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Margot Stage
If we were taking a walk together along the beach or in the woods, you’d hear me exclaiming “look at that” or “did you see this?” over and over again! You’d also find me pocketing treasures — a feather or piece of wood, a leaf, a shell or stone. My love affair with nature stretches back to my childhood. Being out doors was and is a primary source of joy and solace and where I get glimpses of the divine. I draw inspiration from what I see outside myself, which simultaneously hints at or reflects the internal human experience of life. Making art is a way to capture the beauty I witness in nature, being able to see it again and again. It’s also a way to share with you what I’ve found delightful in our common world….a way to say “hey look at this!” I love working with fiber and textiles because the material is so accessible, literally and figuratively. Cloth is a huge part of our everyday lives, and can also carry much symbolism – the scrap of a silk dress I bought for a special occasion decades ago, my grandmother’s bathrobe, or a tie found in the road on the day of a friend’s funeral. All of this gets incorporated into my work. I also love what cloth does – the frayed edge, the fold, the rip or tear, its rich textures, the way it can be layered, and how it takes paint and dye. Possibilities seem endless when I’m working with fabric.