Artist’s Statement:  Jeanne Lyons Butler

Space and line converge in the layers of white.  My work in fiber combines earlier experience in painting and drawing with the tactile nature of quilts.  The work draws its aesthetic strength from its restraint.  Sparseness as a compositional element conveys oxygen and infinity, sometimes calmness, united with order, to absorb viewers into a sense of mystery.  I yield to a sense of quiet in my work.

I begin by preparing my ‘canvasses’.  Essentially the white background is created, generally starting with white cotton duck, sometimes incorporating silk or linen.  This is layered with batting and backing and stitched using simple horizontal or vertical lines. The canvas is then bound and I begin a process that involves layering the surface with textiles that include such contrasting fabrics as silk organza and cheesecloth with oil paint, spray paint and graphite.

The layers of white with black and gray are a balance between my sense of calm, quiet space and energy.  They exhibit the dichotomy between raw edginess and internal reflection, delivering simplicity in complex layers.  My work is strongly influenced by landscape.