Deborah Robinson
"Celtic Interlacing 1"
Digital print on cotton mounted on hessian with plaited hessian border, 20" x 16" , 2006
Celtic Interlacing 1 is a carpet design of interlaced knotwork and stepped crosses. A carpet page is one of pure ornament resembling an oriental carpet; such pages were used in Celtic art to divide up key components of a text.
The design was printed twice on to cotton fabric. The two pieces of fabric were then cut into strips and woven together; the under and over movements of the weaving process imitating the interlacing of Celtic knotwork. The artwork is backed with hessian and has a border of plaited hessian thread. The whole is mounted on to artists' canvas.
"Celtic Interlacing 2"
Digital print on cotton mounted on paper with braidwork border, 20" x 16" , 2006
Celtic Interlacing 2 is built up from five interlinked repetitions of a smaller knot, which itself is an extension of the ubiquitous King Solomon's Knot.
The design was printed twice on to cotton fabric. The two pieces of fabric were then cut into strips and woven together; the under and over movements of the weaving process imitating the interlacing of Celtic knotwork. The artwork is backed with paper and has a border of a Marudai square braid; the braid is a twill weave worked with eight bobbins -- under two, over two. The whole is mounted on to artists' canvas.
Deborah Robinson
Editor Lace, The Lace Guild (UK)
Statement about my art:
My textile art is a practical representation of how intricate designs are built up from simple pattern units or stitch combinations. In bobbin lace the pattern is made by two basic actions -- the cross, left over right, and the twist, right over left; knitting by two stitches, plain and purl; tatting by the opposing movements of the larkshead knot.
The Celts developed their method of ornamentation based upon geometry, mathematics and abstractions as, before Christianity, the depiction of created life was forbidden. Chronologically Celtic art evolved through spirals, chevrons, step and key patterns to knotwork interlacings.
My Celtic knotwork designs are computer constructed from a series of simple modular units which I have devised for digital artists. These are fitted together 'jigsaw' fashion, quickly enabling the production of complex knots, borders and panels -- thus bringing the application of modern technology to a 20,000 year old art form.