Conversations & Memories
Andrea Carney uses free machine embroidery, on water soluble fabric, interlinking the stitches together to produce a fabric, which is then manipulated and constructed by hand to produce three dimensional objects.
Primarily, one-off art pieces and bespoke commissions, Andrea’s work is often inspired by memories and conversations. She strives to explore the narrative behind them and produce a tangible outcome that preserves the memory of the person, place or event. Her work is often displayed in a glass dome display case, protecting and preserving for the future. Her current work is incorporating the notion of an heirloom, while exploring the diaphanous nature of memory through her thread sculptures. With the use of modern technology she has created an interactive experience through Augmented Reality, that links directly to the person that the heirloom is dedicated to.
Sewing threads together and building up layers is challenging and exciting, as it is taking a linear material and creating a volumetric form. This process is characteristically similar to how threads of conversation entwine and allow people to make connections and build relationships. The more threads the stronger the bond.
Inspired by the loss of her parents, Andrea has explored how although many memories and conversations fade, the stronger connections remain, albeit in a lesser form. This is demonstrated in her delicate sculpture