2015<\/span><\/p> <\/p> 2013<\/span><\/p> What are your sources of inspiration?<\/span><\/strong> Do you use one colour more than others in your work?<\/span><\/strong> The world of textile art is wide and diverse, why has wool caught your attention?<\/span><\/strong> What do you express with your Soft Sculptures?<\/span><\/strong> Is there a time of year or of the day in which you are more creative?<\/span><\/strong> Once your work is finished, how do you feel? Are you possessive and wish you could keep it all to yourself or are you eager to share it with others?<\/span><\/strong> For some people, the creative process is also an occasion for a deep self-analysis. Is this the case for you?<\/span><\/strong> Tell us about your collaboration with DHG. Which of our fibres have you chosen for your work, and why? Is there a particular message behind the works that came out of these materials? What will you take away from this collaboration?<\/span><\/strong> What’s your favourite movie?<\/span><\/strong> What literary character do you feel is most similar to yourself?<\/span><\/strong> What’s the sentence you use more often?<\/span><\/strong> If you had the chance to choose a sound or an image to send into outer space inside the Voyager Golden Record to show aliens what life on Earth is like, what would you choose?<\/span><\/strong>![\"Maria](\"http:\/\/www.dyeinghousegallery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/MARIA-friese-e1479221457793.jpg\" "\\"Maria")
<\/p>Award<\/h2>
![\"Maria](\"http:\/\/www.dyeinghousegallery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/friese4-e1479222050240.jpg\" "\\"Maria")
![\"Maria](\"http:\/\/www.dyeinghousegallery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/friese2-e1479222078536.jpg\" "\\"Maria")
<\/p>Interview<\/h2>
M<\/span>y sources of inspiration are especially nature and geometry. For me both of them belong together. Geometry is present everywhere in the nature, in each element of life. I like symmetric orders in nature forms and structures with their natural irregularities. To achieve regularity and symmetry in felt is a challenge for me. The result comes close to the “natural” symmetry with their small irregularities. At this moment I\u2019m very inspired by the underwater world with their extraordinarily and diverse forms and structures, but also fossils.<\/span><\/p>
I primarily use white and shades of grey, further brown and nature tones. But it changes from time to time. At this moment I\u2019m also inspired by tones of blue and purple. But I always use it in association with white and shades of grey.<\/span><\/p>
T<\/span>he wool fibre is vivid, organic, originally and unique. From the beginning I was impressed by their astonishing qualities. The transformation of the wool fibres in felt is a relatively simple process which needs no engines or eccentric tools. Further, there is apparently no limit in creation. That impressed me during my textile design studies, because it meant a big liberty for me, contrary to other textile technologies I\u2019ve learned. I\u2018m still fascinating.<\/span><\/p>
T<\/span>hat\u2019s a good question! Feelings, emotions, connection with the nature, the beauty of the wild, the transformation process, perhaps my own transformation. I think transformation is an important word in my work: I\u2019m inspired by forms or states of evolution, I\u2019m transcending wool and I can see my own transformation in my work.<\/span><\/p>
P<\/span>rincipally in spring. In winter, I come to rest, I relax and I gather new strength. I recharge my batteries, establish order and do my choices. And then after this short break, new ideas come to me. Projects clarify. When springtime is coming, I\u2019m ready and full of energies to start creating new works of art. Concerning the daytime, I think it\u2019s rather in the morning or very lately in the evening.<\/span><\/p>
I feel very connected with my works. And, therefore, sometimes it\u2019s difficult for me to show them to the public immediately. If I take the step, I am quite enthusiastic. It is always exciting for me anyway!<\/span><\/p>
O<\/span>f course I have a lot of time of reflection during felting. Thinking about myself, does not stay away. To me, making art is also a way to grow as a human, inner growth. Or rather, it helps in growing. Doing art has healing power. At this time I try not to analyse my work anymore. I like to follow my intuitions, jump in the process of creating, and drift away. Accepting changes and take the <\/span>t<\/span>hings like they are with my emotions and choices are also something I\u2019ve learned a bit from the felting process.<\/span><\/p>
I worked with the 16 mic Merino wool. I like felting with these very fine fibres. In my works I always look for fineness in structure and colour. The colours inspired me immediately to a small series of seeds-like objects. The result is a small row of poetic sculptures. It was a good and helpful experience for me in different ways. Usually I work with different fibre mixtures for my sculptures. My interest was, to use only one sort of wool. The challenge was to work out sculptures with a kind of stability only by using this extra fine 16 mic wool fibres. I developed my techniques and the result was very rewarding. It was also a good training for me to work on an exhaustive series. Often I have too many ideas at the same time. I\u2018m easily diverted and I need more time and more hands to create all my concepts and make entire series.<\/span><\/p>
I like a lot of movies. Actually, I don\u2019t have a special favourite film. The last movies which had impressed me were “Interstellar” and the Austrian film \u201eDie Wand\u201c. Another movie I have often watched is \u201cSchlafes Bruder \u00ab (Brother of sleep). And I love \u201cHarold and Maud\u201d.<\/span><\/p>
I don\u2019t feel similarity with any character of a book. But I like very much \u201cThe saga of Norea\u201d by Marianne Fredriksson. Norea\u2019s figure fascinates me, because she is so connecting with the nature. She can feel the invisible world, communicate with animals and plants.<\/span><\/p>
I often say to myself: it\u2019s all about perspective!<\/span><\/p>
I don\u2019t know. I think I would choose a sound with a strong contrast. I haven\u2019t found a song witch fits to this. But this could also be nature sounds, a harmonious summer day with a gentle breeze, birdsongs, sound of water opposed to sounds of a severe storm or perhaps disturbing sounds of engines destroying a forest.<\/span><\/p>