THE WAY I FELT
Lindsey’s artworks draw inspiration from an array of sources, most notably the captivating landscapes of Canada, and the vibrant interplay of colour & texture and of light & shadow that surround her. Through her fibre artworks, she paints vivid recreations of what she sees and feels as she aims to capture the people, places, and events in her life.
Read a Q&A with Lindsey McTavish
What themes does your work involve?
I have a bunch of themes that are always in rotation with me....I work a lot in Landscapes, but also seem to have never ending inspiration for People & Portraits, Farm animals & Birds, and Florals that seem to be recently morphing into circles and abstracts. Each series is continually being added to over the years. i don't do something then get finished with that and move on, i just keep coming back over and over to evolve on my subjects.
Describe your creative process.
My pieces are made by wet felting, which is the process of using a combination of friction/agitation, soap & hot water to make FELT out of wool fibres. The water & soap changes the pH of the wool and allows the fibres to open up & to bind together with other fibres to create a non-woven type of fabric. I almost always work in series & rarely on one piece from beginning to end. The whole process is done in stages over a few emmersive months, where at the end I might have up to 20 pcs. Stage 1 is the most creative part where I build my images by layering multiple layers of wool & other fibres. Stage 2 is the wet soapy & active part that is needed to make the fibres bind & hold together. Last is the quilting stage, that's done using my industrial machine, and is crucial for creating depth.
What influences your work?
What inspires you?
Why do you make art?
A few of the things I get really inspired by are colour & texture & mood. I think I think use my work as an escape for myself, & I'm interested to see if i can also provide that escape to others...can I get them to float away to the place in my scene for a few minutes? Can I provide the viewer with something beautiful to look at for a bit and give them a break from their everyday trials? I've noticed that I can have an actual physical reaction to texture & I've become keenly interested in why that might be...Does this happen to other people too...? I think I make art because I can't seem to stop myself. I'm a pretty sensitive person, so I notice so much beauty & inspiration all around me, but i also see so much sadness & loneliness & despair, and I guess those feelings need an outlet.
What is good art?
What makes a piece of art great?
Tough question. Obviously everyone will have a different view on this question, and of course context is important; Is the viewer looking to be moved by something political or social or environmental? Are they looking for an escape to somewhere else? Does Art need to always be saying something or can it just be something pretty to surround yourself with to make you feel happy? Can art be judged by an artists's ability to depict something or someone with hyperrealism? I myself actually collect quite a bit of art and I find myself surrounded by pieces that for whatever reason seemed to jump off the wall at me and tell me that i wasn't going home without them.
What is the role of the artist today?
I think The role of the artist today is probably similar in many ways to the role of artists in the past. To be a document of how society is progressing and evolving politically, socially, environmentally, etc. I feel Artists also currently have the important role of providing beauty during times of chaos and unrest. They are here to distract us, inform us, inspire us, entertain us... I've noticed portraiture being very popular lately. I think in modern day portraiture it seems to be more about peoples feelings and emotions, rather than specifically to record the appearance and existence of someone. such as in the past. Today It's much more acceptable to show emotion and vulnerability, and also as a viewer, to admit to connecting with those things.