Piper Shepard

Translations

While at the residency, I became interested in a series of typed and pin prick pieces created by Anni Albers and how they relate to her woven fabric samples and ‘Room Divider’ works . How the typed pieces are proto textiles for her casement and design fabrics, how the typewriter, (the mechanical means or tool that was of hand) was used to create line and void and a constructed surface. Albers engaged a full practice between drawing/print, weaving pictorially and her design work.  The textile language that she utilized fluidly migrated between the 2D and 3D, haptic and optic, led by material exploration. In the work from this residency, I asked myself what tools and materials were at my disposal that I could use to transcribe and translate textile language in what I call the ethereal textile.

What happens in the translation of textile language as it moves through materials and media? How does line and void and the presence and absence of material translate through process? How does the image and meaning of textile extend through various methods of making?

Thicket (studio image and detail), 2023, 13’ x 10’, handout muslin, gesso, graphite, aluminum armature. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

photo credit: Dan Meyers

photo credit: Dan Meyers

photo credit: Dan Meyers

Sabbatical Exhibition, Decker Gallery, MICA, 2022, photo credit: Dan Meyers

made in collaboration with the Textiellab, Tilburg, NL, photo credit: Dan Meyers

produced in collaboration with the Textiellab, Tilburg, NL, photo credit: Dan Meyers

2019 45” x 47” each, hand and laser cut digital print. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2019 45” x 47” each, hand and laser cut digital print. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2019 45” x 47” each, hand and laser cut digital print. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2019 84”x 96”, laser cut paper, paint, boutonniere pins. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2019 84”x 96”, laser cut paper, paint, boutonniere pins. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2019 84”x 96”, laser cut paper, paint, boutonniere pins. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2019 84”x 96”, laser cut paper, paint, boutonniere pins. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2017, 54” x 45”, printed and laser cut wool and industrial felt  Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2017, 54” x 45”, detail, printed and laser cut wool and industrial felt  Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2015, 96"x96"x1.5", handcut muslin, gesso, graphite, aluminum armature.  Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2015, Maryland Institute College of Art. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2015, Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2015, 120"x24", charcoal. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2012, from the exhibition, Lace in Translation, at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham, UK, 15'x15', handcut muslin, gesso, graphite, aluminum armature. Photo credit: Sophie Mutevelian.

2012, from the exhibition, Lace in Translation, at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham, UK, 15'x15', handcut muslin, gesso, graphite, aluminum armature. Photo credit: Sophie Mutevelian.

2012, from the exhibition, Lace in Translation, at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham, UK, 15'x15', handcut muslin, gesso, graphite, aluminum armature. Photo credit: Sophie Mutevelian.

(Detail) 2007, 15’x15’x4”, handcut muslin, gesso, graphite, steel armature. From the Exhibition, Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting. Collection: Museum of Arts and Design, NY. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2017, 96”x54”x12”, hand-cut muslin, gesso, graphite, wood and steel armature. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2017, 96”x54”x12”, hand-cut muslin, gesso, graphite, wood and steel armature. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2017, 96”x54”x12”, hand-cut muslin, gesso, graphite, wood and steel armature. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2011, 8'x8'x12", handcut muslin, gesso, graphite, aluminum armature, steel cable. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

2011, 8'x8'x12", handcut muslin, gesso, graphite, aluminum armature, steel cable. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

2002-2005, 9'x4'x4', handcut muslin, gesso, walnut ink. steel armature. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

2002-2005, 47”x 21’ each. Handcut muslin, gesso, walnut ink, steel armature. Photo credit: Dan Meyers

2002-2005, 122"'x18"'x4', from the exhibition, Filagree Spaces, Baltimore Museum of Art, handcut muslin, gesso, walnut ink. steel armature. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

2002-2005, 9'x4'x4', handcut muslin, gesso, walnut ink. steel armature. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

2005, from the exhibition, Filigree Spaces, Baltimore Museum of Art. 40'x17'x4", handcut muslin, gesso, graphite, steel armatures. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

2005, from the exhibition, Filigree Spaces, Baltimore Museum of Art. 40'x17'x4", handcut muslin, gesso, graphite, steel armatures. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

2005, from the exhibition, Filigree Spaces, Baltimore Museum of Art. 40'x17'x4", handcut muslin, gesso, graphite, steel armatures. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

Installation view, University of Creative Arts, Farnham, UK, 2014. Photo: Piper Shepard

 2001, 9'x9'x4", handcut muslin, gesso, graphite, steel armature. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

2001, 9'x9'x4", handcut muslin, gesso, graphite, steel armature. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

2001, 9'x9'x4", handcut muslin, gesso, graphite, steel armature. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

2008, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts. Works from right to left: Sieve, Daisy Runners, Granulated Diamond . Photo credit: Carson Zullinger.

2008, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts. Works from right to left: Sieve, Daisy Runners, Granulated Diamond . Photo credit: Carson Zullinger.

2008, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts. Works from right to left: Sieve, Daisy Runners, Granulated Diamond . Photo credit: Carson Zullinger.

2014, 54x54" each. Digitally printed and handcut cotton, aluminum armatures. Photo: Dan Meyers

2014, 54x54" each. Digitally printed and handcut cotton, aluminum armatures. Photo: Piper Shepard

2014, 54x54", Digitally printed and handcut cotton. Photo: Piper Shepard

2013, 25"x25"x1.5", digitally printed cotton, corsage pins on drywall

2010, from the exhibition, Adorrnamental, Goucher College, at Towson, MD, 8'x8'x1.5", digitally printed cotton, corsage and boutonnière pins. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

2010, from the exhibition, Adorrnamental, Goucher College, at Towson, MD, 8'x8'x1.5", digitally printed cotton, corsage and boutonnière pins. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

2010, from the exhibition, Adornamental, Goucher College, at Towson, MD, 8'x8'x1.5", digitally printed cotton, corsage and boutonnière pins. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

2010, from the exhibition, Exuberant Pattern, Towson University, MD 8'x8'x1.5", digitally printed cotton, corsage and boutonnière pins. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.

2010, from the exhibition, Adorrnamental, Goucher College, at Towson, MD, 8'x8'x1.5", digitally printed cotton, corsage and boutonnière pins. Photo credit: Dan Meyers.