Mita Giacomini

Mita Giacomini is a fibre artist in Dundas, Ontario. She takes inspiration from nature, particularly fleeting images that work like apertures to a wider reality — ground shadows tell of the unseen sky above, a bird’s eye hints at an unknown mind. Portraits of birds and others celebrate the meanings and mysteries of our encounters and invite recognition — whether anthropomorphic or alien. Other semi-abstract series interpret shadows, waves, silhouettes, or reflections — the graceful, organic forms created by the interplay of light and environment. Fibre is a nuanced, expressive art medium that resonates well with the fabric of nature. Mita practices an original technique she calls “surface weaving,” which combines hand needle-weaving with free-motion machine stitching and quilting. The process is incremental and contemplative. It generates rich textures and myriad colour interactions. The final effect is similar to neoimpressionist brushwork, but with an added dimension of intricacy that’s unique to fibre. Surface-woven textiles exhibit complexity at every visible scale — from across the room, to up close, to microscopic. In this way, the artworks echo nature’s own geometries of scale, enlivening the images and offering something new to see with every look. Mita’s work has been exhibited at art galleries and museums across Canada, as well as in the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia. She is a juried artist member of the Carnegie Gallery in Dundas, Ontario, the Canadian fiber artist group Connections, and the international Studio Art Quilts Associates (SAQA). More about the process of surface weaving: "First, I appliqué a base fabric with a collage of fabric pieces in a rough version of the image. Then, using the sewing machine, I sew large, loose stitches in all directions all over the base fabric layer. When the piece is covered with these stitches, I move it to an easel where I begin the many hours of freestyle needle-weaving by hand. I draw from an enormous variety of strands of yarn, fabric strips, and strings, working them among the machine-sewn web of thread. These are primarily silk, cotton, and wool fibres, but a few other natural and artificial fibres often also play a role. I may selectively leave parts of the underlying applique visible between the hand woven stitches, or cover areas so densely that no base layer shows. The weaving process is slow, incremental and contemplative, but never tedious — each woven strand adds its own character and involves new decisions. The weaving results in a richly textured surface with myriad colour variations and interactions. When the hand-weaving is complete, I finish the piece by attaching a layer of quilt batting and fabric backing, and free-motion quilting the entire piece. This last step secures the hand-woven strands and refines the texture."