I was recently invited to participate in an emerging festival in the Laurentians region of Quebec. It was a three-day outdoor event focused on connecting art and nature.
For this festival, I presented a crocheted installation inspired by the region's forest, using an algae yarn created exclusively for this piece. This event also presented me with a great opportunity to see how the material would behave when exposed to the forest's changing conditions for three days.
I sought to create the yarn using local materials so that the piece would have its own identity from the outset. The proposal was based on the principles of a circular economy, aiming to ensure that resources taken from the earth can return to it once they decompose.
In the final work, the different variations of the thread interact with each other through crochet weaving, and are integrated with the natural environment that surrounds them.
My process began with a conscious gathering in the forest, mindful of the environment. I collected maple leaves, pine needles, soil, sand, and charcoal left behind by people who had camped in the area. Then, I prepared the materials to incorporate into the mixture and finally wove the yarn.
Preparation of the material
To finish drying it, I put it in the oven for a few minutes, then ground it into a powder and incorporated it into the mixture as a pigment and texturizer. Below is an example of what I did with all the collected materials.
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