Rachel Max, After Haeckel II, detail
plaited and twined cane, 9” x 9” x 10”, 2015, photo by Tom Grotta

Colorful vessels by UK artist Rachel Max will be among the works we will include in Influence and Evolution: Fiber Sculpture then and now, opening April 24th at browngrotta arts in Wilton, Connecticut and continuing until May 3rd. Max’s open weave structures of fine-center cane and wire in multiple layers involve an interesting interplay between line, shadow and color. “My interest in basketry grew out of experiments with the

Rachel Max, Orange Nest, dyed cane, plaited and twined, 8” x 12” x 11”, 2006, photo by Tom Grotta

tactile and textile properties of metals,” Max explains. “The materials and techniques used in basketweaving enable me to make my own fabric for sculptural forms. The fabric itself is a delicate grid structure forming an intricate network of lines that are interlinked.” The artist explores containment and concealment in her work, utilizing various materials in the process. “I have a particular penchant for fine cane, which has a delicacy that is pliable, with wire-like characteristics that suit the open weave compositions that I have been exploring.” Colour, is the

Rachel Max, 10 x 10, dyed cane, plaited and twined, 7.5” x 10” x 10.25”, 2015, photo by Tom Grotta

final, essential ingredient in Max’s process. “It is paramount to my work,” she says. Influence and Evolution opens at 1pm on April 24th. The Artists Reception and Opening is on Saturday April 25th, 1pm to 6pm. The hours for Sunday April 27th through May 3rd are 10am to 5pm. To make an appointment earlier or later, call: 203-834-0623.

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