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FEATURED ARTIST: Pamela Zimmerman

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This was the most unusual crop of entries $2 Art Contest yet.  I review lots of paintings, sketches, mixed media & photos.  This month I reviewed woven metal, furnishings, installations, screen printing and fiber art.  None of those media is necessarily unusual, but getting them all in one month was unexpected.

I love textiles and texture.  I’m one of those nuts that has shelves and shelves of fabric for absolutely no valid reason other than I loved it enough to bring it home with me.  Everything I know about basket weaving, which isn’t much, I learned from a kit I bought at Piece Goods in 9th grade.  So how do I review fiber work and weaving?

I need the guts of it all.
The how of it all is very important,
but the why is what I really want to know.

 

"Catching the Pale, Pale Moon" by Fiber Artist Pamela ZimmermanThe Featured Artist chosen from the September entries is Pamela Zimmerman.  Her work made me stop and wonder HOW is this done?  What is the story behind THIS piece.  I just kept going back to the work and zooming in to inspect the details.  In the end, the same intricacy that usually speaks to delicacy left me with a sense of warmth and strength that I just could not dismiss.  This month, all my eggs are going in Zimmerman’s basket.

FEATURED ARTIST:
Pamela Zimmerman

Zimmerman was a National Park Ranger, and lived and worked close to nature. Living in the desert Southwest, she admired the native basketry in that area. She was  intrigued by the notion of making “something from nothing.”  In the late winter of 1998, she began weaving baskets from her garden.  The pine needles in her yard were short and twisted, but her first basket was enough “like a basket” to keep her going.

Soon she realized many materials from the woods and roadsides could be woven.  Some very tolerant neighbors (and strangers, too) allowed gathering of dying leaves from their yards with which to experiment.  Storm-downed trees yielded green needles, bark, or roots with which to weave.  Not all of the fibers worked out in that weaving adventure; but finding and trying new materials is all part of the fun of basket making.

"Catching the Moon: Celebration" by Fiber Artist Pamela ZimmermanIt wasn’t long before Pamela began to execute the miniature basket,  and she has developed her own techniques for working with horsehair.

“Coiling and twining are acknowledged as time consuming and thought by many to be tedious.
I find these processes contemplative, meditative, thought-ordering.

“Frustration is usually easily set aside, because there is always another project in the wings, beckoning, when one does not bear fruit.  It is also easy to forgive oneself for a basket turning out different than one had  envisioned, or conceived… so much easier to live with than the complexities of  dealing with people.  Most of my weaving is about making things  work.”

What do you consider  your media?  Do you primarily consider yourself a fiber artist or a basket weaver?  “I consider  myself a fiber artist who primarily uses basketry techniques.  I am constantly exploring new techniques and media to incorporate into my fiber art,  not all of them relate to basketry.  I also consider myself a basket MAKER – because I sometimes use  materials that I gather and process myself, and make them into  original baskets… making something from nothing.  Basket WEAVING, to  me, is when materials are prepared by someone else, or when the basket is  not of one’s own design.”  

"Waiting" by Fiber Artist Pamela ZimmermanClearly, there is a  clear aesthetic voice to your work.  But I want to hear about your point of view.  “I  generally do not try to work on a focused theme, but I find there are ones that  repeat in my work. They speak, I think, to my role as a  mother.  Birth, rebirth, cocooning,  transition, transformation, metamorphosis, emergence, change, and perspectives on these processes often are apparent.

“At my house, we try to make ourselves understand and live within society’s  rules.  It is a struggle from waking to sleeping, and we must find ways to adapt and learn, despite our differences, and fit into something which looks like normalcy.  It is hard to deal with, day in and day out.

Weaving is the escape.
Art is the place where there is no need
to do what someone else thinks is right.

 

"To the Sky" by Fiber Artist Pamela Zimmerman“I use the problem-solving skills that I have needed for survival throughout my whole life,  learning to adapt in a world that does not make sense, and the fiber responds silently, there is no yelling…the harshest penalty is loss of material.  I can almost always go back, something I cannot do when dealing with people.”

You know we have to talk about food, and I am always delighted when someone can’t give me a one-word answer to the favorite food question: “I love to try new  foods, and gravitate towards spicy and creamy, like Mexican with a lot of  cheese, and fettucini alfredo with hot peppers on top!

"Catching the Moon When the Deep Purple Falls" by Fiber Artist Pamela Zimmerman!But when it comes to every day eating, salads with feta cheese and olives topped with hummus and  plain yogurt.  And, being a Texan by birth, I love a good steak, and I NEVER  seem to be able to resist mushrooms, in any form.”  Make room for me, Pamela.  I’m movin’ in, ha.

So, what’s coming up next for you? “I enjoy teaching, and interacting with the online community.  I would like to teach more, and as my children grow, I am beginning to.  A book about horsehair coiling has been in the works now for several years.  Other than that,  I will keep weaving what I want to – of course there are more “moon” pieces in  the works.”

Thank you, Pamela Zimmerman for reminding me for the need for contemplative, introspective silent work…with voice.  I am inspired to never be the person that that tries to make you fit, and I am on winter hiatus from yelling, I promise.  You’re a good egg!

Learn more about Pamela Zimmerman online!

Learn more about Fiber Artist Pamela Zimmerman!

 

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78 thoughts on “FEATURED ARTIST: Pamela Zimmerman

  1. Pam gifted me with one of her beautiful baskets early in her gathering and weaving days. It still is a treasure and is on the table next to me as I write. I am amazed by the soulfulness of her recent work.

  2. I love Pamela’s work – she is an inspiration and such an enthusiastic voice for those of us who joyously dive into the tedium of coiled basketry. She is always willing to try new or different aspects of the art form. Some may question if basketry is truly an art. Well, just as a Paint-by-number is painting and a craft, while an original watercolor is truly art, so too is the difference between making a basket by a pattern is a craft – a coiled basket demands to be art. Great piece of work Pamela, you’ve already inspired me for my next work.

  3. Wonderful work by a great artist! Good to gain more insight into Pamela’s work. I lucky to have several pieces of her work in my collection, and they amaze me every time I look at them or show friends.

  4. It is great to see one of “our artists” featured. We have enjoyed Pamela’s work in our juried exhibition for several years and look forward to her entry for 2012. Best wishes from the entire art team at VMRC – Anne Finlayson

  5. I love Pamela’s work, there is so much to see. The intricacy is incredible – I’ve held one of her tiny tiny baskets and marveled at the workmanship. Pamela’s work always speaks to me of women, of mothers, of the goddess in us all.

  6. I absolutely love Pamela’s work and am always inspired by it to try new materials, designs and ideas in my own weaving. I also love Pam’s personal distinction between “basket weaver” and “basket maker”. By her definition, I too fall into both categories and am always looking to improve on my own work. Luckily, there are true fiber artists like Pam to look to for that inspiration we all need.

  7. Pamela, I have always loved your work. Absolutely wonderful. Plus starting the pineneedle group on the internet so that we can all meet and collaborate with each other and all of our ideas. I have never met you personally but I can tell you are a very classy lady. Thank you very much, Jeanne Williams in Ennis, MT

  8. I have always loved your work, Pamela. You are an exceptional artist and woman. I am fortunate to have one of your baskets and I love it. Nancy Florschutz

  9. Here from Alberta Canada where Pamela’s innovative, creative techniques are an inspiration.
    Her support even from afar keeps pushing me to coil more which is not a technique I use a lot.
    If a fiber art is is going to wake you to the fact that Basketry is an art she is the lady to do it. Congratulation to Pamela, R.L. Gibson and your sponsors. I hope more basketry artists find their way to you.

  10. Beautiful, beautiful work. You are an inspiration to many. I can’t wait to see what you come up with next!

  11. I have been an admirer of Pams work for a long time. She is an exceptional weaver/artist! Thanks for sharing it with us.

  12. Wonderfull article for one of the great artice. Love that Pamela followes her own path. Her baskets and art are truly her own.

  13. Pamela’s work is so detailed that I often just sit there and stare at her creations wondering how in heavens name she did that! This is such a nice article finding out more about her background!

  14. I have the privalege of being the proud owner of one of Pamela’s horsehair baskets. It will always be a treasure in my life from a very gifted artist. One of the most rememberable days of my life was when Pamela envied one of my works, “from the master herself”. Congrats Pam and keep up the good work!!

  15. Beautiful use and presentation of natural materials and basketry techniques.
    Pam’s art is very well done..

  16. What a fantastic feature! So exciting to learn more about the art and the artist behind all these beautiful and intriguing works!!

  17. You couldn’t have chosen a better subject than Pamela Zimmerman to talk about the real reason art is created: because it’s the way we come to know the world, fiber by fiber, twist by twist. Pamela’s art is so intricate, so introspective, and so insighted that it often leaves us wordless but understanding more than we thought we ever could. It’s so inspiring to me.

  18. I love the idea of making such beautiful are with things from nature. Pamela is a true artist!

  19. What a treat to have the opportunity to view these pieces of your work. You are so talented! You were always special to me when you were a first and second grader in my classroom. I always knew you were destined for great things and I have loved being kept in your loop for all these years. I am so proud of you, Pam. Love, Ann Freeman

  20. I love Pamela’s art and loved reading about her. It’s good to read about what motivates her and what inspires her art.

  21. I found this article very interesting and what a way to feature Pamela’s beautiful work.
    Her weaving, coiling and other techniques she uses are fascinating, intriguing and most of all so creative and unique. Congrats on your beautiful work.

  22. You’ve found one of the best eggs in the hen house in Pamela. She is truly inspiring and encouraging to newbies in the coiling world. If she is teaching more these days, it is my hope to become a student sometime soon!

  23. Pamela’s work never ceases to amaze me. She is a master of making “something from nothing.” I particularly like her comment, “Art is the place where there is no need to do what someone else thinks is right”, because she tests the limits of what is historically considered “correct” in art. She is the epitome of an artist drawing from everything that is around her, whether it is in fibers gathered or purchased, materials new or aged. Thanks, Pamela, for being YOU!!!

  24. What a lovely and talented artist. Thank you for featuring Pam and telling us more about her and her work. I would love to own one of her pieces and take a class from her…one day!

  25. What an interesting article! Pamela’s work is very creative and artistic. The faces in your work always seem to be pulling the view in closer to look at the details. Great work.

  26. To think I knew you when…something from nothing has turned into a whole lot. Congratulations on your continuous development and elevation of style and business, which helps all of us to develop our own, and to learn so much about what others are doing.

  27. Pam not only creates wonderful, interesting pieces but she is dedicated to helping others along the way. She shares her knowledge of basketry as well as making available materials. She is a gem among basketmakers.

  28. A gifted artist, Pamela expresses soulfulness into her beautiful creations. She is also very giving of her expertise in helping others in reaching for their creativity.

  29. Pamela is truly amazing with her insight and inspiration to us all. Her work fascinates and pleases the eye. What a delight to see her so honored. Kathy Holtje in Burlington West Virginia

  30. Pamela’s work is hauntingly evocative-the remark relative to returning to look again, and again was very accurate. Her techincal abilities are extraordinary, faultless, givning voice to a perfectly articulated statement. Truly outstanding!

  31. I am an admirer of your basketry and I so enjoyed reading about the process. As a “newbie” basketmaker, I am inspired by your baskets and your thoughts on creating them. I am waiting anxiously for your horsehair coiling book–I have some just waiting to be used!

    Thanks for sharing all your thoughts…Judy

  32. Pamela’s work is always beautiful and awe inspiring. I have several of her small baskets and have taken some of her classes. Not only is she an excellent basketmaker but a terrific teacher.

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