
DebrahLee McInnis - fibreartist
Photographs provide me with infinite patterns and forms that feed my creative inspirations: every photograph taken is a form of exploration. Through the computer I link photography and textiles, manipulating subject matter to create new compositions. Digital tools give me unlimited control of print composition, contrast, colour, and texture. My ideas can flow freely and seamlessly. Working with thread, natural fibres, wax, markers and dye, overlaying and screen printing fabrics, I use the unique characteristics of the textiles to exceed conventional ways of seeing and understanding. Cloth transforms photographs. Photographs transform cloth. Being able to manipulate and touch fabrics provides an endless satisfaction for my hands and spirit. Creating a dialogue between myself and cloth is truly a gratification.
My intention is not to create an accurate rendering of reality, but to catalyze a different way of seeing reality. The work is not so much about place, but rather the perception of pattern, form, colour, texture and space. My goal is to skate the boundaries of both the real and unreal, making my pieces go beyond the simple recording of an image. By introducing a degree of abstraction and ambiguity into my work, I hope to challenge the viewer's perceptions and invite contemplation.
My hands also find there way through hours of repetitive tasks to sustain a constent degree of accuracy and growth in my making. I find freedom in the mundane stitching for utilitarian uses and excitment in creative stitching.
Imagination has no boundaries!