Caitlin Cary is a Regional Emerging Artist in Residence at Artspace through December 2015.
I had a chance to sit down with Caitlin in her studio before the September First Friday festivities began and talk a little about her unique process, her past, and her recent Connect & Create class at Artspace.
Artspace: Your work involves textiles, quilting techniques, sewing, and photography. Explain a bit about how you started using these materials and your technique for creating the finished piece.
Caitlin: I started as a failed seamstress, but I always loved working with fabric and quilted materials. I decided to apply the technique to art instead of clothing and now I make quilted pictures using fabric sewn onto paper. I begin the process by photographing interesting places, usually local landmarks, and then I piece together the photographs to create a composition to use for the final piece.
Artspace: Have you ever tried any other techniques or materials in your work?
Caitlin: I have only used fabric in my professional artwork, although I do dabble in painting and drawing for fun.
Artspace: When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
Caitlin: I began my artistic career as a singer and songwriter in 1994 when I joined the band Whiskeytown. Since then, I have released three solo albums, a duets album with Thad Cockrell, two albums with the super-girl-group Tres Chicas, and most recently an EP with The Small Ponds. It was only recently that I decided to take my visual artwork to the forefront and focus on my needleprints.
Artspace: You taught the Connect & Create class for Artspace on September 19. What did the participants do?
Caitlin: The class was open to all ages so the art project was designed to be simple and easy to learn. I taught the students how to create small fabric postcards. It’s a great project for those with no art or sewing experience while also giving those with more art experience a chance to work with materials they may not typically use.
