About

There’s magic in weaving, magic that has fascinated me since I can remember. The smell of the pine needles I carefully wove into little nests as a small child, the texture of the first fabrics I used to sew clothes for my dolls and myself. I’m fascinated by the fact that threads as thin as hair make up the clothes we wear every day, and that for thousands of years humans have used weaving as a way to negotiate, as a currency, as a way to rebel, seduce and conquer.

The story of thread and weaving moves inside me, it always has. Learning that weaving runs in my blood, is woven into my being, finally laid all my questions to rest, a great exhale.

My ancestors, the French Huguenots, were known for weaving. They took their craft with them when they fled the persecution. And so, my genes landed more than 10 000 km away, in the southern tip of Africa, devoid of any weaving activities. Yet, hundreds of years later, the weaving gene is still alive in me; a seed waiting for the right conditions to sprout.

Noticing the presence of a new artwork within my being is a profound moment. Often times we silently coexist for weeks or months as the idea develops, autonomously, until one day it is ready, presenting itself to me as a collection of feelings, haptics, smells, forms and materials. I pay very close attention to every detail. I gently note down the details of the message, and start to draw the intricacies of what I perceive.

Some works arrive with boldness, complete, and ready to be adapted to the physical world with few questions asked. Others are shy, appearing fleetingly and disappearing equally so. Those ideas need time and attention to come into being, and when I notice their subtle presence, I know to sit down with pencil and paper, gently nudging the idea into form.

There are also those who arrive through others: a request that lands like a pebble on the surface of a calm lake, sending ripples in every direction. The message is received, and with time, this too manifests as a unique artwork consisting of a divine idea, expressed by one and interpreted by another to create something that holds all three parts in one.

Finding the materials, time and space to work are all part of the artwork itself. The artwork is born of its surroundings, the materials, time, attention and dedication. The physical materials ultimately become the artwork and thus, are chosen very carefully, and handled with care and love.

On these pages you can find a selection of artworks. Each, a manifestation of an inspiration. Many more artworks will follow in time. Some of them are already familiar to me, but there are also those that will appear only when they choose to do so.

Enjoy!

Yours,
Yolandé

Contactyolande@yolandegouws.com