3D textures from the loom
- Cassandra creates original 3D handwoven textiles
- All of her work is constructed while still on the loom
- Basketry, macramé, felting and knotting are some of her sources of inspiration
Originally from Montreal, Canada, Cassandra Sabo fell in love with weaving while studying textile design in London, at Central Saint Martins. Believing that the craft was a great combination of her skillset, she chose it as her specialisation in her second year. As she also found out she was pregnant, Cassandra was encouraged to take time out and return for her final year. Keen not to lose all the knowledge she had absorbed she purchased her first loom from the university and continued to weave during her time off. After opening her studio in Oxford in 2014, she began to experiment with a new range of materials, techniques and process from different crafts, developing a unique style of weaving and a design aesthetic that fuses inspiration from her travels with her love of experimentation.
Interview
- What drew you to weaving?
- I was in my first year of university and we were being taught how to weave on a loom. I set up my first warp, chose some yarns and started to follow a pattern. I loved it immediately and could not believe that you could create cloth from cones of yarn!
- How did you develop your style?
- I am adept at working with unusual materials and combining them with different textile craft techniques to create 3D or textural handwoven cloth. I draw technical inspiration from basketry, macramé, felting and knotting to create my work.
- Is tradition important to you?
- I am rooted in tradition by using a weaving loom as my tool, whether it is a floor, table or frame loom. All my work to date cannot be woven at a mill as it is a complex combination of materials and processes that can only be manipulated by hand.
- What was the first piece of work you made?
- The first body of work that I created was a collection of woven fibre optic textiles. Using a traditional loom I wove fibre optics, monofilament and wire into complex designs that were later lit using LED light sources. I was influenced by knotting techniques, basketry and other craft techniques to create 3D textiles.
Cassandra Sabo is a master artisan: she began her career in 2012 and she started teaching in 2018
Where
Cassandra Sabo
