‘The Light We Can See’

‘The Light We Can See’ by Karen Hamilton is an artisanal, handwoven double-Ikat textile crafted from hand-dyed mercerised cotton.

Inspired by the phenomenon of light and how we see colour, the weaving reflects the ever changing nature of light emphasised through the strong bands of colours contrasted against the graduated areas of the Ikat yarns.

Through careful placement of the warp yarns on the loom and resist dyeing both the warp and weft threads, Hamilton produces a vibrant painterly woven artwork with softly feathered edges, characteristic of authentic Ikat. The mercerised cotton provides a rich depth of colour and silk-like lustre to enhance the contrast of light against dark.

Weaving has become Hamilton’s music. She throws the shuttle, beats up the weft, moves the treadles to a rhythm and time against the sound of the rising and falling shafts. Each piece of weaving she creates incorporates the same fundamental concepts as music – rhythm, texture, repetition and time.

She has learned to read the patterns and drafts like a piece of sheet music, considering how to connect the different elements to create the best composition. Colour provides the melody in her woven textiles and different combinations of colour and pattern can change the tempo and so affect how the weaving is viewed. She also uses colour and texture as ways to create a visual rhythm through her work. However, she feels it is always the light that brings the harmony to the final piece either through areas of relief or interaction with the surface of the woven structure.

Materials: mercerised cotton.

Framed measurements: 42 x 59cm.