D'LISA CREAGER
Artist Statement
I learned the wire looping technique from the daughter of Ruth Asawa, Aiko Cuneo, who held a workshop at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles where her mother’s work was on exhibition in 2007. At that time, I was working with fine copper wire to make jewelry and was naturally drawn to the workshop. That workshop encouraged and inspired me to explore translating small jewelry designs into large wire sculptures.
The sculptures I create are made with very fine copper wire using a technique commonly known as “Viking Knit”. Viking Knit is an ancient wire weaving method originally used by the Nordics to create exquisite ornamentation. Since Nordic times, cultures around the world have used this and similar techniques to produce everything from fine jewelry to storage vessels. Such was the case with villagers in Toluca Mexico in the 1940’s who taught artist Ruth Asawa how to make baskets out of wire. Those baskets evolved into the Ruth Asawa hanging sculptures so admired for their simple shapes and modern form to this day.
The sculptures I create are made with very fine copper wire using a technique commonly known as “Viking Knit”. Viking Knit is an ancient wire weaving method originally used by the Nordics to create exquisite ornamentation. Since Nordic times, cultures around the world have used this and similar techniques to produce everything from fine jewelry to storage vessels. Such was the case with villagers in Toluca Mexico in the 1940’s who taught artist Ruth Asawa how to make baskets out of wire. Those baskets evolved into the Ruth Asawa hanging sculptures so admired for their simple shapes and modern form to this day.
