"Cicada Songs "

The experience of creating with bark fiber connects me with the ancient people who first discovered its special qualities. I love to work outdoors as they did, preparing the woody bast fiber (the inner bark) using traditional methods, and then experimenting in the studio with contemporary interpretations. The historic Polynesian tradition of tapa, and the Mayan, Aztec, and Mexican traditions of Amatl (bark paper and cloth) are brought into a modern translation in my work.

As a sculptor, I open and shape the bark fiber to create space for light to pass through and expose the structure that holds it together. That process involves working laboriously with the natural qualities of the bark to transform its appearance and reorder its dimensions. I delight in the paradox that often results - a delicate translucency contrasted with the bark’s actual strength and rough fibrous surface.

I believe that we absorb each element of our surroundings both visually and on a more energetic level. The color and forms I create arise from two practices: immersing myself in the rythyms of the natural world, and developing the energy and design of the piece through successive drawings and experimentation. There is a meditative quality to my creative process, as though I am far away in a forest, opening and stitching the shapes that come to me through deep listening.
Jill Powers, 2006