Rebecca introduced me to the work of Caitlin Ducey, and I’m really taken by her exploration in the use of plastic straws in sculptural forms. Caitlin has used them to create work that is pleasing on many different levels. She writes a bit about her series:
These three sculptures represent an exploration of material, process, and pattern. They are made primarily from plastic drinking straws. The abundance and accessibility of straws were initially attractive to me, as well as how common, yet disregarded they are in everyday life. The project evolved from this initial curiosity as well as an interest in the aesthetic potential they possess. The straws were cut in half and then stacked in the frame. There is no glue or adhesive holding the pieces together; they simply rest on top of one another. As the frame is filled, the weight of the thousands of individual straws gives the pieces more stability, but they are still very fragile.
The technique is a reflection of older forms of art making. I like to think of it as pointillist sculpture, as it is made up of many small parts that make a cohesive image together and it exhibits a similar tension of being perceived very differently up close and at a distance. It is also undeniably influenced by craft traditions such as quilting, which uses pattern and brings together different pieces to make a larger pattern, and weaving, which starts from one end and creates a pattern in a linear progression from one end to the other. There is also a connection in the obsessive quality of the work and the time required.
All images via her website.
