4th Prize – Contemporary Creation Call 2013

Creation – Jane Harris, English artist born in 1956, lives and works in France (Dordogne). Weaving – Atelier Patrick Guillot, Aubusson, 2014 Low-warp tapestry, cotton warp, wool and silk weft, 9 warp threads per cm Dimensions – 0.84 m H x 1.05 m W Colors – 5 colors, dye by Thierry Roger, Aubusson (chemical dye)

Jane Harris conducts a minimalist and geometric approach to painting in which she abstracts nature. Her study of Japanese and French garden art led her to consider objects and forms placed in perspective on the same plane. The ellipse is a recurring motif in her paintings: "the perfect shape (…) because the ellipse has two focal points, and for this reason, it takes very variable forms. So it can be seen as a circle in perspective or as a flat shape, and it is with this alternative combination that it is possible to see a shape as two things simultaneously. What has become really important, really relevant, and appropriate for me as a painter (…) The eye cannot fixate because there is no central point; you have to let your eyes wander, and never stay in the same place."

Jane Harris paints using a methodical process, with few colors, giving importance to the texture left by the brushstroke. The model used to create the tapestry is a watercolor. Weaving Jane Harris requires great precision in the shapes and regularity of the points. The abstraction in tapestry highlights the technique, which must therefore be flawless.