“We find beauty not in the thing itself but in the patterns of shadows, the light and darkness, that one thing against another creates” - Junichiro Tanizaki (In Praise of Shadows, 1933).

My body of work, entitled ‘Patterns of Shadows’ is largely inspired by Tanizaki’s writing on the Japanese concept of ‘Ma’ (negative space). My knitted structures explore the relationship between form, material, process, movement and light. They feature patterns and motifs, inspired by origami that enable the knit to self-fold and become 3-dimensional.

Sunlight, an ever changing entity, highlights these patterns and brings them to life as constantly changing shadows cross the sculptural surfaces. I worked entirely with natural fibres, including linen and Irish wool, encouraging these materials to ‘speak’ by showcasing their inherent qualities.

My practice is research led, developing new methodologies and processes to create 3- dimensional surfaces. This is achieved by experimenting with fibres and self-developed technical processes. My degree work aims to further develop this research, emphasising the importance of space, positive absences and of course, “patterns of shadows”.