highlighted two wall pieces from her series on the Vermilion River in Ohio. In this exclusive web gallery, we share more of Grashoff’s multilayered artwork.
Grashoff enjoys recording and celebrating the unremarkable through her art. Psalter and Reliquary is about valuing even the mundane aspects of the material world. For this piece, she began by photographing pieces of rusted iron she had found on walks. She then manipulated the photos in various ways and assembled them into an accordion-folded book form above a reliquary, a glass-topped muslin-covered box that she built to house the objects.
Psalter and Reliquary, 2002; photograph printed on muslin, then embellished with cotton embroidery thread and glass seed beads (page 1); pencil drawing (page 2); digital photograph manipulated on a computer and printed on paper (page 3); photocopy of photograph dissolved onto polyester satin with Citra-Solv (page 4); offprint made by placing wet muslin over rusted objects and letting them sit inside a plastic bag (page 5); glass-topped muslin-covered box housing found iron objects; 43" x 10" x 7".
Real is a book of praise for both nature and manmade forms. Grashoff’s images move from concrete to abstract images of natural and constructed environments. The choice of a book form results from Grashoff seeking another way to combine photography and fiber work. Most of the images incorporate or are based on Grashoff’s photographs.
Real, 2004; cotton twill painted with fabric paint; 8" x 5 ½" x ½". |
